Battery Electric Vehicles, or just Electric Vehicles (EVs), run on an on-board battery usually placed centrally at the base of the chassis. They still have a motorised engine that turns the wheels but it is fuelled by electrical energy instead of petroleum-based liquids.

You can charge the battery through a common wall outlet in your garage, using a dedicated faster wall charger or even using public charging points scattered around the island. Rapid charging options are also available; units which can charge an electric car from 0 to 80 per cent in less than 30 minutes.

These vehicles are in a different category from hybrids, where a normal petrol/diesel engine would be used at higher speeds to power the motor. The motors of EVs are 100 per cent battery operated.

EV technology can be considered to be in its infant stages but it is still competing with car models that have been around for decades, going through countless iterations of improvements (the VW Golf was introduced in 1974). However, brands such as Tesla and Nissan have had their Roadster and Leaf models, respectively, for more than seven years, enjoying a cult-like fan base.

The latest tech always comes at a premium price, and until very recently, very few EVs were affordable to the masses. The limited range offered by battery technology coupled with the fact that charging stations are not as ubiquitous as petrol stations, has also restricted the amount of potential buyers. This put many car manufacturers off from including an EV within their range.

Therefore, low potential sales volumes, limited potential of mass production, coupled with other factors like the drop in oil prices have kept EV prices out of reach for many. However, this is changing.

Battery density has now reached a point where it is possible to fit a 150+km range module on a supermini class car. EU2020 renewable energy targets are becoming more urgent, so many countries have de­ploy­ed far-reaching charging station networks and offer attractive EV purchasing grants. New car makers Tesla have been pioneers in the industry and successfully managed to romanticise the concept of an electric car with their clean yet sporty and futuristic Model S and Model X.

But most of all, household names like Renault, Hyundai, Opel, Smart, Mercedes and BMW have all made a serious effort to include a valid EV in their range. Such big-production-number names competing on the EV platform can only lead to lower prices for such cars. And that is what is happening.

In Norway, four out of every 10 new cars purchased are EVs. They also plan to have all petrol cars phased out off their roads by 2025. The US’s home-grown Tesla offers popular luxury sedans and SUVs complemented by free charging at their charging stations, which they plan to double by end of this year.

In France, Renault are leading the charge in affordable entry level EVs. The UK has gone from 1,300 charging bays in 2011 to 12,000 in 2017.

Germany, as a world leader in renewable energy, is also well equipped: in the first quarter of 2017 there has been a 98 per cent year on year increase in new EV registrations.

Most of Europe is committed to gearing up and smoothly transitioning to this new, cleaner mode of transport.

Many car makers are promising a 50/50 ratio of EVs to petrol cars on sale within their respective ranges by 2020.

So EVs are definitely here to stay.

Neville Zammit has a Master’s degree in environmental economics from the University of London.

neville90@gmail.com

If you are looking to buy a new ride and the grants are enticing you to go green, like the Facebook page EVMalta to support the adoption of this technology. You can message us with all your queries and we will be happy to guide you through the options in the most unbiased manner possible.

Government grants

Type	Grant	Conditions
Fully electric	€5,000/€8,000	€8,000 if scrapping 10+ year-old vehicle. €5,000 it not scrapping 10+ year-old vehicle. Old vehicle may be bought and scrapped without ownership period restrition.
Plug-in hybrid	€3,000	€3,000 only if scrapping 10+ year-old vehicle
Hybrid	€2,000	€2,000 only if scrapping 10+ year-old vehicle

Malta offers one of the most attractive EV purchasing grants that can be found around the world. Without scrappage, the rebate is €5,000, while if you are buying new, you can acquire a cheap old car to scrap and receive an additional €3,000.

Plug-in and non-plug-in hybrid cars use a normal combustion (polluting) engine to support the battery and are thus subject to less enticing grants. Businesses wishing to attract EV-driving customers may benefit from a grant when installing electric charging parking bays (up to €10,000). Car-repair garages may apply for funding (up to €25,000) to train staff in servicing EVs.

The options

Make	Model	Starting price after €8,000 grant	Comments
Nissan	LEAF	€26,000	Been around for more than seven years.
Smart	For two	€18,000	Just launched in Malta.
	For four	€19,500	Just launched in Malta.
Renault	Zoe	€21,000	Battery included in price, less if leased.
	Fluence		Discontinued.
	Kangoo	€14,000	Battery not included in price, leased. Work van.
	Twizy	€7,500	Battery included in price. Quadricycle.
Toyota	Yaris	€16,000	Hybrid, not plug-in.
	Auris	€23,000	Hybrid, not plug-in.
	Prius	€32,000	Hybrid, not plug-in, been around for over 10 years.
Kia	Soul	€27,000	Launched in 2014.
Opel	Ampera-E		Launched in other markets not in Malta yet.
Hyundai	Ioniq		Launched in other markets not in Malta yet.
Mercedes	B Class		Batteries sourced from Tesla, not available in Malta yet.
BMW	13		To be launched soon in Malta.
	18		To be launched soon in Malta.

After asking all official car dealers in Malta for information about their EV offerings, as at the time of writing these are the options available.

While the capital cost of purchasing any of these cars is still on the high side, one must also include in the equation the operational cost over the lifetime of the car, the cheap annual road licence, minimal maintenance costs and the nominal charging costs (which can be reduced to zero if the solar charging stations are used). All these factors contribute towards an overall lower actual cost when compared with conventional cars.

Moreover, great bargains can be made if one looks for second-hand cars from the UK. Since battery technology is advancing at a very rapid pace, EVs lose value relatively faster than traditional cars.

One would still be eligible for the grant if the vehicle is not older than two years and the odometer reads less than 12,000km. However the extra €3,000 grant for scrapping is not available on the purchase of used EVs.

The international warranty remaining on used vehicles is upheld by the local agents, and their service centres are available for all EV owners.

The case for EVs in Malta

The environment

The most obvious of benefits is that EVs produce zero emissions. It is true they still pollute through the power plants generating their electricity – however, it is much easier to control pollution at (a single) source. Centralised power generation is also much more efficient than many small engines producing their own. By using the interconnector we would actually be outsourcing the pollution of cars to the power plants in mainland Europe from where the interconnector draws power.

Consider also the fact that the 15 biggest ships in the world pollute more than all the cars in the world combined. However, cars are still considered more of a health hazard than ships because they pollute in urban centres and not in the middle of oceans where pollution can be assimilated more easily. Cutting tail pipe emissions would do wonders to the Maltese urban environment.

EVs do not have to ignite fuel, fire pistons, have many moving parts and gears but run smoothly and are completely silent. This fact would also contribute to calming stress levels in traffic and noise pollution in general.

Running costs

Assuming an average Maltese commuter doing 300km every week, an EV (five-seater) with a 150km range would need to be recharged from zero to full about twice a week. Each charge, lasting on average of six to eight hours (overnight), would cost around €2-€3 (depending on ARMS tariff rates by household size). That’s a ballpark figure of between €4 and €6 charge-up cost per week.

The less complicated engine will also cost much less in maintenance. Technically one only needs to top up the braking fluid and replace the AC filter for the whole lifetime of the vehicle. Other one-off expenses, like brakes, suspension and tyres, would still be incurred. However, with regenerative braking technology (similar to an engine brake that recharges the battery), wear and tear on brakes is greatly minimised.

The road licence is just €10 annually for all fully electric vehicles no matter the age.

Registration tax is also significantly cheaper depending on the length of the vehicle.

Convenience

The simpler motor engine makes room for more boot space in most EVs; for example, the Tesla Model S has both a rear boot (trunk) and front boot (frunk).

Gearboxes are not needed and therefore automatics are standard for all EVs – making the start-stop driving in traffic more bearable.

Many Maltese households have a garage. Charging overnight is ideal and eliminates the only fear one can have about these types of vehicles – range anxiety.

Yes, charging can be done through a common three-pin plug, just like any other electronic appliance.

It is important to note that all electric vehicle users are eligible to make use of bus lanes as well as free access within the CVA areas on a 24/7 basis.

Performance

With 100 per cent of their torque available at 0 rpm, electric cars have a number of performance advantages that gearheads and greenheads can both appreciate. Some of the quickest legal cars on the road today are actually EVs.

Energy storage-to-movement conversion in an EV system is above 90 per cent efficient, compared to less than 35 per cent for internal combustion (petrol) engines.

Just like conventional cars, the operation of the EV motor and the transmission of energy from the battery is made more difficult in icy cold weather. This is why many EVs are tested and reviewed in very cold climates like Canada and Scandinavia. However, this would, of course, not be an issue in Malta with our mild winters. On the other hand, EVs generally fall short of top speed when compared to petrol cars in the same category. However, this would not be an issue in a country with no motorways and where traffic jams are the order of the day.

Handling

The heaviest component of the car, the flat battery, is placed centrally at the bottom of the chassis. This lowers the centre of gravity and therefore most EVs have great handling when cornering.

The minimal space taken up by the engine also allows room for the wheels to turn more sharply, minimising the turning circle – useful in many of our narrow roads.

The drawbacks

Range anxiety can still be an issue for some people who could not be bothered to check their charge level every other day, check for charging station locations on their phone or sat-nav and plan their route. Some just want the reassurance that there is a petrol station on every corner.

However, personally, I find this superficial, especially in Malta, where no return trip can be more than 60km. We already have charging stations in nearly every loca­lity (and Transport Malta plans to reach 500 points by 2020) and this should also prevent drivers from worrying about being stranded, not more so than being stranded without petrol anyway.

The only real drawback of this type of car is that its battery will deteriorate over time. However, all manu­facturers guard against this by offering warranties that bind them to replace an EV’s battery if, for example, it loses more than 20 per cent capacity within the first five years. These, of course, vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.