Not many people dispute the negative environmental, economic, health, social and political effects that the gasoline has been responsible for.
But as much as most people would want to play their part in conserving the environment by driving electric cars 2011, it boils down to functionality.
For the switch to electric vehicles to make sense, it would have to deliver on the ‘conveniences’ that the general population has become accustomed to when driving gasoline powered cars. Two factors that have been a rallying point among electric car sceptics are speed and distance. How fast and far can a cheap electric car go?
The top speed of an electric car is determined by the transmission gearing and the voltage injected into the motor. On the lower speed range are the NEVs (Neighbourhood Electric Vehicles) that peak at just 25 mph. Majority of electric cars fall in the midrange having an average maximum speed of 55 to 65mph. Higher performance electric cars can do 90 mph or more.
As far as driving range per single charge goes, this is dependent on several factors. The factors can be split into two broad categories – vehicle factors and driving conditions. Curb weight, battery type and battery pack voltage are the most significant vehicle factors.
The cheap electric car with the longest range usually has a large battery pack and a relatively low curb weight. That said, the size of the battery pack and its effect on vehicle range is a delicate balance – if the battery pack is too large, then it increase the car’s curb weigh t thus reducing the range.
Examples of driving conditions that affect driving distance include weather, terrain, incline, traffic and driving style. Cold weather can pull down driving range substantially but its effect can be tempered if the vehicle is driven every day. Hilly routes and roads with poor traction will diminish how far an electric car can be driven before it needs a recharge. Just like it reduces the mileage covered by a gasoline engine, stop-go traffic consumes more electric power than smooth flowing traffic.
A basic and cheap electric car powered by at least 96 Volts of lead acid 6V batteries could deliver up to 80 miles under ideal driving conditions. This has however improved with newer models powered with the lead acid 8V batteries. Recent electric cars can do 200 miles or more without requiring a recharge.
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