Electric/PHEV/Hybrids
A wide variety of vehicles fall under the general category of “electric powered” on the global market, ranging from hybrids that run intermittently on electric power generated from the car’s movement, to plug-in battery-powered ones that use no liquid fuel.
Australia’s electric drive market for passenger vehicles is low when compared to other countries, with only a small number of “parallel” hybrids available and almost no plug-in models commercially available.
Australia’s electric drive market for passenger vehicles is low when compared to other countries, with only a small number of “parallel” hybrids available and almost no plug-in models commercially available.
The fundamental premise of a pure electric vehicle is simple - energy is stored in the vehicle, generally using batteries, which drive an electric motor in place of a standard internal combustion engine to provide movement.
Electric drivetrains are very efficient (up to 90 per cent); they produce no tailpipe emissions; they run far quieter than a standard vehicle; they provide an impressive amount of torque and they use almost zero energy when idling.
Electric drivetrains are very efficient (up to 90 per cent); they produce no tailpipe emissions; they run far quieter than a standard vehicle; they provide an impressive amount of torque and they use almost zero energy when idling.
Drawbacks
Energy storage, cost, weight and battery durability are issues that manufacturers are struggling to overcome. The benefits of a plug-in vehicle in Australia are also questionable: assuming an average consumption of 0.25 kWh/km, a plug-in electric vehicle actually results in more carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere via power generation than a standard four-cylinder car.
Energy storage, cost, weight and battery durability are issues that manufacturers are struggling to overcome. The benefits of a plug-in vehicle in Australia are also questionable: assuming an average consumption of 0.25 kWh/km, a plug-in electric vehicle actually results in more carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere via power generation than a standard four-cylinder car.
Renewable power generation, such as solar and wind power is a feasible but expensive solution that provides truly pollution-free travel.
The range of a battery powered vehicle and time to recharge are criticisms that eventually led to the concept of the plug-in hybrid vehicle (or PHEV), which combines a significant battery pack with a fuel-powered engine or fuel cell available to recharge to drive the vehicle when the battery runs out of power. PHEVs are not yet available on the market; however some major auto manufacturers are currently working on production models due in the next few years.
