matthewthorsen
EVs are more expensive than cars powered by gasoline engines, but costs are declining as manufacturers build more models and improve battery technology. The price gap will close quickly once battery prices match or fall below the cost of fossil fuels, which are the most costly component in a car.
But that will require accelerating the rollout of charging infrastructure. The electric car ev Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) estimates that until 2030 approximately 7,000 charging stations will need to be built each week to sustain the ramp-up of EVs.
The EV market’s most crucial need is for convenient, ubiquitous on-road fast charging that will give drivers confidence to travel long distances without worrying about running out of power. The EV “range anxiety” that keeps some people from buying or renting an electric vehicle can be alleviated by offering convenient public EV car charging stations with DC fast chargers, which deliver about 10 miles of range for every hour of charging.
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It will also help to find more accurate ways to rate EV mileage. For example, an EV’s mileage is likely to drop by 30% in 20°F weather compared to 80°F, since battery electrochemical reactions slow down in cold temperatures. Likewise, using the air conditioning will lower an EV’s energy efficiency by 10% to 15%. These temperature factors are currently ignored in EPA EV mileage ratings, and they should be factored into the calculation of national emissions impacts from EVs. Moreover, it will be important to encourage more countries to join the Global Memorandum of Understanding on Zero-Emission Medium– and Heavy-Duty Vehicles and set binding targets for achieving them in the near future.