Question 1

Why Should I Buy an Electric Car?

Accepted Answer

Electric cars offer significantly lower fuel costs compared with traditional gas-powered cars. On average, the full tank of fuel costs about twice as much as the comparable cost to charge an EV battery. That’s especially true if drivers take advantage of off-peak electricity rates while charging at home. And electric rates are far more stable than oil prices. ( no monthly fluctuations ) 
 
Lower Operating Costs
 • EVs have overall lower fueling costs.
 • Most EVs have lower maintenance costs because they have fewer and simpler components and don’t require fluid changes or tuneups.
 • When combined with a home solar system, “fuel” costs could be completely eliminated, although it can take some time to recoup the cost of installing solar panels.
Less Pollution
 • EVs produce no particulate or smog-causing tailpipe emissions, which are a significant contributing factor in causing asthma and other air pollution-related illnesses.
 • EVs have lower carbon emissions than gasoline powered vehicles over their service life.
Unique Features
 • EVs are quiet because of their lack of engine noise.
 • Most EVs provide instant power and can be fun to drive.
 • Charging at home is convenient.

Question 2

Is an electric vehicle right for me?

Accepted Answer

Gone are the days of electric vehicles (EV) with compromise. Thanks to new battery technology, drivetrain advancements and engineering breakthroughs, EV owners get true Australian driving range, power on demand and can greatly reduce their emissions and financial footprints.

Question 3

EVs are expensive to buy

Accepted Answer

The upfront costs of EVs are currently more expensive than conventional vehicles, however powering your EV is much cheaper – about 70 per cent cheaper per kilometre in fact. That means the average EV driver saves $1,600 on fuel costs each year.
 
There are also lots of new mid-range EVs available in Australia this year. These include the MG ZS EV ($43,990), Hyundai Ioniq ($48,970), and Nissan Leaf ($49,990).
 
EVs are only going to become more affordable with time. According to Bloomberg, falling battery prices mean that the total ownership costs of EVs is already the same as conventional vehicles and that upfront costs will be cheaper by 2025.
 
As competition, investment, and innovation increase, the costs of EVs will continue to fall while conventional vehicle prices stay the same.

Question 4

Electric cars need less maintenance

Accepted Answer

Fully electric cars do not require oil changes, transmissions or exhaust systems and the average EV driver can save hundreds of dollars per year on maintenance. Electric motors are much more durable than gas engines and only have one moving part. This means far less breaks down or failures.

Question 5

Electric car batteries need to replaced

Accepted Answer

EV Batteries are designed to last the lifespan of the car and it is unlikely that you will need to replace them. That said, EV batteries there may be some degrade over time, which will have an effect on your total driving range but if you use listen to long time Tesla owners this may not be as bad as some have some has suguested . In addition, EV batteries are warrantied by the auto manufacturers for eight years.

Question 6

Electric car batteries are environmentally friendly

Accepted Answer

EV batteries are made from Lithium-ion, which is the same battery used in smartphones, laptops and most rechargeable household electronics. Lithium-ion batteries are 90% recyclable and a number of companies are looking at using used EV batteries as second-life energy storage units.

Question 7

Electric cars reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution

Accepted Answer

Australia has the highest emissions per capita in the OECD and is also one of the only developed nations in the world that doesn’t have a carbon emissions scheme.
 
An average new fossil fuel car emits around 185g CO2/km. An average new EV, however, is responsible for around 98g CO2/km, which is better for the environment. Reduced tailpipe emissions, particularly in urban areas, could also support better health standards.Many cars on our roads produce more pollution than similar cars in other developed nations.
 
While it is true that power plants produce emissions, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions depends entirely on the source of electricity. When electricity comes from renewables which are low-emitting sources, which Australia has double digit growth over the past few years the average EV driver an reduce their vehicle’s greenhouse gas emissions by 60-90% depending on whether or not you drive a fully electric or plug-in hybrid electric car and the sources of electricity generation in your province.
 
Australia’s vehicle emissions are at a record high and electric car technology will substantially reduce our carbon footprint.

Question 8

Electric cars have a lower life-cycle footprint

Accepted Answer

When you compare the total life-cycle of an EV to a gas car, from manufacturing to operation to end of life, EVs produce about half the greenhouse gas emissions as a comparable gas car.

Question 9

Electric cars have better performance than petrol or diesel powered cars

Accepted Answer

Electric cars deliver full torque right away giving them better acceleration than gas cars. Electric cars have no problem maintaining speeds upwards of 150 km/h. Electric cars deliver a smooth ride and are completely silent when running.

Question 10

Electric cars charge quickly

Accepted Answer

While it is true that EVs can take upwards of 8 hours to fully charge from a 11kw home charger, the amount of time it actually takes depends on how full the battery is. Most drivers will only use ¼ of the battery in a typical day of driving, which means it will take ¼ of the time to charge. If you install an electric vehicle charging station, you can speed up your charging time even more. In addition, a growing number of country towns are installing DC-Fast stations. These stations are normally loacted as regular fuel station replacements designed for highway driving that will fully charge your EV from empty to 80% in 20-45 minutes.

Question 11

How long does charging take? Will charge times improve?

Accepted Answer

This depends entirely on the power source and type of electric car. From as little as 15 minutes for the latest fast-charge-capable electric car at an ultra-rapid station with up to 350kW on offer, or from about 40 minutes with 100kW chargers for higher-end cars like Teslas, to nearly 40 hours for a Tesla Model S with a 100kWh battery pack using a 10A household socket.
 
Just keep in mind that an overnight charge every couple of days should keep most average commuters topped up and moving.
 
These charge times are likely to keep reducing as electric cars, batteries and charging technology are constantly evolving and improving.

Question 12

Electric cars can drive long distances

Accepted Answer

Most fully electric cars sold today travel 300+ km on a single charge. If you need to take your fully electric car on a road-trip such as I have between Sydney and Melbourne, there are numerous public charging stations called DC-Quick chargers. These chargers appear along highways and major roadways and will fully charge your battery from empty to full in 30-45 minutes.

Question 13

What is the rest of the world doing

Accepted Answer

A growing number of jurisdictions have announced plans to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars:
 • The UK will ban petrol, diesel and hybrid car sales by 2035.
 • France will ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2040.
 • Norway, which has the highest penetration of EVs in the world, will ban the sale of petrol, diesel and hybrid cars by 2025.
 • The Netherlands will ban petrol, diesel and hybrid car sales by 2030.
 • srael will ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2030.
 • More than 10 states in the USA will ban petrol and diesel sales between 2030 and 2040.
In addition, many cities and territories around the world, including Australia are introducing electric buses into their public transport networks.