2008… the year of the Electric Car?

Let’s face it, cars aren’t going to go away. As a means of private transport they are extremely popular for their convenience, comfort and the personal freedom they offer their owners, so anyone who suggests that we should all give them up and use public transport instead is mad. However, there is no denying that they do pose a problem. And that is that, collectively, cars account for 12% of all CO2 emissions in the EU and thus they are one of our biggest sources of carbon pollution.

So how can we keep our beloved cars, without contributing to global warming? For me the answer lies with Electric Vehicles that are recharged from a renewable energy source. You may think that this vision is still 10 years or so away, but you’d be wrong.

Electric cars are here now, albeit for fringe users, but within the few years the mix of economics and technology might just be right for the average motorist to join in too. In this post I’ll be examining what is current available, plus what’ll be around in the near future and how the cost of running an electric vehicle compares to it’s gas guzzling cousins.

Cost Comparison

• A UK imperial gallon of petrol contains about 43.7 kWh of energy
• A litre of petrol contains 9.6 KWh of energy @ 100% conversion efficiency
• Equivalent Miles per Gallon (eMPG) = 43.7 (kwh/gallon) / energy per mile
• Energy per mile (EPM) in kwh/mile = Capacity (kwh) / Range (miles)
• Cost per mile = EPM * price per kilowatt hour
• Price per Kilowatt hour = 4.95 pence (off peak, green energy)

Reva G Wiz

Mitsubishi i-EV

Phoenix Motors SUV

Tesla Roadster

Lightning Sports Car