Transport is one of the most essential parts of living a productive and convenient everyday life. Getting to where you need to go on time is a convenience that people have only had for the last few decades, since, before cars were commercially available, people had to wait for public transport. Now, one of the biggest innovations and inventions the industry has ever seen has arrived in the form of the electric vehicle. This smart, future-proof vehicle runs on charged batteries instead of fuel. A host of added features and benefits has allowed this class of cars to become extremely popular, but there are still a lot of problems plaguing it.
High Initial Costs
One of the biggest parts of creating a product is factoring in the cost of manufacturing. However, a major problem in the current electric vehicle industry is that the cost of producing a car is quite high in some cases. Electric vehicles are expected to be incredibly well-built, especially as they’re receiving more and more scrutiny yearly. People who still prefer gas-fueled cars may be looking for faults in the design or manufacturing of electric cars, which is why ensuring quality control is even more important. Using only the highest grade materials as well as parts can be draining on finances and time.
However, the biggest reason for the price difference is due to the batteries that are installed in electric vehicles. For decades, cars have had fuel-powered engines, and millions of manhours of research and development have made the manufacturing and installation of these engines cheaper with time. This is not the case with batteries, which are a relatively new technology and which needs to be built to last for decades.
Charging Infrastructure
Fuel-powered cars have been the dominant mode of transportation for nearly a hundred years. During this time, some of the biggest companies in the world began solely to mine oil and set up countless stations all over the United States and the world to facilitate the millions of cars that were now on the road. Before long, this network expanded even more, and today, you’ll be able to find a gas station just a few minutes from where you live. However, this is not the case for charging stations, as electric vehicles haven’t been around for as long.
Charging stations are more complex than gas stations. Unlike fuel, energy needs to be generated slowly from several sources in some cases. The act of charging is also time-consuming, unlike refueling in traditional cars, as you may need to wait at the station for a few hours if your battery’s almost empty. However, more efficient batteries are being produced, which reduces charging time, and more stations are popping up in cities.
Battery Sustainability
The batteries used in electrical vehicles are similar to those used in most devices, like mobile phones, and are lithium-ion powered. However, like any battery, these batteries eventually degrade with enough use and charge cycles. One of the biggest concerns about using these batteries in vehicles is that they aren’t easy to replace and that most people use their cars daily. With enough uses, your car’s battery won’t be able to hold onto the same amount of charge as before, reducing your range.
However, this concern is being addressed within the industry, too. Manufacturers are paying more attention to the sustainability of their batteries, slowing down the degradation rate as much as possible. Many modern electric car batteries come with such high capacities that, even if they degrade, you’ll get more than enough range.
Conclusion
Though electric cars have only been around for a decade, they’re already beginning to change the world. Many states and countries are beginning to leave behind the outdated fueling network in favor of installing charging stations throughout the area, and millions of people are beginning to place orders for their cars as more and more companies begin to try their hand in the sector. However, despite its great success, electric vehicles still face quite a few problems. Now that you’ve read this article, you’ll have a better understanding of what goes into making electric vehicles and the issues that major companies are trying to address.
For more information visit Techbattel.com
