Have you ever asked yourself: “How far can electric cars go?”
If you haven’t been keeping up with the latest developments in electric vehicles, you might be a little surprised to find that they are soon expected to be challenging petrol cars for range.
So the short answer is that electric cars can go far enough for your motorway trips, city driving, and commuting. They are now every bit as practical as a patrol car.
Here’s our essential guide to all things electric…
What determines the range of an electric car?
Pure-electric cars are powered by their battery packs alone, unlike hybrid cars which also use petrol to back up their electric charge.
So an electric car is only as good as its battery, and how effective that is in storing charge.
Lithium-ion batteries give good energy density and are relatively light in weight.
Most electric car batteries are warrantied for 100,000 miles but the way they are charged and discharged can have an effect on lifespan.
Recharging from zero, or close to it, is the most intensive way of charging a car battery compared with recharging from a higher percentage of charge left. This would speed battery degradation, which is why manufacturers place a buffer charge in them to ensure this doesn’t happen.
So, when you see zero, it isn’t actually at zero charge.
Other factors include the effect of temperature on the car, though electric vehicles are less susceptible to cold than those with combustion engines, and the wind resistance encountered during driving. The more resistance there is, the more power is needed to move the car forward, and the range drops slightly.
Driving uphill and braking often also drain the charge.
Using accessories such as phone chargers and heated seats will also divert power from the engine and will reduce the distance you can travel between charges.
What,s the longest range at the moment?
Petrol cars can travel around 400 miles on a tank of petrol and electric cars haven’t reached that milestone yet, but some are not far from it.
Some electric cars now have a range in excess of 300 miles between charges, while even more say they have more than 250 miles of range.
The days of worrying about pure-electric cars losing charge after just a few miles are long gone.
Here are some maximum ranges from the car manufacturers at Mon Motors:
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Audi e-tron SUV – Up to 310 miles
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Ford Mustang Mach-E – Up to 370 miles
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Seat el-Born – Up to 261 miles
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Skoda Vision iV – Up to 275 miles
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VW ID.3 – Up to 340 miles
As battery technology and electric car design improve, ranges are set to extend even further in the coming years.
Are you looking for an electric car? Take a look at our new car range or send us a message here.