Newsletter for the Rotary Club of Western Endeavour - Issue No.: 1137 Issue Date: 15 Sep, 2024

Have you ever pondered on the idea of moving into the world of electric vehicles? Do you know what considerations you should be aware with such as decision?  

This week our resident tech guru and all things engineering, Laurie Dender, gave the club the benefit of his research and personal experience in the intricacies and implications of ownership of an electric vehicle (EV).

Firstly, there are three types of EV to consider;

Fully Electric  (BEV) – where only the battery powers the vehicle

Plug in Hybrid (PHEV) – A combination of petrol and battery plug ins

Hybrid (HEV) – no plug in option.

To determine the benefit of one type over another, or in fact over a petrol vehicle, a number of issues must be considered.

Performance. One of the first things to be aware of is that the performance figures of the batteries are never the same in reality as they are based on very specific criteria, at which the battery rarely performs.

Charging. The speed at which a battery will charge is dependant on the systems where it will be charged. For example if you will be charging at home and have the normal 10 amp single phase power, then depending on the battery, charging the battery to cover 100kms could take up to 14 hours. If you have a 3 phase charger it may be reduced to 7 hours. If you have 3 phase power it may be reduced to 2.5 hours.

This of course raises questions about infrastructure and potential costs should you wish to upgrade.

Savings.  This is a complicated area which variables such as feed in tariffs, smart metering, when you will be charging, whether you are charging at home or using a public charge station. etc etc. Laurie’s figures indicated that on a distance travelled per year of about 20000 kms, the savings on a BEV would amount to abut $1400 and about $800 for a PHEV. With rates for public charging, this reduces to almost nil.

Connections.  One bright spot for Australia is that at least this has been standardised and all plugs and fittings will be suitable for any charging system, but again some perform better than others. Once again, however, you may need to consider the infrastructure in the home if you wish to efficiently charge the EV at home.

So on long trips, you may need to plan your trip via cafes and pubs to allow for your EV to charge!

There is more to the story than there was time for, so look out for the second instalment, coming soon.