History of Electric Cars 

The History of Electric Cars 

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How old do you think electric vehicles are? Do you think that electric vehicles are only a recent invention? If you do, don’t worry – you are part of the majority. Most people believe that electric vehicles are a recent invention and never existed earlier. 

The truth is that electric vehicles have existed for more than a century. However, the lack of electricity and charging infrastructure in rural areas and poor battery life, combined with the wide availability of petrol, means the adoption of assembly-line produced ICE cars more rapid. This, unfortunately for the environment, made sure that electric vehicles quickly became a forgotten chapter in the history of automobiles. 

Therefore, in this blog post, we will explore the interesting history of electric vehicles and what the future holds for battery-powered cars. 

Electric Car Facts You Should Know

  • Electric cars are much cheaper to drive and maintain compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) cars
  • There are 3 types of electric cars: hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery-electric cars
  • The first electric car was made in the latter part of the 19th century
  • Globally, electric car sales are growing by more than 100% each year
  • Almost all the major vehicle manufacturers have either introduced or are planning to introduce electric vehicles
  • Tesla is the current global leader in electric vehicle production and sales but other brands are also catching up
  • Electric cars are much faster and offer better performance compared to petrol-powered cars
  • There are 3 different types of chargers for electric vehicles: level 1, level 2, and level 3
  • The most expensive component of an electric car is its battery pack
  • China is currently the biggest market for electric vehicles
  • Electric vehicles are substantially better than ICE vehicles in terms of efficiency. EVs can use around 80% of the energy stored in the battery whereas a petrol-powered car has an energy efficiency of only up to 30%.

Brief History of Electric Cars

Many people are surprised to discover that efforts to produce an electric vehicle started in the early part of the 19th century. In fact, a concept car was first introduced in the 4th decade of the 19th century. However, the first practical electric vehicle was introduced in the US by William Morrison. At the turn of the 20th century, electric-powered vehicles had the biggest market share and not many people were enthusiastic about the future of petrol-powered vehicles. However, things changed quickly by the end of the first decade of the 20th century.

Many people credit the rise of petrol-powered cars to the introduction of Ford’s Model T which allowed everyone to have an affordable car. In fact, Ford’s Model T was the first petrol-powered car that almost anyone could afford to buy and with the oil discovery in Texas, there were no problems with the availability of gasoline. On top of that, gasoline was cheap and widely available in the US, even in rural areas whereas electricity was available only in cities.

Most major car manufacturers introduced several petrol-powered motor vehicles during the first half of the 20th century and nobody was investing in electric vehicles. The result was that electric vehicles almost completely disappeared by the mid-1930s. 

There were thousands of manufacturers of petrol-powered cars and they were introducing newer models that were more efficient and safer. In short, a lot of innovation was happening in the internal combustion engine space that attracted more and more buyers and electric vehicles were quickly relegated to the dusty pages of history.

History of Electric Cars 

Things changed once again with the Arab oil embargo in 1973 as petrol wasn’t as easily available and even when it was available, prices were too high for the everyday consumer. This is when auto manufacturers started looking at options that included electric vehicles. 

Many global manufacturers introduced a spate of electric vehicles that were typically powered by lead-acid batteries but the quality wasn’t up to the mark. Most electric vehicles had a short range and wouldn’t even be capable of being a daily driver, especially with several hours long charging time.

One of the most successful electric vehicles was introduced by Toyota in 1997 in Japan. Toyota Prius is widely regarded as the world’s first hybrid electric vehicle that was mass-produced. This model was released globally in 2000 and became an instant success. It quickly achieved a cult status which was further helped by the rising fuel prices and increasing awareness among consumers about climate change caused by carbon pollution.

The next step in the history of electric vehicles was the formation of Tesla Motors in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Mark Tarpenning. They correctly identified the potential of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles as the batteries were already in use for mobile phones. 

In 2006, the company announced the start of production of a luxury electric sports car capable of travelling more than 300 km on a single charge. Since then, Tesla has introduced a variety of models and taking a cue from Tesla, most global car manufacturers have introduced their own models of electric vehicles. One big reason for the success of electric vehicles has been the significant drop in the price of batteries. In fact, the price has gone down by more than 97% compared to 1991.

Over the past few years, electric vehicles have broken all the barriers with the introduction of more affordable models. It is believed that there were more than 10 million electric cars on the roads across the globe in 2020 compared to just a million electric vehicles in 2016.

The Future of Electric Cars

It feels a little dishonest to discuss the future of electric cars as the future is only electric. So much innovation is going on in this space that most car companies have announced their plans of giving up the production of internal combustion engine-powered cars completely over the coming years. The prices of lithium-ion batteries are going down constantly and many companies are spending a huge amount of money on developing alternative battery technologies to make electric vehicles more affordable with a higher range.

The charging infrastructure is also expanding at a breakneck speed. In fact, the UK boasts more electric vehicle charging stations compared to petrol stations. Australians are also waking up to the potential of electric cars and the sales are growing quickly. Most major global car manufacturers have either introduced a whole range of new models for the Australian market or announced the introduction of more affordable models in the coming years. The charging infrastructure is also rapidly expanding and people shouldn’t have a problem finding a charger for longer trips across Australia.

Final Thoughts

Overall, electric vehicles have an interesting history. At the turn of the 20th century, almost everyone was convinced that the future of transportation was electric but the introduction of affordable internal combustion engine-powered vehicles belied the electric hopes and today, the world is paying a huge cost in terms of climate change. Thankfully, the tide has turned and the future is all-electric. These days, you can easily buy an affordable electric vehicle with a decent range and extra comforts at affordable prices.

Buy Electric Vehicle Chargers At GET Electric

While the electric vehicle charging infrastructure is quickly expanding across Australia, the fact is that most EV owners prefer charging their car at home when it is not being used. GET Electric is the premier supplier of electric vehicle car chargers in Australia. We offer a wide range of charging solutions including level 1 and level 2 chargers for home use as well as commercial use.

Please call us today on 1800 GET NOW to learn more about our EV charging and infrastructure solutions or leave an enquiry and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours.

 

Buying An Electric Car

Buying An Electric Car: Your Ultimate Guide

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They have been saying that electric cars are the future for quite a while and that future is here now. There are several dozen models of electric cars available for purchase in Australia and dozens of new models are ready to be launched in the coming years. People are still coming to terms with this new technology and the availability of so many choices has made things a bit complicated for buyers. 

You want comfort, range and safety in a package within your budget. However, some factors are much more important, especially over the long term. This blog post will explore the factors you should consider before buying an electric car and how to go about choosing the right electric vehicle that fits your needs and is available within your budget.

EV Facts You Should Know

  • The first electric car was launched in the 19th century, in 1892 precisely
  • Electric vehicles have exceptionally low running costs compared to internal combustion engine vehicles
  • There are electric vehicles that have only around 20 moving parts whereas a conventional ICE vehicle has more than 200 moving parts
  • Most EVs are powered by lithium cells and Australia is the leading exporter of lithium across the globe
  • ICE vehicles can’t even come close to EVs in terms of driving experience
  • With less than 10,000 EVs sold in Australia, EVs only account for 0.2% of the market. Australians are just getting started.
  • The prices continue to decrease and are likely to fall further in the coming years
  • The charging infrastructure is being built up rapidly and there are many suppliers of electric vehicle charging solutions in Australia.

Types of Electric Cars

There are 3 main types of electric cars including:

  • Hybrid electric vehicles
  • Battery electric vehicles
  • Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles

Hybrid vehicles combine an internal combustion engine with an electric motor. A hybrid electric vehicle does not allow you to charge the battery separately whereas a plug-in hybrid does. A battery electric vehicle is a conventional electric vehicle where all the power is provided by the battery pack and electric motor.

Things to Consider Before Buying an Electric Car

There are so many electric models out there that it can be an overwhelming task for a beginner to make the right choice. In fact, there is so much information and misinformation available online that most people don’t even know where to get started. Here are a few tips you should consider before going shopping for an electric car:

  • How are you going to use the vehicle? 
  • Is it for daily driving or you’re going to use it occasionally?
  • How are you going to charge the vehicle?
  • What are the features you want?
  • How safe is the vehicle to drive?
  • Are incentives available in your state?
  • What about after-sales service?
  • Do you have to pay extra for certain features or is everything part of the initial cost?
  • What is the real-world range of the vehicle?
  • Do you want a family car or a car just for yourself?

In terms of range, you have a whole lot of choices. For instance, there are cheaper vehicles that have a range of around 200 km but there are also absolute beasts with a range of more than 500 km on a single charge. There is also the question of available space inside. There are bigger cars that are good for a family whereas there are also relatively small cars that are good for a couple of people inside. In short, there are a lot of choices and you need to take some time to figure out your own requirements and how you are going to drive this electric vehicle to make the right choice.

Buying An Electric Car

Electric Vehicle Buying Quick Tips

Most people don’t know a lot about the technology behind an electric car and it can quickly get overwhelming with so many new things to consider. For instance, many people are worried about battery range in the real world, availability of charging infrastructure, cost of maintenance and other such things. Here are a few tips to you help you buy the ideal electric vehicle for your needs:

First and foremost, you should finalise your requirements. 

  • How much space do you need?
  • How much real-world range do you need?
  • What about the availability of charging infrastructure? 
  • Do you plan to charge it using commercial chargers or do you plan to mostly charge it at home?
  • What about the safety rating of the vehicle? Not all electric vehicles available for sale on Australian roads have a five-star safety rating
  • Are there any incentives available for buying a particular type of electric vehicle in your state?
  • Is autonomous driving important for you? You should know that truly autonomous driving does not exist. It’s more of a driving assist feature than the fully autonomous driving you see in movies.
  • What is the long-term cost of maintenance?
  • Do you have to pay extra for the updates or are major updates free?
  • What is the reputation of the manufacturer? Do they support their vehicles in the long term?

These are some of the things you need to keep in mind to get the best value for your money. Australians are just getting started with a few thousand electric vehicles on the roads but manufacturers are now increasingly looking at Australia as a market for electric vehicles. This is why most global car manufacturers are lining up several models for launch in Australia.

Final Thoughts

The long-promised electric vehicle future is already here with several dozen models available for purchase in Australia. In fact, the prices have been falling down and today, you can own a decent quality electric vehicle with a decent range for less than $45,000. The charging infrastructure is also being built up at a good pace and with the availability of affordable electric vehicle charging solutions for home use, charging your car shouldn’t be a problem. However, you still need to do some research to choose and buy the EV that’s suitable for your specific requirements. The tips we have mentioned above should at least help you in getting started.

Buy Electric Vehicle Chargers at GET Electric

GET Electric offers a wide range of electric vehicle charging solutions for residential and commercial use. We have multiple products catering to the diverse needs of our customers. Our products are solid and backed by reliable customer service.

Please call us today on 1800 GET NOW to learn more about our EV charging and infrastructure solutions or leave an enquiry and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours.