Electric Cars have come a long way over the past century. Although these days it’s hard to ignore the popularity of electric vehicles in Australia and the rest of the world, they’ve been a realistic offering for most car owners for only a few years.
Over the next few minutes, we’ll look into electric vehicles :
- Their history, popular brands,
- What separates them from conventional vehicles,
- How to conveniently charge your electric vehicle at home,
- The ideal EV charger brand for you in Australia, and much more.
Please sit back, relax, and let us enlighten you about when and not electric vehicles will take over Australian roads. An EV is the short form for an electric vehicle. EVs are vehicles that are fully or partially powered by an electric motor. Electric vehicles come in all shapes and sizes and across a wide price range.
There are a considerable amount of electric vehicle makers, including exclusively electric vehicle automakers, and conventional automakers with EV offerings. When it comes to EV makers, there’s one brand that stands head and shoulders above all others, and that is Tesla. It goes without saying that all Tesla models are fully electric, but not all-electric vehicles are Teslas.
Quick History of Electric Vehicles
Surprisingly, EV technology is quite old, and electric motors have a history that spans almost 140 years. It’s not easy pinpointing the exact inventor of the first electric car because a lot of forward-thinking inventors were working on electric vehicle solutions independently around the same time.
Inventors from the USA, Netherlands, Great Britain, and Hungary worked on battery-powered vehicles, and a British inventor named Robert Anderson was the first to create a “crude” electric carriage. While in the USA, William Morrison debuted his electric vehicle around 1890 which had a top speed of 14 miles/hour driving range.
By the beginning of the 20th Century, horse-drawn carriages were still the primary choice for most people, but thanks to massive improvements to the internal combustion engine, more people were able to attain gasoline-powered vehicles.
During the early 1900s, steam-powered vehicles, gasoline-powered vehicles, and electric vehicles were all options for vehicle owners and enthusiasts. Although all three vehicle types had issues associated with them, electric cars quickly became popular among urban residents because they didn’t emit harmful pollutants like steam or gasoline-powered vehicles.
After Henry Ford introduced his Model T in 1908, the popularity of electric vehicles began to reduce, as the average electric vehicle cost about 2.5 times more than the average gasoline-powered vehicle. Another major blow to electric vehicles was when Charles Kettering created the electric starter that made it easier for gasoline-powered vehicles to be operated.
Electric vehicles were popular at the beginning of the 20th Century but quickly lost their popularity due to their competitiveness. It wasn’t until improvements in EV technology that enabled electric hybrids like the Toyota Prius to kick-start the new and more prosperous phase of electric vehicles.
Are all Electric Vehicles Teslas?
To a considerable amount of Australians, electric cars are synonymous with Tesla, and for some Tesla (model S, model 3, model X, model Y) is the only brand they believe in. It might come as a surprise to you to find out that there are dozens of EV car manufacturer offerings from legacy brands and new companies.
Fiat, Peugeot, Audi, Renault, Jaguar, Volvo, Volkswagen, and a host of other automakers offer hybrid or completely electric in Australia. So, to answer your question, no, all EVs in Australia are not Tesla’s, Tesla is simply the most popular brand.
What sets Electric Vehicles apart from conventional vehicles?
Why should I switch to an electric vehicle? Is the switch worth it? How is it different from my petrol-powered vehicle? These are some of the questions that we get from a considerable amount of Australians, and it’s not hard to decipher why these questions keep recurring.
Now, we’ll highlight three major features that differentiate electric vehicles from traditional gasoline or diesel-powered automobiles. Please keep in mind that when talking about electric vehicles, we’re taking into account, hybrid-powered electric vehicles as well as fully electric vehicles.
Electric Vehicles are environmentally and socially responsible
There’s no denying that fossil fuels are a huge driver of climate change, and our personal vehicles make up a considerable amount of Co2 in our atmosphere. Suggesting that everyone give up their cars for the sake of the environment isn’t realistic; the next best option is for our vehicles to become more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Electric vehicles are far from perfect, but it shows that it’s possible to drive safer, more sustainable, and quieter vehicles without sacrificing basic comforts.
Long-Term Savings
Electric vehicle technology has progressed to the extent that you can buy a new electric vehicle or hybrid at the price point that works for you. Are you in the market for an entry-level EV? There are offerings, even in mid-class EVs, almost certain to find the one for you. It also doesn’t matter if you’re ready for a top-of-the-line luxury EV, you’ll find the perfect one for you.
You get to make long-term savings with your EV because it costs considerably less to fill up your car with electricity instead of petrol.
It is cheaper to Maintain and Register electric cars?
Are you aware that the average Battery Electric car has fewer moving parts when compared to traditional petrol or diesel automobiles? That’s not all, servicing your EV can be less frequent, easier, and cost you considerably less over your car’s lifetime.
Although all Electric vehicle batteries degrade over time, you can expect most EV batteries not to degrade too much until five to eight years of usage. In parts of Australia, your EV can be easier to register, and if you live in Queensland, the Queensland government is offering a discount for EV registration, and stamp duty on purchases.
How do EV chargers work?
With how widespread electric vehicles are becoming, it’s now easier than ever to charge your electric vehicle conveniently. It goes without saying that one of the biggest concerns that most people considering electric vehicles have is when and how to charge their vehicles.
The average Australian has spent a large chunk of their life refuelling at petrol stations, and a lot of us do not know better than charging at petrol stations. Plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles need a charger to recharge their batteries and keep them full; they’re comparable to most other rechargeable appliances.
Keep in mind that electric vehicle chargers come in different charging options just like smartphone chargers have type B, type C, and more. If you own an EV from another car manufacturer there’s a good chance that you make use of the J1772 plug types, but Tesla uses their own form of charger, and unless you own an adaptor, you cannot charge a Tesla with an J1772 plug types and vice versa.
For long-term convenience, you may want to join the majority of electric vehicle owners that have installed charging stations in their homes. Ideally, charging your electric vehicle should be a straightforward process. Just plug your electric car into a charger that’s connects to a power source. And wait until the charging time is finished.
EV Charging Levels
It’s worth pointing out that not all-electric vehicle charging stations are equipped equally. Some are more convoluted than others, and there’s an EV charger-level system that grades the capability of Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE).
- Level 1 EV charging stations are usually plugged into a standard outlet and utilize a 120 V AC plug, while
- Level 2 EV charging stations cannot be plugged into standard outlets, and they require a 240 V or 208 V plug.
- Level 3 or DC fast chargers, and have the capability to fully charge an EV in 20 – 30 minutes, but they’re mostly restricted to industrial and commercial usage.
When on the market for a charging station for your home, it’s important to seek professional help and ask the right questions to guide your decision. Will a level 1 charger suffice for your needs, or will a level 2 charger be a better fit for your electric vehicle? These are questions that a professional can guide you in answering.
Best Electric Vehicle Charger near me
Surprisingly, the process of buying and installing an electric vehicle charging station is easy and straightforward. Home EV Charging is the most intuitive and practical way to keep your electric vehicle’s battery high at all times.
Have you heard about EV Powerhouse? Finally, accessing EV charge points will become easier than ever thanks to EV Powerhouse because they’re the best electric vehicle charger retailer near me and in Australia.
EV Powerhouse will help you access both plug-in and high-tech electric vehicle chargers in Australia. There are units that simply require you to connect your car to a power source without an internet connection. There are Charging unit that is connects to the internet of things and comes with all the latest high-tech innovations.
Whether you need to install a home charger, or business charger or you’re always on the move; we have offerings and solutions that fit your needs. Nowadays, with the help of EV Powerhouse (the best electric vehicle charger retailer). You can ensure that you’re always charged up by carrying a mode/level 2 portable charge while in transit to enable you to charge your vehicle when you need to.
