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Electric cars on NieuweMobiel.NL? Surely an EV is not a telephone! Well, car stands for automobile in full. And we limit ourselves on NieuweMobiel.NL only to EVs. They also have a battery with a display. So they are practically smartphones on wheels.

Electric car brands

The number of brands with one or more electric cars in their assortment can now (thankfully) no longer be counted on one hand. Almost every self-respecting brand has one or is working on one. Some popular electric car brands are:

• Audi EVs
• BMW EVs
• Citroën EVs
• Dacia EVs
• Kia EVs
• Mercedes-Benz EVs
• Opel EVs
• Tesla EVs
• Volkswagen EVs
• Volvo EVs

EV history

Electric cars are older than most people think. Some of the first cars already had an electric powertrain. They usually used a lead-acid battery for this purpose because it was easy and inexpensive to manufacture. Electric cars were popular mainly in cities where electriceit was readily available. Outside the city, you rarely saw electric cars. Eventually, internal combustion engines running on fossil fuels would dominate the market because of their lower cost and longer range. As of 1915, all-electric cars all but disappeared from the market.

Only after the oil crisis in the 1970s and the realization that CO2 emissions contribute to global warming did interest in the electric powertrain begin to grow again. Meanwhile, numerous new technologies were also available including lithium batteries. Toyota capitalized on this trend by introducing the Prius in 1997; a car with an electric motor in addition to an internal combustion engine. This hybrid powertrain significantly reduced fuel consumption. Thus, the Prius was not fully electric.

The GM EV1 introduced the year before was, but only a thousand of those were eventually sold. In that respect, the Tesla Roadster, introduced in 2008, did better, although it too sold no more than 2,500 units. Yet that turned out to be the starting point of the enormous growth electric cars would experience. Partly because other manufacturers came up with their own models such as Nissan with the Leaf, Renault with the Zoe and BMW with the i3. Not to mention the sales success of the Tesla Model 3.

Evolution of electric cars

An electric car is driven by one or more electric motors. The energy required for this comes from a battery. By choosing sustainable electricity generated from solar panels or windmills while charging, it is possible to drive emission-free. The production of an electric car does, of course, produce emissions.

Types

There are different types of electric cars, ranging from fully electric cars to partially electric or not at all. The most common types are:

• BEV / FEV - Battery / Full Electric Vehicle (100% electric)
• PHEV - Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (fuel car with a plug)
• BAHV - Battery Assisted Hybrid Vehicle (Mild Hybrid, fuel car without a plug)
• FCEV - Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (Hydrogen car)
• ICE - Internal Combustion Engine (Gasoline, diesel or LPG powered car)

Different battery types

Most electric cars have a lithium-ion battery. This type of battery consists of a cathode (+), an anode (-) and a liquid electrolyte between which ions can move. The advantage of Li-ion is its high energy density, low weight and long life. The disadvantage is that it requires cobalt for production, and its extraction is not environmentally friendly and involves human rights violations.

So the search is on for new battery types. Here Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4 or LFP) in particular is casting a high light to succeed Li-ion. This type does not use cobalt. Solid-state is also a promising technology but has not yet proven itself.

An empty battery needs to be recharged. The most logical place to do that is at home. This is already possible with a regular 230V outlet and a Granny charger (Mode 2). However, this is not fast. This is where a charging station comes in. It can handle more power and has an adapted plug. Which plug you need depends on your car.

Charging on the road can be done at a public charging station or a fast charging station. The latter is usually found on the side of the highway. This type usually works with direct current, are able to deliver even more power and can therefore charge a battery faster. A few fast-charging station providers operate in the Netherlands, including Fastned. Some manufacturers have their own network of fast chargers, the best known of which is Tesla with its Supercharger.

The type of plug used to charge your car varies from brand to brand but the most common are:

• CCS - Combined Charging System
• CHAdeMO
• Tesla plug
• Type 1 (Yazaki)
• Type 2 (Mennekes)

Car body shapes

• Cabriolet
• Coupe
• Hatchback
• MPV
• Sedan
• Stationwagon
• SUV