INTRO
The use of a Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) requires a well suited application or the change in mobility patterns.
The former is the case for indoor operation or usage in tunnels or quarters. Running the vehicles in a confined area with recharging points is the best application case. For private use BEVs are best suited for commuting or neigbourhood traffic. Latest developments like Li-Ion batteries and range extensions through fuel cells have reintroduced the concept and new application are now coming to market.
In principle two charging method have been established:
• conductive charging (plugs)
• inductive charging
The distribution of electricity is done via the ordinary grid - however for fast loading domestic fuses are not suited.
Caused by the high torque of electric motors and the easier speed control, the vehicles are easy to drive in urban environments and off-road. Pure electric vehicles may suffer from a restricted endurance. Operated at low temperatures, the capacity of the unheated batteries is much lower (depending on the battery type).
Studies shows that electric cars, vans or small lories, respectively consume 54%, 47% and 52% of the primary energy needed by internal combustion vehicles. This advantage will increase when it is possible to recharge vehicles by connecting them directly to electricity production sources, with a total output efficiency exceeding 50% (plants with combined gas/steam cycle, fuel cells, buffer batteries, etc.).
Technology
The charging process is either of the inductive or the conductive type. Charging from the electric grid is most efficient - intermediate storage in batteries is not.
Charging stations have to take into consideration vandalism and forgetting to unplug before starting the engine and driving away.
The on board energy storage may be short, medium and long term using ultracapacitators as short term storage, NI-Mh batteries with high self discharge, Li-Poly betteries with less self discharge for long term and batteries with separate electrolyte storage (so called flow batteries) with no self discharge as longest term storage. So called BEVs are well suited for indoor, tunnels, neighbourhood vehicles etc. Because of the low endurance of the heavy battery packs (mainly NiMh or Lead Acid) a usage for private cars or for high daily milages is not possible. Latest developments like Li-Ion batteries and range extensions through fuel cells have reintroduced the concept and new application fields may be explored.
Apart from charging from the grid alternative sources like wind or solar energy may be used. However in narrow street urban areas there is not enough space to have a significant solar share. Solar panels on the cars roof may not produce enough energy to contribute significantly to the energy used for the propulsion.
Caused by the high torque of electric motors the vehicles are easy to drive in urban environments and offroad. Pure electric vehicles may suffer from a restricted endurance. Operated at low temperatures the capacity of the unheated batteries is much lower (depending on the battery type).
The driving characteristics of electric vehicles is very good. Good acceleration and sufficient power is available. For the passenger of a trolley bus a tram like feeling is given because of the absence of most of the noise and vibrations of a internal combustion engine.
Modern electric systems require no physical maintenance. Batteries might be equalised from time to time and the cooling system cleaned.
SUPPLY:
With the introduction of differentiated congestion charging and parking tariffs, the use of BEV's has become more popular. Also so called microcars pay less insurance and thus a few battery electric microcars are on the market, and the situation is improving.
Full sized electric vehicles for road usage are not sold via conventional retailers. Few full sized vehicles are still on the market:
• Citroen Berlingo 500E Electrique
• Veturi Vetish, Ariana Ev IEV 797
• Mega City (2-seater)
• G-Wiz (2+2 seater)
Apart from vehicles for operation on yards (also called neighbourhood vehicles), some utility vehicles are sold (YDEA electric Micro Vett, Piaggo Porter Van).
A couple of electric buses for quartier operation are available:
• Battery Mini Bus Breda
• Gepebus
• IVECO Europolis
• Micro Vett Schoolbus based on IVECO DAILY
The following small sized battery electric vehicles may be used in yards or in historic city centres:
• Graf Carello Transporter
• Aixam Mega City branded NICE
• Alke' ATX
• Tasso Domino
• H2 Truck, a small utility vehicle suitable for transport
• Italcar
applications at hospitals and airports
Two companies have now launched vehicles into the truck market in the UK:
• Modec
• Smith Electric Vehicles
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS:
Electric vehicles produce zero tailpipe emissions, which makes them a particularly
attractive environmental proposition for busy urban areas where poor air quality often
leads to health problems. A full analysis of EVs’ environmental benefit must, however, also consider the emissions associated with the production and supply of the electricity used to recharge the vehicles. In many countries this is easy to calculate for CO2 since figures are available for the average CO2 produced per kWh of electricity delivered. In the UK, for example, the figure is 430g CO2/kWh delivered. For small electric cars or car-derived vans such as the Peugeots 106s and Citroen Berlingos this translates to approximately 80-90 g CO2/km, which is on a par with the 2-seater Honda Insight hybrid and is considerably better than any conventional petrol or diesel vehicle. In France, where most electricity is generated by nuclear power stations, or in Switzerland where most is from hydro or nuclear the CO2 emissions attributable per km would be far less.
Batteries can have a high environmental impact due to the energy required to produce them and because of the potential for contaminating land or groundwater upon their disposal. However, the most popular EV batteries (lead-acid and Ni-MH) are both readily recyclable and the EC End of Life Vehicle Directive (2000/53/EC) dictates that they must be recycled.
ADVANTAGES:
- Use of cleaner electric energy produced through advanced technologies or renewable
- Zero tailpipe emissions
- Overnight battery recharging
- Recycled energy from regenerative braking
- Lower fuel and operational costs
- Energy security by displacing imported petroleum with domestic generated electricity
- Quiet operation
DISADVANTAGES:
- Mileage range
- Battery technology still to be improved
- Possible need for public recharging infrastructure
Electric vehicles have been around for a very long time. In the early 1900s, there were more electric vehicles than there were gasoline-powered cars.
Gasoline back then was very expensive. It also was hard to start a gasoline engine; you had to turn and turn and turn a crank in front of the car to get it to start. They did not have a key to start the car like we do today. Gasoline vehicles were also noisy and put out lots of smoke. The cars either had no mufflers, or the mufflers didn't do a good job. So, electric vehicles were a BIG hit! At one time there were 50,000 EVs on the roads and streets of the United States.
COUNTRY SPECIFIC INFORMATION
Slovenia
Electric Vehicles running on batteries are used by municipal service companies in several Slovene cities: Ljubljana, Piran, Celje and Maribor, but we are talking about small numbers, around 20 all together.
Bulgaria
In Bulgaria there isn’t any production of battery-electric vehicles and the import is completely limited, their future is somewhat cloudy at this time.
Greece
The promotion for introduction of BEV in Greece includes: a) Circulation tax exemption, b) Registration tax exemption and c) free of car restricted measures for the entrance in the city centre of Athens.
There are examples of electric cars used by public authorities and public organisations (e.g. Municipal police of Marousi, Public Power Corporation, Hellenic Telecommunications Organization) Purchasing of these cars was funded through European programmes. By the end of 2006, approximately 53 electric cars were used by the Hellenic public authorities and organisations.
UK
The take-up of electric vehicles in the UK has been stimulated by the introduction particularly of the London Congestion Charge. A number of companies have started production of a range of vehicles from electric scooters through to 7.5 tonne trucks. It is likely that the market for these vehicles will continue to grow.
ITALY
The capital city of Italy, Rome, holds since 1989 a fleet of electric buses. As for the case of London city, also in Rome there was the need to support the "Limited Traffic Zone" policy. This policy started during the late 80s.
The implementation of the electric bus fleet was a consequence of the idea of prserving the historical centre of Rome.
The fleet today counts 51 "mini-buses", operating over 5 lines, a depot close to the inner city centre is dedicated to all the relevant operations.
The reliability and efficiency of batteries has shown to be the main problem to overcome. At present we have learnt that the market of electric buses dedicated to PT is not ready to offer larger vehicles then the ones presently used in Rome (5 mt).
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