Electric vehicle revolution...?
Mann Island
According to the experts, the UK's EV revolution is just around the corner.
But can an electric car fit into your life today?
If the experts and the Government are to be believed, the UK is getting ready for an electric vehicle (EV) revolution.
Improvements in the battery range of electric cars, lower list prices and the expansion of the charging network mean that 2017 is the best year yet to buy an EV.
However, there are still plenty of obstacles to running a pure EV. So we've compiled this guide to see if an EV is the right choice for you.
The history of the EV dates back to the creation of the motor car at the start of the 20th Century.
However, the internal combustion engine soon took a lead in powering personal transport, and the EV became a niche choice for many decades, seen powering a few oddball city car concepts over the years, and of course the good old milk float.
• Government plans petrol and diesel car sales ban by 2040 Fast forward to the 21st Century, and electricity is gaining momentum as a mainstream power source for cars, vans and trucks of all sizes.
That's because regional legislation is making it harder for car makers to meet ever-stricter emissions targets with pure petrol or diesel models alone.
As a result, manufacturers are looking at alternative fuel sources, with the aim to reduce harmful exhaust emissions while still delivering the kind of all-round performance and range capability that car buyers have become accustomed to from internal combustion engines.
Pure electric cars still only make up a small percentage of vehicles sold in the UK in 2017 - although it has risen from one to two per cent in the past two years.
The rise can be attributed to the increased number of plug-in hybrids that are now on sale.
These models feature electric drive and an internal combustion engine, so can't claim to deliver zero emissions like a pure EV, but they are a useful interim solution that deliver the kind of driving range buyers expect, but with the chance to drive in zero emissions electric mode when the the battery is fully charged.
• What is a hybrid? Another addition to the market - but an even more niche one than an EV - is a hydrogen-powered vehicle.
These models are nearly as clean as EVs, because they use a hydrogen fuel cell to power an electric motor, and the only byproduct is water.
Hydrogen cars are as quick to fill as conventional cars, and they have a range that's similar, too, but the sheer lack of refuelling stations and expensive cost of these cars means they have very limited appeal.
But the question we're trying to answer here is: can an EV fit into your life?
Source of information here.