Today, there are still numerous myths about e-mobility popular. The arguments are often outdated. Advocates of the proven andeconomically and economically successful combustion heated discussions with the lobbyists e-mobility lobbyists. We get to the get to the bottom of the matter. What is true and what not?
The following myths about e-mobility still persist:
1. e-Vehicles are too expensive.
One of the currently often quoted myths of e-mobility is that hardly anyone can afford expensive e-vehicles. Yes, at first glance, e-vehicles are more expensive to buy. But if you take into account the government subsidies, the final price is quickly reduced. New e-vehicles are subsidised up to 9,000 € (until 2025). Numerous federal states and municipalities support the purchase of two-wheeled e-vehicles. Baden-Württemberg pays a "scrapping premium" for old class L1e and L3e vehicles that are replaced by a new electric two-wheeler (e.g. e-moped, s-pedelec or e-motorcycle) are replaced.
Marburg subsidises the purchase of an e-bike with €100.00. Regensburg provides a subsidy for the purchase of a new two-wheeled vehicle (vehicle class L1e to L4e) of 25% of the net purchase price up to €1,000.00, pedelecs up to €600.00. In addition, there are significantly lower maintenance costs: no or reduced vehicle tax, lower service and consumption costs. So the longer you drive an e-vehicle, the more it pays off.
2. there are hardly any charging possibilities and charging takes far too long anyway.
One of the widespread myths of e-mobility is the alleged lack of charging lack of charging infrastructure. Yes, the number of new of new registrations of e-vehicles are currently higher than the new installations of charging stations. But these are also becoming more and more. I hear more and more complaints about about public parking space being taken away because parking spaces at charging points are are reserved for electric cars. As of 1 July 2021, there are the following in Germany 38,876 normal charging points and 6,493 fast charging points (source: Federal Network Agency). An up-to-date overview of all e-charging stations can be found in the Ladesäulenverzeichnis des BDEW.
But you can also charge conveniently and inexpensively at home. Up to 22 kW can be charged at the home wallbox. But the required power can also be drawn from a normal household socket. The charging time depends on the battery power and charging technology. As a rule, vehicles are sufficiently charged from the domestic grid after about 4 to 5 hours. Here, too, there are subsidies for installing your own wallbox.
3. e-vehicles offer too little range.
On average, e-cars offered in Germany in 2020 travelled 352 kilometres. An e-moped manages 50 to 70 km. We need an average range of 50 km per day. So we usually manage our daily requirements. And should we drive further distances, then it certainly makes sense to take a break where the driver and the vehicle can refuel with power. There are now numerous apps that enable route planning for e-vehicles. In this case, suitable charging stations are displayed on the route according to the vehicle. Manufacturers are working hard on the issue of range and there are already a number of new e-vehicles with sufficient range.
4. quiet e-vehicles are a danger to pedestrians.
Unlike conventional cars, electric vehicles have no combustion engine and are therefore quiet on the road. In principle, however, low noise is an advantage. However, the vehicles are not silent and therefore the statement "e-vehicles are a danger to pedestrians" is one of the outdated myths of e-mobility. At higher speeds, the rolling noise of the tyres is enough to make the vehicles noticeable. Below 20 km/h, other measures have recently taken effect. The Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) makes e-cars louder again. Due to legal requirements, from July 2021 all newly registered electric cars will have to produce artificial sounds to better protect pedestrians and cyclists. Manufacturers are very creative in developing a suitable sound design. Together with the band "Linkin Park", AMG, the performance department of Mercedes, developed its own sound concept for all vehicles. That's why it's worth taking a closer look!
5. e-vehicles are not environmentally friendly and have a poor carbon footprint.
One of the most discussed myths of e-mobility is the allegedly bad CO2 balance of an e-vehicle. The production of the battery has the largest share in the CO2 balance of an e-vehicle. For a common battery with a capacity of about 65 kWh, this comes to about ten tonnes of greenhouse gases per battery. Including the other emissions for the production, you end up with 15 to 17 tonnes per e-car. Petrol or diesel cars, on the other hand, produce "only" 6 to 7 tonnes.
Another factor in the CO2 balance is the lifetime of the batteries. Although the current lithium-ion batteries are usually used up as car batteries after eight years, they can then be used for another ten years, e.g. as industrial intermediate storage for solar or wind energy or as private electricity storage. This "second life" extends the service life to up to 18 years, which of course also has a positive effect on the CO2 balance. The CO2 balance of an e-car with the above-mentioned values will be better than that of a petrol car from about 50,000 km onwards - the necessary share of about 30 percent renewable energies is easily achieved today.
A study published in July 2021 by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) analyses the entire life cycle of a compact car class, from production and the required charging current to the disposal of the vehicle. The result: an electric compact car in Europe already produces 66 to 69 percent less CO2 emissions than a comparable new petrol vehicle. If the expansion of renewable energies continues to accelerate due to increasingly strict EU regulations, the emission advantage will even rise to 77 percent by 2030.
6. There are not enough raw materials and the mining of lithium and cobalt pollutes the environment.
Germany has so far covered its lithium needs entirely through imports. Australia is currently the most important supplier. There, the coveted raw materials lithium and cobalt are available in sufficient quantities. Only the extraction possibilities need to be adapted to the demand. There are numerous deposits.
In this country, lithium is found in some regions in so-called thermal water at depths of thousands of metres. Bruchsal, for example, could soon establish itself as a new production site. With about 8,000 operating hours per year, the geothermal plant in Bruchsal can extract enough lithium to produce about 20,000 batteries for electric cars. The batteries will continue to be developed further. For example, the proportion of cobalt in a car battery is to be reduced from about twelve to six per cent in the medium term. In addition, there is the secondary use from the recycling of old batteries, which will further reduce the need for imported raw materials.
7. e-mobility costs jobs.
An electric car can be produced with about 30 percent less effort than a combustion car. So in the long run, there could be fewer jobs in the automotive industry. This makes it all the more important to establish a good market position in e-mobility right from the start. Because the more successfully a company markets the e-car, the more secure its jobs. In addition, there are numerous new subject areas, e.g. charging infrastructure. Many new fields of activity are just emerging that are looking for good employees in the long term.
8. Hydrogen is much better and will prevail.
Many critics of e-mobility hope for better hydrogen technology. But hydrogen-powered vehicles also have their shortcomings. The biggest problem of hydrogen propulsion is its poor overall efficiency. Fuel cells today achieve an efficiency of up to 70 percent. However, 70 percent of the energy is lost in the production and processing of the hydrogen for the fuel cell. With electric cars, on the other hand, it is not even 30 per cent. Or to put it another way: with the same energy that a hydrogen car uses to travel 100 kilometres, a battery-electric car can travel almost 250 kilometres.
As it looks today, the electric car will prevail in passenger cars with a range of up to about 500 kilometres, while the fuel cell will prevail mainly in the transport and logistics sector, in trucks, buses and ships.
9. e-Scooters pollute the environment.
Whether from Lime, Tier or Bird: German cities are full of e-scooters parked criss-cross on the pavements. The lifespan of the vehicles is short and recycling the batteries is costly. Sometimes the entire vehicles end up in the Rhine or in the bushes. In the meantime, the large sharing providers have switched to a battery exchange system. This means that the entire vehicles no longer have to be transported to large charging halls. The fresh batteries are delivered to the vehicles, and the best way to do that is with electrically powered cargo bikes. Another issue is the handling of the vehicles, and here the responsibility clearly lies with the people and not with the technology used. What is needed here is a rethink by users about value and respect. But perhaps even a simple measure would promote a more careful handling of the vehicles: buy your own e-scooter, e.g. on voylt!
10. e-Vehicles are no fun to drive.
By far the most false statement in the series of e-mobility myths! This statement can only come from people who have not yet driven an electric vehicle. Driving an electric vehicle is fun! Especially when accelerating, the e-motor shows that it has a lot of power. From 0 to top speed, the driver almost feels like he is in an aeroplane. Because: electric motors have full torque right from the start. Once you have experienced this feeling live, you won't want to miss it again. When will you become part of the e-Community?
If you still need help deciding, our e-finder will help you find the right e-vehicle for you.