Question 1

How long does it take to charge an electric car?

Answer

Charging times can vary greatly depending the charger output and the size of the battery within the car. Home charging points are typically 7kW. Fast chargers range from 22kW - 50kW. Currently rapid chargers supply up to 150kW. (Note: As technology progresses charger sizes will increase inturn reducing charging times.) For example: A Nissan Leaf with a 40kWh battery will take approx. 5 hours and 40 minutes to fully charge the battery from 0% to 100% using a home 7kW charger. Most electric cars are charged at night using a 7kW charger when the car is not being used. Whereas a 50kW charger will take around 25 minutes to charge the battery from 20% to 80%.

Question 2

How far does an electric car drive?

Answer

This depends on several factors. The main one is the size of the battery within the car. The Nissan Leaf is the most popular electric car with over 450,000 cars sold worldwide. However the distance it can drive varies from around 75 miles up to the 225 miles. Here you can see the ranges of the most popular electric cars

Question 3

What is the difference between an electric car and car plug-in hybrid?

Answer

Both cars have to plug in to a charging station to refill the battery however an electric car solely relies on battery power with no back-up. A plug-in hybrid (PHEV) can drive on the electric power until the battery is depleated and then the internal combustion petrol/diesel engine now becomes the only source of power. The battery range for a PHEV is approx. from 15-20 miles with some as little as 10 miles and others up to 25 miles.

Question 4

What is a self-charging hybrid?

Answer

A self-charging hybrid will use battery power for speeds lower than approx. 10MPH. Mainly used for taking off from a standing start at traffic lights for example. Unlike a PHEV that can make a trip only using the battery, a self-charging hybrid cannot operate without an internal combustion engine.

Question 5

Is it ok to charge my electric car in the rain?

Answer

Yes. All electric cars are fitted with the latest safety equipment to protect the owner and anyone nearby the car under all weather conditions.

Question 6

Are electric cars dangerous in a crash?

Answer

All electric cars must undergo the same vigorious tests all internal combustion engine cars are put through inturn meeting the same standards. So electric cars are just as safe as all other cars. The Tesla Model 3 received a 5 star rating in its crash testing by Euro NCAP.

Question 7

What is the life expectancy of a battery in an electric car?

Answer

The average life of a battery is approx. 200,000 miles reported by Consumer Reports. However there are stories of Tesla in USA with up to 500,000 miles and have not had any issues with the battery pack. Tesla CEO Elon Musk claim Tesla batteries can last for 1 million miles.

Guidance for Electric Vehicles