Believ CEO debunks electric vehicle myths
Guy Bartlett, CEO of charge point operator Believ, has debunked some of the most common myths about electric vehicles (EVs) and addresses some recurring questions or concerns.
As EV popularity grows, there is sadly too much airtime given to misinformation and misconceptions, while pivotal advancements in EV battery technology are not recognised enough.
Here, Guy Bartlett debunks some of the most common myths.
- Fiction 1: EV batteries only last 1-2 years.
Fact: Electric vehicle batteries can last anything up to 20 years, and in excess of the typical lifespan of a petrol or diesel vehicle. Manufacturers usually include an eight to 10-year warranty as standard.
While a third of drivers of all fuel types worry that their car’s battery will die before they finish using it, the fact is that EV batteries have a much longer lifespan than often reported, and very few of them have ever had to have been actually replaced. Tesla recently completed a detailed study of the performance and life-expectancy of the thousands of batteries that already have up to 10 years of life and found that on average they retain 91% of their performance even after 10 years of use.
- Fiction 2: EV batteries cannot be (and/or are not) recycled.
Fact: While EV batteries cannot be 100% recycled, there are various techniques to recover up to 95% of the key raw materials from an EV battery pack and recycle them back into the battery manufacturing supply chain.
- Fiction 3: EV batteries will lose functionality (like smart phones) and EVs will then become useless.
Fact: EV batteries, just like any other battery, will lose a small amount of health over a very long time with use, but there are small adjustments you can make to preserve your battery’s peak performance for longer. For example, driving economically, efficiently, and at a consistent speed, helps maintain optimal battery life. Conversely, of course, the faster you drive, the more strain is placed on the battery.
The cells can still provide a minimum 70% of their capacity even after 200,000 miles. In tests, a Tesla Model S taxi that journeyed more than 300,000 miles retained at least 82% of its battery’s health.
- Fiction 4: EVs produce more lifecycle CO2 than petrol and diesel fuelled vehicles.
Fact: According to the Polestar and Rivian pathway 2021 report, Battery EVs account for the lowest lifecycle emissions.
Whilst some carbon emissions are produced during the manufacture of any vehicle, during their lifetime on the road, petrol and diesel vehicles continue to emit CO2, whilst EVs do not.
More and more electricity now comes from renewable, green, or clean energy sources and zero carbon power in Britain’s electricity mix has grown from less than 20% in 2010 to nearly 50% in 2021.
Since 1990, the greenhouse gas emissions in the electricity system have reduced by over 70% as per gov.uk. UK Government continues to support the deployment of low carbon and renewable technologies to deliver a cleaner, greener system at the lowest cost to the consumer whilst maintaining a secure supply of electricity.
The plan is to have 95% of electricity come from low carbon sources by 2030. By 2035, all electricity will come from low carbon sources, subject to security of supply7.
The CO2 emissions of batteries and power generation are dwarfed by the emissions generated by oil extraction, refinement, processing, distribution and final end use.
- Fiction 5: EVs are more likely to catch fire than petrol and diesel vehicles.
Fact: Recent independent studies have shown that the risk of EVs catching fire is much lower than petrol and diesel vehicles. Indeed, petrol and diesel vehicles are almost 20 times more likely to catch fire than EVs. Petrol and diesel vehicles have engines that run hot and carry the risk of other fluids leaking onto a hot exhaust, which can lead to a vehicle fire.
Lithium-ion batteries, commonly used in EVs, and emerging technologies such as lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries and solid-state batteries – which contain no flammable liquid electrolytes – virtually eliminate this risk altogether.
- Fiction 6: Real term range – EVs lose significant range in harsh weather conditions
Fact: EV batteries can drain quicker as a result of the need for heating or air conditioning in the vehicle, or because the engine has to work harder to overcome difficult terrain in the winter months. So, while it is true that the wonderful British weather might affect the range of EVs, this change is temporary, and has no long-term impact on battery health.
- Fiction 7: If you run out of battery, how can the AA/roadside help? It is not like they can bring a jerry can of electricity!
Fact: Most EVs are designed to navigate you to the nearest charge point when battery levels fall below 5%. EV roadside assistance can include taking the vehicle to the nearest charge point on a flatbed or deploying a small level of charge to the battery to allow the driver to take the vehicle to a local charge point.
In fact, recent AA figures showed that the chances of an electric vehicle breaking down because of running out of power had reached a record low. Now, just 2.3% of EV call outs were due to batteries having limited or no charge. This is down from 8.3% in 2015 and 4.3% in 2021.
- Fiction 8: They are silent, and therefore extremely dangerous.
Fact: While government and lawmakers are introducing laws and legislation to address the issue, EV manufacturers are already working on multiple solutions to solve this problem by designing beeps and chirps for the upcoming line of EVs to warn pedestrians of their presence. But most pedestrians and drivers value quieter roads, and we should all be striving to reduce noise pollution.
- Fiction 9: EV car prices seem to remain high, even used ones; how is the ‘average’ person ever meant to afford one?
Fact: Even though EVs currently have higher prices, on an average they are cheaper to run – costing much less than petrol or diesel, with significantly less life-cycle cost. The increase in supply of new EVs has now hit the second-hand EVs market, with a record number of used EVs sold in the first half of 2023.
Auto Express magazine recently reported some second-hand EVs being cheaper than their petrol or diesel equivalents. And, with EV battery prices falling, and as the technology scales and improves, consumers can expect the cost of new EVs to reduce over the next few years.
- Fiction 10: EV insurance premiums are much higher than for petrol and diesel vehicles and likely to get higher.
Fact: It is true that on average, an electric car is more expensive to insure than a petrol or diesel model because of the technology inherent in an EV’s design. There is also a shortage of skilled engineers capable of making the repairs required, and that has an impact on cost. However, the number of skilled engineers is now rising; more than 39,000 UK mechanics are now qualified to work on EVs (according to data from the Institute of the Motor Industry) and that should help level the playing field. Certainly Confused.com believes that the price of EV insurance will steadily reduce as more drivers decide to make the switch and the cost of servicing and repairs continues to fall10.
- Fiction 11: If an EV becomes stranded in water, it presents a hazard for anyone around it.
Fact: To ensure the battery safety in electric vehicles, manufacturers have multiple fail-safe devices. Any interruption in the circuitry or leakage of voltage is detected and the battery interlock system disconnects, completely isolating the battery.
These fail-safes mean that there is no danger associated when operating, driving, charging, or cleaning an EV. Any interference with any of the high voltage components, such as disconnecting or cutting a high voltage cable, means the fail-safe system automatically disconnects the power before there is any risk.
- Fiction 12: Public charge points are all broken
Fact: There has been considerable bad press surrounding the issue of charge points not working, and understandably – historically it has been a major inconvenience for EV drivers. But thankfully, things have improved dramatically. According to Zapmap, 9 out of 10 charge points are working at any point in time11, and national government is now mandating a 99% reliability standard for rapid charge points in the UK12. The reality is, as charge point technology has improved, so has reliability – and the industry is now achieving 99% up time as a result.
- Fiction 13: The grid will not be able to cope if everyone switches to EVs
Fact: The grid will be updated, smart charging will be encouraged, and the technology made available so drivers can charge when demand for electricity is lower, for example in the early hours of the morning. Smart charging is an important part of ensuring there is sufficient electricity available when people need it, and at an affordable price. It also helps to make charging more sustainable. Ultimately, the grid will cope – it is just one of the engineering challenges we face, but solutions are available including Pier-to-pier trading, flexibility services, local storage and smart applications.
Commenting on how detrimental the misconceptions around EVs are, Guy Bartlett says:
“There is no doubt that misconceptions and inaccurate or misleading news about electric vehicles are damaging. It’s understandable that drivers might be nervous of change and making the switch, and so it is essential that we de-bunk and clarify the myths surrounding EVs and address the most common concerns. By doing so, we will further consumer confidence and help to decarbonise transport.”
Image courtesy of Believ.
