Engineering

A sobering warning on EVs as manufacturers complete pre-launch trials

(THE INDEPENDENT) - A report in the magazine of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has cast doubt on the ability of electric vehicles (EVs) to ever supersede conventional models, just as many manufacturers report significant progress with pre-launch trials.

An investigation by Engineering and Technology (E&T) Magazine, published by influential UK-based engineering and electrical body the IET, has suggested that the current inefficiencies of batteries and the investment needed in infrastructure for EVs may mean that governments would do better to focus their efforts on high-efficiency diesel models and hybrids.

The report points to the range of today’s vehicles, some of which would be capable of over 600km at 70 mph (113 km/h) on a single tank of fuel, calculating that for an EV to offer comparable performance, the battery would weigh 1.5 tons and cost approximately £100,000 (€120,151).

According to the authors, the current performance limitations of batteries, along with the life expectancy of lithium-ion models and the infrastructure requirements for charging, means that finding a vehicle that “behaves in the same way as a petrol or a diesel is not viable for the foreseeable future.”

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