Suddenly out of charge – not an inch forward?
The expert notes that electric car use habits have yet to form in Lithuania. Electric cars and traditional cars have both differences and similarities, while the main thing they have in common is their function. Prior to starting to use an electric car, it is advised to take note of your typical smartphone and usage habits for it. The associations with an electric car are evident – both must be charged and failing to do so ahead of time may leave you regretting your negligence. The owner of an electric car should get used to charging their vehicle overnight, thus ensuring they will have enough charge for planned travels the next day. Future users, who wonder how long it might take to charge a small electric car, it is advisable to take note of a charging station’s power. For example, a station at 10 kW of power can charge a 25-40 kWh accumulator fully within 3 hours, while in a garage or parking lot, with a 3.5 kW station, it will take 8-10 hours.
Most likely many a future driver of an electric car wonders what they will have to do if on misestimating charge and exceeding the potential travel distance, their electric car will simply stop in the midst of travelling? In such a case, the most important is to reach the nearest electrical charging location somehow – be it a charging station or a domestic electrical power network outlet.
There’s a solution even if the electric car uses up its charge in a remote location, where no electrical power outlet is available – you could be saved from an awkward situation by a charged special reserve accumulator or a small (at least 1.5 kW) electrical generator.
T. Taškūnas emphasises that not only the habits of vehicle use and maintenance will have to change, but also the drivers’ perspective. He advises Lithuanian drivers to rid themselves of their habit to buy a used car on the cheap. When buying a used electric car, you risk purchasing a cat in a sack because Lithuania currently still lacks specialised companies, which deal with electrical car malfunctions. Only by purchasing a new electrical car are manufacturer guarantees offered, which would allow avoiding any doubts on quality. You will also have to make use of the services of maintenance specialists far less often because a new electrical car is more reliable than a traditional vehicle; its technical maintenance is elementary.
Still hard to afford for Lithuanians
From May 1, a law has come into power to issue 4 thousand euro subsidies for customers purchasing a new electric car. “This is an important breakthrough in Lithuania, a long-awaited decision. However, another problem remains – for several years now, the major vehicle manufacturers have assured that they will “flood” the market with electric cars, however, Lithuania is still allocated insufficient quotas for the purchase of small, city-type electric cars,” the expert says.
It is clear that even making use of the subsidy; an electric car will remain a luxury good for average income earners in Lithuania. While the prime cost of a city-type electric car is already under 10 thousand euro and the technology for producing their accumulators (the most expensive component of manufacturing an electric car) has decreased more than tenfold, its price remains vastly inflated. For example, currently, a Tesla Model 3 costs more than 45 thousand euro, other medium class electric cars (Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Kona, Ioniq, VW e-Golf) – more than 30 thousand euro. Such prices are still beyond the budget and consumption habits of a potential customer in our country.
The expert notes that our future is European and not US manufacturers, who aim at wealthy customers. For the Baltic States, the statement by the father of automation, Henry Ford, applies most that car manufacturing is profitable only when the product is intended for mass consumption. The largest European automotive group Volkswagen stands by this approach and will likely eventually fill the market with electric cars that match consumers’ expectations. A clear example is how the Volkswagen ID.3 electric cars for Lithuania were all reserved within a day.
The Baltic States will see city type, 25-40 kWh accumulator electric cars with a range of up to 200 km become most popular. They are currently priced at around 20 thousand euro. “Europe has long been and continues to be a low power car market, thus they will namely be our everyday “horses”,” the expert is certain.
The key challenge – stations next to apartment buildings
Another, no less relevant than the price of an electric car problem is the lack of suitable charging station infrastructure. An electric car use culture has already formed in Europe, and customer habits are crystallising. Statistics indicate that in the UK, more than 80% of electric car users charge their vehicles at their homes during the night (in line with smartphones) – this encourages the development of charging stations in residential areas. This is relevant for the Baltic States because around 80% of citizens, potential electric car users, live in apartment buildings.
The start-up Emobs, in consideration of poor electrical power distribution infrastructure in the region, is developing several electromobility projects. The massive time and financial resources needed for the modernisation of infrastructure are not being allocated, thus the company proposes solutions, which make the best possible use of current capacities.
One of the projects is low power charging station networks on street lighting poles. “In our region, the most suitable are low power (3.5-7.5 kW) charging stations, which can be adapted to public spaces such as the residential areas of major cities or to suburbs. The vehicles of apartment building residents are usually kept on the street or in a yard, where there are no opportunities for charging,” the expert points out. Small stations would not critically imbalance electrical network infrastructure and, furthermore, would be optimal for charging electric cars overnight, when energy resources are more available. To install them, street lighting infrastructure suffices. “Street lighting poles stand in convenient locations, which they illuminate and have cars standing nearby. By installing charging stations on the poles, it would be possible to charge the electric cars optimally,” he explains. For the convenience of customers, charging services can be paid for alongside utility bills or paying through a one-time text message.
Another project in development by the start-up Emobs will allow drivers to retain their old habit of refuelling in inter-city petrol stations. A vision for the future is mobile stations, whose accumulators would be continuously charged with little power and the accumulated energy would be transferred to electric cars over a brief period.
