1ʳᵉ step: Vehicle power - kW
For a combustion-powered car, you'll be interested in the engine's power. This is expressed in horsepower (hp). Depending on your use, you'll opt for a vehicle with more or less power. If you make most of your journeys on freeways, you'll prefer a higher horsepower to a car used exclusively for city driving.
Good news! For electric cars, the principle is the same. Electric motor power is expressed in kilowatts (kW), with 1 kW = 1000 W. Depending on the distance you need to cover, and the speed at which you travel, you'll need more or less motor power.
The equivalence between the engine power of an electric car and that of a combustion engine car is calculated using the following formula:
1 kiloWatt (kW) = 1.341 horsepower (hp)
Ex: I own an electric car with a power rating of 68 kW. Equivalent horsepower = 68 x 1.341 = 91 hp
2ᵉ step: battery capacity - kWh
The main difference between an electric vehicle and a combustion engine is the battery. This is a central element in the choice of an electric vehicle. Battery capacity is the amount of energy the vehicle's battery can deliver after a full charge. It is expressed in kilowatt-hours (kWh). This concept will be useful for the energy consumption below.
3ᵉ step: consumption - kWh/100 km
Unlike an internal combustion engine, an electric car consumes much less fuel in town.
While a diesel vehicle consumes an average of 6 L/100 km and a petrol vehicle 7.3 L /100 km, an electric car consumes an average of 15 kW /100 km.
The equivalence between the consumption of an electric car and that of a petrol-engined car is: 1 L/100 km = 9.85 kWh/100 km
Example: I have a vehicle with a consumption of 15 kW/100 km.
Equivalent electric car consumption = 15/ 9.85
= 1.5 L/ 100 km
4ᵉ stage - Battery autonomy - km
Range is the distance the battery allows the car to cover. It is expressed in km. It depends on various factors: outside temperature, heating use, driving profile, route profile. For an electric car, the range is :
Operating time = Battery capacity / Power consumption
Example: Let's take a vehicle with a 41 kWh battery and consumption of 15 kW/100 km. Range = (41 x 100) / 15
= 273 km
5ᵉ step - Price for full recharge
The price of a full tank depends on the price of electricity you buy from your supplier and the capacity of your battery:
Price of a full tank = Price of electricity x Battery capacity
Ex: For a vehicle with a 41 kWh battery and an average electricity price of €0.136/kWh (off-peak: €0.125/kWh; peak: €0.146/kWh). The price of a full tank is :
Price of a full tank = Price of electricity x Battery capacity
0.136 x 41 = 5.57 €
This example should be put into perspective, as most electric car owners recharge at night to save on the cost of their charge.
Did you know that? By way of comparison, the cost of filling up a gasoline-powered vehicle to travel 273 km would be €30. The cost offilling upan electric car is less than €6, i.e. 5 times cheaper.
Would you like to switch to an electric car? Beev offers multi-brand 100% electric vehicles at the best prices, as well as recharging solutions. Beev can help you with your entire project, from finding the right vehicle to installing charging stations. Contact us to find out more.
