Surprising Electric Car Facts
If you’re thinking about converting to an electric car, well join the club! Drivers may be surprised to find out how popular electric cars have become and this will only continue to increase. Cars have an extensive history across the globe. But, you might be surprised in learning the history of electric cars. Find out more below.
Electric Cars Were Popular at the Beginning of the 20th Century
Though they are often portrayed as vehicles of the future in movies, the reverse is actually the case. The electric car was first invented and built-in 1884 by English inventor, Thomas Parker. By 1887, a fleet of electric taxis was being utilised and was widely used up to 1920.
However, due to the advancement of the combustion engine, electric cars died down and were not as heavily marketed as before. It’s only the last decade, and the popular Tesla company, that have brought these vehicles back from the junkyard and into the mainstream once more.
An Electric Car Is Not Allowed to be Silent
Many drivers may have certain concerns about switching to an electric car. One point some make is that electric vehicles may be a danger to cyclists and pedestrians, as because they do not have an engine, they do not make a noise.
However, this has changed. All EVs are legally required to make a sound whilst driving. This reduces the risk of accidents, especially on busy roads. The noise will start around 13mph and is not heard inside the car. So, it’s still a quiet experience for the driver.
“Dog Mode”
The recently released “Dog Mode” on Tesla cars is an intriguing new feature. The Overheat Cabin Protection feature allows drivers to maintain a cool interior temperature for their pets while driving.
Even more ingenious than that, the vehicle also alerts onlookers that everything is well and the pet is being kept at a comfortable temperature via a sizable message on the centre touchscreen panel.
A New Electric Car is Registered Every 9 Minutes
59,700 new plug-in electric cars were registered in the UK at the end of 2018, or one every nine minutes, according to data that showed the UK electric vehicle market rose for the seventh consecutive year, by 19%.
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, there were more than 255,000 electric cars on the road as of the end of November 2019, accounting for 5.8% of all new car registrations in the UK, with more than 63,000 electric cars having been sold in the first 11 months.
More Public Chargers Than Petrol Stations
When it comes to charging your electric car, it’s important that there are enough facilities in place to meet this demand. The number of public chargers has steadily increased and in fact, in 2019, according to ZapMap, there were 8,471 chargers compared to 8,400 petrol stations. This has only increased with time.
At the end of September 2022, there were 34,860 electric vehicle chargers across 20,888 locations.
Over the last couple of years, the electric car charging infrastructure has continued to expand. The network of charge points increased by 4 times, from 6,500 to more than 28,000 devices, between the end of 2016 and 2021. From 2020 to 2021, the UK network added over 7,500 charge points, a 36% increase.
For the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles, the new norm will be electric vehicles. So, businesses and other destinations should prioritise charging infrastructure throughout the workplace for staff, customers and guests. Destination charging involves providing public chargers for guests to utilise throughout their visit. This means that they can charge whilst parking and have enough for the following day. Find out more about destination charging here.
Elite EV Charge
Here at Elite, we provide temporary and permanent charging solutions for electric cars across the UK. From event charging to destination charging, we offer a range of solutions to improve the infrastructure for electric car charging.
For more information, or to receive a quote, fill in our form here. Make sure to follow us on Instagram to stay up to date with our latest services and news in the EV industry.