e the most common type of electric vehicles on our roads today. Quite simply they combine an electric motor and a traditional petrol or diesel engine. They are a ‘hybrid’ between the old and the new. They were first introduced to the mass market by Toyota with the legendary Prius. The electric motor is powered by a large battery and will produce a certain number of miles. The traditional combustion engine is there to support the electric motor. The combustion engine will recharge the electric battery when it dies, for example. The combustion engine may also take over entirely when the battery is flat.
The hybrids were the first to hit the roads because electric technology simply wasn’t powerful enough on its own. The battery couldn’t last long enough to provide practical driving. It was a compromise between a green future and practical driving. It is for this reason that many dismissed the potential power of electric cars. However, they did achieve their goal of significantly lowering emissions. They also required much fewer visits to the petrol pump! For this reason, they have become wildly popular. This is especially true in the company car and business leasing world. The company car experts at Listers Honda Leasing tell us that fuel economy has become very important to businesses. Lower emissions means lower taxes and cheaper running costs. The hybrid is a great step forward into the future. But it is not the perfect solution we need.
Fully electric vehicles
The next big leap will come with fully electric vehicles. Hybrid engines are the dominant technology because electric motors and batteries simply aren’t practical. The batteries required for a fully electric vehicle are huge, heavy and extremely expensive. The only alternative is a complex ‘lithium ion’ battery. They are lighter and more powerful. They hold the answers to a fully electric vehicle. Toyota and General Motors both agreed that this technology was ten years away from widespread use.
However, a new company, Tesla, has proved them wrong. With their landmark Model S, they have created a fully electric, practical vehicle. They have come from nowhere and built their own lithium ion batteries. It has changed the landscape. They have a long way to go, but they are paving the way for fully electric vehicles. Many other companies are now catching up. A fully electric vehicle will rely solely on the electric motor and its battery. It will be recharged at charging stations and plugged in at home. They also make use of regenerative energy. This means they generate and store electricity when braking.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell cars
Alongside all the talk of electric and hybrid cars, there is another technology on the horizon. In 2015, it will take its tentative first steps on the market. We are, of course, talking about hydrogen fuel cell technology. It has a volatile reputation behind it. Many commentators believe it truly is the future of driving. Others think it’s an unsustainable and useless technology. Again, Toyota are at the helm of this revolution. This year they will launch the first commercially available hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. It’s called the Mirai. It will be one of the most technologically advanced cars in the world.
Like the fully electric cars, these vehicles have nothing but an electric engine. However, hydrogen fuel cells are slightly different. To power it, you’ll fill the tank up with hydrogen (the most abundant element on the planet). A reaction will take place to split the hydrogen atom and generate electricity. This will then be fed to the motor, the waste emission is simply water. It’s clean and powerful technology. The only drawback here is the lack of infrastructure. In order to work on a large scale, we need a big investment in hydrogen stations. We also need to invest in the technology to harvest hydrogen from the air. Unfortunately, this is not a simple process. It requires passing electricity through water to extract hydrogen.
Which is the best?
Well, the jury is still out on which technology is the best. They are all fantastic solutions t