Driving electric, now you’re talking!
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At a time when many are wondering about what the future holds when it comes to transportation, an answer appears on the horizon. Driving electric has never been so easy or relevant, especially given the variety of options for all driving styles. Could it be time to brush up on your knowledge?
The difference between an electric vehicle and a hybrid
Driving an electric car tends to elicit many questions. Electric transport is all about the freedom of using a less expensive type of energy, one that is silent and produces no CO2 emissions. You can drive anywhere you want, and charging stations are easy to find. Hybrids, on the other hand, have both an electric motor and a combustion-powered motor, which consumes around 40% less gas in urban driving situations. With rechargeable hybrids, the electric motor is charged at public or home charging stations. It is designed to complement the combustion-powered motor for everyday trips, with a range of 20 to 60 kilometers using the electric motor alone.
Reusing batteries that are no longer fit for use in cars
Do your friends think they’ve caught you out when it comes to the recycling of your car battery? No dice! After being used in vehicles, the batteries are given a second lease on life, for example as part of a stationary domestic energy battery storage system, or to power other modes of transport. And, at the end of their lives, most of their parts can be recycled.
Are electric vehicles just a fad?
Do certain, skeptical members of your entourage raise an eyebrow and think they have the last word? Tell them that electric transport fits naturally into the city of the future with its interconnected ecosystems, in particular thanks to smart charging and, in the near future, V2G (vehicle-to-grid) technology. V2G refers to bidirectional charging technology, in which a portion of the energy stored in the vehicle’s battery can be returned to the power grid at an optimal time. In other words, electric vehicles contribute to a simpler, greener lifestyle. Next thing you know, they will be asking if they can test drive your car…