Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles use only electric power, which is supplied by one or more electric motors. These types of motors, much more powerful than the motors found in hybrids, are powered by battery-packs that can only be recharged at charging stations. Electric vehicles are currently the most expensive on the market for equivalent vehicles. However, it consumes zero fossil fuels and can be recharged to run approximately 100 kilometres at a cost of one dollar.
By comparison, a gasoline-powered vehicle that consumes 10 L/100 km would need 60 litres of fuel, at $1,30 per litre, to cover 600 kilometres: a $78 expense. Let’s take a look at an electric vehicle that can travel 100 kilometres on a complete charge. If it costs $1 to travel 100 kilometres, we are looking at an expense of $6 to travel 600 kilometres, some 13 times less.
Other than the Tesla Model S, with its 500-kilometre autonomy, currently most electric vehicles can’t travel over 160 kilometres on a full charge, which can take up to 20 hours. This can be a serious impediment if you wish to make a 400 to 500 kilometre trip.
Quebec residents receive a $7,731 rebate for purchasing a Mitsubishi i-MiEV. The Nissan LEAF, Ford Focus Electric, smart fortwo electric and Tesla S rebate remains at $8,000.
Electric vehicles
Fuel consumption: none
Average CO2 emissions: none
Price: less than $50,000 (with the exception of the Fisker Karma, at $120,000)
Fisker Karma
Ford Focus
Mitsubishi i-MiEV
Nissan LEAF
smart fortwo
Tesla Model S
Electric vehicles use only electric power, which is supplied by one or more electric motors. These types of motors, much more powerful than the motors found in hybrids, are powered by battery-packs that can only be recharged at charging stations. Electric vehicles are currently the most expensive on the market for equivalent vehicles. However, it consumes zero fossil fuels and can be recharged to run approximately 100 kilometres at a cost of one dollar.
By comparison, a gasoline-powered vehicle that consumes 10 L/100 km would need 60 litres of fuel, at $1,30 per litre, to cover 600 kilometres: a $78 expense. Let’s take a look at an electric vehicle that can travel 100 kilometres on a complete charge. If it costs $1 to travel 100 kilometres, we are looking at an expense of $6 to travel 600 kilometres, some 13 times less.
Other than the Tesla Model S, with its 500-kilometre autonomy, currently most electric vehicles can’t travel over 160 kilometres on a full charge, which can take up to 20 hours. This can be a serious impediment if you wish to make a 400 to 500 kilometre trip.
Quebec residents receive a $7,731 rebate for purchasing a Mitsubishi i-MiEV. The Nissan LEAF, Ford Focus Electric, smart fortwo electric and Tesla S rebate remains at $8,000.
Electric vehicles
Fuel consumption: none
Average CO2 emissions: none
Price: less than $50,000 (with the exception of the Fisker Karma, at $120,000)
Fisker Karma
Ford Focus
Mitsubishi i-MiEV
Nissan LEAF
smart fortwo
Tesla Model S
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| Mitsubishi i-MiEV (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour) |