Torque Shop: What electric-vehicle range is most ideal?
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In Singapore, an EV with a range of 300km is quite viable, as there are about 3,000 public chargers here.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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I am considering buying an electric car, as I believe it is better for the environment in the long run. What kind of range should such a car have? In the market, they vary from just under 300km to over 700km. Your advice is much appreciated.
Today, an electric vehicle’s (EV) range is largely the function of battery size. The larger a battery, the longer the range.
While buying an EV with a big battery that offers a relatively long range may sound like a no-brainer, it comes with some downsides.
First, additional weight. EV batteries are heavy. The bigger a battery is, the heavier the car is. If you do not need all the range most of the time, you will be literally lugging around deadweight. This is counterproductive to efficiency.
Second, batteries make up a significant portion of an EV’s cost, so an EV with a bigger battery will cost more than one with a smaller battery. Again, if you do not need all the range, you will not have a good return on your investment.
Third, should you encounter situations where you need to replace the battery, a larger battery costs more than a smaller one.
In Singapore, an EV with a range of 300km is quite viable, as there are about 3,000 public chargers here. You will need to charge once or twice a week, and you do not need a full charge each time. And if you have your own charger, a 300km range is more than enough.
However, many motorists say they need a long-range EV because they drive to Malaysia. Well, if you do drive to Kuala Lumpur, that may be a sound reason. But how often do you do so?
An EV with a longer range may allow you to drive all the way to KL without stopping to recharge, but that comes with the trade-offs mentioned above.
An EV with a relatively short range will require you to stop to recharge. As there is a growing network of public chargers in Malaysia, with several high-speed outlets along the North South Highway, this is not a huge inconvenience. For many drivers, the charging time will be a welcome break as well.
The only problem is if you decide to drive up in a convoy of EVs. While there are places with multiple chargers, they are still relatively rare. Hence driving up in a convoy of EVs is best reserved for those with plenty of time to spare, and who do not mind waiting around for others to juice up. The bigger the convoy, the longer the potential wait.
In short, you have to take all these factors into consideration and decide which is best for you.
