Fuel from the electrical socket – 7 facts about e-cars

Electric cars were the focal point of the 2015 IAA automotive trade fair. However, the trend towards electrically powered vehicles is not a new phenomenon. Around 1900, 38 percent of the cars on America’s roads were electric. In the period from 1896 to 1939, there were no fewer than 565 different electric car brands registered worldwide.

Image source: OTRSWikimedia

Although electric cars like the Tesla pictured here are still a rare sight on German roads, the number of electric vehicles being registered is constantly increasing. This year’s forecast for Germany is expected to be in the five figures for the very first time. The German Government has plans to increase the number of electric cars to one million by 2020.

Germany is still lagging behind other European countries. In Norway, electric cars already account for one in six newly registered vehicles. In Germany, only 1 in 326 cars is electrically powered.

The high battery costs still create loss for manufacturers in producing electric cars. However, experts predict that battery costs will be halved by 2030.

Electric cars are expected to be much more cost-efficient per kilometer than their gasoline or diesel-powered counterparts. At the moment, the BMW i3 is the only electric car able to compete with a conventional model. It holds its own against a 1 series BMW with the same features and engine power. The i3 costs 53.1 cents/km, 4.7 cents less per kilometer than the gasoline-powered BMW 120i Urban Line, which costs 57.8 cents/km.

A new electric car battery currently carries a warranty of between six and eight years. New batteries cost anywhere between EUR 7,000 and EUR 25,000, which is why a broken battery is tantamount to a total write-off once the warranty expires. At the same time, improvements are constantly being made to charging performance. In the future, induction charging stations like the one pictured will be able to charge electric cars without being physically attached to them.

To support the German Government in achieving its targets, Allianz Versicherungs-AG is offering a ten percent discount on its new auto insurance rate for electric and hybrid cars. The insurance benefits provided for electric and hybrid vehicles are also being improved considerably. VollkaskoPlus comprehensive insurance, for example, includes all-risk coverage for vehicle batteries (accumulators) with immediate effect.