The automotive sector is currently undergoing a period of change, and vehicle electrification is one of the main aspects of this market transformation.
With the aim of reducing pollution levels in big cities and promoting sustainability, the main car manufacturers are gradually adding new electric models with greater autonomy to the range of vehicles they produce, so that these can gradually replace vehicles that rely on combustion engines.
New electric car battery components to improve the driving range
The battery is one of the key elements in electric vehicles, and recent research has come up with new alternative components that could triple the driving range of electric cars.
According to the study carried out by professionals from the GIST, current battery capacity could be increased, giving the car greater autonomy.
How far can electric vehicles travel without recharging?
The total number of kilometres an electric car can cover without stopping to recharge varies depending on battery capacity, how the engine is used, the characteristics of the car and the style of driving.
In general, electric cars consume an average of between 15 and 22 kWh/100 km. This means that a battery with a capacity of 24 kWh should allow around 150 km of real-world driving, and a 30 kWh battery about 200 km. There are also cars on the market that can cover up to 500 km before needing to be recharged.
What are the key factors that influence autonomy?
Size and weight
The size and weight of a car can have an impact on its autonomy, as the engine requires more power in order to function, and so energy consumption is increased.
Type of road
Electric cars consume more energy in hilly areas. They also need more power to run on surfaced roads that are in poor condition.
Climate
Driving in hot or cold weather means that additional functions come into play, such as air-conditioning and heating, which use energy and impact on autonomy.
Driving style
Driving slowly and going easy on the accelerator will save energy and increase the distance that can be covered before needing to recharge.
Driving range depends on the driver
So driving efficiently, safely and in a relaxed way is essential to avoid reducing the autonomy of electric cars. Regenerative braking is a way of capturing kinetic energy and storing it in the battery, and can be used to recover the energy that the car consumes while it is in motion.
