An EV, also referred to as an electric drive vehicle, is a vehicle which uses one or more electric motors for propulsion.

Click here for a video to see how electricity is stored and used in electric vehicles.

Batteries and Charging Options for Electric Vehicles

All-electric vehicles are powered entirely by lithium-ion batteries.

The time taken to charge an EV fully ranges from 7 to 8 hours using a standard charger (3KW), or 30 to 45 minutes using a quick charger (30-50 kW). Most EV users will rely on a standard charger for daily use, except for high-mileage users like delivery vehicles and taxis.

A standard charger can be a dedicated charging station or a 230 V, 16A outdoor industrial socket in a building. A quick charger is a dedicated facility to provide high levels of power.

Fig 1: Standard charging station                             Fig2: Quick charging station

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Range of Electric Vehicles

With current battery technology, the driving range of a fully charged EV ranges from 90 km to 160 km, depending on the car model. This is more than the 55 km average driving distance per day for Singapore drivers.

The driving range  of EVs depends on:

Driving range is expected to increase in future with more improvements in battery technology.

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Cost of EVs

The upfront cost of the EV is currently much higher than its internal combustion engine (ICE) equivalent due to the high battery cost. However, EV battery prices are likely to decrease with technological advancements and economies of scale. Battery costs have fallen by 30% from 2006 to 2009. The lifespan of batteries is also expected to increase as technology progresses.

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