When a few years ago we were involved in the construction of a steel structure of a battery factory for the Korean LG concern in Kobierzyce (Lower Silesia), experts predicted the success of the mass return of electric car users around the world. Now that each manufacturer offers a selection of battery car models, and the factory is expanding into the largest EV battery production plant in the world, there is no doubt that this sector is associated with enormous growth in users and demand for clean vehicles.
ELECTROMOBILITY. Where are we and where have we been?
At the end of the 19th century, electric vehicles were as popular as those powered by internal combustion engines. Successive engineering patents have improved the technology, making this industry strong. Electric cars were able to cover several dozen or even 100 kilometers in almost complete silence. They were characterized by ease of use, and the only thing they required was access to electricity. Charging the batteries on average took about 10 hours. Let us remind you that the action takes place over 120 years ago! Contemporary dilemmas related to cars with a plug are confusingly similar to the pioneering models - the range to be traveled on a full battery and the charging time.
Driving for the record.
By 1900, electric vehicles had broken many speed and distance records. Let's move to those times for a moment and discover the history with electromobility in the background (or rather in the foreground).
Camille Jenatzy with his wife during the parade in the La Jamais Contente vehicle in 1899 / photo. Wikipedia /
It is 1899, Achères near Paris. Behind the wheel of the electric vehicle La Jamais Contente is the charismatic 31-year-old Belgian Camille Jenatzy. He always had - nomen omen - on the way with the automotive theme. His father made rubber tires, which was new at the time. Camille studied engineering, he was passionate about the possibilities offered by electric drive. Finally he became a sports rally driver who loves speed and risk. The nickname "Red Devil" perfectly reflects his character in life and on the road. During the race, he was interested in being the best and setting new speed records. We are returning to France and the late 19th century spring mornings. It was then that a new world record was measured for the Belgian. He drove his "electrician" at a speed of 105.88 km / h. Is there a character in history who deserved more breaking the magic speed limit of 100 km per hour? He accomplished this feat with an electric vehicle equipped with two engines of 25 kW each. For the next three years, no one managed to be faster than the "Red Devil". A man who fell in love with electric motors and speed died a tragic death, but not in a car accident, as you might first think. 14 years after the record was set, he was hit by a stray bullet while hunting.
But these are just sentiments from the fin de siècle era. What happened next - we know very well, even if the history of motorization is not yours. Optimizing the production of internal combustion engines, better performance and quick satisfaction of refueling needs meant that subsequent Fords found buyers and left the production line one by one. Switching over to them by existing users of cars with a plug was only a matter of time.
We look to the future.
Today, the growing interest in electric cars is directly related to the protection of natural resources and the development of low-emission transport. According to research, it is transport that is responsible for a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union countries. Electromobility is no longer an alternative but a necessity. It creates real prospects for the improvement of air quality and significantly contributes to the reduction of noise from traffic origin. In line with the assumptions of the European Green Deal, EU countries strive to reduce emissions by 90 percent by 2050
photo: Pixabay
Data from the ACEA (The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association) report show that there is a gap between individual EU countries in the field of registration of passenger cars with an electric motor. While in Germany in the first quarter of 2021, almost 65,000 were registered. of such vehicles, France, which is already in second place, recorded the result by half. For comparison, 940 electric cars were registered in Poland in the period from January to March 2021, and in the Czech Republic - 572 cars in the same period. As you can see, the disproportions between the leaders and other countries are huge.
What about battery charging? It is estimated that around 1 million public charging and refueling stations will be needed by 2025 to service 13 million zero-emission and low-emission vehicles on European roads.
Light in the tunnel.
In these so far not very optimistic statistics, however, you can see a light at the end of the tunnel. In many EU countries, the number of cars with a plug increases by about half each year. We are pleased with this growth dynamics, although even if it is maintained, it will be extremely difficult to achieve the first million electric cars announced by the government by 2025 in Poland.
photo: Pixabay
One thing is for sure. If we want to breathe exhaust-free air and appreciate the silence in the city center, we have to change our shopping preferences ourselves. Each subsequent electric car on Polish roads brings us closer to the goal, which is not the numbers themselves, but a healthier, longer life.