Electric vehicles (EVs) have been seen as a beacon of hope for environmental protection over the last decade. However, recent developments have caused this once-prominent hope to falter. What exactly has changed in these recent years?
Over the past decade, Tesla emerged as a leading figure in vehicle innovation, overshadowing combustion vehicles. Tesla set a new standard for modern cars with its fully intelligent, safe, and efficient vehicles. Initially, Tesla cars were viewed as luxurious and premium, but after ten years, the prices remain high and out of reach for most people. The perception of luxury and premium quality has faded for many.
Having experienced various types of cars, from manual transmissions without power steering to fully automatic electric vehicles, as well as hybrid cars, I can confidently say that what I need from a daily driver is ease of maintenance and reliability. Modern intelligence and elegant digital consoles often feel decorative and meaningless in the long term. In my humble opinion, a single electric engine that can replace old combustion engines, whether diesel or gasoline, would suffice. However, the issue is more complex than that.
The energy source is what makes a vehicle functional. Whether it’s gasoline, hydrogen, alcohol, or electricity, each has its own method of storage. Unlike gasoline, hydrogen, or alcohol, electricity itself is not a power source but rather the result of chemical reactions within a battery. Batteries are the primary source of problems for electric cars. They impact the cost, efficiency, maintenance, and overall expense of electric vehicles. While you can buy a good electric motor and install it in an old car, you ultimately end up paying for the battery, which accounts for 60-80% of the total cost.
Unfortunately, the more we delve into battery issues, the worse it appears. Batteries used in electric cars must be replaced as a single unit, with no way to standardize the method for replacing only a few problematic cells. Each car model uses a different battery template, making it impossible to swap batteries between models.
In conclusion, the most critical issue for me is standardizing battery handling. Once this is addressed, everything else will improve.
I hope you enjoyed my thoughts.