The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, (SEAI) estimates there are over 10,000 electric vehicle and plug-in hybrids on Irish roads today. Transport accounts for one third of Ireland’s energy requirement and energy related CO2 emissions and while electric vehicles offer a more sustainable transport solution, many people are of the opinion that electric cars aren’t as sufficient or powerful as fuel filled ones.

According to electric vehicle providers, one of the more common questions asked by people about electric cars is the driving range and its battery capacity. Electric cars can generate power faster and most can accelerate quicker than their petrol or diesel equivalents. A battery in current electric cars are designed to last at least 10 years and perhaps even 20 before needing to be replaced.

While there is no major issue with hybrids for overall driving range, battery electric vehicles come with variety of driving ranges. Longer ranges require larger and more powerful batteries, which comes a higher price, therefore it’s good to understand your requirements and choose according to your needs.

Electric vehicles do go further than people think.

The range of an electric vehicle is determined by the size of the battery, the battery capacity, driving habits, weather conditions and the type of electric vehicle. Electric vehicles do go further than people think. They can travel further on a single charge than many people travel each day. A typical electric vehicle range goes from 100km to 500km, whereas 80% of car journeys in Ireland cover distances of 20km or less. Before buying an electric vehicle, several factors should be taken into consideration. Assessing your driving habits, for work and leisure, to see if it suits your needs. By doing so, it will also help you choose a battery capable for your needs. Bigger and heavier batteries require more energy to move the vehicle, so there is no real point in driving around with a battery that is bigger or heavier than you need.