Electric car: These myths belonged in the realm of fables

Created: 02/10/2022, 12:15 p.m

By: Simon Mones

More and more Germans are buying an electric car.

However, many myths persist.

But are they correct at all?

Munich – The list of myths about electric cars is long.

Many of these claims have long since become emotionally charged and are causing heated debates on the Internet.

The topic divides the motorists.

Many have now discovered electromobility for themselves, for some the electric vehicles simply remain mobile electronic scrap that will not catch on.

But on closer inspection, it quickly becomes apparent that many myths about electric cars belong in the realm of fables, as 24auto.de reports.

This is also shown by a series of videos that Audi UK has published on YouTube.

Electric car: These myths belonged in the realm of fables

An argument that opponents of electromobility often use is that electric vehicles are much more expensive than combustion engines.

That may have been true in the past, but the prices for electric cars have now fallen significantly.

This was mainly due to the fact that the technology was newer and more expensive.

There are many myths surrounding electric cars.

But are they correct?

(Iconic image) © Karl F. Schöfmann/Imago

The purely electric Audi Q4 e-tron is available from 41,900 euros, and customers are also entitled to subsidies of up to 7,500 euros when purchasing it.

The electric SUV is priced at the same level as the smaller Q3.

But even without the premium, the Q4 e-tron is already cheaper than the Q5, which is about the same size, for which Audi wants at least 48,850 euros.

Electric car: Maintenance costs are higher - but is that true?

Another common myth revolves around the maintenance costs of electric cars.

These are simply not affordable to maintain.

But is that really true?

Again, Audi UK has prepared a short video that quickly refutes the claims.

Accordingly, the average maintenance costs for the Q4 e-tron are just 48 pounds (around 57 euros).

The Q5 is already 198 pounds (approx. 235 euros), almost four times as much.

In both cases, however, the working hours are added.

This should also be similar for other manufacturers.

And that has a simpler reason: an electric motor is much simpler than an internal combustion engine.

It runs almost maintenance-free.

Years ago, the Nürtingen Institute for the Automotive Industry (ifa) calculated that the maintenance and repair costs for electric vehicles are around 35 percent lower than for comparable cars with a combustion engine.

Helmut Ernst from the automotive supplier ZF even believes that future maintenance costs will be "60 percent lower than for conventional vehicles".

Electric car: neither electronic waste nor climate killer

The statement that the Stromer are "electronic waste" and are not really more climate-friendly than a combustion engine can now be easily refuted.

It is correct: The production of the battery for an electric car causes significantly more climate-damaging CO2 than the production of a comparable combustion engine.

But for a meaningful comparison, you have to consider the entire life cycle of the vehicles, and there the electric car performs significantly better than diesel and petrol engines.

A study by the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Munich shows that the Stromer cause up to 89 percent less climate-damaging greenhouse gases than conventional combustion engines.

The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) came to the same conclusion.

The batteries in electric cars now have a long service life.

© Patrick Pleul/dpa

In addition, the batteries of the Stromer are now much more durable than they were a few years ago.

Like any battery, they lose capacity over time, but it has now been established that this is still at least 70 percent after eight years or 160,000 kilometers.

The EU is also planning a uniform regulation for guaranteeing the batteries.

Electric cars: is the power grid imminent?

Another myth that can often be read in the comment columns: The electric cars will overwhelm the power grid.

But do we really have to sit in the dark when all Germans have switched to Stromer?

The answer is no, as an analysis by the tech portal “t3n.de” shows.

According to this, there is enough electricity for millions of electric cars.

A changeover therefore does not pose a threat to the stability of the power grid in Germany.

Speaking of danger.

A myth that also persists is that electric cars are significantly more dangerous than combustion engines.

Especially when it comes to fires.

However, numerous studies have shown that there is no connection between the type of drive and fire intensity.

How fiercely it burns depends on the materials used.

And the statement that the fire brigade cannot extinguish electric cars is also incorrect.

This is also shown by a development by a Hessian fire brigade, which makes it significantly easier to fight the Stromer fire.

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