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Electric Vehicles - The basics of what you need to know

You’ll hear us refer to electric cars, and more broadly electric vehicles, as EV’s. As the name suggests, these vehicles are powered by electricity rather than the petroleum-based fuels you may be used to seeing at the bowser. 

What to consider before making the switch

What type of EV do you need?

Consider the type of electric vehicle. There are a range of electric vehicles that may not be fully electric, like hybrids and plug-in hybrids. 

Depending on your driving requirements, including travel distances, you may consider hybrid vehicles meet your longer range driving needs.

How far will you be driving?

The distances travelled in regional W.A. are a lot more than most city drivers on a day-to-day basis. Before purchasing, consider how you will be using your electric vehicle. 

If you do switch to a 100% electric model and regularly travel long distances, you’ll just need to ensure that there’s a working charger along the way. 

Find out more

Where will you charge?

Most EV drivers will decide to install a fast charger in their home so they can charge at their convenience, weekly or overnight depending on the distances they drive. Generally you’ll need a garage for home charging.

If you can’t install the charger at your home or can’t easily access a power outlet, then you’ll need to consider access to public electric vehicle chargers, and make sure that you have one nearby.

Learn more about charging

Which EV is right for me?

Not every Electric Vehicle (EV) is created equal. There are several types of EV’s available which all work a little differently from each other.

Hybrid Electric Vehicle
(HEV)

Plug in Hybrid
(PHEV)

Battery Electric Vehicles
(BEV)
Hybrid Electric Vehicle Hybrid EV car plugged in to charging station.png Fully electric model being charged from the front bumper
For those who still want their petrol reserve. For those who want the best of both worlds. For the 'all or nothing' EV lover who wants to go 100% electric.

The most common type of electric car available so far - using both an electric motor and combustion engine to drive the car. 

Some hybrids use the engine to charge up a battery pack to power an electric motor. Other types use the electric motor to accelerate and then switches to the engine once crusing speed is reached.

Similar to a HEV but with one important difference... it can be plugged in to an external power source to charge the battery.

In addition, a  plug in hybrid has a longer range in electric mode, better fuel efficiency and less overall carbon emissions compared to a HEV.

 

What most people think of when it comes to ‘Electric Vehicles’. Powered 100% by electricity, using a battery pack to store the power that powers an electric motor.

It's the capacity of the battery pack capacity determining the distance the car can go.

 

Key parts
Internal combusion engine
Electric motor
Battery

 Key parts
Internal combusion engine
Electric motor
Battery

Key parts
Electric motor
Battery
Energy source
Petrol/diesel

Energy source
Petrol/diesel + electricity

 Energy source
Electricity

Tailpipe carbon emissions
Yes

Tailpipe carbon emissions
Yes but less than hybrid models

Tailpipe carbon emissions
No 

Think...
Toyota Yaris Cross,  Kia Niro Hybrid

Think...
Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, BMW i8

Think...
Tesla 3 (Of course), Polestar

Meet the (other) EV experts

We’re learning more about this new technology every day. If you’d like to know more about purchasing, driving and charging an EV in Western Australia, check out the resources below. 

AEVA

The Australian Vehicle Association (AEVA)is a volunteer run, not-for-profit organisation committed to driving the transition of Australia’s transport networks to electric, as soon as possible.

Learn more

Plugshare

If you’re looking to find and review charging stations, PlugShare is the free app to do it with. This iOS, Android and web app allows you to connect with other EV owners and explore over 475,000 station reviews and 100,000 charging station photos, including plugs across regional WA. 

Download the EV charging map

The Driven

For those who want to know more about the various developments in the worldwide EV market and the latest news in Australia, The Driven has you covered.

Read the latest EV news

The REV Project

For more research closer to home, the UWA Renewable Energy Vehicle Project (REV) hopes to revolutionise transport by building zero emission and driverless vehicles, with charging networks powered from renewable sources. 

Learn more about the project

Australia will see 700 more fast charging locations over the next 5 years

*Electric Vehicle Council - State of EVs 2022

Getting from A to B

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