TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
What to know about electric vehicles
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
An electric car is charged with a power cable. (Shutterstock/-)
W
ith transportation companies such as Tesla, General Motors, Ford, Jaguar Land Rover and the Volkswagen Group joining the electric vehicle club, gas-powered cars could one day become a thing of the past.
If you’re still not entirely sure what that means, here are the basics of electric cars.
Not that different
Electric vehicles (EVs) work similarly to those powered by petrol or diesel. As Tech Radar explains, there is a fuel source, a drive unit and a gearbox to provide motion forwards and backwards. As a result of the mechanics, there is no engine noise and EVs can be some of the fastest-accelerating cars in the market.
Quite heavy
EVs are typically quite heavy, due to the battery they use, but it does not make too much of a difference when it comes to driving. Most believe that the biggest thing to be aware of is regenerative braking, which captures kinetic energy and feeds it into the battery whenever you lift off the accelerator.
Not entirely green, yet
Of course, driving an electric vehicle reduces one’s localized emissions, as the car does not have an exhaust. But pollution still occurs during the construction of the car, while charging it consumes energy, so it’s not an entirely green process yet.
Read also: President Jokowi optimistic about electric cars in Indonesia
Charge it for power
In order to power an electric vehicle, you must charge it first. Most EV owners install a charger in their home, but when drivers are out and about and need a recharge, they must turn to public chargers - they are typically owned by different companies, so to use their services, you must be a member.
To charge at home, you need an off-street parking space and a place to plug in your charger, so those who live in apartments or don’t have personal garages might want to hold out on buying an EV for now, or at least until public chargers become more widespread.
While they can be pricey now, EVs are growing in popularity and could one day take over the roads, marking an end to the era of gas-powered vehicles. (sul/kes)
