The growth of electric vehicles is in full throttle which leads to 8 major challenges facing the Electric Vehicle industry today.
Electric cars are not just a fad; they are here to stay for a long time on the open road. India is still supposed to be in the initial stages of the EV market, although adoption of EVs is increasing day by day. Electric vehicles have come out as a ray of hope for all who focus on how to make the environment eco-friendly. They think that increasing demand for electric vehicles will achieve zero emissions in the coming decades, yet there is a need to bring a lot of diversity to the mobility area.
There are a few hurdles in the EV industry, like rising costs, a lack of charging stations, highly priced EV vehicles, etc. The unavailability of enough public charging stations and the high cost of electric vehicles add woe to worry to the EV buyers.
Many points need to be examined if India has the potential to become an EV hub in the next year. Electric vehicles play a prominent role in tackling climate change and reducing global emissions. However, there are a few barriers to the adoption of electric vehicles which are explained below:
In our research we have discovered 8 major challenges facing the Electric Vehicle industry today to which attention should be paid in the improvements of EV industry :
1. High Initial Cost: One of the main hurdles in the EV industry
Highly-priced cars are always an obstacle to EV adoption. Among all the components of an electric vehicle, the battery is the most expensive. By cutting down the price of batteries, we can make them accessible for several people. Expensive material that is used in batteries should be like this so that it may be recycled. Ensure that your battery is not completely drained before you recharge it. Battery swapping can also be another option that can lower the cost of electric vehicles.
Do not expose your electric car for a long period of time to extremely low or high temperatures because it can harm the thermal management system which is used to control or manage the temperature. It is better to park it in the shade. You should avoid using fast charging stations daily, as it slows down the efficiency of a battery and leading to another challenge in the EV industry
Some batteries catch fire quickly, so such batteries should be kept away from flammable items. The manufacturer of batteries is focusing on completely switching to lithium-ion batteries, as they are very light in weight and have higher energy efficiency if compared to other batteries.
Mostly, you find lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, but such batteries do not perform well at high temperatures, so overheating impacts the efficiency of the battery. Consequently, you should avoid charging the car in direct sunlight. It is better if you park your car in the shade if you charge it.
Automakers are planning to come up with dozens of new models of electric vehicles suitable for the richest and middle-class people. They are even planning to drop prices on existing models. It will make EV driving affordable for a wide range of buyers.
2. EV Cars Are Not Suitable For Long-Distance Trips
An EV needs to recharge after driving certain kilometers, that is why it is considered that EVs are not suitable for long trips.
Before going on a long-distance trip, you need to plan and research the availability of EV chargers along your route. There are several websites and apps that help in finding the charging station. You can even find out which types of chargers are available there. You can opt for a fast charger to save time while planning a long trip.
During your long trip, you are supposed to have a good internet connection, as it will be helpful to easily access the charging applications. You need to understand that it is possible only when your car supports fast charging; before going on a long trip, you need to check it. To make your trip memorable and enjoyable, it is recommended that you should always carry some emergency tools, such as spare tyres, emergency triangles, medicines, etc. Following these tools, you can make your long trip enjoyable with EV.
Some companies are coming up with this solution. They are providing two driving models in the car, i.e., ‘Eco’ and ‘Sport’. The Eco mode is more sufficient and increases the battery range, but the Sport mode chews up the battery quickly and decreases its performance. For the long-distance trip, you can choose the eco mode, which would increase the driving distance. When EVs are on the way to future, not only automobile companies but also the government are coming ahead to promote them.
3. Limited Charging Infrastructure
The other challenge in the EV industry for electric road trips is the lack of charging infrastructure. Although there is an option to charge your electric car at home, it is cheaper than charging at a public station. But if you plan a trip and, in the middle of it, you may need to recharge your car, then the limited number of charging stations can be an obstacle for the user.
You can easily find gas stations everywhere, but not EV charging stations. However, several companies are planning to build more charging stations to establish a large network in the country, which will sort out this problem.
4. Charging Time Is More
Another challenge in the EV industry is the charging time and it is another important point to consider, and some improvements are needed in this area. Priorities for improving EV performance include shortening charging times. When petrol and diesel cars take a few minutes to fill, charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) take 6-7 hours, although this initially depends on the type of charger used.
For instance, if you are going to attend an urgent meeting and, in a way, the charging of your EV is about to end, charging your electric vehicle with a time-consuming process at that crucial time can lead to many problems.
5. Range Anxiety
There are many hurdles in the EV industry and range anxiety is one of them. Internal Combustion Engines take less time to fill with gasoline or diesel than electric vehicles. Once the fuel tank is filled with gasoline, it can run up to 300 miles, but electric vehicles can run up to 100 miles on a complete charge. The fuel tank of a traditional engine takes up very little space, and the weight of the fuel is also very low, as the battery tank of an electric vehicle is very big and needs much space.
Once an electric vehicle runs out of charge, it will take more time to charge it. You need to understand that there are many factors that can affect the range of your car, such as speed and temperature. For example, if you drive fast on the highways, it will slow down the speed and capacity of the battery. You should avoid rapid acceleration and braking to increase the range of an electric vehicle.
To make the electric vehicle easily approachable to buyers, manufacturers need to find a way to increase the speed of charging, as less charging time can increase the ownership of electric vehicles. Although charging with a DC fast charger can reduce the charging time, the companies are focusing on increasing the charging speed.
6. Greater Affordability and Reliability
Another challenge in the EV industry is the affordability and reliability. Electric vehicles are comparatively new compared to internal combustion engines, so they are not as reliable as traditional vehicles. Manufacturers of electric vehicles should focus on doing more research on how to increase the reliability of electric vehicles. Electric vehicles are more expensive than traditional vehicles, so automobile companies are focusing on how to cut down on their costs to make them affordable.
7. The Insurance Cost Of An Electric Vehicle Is High
In general, electric cars are expensive to buy because of new and advanced technology in comparison to traditional vehicles. The main component of an electric vehicle is the battery, which is more expensive to buy or repair than the other parts. The cost of a battery is more than half of the total cost of the car. That is why the insurance cost of an electric vehicle also goes up.
There are fewer technicians available to maintain electric vehicles, as they have very complicated parts. To minimize the cost of insurance premiums, you can install safety devices such as anti-theft devices and safety locks that can increase the chances of your EV being safe from theft.
8. Cost of Batteries
The cost of batteries is one of the biggest problems that creates hurdles in the EV industry for its users, but if you have the option of recycling the battery, this issue can be resolved. Recycling is a novel method that can help to meet the skyrocketing demand for batteries. Battery recycling is an activity that targets the reuse of batteries that have been disposed of. When you dispose of the broken batteries, they leak harmful chemicals into the soil and groundwater and harm the natural resources, but by recycling them, you protect them from contamination.
Recycling is an easy process. It helps to take out the raw material from the used battery and send it again to companies for reuse. It cuts down on the cost of new batteries. Consequently, recycling protects resources and contributes to boosting the economy.
To learn more benefits of recycling batteries- click here.
Conclusion
The coming time of EVs will be vast with new innovations in the field of the EV market that will shoot up the Indian EV industry higher aloft. Your vehicle, whether electric or gasoline, demands your attention. If you take care of your vehicle, it will return much effort as well. Switching to an electric vehicle is a wise option when everyone is suffering from pollution, and it runs on zero emissions.
The future of driving is electric, and it would be thrilling to see the transformation happening in real life. The future of the EV market is eminently exciting because of the advancement of new technology that is continuously being made. Automobile companies are targeting longer-range electric vehicles that would make long-distance travel easier.