“Going green” is currently the predominant goal of every major manufacturer on the planet – including vehicle manufacturers. The onslaught of global pressure placed on manufacturers to implement greener methods and vehicle models has given rise to the infamous EV – electric vehicles, a possible solution to major greenhouse gas issues caused by cars being faced around the world.
The question this problem raises is: what will happen to petrol and diesel fueled engines? Will the pursuit of greener outputs eliminate the use of the mechanical engine altogether? Are we at a point, technologically speaking, for this to even be possible?
Find out below!
The Problem with Electric Vehicles (EVs)
As is the case with any alternative gas or power source, electric vehicles face a number of problems that prevent them from being ‘perfected’ for widespread use in society – whether it be environmental issues, or the lack of infrastructure needed for them to become viable options in mass transportation.
The biggest problem currently facing EVs is their inability to travel very far before running out of charge. The average battery range available on current models hovers around 100 miles at best – though this figure varies based on model and manufacturer. This simply does not allow enough mileage between charges for them to contend with petrol/diesel cars in terms of practicality when traveling long distances or making it into work after very few recharges.
Even if you look beyond the limited mileage, EVs are still plagued by the fact that they take a very long time to recharge – around 6-7 hours on average. This is not practical for most people’s lives, and certainly cannot allow them to compete with the range of current vehicle models.
EVs do possess other advantages, like their low maintenance (no oil changes), low noise output (for some models) and lack of any toxic emissions while in use. However it seems these benefits simply cannot contend with the aforementioned problems.
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Electric Vehicles Are Ill-Suited to Industrial Work
A recent solution to the limited mileage of EVs has been found in making hybrid electric / diesel powered cars, such as the Toyota Prius. The use of a small but powerful internal combustion engine (ICE) allows for more practical travel while still utilising the benefits associated with an electric motor during low power situations, like city driving or cruising at slow speeds – allowing you to cut off your ICE when in these types of scenarios without limiting your speed or forcing you to brake excessively.
The problem with this solution is that it does not work in large industry, where trucks are driven for miles on end every day and mechanical components are constantly being worked hard – so much so that if they were electric they would be consistently breaking down due to excessive wear and tear.
Electric Vehicles in the Future
Even though EVs are out of the question for heavy duty industry use, they are still a viable option in many circumstances. The fact is that fossil fuels are running out and polluting our planet at an astounding rate – it only makes sense to pursue more environmentally friendly options wherever possible.
The problem with this pursuit however, is that simply swapping out one gas or power source for another does not work well enough at the moment. Instead, there needs to be further development on current technologies before EVs can truly replace combustion engines worldwide. They may be cleaner but they are simply not practical enough yet.
Why We Still Need Diesel Engines
When considering the practicality of EVs in society, it is worth noting that diesel powered cars are still superior to petrol/electric hybrids in many ways. Perhaps most importantly, they can travel much farther on a full tank than their electric counterparts since the total mileage you can get out of your diesel car before having to refuel (the average distance between fill-ups) is much greater than an EV’s battery range. This means that for those using heavy-duty trucks and other industry vehicles, diesel powered cars are still the more practical choice as they can travel longer distances without needing to be recharged.
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Why Drive Diesel?
The benefits of driving a diesel vehicle – although different to that of an EV – are still impressive by today’s standards. Their robustness and fuel efficiency makes them attractive options for just about any type of driver. It is due to this that they continue to have a place in society.
In addition, as oil reserves become more scarce and prices increase, the economical value of diesel cars will likely begin to outweigh those of petrol powered vehicles. In fact, an increasing number of people are already opting for diesel models over their petrol counterparts as the price gap between the two types of vehicle continues to shrink – EVs simply cannot compete with this economical benefit at present.
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The Future of Diesel Vehicles
The fact that diesel cars can travel further on a single tank means that for now, the EV may never completely replace the diesel car (at least not until there is no need to refuel!). But this doesn’t mean they won’t work together – in fact, with their respective advantages combined, you would have one seriously efficient vehicle!
As with anything new and innovative, there will be obstacles along the way which will cause some people to stray away from or reject them entirely. Fortunately though, as technology improves and becomes more affordable, both types of vehicles will become more practical solutions to our current transportation needs- making them two sides of the same coin rather than opposites.
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We Like Big Diesel Engines and We Can’t Deny…
Just Autos are diesel performance specialists. We stay at the forefront of diesel technology to provide our clients with sound advice and superior service.
Despite the onset of electric vehicles not only in Australia but around the world, we know diesel engines are going to be around for some time yet! So, take good care of your diesel – or bring it in to our workshop and we’ll help you get the most out of your hard-working engine.
