ADVANTAGES OF OWNING ANELECTRIC VEHICLE

CONVENIENCE.COST SAVINGS.RELIABILITY.

Convenience.

• A network of medium-fast charging points have been installed all over the island with the capability of charging an electric car battery from 0% to 100% in 3-4 hours. Pre-booking facilities are available, allowing any charging point to be available to the user at any time needed. The number of public charging points will increase up to 500 by the year 2020;

• 3 solar charging stations have been installed at Ta’ Xbiex Marina, Ċirkewwa and Marsa (Deep Water Quay) car parks. In using these three stations, there are savings to be made as their use is currently free of charge and there is no need to pre-subscribe to the service. Moreover, using these stations causes no environmental impact as the energy used to charge the vehicles is renewable and produced on site through the PV panels installed on the roof of each station. By using renewable energy to charge the vehicle battery, and adding to it the fact that the vehicles produce no tail pipe emissions, using these stations means a fully carbon free drive;

• It is important to note that all electric vehicle users are eligible to make use of Priority Lanes as well as free access within the CVA area on a 24/7 basis.

Cost Savings.

• Electric vehicles benefit from a low registration fee since the emissions tax is removed completely from the equation;

• The annual road license fee is set at a standard ¤10 for all electric vehicles, no matter how old and powerful the vehicle is;

• Government grants for the purchase of electric vehicles are renewed annually. The grant varies depending on whether the vehicle purchased is second hand or new and whether the applicant is simultaneously scrapping a (10 years or older) conventional vehicle. The maximum grant available also varies on the legal status of the applicant. Applicants may be individuals, NGOs, private companies or local councils;

• As of 2016 additional grants for private companies and NGOs have been made available to assist in the purchase and installation of EV charging points. This has been renewed in the 2017 budget;

• Maintenance costs of an electric vehicle are much cheaper when compared to conventional cars since electric vehicles have only one main drive train with

a singular moving part unlike their conventional counterparts;

• There is no difference when it comes to insuring an electric car or a conventional car. Insurance fees are calculated solely on the value of the vehicle and the premium selected;

• Tests made by Transport Malta have concluded that when comparing the annual costs spent on a conventional car with those spent on an electric vehicle (including fuel, maintenance and taxes), an annual total of approximately ¤1,900 has been registered in savings.

Reliability.

• While most electric vehicles offer a battery range of over 90 km, tests made by Transport Malta have confirmed a range varying from 111 km (summer) and 131 km (winter). The seasonal difference depends solely on the fact that the AC is generally switched on in Summer. Some

high-end models also go above this range nearing almost 200km;

• However, when the user practices eco-driving the battery autonomy can be prolonged even further. Different vehicle models offer various options for ‘eco-drives’. It is important to note that all vehicles show on the dashboard display the energy being used and stored thus making it much simpler to gauge battery autonomy while driving;

• Regenerative braking also boosts battery autonomy. This system works by recovering energy through kinetic energy transfer which can be used immediately or for backup. This is a huge advantage over conventional cars, the braking of which results in friction which is then converted to heat and energy loss. With such a system in place, brake parts which are subject to wear and tear are protected and less charging sessions are required therefore battery life is improved drastically;

• Energy efficiency is also much better in an electric car when compared to the conventional counterpart. An electric car uses 70% of the energy put into it, while a conventional car uses only 19% with the remaining 81% wasted in extraction and distribution;

• Safety is a key factor in ensuring the viability of the vehicles, with some being put through more vigorous tests than their ‘ICE’ counterparts. Airbags are deployed at the point of impact while electrical supply is cut off automatically whilst a failsafe mechanism in the motor ensures that no water infiltrates the engine. Moreover, the Civil Protection Department has been given specialized training in dealing with rescue operations involving electric vehicles.

For more information please contact: info.electromobilitymalta@gov.mtor visit our websitewww.electromobility.gov.mt

European Mobility Actions Malta