We will update these lists and information gradually, since the electric cars market is very dynamic. If you have any feedback or information you think we should integrate let us know.
Electric cars 2017- list, battery range, prices, best electric cars
In 2017 the electric car market is rolling into the fast lane. If you want to get an electric car in 2107 you can choose from a wide range of new or upgraded models. More powerful batteries with greater range improve the suitability for everyday use and in many European countries the public charging infrastructure for electric cars is being expanded. The new fully electric Opel is eagerly awaited: The Ampera-e will have a driving range of 520 kilometers according to the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). That is a combined range in every-day use of 380 kilometers, the best value for a non-Tesla. We give you an overview with our list of the electric cars 2017, so that you can compare the different models and choose your best electric car. We show you in which price ranges the models are. We look into the battery development and take a look how to charge the battery under your solar carport. Back to top
Electric cars list
- Nissan Leaf, since 2010
- Citroen C-Zero, since 2010
- Smart Electric Drive, since 2011
- Renault Kangoo ZE, since 2011
- Tesla S, since 2012
- Renault Zoe, since 2013
- Ford Focus Electric, since 2013
- BYD E6, since 2013
- BMW i3, since 2013
- VW E-Golf, since 2014
- Mercedes B-Klasse Electric Drive, since 2014
- Citroen Berlingo Electric, since 2014
- Kia Soul EV, since 2015
- Hyundai Ionic Electric, since 2016
- Opel Ampera-e, 2017
How much is an electric car
The prices for electric cars went down and are getting more affordable step by step. This is driven by mass production, more competition and a cost and price decline of lithium-ion automotive batteries of more than 40 percent within the last 18 months. And the battery prices are going further down every month. The prices for electric cars in 2017 range around 16.000 Euro (Mitsubishi) to over 100.000 Euro (Tesla) in the upper end. If you just look on the sales price lists, many electric cars are still more expensive than their regular counterparts. But in general they cost far less to run on a per-kilometer basis. Renewable electricity is cheaper than fuel, inspections are no longer necessary and the need for repairs is reduced dramatically. Electric cars benefit from not requiring oil changes or other maintenance costs for exhaust systems. Studies have shown that this represents a 35 percent decrease in cost over time. If you use the battery of your electric car to store surplus solar energy from your rooftop and feed it back you’re your house grid you can save extra money. Back to top
Electric car battery - range
More powerful batteries with a higher energy density allow a greater driving range of electric cars. And there are a lot of improvements and innovations going on in the industry. Most electric car manufacturers continuously introduce upgraded models with stronger and more efficient lithium-ion batteries. The new Opel Ampera-e uses a 60 kWh battery from LG with a NEDC-range of 520 kilometers. The upgraded Renault ZOE is fitted with a 41 kWh battery from LG and could almost double its NEDC driving range to 400 kilometers compaed to the previous version with a 22-kWh battery. The upgraded BMW i3 contains Samsung SDI’s new prismatic lithium cells, thereby almost doubling its NEDC range to 300 kilometers. At the Detroit Auto Show in January 2017 the Korean manufacturer presented its next generation battery cell enabling a 600 kilometer driving range, that can fast charge electric vehicles in 20 minutes. Series production is planned by the year 2021. A week after Tesla and Panasonic announced the start of mass production of their “2170” battery cell, which they claim will have the highest energy density. Back to top
Best Electric Cars
- Renault Zoe Range of around 300 km under real conditions, fast and flexible charging at your wallbox, entry price of 25,000 Euro (minus buyers premium)
- BMW i-3 Sportive mood, range of around 200 km in everyday use, sales price starting 36,150 Euro (minus buyers premium)
- Opel Ampera-e: Widest range as a non-Tesla with around 380 kilometers in every day use, 60 kWh battery, family car with an expected entry price of under 40,000 Euro (minus buyer`s premium), expected start of sales in May/June 2017.
- Renault Kangoo ZE: Electric light vehicle with the widest range of 200 km in real day use, lots of space and flexible use, sales starting middle of 2017, battery with 33 kWh, faster charging, entry price of around 24.000 Euro (minus buyer`s premium)
Use the power from your solar carport
Electric cars get even more interesting if you generate the power for the batteries from your own solar carport or garage and from the solar panels on your house. The kilowatt hour from the power grid can cost up to 30 eurocents in many European countries, the self-generated solar electricity between nine and twelve cents, plus value added tax (VAT). However, the average price advantage is a minimum of twelve to fourteen cents. That pays off. Also, you can expand solar generators successively, for instance if you decide to set up a wallbox in the garage. It is even conceivable to set up an electric charging point independently of the house grid. You can connect your solar panels to a battery as a stand-alone system. The wallbox (charging station) supplies the vehicles from this battery. You can make it through a number of months of the year this way. In the winter your vehicle can be charged by plugging it into the house network. The benefit: The stand-alone solar system is in most countries not subject to network fees and taxes. Thus the upfront costs sooner pay off. Back to top
More information:
http://www.pveurope.eu/News/E-Mobility/E-mobility-costs-prices-and-finance-at-a-glance
http://www.pveurope.eu/News/E-Mobility/E-Mobility-our-expert-s-interviews-at-a-glance
http://www.pveurope.eu/News/E-Mobility/E-mobility-our-insight-stories-at-a-glance
