Electric Vehicle – The Myths vs. Truths
At Harris Group we have discovered common misbeliefs in our industry surrounding electric vehicles. That is why we created the “Myths vs. Truths” series, with the aim of providing you with the facts, and eradicating any falsities once and for all. Read on to learn the facts about EVs;
“Electric Vehicle Range Anxiety”
The Myth:
“Electric vehicles don’t have the same range of capabilities as fossil-fuelled vehicles.”
The Truth:
With modern technology and substantial investment in research and development, electric vehicles are constantly improving and now have ranges in line with petrol/diesel alternatives.
Last year, we conducted the Compass Challenge. This challenge saw the fully electric bus, the Higer AZURE, travelling from Dublin to Cork on a single charge.
When the Azure arrived at the Dean hotel in Cork, it had 25% of its battery life remaining after travelling the 347km journey.
25% of its battery would allow the bus to travel an additional 120kms, giving an estimated total range of up to 450kms, proving that electric vehicles can travel just as far as traditionally fuelled vehicles.
We hope that this will assist people in realising that ‘Range Anxiety’ is no longer a problem and encourage more users to consider electric energy and contribute to a more sustainable and cleaner future for all of us to enjoy.
“Electric Vehicle Availability”
The Myth:
“There is no great choice when it comes to electric vehicles.”
The Truth:
There is an electric vehicle out there for everyone and for every use. At Harris Group we are fully invested in electrical energy and committed to delivering 100% electric commercial vehicles with our range of Higer buses, Maxus panel vans, chassis variants and passenger vehicles.
We recently added an electric Maxus passenger vehicle, Mifa 9, and Maxus electric pickup truck, the T90EV to our ever-growing range of EVs.
“Repair costs”
The Myth:
“Repair costs are too expensive for electric vehicles and are not worth it.”
The Truth:
Harris Group and the wider automotive industry have invested and continue to invest heavily in research & development and training regarding electric vehicles. What this means is that technology is evolving at a phenomenal rate, making repair and maintenance costs far more affordable for the end user.
Harris Group recently opened an on-site EV specialist training academy with the goal of educating and training our dealer network on how to better service and maintain EV components and batteries, making repairs and maintenance more economical and efficient. Thus ultimately improving the appeal of EVs to all road users.
“Purchasing Costs”
The Myth:
“Purchase costs for electric vehicles are too expensive and inaccessible.”
The Truth:
As technology advances and the benefits of EVs become more widely known, an effort is being made to encourage people to adopt electric energy.
There is now greater availability of EVs and vehicles to suit every budget. Governments are also doing more and more to promote EVs including grants against the cost of purchase (€3,800 for Ireland and £8,000 for the UK), cheaper road tax, cheaper insurance and as we’ve previously discussed, cheaper running and maintenance costs.
Our hope is that this myths vs. truths series will allow you to better understand the reality of the benefits of EVs and encourage you to consider an electric vehicle for a more sustainable future. You can learn more about our range of electric vehicles here – https://harrisgroup.ie/electric-vehicles/