Electric cars
Sir, — Today’s article on electric cars presents quite a different picture from that resulting from current research at the University of Canterbury. The petrol; engine’s maximum possible! efficiency is only 30 to 35! 'per cent, and is seldom! reached in normal motoring.; The petrol car’s losses also! include transmission inefficiency, use of the choke’ when cold, the time spent! idling and, in comparison) with the electric vehicle, the! lack of regenerative braking.. In keeping with unbiased; evaluations made overseas, we can demonstrate that the; electric car is up to 40 per; cent more efficient than the' petrol car if thermally gen-i erated electricity is used., Overnight charging by hydro! power makes it twice as good. The main handicaps of current batteries are the) lack of range, and loss of I efficiency with heavy use, but they are powering an increasing number of vehicles; satisfactory for town use. — Yours, etc., R. T. C. HARMAN. August. 8, 1975.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33917, 9 August 1975, Page 14
Word Count
158Electric cars Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33917, 9 August 1975, Page 14
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