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A study carried out by the

Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU)

within the framework of the European EVE (Electric Vehicle Experience) project certifies the

benefits of changing from thermal mobility to electric mobility

, but also warns of the

difficulties encountered by the owner

of this type of vehicle, both logistical and economic.

Because, depending on where the batteries that drive the electric motors are recharged or what applications are used,

the cost can vary greatly and gallop even above what it costs to refuel

.

Something that is not contemplated in the report of the consumer organization:

a certain risk in the future is the increase in rates as the electric car in circulation reaches a very large volume

, as is expected to happen in a few years.

The Spanish organization has published its travel report in an electric car from Madrid to Barcelona, ​​a test that other consumer organizations in Italy, Portugal and Belgium have carried out in their respective countries.

One of the main conclusions is that "no matter how much the prices of electric cars fall and help is given for their purchase,

electric mobility will not take off until there is a fast charging network that is comfortable and affordable enough

".

The positives of electric mobility

A BMW i3 in an 'electrolinera' with a dispenser from the company Edp.

But first the positive, because the OCU certifies that its journey of

630 kilometers

was made in seven and a half hours with two stops, which would mean, says the final report, a

delay of 50 minutes compared to the same trip in a fuel car

and one stop.

In this regard, it stands out that with less vibrations and noises the journey is more comfortable.

The price of the trip in terms of consumption was more than

a third cheaper

than if it had been done in a car with a gasoline engine.

Counting on the charge carried out at home before leaving (the cheapest) and the two recharges on the way,

the cost of the energy used was 46 euros, while to get to Barcelona with gasoline it would have cost 65

.

The satisfaction for not emitting gases or particles as when burning fossil fuels is more evident, although the OCU also calculates the emission into the atmosphere of

35 kg of CO2 for the 105 kg

that the gasoline car would have produced.

The explanation is that

when generating electricity, emissions do occur

.

The hitches

The generic advantages of battery-powered propulsion lose some of their potential due to day-to-day drawbacks.

In addition to the price of the vehicle, much more expensive than that of a heat engine, others assail others such as the shortage of recharging points, the unequal prices that can make the trip much more expensive, even in the same station, or the need to accumulate too many apps or cards to operate with the different supply companies.

OCU

The

price of electric vehicles

should come down as they become more popular in the market and administrative aid flows better than before.

Experts in electric mobility assure that in a period of four or five years - although everything will depend on the use that is given to the vehicle -

the extra cost of the battery-powered car

can be

amortized

, thanks to the fact that they suffer less tax burdens, have discounts or free in regulated parking areas, refills are cheaper than refueling diesel or gasoline and repairs and revisions are less expensive due to the drastic reduction of parts compared to conventional cars.

They also claim that electric cars don't lose value as quickly as thermal ones.

As charging points are distributed today, to make a long trip it is essential to do a

thorough planning

and make sure of the places where to make the stops to rest and acquire the necessary electrical charge to complete the route.

It is important to consider several

alternatives in case there is a long line of cars waiting for

their turn to recharge

at the chosen service station

.

And then there are the

prices, which according to the OCU vary wildly

.

According to the study by the consumer organization,

the charge of an electric car varies from eight cents per kilowatt-hour in a domestic charger and in off-peak hours (at night or on holidays), to one euro per kWh in a public fast charger

, which would mean an expense of 16 euros per 100 km,

up to double that of many diesel cars

.

There are also free slow charging facilities in hotels, some public centers and in shopping centers.

Another not small drawback that the OCU points out is that

each charger network is managed from a different app on the mobile

, to which a means of payment must also be associated.

At the same charging station you can pay a very different price depending on the application used:

from 30 cents to 1.10 euros, an outrage

.

Demands to improve

The OCU recommends the implementation of a

price monitoring

system

like the one existing in traditional service stations so that in free competition the driver can choose the most suitable electric pole.

Electric charging port of a Honda e.

It also considers it necessary to

open new stations

, especially on secondary roads where the OCU requests a recharging point for every 50 kilometers and not 170 or more, as currently.

Another measure should be to

encourage the installation of private charging points in the garages of new buildings

[there are already laws that stipulate this in some Autonomous Communities], in existing ones and in company car parks for the use of employees. .

Finally, the OCU calls for the

simplification of payment through interoperability

, to access the various charging networks throughout Europe from the same platform, in addition to the option of making the payment with debit or credit cards.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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