There’s no question electric vehicles (EVs) are a lot more appealing in 2022 than they were a decade ago.
Back in 2012 your choices were limited to the tiny Mitsubishi i-MiEV and slightly larger Nissan Leaf; or if you had more money a Tesla Roadster, but few were actually sold here.
Fast forward to today and not only has Tesla become an EV powerhouse but the likes of Porsche, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar are all offering more exciting battery-powered models. Plus there’s interesting EVs from the likes of Hyundai, Kia, Polestar, Lexus, Mazda and Mini.
Overseas you can find the likes of the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Hummer that prove EVs don’t need to be tiny, city-size runabouts like the i-MiEV… but should they?
Seeing the recent influx of either super-quick or super-sized EV got me thinking – are we making a mistake with our electric future? Shouldn’t we be looking for ways to make EVs not only more efficient to drive but also produce?
Don’t get me wrong, car makers are doing the right thing by catering to consumer demands. The success of the Tesla Model S compared to the i-MiEV and Leaf demonstrated there was a market for EVs that were faster, larger and more luxurious, which is why all the previously mentioned luxury brands jumped into the contest.
But, I ask again, is that the best use of an EV – going fast? Sure, it’s fun and exhilarating and demonstrates the potential for modern electric motors, but it does raise the question of whether car companies stopped and asked ‘should we do this?’ before they decided they could.
It’s the same when it comes to size. It’s great that car makers are giving SUV-obsessed buyers options like the Tesla Model X, Audi e-tron, BMW iX and Mercedes EQC. Even the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which looks like a hatchback in images but is actually closer in size to a Tucson mid-size SUV. Which again raises the question, shouldn’t be we looking to create smaller, more efficient models?
The GMC Hummer is the zenith of this seeming obsession with creating bigger and faster EVs, even if they don’t make sense. The Hummer ute tips the scales at a massive 4110kg in order to install enough batteries to give it meaningful range and the ability to run from 0-100km/h in just 3.0 seconds.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not pushing for car markers to build those odd-looking ‘mobility pods’ that they love producing as concepts and litter the screen in any sci-fi movie. There’s a reason why the i-MiEV failed in Australia, it was too small, not powerful enough and had limited range.
But we know better now, we have a better understanding of how to construct an EV to keep weight low, production costs limited and still maintain suitable performance and range. BMW arguably got the closest in terms of striking a balance between sustainability and luxury with the i3, but even it missed the mark when it came to consumer appeal.
The current state of the world sees prices for new models on the rise as car manufacturers deal with the rising cost of raw materials. And yet, the types of cars that should be consuming less steel, aluminium and nickel are getting bigger and demanding more. This has a knock-on effect across the ‘well-to-wheel’ benefits of an electric model, and this is before we discuss where we are generating the electricity that these hungry EVs are sucking down.
While there’s an argument to be made that giving customers ‘what they want’ is the primary role of any business, perhaps the industry needs to take a step back and take a look at where things have ended up.
Personally, I love EVs and I think they have a bright future, but car makers need to stop, think and realise not everyone needs a 4000kg ute capable of out-dragging a Ferrari.
Keyword: Are we wrong about EVs? Electric vehicles are bigger, faster and more luxurious - but that could be a mistake | Opinion