Having collated and analyzed 12 months of data from electric vehicle drivers, CABLED – the UK's long-term, low-carbon vehicle trial – reveals that, among other findings, the "range of electric vehicles more than covers most users' needs, with most drivers finishing their daily journeys still with over 40 percent charge remaining." Here's a rundown of some of the result from CABLED:
Most journeys undertaken (77 percent) lasted less than 20 minutes and only two percent used more than 50 percent of the battery, enabling a return journey to be made without the need for recharging in the majority of cases.
In regards to charging, most electric vehicle drivers replenish their battery when convenient, with data showing the vehicles were parked 97.2 percent of the time, allowing ample opportunity to plug in.
The most popular point at which drivers commenced charging was when the battery had 81 to 87 percent of its charge remaining. Charging habitually takes place upon reaching a destination.
The average charge time was two to three hours, with an energy transfer of 6kWh.
Peaks for charging were observed from 7 to 9 a.m. and from 6 to 7 p.m. Another peak was seen after 11 p.m. when CABLED participants used timers to take advantage of off-peak rates.
Typical users only need to recharge every two to three days and do so either at home or at work more than 85 percent of the time.
Even more interesting is that public charging points, though initially popular at the beginning of the trail, proved to be less necessary than originally thought as drivers gained confidence in the range estimates provided by a vehicle's on-board computer. Hat tip to Joz!
em: http://green.autoblog.com/2011/07/21/re ... cle-trial/