electric cars... are they really practical?

Electric cars seem to be the buzz these days in the motoring media. Nissan has the Leaf model, Hyundai has the Elantra EV, Mitsubishi has their Miev and etc. The real question is whether these models are really practical in daily use conditions. Lets consider the strengths and weaknesses of the electric car.

Strength: 
Good instant torque and power for brisk acceleration. Will be able to move 3 passengers and 1 driver with ease since the torque available is higher than a small capacity combustion engine.

Weakness: 
Very short driving range which limits the distance the electric car can travel on a single charge. Can be very annoying to have to charge the car every 150km if you are planning traveling 400km.

Based on the strengths and weaknesses lets consider how it will fair in the two main driving conditions.

City driving: 
the stop-go traffic conditions and short traveling distance is good for the EV since the EV's usual range is not more than 200km. The city is also more sensitive to exhaust emissions and air pollution. If the city is well planned, charging stations will be accessible every 10km to 20km, or car parks may have charging points.

Highway driving: 
not suitable since EVs are not good for highway cruising like a diesel engine. EV's range is far too short for long distance driving. With an average range of 200km in a single charge, the short range can be a real bummer for people who want to drive intercity. Most of the electric cars either use a CVT transmission or a single gear transmission which inhibits real high speed driving. Driving at high speeds also drains the battery power very quickly as the single gear transmission will be turning at very high speeds.

In the real world in order for the electric car to be successful they must first address the fundamental issue about driving range. If it is able to achieve a driving range of over 350km on a single charge, it would make a huge difference in terms of overall practicality. The Japanese car makers also need to look at switching to better batteries such as Lithium Ion or Lithium Polymer which are able to hold far more power, more compact and has a better recharge rate than the out of date Nickel Metal Hydride batteries currently used in the Prius and other hybrids.