HYBRID & EV
The very first hybrid car hit the showrooms around 2 decades ago and now this technology is in Taxis and Supercars (formula E) and there are now over 8million Hybrid owners! There are now 16,000 charging points at 5,800 locations in the UK with 340 points being added monthly to the network. Considering 95% of car journeys are under 25 miles there is a great likelihood that there is a charging point really close to you already. Plus new owners can receive a grant of up to £4,500 with 38 different cars and it only costs around 2p per mile to run these incredible machines! With the inclusion of rapid charges soon which will charge your vehicle up to 80% in 30 minutes, there has been no better time to upgrade.
DO YOU KNOW YOUR HYBRID FROM YOUR ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV)?
A Hybrid is a thing that has 2 different types of components that perform the same function, in the car, it’s the internal-combustion engine and the electric motor which can both drive the wheels.
An electric car is one that runs on and is ‘charged up’ with, electric power. Petrol or diesel is never used to refuel an electric car. The electricity that powers an electric car is stored in batteries before being used by electric motors to drive the car’s wheels.
Hybrid cars have electric elements to their powertrains but cannot be considered ‘electric cars’ due to the petrol engine. This has caused some confusion recently, not least because certain manufacturers are very keen to describe as “electric” a car which still burns fossil fuels to move
THE FUTURE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES
BENEFITS OF EV’S
- The electric motor delivers torque instantaneously so it helps you pull away to form a stop quicker
- The hybrid high voltage electrical systems also power the sensors and computers on self-driving cars
- Better fuel economy
- Environmental benefits – fewer greenhouse gasses
- Quiet
- Easy to drive
- Plugins have dedicated parking bays
TRAINING
A house has 220-240 volts and an electric vehicle battery has 300 volts! To make sure you are safe to work on these vehicles you will need to be trained in Electric and Hybrid Systems.
- Level 3 Award in Electrically Propelled Vehicle Repair and Replacement http://www.imiawards.org.uk/Qualifications/L3-Award-in-Electrically-Propelled-Vehicle-Repair-and-Replacement
This L3 Award is designed for technicians who maintain and repair electric vehicles. It contains the knowledge and skills required to work safely in and around the vehicle’s high & low voltage electrical system and electric drive train system whilst carrying out repairs or maintenance. On completion, technicians will be able to practically demonstrate that they have the skills required to repair vehicles with low and high voltage electric technologies.
- Some free eLearning on Hybrid http://www.ev-guide.info/
NEXT STEPS
Find your #dreamjob in #MotorCareers http://www.autocity.org.uk/index.php/explore-job-roles/