Simon Roberts, a physicist living in south London, battled for four years to buy an electric car. Would Peugeot sell one to a private individual? Not readily. Would London Electricity install a charging point outside his house? Mmm, well. Would Lambeth Council allow a slim five-feet box to grace its pavement? Not if it meant pedestrians might trip over the protruding cable.
This March, he finally took delivery of an electric Peugeot 106 and his MP unveiled the country's first kerbside power point and designated electric vehicle (EV) parking bay outside his home.
Funnily enough, had Mr Roberts been around 100 years ago, he might have found the task easier. Then, EVs outnumbered noisy, dirty internal combustion engines and Belgian engineer Camille Jenatzy sped through the 60mph barrier in his evocatively named EV, the 'Jamais Contente'.
After the first world war, had the money invested in the petrol engine been showered instead on battery development, we might all be using electric cars today. As it is, there are just over 100 private owners in the UK.
Who actually makes electric cars? The Peugeot 106 and Citroen Saxo are the most touted in Europe, with General Motors EV1 ahead in the US. Honda has just announced it is stopping US production of its EV due to insufficient demand. On the racier side, a prototype electric Lotus Elise was shown in 1997.
Where can I buy one? In terms of top brands, the best bets are France, Switzerland, Italy and California. In the UK, rickshaws are easier to come by. Having gone to the trouble of developing EVs, manufacturers now seem reluctant to sell them beyond the goods van market. The 106 is the sole biggie on sale but only to fleets (the Scottish Office and several London councils use them); the company cites cost and lack of consumer understanding as reasons. 'They want to back every horse and to appear to have a green image,' says Ian Gordon of the Battery Vehicle Society. As an alternative, the Lynch Motor Company sells converted Ford Fiestas and Robin Reliants, and Alternative Vehicles Technology produces its own AVT-100E, described as 'like a Metro-sized Espace.' Ford says that it will bring the Norwegian two-seater 'Think' city car to Britain now that it has bought the makers, Pivco. Oh, and there are five Toyota electric RAV4s for hire on Jersey.
How much do EVs cost? Considerably more than petrol cars. Peugeot charges around £13,500 for its electric 106, which is £6,000 more than the standard version. Battery rental costs another £80 a month, though that includes maintenance. The Lynch Fiesta conversions cost just under £10,000, and the AVT-100E starts at £17,000, both including batteries.
Just how green are electric cars? The car itself is pollution-free, including noise, though widespread use would see a rise in sulphur dioxide emissions from power stations. Although nickel cadmium (ni-cad) batteries are toxic nasties, they can be recycled.
And the other advantages? 'It's less stressful to drive,' says Simon Roberts of his 106. 'It's quieter, there's less vibration and slowing down is a smoother motion.' Most battery-powered cars operate like automatics, so there is no aggro from clutch or gears.
How does performance compare with an ordinary motor? If you really insist on being first away at the lights, you can be - you can get high torque immediately. But a 106 would soon be overtaken on the open road as 56mph is its top speed. Battery cars can be nippy, though: GM's sporty looking EV1 reaches 80mph and does a nine second 0-60, while the AVT-100E manages 100mph.
Will it do long journeys or is it just a city car? It's definitely a city car. The range of the 106, Saxo, Clio et al is 50 miles, so forget London to Plymouth in a hurry. The RAV4 boasts 135 miles, but that's under nice Japanese test conditions. The weight and cost of batteries limits journey range. Nickel cadmium batteries are more powerful but more expensive than lead acids. Nickel metal hydride batteries have even more power but cost anything upwards of £15,000 per car. The more batteries you stuff in, the higher the range, but obviously there are weight limitations.
How long do the batteries take to recharge? In most cases, about seven hours; three for the EV1. Just plug a lead into a 13-amp mains socket overnight and a full charge costs 1p a mile. However, a special 'quick charge' feature can zap you 12 miles' worth in ten minutes (the French provide terminals for doing this in service stations, but the UK has no such infrastructure available).
Any other serious drawbacks? That depends on your priorities. EVs often use as many as 25 batteries and they can take up storage space in the boot. The 106, for instance, has no spare wheel, just an inflation cannister. It also needs a separate petrol fuelled heater. Battery oomph degrades in cold weather. And, while garage owners can hook up an extension lead to their mains socket, anyone who frequently has to park in the next street will be stumped.
What maintenance do they need? 'There are very few auxiliary parts to go wrong,' according to Richard Fletcher of Lynch Motors. There is no fan belt, no alternator and you'll never have oil leaks. Batteries need replacing every three to five years but the motors themselves could last 25 years with just the odd overhaul. Ni-cad batteries require a top up of the electrolyte at an annual service.
Are there any government incentives to ownership? There's cheaper road tax at £40 a year, and the Government-backed Energy Savings Trust's Powershift scheme funds half the difference between the cost of an electric car and its petrol/diesel equivalent.
Are there other alternatives to the internal combustion engine on the market? Several. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are the next big thing. These combine battery power with a liquid fuel engine and have no range limitations. Some alternate between the two power systems depending on driving conditions. The Toyota Prius and Honda VV hybrids, due here next year, promise significant reductions in emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide by increasing engine efficiency.
Cars using liquefied petroleum gas, a mixture of propane and butane which contains no sulphur or lead, are also available from Vauxhall and Ford. Output of CO2 is lower but Vauxhall does not consider it a long-term resource. And we mustn't forget solar power. But that's not much of a goer in the UK. Plus, the cars resemble flat fish on wheels and are a bugger to park.
Will we all be driving EVs in ten years' time? Not without a Government conversion to ecological fanaticism, though EVs will probably continue to form part of some traffic management schemes. 'My guess,' says Roger Higman, senior transport campaigner at Friends of the Earth, 'is that people will think battery-power is not going anywhere. There will still be some hybrids around but the front runner for new cars looks like the fuel cell.' Most EV watchers agree. Ford, Toyota, Mercedes and others are well into development of this potentially zero-emission option, where electricity is produced from a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. They're competing to have a model on the road by 2004. Both car dealers and buyers are in for a complicated, if healthier, future.
Simon Roberts' website is at: website.lineone.net/simon.h.roberts Electric Vehicle Association: 01273 304064 AVT / Electric Car Association: 01823 480196 Lynch Motor Company: 0171 607 8141 Battery Vehicle Society: 01633 421190
