To understand how rapidly the transport sector is developing, it remains to look back at the events of ten years ago. So in 2012, when electrification gained momentum, around 130 thousand electric cars were sold worldwide. Now that much is sold in one week.
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These changes have been largely driven by the commitment to reduce the impact on the environment and eliminate carbon dioxide emissions – the European Commission and the European Parliament have decided that from 2035, new cars with an internal combustion engine will no longer be allowed to be sold.
Competitors are on the heels of “Tesla”
However, car manufacturers themselves have undeniably had a great influence. According to the data of the International Energy Agency, at the beginning of 2023, there will be approximately 16 million electric cars on the world’s roads – such a result would not be possible without the determination of the manufacturers themselves. Tesla is still considered the vanguard of electric cars, but other companies have overtaken it significantly in a very short time. “Volkswagen”, “Mercedes-Benz” concerns and “Hyundai” group of companies very quickly prepared new platforms specifically for electric cars, on which new models are being developed one after another.
“Electrification is a serious challenge that requires billions of investments. However, it should be noted that car production has never been as easy as it is now. Chinese companies have also become significantly more competitive, which is largely influenced by their close relations with many market veterans,” says Agris Dulevičs, head of Latvia’s leading car history check service “autoDNA”.
The progress of the Hyundai group’s models looks particularly solid, even compared to Tesla’s performance. “Ioniq 5” with an 800-volt electrical system not only earned the title of 2022 World Car of the Year, but also allows the battery to be charged from 10 to 80 percent in 18 minutes. On the other hand, the newest electric car “Hyundai Ioniq 6” will be able to travel more than 600 km with a full charge.
Engineers managed to achieve such a result, not by installing a super-capacity battery, but by maximally improving the electric drive and developing a particularly aerodynamic body. According to the information provided by the car manufacturer, the average consumption of “Ioniq 6” will be only 14.3 kWh per 100 km.
At the moment, an interesting situation has developed, that is, the Koreans are ready to meet the needs of European electric car enthusiasts even better than the traditional leaders of the region, the Japanese. “In order to establish itself in the European market, the “Hyundai” group has made large investments, and now it is here to stay,” adds Agris.
E-motors come to the rescue of smaller internal combustion engines
According to Agris Dulevičs, the sales volume of electric cars could be even higher at the moment, but it is hindered by relatively high prices and partly by incomplete infrastructure. These new types of machines force people to change their daily habits, and not everyone is ready for it.
At the beginning of 2023, less than 4,000 electric cars were registered in Latvia, which is much less than hybrids. “Hybrids are better accepted so far, because they are more suitable for people whose most important criterion has always been modest fuel consumption. Hybrid cars are quite economical and their maintenance is cheaper than diesels. It is also important that these cars, especially used ones, are easy on the pocket for many people in Latvia. Plus, their owners don’t have to change their daily routine, because the battery charges automatically,” explains Agris.
For the above reasons, the so-called mild hybrid (MHEV) has also become popular in a short time. Models with this technology are cheaper than self-charging (HEV) and plug-in (PHEV) hybrids because they use a powerful electric motor and a relatively small battery. However, they are quite enough to reduce the load on the internal combustion engine and also the fuel consumption. The more attractive cost of the light hybrid system allows it to be installed also in relatively cheap models of the B segment. Currently, electrified versions of cars such as Ford Fiesta, Hyundai i20 and Alfa Romeo Tonale are available on the market.
The electric motor integrated in the mild hybrid usually does not exceed 15 kW, but it is able to generate additional thrust that fills the gaps in the torque curve of the internal combustion engine. This is important for manufacturers as they continue to downsize gasoline engines and install turbochargers.
“The very widely used three-cylinder gasoline engines have become a kind of industry standard in recent years. Naturally aspirated engines have almost disappeared – they cannot achieve the necessary torque and efficiency. In some cases, they are still used in hybrids, but there are fewer and fewer of them,” comments Agris Dulevich.
The manual gearbox is becoming a relic
As the auto industry cuts costs and increasingly unifies production, models from different brands have become more similar than ever. There are still differences in design and ergonomic solutions, but in terms of control, comfort and ease of use, the models of different brands have become, if not identical, then very similar.
One noticeable change from the previous generation machines is that the new models are less and less available with a manual gearbox. Even Europeans no longer want to take all the control over themselves and are increasingly entrusting gear shifting to the automatic transmission.
“Driving is becoming more and more convenient – connectivity options are rapidly expanding, more and more new functions are appearing. Until recently, many cars did not even have a Bluetooth interface and the hands-free system was offered as an additional equipment. Now, in almost any new model, you can activate “Apple CarPlay” in a few seconds. or “Android Auto”, the changes are illustrated by Agris Dulevičs.
The extremely convenient everyday wireless screen replication of smart devices has finally become available not only in such prestigious models as, for example, in the BMW 3 Series, Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz EQS, the managers of the Kia and Volkswagen brands quickly realized that it should not be luxury equipment and have introduced them in many new models.
Combines comfort with attractive aesthetics
Agris Dulevičs emphasizes that not all changes in car design are strictly pragmatic. One example is wheel rims, which have increased significantly in size over the last ten years. For many years, 15-inch wheels were considered the norm in the standard package, but now they are installed only in the basic equipment of city hatchbacks. However, crossovers usually have at least 17-inch wheels.
“Cars look better with bigger rims. Car design is important to buyers, and big wheels make it expressive. People don’t always understand how it affects handling, ride and tire change costs,” adds the expert.
Large wheels are especially suitable for urban commuters, so even medium-sized models such as the Peugeot 408 and Hyundai Tucson can now be fitted with 19-inch rims. Another innovation offered in modern SUVs is adjustable suspension. This is a way to maintain excellent comfort and excellent handling regardless of wheel size.
