In 1885, German engineer Karl Benz built a three-wheeled car in Mannheim equipped with a 0.85 horsepower (1 horsepower ≈ 735 watts) gasoline engine. The car had a top speed of 15 km/h and was recognized as the world's first automobile.
On January 29, 1886, Benz obtained a patent for an automobile in Germany. In the same year, another German engineer, Gottlieb Daimler, also built a four-wheeled automobile powered by a 1.1-horsepower gasoline engine. Therefore, 1886 is generally regarded as the first year of the automobile, and January 29, 1886 is also recognized as the birth date of the automobile.
Time flies, and more than 100 years have passed in the blink of an eye. During this period, although automobiles have undergone many major changes, the power source that drives them has remained largely unchanged, still mainly gasoline and diesel.
Now, with the entry of new energy vehicles into the market, the century-old automotive industry is facing a reshuffle, but this is not without its obstacles. So, will new energy vehicles be the future of the automotive industry?
Currently, there are many types of so-called new energy vehicles, including plug-in hybrids (including range extenders), pure electric vehicles, and hydrogen energy vehicles (hydrogen power and hydrogen-electric hybrids), each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
Plug-in (including range extender) electric vehicles can be powered by gasoline or electricity, eliminating range anxiety and are considered the best transitional product at present. However, because they use an engine, battery, motor, etc., their structure is relatively complex, resulting in high manufacturing costs and expensive maintenance and repair costs.
Pure electric vehicles have extremely low operating costs. With a home charging station, the cost per kilometer is less than 10 cents, which is incredibly appealing given the high fuel prices today. However, if you only own one car, it is not recommended to buy a pure electric vehicle at present. Firstly, the driving range is generally average and greatly affected by the outside temperature. Secondly, the charging rate is relatively slow; even with fast charging, it takes at least an hour to fully charge. Thirdly, pure electric vehicles are relatively expensive, and battery replacement is even more costly.
Hydrogen combustion produces only water, so hydrogen-powered vehicles are seen by some as the best solution. However, the cost of hydrogen production and storage is too high, making it unsuitable for large-scale promotion at present. Moreover, the development cost of related models is high, and the price is even more expensive. In addition, the charging infrastructure is not yet in place, so they can only be tested on a small scale.
While each has its advantages and disadvantages, new energy vehicles are indeed developing rapidly. With the maturity of battery technology, there are more and more electric vehicles with long driving range and fast charging time. It is believed that with the use of new technologies, electric vehicles will be accepted by more consumers.
