At a time when fuel prices continue to fluctuate, interest in the electric car in the Latvian market is growing. According to the publicly available data of the Road Traffic Safety Directorate (CSDD), there has been a sharp increase in electric car registrations in recent years.
Residents are starting to look for solutions that will not increase costs and will maintain the usual level of comfort.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, several stock exchanges have refused to buy Russian oil, which is affecting fuel prices around the world. Tom Pelcher, a spokesman for FIAT and other car brands, Autobrava, explains that rising fuel prices are inevitable in the long run, not only because of the global political situation, but also because oil is a non-renewable natural resource. Everyone has to reckon with the fact that diesel and petrol prices will continue to rise in the long run.
The expert points out that the residents of Latvia have started to show increased interest in the electric car. “In the week when prices rose to around EUR 1.60 per liter, we received significantly more calls from people who were specifically interested in test driving the electric car. The FIAT E-Ducato, an electric commercial vehicle, “reveals a spokesman for Autobrava.
Classic hybrid cars prove themselves best when driving directly within the city limits without having to measure long distances. Their average consumption is about four to five liters per 100 kilometers. Hybrid vehicles are suitable for people who travel around the city streets on a daily basis or just outside them.
“There is still a stereotype in society that when choosing an electric car, you will have to face various difficulties, such as charging. The charging process has actually become much simpler than it was before the electric car first appeared on the market. Currently, every owner of an electric vehicle has the opportunity to charge their car at home, which makes everyday life easier. We know that an electric car with a fully charged battery will not cover the same distance as a car with an internal combustion engine that has a full fuel tank and low consumption per 100 kilometers. However, the advantage of electric cars in this respect is definitely the savings in the long run. Electric car owners have significantly lower maintenance costs due to fuel, taxes and maintenance costs, ”explains Pelcher.
The expert emphasizes that despite the fact that the charging process has significantly improved, it should be borne in mind that the electric car also needs to visit the service over time. You need to pay more attention to the brakes, the tires and, of course, the battery, regardless of whether it has an eight-year warranty or until you have reached 100,000 kilometers. However, such cars have much fewer moving parts, which reduces the cost of standard repairs. It should be remembered that such vehicles may only be repaired by certified specialists who have acquired the necessary knowledge about the electric car, safety measures and the specifics of electricity in general.
In recent years, it has been observed that car manufacturers, which until now only produced vehicles with internal combustion engines, are now taking the first steps in the electric car market. Last year, for example, FIAT released the electric version of the world’s favorite FIAT 500, the FIAT 500e. The model has a wider and longer construction, as well as more protruding wheels. The FIAT 500e can autonomously increase speed, brake, lane and recognize road signs. Standard charging includes a quick charge mode and a marked wall charger for easy battery charging at home.
Pelcher estimates that after just five minutes of charging, the car can travel 50 kilometers in the city. On the other hand, it takes only 35 minutes to charge an electric car battery up to 80%.
Also, the aforementioned FIAT Ducato, which debuted on the European market in 1981, acquired the shape of an electric car last year – the E-Ducato. Well, this model is popular not only in the commercial transport segment, but is also more often used as a travel vehicle, says a representative of “Autobravas”.
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