In the first half of 2021, global sales of passenger electric vehicles charged from an external network amounted to
However, the situation is gradually changing.Russians have become more active in purchasing electric vehicles on the secondary market. According to Avito Auto, in the secondary market, consumer demand for electric vehicles increased by 124% in the first half of 2021 compared to the first half of 2020, and supply during the same period by 129%.
The aftermarket for electric cars offers morea wide selection of models (in 2019, the line of new electric cars offered in Russia included only 8 models, in 2020 - already 15), and more favorable purchasing conditions, since the average cost of an electric car on the secondary market is 699,000 rubles.
For comparison, the cost of the Tesla Model S atthe secondary market is 3,124,000 rubles, and the new model will cost the buyer about 8,000,000 rubles. In this case, most often new items are booked to order and expect delivery within a few months.
It's all about technology: important technical features of electric vehicles
The technical features of electric vehicles directly affect the speed of spread of alternative modes of transport in Russia.
The climatic conditions in our country createcertain obstacles to the operation of lithium-ion batteries, the optimum temperature for which varies between +10 and +20 degrees. Lithium-ion batteries are installed in the vast majority of modern electric cars, so adapting the battery for use in harsher climatic conditions could potentially accelerate the spread of electric vehicles in our country.
Making a choice in favor of an electric car, the owneryou also need to consider that the life of a lithium-ion battery is about 8-10 years, depending on the mode of use. This means that the battery needs to be completely replaced every ten years.
Another important technical feature thataffects the rate of distribution of electric vehicles in Russia - this is a limited power reserve. Electric cars, unlike traditional internal combustion engine cars, require recharging. For example, the Nissan Leaf electric car has a range of 180 km without connecting to a charging station, while the BMW i3 – about 300 km. On Tesla electric cars, the average range is higher; in the Tesla Model S, it varies from 335 km to 426 km, depending on the configuration.
For interior heating during the cold seasona significant part of the battery energy is wasted, due to which the power reserve is significantly reduced, and this directly affects the ease of use in our country.
Maintenance of electric vehicles in general hassignificant differences from car maintenance precisely because of the lack of a traditional engine. Unlike cars with internal combustion engines, electric cars have fewer wearing parts. In addition, electric vehicle owners do not need to constantly change oil, fuel and air filters, which significantly reduces maintenance costs.
"Green technologies" in question
The issue of environmental friendliness of electric vehicles is ambiguous.A report by automotive engineering and development company Ricardo found that the production of an ICE vehicle on average emits 5.6 tons of CO₂ equivalent into the atmosphere, and for an electric vehicle, the figure is 8.8 tons - about half comes from the manufacturing process. batteries.
However, scientists make allowances for the fact that calculationsfair taking into account the use of electricity from fossil sources. The potential shift to renewable resources could significantly widen the emissions gap in favor of electric vehicles. For example, internal combustion engines running on fossil methane have low CO₂ emissions, according to current data from the Institute for Economic Research (IFO).
Thus, the operation of an electric vehicleComparatively more environmentally friendly than using an internal combustion engine car, however, the production and disposal of lithium-ion batteries according to the technologies available today has a negative impact on the environment.
From Nissan Leaf to Tesla Model X: the most popular models in the aftermarket electric cars
The palm among Russian buyersholds Nissan Leaf: according to Avito Auto, it accounts for more than 75% of sales of electric vehicles in the secondary market in the second quarter of 2021. Its average cost is 585,000 rubles. The second position in the top of the most popular electric car models among Russians in the second quarter of 2021 is the BMW i3, the average price of which is 1,890,000 rubles.
Remaining positions in the top 5 most popularof electric cars are occupied by American-made Tesla models: the third place went to the Tesla Model 3, the fourth to the Tesla Model S, and the fifth to the Tesla Model X, respectively. Tesla models with mileage can be purchased much cheaper than new ones: the average cost of Tesla Model 3 in the secondary market is 3,650,000 rubles, Tesla Model S - 3,124,000 rubles, Tesla Model X - 6,735,000 rubles.
Infrastructure for electric vehicles: a development perspective
Cities with a population of over a million host the most activechanges aimed at creating comfortable conditions for owners of electric cars. Back in 2014, a government program was adopted (On a comprehensive plan to support the production and use of environmentally friendly transport) to create an incentive for the development of environmentally friendly transport in Russia, according to which charging stations for electric vehicles should be installed at gas stations. For example, in Moscow and the Moscow region there are currently 126 charging stations for electric vehicles, and by 2023 it is planned to increase their number to 600.
In addition to free charging, there are alsofree parking for electric cars. In addition, parking spaces for electric vehicles began to be equipped in the capital near charging stations as part of the new Energy of Moscow program.
Operating charging stations in the capitalare located at municipal city parking lots, enterprises that support the electric transport development program (Rosset, Mosenergo, etc.) and at gas stations. Commercial stations are installed near residential complexes and business centers. Most of the electric charging stations are still concentrated inside the Third Ring Road, in residential areas and near major highways, the number of charging outlets is much less.
In other Russian regions, the number of chargersstation is still limited. For example, 53 stations are equipped in St. Petersburg, 32 in Novosibirsk, 35 in Izhevsk. In total there are about 250 of them in Russia.
In addition to restrictions on the availability of chargersstations for electric vehicles, there is a problem with the distribution of services specializing in their repair. In Russia today, owners of electric vehicles turn to either club services or private workshops, the number of which, compared to conventional services, is limited.
The experience of other countries shows that for developmentFor the electric vehicle market, economic incentives and prohibitive measures are most effective. In particular, the European Union plans to reduce the amount of CO₂ emissions from transport to 66 g of CO₂ per kilometer by 2030. This is impossible without electric vehicles, and it is this circumstance that is spurring the development of the segment. And in Norway, which has the largest share of electric vehicles per capita, there are numerous tax incentives for those who buy an electric car rather than a car with an internal combustion engine.
In Russia, with the aggravation of public discussionaround the carbon tax, we can expect a gradual movement in the same direction. However, the development of the electric vehicle market requires political will and infrastructural changes. Without government support, the process will be slow.
In August the program was presented in Russiastate support for electric vehicles, aimed at developing the necessary infrastructure. In pilot cities (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sevastopol, Sochi, Kaliningrad, Kazan) it is planned to introduce zero transport tax and free parking.
By 2024, Russia plans to produce at least 25,000 electric vehicles and equip more than 9,000 charging stations for them, as well as to achieve growth in the electric car market up to 15% by 2030.