Marty McFly saw a lot of things when he went back to the future: personal drones, mobile paying technology, video calls and even waste-fuel cars (Doc’s DeLorean managed to do a great deal for something powered by garbage). But the cast seemed to miss the mark on predicting what was to come when it came to electric cars.
What’s actually happened is that we’re now all living in the biggest motoring revolution since the turn of the 19th century and more of us are choosing to go electric than ever before. It’s easy to see why. They’re cost-effective, saving drivers potentially thousands of pounds, they reduce our carbon footprint and have overall better performance.
But electric cars aren’t necessarily new. They’ve been around for quite some time, since 1884 to be exact, meaning they predate our fuel-powered cars. But of course, that doesn’t mean they were anything like cars as we know them today.
However, the commercialisation of electric cars has hit an entirely different scale in recent years and for many different reasons than their 19th-century predecessors. The interest in electric cars dipped and rose throughout the 20th century: ultimately, there just wasn’t enough consistency in the public’s interest and, the performance wasn’t on par with fuel-powered cars for companies to consistently produce them. This, however, didn’t last long as it seems we are slowly but surely bidding farewell to exhaust pipes and gearboxes.
The rise of the hybrid vehicles
As fossil fuels become scarcer and scarcer, we are ultimately left with no choice but to search for alternatives and revolutionise the way we travel. Back in 1997, Toyota began this commercial revolution when they released the Prius as the world’s first petrol-electric hybrid car and the hybrid-norm was born.
Rather than commit to accelerating to a fully electric life, people began to uptake switching to hybrid vehicles and, many still are today. Rather than the fear of the distance limitations that come with electric cars, these hybrid vehicles allow people to live the best of both worlds while still knocking a few sizes off their carbon footprint.
Accelerating down to Electric Avenue
Plugging into the future fully always seemed to be something reserved for the wealthier parts of society. Driving electric has, in the past, been quite expensive. But the past year has revolutionised the number of electric cars we see on our roads. It wouldn’t be a bold statement to say that most people might consider going electric the next time they change their car.
In fact, one of the most iconic makers in car history, Ford has said that by 2030, all of their vehicles sold in Europe will be electric and, VW isn’t far behind, saying 70% of their sales will be electric once we hit the (20)30s.
What does the 2030 rules really mean?
The Government announced that by 2030, they will ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars in the UK. Meaning we will have no choice but to convert from fully-fledged petrol heads to somewhat electric enthusiasts. And for those out there not fully ready to take the plunge? Some hybrids will be allowed.
Although, it is not just fuel-powered cars we will bid farewell to. The widespread conversion to electric vehicles is just one part of the Government’s 10-point plan for a ‘green industrial revolution’. We will also possibly see every single household in the UK powered by offshore wind. We might just have to make do with Ford’s gasoline-inspired perfume to get our fix of the strangely satisfying smell of fuel.
Want to see how much going electric could save you? Check out Admiral’s Electric Vehicle Cost Calculator to find out today.
