As Covid-19 wreaks havoc on our daily activities, at least one activity – fuelling a car – is made a whole lot easier, and safer, for those with an electric vehicle.
With the ability to ‘fill up’ from home simply by plugging in, owners have no need handle petrol bowser pumps, or even leave the house, so reducing their potential exposure to the virus.
And those with solar panels and battery storage benefit not just from reduced fuelling cost, but can still power their car (and house) during any failure of the electrical grid.
The continued availability of open petrol stations, which are themselves being impact by supply chain disruption, is something electric vehicle owners just don’t have to worry about.
Thanks to the radically simpler mechanical design of electric cars, there’s far less chance of a break-down or need for mechanical repairs, which could prove both costly and time-consuming for owners of ICE vehicles today.
Tesla, the most prominent (and so far successful) electric vehicle manufacturer to date, has focused on building a web-based retail experience, allowing customers to customize and pay for their vehicle from home.
In US they are also offering touch-less delivery, thanks to the ability to control and unlock the car with a smartphone.
Traditional auto-makers relying on brick-and-mortar sales with person-to-person contact have already been dealing with a sustained slowdown in demand, and are now facing even further reduced sales at this time.
Although the approaches Tesla has taken to vehicle design, purchasing and ownership were certainly not intended for a situation where a global virus outbreak has limited human-to-human contact, it is the application by Tesla of the latest technologies available that has provided such them and their customers such an advantage at this time.
Without doubt, there are many people are experiencing heightened stress at this time.
By simplifying transport, electric vehicles are making a positive impact to reduce stress by ensuring people can get around without worrying about fuel shortages or breakdowns.
Hopefully, with increasing awareness of the multitude of benefits that they bring, the adoption of electric vehicles will accelerate as one more way to help get us through this crisis.
Peter Horsley is a reader of The Driven and an EV owner.