Benefits of zero emission electric vehicles
Discover some of the benefits of zero emission electric vehicles (ZEVs) compared to conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.
Cheaper to maintain
ZEVs can have as few as 17 moving parts in their drivetrain compared to over 200 in a typical ICE vehicle. This makes servicing costs lower than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Regenerative braking means you won’t need to get your brakes changed as often either.
Lower emissions
ZEVs provide emission-free motoring if powered by solar or renewables, making them much better for the environment. Even when powered by the Queensland energy grid, emissions are lower than ICE vehicles.
This table compares an EV powered by the Queensland energy grid to a traditional petrol vehicle, both driving 15,000km per year. It includes emissions involved in the transportation and production of the fuel as well as tailpipe emissions. The annual emissions calculations are based on Queensland electricity generation and Australian petrol fuel lifecycle CO2 (tonnes).
While ICE vehicles emit the same amount of CO2 throughout their life, EVs become cleaner as more renewable energy is added to Queensland’s power grid.
| Vehicle (consumption) | Annual emissions for fuel generation | Annual tailpipe CO2 (tonnes) | Total annual CO2 (tonnes) | Annual fuel cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium sized EV (13kWh per 100km) | 1.83 | 0 | 1.83 | $390 |
| Medium sized petrol ICE (7.8L per 100km) | 3.39 | 3.22 | 6.61 | $1,579 |
| Difference | 4.78 | $1,189 |
More reliable to run
ZEVs don’t require engines, gearboxes, spark plugs, motor oil or exhaust systems. This makes them very reliable because there are few things to wear out or go wrong. Tyres are the main part that wear out.
Improved health outcomes
ZEVs eliminate tailpipe emissions and improve local air and noise pollution.
A report by Asthma Australia found that the health problems caused by vehicle pollution kill more than 1,700 Australians every year. This is higher than the national road toll.
Convenient to charge
Charging an ZEV is as simple as having access to a power point. If you travel less than 150km per day, any ZEV can easily be topped up overnight by plugging it into a household 240V power point. If you travel further than that, a dedicated charge unit or wall box can be installed and will fill up any ZEV overnight.
If you don’t have access to power where your vehicles are parked, or need to travel further afield, you can top up using the public charging network.
Charging an EV on the road requires knowing where chargers are and planning charging around your normal stops. For example, when the QFleet team drove from Brisbane to Cairns and back in an ZEV, they stopped in towns with QESH chargers and charged while having lunch and dinner.
Find out more about charging options.
Cheaper to fuel
The cost to power ZEVs is significantly less than current petrol and diesel vehicles. For example, an electric SUV is around $100 cheaper to run per month compared to an equivalent petrol SUV.
When going downhill, battery regeneration recovers energy. This, combined with an efficient drivetrain, makes them very economical to drive. For example, QFleet drove from Brisbane to Cairns and back and the 4,000km trip cost $117 in electricity.
If your building or office location has solar installed, vehicles may charge for free.
A common problem with petrol and diesel cars is inadvertent ‘misfuelling’, which can destroy an engine. It’s impossible to misfuel a battery ZEV.
Easier to drive
Modern ZEVs are smooth, quiet and simple to drive. For example, with only 1 gear, they don’t need to change down gears to get up hills. Their low centre of gravity also improves handling.
ZEVs provide accurate range feedback, giving drivers plenty of notice if they’re running low on charge.
In QFleet's experience, once drivers try an ZEV, they usually prefer it over ICE vehicles.