No one heard the surge in popularity of electric cars coming (probably thanks to their near-silent engines). But despite their many benefits – less pollution, lower carbon emissions, lower running costs – there are just as many potential roadblocks.
And to be fair, Saffers have a lot of unanswered questions about the new tech that seems to be a driving force in the everchanging motoring industry abroad. Is it really possible to get to and from work every day, go on cross-country road trips, and still come in on budget in a car that doesn’t use a drop of fuel? And are electric vehicles (EVs) even a possibility in SA really, or will load-shedding slam the brakes on our next drive? We investigate.
ROADBLOCK #1:
They’re Dangerous
According to the World Health Organisation, SA is near the bottom of the barrel when it comes to road safety, with approximately one million crashes reported in the country each year. Throw a self-driving EV into the mix, and it seems like you’re just asking for trouble. Remember when a Tesla Model S electric vehicle caught fire after it hit debris on a highway in 2013? The stock market remembers; Tesla’s stocks plunged 6.24% that day – and a further 4% the next, when footage of the fire went viral.
And those whisper-quiet motors aren’t without their safety concerns. A University of California, Riverside study found that people with headphones on could still hear a petrol-powered car coming from 8.5m away. However, a hybrid car in battery mode was only detectable at 2m – hardly enough time to get out of the way. A report by the UK Guide Dogs charity also found that people were 40% more likely to be hit by a silent electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle than one powered by diesel or petrol. And between 2012 and 2013, there was a 54% increase in pedestrian injuries involving quiet cars.
この記事は Men's Health South Africa の January 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Men's Health South Africa の January 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
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LESS IS MORE WHEN IT COMES TO EXERCISING FOR FITNESS, STRENGTH AND HEALTH.
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For any surfer, taking on the monster waves at Nazaré in Portugal is a death-defying risk. For Matt Formston, there's another consideration: he's blind.
