Light electric vehicle

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Renault Twizy , currently the only light electric vehicle in mass production in Europe (vehicle class L7e)

A light electric vehicle ( LEM ) is a four-wheeled light vehicle (L6e) or a light four-wheeled vehicle ( L7e ) powered by an electric motor, which is designed between an electric bike and an electric vehicle or electric car . Often it is further developments that are more in the area of scooters and quads and less in the automotive industry. They are the electric variants of the light vehicle classes L6 and L7. The energy requirement of such vehicles is less than a fifth compared to conventional vehicles.

The best-known representative of current developments is the Renault Twizy (since 2017 only the "Urban 45" version).

history

The reconstruction of the 1888 Flocken electric car

Electric cars were developed as early as the 19th century . As early as 1888, the Flocken electric car was widely believed that the strength of the battery-powered electric vehicle lay in local transport.

In the 1990s, the Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEV) emerged in the USA , which mainly originated from golf carts .

Studies

70 percent of all people in Europe currently live in metropolitan areas. In 2011, Toyota studies on inner-city commuter traffic in France and Great Britain showed that more than 80 percent of all car journeys were less than 25 kilometers. In France, 55 percent of car journeys were less than 10 kilometers, and in Great Britain almost 80 percent.

In the coming years, the need for short-haul vehicles will continue to increase, so that one can assume that there will be a secure demand for electric vehicles as a sustainable mobility solution that is available in the short and medium term (status 2011).

According to an American study, one of the greatest obstacles to strong market growth was seen to be administrative hurdles that legislators impose on light electric vehicles when operating on public roads.

Current situation

These vehicles can also be used as a supplement to a car for short journeys. (Comparison of energy consumption: Renault Twizy: 8 kWh / 100 km, Nissan Leaf 16 kWh / 100 km, VW Golf with combustion engine: 50 kWh / 100 km). LEMs require less parking space; up to 4 LEMs fit on a car parking lot. The proportion of electric vehicles in light vehicles is around five times as high as in cars. With almost 500,000 vehicles on the roads worldwide (as of 2011), the LEMs make up the largest proportion of multi-lane electric vehicles. The LEMs have become the most successful type of vehicle among the electric vehicles. In contrast to larger automobiles, light electric vehicles (including class L7e) are currently exempt from the environmental bonus despite their greater environmental friendliness , which has been criticized by members of the Greens .

commercial vehicles

The success of the LEMs can also be traced back to the use of commercial vehicles in the field of light electric vehicles . In densely populated cities, thanks to their small and light construction, they offer a practical alternative for delivery services and craft businesses. Smaller companies such as ARI Motors , Goupil or Tropos offer electric transporters of the vehicle classes L6e and L7e , which offer a lot of cargo space with small dimensions and thus reduce the high volume of traffic in cities. Municipalities and municipalities are also increasingly using this type of vehicle for their fleets.

Abbreviations

For this vehicle segment, no uniform, colloquial abbreviation has yet been established in Germany (e.g. electric car for cars). Below is a selection of terms used:

  • City Stromer
  • Electric speedster
  • LEM (light electric vehicle)
  • LEV (Light Electric Vehicle)
  • NAFA (local transport vehicle)
  • SDV (Short Distance Vehicle)
  • StreetScooter

Official names

Germany:

  • Vehicle class 24: four-wheeled light motor vehicle up to 45 km / h
  • Vehicle class 26: light four-wheeled motor vehicle for passenger transport

EU:

  • Vehicle class L6e: four-wheeled light motor vehicle up to 350 kg
  • Vehicle category L7e: light four-wheeled motor vehicle up to 400 or 550 kg

United States

  • Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV)

features

Light electric vehicles of the EC vehicle classes L6e and L7e differ in some technical features, but are basically the same in design. Both cases are battery-powered vehicles with an electric motor . Light electric vehicles of class L6e may not exceed a design-related maximum speed of 45 km / h and a maximum power of 4 kW. With LEMs of class L7e, only the useful power is limited to 15 kW, a design-related maximum speed is not provided.

Light electric vehicles are usually designed as two-seater and very compact. They are equipped with a windshield and a roof, although convertible versions are also available. There is no obligation to wear a helmet, but seat belts are mandatory.

Application area

The ideal area of ​​application for light electric vehicles of class L6e is the (inner-city) short journeys due to the legally limited maximum speed of 45 km / h. In this area of ​​application, they complement a car well.

Vehicles of category L6e can be driven with the driving license classes S or AM, which are already included in the driving license class B ("car driver's license"). In some federal states, classes S and AM can be acquired from the age of 15 (see driver's license and driving license (Germany) ).

For older people with an increased need for mobility, a LEM can be an alternative, as longer distances can be covered than, for example, an electric vehicle .

See also

Web links

Commons : Neighborhood Electric Vehicles  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Shae Singer: Electric cars keep Aspen's air clean. Retrieved May 13, 2020 (American English).
  2. ↑ Reinhard Seiffert: Ferdinand Porsche and the Lohner-Porsche: With front-wheel drive and wheel hub motors. In: FAZ . May 20, 2000, accessed November 17, 2012 .
  3. ↑ Patent USD378994 : Neighborhood electric vehicle. Registered on July 17, 1995 , published on April 29, 1997 , applicant: Bombardier , inventor: Claude Picard, Francois Trepanier, Mario Coulombe, Sylvain Poulin. ‌
  4. ↑ a b http://www.toyota.de/innovation/design/concept_cars/ft-ev2/index.tmex ( Memento from April 13, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) (information accompanying the Toyota electric car concept study FT-EV II)
  5. ↑ a b Dave Hurst, Clint Wheelock: Executive Summary: Neighborhood Electric Vehicles - Low Speed ​​Electric Vehicles for Consumer and Fleet Markets. (PDF; 910 kB) Pike Research, 2011, accessed on January 31, 2013 . ~ via Archive.org.
  6. ↑ Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA)
  7. ↑ Anja Krüger: Promotion of Electromobility: A Heart for Mini Cars . In: The daily newspaper: taz . January 22, 2020, ISSN  0931-9085 ( taz.de [accessed on May 13, 2020]).
  8. ↑ Annex XXIX to the StVZO.
  9. ↑ § 21 StVO.