By: Rebekah Awuah
Electric motive power started in 1827, when Hungarian Physicist and priest Ányos Jedlik built the first crude but viable electric motor. This led to the production of the first mass electric vehicles in America in the early 1900s. However, with the advent of cheap assembly line cars, the popularity of electric cars declined significantly. It resurfaced in the late 20th and early 21st century, when the environmental impact of the petroleum-based transportation infrastructure, along with the fear of peak oil, led to a renewed interest. Electric vehicles use one or more electric motors for propulsion. They can be powered by a collector system, with electricity from extravehicular sources, or it can be powered autonomously by a battery – sometimes charged by solar panels, or by converting fuel to electricity using fuel cells or a generator.
Climate and emissions concerns have brought the adoption of Electric Vehicles to the forefront in recent times. The governments of some of the biggest automotive markets around the world have also not only, declared their intentions but have taken bold steps to embrace it and curb emissions. Reports say, France and the United Kingdom are looking to ban the sale of gas and diesel-powered vehicles beginning 2023 and completely by 2040. Norway also plans to ban all but electric car sales by 2025.China, the largest auto market in the world has publicly started charting a plan for an all-out ban on vehicles powered by internal combustion engines.
Indeed, the world is fast moving away from conventional automobile engine vehicles to electric ones. The shift makes it necessary for Ghana to move with the times and ensure that the country does not become a dumping ground for used fossil – fuelled cars. Going the Electric vehicle way will help Ghana harness it enormous solar energy potential productively to meet our climate emission targets while at the same time providing clean and affordable means of transport. In addition, the use of electric vehicles will boost electricity sales and drive demand high enough to meet or exceed current supply, paving the way for a sustainable energy sector.
Energy Experts say Electric Vehicles are a much more efficient means of using energy as they convert about fifty-nine to sixty-two percent (59%–62%) of the electrical energy from the grid to motive power at the wheels compared to conventional gasoline vehicles which only convert about 17%–21% of the energy stored in gasoline to power at the wheels. Again, electric vehicles have low running costs as they have less moving parts for maintaining and are also very environmentally friendly. With no tailpipe, pure electric cars produce no carbon dioxide emissions when driving. This reduces air pollution considerably. Although some critics are quick to point to the current prices of electric vehicles compared to the lower costs of fossil fuel-powered vehicles as a reason to not patronize them, it is worth noting that their prices have plummeted in the past years and are even projected to reduce further in the next few years to match those of similar non-electric vehicles given the projected future demand. From an average price of over 75,000 dollars in 2010, prices have dropped to 39,000dollars Bloomberg New Energy Finance and several other respected studies forecast the fall of electric vehicle prices more quickly than originally predicted.
Electric cars are very important to the future of the automobile industry and to the environment; however, its ultimate acceptance by the Ghanaian public will be based on price considerations, and the continued improvement, performance and availability in Ghana. Studies have shown that it takes about three to ten minutes to fill up a petrol or diesel engine car at a filling station in Ghana with enough fuel of 10litres to travel about 100Km, while an electric vehicle will require 18kWh of electricity to travel the same distance. A 2019 electricity tariff published by the PURC shows that 1kWh of electricity costs GHS 1.3279 for non-residential facilities and GHS0.9349 for residential facilities. At this rate, an 18kWh full charge will cost GHC 23.90 for non-residential charge and 16.82 for residential charge hence saving the electric car user GH c 28.1 and GH c 35.2 respectively.
Ghana is one of the first in the West African sub region and for that matter Africa to promote the initiative. The government of Ghana has pledged its support to increase the share of renewable energy in the electricity generation mix. The ministry of Energy together with the Energy Commission and other private sector players are also championing an E- mobile initiative as part of the drive Electric project aimed at promoting electric vehicles on Ghana’s roads. To successfully ensure e-mobility and sustainable transport, stakeholders say, partnerships will be needed to promote the socio economic development of the country while driving increased penetration of renewables. It is also hoped mechanics and other artisans would quickly master the technology and techniques involved in the assembly of electric cars; after all, Ghanaian mechanics have been quick to repair and reconstitute the engines and various parts of many cars in times past.
Electric vehicles are not just the wave of the future. They have the potential to reshape the transportation sector in Ghana and usher in an era of green and sustainable technology, reduce pollution, harmful emissions and contribute to efforts towards climate action while helping to resolve the electricity generation over-capacity in the short to medium term. Ghana can also increase its electricity intake and as such increase the much needed demand to reduce or eliminate the payment of high capacity charges while meeting our climate targets.
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