At what speed is a pure electric vehicle most energy-efficient?
1 Answers
Electric vehicles are more energy-efficient at lower speeds, with the most economical speed range being 50-60 km/h. Conversely, speeds above 90 km/h on highways are the most energy-consuming. The efficiency of an electric motor can remain relatively constant, with a broad high-efficiency range and high conversion efficiency. Whether at urban speeds of 40 km/h or highway cruising speeds of 100 km/h, the motor's efficiency, while slightly different, does not vary significantly. However, motor power decreases in the high-speed range. Additionally, once the vehicle speed exceeds 60 km/h, aerodynamic drag becomes the primary source of resistance, significantly surpassing tire rolling resistance. Moreover, resistance increases exponentially with speed—the higher the speed, the greater the energy consumed by aerodynamic drag, leading to higher electricity consumption. Generally, electric vehicles are more energy-efficient at lower speeds. Considering travel efficiency and the actual power consumption of air conditioning during driving (the longer the driving duration, the more electricity the air conditioning consumes), the economical speed is approximately 50-60 km/h. During traffic congestion, apart from air conditioning, power consumption is almost zero.
