What if the range of an electric car no longer mattered?
This page is translated from the original post "Et si l’autonomie d’une voiture électrique n’avait plus aucune importance ?" in French.
- 22/07/2025 11:37
Since the dawn of electromobility, range has remained the main obsession: more batteries for more kilometers.
But this logic is starting to reverse. What if, tomorrow, range was no longer the key issue? Because deep down, do we really need 600 kilometers to live and drive peacefully?
The answer is no for the vast majority of drivers. In France, daily trips rarely exceed 50 kilometers. A car capable of covering 100 kilometers a day, without recharging, is more than sufficient for everyday needs: going to work, grocery shopping, dropping off the kids… Why carry hundreds of kilos of unnecessary batteries?
Drive more or drive better?
Even on the highway, where consumption rises, usage is more modest than it seems. A real range of 300 kilometers at 130 km/h already allows for connecting Paris to Lyon or Marseille to Montpellier with just one stop. And if that stop became as quick as filling up with gas, then the issue of range would no longer arise.
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This is precisely the challenge that many manufacturers, notably Chinese company BYD, are working on. The group is actively developing batteries capable of handling very high recharging powers, while remaining durable and safe. The goal? To recharge 80% in less than ten minutes, which is barely enough time to stretch one’s legs. Therefore, there is no need to aim for gigantic batteries: a smaller, less expensive, lighter battery that can charge quickly could well become the norm.
This paradigm shift would be beneficial. It would help reduce costs, lighten cars, consume less energy and raw materials. And above all, it would alleviate an often irrational anxiety: the fear of running out of charge. Provided, of course, that the infrastructure keeps pace. For range to become secondary, charging must become obvious.
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