Comparative analysis of the electric vehicles ownership cost according to types of their power units
The paper presents the procedure for calculating and analyzing the electric vehicles cost of ownership regarding the type of power unit used. The calculation was carried out for battery electric vehicles with charging from the electric network, electric vehicles utilizing electrochemical hydrogen fuel cells, and electric vehicles with on-board aluminum-air electrochemical generator. The calculation is differentiated for light-duty electric vehicle and light commercial electric delivery truck. The cost of ownership amounts from the power unit cost and expenses on energy carrier used over the vehicle life cycle. It is shown that the aluminum-air electrochemical generator would be the most favorable as a power unit: the cost of ownership of both light-duty electric vehicle and light commercial electric delivery truck of this type would be 1.5--2 times lower compared to a battery electric vehicle and 3--4 times lower compared to electric vehicle with electrochemical hydrogen fuel cells. The advantage of using aluminum as an energy carrier for vehicles lays in the power unit and fueling infrastructure simplicity and cheapness in comparison with those for battery and hydrogen power units, which compensates for the high cost of aluminum and provides viability of its application. The possibility to re-use aluminum, i.e. to organize a closed cycle, also plays a significant role. It should be emphasized that aluminum hydroxide (a product of the electrochemical oxidation reaction) is a high-quality raw material for the aluminum refabrication. Electric vehicles on aluminum energy carrier would be quite competitive in countries with a well-developed aluminum industry and an affordable energy resources