Module
5: Emerging Technology
Electric
Vehicles
Electric vehicles are
vehicles that use a motor, which is usually powered through means of
electricity instead of the use of internal combustion to operate. A battery
often operates these types of vehicles, batteries that are rechargeable through
plug in or even solar powered. Due to the life of the battery, there are still
factors limiting electric vehicles, therefore often relatively small,
aerodynamic, light and also tremendously efficient. However, other efficient
factors surrounding this is the recharging of its battery life when braking
occurs through friction on its rotors and brake pads. Electric vehicle vehicles
are the best produce vehicles by far when it came to automobile standards where
they create extremely low emissions when operating.
These are some of the
things that often differentiate a single brand from another when it comes to
electric vehicles.
Vehicle Range: Vehicle
range would often relate to the vehicle distance, in terms of it being driven beforehand
and being recharged. With vehicle range the main problem is its charging
out-let or also known as charging stations which isn’t available for the
public.
Driving: Electric
vehicles are often fun driving, however there are major concerns about electric
vehicle acceleration. Some electric vehicles would clock an accelerating time
of 0 – 30mph, but problems at 30 – 60mph. These newly produced electric
vehicles are proposed for driving at areas which have a lot of traffic lights
example; in town centers where traffic lights are used often.
Batteries: In an
electric vehicle there are different types of batteries used in terms of its
battery brand. Batteries such as Alkaline are disposable which we use in
gadgets such as TV remote controls, cameras or even toys and these types of
batteries uses manganese oxide and also zinc which are not rechargeable. Batteries
that contain lead acid are basically which use a mixture of sulfuric acid and
lead. Till this very day these lead acid batteries are still in use, which is
often used to power up accessories within a vehicle like wipers and even
headlights. Lead acid batteries also have the ability to be recharged through
means of connecting charging cables to both the thermals, which then creates
electrical current. Batteries that operate on an electric vehicle manage
everything in the vehicle, therefore it is required to operate and carry
massive amount of energy for a very long time. Charging of an electric vehicle
battery will defiantly take a lot of time and it is often a slow process.
Here are three types of
batteries that can power or operate an electric vehicle.
1.
Lithium-ion
Batteries
2.
Lead
Acid Batteries
3.
Nickel
Metal Hydride Batteries
(Source: Jim Ellis Eco – Friendly. By Jim Ellis Green.
Retrieved: 13th November 2012. http://www.jimellisgreen.com/new-inventory/electric-vehicles.htm)
Emerging Technologies Such As Electric Vehicles
Are Needed
The reason why people
say more electric vehicles should be out there or even have internal combustion
engines replace is due to the fact that electric vehicles is the cleanest, cost
effective vehicle to operate on in terms of transportation. With this newly
developed there isn’t a need for oil changes, repairs only if suspensions fails
in which they would need replacement and therefore electric vehicles don’t need
spark plugs to ignite to create spark to start a vehicle. These new technology
electric motors have the capability of giving very powerful boost in terms of
engine speed.
(Source: howstuffworks? By Seth Leitman, Planet Green.
Retrieved: 13th November 2012. http://auto.howstuffworks.com/electric-cars-clean-efficient6.htm)
Now day’s vehicles that
operate on internal combustion engines do not create renewable energy source
because they are only powered through means of fuel and oil. In the future,
it’s believed that all vehicles’ that operate on internal combustion engines will
soon be decommissioned, therefore leaving electric vehicles.
Safety
of Electric Vehicles
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It is important to
understand electric vehicles and their safety since anyone who purchases an
electric vehicle is dealing with extremely high voltage. For electric vehicles
to be given permission to be driven on the road they must meet Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards and also a tests called a pass crash to determined its
standards meet internationally for driver and also passenger standards. One of
these safety requirements is protection against flooding. Electric vehicle
batteries are designed for the purpose of opposing or resisting foreign
substance when it comes in contact. However, if foreign substance does interact
or comes in contact with the battery the device deactivates automatically.
Manufacturers are also required to have their electric vehicle engines marked
so that high voltage technicians who are trained to work on any fault are
notified.
(Source: Jim Ellis Eco – Friendly. By Jim Ellis Green.
Retrieved: 13th November 2012. http://www.jimellisgreen.com/new-inventory/electric-vehicles.htm)
Electric Vehicles & It’s Environmental
Impacts
Even though vehicles
such as electric cars are beginning to replace gasoline engine vehicles, they
are still at liability to create environmental problems though being powered by
electric motors. Such environmental problem created is through its battery source.
We all agree that new designed electric vehicles are perfect, but as mentioned
recently they do create pollution. Charging of an electric vehicle is often
achieved through means of a plug in is connected through a grid which releases
fossil fuel burning. Till this day developers of electric vehicles are finding
it hard to break through barriers as to finding solutions to produce effective
and also affordable batteries so that electric vehicles can be powered on the
road instead of having fuel burners used.
(Source: Curiosity.com. By Science Channel. Retrieved: 16th
November 2012. http://curiosity.discovery.com/question/electric-car-batteries-environmental-impacts).
Recently a break through
in science brought about a problem of having batteries such as lead being used
to power electric vehicle. “Smelting and
recycling the lead for these batteries will result in substantial releases of
lead to the environment” with this break through researchers matched its
efficiency along with its power and its effects on the environment with both
vehicles operated with petrol and electric. This breaks through saw that
electric vehicles operating release substantial amount of lead into the
environment. Electric vehicle batteries that are created or produced brand new
would discharge 60 times more then a normal petrol vehicle that operates on
lead.
(Source: Lead Action News. By Ann Gethin. Retrieved: 16th
November 2012. http://www.lead.org.au/lanv3n2/lanv3n2-6.html).
Future
Impacts on Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles now
days isn’t much of a new technology since they were produced 100 years ago,
however due to the decrease in electric vehicles in the past is due to its
competition over which was better in the time having internal combustion
engines. With global warming becoming an increasingly awareness, many people
look to electric vehicles hoping it may decrease its impact on the environment
we live in and it has. Now days with electric vehicles produced and operating
on roads sees a brighter future and also gives a positive global warming
solution. In order to prevent this increasingly dangerous growing problem, we
all need to being about changes in terms travelling. With the amount of carbon
dioxide being released into the environment, it is essential that we look after
our own environment and look to the future by not using oil and gases but
continue to merge into the future with the solution that has put in place to
prevent global warming which is operating electric vehicles. With new
technologies merging, the newest transformation for a vehicle is its ability to
change from gas operating system and a electric hybrid to a system where plug
in for electric vehicles, however in order to achieve such a change a
conversion kit needs to be added. With is new development the vehicle has the
ability to operate at greater distance of up to 100 kilometers when it is
charged up without the need and its use of fuel to operate.
(Source: Carbon Diet. Retrieved: 16th November
2012. http://www.carbondiet.ca/green_advice/transportation/electric_car.html)
Conclusion
It is important that we
look after our environment and understands the dangers of global warming caused
by the increasing amount of oil and gases released into the environment.
Through this assignment I have learnt that having electric vehicles in the
future and replacing vehicles such as internal combustion engines can really
improve global warming crises. With the amount of emission eliminated and
electric vehicle operating health risk and so on can be reduced. Electric
vehicles tends to be the solution to our future in terms of cleaner operating
vehicle, however there are downsides to this product which is its lead packed
batteries used to run a electric vehicle. At the moment there isn’t a solution
into reducing the amount of lead released from an electric vehicle battery but
I believe that there is a solution to everything we do and produce. Moving from
internal combustion engines to electric vehicles tends to affect some people
since this product is relatively expensive and also has high maintenance as
only trained professionals will be able to repair such problem if required too
due to its extremely high voltage. Therefore the looks to the future for
electric vehicles will most definitely be a success and having zero emission is
simply the best way to go about in travelling.
Class Debate on Electric Vehicles
- Price of a electric vehicle tends to be really expensive since batteries used to operate these vehicles only last up to a certain period of time like 3 to 4 years only.
- Recharging a electric vehicle tends to be a major problem. This is due to the fact that when charging these batteries they take relatively long to get them fully charged. This also cause problems if while driving the battery dies out and a recharging station is not located close by.
- Electric vehicles are not meant for long distance driving but only for short distance, mostly useful at town centers where traffic lights often require vehicles to stop and go and with electric vehicles they operate faster.
- People who purchase electric vehicles will face problems if they do not have a garage where they can recharge their vehicles and if parked out on streets there is no direct access to any power source.
- Electric vehicle tend to pollute the environment even though they are known to be clean and emission free. Electric vehicles release lead and fumes into the air when they operate due to extremely high pressure and heat.
- Electrice vehicles also have a problem with weight due to its weight this tends to slow the vehicle down due to its amount of force needed from the battery.
(Source: Carbon Diet. Retrieved: 16th November
2012. http://www.carbondiet.ca/green_advice/transportation/electric_car.html)
(Source: Lead Action News. By Ann Gethin. Retrieved: 16th
November 2012. http://www.lead.org.au/lanv3n2/lanv3n2-6.html).
(Source: Curiosity.com. By Science Channel. Retrieved: 16th
November 2012. http://curiosity.discovery.com/question/electric-car-batteries-environmental-impacts).
(Source: Jim Ellis Eco – Friendly. By Jim Ellis Green.
Retrieved: 13th November 2012. http://www.jimellisgreen.com/new-inventory/electric-vehicles.htm)
(Source: howstuffworks? By Seth Leitman, Planet Green.
Retrieved: 13th November 2012. http://auto.howstuffworks.com/electric-cars-clean-efficient6.htm)
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