Electric Cars Information

Electric cars may become the main form of personal transportation in the not too distant future. The issue of global warming and problems of potential oil shortages and price increases make electric cars an attractive alternative. Research is underway to solve some of the problems associated with the electric car, with both large automakers and small start-up companies investing heavily in this technology.

History

Detroit Electric

The idea of cars running on electricity is not new. Electric cars were more popular than gas-powered vehicles in the early 20th century. The Columbia Runabout was one of the best selling cars of the time; it could travel at speeds of up to 15 miles per hour (mph) and go 40 miles on a single charge. In 1914, the Detroit Electric could run 80 miles without a charge. Falling out of favor after the 1920s, electric cars saw renewed interest in the 1960s and '70s over fears of rising fuel costs and limited fuel supplies. During this time, fuel cells were introduced as an alternative to batteries but did not spur the expected sales and to some extent defeated the environmentally friendly purpose of an electric car.

Potential Benefits

Electric cars have many potential benefits for society. Combined with clean sources of electricity such as solar or wind power, they promise to make major strides toward curbing the production of greenhouse gases generated by gas- and oil-powered cars. Economic benefits can come from and end to our reliance on potentially dwindling and fluctuating oil supplies. In addition to cleaner air, other quality-of-life benefits include noise pollution reduction, as electric motors generate very little noise.

Limiting Factors

The main factor limiting electric car technology revolves around battery life, which directly impacts the range of these vehicles. Batteries large enough to provide the range desired are heavy and not practical using current technology. Recharging the batteries is another potential problem, as it is time-consuming. An infrastructure of "battery swap" stations similar to the standard gas stations may solve this problem but would require large-scale planning and economic investment. Also, if clean energy sources are not used to generate the electricity, it is possible that the greenhouse gases saved by driving the automobile will instead be generated by the new power plants that will be required.

Current Trends

Volkswagen E-Up

Hybrid cars that combine electric car technology with gas-powered engines are currently in use or in production, such as the Toyota Prius and the Chevy Volt. The Volt uses a gas-powered engine to recharge the batteries. Some models--such as the Tesla Roadster, with a price nearing $100,000--are not economically practical for the majority of drivers. The Volkswagen E-Up is a totally electrically powered vehicle the company hopes to have in mass production by 2013 with a more user friendly price tag.

Outlook

The future of electric cars is uncertain. If lighter, more powerful battery technology such as lithium-ion or superior solar panels can be employed, electric cars may become a viable option for a great percentage of transportation needs. An effort by governments worldwide will be needed, as the infrastructure and clean power generating plants must be built on a large scale for electric cars to fulfill the promise they hold.

References

• The Electric Car
• Volkswagen's E-Up