No doubt Electric vehicles are The Thing as far as environment friendliness is concerned - Zero emission and very low acoustic noise. Also the advantage of very low running cost !
So what is stopping all those gasolene car owners from switching to these EVs?
In my opinion it is because of the following
a. The initial high cost of EVs
b. Long recharge time ( typically 8 hours) for the batteries compared to the gas refill which happens in minutes
c. The high cost of battery replacement after the end of life of initial batteries
d. Explosion risks associated with high charge density batteries
Until these issues are tackled, Evs will be only a choice of select few , not masses.
Jim, coming out of gas engine is a good move towards renewable energy. I think we have to give more emphasis on developments of solar charged vehicles rather than electrically charged vehicles. Natural resources are abundant and by effective using of it, we can move towards more green and ecco friendly.
Jim, coming out of gas engine is a good move towards renewable energy. I think we have to give more emphasis on developments of solar charged vehicles rather than electrically charged vehicles. Natural resources are abundant and by effective using of it, we can move towards more green and ecco friendly.
I think we have to give more emphasis on developments of solar charged vehicles rather than electrically charged vehicles.
@Jacob, I totally agree with you on this. This would definitely solve our dependency on electricy to charge our vehicles. I am not sure if currently any company is doing research on that ?
Here in India a couple of years back all the two wheeler manufacturers were quite eager to introduce Electric Scooters, by seeing that such vehicles have become very popular in Chinese metros. I my self was part of the EV two wheeler project for one of the company.
About 10 companies announced their product introductions and opened showrooms across India.
The rising gasolene prices was supposed to be the pull factor in favour of these EVs
Now today we see most these showrooms have shut their shop and the manufacturing companies have quietly disconituned EV manufactruing.
Unless EVs are available at comparable prices and unless we have a kind of Battery swapping ( exchange the discharged battery with a freshly recharged battery in minutes) , EVs are unlikely to be the vehicles of masses.
The solar charged vehicle will be the best way to go. Electric charged vehicles are good innovations but you still have to pay electric bills. Natural energy to charge vehicles will be accepted world-wide
I think hybrid cars with combined electrical and solar technology would ultimately lead the way in energy savings as well as be environmentally friendly. Solar or electric cars alone will continue to have their shortcomings.
Do you have the idea of how much it can cost to charge the electric car on monthly basis if you choose to charge it everyday? I will like to know if anyone has the idea. It is then that we can determine which one is cost effective.
"Do you have the idea of how much it can cost to charge the electric car on monthly basis if you choose to charge it everyday?"
You may not need to charge your car everyday unless you use it. According to the article, "110 miles in the Chevy Volt consumed 24.7kW. Multiply that by the $0.105 per kilowatt rate, and the result is a total cost of only $2.59, or an electric cost of $0.0235 per mile." The average one-waycommute time for americans is a drive-time of 25 minutes per day ((over an average distance of 16 miles). This means you don't have to charge your car every night.
Given the importance of the battery to an electric car, you might wonder what will happen as that battery grows older. How long will it be able to power the car? And when it finally dies, can it be replaced or is it simply more economical to buy a new car?
That was a good point which may not seem to be a problem now because the manufacturers will promise making spare battery available but how often do i have to change this battery in a year or within six months because the best of battery is still battery.
Solar powered electric cars can be more efficient in sunshine regions. (see http://www.solarelectricalvehicles.com/). Batteries are charged on the go, but the technology is still in its infancy. "With the SEV solar system, the Toyota Prius can operate up to 30 miles per day in electric mode". There is still room for improvement.
The solar source of power is a good idea, but does it mean the car must be in the sun at nearly all times to be effective, if you're driving in a tunnel, a covered parking garage or even if it's cloudy? I dont see solar-powered being very practical.
How I wish that solar cars are designed for continuous charging of the vehicle not only when we park the car. It does not neccessarily mean that it has to be sunshine before we can get solar energy. It is always there but when we have sunshine, we get more of the solar energy. As some people preferred electric cars which I will consider not cost effective. Developing countries where electricity is not stable will not find it fascinating whereas solar type may be the best tool for them. Our world is full of varieties: isn't it?
You are right that solar source of energy is available, but not at night time hours. It's only derived only from light and heat of the sun, it's necessary to have sunlight and you have to have the proper storage system in order to utilize solar energy resources after sundown.
@Anne, The fact that a car is a solar recharged does not make it independent of using battery. It just means that the battery that stores the energy used by the car is being charges by solar energy. The battery thing is still an essential part of the car. But instead of having to park for some time to charge , you cann do that while still driving because the source or means of charging is just above you- the sun
I understand your point, but have you heard about the Stanford University Solar Car in October 2011 World Solar Challenge in Australia. The car electrical system only depends on solar source with no battery, that's the area I'm looking at.
@Anne, Thanks, I feel that may not be too good if to say you want to eradicate the battery. what of if you have to go out at night and you don,t have a reserve any where.
How fitting this post on EVs comes out this week. Just today I pulled in an interesting piece of historical trivia from NPR's "The Writer's Almanac."
The first American automobile race took place on this date in 1895. It was put on by the Chicago Times-Herald, and it was open to cars with at least three wheels that could carry two or more people (the driver and a judge). The race, 54 miles in all, ran from Chicago's Jackson Park out to Evanston, Illinois, and back.
It was Thanksgiving Day, and it had snowed the night before. None of the automobiles had roofs, and none of the roads were paved, so conditions for a race weren't optimal. Out of the original 89 entrants, only six were at the starting line on race day. Two of them were American-made electric cars; the other four — one of them American and three built by German manufacturer Karl Benz — were gasoline-powered. Four of the cars eventually dropped out due to the poor conditions, and it came down to American Frank Duryea and one of the Benz machines. Duryea prevailed, reaching a top speed of 7.5 miles per hour, and crossing the finish line after several breakdowns and a little over 10 hours. The German car limped home two hours later, driven by the referee; its driver had collapsed, exhausted. Duryea used his $2,000 winnings to start the Duryea Motor Wagon Company.
The Benz name we know well. Duryea, on the other hand, may not be as famous though there is a Long Island street named after him just off a the main drag where many distributors once hung their hats.
Tvotapka, A bit of history that demonstrates we've known about the possibility of electric vehicles for a long time yet they don't seem to have reached their potentials. I have a suspicion electric vehicles would have spread worldwide today had we not discovered so much oil. Once the easily recoverable oil is all gone, we will be putting more efforts into making electric vehicles work even better but that day could be a long time coming.
Yes, Bolaji, the history of the electric car began in the mid-19th century. It was the high cost and low speed compared to internal combustion vehicles that led to a worldwide decline in their practical use.
Recently, the new advancements in technology have gone back to the roots of the electric car, giving birth to a new hope. The environmental issues have also taken a more predominant role this time. I believe this time electric cars are here to stay.
The hype for electric cars is overwhelming! It seems that in the near future most cars would run on plugin cord instead of going to the nearest gasoline station. In the end News for Catalytic Converter will be heard that no cars is using it coz every vehicle in the road will run on electricity.
i agree that the environmental friendliness is one important factor that we missed in the article. But EV is not the only technology providing this advantage, i guess the fuel cell based technology would have the same benefit.
Sometime ago, Bolaji had also written about the Volt and his impression about the Volt, which was positive overall. The initial high cost puts Volt to a discouraging spot. What about other comparisons such as the power, pickup, space(luggage) as compare to the conventional car?
@Prahabkar_Deosthali, I ask myself the same questions and I have to agree with you that it is likely adoption has not been as strong because people want these issues resolved first. The battery replacement issue is a major concern. Many people own vehicles that are more than 10 years old and if they have to spend thousands just to replace the battery that's a major future cost they have to consider and weigh carefully before buying.
With gas combustion engine, you know the technology is well tested, adoption rate is high and you can resell the vehicle without experiencing any problems. You can't say the same about hybrid or electric vehicles.
@prabhakar_deosthali, you mostly list valid issues... but these are all things that will improve and become cheaper once the technology gets better and production scales up. There are so many examples of electronics which started out as "too expensive" only to become super cheap years later. MicroSD's used to cost $100 a gig or so just a handful of years ago and now they're a couple bucks.
But yes, you are correct at first the market will be small. EV's probably won't be common until another generation from now at the earliest.
Just one thing I really didn't agree with though: "Explosion risks associated with high charge density batteries." First of all, if this were really a giant concern somebody would have been injured by this during testing. Secondly, how are regular cars any safer when you're sitting on gallons of highly combustible liquid? You could make that same argument with regular cars; there are explosion risks with them too, obviously.
So what is stopping all those gasolene car owners from switching to these EVs?
@prabhakar_deosthali, to add to your list, one more major reason why people don't prefer electric vehicles in India is because of irregular power supply. During summer some parts of India get electricity only 12 hours per day. So its pretty difficult to own such vehicles when you know you can't charge those vehicles regularly.
" there's the added benefit of knowing I'm reducing our dependence on foreign oil and making my small contribution to the environment."
This is an important factor that people use to overlook, because they don't feel responsible for the deterioration of the environment. But I do agree that each of us has a role to play to preserve our common inheritage. Having said that, I also reckon that electric vehicles are still expensive for the average consumer and we can expect a mainstream adoption in a few years when they become more affordable.
I own a Prius. I don't think of it as an electric car (hybrid) as I still fill it up with gasoline like a regular car. As such I don't need to fret over how to get it recharged etc. Compared to other cars that get 60 mpg (Imp gallons) its drive is much smoother and more powerful because of the technology in there. It is 6 years old, has done 120k miles and never missed a beat once. If the Chevy proves to be as good as that it will do well. As for the Leaf the range is too small to be practical for general consumption. Might do well for city only use but it is very expensive.
I purchased an electric vehicle (EV) to get off of gasoline and it saves money. I switched from a 37 MPG Toyota Echo, which I own, to the LEAF, which I lease. I have saved over $200 after two months of ownership, including insurance. EV's far exceed internal combustion engine cars in performance, comfort and cost. Oh, our environment benefits as well. I have used lithium ion batteries for years in my mobile electronics, so I do know that technology and don't expect any surprises. The battery will last at least 8 years and at that point, only failing modules need replacing, not the entire battery. Which is, even at the current price point, is less expensive than the eight year cost of owning an ICE. Lack of DC quick charging installations are the major drawback, not range. I have access to just one quick charger right now and it is what enables me to drive the 150+ miles a day to various locations. After more of those are installed, the charge time will not be an issue.
I absolutely agree with you, making the charging points' infrastructure widely available will increase confidence in electric cars.
The UK government through the department of transport has recently approved funds to the tune of £30 million pounds to run a pilot programme that would see the installation of up to 8500 charging points for electric cars. This might seem small when looking at a big country like the USA, but for a compact country like the UK it is a big leap by the government and a laudable one at that.
Renewable energies are the future of energy sources. We cannot rely to the traditional ways of electricity production because; such resources are not reliable always. So I think some R &D has to happens about using renewable energies in vehicles.
Widely available electric vehicles in the United States is long overdue. Was this a mandate that came out of the GM bailout? Maybe this is one thing we can credit the Obama administration for.
@gotmyleaf........Glad to hear from a real Nissan Leaf driver. If you forget costs what are the pros and cons of owning the Leaf versus your previous conventional car.
FLYINGSCOT - here are the quick pros and cons that come to mind;
LEAF pros: Quieter, smoother (no shifting, no fumes), less stressful to drive, less expensive, re-fueling is clean and odorless and done at home, I don't HAVE to go to petro/gas stations, no petroleum-based liquids required, no belts, no emissions testing, a tremendous amount of maintenance is not attached to ownership.
LEAF cons: Battery capacity limits range by 75% compared to my old car. Refueling points are scarce, making long-range trips difficult.
I wonder if carrying a spare battery that will be easily changeable by the owner might give electric cars like the leaf some extra range. I guess that depends on the size and cost of the battery.
You use a leaf, does it come with a massive battery?
The battery is the main Achilles heel of the electric vehicle. It's so massive it can't be easily replaced and a replacement can't just be stocked at home by a buyer. It's also the most expensive part in the vehicle, which means the idea of a consumer simply walking into a store and purchasing one is hardly a good option.
A spare battery isn't a viable option. Here's a picture of the LEAF's battery; http://images.thetruthaboutcars.com/2010/05/nissan_leaf_battery_a.jpg it's large and heavy. There is a company called Better Place that has a system to swap batteries in EV's. It's being used in some places but the LEAF doesn't work with that system. Range is not that big of an issue for me. I go beyond the range often but there are charging stations available. It is a lifestyle change but the trade-off is worth it to me. There is a lot of talk about what EV's cannot do but the only real issue is infrastructure. If every petro-station had a DC quick charger, the conversation would shift to the limitations and high cost of ICE vehicles.
Thanks for the link. You are right, a spare battery is not an option. I hope improvement in technology down the line can yield smaller sized powerful batteries
I definitely agree that electric vehicles are the cars of the near future, giving both savings on costs and the additional environmnental gains from almost zero carbon emissions. However, I am choosing to comment on statement about the how it saves the reliance on foreign oil companies.
The fact is that the electricity generated which is then used to charge an electrical is to a large extent derived from fosssil fuels combustion, which means that eventhough you do not go to the gas station to fill up your car with gasoline, you still use electricity made from petroleum. Until, world electricity is fully decarbonised and derived from renewable energy then we cannot get the maximum gains from electric vehicles...
The features of Electric Vehicles hold great promise. While it has simpler mechanics than fuel injection engine, when things go wrong as they are inevitably will, hope the repair is as easy available as fuel injection.
Good to know of great features of Electric Vehicles, what about the charging disadvantage, assuming the owner lives in an apartment with no garage or park on the street. The car need to be charged at night and if there is no area to plug it in then will either simply not work or be too cumbersome to do, for instance, dragging an extension cord across the sidewalk and having your neighbor trip over it, this could be a limitation.
That is not likely going to be a problem, the buyer will definately carry out his or her own research before buying.What is the point buying what you dont have enough resources for.
I like the concept of a new electric "gas" station where you roll in and a robotic system built into the ground quickly removes your drained battery from below your car and replaces it with a fully charged one. In theory this could be done if the cars were designed this way and the infrastructure put in place. What does everyone else think?
But wouldn't that require a lot of space to store a large number of big sized batteries? It might save some space and effort if the technology produces robots that can charge up a battery within minutes instead..
This idea of a Battery Station is worth exploring from the commercial angle as it can boost the viability of using EVs on highways .
In fact I had once worked out the economics behind setting up such a charging station and it can be a profitable business. BY having a centralised battery charging staion , it will be more economical to charge the batteries by a centralised charging system than doing it at every home by the individual by using the personal chargers.
It will be convenient, cost effective and if the batter replacement happens in a matter of minutes who will care for using the gasolene cars?
With intelliigent battery monitoring system installed in every battery pack , it will be possible to keep track of remaining battery life, no of charge cycles applied, and all that information.
This concept is worth exploring and the future EVs should be designed with this concept in mind.
A spare battery is not manageable, infrastructure seems to be the key, lets hope the pressure on the Governments to cut down emissions will lead to increased investments in charging points.
Until now, I hadn't seen the costs for EVs broken down to dollars and cents. That is a fantastic data point and a good argument in favor of EVs. They are still a little pricey upfront, as you mentioned, but look like a great long-term investment. Thanks for the analysis!
I've wanted an electric car for some time. I have 90 mile daily commute and want something better than my current 45 MPG with zero net CO2 emissions. Your article gave me some answers and some questions.
Efficiency:
"My last 110 miles in the Chevy Volt consumed 24.7kW".
If you consumed 24.7kW you would have had to have added a lot more electricity than that to the battery because the battery is very inefficient at converting its energy into electricity to power your car. That inefficiency occurs when you charge and again when you discharge.
Please put a data logging power meter on that charger and tell us how much electricity it really takes to go 110 miles (or calculate it if you can).
Environmental:
Scientific American has shown us that electric cars and plug-in hybrids cause more CO2 emissions than hybrids in many parts of the United States. And are only slightly better than hybrids in the rest of the country.
Solar Cells (for some fellow posters):
Solar cells that would power your car while you drive would be the size of a parking lot, not the size of the roof on your car - check the math.
Here's a solar panel, on sale, from a retail discounter:
Lets assume no losses, 110 miles with 24.7 kW is about 13.5 kWH at 60 mph. So you'll need 13.5 kW of solar panels. Each of the panel kits above is 45 Watts with full sun. So you will need about 300 kits or an array that's three feet wide and 11,106 feet long. I think you'll have trouble making turns with a panel that long on your car!
To reduce the electric bills and to have more efficient way to have an edge than gasoline vechicles is to charge the EVs using solar energy in the day time. We can not say this is a promising idea as there are few states can use of day time sun light energy and it is also a cost effective to set up solar panels. As per the information provided by charging EV with electric power still profitable than gasoline vechicles.
If the requirements for infrastucture upgrades and electric demand are acurate, I would guess that electricity costs would go up significantly as electric car technology is adopted (based on increased operating costs coupled with increased demands).
Also in recent news was an article about Volts catching fire, although it sounds like this problem occurs during storage of damaged vehicles after an accident, and could be avoided by proper drainage of the battery fluids prior to storage/repair. I assume this is an issue that will be resolved pretty quickly.
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
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Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
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Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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