| 10 years ago electric and hybrid cars would make | | | | technologies. |
| people giggle at their very mention. Yet these | | | | Convenience is another advantage when it comes to |
| prototypes were nothing short of the human brilliance | | | | electric cars. In our society today, electricity is the |
| paving the way for what is soon to become the future | | | | universal form of energy. You can charge your car |
| of road transport. Electric vehicles are not a fashion | | | | from so many outlets, at home, at charging stations, at |
| trend, they represent the next revolution in automobile | | | | work or even at the neighbors' if you dare. No need to |
| technology. It's not so hard to see why there is such a | | | | queue at petrol stations. The bonus is that electricity |
| hype about electric cars. Here are some of the points: | | | | costs only 12 cents/Kwh so essentially you're looking |
| Electric motors by design are much more efficient than | | | | at a full charge for under $7. Compare that to filling up |
| Internal Combustion Engines (ICE). They achieve | | | | your fuel tank at about $40 or more. |
| efficiencies of well over 90% compared to an | | | | Electric cars have zero emissions. They have no air |
| average of 20% for ICE. This translates into greater | | | | intake or exhaust. It is true that the electricity used |
| economical incentive since electric motors average | | | | most likely comes from coal fired power plants but the |
| 6Km/Kwh (Kilometer per Kilowatt-hour of energy) | | | | problem is the way of generating electricity in general, |
| compared to 2.5Km/Kwh for ICE running on petrol. | | | | which has other alternatives. So not only electric cars |
| Efficiency with ICE is a big problem as there is not | | | | do not pollute the air, they also reduce noise pollution. |
| much scope for improvement. You see, in physics the | | | | They are so silent that some authorities are thinking of |
| laws of thermodynamics come into play theoretically | | | | solutions to warn the visually impaired people who rely |
| limiting the efficiency of these designs to about 40%. | | | | heavily on their hearing to move around. |
| Next is the fact that electric motors are able to deliver | | | | A couple of weeks ago, I was watching a top gear |
| full torque at start up, that is at zero Revolutions Per | | | | episode where the presenters had taken their cars to |
| Minute (RPM) which means you get much more | | | | the Andes and at that altitude engine performance |
| power from the beginning itself. ICE however are | | | | dropped significantly since there was less oxygen in |
| different because they can only achieve their full | | | | the air. I know it wouldn't be fair if I mention such a |
| torque within a certain range of RPM, which is why | | | | situation as an advantage of the electric car, since |
| you have to shift gears when you've reached that | | | | realistically such situations rarely occur. But that surely |
| optimal RPM range. Thus the Tesla roadster, a fully | | | | points out that ICE need adequate levels of oxygen to |
| electric sports car can achieve 0-60mph in well under | | | | function, electric cars don't. |
| 4 seconds, and that's with only about 250 horsepower | | | | The technology of electric vehicles keeps on |
| (hp). For a similar performance with ICE cars, you | | | | improving. For example, Michelin's Active Wheel |
| would be looking at 500hp cars or more. | | | | System, basically in wheel motors, are smaller electric |
| However the reason why you don't see electric cars | | | | motors found inside the wheels and each of them are |
| everywhere yet is because there are areas which | | | | able to generate power independently. This is true 4 x |
| have to be improved. Perhaps the greatest | | | | 4 power. They are relatively light about 42 Kg each |
| shortcoming of electric cars is its power source. | | | | eliminating the need for a heavy front engine, an empty |
| Conventional ICE burn petrol which itself is very energy | | | | space which can be use to improve safety for frontal |
| dense, meaning it contains a lot of energy, so to speak. | | | | impacts. The reduction in weight further increases |
| As such the energy density of petrol is about 13Kwh | | | | safety in terms of braking distance. |
| Kg (Kilowatt-hour per kilogram) or 8.9Kwh | | | | Lastly with only a few moving parts with electric |
| L(Kilowatt-hour/Litre). Electric cars currently rely on | | | | motors, maintenance is less of a problem since there is |
| lithium ion batteries with an energy density of 0.2Kwh | | | | less wear and tear, not to mention clogs and fuel |
| Kg with some of them even attaining 0.4Kwh/Kg. Still, | | | | deposits that occur with typical ICE. Forget about |
| however that is quite low. | | | | those dreaded frequent oil changes. Forget about |
| All this translates into having to carry a heavy load of | | | | those black particles deposits under the bonnet. |
| batteries so that these electric cars can have a | | | | There is a buzzing enthusiasm for electric vehicles not |
| reasonable range. The Tesla roadster for example | | | | only from the consumer market but also from the |
| recently managed to complete the 500km landmark | | | | manufacturers. The most successful car |
| on a single charge. With a 53Kwh battery pack which | | | | manufacturers know where the future lies, hence why |
| weighs almost a thousand pounds, that's an efficiency | | | | Toyota's best selling hybrid- Prius (over 2 million of |
| of 9.5Km/Kwh! | | | | them around) is making the headlines while General |
| The second problem with the battery technology is its | | | | Motors have scheduled production of the Chevrolet |
| charging time. On a home power outlet, a typical | | | | Volt within a year from now. Nissan and Renault are |
| connection of 240 volts at 13 ampere (amp) would | | | | expected to follow suit. |
| take over 17 hours to charge a 53Kwh battery pack. | | | | Analysts on the other hand estimate that by 2020 10% |
| With its high power connector kit of 70amp though, this | | | | of all new sales will be electric doubling by 2030. |
| can fall down to 3 hours. Future models are expected | | | | However other experts such as Professor Kevin |
| to have a 45 minutes quick charge. A third problem is | | | | Morley, former Managing Director of Rover are more |
| the life cycle of the batteries which have a limited | | | | optimistic putting the market share of electric cars |
| charging cycle. | | | | between 30-40% by 2020. I personally share his |
| However you can expect these shortcomings to | | | | optimism, although to some people this figure might |
| vanish in the future with investments in technologies | | | | seem unrealistically high. So next time you see an |
| such as lithium-air batteries with capacities of up to | | | | electric car, just remember what you are actually |
| 5Kwh/Kg. Big companies such as IBM, Bosch and | | | | looking at is simply a great piece of engineering and |
| Panasonic are at the edge of the future battery | | | | you can expect to see a lot of them in the near future. |