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The United States Department of Energy is spending 25 billion dollars to help United States automakers reduce our dependence on fuel and to create jobs at the same time. Ford, Nissan, and Tesla Motors have collectively received about 8 billion of those dollars. Significantly different than how a typical car engine works, electric cars are the wave of the future. Read about the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program at http://www.cnn.com.
While there are currently a few electric cars on the market, it will be some time before electric cars are mainstream vehicles. For now, they are either neighborhood vehicles, which can go about 35 miles per hour, or the ones that are approved for the highway come with a price tag so hefty that only the rich can drive them. Still, we’re getting closer to the time when electric vehicles will be a staple on the nation’s highways. More car manufacturers are throwing their hats in the electric car ring, while at the same time, various companies are scrambling to build factories to manufacture the batteries that essentially run the electric cars. Even if you have never understood or cared how a car engine works, look for the electric vehicle articles on http://gas2.org. They have over 200 very informative posts relating to electric cars.
Battery Powered
Although most of us still call it an engine, there’s not really an engine in an electric car at all, but rather a motor that is powered by a battery. Who would have thought that the same technology that keeps our cell phones and laptop computers running would someday power a car? Lithium Ion batteries are being used to power electric cars, but the technology is still in its infancy, and there are several bugs to be worked out before these cars are a common sight on the road. Those who want to know how a car engine works may be surprised to be reading so much about batteries when they look up electric cars.
For one thing, the electric cars still can’t go very far on a single charge, and even using the air conditioner cuts down on the number of miles you’ll be able to drive on one charge. Now, the Tesla Roadster, which costs more than $100,000 can travel more than 200 miles on a single charge and go from 0-60 miles per hour in under 4 seconds. However, the hefty price tag prevents most people from driving it. Electric cars that cost a fraction of that price either won’t be on the market for a couple of years or they already are, as long as you are content to putt putt around your neighborhood. Still, the industry is making phenomenal progress, and it won’t be long before electric cars are the norm. Knowing how a car engine works is only part of the puzzle when it comes to designing and manufacturing electric cars that are fit for the open road. Even though the price is prohibitive, the technology is fascinating to read about. Read all about the Tesla Roadster at the following link: http://www.teslamotors.com/.
What The Future Holds
It won’t be long until there are electric car battery charging stations all across the United States. Since the batteries are heavy and expensive, it may not make much sense to carry an extra on board, as you might do with your laptop. Although you will be able to charge your electric car battery at home before you set off on your trip, once you’ve gone a couple of hundred miles, you’re going to have to find a recharging station and plug in. Now, the time needed to charge an electric car battery is another drawback to the present technology, although there is something called a quick charge that will get you going again. In this case, you won’t be charging the battery all the way, but only to about 75 or 80% of its capacity, and you can do this in 15 or 30 minutes.
Some people have suggested that at some point in the future, you might be able to exchange your electric car battery at a charging station for one that is fully charged, in much the same way you can now exchange a propane tank from your barbecue grill at the local grocery store. However, others have expressed concerns about this idea, such as security issues and other issues. For example, what if you were turning in a relatively new battery and in return you got one on its last legs? Still, it’s an interesting concept and one that might come to fruition someday. People who already drive electric cars have to plan their trips carefully, as knowing how a car engine works won’t do anything for you if you are on the road and your electric car battery dies.
Benefits Of Electric Cars
Of course, the fact that electric cars put out no pollutants whatsoever is a huge draw to the technology. Just as important, the widespread use of electric cars would significantly reduce our dependence on foreign oil, which is a great cause of concern in today’s problematic world. In addition, just think of all the jobs that will be created by the manufacture of all these cars. Not only will the automotive industry be able to put their employees back to work and possibly hire more, but the battery manufacturers will create a whole new industry and work force. Then, you have the help that will be needed at the charging stations throughout the country.
While it is incredibly expensive to purchase an electric vehicle right now, the cost will go down significantly when they debut in force, which is projected to be at least by 2012. It is possible that as early as 2010 or 2011, consumers will be able to purchase electric vehicles much cheaper than what Tesla Motors sells them for. The thing is, once you have purchased an electric car, it only costs about 4 cents a mile to drive it, based on the cost of electricity. Interestingly enough, the Pacific Gas and Electric Company has a chart on their website for those who drive electric vehicles and need to charge their batteries. The chart shows the rates per kilowatt hour that consumers will be charged for charging these batteries. The company encourages consumers to charge their electric car batteries during off peak hours, which can cost as little as five cents per kilowatt hour as opposed to twenty eight cents during peak times. Look for their chart at the following link along with more interesting information about electric vehicles.
http://www.pge.com/myhome/environment/
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