Electric Cars: Development, Evolution, Controversies, and Effects to the Environment - Coursework Example

Electric Cars: Development, Evolution, Controversies, and Effects to the Environment Introduction With respect to the automobile technology, various types of energy sources are used to propel cars. One common type of energy source is oil; petroleum-based fuels like gasoline, hydrogen and diesel among others. Another type of energy source for automobiles is flywheels and compressed air. Also, electricity is becoming an alternative source of energy for propelling automobiles, especially small cars. In essence, each of these types of sources possesses particular benefits and setbacks. For example, petroleum-based fuels are cheap and readily available, but are infamous for emission of greenhouse gases. On the other hand, energy sources like electricity, hydrogen and compressed air are known to emit less or no pollutants into the environment. In an effort to mitigate increasing pollution from petroleum-based fuels, major automobile manufacturers have intensified research and development projects on alternative energy sources for automobiles (Smith 2012, p. 117). In practical contexts, one type of energy source that is currently in use is electricity. In electric cars, electricity is used to power electric motors, which convert stored electrical energy to mechanical energy. Historical Development Apparently, the idea of electricity-powered engines has been around since the early 19th Century. In 1828, a Hungarian physicist became the first person to invent a small car powered by an electricity-powered motor (Bowell & Lindsey 2014, p. 129). In succeeding years, Scottish and English scientists propagated the idea of electric cars by building efficient but non-rechargeable batteries for storing electric power. Popularity and inventions of electric cars peaked in the 1920s. After the 1920s, vast crude oil basins were discovered in UK’s North Sea. In addition, efficient internal combustion engines were developed. As a result of ready and cheap availability of petroleum-based fuels coupled with massive production of efficient internal-combustion engine vehicles by companies like Land Rover, electric cars became almost redundant. By 1935, gasoline-based vehicles were sold at approximately £450 while electric vehicles retailed at £1200; hence the idea of electric vehicles became instantly unpopular (Bowell & Lindsey 2014, p. 89). However, the idea of electric cars would be revisited almost 30 years later when internal combustion engines allegedly increased environmental pollution. Towards the 1970s, research and development efforts on alternative-fueled cars emerged. In 1975, the British Motor Company produced and delivered 350 electricity-powered delivery jeeps for the Royal Mail Group Limited. In 1983, Battronic Truck Company of England produced and distributed 170 utility vans with battery-powered engines. In UK and other Western nations, development and production of electric cars would intensify when the International Energy Policy Protocol was enacted in 1992. After the enactment, development of the current generation of electric vehicles commenced (Fletcher 2012, p. 73). Evolution Evolutionary development of electric cars have been determined by two parameters, cost and energy storage efficiency. Despite having low to zero emission levels, electric cars are not only expensive to acquire, but also costly to maintain. Electric cars need constant recharging, and cruise short distances on a single charge compared to a single tank refill for gasoline-cars (Bowell & Lindsey 2014, p. 13). Therefore, the economic value of electric cars is primarily compromised by inevitable obstacles in the batteries technology (Westbrook 2011, p. 74). Currently, almost all electric cars are powered by lithium-ion batteries. Despite increasing breakthroughs in other scientific fields, the field of electricity production and storage is evolving at a snail pace. Advances in electricity storage technologies hardly yield substantial improvements in commercial application of batteries. Therefore, the use of batteries in propelling electric cars has remained expensive and inconvenient (Westbrook 2011, p. 77). Presently, there are at least three types of electric cars in the market today. These types include all-electric cars, hybrid electric cars, and plug-in hybrid electric cars. All-electric cars use stored electricity as the sole source of propelling power. Typically, all-electric cars can cruise a maximum of 125 kilometers for a single full charge. Hybrid electric cars are partially powered by stored electricity, and partly powered by an internal combustion engine. In essence, hybrid electric cars use the internal combustion engine to recharge the battery; hence hybrid electric cars are not necessarily plugged in to an electric power source (Chan & Chau 2011, p. 94). Finally, plug-in hybrid electric cars have an electric motor as the primary source of propulsion power, and an internal combustion engine or any other type of engine as a secondary propulsion source. Plug-in hybrid electric cars must be plugged in to a power grid to recharge their batteries. Effects on the Environment Primarily, electric cars not only produce less noise compared to internal combustion engines, but also lack the emission attribute of petroleum-based engines. Despite lacking a direct link with pollution, electric cars present secondary impacts to the environment. Electric cars rely on electricity as the sole source of power for recharging batteries. In this case, electricity is undeniably among the cleanest fuels for powering engines. Unfortunately, electricity generation is not as clean as the application of electrical power (Bowell & Lindsey 2014, p. 07). Among the major energy sources for electricity production include coal, petroleum fuels, and nuclear power plants. First, coal combustion is a worse emitter of pollutants compared to gasoline or diesel. On average, combustion of coal produces at least 4 times more smog and soot compared to combustion of gasoline. In addition, nuclear power plants are time bombs whose accidental explosions would severely wreck the environment. Technically, the notion that electric cars would reduce air pollution is rather flawed (Bowell & Lindsey 2014, p. 18). In fact, electric cars present secondary impacts that are even dirtier and riskier than the use of conventional fuel sources like petroleum-based fuels. Therefore, production of electricity for charging of electric cars worsens environmental pollution as compared to use of other fuel sources for powering vehicles. Besides the problem of electricity generation, another environmental effect of electric cars is the use of chemical batteries, especially lithium-ion batteries. Undeniably, lithium is a preferable element for development of electric storage units because it is not only extremely conductive and cheap, but also enhances the rechargeable attributes of lithium-ion batteries (Fletcher 2012, p. 42). Unfortunately, lithium-ion batteries in electric cars have a dark side that is often deliberately unmentioned and neglected in environmental deliberations. First, efficiency of lithium-ion batteries is often enhanced through artificial solvents and other additives like cobalt salts. Most of these solvents are extremely harmful to human health. For example, cobalt phosphate added to lithium-ion batteries are extremely carcinogenic, and are also associated with development of neurological complications (Fletcher 2012, p. 57). In essence, all electric cars, whether plug-in or hybrid in nature, have lithium-ion batteries. Currently, there are limited technologies used to mitigate the effects of carcinogenic additives present in the batteries. In this case, massive production of electric cars would translate to massive production of harmful lithium-batteries; hence compromising on the aspect of environmental safety. Views and Controversies on Electric Cars Presently, there are divergent views related to the production and use of electric cars. First, those against electric cars are quick to assert that government-sponsored programs on electric cars are conspiracies meant to compromise the lucrative oil industry. In Western countries especially the United Kingdom, electric cars are exempted from taxation. Currently, the UK government provides up to 40% tax exemption upon purchase of an electric car. In addition, national and local governments are willing to cover up to 30% the cost of installing commercial charging stations (OECD 2011, p. 33). Therefore, all these government incentives are perceived as conspiracy channels meant to destroy the oil industry. In arguing their opinion, those against the idea of electric cars claim that production of electricity coupled with use of heavy metals in battery technologies is an environmental abomination. Therefore, electric cars serve no purpose in the reduction of environmental pollution. Most people believe that Western governments want to suppress the lucrative oil industry in rebellious Middle East nations like Iran. Environmentalists are being used to propagate the faulty Western campaign on electric cars. Technically, environmental setbacks of electric cars outweigh the benefits; hence campaigns in favor of production and use of electric cars are mere conspiracy theories. In response, those supporting the idea of electric cars are quick to point out that those opposing the topic are being deliberately subjective in their arguments. First, the assertion that an electric car is an abominable development is not only skewed, but also unsubstantiated. Undeniably, electricity generation is dirty. However, the world is striving to adopt green technologies at a gradual pace. Even in the absence of electric cars, electricity will have to come from somewhere. In fact, electricity production from fuels like natural gas and coal has little to do with environmental pollution. Technically, natural sources of green house gases like volcanic eruptions, decomposition, and metabolism account for 75% of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere today. On the other hand, combustion of petroleum-based fuels accounts for only 8% of pollutants in the atmosphere today (OECD 2011, p. 41) One way of reducing the small percentage of emission from combustion of petroleum-based fuels is gradual elimination of internal combustion engines, followed by subsequent replacement of dirty materials used in electricity production. Therefore, those in support of electric cars are encouraging regulatory agencies to formulate and implement laws that would force car companies to produce a finite percentage of electric cars for every batch of conventional cars produced. Conclusion In conclusion, it is acknowledgeable that development of electric cars has a longer history that popularly thought. Most people believe that ideas for development of practical electric cars were born towards the end of the 20th Century. However, intensive efforts for electric cars technology in current times fall within the revival period of the technology’s development timeline. Apparently, electric cars have undergone significant modifications since inception. Unfortunately, electric cars are not without negative environmental impacts. These negative environmental impacts coupled with other economic determinants are the main reasons why there are different views and controversies surrounding the topic of electric cars today. Reference List BOWELL, U. & LINDSEY, I. (2014) Electric Car Guide – 2015 Edition: Discover the Truth about Owning and Using Electric Cars. Pittsburg: Green-stream Publishing Limited. CHAN, C. & CHAU, K. (2001) Modern Electric Vehicle Technology. London: Oxford University Press. FLETCHER, S. (2012) Bottled Lightning: Super-batteries, Electric Cars, and the New Lithium Economy. London: Farrar, Straus Group. OECD. (2011) OECD Studies on Environmental Innovation: Better Policies to Support Eco-innovation. Paris: EOCD Publishing. SMITH, G. (2012) Electric Vehicle: Technology and Expectations in the Automobile Age. Cardiff: JHU Press. WESTBROOK, H. (2011) Electric Cars: Development and Future of Battery, Hybrid and Fuel-cell Cars. New York: IET Publishing. Read More