Electric vehicles today are promoted as the precursor to an environmentally cleaner future. At the same time these vehicles are stylish and high performance, however they can be very expensive. Which means they are not attractive to the penniless, but only to the environmentally committed rich. Those who own an electric vehicle might brag to their families, friends, strangers about their sacrifice for the world, however, are they really making a sacrifice? The answer is “no”. In reality, today's electric vehicle is trading one environmental problem for the other. It doesn't matter if the vehicle itself does not release carbon dioxide while it's running; an electric vehicle is as clean as its power grid. Since most of the united states electricity …show more content…
According to Richard Rhodes 1 pound of Uranium is equivalent to 5000 barrels of oil. Indeed the equivalency is great. In addition, nuclear power is renewable with the breeder reactor which breeds plutonium and can recycle it over and over again. The potential for nuclear energy is very high, but is also very reliable, unlike sources of energy like wind and sun require sunlight and wind to produce electricity, nuclear plants can create electricity in rough weather conditions. Another benefit benefit of nuclear energy is that it is much safer and cleaner than most sources of energy including solar panels (Mark Lynas). For example, coal particulates, kill about 3000 people per year according to Gwyneth Cravens. Clean energy from these powerplants can make these vehicles truly clean since nuclear energy does not emit greenhouse unlike coal and natural …show more content…
When it comes to the electric vehicle its true potential lies in its power grid. For example, in a country whose power mostly comes from nuclear energy, the electric vehicle is truly green however in a country like the united states who derives most of its energy from coal and other fossil fuels, the electric car no longer serves its purpose. Not only is the power used to drive the car toxic but also the energy used to build it is made out of fossil fuels. Even though the electric vehicle is not truly green does not mean that it is a lost cause; there is plenty of room for improvement and time for the electric car to match its green
The world produces around 85 million barrels of oil each day. About a quarter of that percentage goes to the United States of America, which is used up mostly by means of transportations. Most people get around from place to place using a car, a car that is powered by fuel. Everywhere one goes driving, they will eventually run into a gas station but not a charging station for electric cars. Regular cars, burn off fuel that produce emissions (carbon, nitrogen, sulfur) that pollute and harm the environment. Although, there are some positives about switching there are also some problems that could appear but could be fixed. Electric cars have the potential to reduce the amount of pollution in the environment, boost the national economy and help
As part of the United States planned greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategy, it is necessary for U.S. to consider the effect of new electricity services coming to the transportation sector. One such service that is gaining widespread interest is the electrification of personal transportation (also referred to as “passenger cars”) using Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEV’s). The advantage of electrification of personal transportation leads to improved air quality and to reduce the U.S’s GHG contribution to global climate change.
“We can break our dependence on oil…and become the first country to have one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015,” President Obama said in his January 2011 State of the Union address (Institute for Energy Research 1). While this may sound promising, the practicality and merit in achieving this goal remains unclear. Auto manufacturers have been working on plans for electric cars for years, especially the three largest companies in the US: Chevrolet, Chrysler, and Ford. These companies have been hoping that the development of electric cars would create a sort of lifestyle change for consumers, both weaning the U.S. off of its dependence on foreign oil and breathing life into the market for auto sales at the same time. Electric cars are often sold as zero emissions, but technically that is only true once they are charged and in terms of their tailpipe emissions. After all, they have to get their energy from somewhere and, more often than not, the electricity used for charging is supplied by traditional coal fired power plants. The real question then is whether the source and amount of energy required to build and supply an electric car with power is actually cleaner and more economical than a traditional combustion automobile. As it turns out, the answer is both unexpected and fairly complicated. In order to assess whether the use of
In light of the constant rises in petroleum prices, climate changes and an economy recovering from the effects of the recent economic downturn, consumers have started to reconsider the usage of electric cars (Global EV Outlook, 2013). Electric Vehicles [EV] have been around since the 1830s, yet it is only recently that countries have experienced an increase in their production thus redefining tomorrow’s automobile and transportation industry. This year, the global production of EV is predicted to rise by 67% (IHS, 2014).
Electric cars impose a serious risk on the oil and gas industry. The extent by which this market succeeds reciprocally defines the extent by which the oil and gas industry deteriorates. As with all forms of technology, there comes a point in time where one form of technology no longer appears to be useful in comparison with an applicable alternative. The current inhibitors of electric car adoption are the price of batteries and vehicle performance. With that being said, battery prices dropped over 30% just last year and are expected to continue dropping. Projections estimate that 35% of cars will have a plug by 20401. However, even in the next few years, companies such as Tesla, Chevrolet, and Nissan plan to offer electric cars on the market at an affordable price. The question then becomes: when the oil and gas market will be displaced by the electric market? If both markets produce a vehicle of similar price and quality, then it is reasonable to assume that a customer will choose the option that is more eco-friendly. The moral issue still remains: should the vehicles of tomorrow be fueled by gasoline or are viable options readily available and acceptable?
Electric cars are vehicles, which, instead of internal combustion engines, are driven by electric motors and controllers. They have proved to be a good substitute for conventional vehicles and are considered as a revolutionary innovation designed to protect the earth from the damaging effects of global warming, as they work on the electricity supplying the integrated rechargeable battery that can be easily recharged. Compared to traditional means of transport, electric vehicles seem to be more viable and environmentally friendly because they do not need oil or other fossil fuels as an energy source but the high cost of such a car and other important issues of exploitation discussed in this paper make their use very doubtful comparing to the usual cars.
Electric cars may not be as environmentally friendly as society portrays them to be. Forbes.com states that electric cars tend to be just as polluting to the environment as traditional gas powered cars. In order to transfer energy to the charging station for the cars, the factory that makes the energy must burn carbon in order to power the charging station. The charging stations are what produce the pollution, not the vehicle. Although there has been a push for alternative energy in automotive production, electric cars are just as contaminating to the atmosphere as traditional gas-powered cars.
Electric cars are becoming more and more a part of the world today. Society can see them everywhere, from the streets to TV. Car companies like Nissan and Chevy have their own line up of electric cars that perform well. Now one of the most popular car companies, Tesla, can make the Lamborghini of electric cars. To help lower emission levels and jumpstart the industry, the federal government offers a $7,500 tax credit for buyers of pure electric vehicles (Schaal, 2015). Which brings up some common questions; are all these changes in the car industry a good change from the traditional gas engine and are electric cars truly better than Gas powered vehicles making gas powered vehicles slowly become obsolete. Electric cars barely have any maintenance needed compared to gas powered vehicles. Emissions
Imagine never being locked out of your disgusting gas-guzzling vehicle in sub-zero temperatures pumping your car full of toxic chemicals and then later emptying your bank account to pay for the environment killer ever again. This reality is near and approaching faster than ever before. Although, it is not completely beneficial. It is evident that at an international level, electric cars are needed. But, this is only one side of the story, despite common belief, electric vehicles are not always good for the environment. It is true that they will benefit bank accounts, however, the only way for electric cars to improve the environment is if they are powered by clean renewable energy.
One driving force of change is technology. The automobile industry is constantly focusing on technology in order to make themselves and their cars better. They constantly compete to be the “first” one to have the newest and best idea. One of these ideas is an electric vehicle. GM, Ford, and Toyota all have electric automobiles. GM has the Chevy Volt. Volt One of Ford’s electric cars is the Electric Ranger. Ranger Toyota had the Rav4 EV, but due to discouraging sales it stopped production. “Toyota remains committed to developing an "Eco Vehicle," one that will have a minimal impact on the environment.” Rav4 One purpose of the electric automobiles is to have the ability to drive to work using only electricity. Currently during longer trips you would have to use a combination of electric and gasoline power. Electric Car
So we all know that cars use gasoline right? And when cars use gasoline, they create carbon dioxide which increases global warming. But when you hear about the idea of electric cars, you would be excited and you wanted to order one instantly. You were ready to abandon your old cars and soon you will be slashing your carbon footprint into that sexy new vintage Tesla Model S. But if you are selling that old car you have had for years to buy the new Tesla, all you really are doing is just buying a bright shiny eco-friendly car. Yes, it may be the new trend of the next generation, but it still has its downsides. Usually, the companies who make electric cars like to market them as the greenest object known to mankind. Yet that message they are sending
In the first article, Electric Vehicles vs Gasoline Vehicles: A Cost and Emissions Comparison, the cost and GHG emissions of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), electric vehicles (EVs), and standard gasoline cars were compared. All the numbers used in the research were based on averages in the Midwestern region of the United States, and was published June 2nd, 2011 at 10:53 a.m. Its goal was to measure how much better, or worse, any type of electric car is compared to your standard gas car. It also compared how much it costs you to drive per mile. The source believes hybrid vehicles actually hurt the environment more than it preserves. To calculate the cost per mile, they took the average power used for PHEVs per 100 miles, 35 Kwh, and multiplied that by the average cost per Kwh in residential regions, $0.11. Then, it takes into account the cost to get a charging station at your home. This really drives up the cost of electric vehicles because it cost $50 to $90 for a subscription every month. After that, the emissions per mile was calculated for all three cars by calculating the average. The regional average for hybrid cars ' 35 Kwh per 100 miles. It also took into account the regions power plant GHG emissions from natural gas and coal.
When people hear the words “electric vehicles” they often focus on the drawbacks instead of the benefits to owning an electric vehicle. It is stated in the article “A Brighter Future for Electric Cars and the Planet,” that car companies like Tesla and Volvo are developing electric vehicles that will be more affordable and
There is a serious problem facing the world right now. It is air pollution. The number one contributor to this epidemic is automobile emissions. We have all heard of the issues that are involved with air pollution including the depletion of the o-zone layer, the green house effect, and acid rain. The problem has been scoped from every imaginable angle, and now it is time to solve the problem. I propose that each of the ‘Big Three’ (Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler) car manufacturers be required to have 10% of their product line as EV’s By the year 2010. I propose this because it will be the start of cleaner air, EV advancement, and awareness of EV’s and how they work.
Many people argue for and say that the US will have to go full electric in the upcoming years, because cars are one of the main sources of air pollution. However, that is unlikely to happen due to the fact that Electric vehicles (EVs) have many problems. These problems have to be solved before the public can go all electric, and it is going to take a while before these problems are solved. Some EVs have good mile range, but most do not which is why they need to be charged quite often compared to Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles. ICE vehicles are and will still be in demand in the next 15-20 years, or maybe even more. Giving car manufacturers a time frame of 15-20 years may be enough to sort out the problems in current EVs.