What is an electric vehicle and how does it work? These two questions are the starting point for many people when it comes to electric vehicles.
The Basics
What is an electric vehicle?
Commonly when people new to electric vehicles hear a car is power by electricity, their first surprised response is “‘No gas?!?”. Yep, that’s right, no gas. An electric vehicle is a vehicle powered by electricity, it’s just that simple. Just like gasoline powers most cars in the US, electricity can power a vehicle and move it down the road. The term ‘electric vehicle’ or ‘electric car’ is usually used to describe a car that is powered 100% by electricity with no other fuel, this is different than a hybrid which we will discuss later.
How do electric vehicles work?
Electric vehicles work by turning a motor with electricity, again it’s just that simple. In a normal gas car the engine runs on gasoline and turns the wheels, in an electric car a different type of engine is used which uses electricity and turns the wheels. Since both types of engines can turn the wheels it’s no surprise that electric cars exist.
Now that we have the basics down we can get into the technical stuff and really understand how electric vehicles work and how they can be used in everyday life.
Types of electric vehicles?
Just like there are many types of cars and trucks, there are different types of electric vehicles. The main types are battery electric, fuel-cell and solar. All these vehicles use the same method to move, turn an electric motor using electricity. What makes them different is how the motor gets that electricity. In a battery electric vehicle the electricity is stored in many batteries and then used to power the motor. Solar power vehicles get electricity from solar panels which convert sunlight into electricity, this electricity is then used by the electric motor to move the vehicle. The final type of electric vehicle we will talk about is fuel-cell powered vehicles. Fuel-cells are units that take hydrogen and oxygen and put them together to form water. In the process of making water energy is released and this energy is turned into electricity which is used to turn the electric motor and move a vehicle.
Each type of vehicle has pros and cons, today the main type of electric vehicle is the battery electric vehicle. Many people have made solar vehicles, however solar panels that are produced today can not generate enough electricity to move a vehicle the way gasoline can, there just isn’t enough power coming from panels that fit on a car. Fuel-cells are an exciting technology that as been around since the 1960s, however just like solar panels, fuel-cells made today (that can fit in vehicles) can not deliver the power required to move a vehicle they way people want, or the cost is WAY too much to make them affordable. Maybe sometime in the future solar panels and fuel-cells will be able to generate the power required, but not now.
Battery Electric Vehicles
Battery electric vehicles are popping up everywhere, just do a quick Google search on “electric car” and you will find millions of hits for major car companies, small project sites, classified ads, parts and information. Why are people talking about electric cars? A few reasons, namely, the climate and cost. Yes cost. Here is a little secret that many people don’t know; most electric cars cost less to drive than gas.
There are two major groups of electric vehicles (abbrviated EV), production vehicles and conversions. Production vehicles are designed and built by companies with the intention of selling them to other companies and other consumers. Electric vehicle conversions are usally done by individuals or groups who want a custom vehicle. In the past there have been limited production electric vehicles and the vast majority of EVs on the road were standard petro-fuel vehicles which were modified to run on electricity.
Types of batteries
There are literally tons of battery types available that can be used to power vehicles. Ones you might be familiar with include Alkaline batteries such as AA Energizer/Duracell batteries, Lithium based batteries such as those in cell phones and laptops, and lead-acid batteries like the one in your car. Each type of battery has pros and cons. For example Lithium-Ion and Lithium polymer batteries used in electronics can store a lot of energy and are very light, which is perfect for an electric car, however the price of enough to power a car is tens-of-thousands of dollars. On the other side, lead-acid batteries used in cars, boats and golf carts are cheap, have enough power to run a car and can even be purchased around your town; however they are large and very heavy (bad for an EV). Production vehicles have the benefit of production volume. When you purchase 1,000 vehicles worth of batteries, the cost per battery decreases. Thankfully the cost of batteries that have enough power to move a vehicle is cheap enough that it is affordable by many people. Deep-cycle lead-acid batteries such as the Trojan T-105 provide enough power capacity at an affordable price that they can be used in EV conversions.
Can an electric vehicle equal a gas car?
As with most anything, electric vehicles historically have had a stigma that they are slow, weak, and can’t go far. That might have been true in the 60s and 70s when the electronics that power EVs were rather crude, however today with more advanced motors, controllers, computers and advanced batteries, electric vehicles are breaking all the sigmas. How about a sports car EV that can go over 200 miles for just about $10 worth of electricity: http://www.teslamotors.com. Or How does 0-60 mph in 2.6 sec sound?
Electric vehicles today are not the golf carts of yester-year. Using off the shelf parts (including batteries) you can build an electric vehicle and not use foreign oil ever again.
Technical Links
The Smart Drive has an electric vehicle project! Check out all the electric vehicle project posts at http://thesmartdrive.com/category/project/electric-car/ or visit the electric vehicle project page at http://thesmartdrive.com/electric-car/
Electric Auto Association: http://www.eaaev.org/
Electric Vehicle Conversion page: http://www.evhelp.com/
Electro Automotive Conversion Kits: http://electroauto.com/
Chevy Volt production vehicle: http://www.chevrolet.com/electriccar/
Tesla Motors production vehicles: http://www.teslamotors.com/
1990 Mazda Miata conversion: http://ourworld.compuserve.co…ries/electric.htm
1991 VW Cabriolet conversion: http://thesmartdrive.com/teamev/
2002 Mazda Protege-5: http://www.evalbum.com/2419
Barack Obama’s sustainable energy commitment: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/03/19/Electric/