Rising Fuel Costs Drive Electric Car Popularity
With the high price of fuel these days, electric-powered cars are more popular than ever, especially if you live in the city. Electric cars are powered by a fuel cell, which is also becoming very popular. The very near future will allow everyone to either go completely gas-free or go hybrid, reducing the consumption of petroleum fuels. Many countries all over the world have already begun making the change due to the higher cost of fuel in those countries compared to the price in the United States. Considering not only the gas prices but also the issues that pollution has played in the past. Pollution has been a major concern for many years, and now it is time to seek more improved methods of transportation.
Hybrid and electric cars have now become more of a household word, and you can see people on the road every day who have already started switching to alternative fuels. Hybrid trucks and SUVs are more economical and still family-friendly. The electric cars are beginning to be mass-produced and will be available and affordable shortly.
Electric Car Motors vs. Gasoline Car Motors
The motor of an electric car is quite different than the motor of a gasoline car. In a gasoline-powered car, you have the normal carburetor, fuel injectors, radiators, and all the other parts that are needed for a gasoline motor. Where as an electric motor has Whereases going from one part to another, so when you look under the hood, you will see some of the hoses such as the metal brake lines, the master cylinder, air conditioning, etc, but you won’t see a carburetor or fuel injectors and the injector wires that you usually see. The electric motor is powered by a controller or fuel cell. When you are driving down the road you would not even know it was an electric car, except that other than the road noise, it is almost silent.
Ford has already built the world’s first fuel-cell hybrid plug-in vehicle. The Ford Edge and the Ford Focus, these autos have been on the market for the past three years. They use Hydrogen for fuel and electricity to charge the cells. The Ford Escape Hybrid (SUV), gets 30/34 MPG and starts at just $26,640.00. It has a Nickel-metal-hydride battery that once the brakes are pressed, the electric motor sends kinetic energy to the battery pack and recharges them.
Tesla Motors have produced the Tesla Roadster, a beautiful car, which is 100% electric and can go from 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds. It is perfect for freeway driving. When it is fully charged it is good for 220 miles and should be out sometime around 2010. Other electric cars that are already for sale include ZAP, NEV, and GEM.
Chevy Volt: The Future of Extended-Range Vehicles
The world seems to be waiting on more and more extended-range vehicles, and the Chevy Volt, which is still in the development stage and not ready for sell; has a propulsion system that uses a lithium-ion battery with many onboard power sources for extended driving which will include ethanol to recharge the batteries when it is needed. The engineers and directors are estimating a 640-mile driving range. For people who will only be driving approximately 40 miles or so will be able to plug the Chevy Volt into a 110-volt household plug.
The change over from gasoline to electricity makes me wonder if the Power Bill will go sky-high. But at least it will all be pollution-free if we use a source of electricity that is from wind or solar, thus saving the planet that we love so much.