Electric Vehicle

An electric vehicle (EV) has achieved quite a rapid development in the past decade. The idea originated in the mid 19th century, but it’s demand increased with the technological advancements in the 21st century.

Though the preferred vehicle is still the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) due to easy access to economical fuel, many are getting inclined towards the EV due to environmental concerns that ICE imposes. Due to this, a lot of emphases is being given on Research and Development in EV technology so as to overcome its Limitations.

Need for Electric Vehicles

It is Environment-Friendly: An EV does not emit pollutants as in case of ICE that emits harmful pollutants besides using non-renewable energy resources as fuels. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has categorized all EVs as zero-emission vehicles as they do not produce any direct harmful emission. Moreover, the electricity required to recharge can be generated in an Eco-friendly way by using solar, wind or hydropower.

Improved Performance: The electric motors used are more efficient and need less maintenance as compared to ICEs. Other performance benefits include effective acceleration, smooth and quiet operation., etc.

Has High Efficiency: According to the US Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Electric motors in EV converts 59%–62% of the energy from the batteries to drive the wheels while an ICE converts only about 21% of the energy stored in fuel to drive the wheels.
The Asynchronous motors used nowadays are known for their control in rotational speed, Control of torque, robustness and low maintenance.

Saving: Though the initial investment in an electric car is large, it ultimately proves to be cost-effective as it saves our fuel costs. ( Taking into consideration that electricity is solar, hydro or wind-generated).

Types of Electric Vehicles:

1)All Electric Vehicles (AEVs)
2)Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles
3)Hybrid Electric Vehicles

1] All-Electric Vehicles (AEVs)/ Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs):

These are entirely electric vehicles consisting of large rechargeable batteries pack that stores the electrical energy which in turns powers the motor. Electric Power source is used to charge the batteries. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has categorized all EVs as zero-emission vehicles as they do not produce any direct harmful emission.

The charging classifications are Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 based on the rate of charging, type of batteries, charging equipment type, etc.

AC Level 1: It provides charging through a standard 120 volt AC plug. Approximately 1 hour of charging an EV provides a range of 2-5 miles.
AC level 2: It provides charging through a standard 240 volt AC plug. Here approximately 1 hour if charging can provide a range of 10-20 miles.
DC level 3: Direct Current fast charging is available at dedicated charging stations and 20 minutes of charging can provide a range of 60-80 miles.

For information and working on each part of the EV visit https://afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/how-do-all-electric-cars-work .

2] Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles:

As the name suggests, Plug-in hybrid vehicles run both on electricity and fuel. Here the working is similar to Electric Vehicle consisting a battery that can be charged using Electricity with an addition that it also contains Internal Combustion Engine that uses fuels such as diesel and gasoline along with the regenerative braking system.

Regenerative braking is simply a mechanism where the battery is charged by the energy generated from breaking. In conventional braking, when breaks are applied the excess energy is dissipated as heat.

Hybrid vehicles primarily use batteries to cover moderate distances commonly referred to as the electric range of the vehicle. When the battery runs out due to various reasons such as large distances, fast acceleration, use of AC or overheating, the vehicle is powered by the Internal combustion engine. The switching from Electric to ICE is automatic.

For information and working on each part of the Plug-in Hybrid EV visit https://afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/how-do-plug-in-hybrid-electric-cars-work

3] Hybrid Electric Vehicles:

These vehicles are powered by a combination of Internal combustion engine and electric motors that uses the energy from the batteries.

The difference between the Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles and Hybrid Electric Vehicles is that the latter does not support a charging port and hence the batteries cannot be charged by plugging into AC or DC port. Here the batteries are charged by Internal Combustion Engine and by regenerative braking technology.

Since the engine generates most of the power, the electric motor can power additional loads such as headlights, sound systems, reducing idling time when the vehicle is stopped, powering air conditioning and dashboard displays.

For information and working on each part of the Hybrid EV visit https://afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/how-do-hybrid-electric-cars-work

Some Limitations that are being worked upon:

Less number of Charging Stations: One of the major challenge faced is the insufficient number of charging stations. Though electric cars can be charged through a regular household socket, for fast and urgent charging, it is imperative to have DC charging stations, preferably solar, at particular distances so that we don’t get stuck where we are.

Expensive: An electric vehicle is still an expensive commodity. This factor must be addressed by the government to promote EVs by giving subsidies and incentives as well as by researchers to find ways to reduce the overall cost of the vehicle.

Heavy: Electric cars have heavy batteries that overall increase the weight of the car. Due to this, the car’s tires are more prone to wear and tear. But this problem can easily be addressed by using a lightweight battery.

Range and charging time: The range of an electric vehicle is Limited as compared to that of ICE vehicles. An average electric car can run 60 to 100 miles per charge. But this depends upon the battery used. Moreover, an average electric car takes approximately 4-6 hours to get fully charged.

Conclusion:

The advantages of EV masks its disadvantages. Over the last few years, many circumstances have encouraged Electric mobility all across the globe. Some include,
1) Advances in renewable energy sources like wind and solar electricity generation have enabled clean and carbon-free electricity generation,
2) A drastic increase in the carbon footprint and the consequent global warming has forced researchers as well as people to find ways to reduce the use of fossil fuel-related emissions.

For EVs to become economically viable some measures must be taken such as introducing some policies that will encourage the people to opt for electric vehicles. Also developing strong Research and Development that can overcome some basic issues like, reducing the battery cost of the vehicle, increase the efficiency of the vehicle, reducing the weight of the vehicle, etc.