Electric Autos: The Next Generation Of Motoring
Jul 29, 2009 More Saving
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In the next year electric cars, or zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) as they are often known, will be an everyday sight on streets right across the world. The stuff of science fiction novels will have become science fact.
Basic ZEVs are already available to motorists in some countries and are ready to become dramatically more sophisticated and widespread in the coming years.
The concept of an electric car is nothing new, it has been around for a number of years. However, the urgent need to decrease carbon emissions in a bid to slow global warming has quickened the development of the next generation of road transport.
Consumer electric vehicles and ZEVs are already being produced and will shortly be widely available in showrooms around the world. We are already familiar with hybrid vehicles, which have been in existence for many years. These cars alternate between electric and gasoline propulsion to help reduce emissions. Electric vehicles take eco-friendly motoring to the next level, in that they have no emissions whatsoever - they don’t even have a tail pipe. The advantages of this are likely to be dramatic, particularly in polluted heavily populated areas, as electric cars and ZEVs become common.
So how does the electric car work? Electric cars use electric motors and motor controllers instead of the traditional internal combustion engine. Rather than conventional gasoline, these vehicles are powered by electricity from batteries, although new methods of energy storage are being developed that will probably replace batteries in the not too distant future. Even now, special refilling stations for the electric vehicle revolution are springing up on roadsides around the world where drivers can pull in and refuel their electric cars, just like at a normal filling station.
However, for many people, the transition from the usual gasoline car that we all know and love to electric cars and ZEVs will require a huge leap of faith. However, electric cars have so many advantages that the transition should be a pretty smooth one.
Running costs - The fact that electric cars are cheaper to run and cost less to keep on the road will likely win over their most steadfast opponents. Drivers will get far more miles for their dollar and the expense of maintaining these vehicles will be much cheaper than servicing a normal car.
Global warming - As electric cars become more common, the benefits to the environment will be huge. This is particularly the case in large city areas where smog and air pollution at street level presents a significant health hazard to residents.
A few concerns do remain over electric vehicles, such as how long it takes to recharge batteries, the top speeds and acceleration of the cars, and concerns such as handling and performance. That said, as car manufacturers pump more and more cash into perfecting these vehicles, these concerns are likely to be ironed out sooner rather than later.
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Tags: alternate energy, Alternate Fuels, cars, Electric Cars, Electric Vehicles, greenhouse gas, More Saving, transportation, trucks
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