5 divergent reasons why the future of cars is electric July 20, 2014 In the recent years the automotive market has seen a new breed of vehicles that has penetrated the market - electric cars. These new cars were initially targeted at customers wanting zero tailpipe emissions, in an effort to reduce pollution by driving a more environmentally friendly car. However, in order for a new product to evolve and gain market share, it has to offer previously unattainable advantages over what is on the market, and as you will read electric cars have more than one trick up their sleeves in order to reach these objectives. 1. Powerful propulsion It is a standard trend in the automotive technology to increase power output of vehicles so as to enhance performance and provide a more pleasant driving experience. In the recent two decades, fuel economy has also been at the core of development, with auto manufacturers increasing performance by a few percentage points while improving economy by another few percentage points with every generation of vehicles. Electric is a totally different scenario. Citing Tesla as a core example, the electric motors are very powerful offering high torques from very low rpm. Electric motors, especially DC motors have immense torques and can be scaled to several 100kW power. All this fits in standard vehicles, giving unprecedented performance. The upside is that, during normal driving, the motors are still very economical, consuming between 15 to 20kWh per 100km. There is no way that the internal combustion engine (ICE) can ever achieve these figures. 2. Maintenance Cost When purchasing a vehicle, it all boils down to cost of ownership. How much will the vehicle cost the user during its lifetime. Everybody knows that electric cars are very economic to run. However, in addition to that, they have very few mechanical parts, thus are easier to maintain, as there are less parts that require replacing and are all subject to extremely less wear and tear than in ICE vehicles. 3. Infrastructure Petrol stations are available all over the world, and provide with a quick and rapid way of refuelling your vehicle. It is a known fact that Petroleum resources are running low, so alternatives are being sought. Hydrogen and LPG have been proposed as alternatives. Whilst LPG can be used on most existing vehicles with minimal modifications, Hydrogen requires special fuel cell based vehicles, but most importantly a distribution infrastructure that will cost billions. Electric cars however benefit from a distribution network that is available globally, everywhere, in nearly every house. This is an advantage that gives electric cars a penetration capability previously unheard of, as all the buyers all have their charging points in their garage or at home. 4. Safety The lack of fuel makes electric cars much safer on the roads. Battery cells are being continuously evolved to make them less susceptible to damage and thus safer. Electric cars feature other features that make them much safer. In a well designed EV, the motors and battery packs are distributed evenly in the vehicle to give it ideal weight distribution as well as a low centre of gravity. This increases the road holding capabilities of the vehicle. Having a motor per wheel also introduces torque vectoring, the electric cousin of traction control. Controlling each wheel power independently gives a level of control that is difficult to achieve using just mechanical technology. 5. Design flexibility The last feature, which is probably the most revolutionary, is the new level of flexibility in design that EVs allow their creators to achieve. In a standard ICE vehicle, there is the engine, which is mounted in the front in standard vehicles. Where performance is of essence, the engine is mounted in the mid-rear position, frequently resulting in not so comfortable passenger cabins and reduced seating capacity. Engine cooling also takes a toll on the design, as constant airflow is required for the correct functioning of the engine. The fuel tank is always a single unit. Electric cars change all this. In-hub motors can be lodged within the wheels. Battery packs can be split into various sub-units and distributed anywhere in the car. Cooling is virtually non-existent. This allows the mechanical and energy storage components to be placed where there is space for them. I am sure that in the not so far future we will see more EV designs that are oriented 100% towards passenger comfort and visibility, with some new unorthodox designs set to surface soon. These advantages illustrate clearly that the electric vehicle market is poised to succeed the ICE market as the dominant technology. It might take a few decades, but the writing is already on the wall. All car manufacturers are now hurrying to push out their own version of an electric vehicle. The future of the EV is brighter than ever. https://facebook/groups/teslarelease/
Posted on: Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:32:30 +0000