Electric Cars To Dominate Transportation

By: Andy Hodges
09/27/2009 09:00 PM ET

Electric cars could soon help reduce carbon emissions and air pollution in metropolitan areas. In fact, transportation plays a big part on the quality of air we breathe. Driving an automobile that is operated on electricity is also ideal for people who less than 40 minutes per day.

I don’t know about you, but when I drive to work, I normally don’t need a fast car. In other words, I don’t need a V8 to change lanes or to shop for groceries at the local market. I only need a reliable vehicle that is dependable and fuel efficient.

Utility companies across the United States are already building larger power grids for local communities. The extra grids will be used for consumers to charge their electric cars. There is no real estimate on what it will cost to recharge your electric vehicle, but some studies suggest that it could be $1 per day, if you need daily transportation.

Electric batteries for cars are rapidly advancing as scientists and engineers are inventing lithium-ion chemistry. These batteries are supposed to be better, but that is also up for debate, as Toyota is not convinced that they are better than nickel-based batteries. We do not know what future driving ranges will be, but most engineers agree that 80 to 100 miles could be soon.

Batteries are the greatest obstacle to the proliferation of electric vehicles (EVs). Electric automobiles require a lot of batteries, which must be installed in an array and housed in a battery pack. Batteries consist of two electrodes immersed in an electrolyte that reacts chemically to generation electric current.

Hybrid vehicles have electric components, but they still use a small combustion engine. This engine serves as a generator to keep the battery pack charged. It is also used to power the car when faster acceleration is needed.

Charging your electric car nightly will take anywhere from 3 to 6 hours. Plug in battery charging stations will soon be available in some major cities with a subscription service. This type of service is rapidly growing as more cities and local counties adopt this new program.

Chargers are generally designed for specific cell chemistries, although newer universal chargers have a sensor built in that identify the cell type and react appropriately. There are also smart chargers that use a microprocessor to monitor temperature, voltage and state of charge , which is the percentage of power available in comparison to its full capacity. Most automakers have been testing new charging techniques for years.

Some taxi companies are already testing hybrid electric auto technologies. Moreover, automakers are making huge advancements as they study new ways to power vehicles using hybrid techniques. Electric cars are coming and we could soon see some of the new technology starting next year.