Cars have been an essential tool in society for transportation of people and products, as they take a shorter amount of time or are cheaper compared to other methods of transportation. Although an important tool to society, they have contributed to climate change, a problem that threatens the world. Cars powered by internal combustion engines (referred to as ICE) emit greenhouse gasses, such as CO2, into the atmosphere through the exhaust pipe, contributing to climate change.
The use of crude oil for gas production and oil as an engine lubricant also contribute to the use and depletion of fossil fuels. Advancements in conventional engine technology have helped lower the emissions of newer vehicles and become more fuel-efficient, but many older models are not as efficient and have been on the road for a longer amount of time. Through lack of maintenance, many older cars also become less efficient over time. What was once a growing concern is now a full-blown issue as society tries to combat climate change and reliance on fossil fuels to ensure a future for our planet.
An electric car powered by an electric battery, a concept first thought of in the late 1800s, has been claimed to be the future of personal vehicular transportation going forward in the 21st century as an effort to lessen the number of greenhouse gases emitted from cars. Specifically, battery electric vehicles (BEVs), get their power from a battery that can be recharged by plugging it into a power source rather than an ICE.
These cars are fully electric and have seen an increase in production numbers, manufacturers, and models throughout the past decade as they became more available to consumers. No greenhouse gasses are emitted by a BEV while it is being driven since it is powered by the electrical power source that charges the battery, rather than the conventional engine that uses gasoline for fuel and emits exhaust gasses into the atmosphere when the fuel is combusted in the engine and exits through the exhaust pipe. This is why it is believed that phasing BEVs into the consumer car market would cause a decrease in greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere.
Modern BEVs rely on batteries that are known as lithium-ion batteries to provide energy that moves the car with an electric motor. A lithium-ion battery uses lithium ions as a key component of its system to produce energy. During a discharge cycle, lithium atoms in the anode are ionized and separated from their electrons. The lithium ions move from the anode and pass through the electrolyte until they reach the cathode, where they recombine with their electrons and electrically neutralize. A BEV has to be recharged by plugging in an external power source to a battery instead of putting fuel in a gas tank at a station pump. The recharging of a battery can be done at home if the owner installs a power cord, or at charging stations that are available to the public in designated locations.
Charging points come in various voltages that dictate the recharge time of a BEV. An average BEV takes 8 hours to fully charge the battery from a 7kW charging point, which would give the car a range of 250 miles. Using a 50kW rapid charger for 30 minutes gives a BEV a range of around 100 miles, depending on conditions such as speed and weather. However, the task of recharging a BEV is not as simple as stopping at a gas station to fuel a car. Locating a charging station can also be a different experience since there are a small, but growing, number of locations to recharge a BEV. This is especially the case in rural areas where populations are not as large as in urban areas, so there is no need for a large number of charging stations.
An important thing to note is the difference between battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and hybrid cars. Hybrids are cars that are powered by a hybrid motor and are called hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). These vehicles are powered by an internal combustion engine along with at least one electric motor. The electric motor in an HEV can only be charged by regenerative braking and by the internal combustion engine. Regenerative braking works by running the electric motor in reverse when brakes are applied to slow the vehicle down. While the motor runs in reverse, it stores the kinetic energy as an electric generator would.
In contrast, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are able to charge their electric motors from an external charger that plugs into the car, along with regenerative braking and the internal combustion engine. Models like the Toyota Prius Prime and Jeep Wrangler 4xe are popular examples of PHEVs that have become quite common in America, but every manufacturer offers some model of hybrid vehicles in their lineup. PHEVs and HEVs were originally thought to be the most environmentally friendly cars available on the market in mass, but it turns out that is not always the case, as some hybrid cars weigh more than their ICE counterparts due to the added weight from the electric battery and accessories.
There are benefits and negatives for every type of engine found under the hood of a vehicle. For BEVs, it seems like only the benefits are focused on. It is a popular belief that BEVs are the most environmentally friendly choice for a vehicle since there is no CO2 emitted while driving or fueled by fossil fuels. However, it is important to acknowledge the shortcomings of the engine technology. Currently, these BEVs are not as eco-friendly as believed to be, due to the fact that there are still emissions related to the production of the vehicle, lithium-ion battery, and charging. Nevertheless, there is a high possibility that with proper advancements, BEVs will become the ideal vehicle for consumers and play a large role in the efforts to reduce CO2 emissions as a way to combat climate change.
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