What is an Electric Vehicle?
An electric car is
an automobile that is propelled by one or more electric motors,
using electrical energy stored in rechargeable batteries or another energy
storage device. Electric motors give electric cars instant
torque, creating strong and smooth acceleration.
How does An Electric
Vehicle works?
The electric vehicle
power source is the battery which acts as a "gas tank" and supplies
the electric motor with the energy necessary to move the vehicle. This
gives the car acceleration. When the vehicle is idle there is no electrical
current being processed, so energy is not being used up. The controller acts as
a regulator, and controls the amount of power received from the batteries so
the motor does not burn out. This battery powers all of the electronic
devices in the car, just like the battery in a gas-powered car. Everything else
in the electric car is basically the same as its gas-powered equivalent:
transmission, brakes, air conditioning, and airbags. Since electric
vehicles use an electric motor, the driver can take advantage of the motor's momentum
when pressure is applied on the brakes. Instead of converting all the
potential energy in the motor into heat like a fossil fuel-powered car does, an
electric car uses the forward momentum of the motor to recharge the battery.
This process is called regenerative braking.
What are the advantages
of having an electric vehicle?
There are many
environmental benefits and personal benefits for having an electric car:
- Most electric motors can travel
up to 150 – 180 km before they need to be charged
- No tail pipe exhaust means no
greenhouse gases such as CO2, NOx and PM10s
- No oil consumption means less
reliance on fuel
- Cars can be recharged whenever
is convenient to the user
- More cost-effective than
regular cars because of long-lasting battery use
- Cheaper to maintain because
they have fewer moving parts
- Creates less noise pollution
because the engine is silent
Types of electric
vehicles
There are three main
types of electric vehicles (EVs), classed by the degree that electricity is
used as their energy source.
· Hybrid
Electric Vehicles (HEVs)
HEVs are powered by both
petrol and electricity. The electric energy is generated by the car’s own
braking system to recharge the battery. This is called ‘regenerative braking’,
a process where the electric motor helps to slow the vehicle and uses some of the
energy normally converted to heat by the brakes.
HEVs start off using the
electric motor, then the petrol engine cuts in as load or speed rises. The two
motors are controlled by an internal computer which ensures the best economy
for the driving conditions. The Honda Civic Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid
are both examples of HEVs.
· Plug-in
Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs)
Also known as
Extended-Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs), this type of EV is powered by both
petrol and electricity.
Plug-in hybrid electric
vehicles (PHEVs) offer a choice of fuels. PHEVs have both an internal
combustion engine and electric motor. These vehicles are powered by an
alternative fuel or a conventional fuel, such as gasoline (petrol), and a
battery, which is charged up with electricity by plugging into an
electrical outlet or charging station.
· Battery
Electric Vehicles (BEVs)
BEVs are fully electric
vehicles, meaning they are only powered by electricity and do not have a petrol
engine, fuel tank or exhaust pipe.
BEVs are also known
as ‘plug-in’ EVs as they use an external electrical charging outlet to charge
the battery. BEVs can also recharge their batteries through regenerative
braking.
Charging your electric
vehicle
It’s best to fully
charge your electric vehicle (EV) before you leave home, especially if the trip
you are taking is close to the EV’s range. For longer trips, you will need
to plan where you will be able to recharge.
Charging at home or
work
Charging at home or work
is possible via a standard electrical power point (240 volt AC / 15 amp
electricity supply). The rate of charge will depend on the EV’s on-board
charger – 2.5 kilowatts (kW) to 7 kW is usual. So at 2.5 kW, a Nissan Leaf will
be fully charged overnight.
Dedicated EV charging
units are another option for home. Check with the car manufacturer
for the specific charging options available.
EVs can be charged on
economy electricity tariffs like T31 and T33, so you can save money if you
switch to an economy tariff for off peak charging overnight. To be on the
economy tariffs, you must have a hard-wired dedicated EV charging point, a
standard electrical power point isn't permitted.
Charging at public
charging outlets
Publicly accessible
‘fast charger’ or ‘super charger’ outlets provide power to the
battery at a faster rate. The rate of charge is usually from 25 kW to 135 kW
and can recharge an EV battery in around 30 minutes.
How much does a recharge
cost?
The cost depends on where
you live and the capacity of the EV’s batteries. For example, the average
price for electricity per kilowatt hour (kWh) in Australia is about $0.25 and
it takes around 18 kWh to travel 100km in an average EV. So, it will cost
approximately $4.50 in electricity charges to travel 100km.
Battery life expectancy
Batteries wear out and a
replacement battery will eventually be needed. Most car manufacturers guarantee
their batteries for around 8 years. Nissan guarantee their batteries against
defects for 8 years or 160,000km and capacity loss for 5 years or 96,500km
(whichever occurs earlier).
Electric Vehicle
Manufacturers in World
- Volkswagen
- Tesla
- Chevrolet
- Nissan Leaf
- BMW
- Ford
- Toyota
Electric Vehicle
Manufacturers in India
India’s plans
An aggressive plan
called the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020 was unveiled in
2015. It aims to have 6-7 million (60-70 lakh!) electric vehicles on the road
by 2020 of which a lion’s share will be two-wheelers. Three years are left to
achieve this task! How many electric car makers are there in India?
NEW DELHI: The
government is working on a scheme to provide electric cars on zero down payment for which
people can pay out of their savings on expensive fossil fuels, for becoming 100 per cent electric
vehicle nation by 2030. "India can become the first country of its size
which will run 100 per cent of electric vehicles. We are trying to make this
programme selffinancing.
"We don't need one rupee support from the government. We don't need one rupee investment from the people of India," Power Minister Piyush Goyal said at an event organised by CII Young India here. (ET - Mar 26, 2016)
"We don't need one rupee support from the government. We don't need one rupee investment from the people of India," Power Minister Piyush Goyal said at an event organised by CII Young India here. (ET - Mar 26, 2016)
** All data are gathered form trusted
source/websites.
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