The electric car has been around since the 1830s, eventually transitioning to a practical transportation choice in the late 1800s after improvements in the storage capacity of batteries. The electric car was at the peak of its popularity in the early 1990s. However, its popularity was short-lived; by 1935 the electric car had become a rarity, being replaced by the gas-powered vehicles. Reasons for the change being that the electric car could not travel long distances without recharging due to the limited storage capacities of batteries, it was faster to fuel a gas car than recharge an electric car, and finally, the mass production of the gas car lowered its price significantly compared to the electric car. Present day, the conventional gas powered vehicle is still preferred over electric cars, but advances in hydrogen fuel cell technology are making the option of owning a hydrogen fuel cell powered car more of a possibility as well as highlighting the benefits of other electric cars. In the following paragraphs the operation of the Ballard fuel cell is explained, the challenges with implementing a fuel cell system is discussed and lastly, the possible social and environmental effects of electric cars are explored. The fuel cell manufactured by Ballard Power Systems is fuel cell that requires hydrogen and oxygen to create electricity. The fuel cell itself consists of two flow field plates, and two thin sheets of catalysts with a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane or Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) in between (see Figure 1). The hydrogen is fed in through one plate and oxygen collected from the air in another – on either side of the membrane. Of the two electrodes on is the anode and the other is the cathode. The hydrogen reaches the ano... ... middle of paper ... ...ehicles.htm Bellis, M. History of Electric Vehicles: Decline and Rise of Electric Cars from 1930 to 1990. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2012, from http://inventors.about.com/od/estartinventions/a/Electric-Vehicles.htm (2008, March 6). Ballard Fuel Cell Technology. Retrieved March 31, 2012, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sncuy89bjCc How Fuel Cells Work. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2012, from http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/fcv_pem.shtml Challenges. (n.d.) Retrieved March 31, 2012, from http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/fcv_challenges.shtml Lombardi, C. (2011, April 27). Study: Electric cars, hybrids too expensive for most. Retrieved April 1, 2012, from http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20057942-54.html How A Fuel Cell Works. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2012, from http://www.ballard.com/about-ballard/fuel-cell-education-resources/how-a-fuel-cell-works.aspx
The 1996 documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? explores the factors behind the demise of General Motors’ EV1, the popular and elusive electric car of the early 1990’s. The EVI was popular with the public, and it was clean, fast and efficient. This video sets out to solve what is effectively a murder mystery – the plug was pulled on the EV1 in 2002 after only 1,000 of these cars had been produced by GM, most of which were subsequently destroyed by the company in a secret location in the Arizona desert.
Electric cars have dated as far back as 1880, with the first model being mass produced in the later 1880’s. At early stages of automobiles, there were no clear benefits from either type of engine. In fact, a majority of cars in use at the time were electric. Steam and combustion engines were less developed and not as popular. Before the 1900’s an electric car held the land speed record for motor vehicles. (Bellis, 2014) As roads were built and the range that vehicles would need to travel increased, the need for a longer lasting vehicle rose. This is why at the turn of the century the popularity of gasoline powered engines arose. Electric vehicles were still valued for their short term transportation (within cities) and relatively easy use, but they began to lose prevalence as developments into combustion rose. Production for electric cars peaked in 1912 (Bellis, 2014) and saw a drastic decline since
the beginning of the twentieth century. Moreover, it explains the differences between hybrid cars and standard cars. Also, it mentioned some
Fuel Cells” the author states, “ Sir William Grove discovered that it may be possible to generate electricity by reversing the electrolysis of water.” But it wasn’t until 1889 when two researchers looked further into Sir William Grove’s studies. In the article “History of Fuel Cells” the author says, “Charles Langer and Ludwig Mond, coined the term ‘fuel cell’ as they were trying to engineer the first practical fuel cell using air and coal gas.” After Langer and Mond’s discovery Frances Bacon developed what was close to being the first fuel cell in 1959. In the article “History of Fuel Cells” the author declares, “It was not until 1959 that Bacon and company first demonstrated a practical five-kilowatt fuel cell system.” In the late 1950’s NASA began experimenting with fuel cells by using them for compact electricity generators. Fuel cells have now supplied electricity for many space missions. In the article “History of Fuel Cells” the author states, “In more recent decades, a number of manufacturers - including major auto makers - and various federal agencies have supported ongoing research into the development of fuel cell technology for use in fuel cell vehicles (FCV) and other applications. Fuel cell energy is now expected to replace traditional power sources in coming years - from micro fuel cells to be used in cell phones to high-powered fuel cells for stock car racing.”
of Britain. The main type of hydrogen fuel cell is the Polymer Electrolyte Membrane, or Proton
The beginning of hybrid cars goes back to the 20th century. The Paris Exposition of 1900 included the Lohner-Porsche Elektromobil which is the first ever hybrid car. The inventor of the Lohner-Porsche Elektromobil was a 23 year old engineer named Ferdinand Porsche. Porsche is known today for his Volkswagen cars and for the famous sport cars designed by his son. He created a vehicle that could travel 38 miles on electricity alone. Porsche partnered with Jacob Lohner who wanted to develop motorcars that had incorporated coaches. The gas-powered cars at that time were very noisy and difficult to start. Porsche created battery-powered electric motors and put them in the front-wheel hubs to produce a front-wheel drive car. He also added an internal combustion gasoline engine so the batteries in the car could be charged. Sadly, the Lohner-Porsche could only reach up to 35 miles an hour. The idea of hybrid cars decreased during the years of growth in the modern automobile industry. This period brought a national highway system in the United States and gasoline was inexpensive. The concerns with auto emissions brought back the idea of hybrid cars. C. Russell Feldman, one of the founders of Motorola, decided to explore the possibilities of hybrid cars again. He contacted an electrical engineer named Victor Wouk to see if a hybrid car could work in society. Wouk found out that the batteries in the hybrid cars did not have the energy to produce a lot of speed and range. In the 1960’s, Wouk combined the low-emissions benefit of an electric car with the power and range of a gasoline engine to create a hybrid car. To make his hybrid car ideas real, Victor Wouk and his partner Charles Rosen formed the company called the Petro-E...
Four decades ago gas was on the double digits. Well now you don't have to worry about buying gas , With an electrical vehicle. The first electric car was operated in the 80s. Electrical car were popular in the late 19th century and the early 20th century, until advances in the internal combustion engine technology mass production was cheaper, Than gasoline vehicles led to the decline in the use of electric drive vehicles, The energy crisis of the 1970s and 1980s a short-lived interested in electric cars, although these cars did not reach the mass marketing stage, as in the case of 21 century. Electrical vehicle are the best vehicles on the market because they are the most reliable vehicle out their, One of the reason why is the most reliable is because they give more mileage than a regular gas power vehicle would give. Another reason why electric vehicle is because they are easier to maintain, The reason why they are easier to maintain is because they don't require as much thing as a gas power vehicle does. Last but not least the last reason why electric vehicles are the best on the market is because they are environmentally sound, The reason why they help the environment is because they help eliminate carbon dioxide produce by gas power vehicles which makes it harder for the sun radiation to come out. Electrical vehicles are the best on the market , their reliability , The maintenance free capability and being able to go green, Makes the electrical a paramount in human society. What actually makes the reliability of an electric car is the cheaper because of the fewer less parts its has , Another thing is that their cheapness on maintenance is incredible because when you take it to a mechanic you will not be end up paying a bunch...
Starting in the late 1700’s, European engineers began messing with motor powered vehicles. By the mid 1800’s, steam, combustion, and electrical motors had all been attempted. By the 1900’s it wasn’t very clear on which type of engine would really power the automobile. At that time, electric cars were the most popular but there were no batteries at that time that would allow a car to move very fast or a long distance. Commercial production in the United States began at the beginning of the 1900’s. In the early 1900’s, the United States had about two thousand firms producing one or more cars.
An increase of carbon pollution around the world has called for better options for the future of motoring. The two types of motoring options which have been developed are the hydrogen fuel cell and electric battery vehicles. Both of which provide pros and cons within the system, on the environment and cost wise.
The future American commuter will undoubtedly have to transition from the use of fossil fuels to new alternatives due to the diminishing availability of the nation’s oil resources. How will America respond to this upcoming issue? It is difficult to predict which alternative fuel source America will ultimately choose, but with the premier of Nissan’s electric powered Leaf and other companies; such as Tesla Motors and Chevy, with their electric cars ready for market, the electric car may be winning the race to become the new standard for the gasoline alternative. Electric cars resolve long standing environmental issues, but it will need to maneuver around many roadblocks to become a marketable consideration for the general public. The cost of electric cars, currently on the market, makes them an impractical purchase for the average consumer. If cost is not the growing concern in today’s economy which prevents the consumer from considering this option; they may deny the technological advance due to battery storage capabilities and the inadequate infrastructure in place to refuel and provide for them.
Imagine that you’re driving on an open highway in the middle of summer. All you see in front of you is asphalt for miles and miles. The windows are down and your favorite song comes on the radio. You’re behind the wheel of a Tesla Model S, the newest electric car that can go from zero to sixty miles per hour in 2.4 seconds. This will soon be the future of all motor vehicles. Electric cars are beginning to have colossal impacts on our society because of their energy efficiency, performance benefits, and the fact that they are less harmful to the environment. In the near future, electric cars will dominate the road and eventually the planet’s overall need for oil will decrease immensely.
Here I must say that in general an electric car is more expensive than a car with combustion engine equivalent.
A man named Stanley A. Meyers was poisoned to death in a restaurant in Grove City, Ohio on March 20th, 1998 (“Stanley Meyer,” n.d.). This shows how dangerous inventing or developing free energy can be. We live in a capitalist country where in some states the government takes sixty cents to the gallon (Kohen, 2012). Some time before his death Stanley Meyer demonstrated in a news report on an Ohio TV Station, that he was successfully able to power his dune buggy using only tap water. He estimated in the report that to travel from Los Angeles to New York it would only take approximately 22 gallons of water (Robinson, n.d). Thus, shouldn’t we develop Stanley Meyer’s technology to fuel our lives? This paper discusses how cars can use hydrogen to create power, how they are eco-friendly, the car companies and the Department of Energy (DOE), the limiting conditions and life of a hydrogen car, and the science behind Stanley Meyer’s dune buggy.
A fuel Cell is an Electrochemical Device which generates electrical power continuously as a gaseous fuel is electrochemically burnt in a continuous manner.
The fuel cell is a form of electrochemical energy conversion device which produce electricity by a chemical response. Each fuel has two electrodes, one is known as anode produce positive charge and the other is known as cathode that produced negative charge. Hydrogen is one kind of fuel cell. Hydrogen reacted with oxygen and produce electricity. After reaction hydrogen cell produce harmful byproduct water. Hydrogen cell has a proton exchange membrane. According to the American history.edu, hydrogen cell enters into the fuel cell as anode from the hydrogen tank. Later it was ionized it carry a plus charge and negative charge produced current that is used for operating the device. Oxygen enters into the cell as cathode from air and pluck up an electron that is coming from hydrogen and combine with hydrogen produce water as a by-product. The fuel cell generates electricity as long as the supply of hydrogen and oxygen.