The Bridge to an Electric Future

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There is little argument that electricity plays a pivotal role in the future of transportation. The electric vehicle is not a new concept. Over 100 years ago Thomas Edison experimented with the electric car, which made use of his newly, developed nickel-iron battery. Edison would charge his electric vehicles at night so he could drive during the day (Roman, 2011). In 1915 Henry Ford and Thomas Edison abandoned development of the electric automobile (Orr, 1967). The project was abandoned because the technology did not exist to make an electric car that could parallel their gasoline-powered cousins. To be practical an electric vehicle will need to compact or full sized with a 250-mile range. This will meet the needs of most American families (Orr, 1967). Although we are on the cusp of technological feasibility, the practical electric vehicle will require development of standards, technologies and infrastructure to support them. A less drastic near term move can be made. Practical electric cars are out of reach due to the limitations of current technology, one solution would be to use alternative fuel engines until technology catches up.

“The American consumer is wedded to his automobile in its present form as he is to no other product” (Orr, 1967, p. 51). Citizens in every country around the world depend vehicles to provide essentials and luxuries in a carefully choreographed, just in time, economic infrastructure that is powered by one thing, petroleum. Currently, consumers can refuel their gasoline vehicles in a matter of minutes and drive anywhere they want for as long as they want with little concern about their next fuel stop. In 2009, transportation accounted for 72% of U.S. petroleum consumption meeting 94% of transportatio...

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Mazratti, M., & Shelbi, H. (2011). Impact of alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles on demand in the United States up to 2030. OPEC Energy Review, 35(1) , 70-89. doi:10.1111/j.1753-0237.2010.00184.x

Orr, L. D. (1967). The electric car: Economics and technology. Business Horizons, 10(2), 47-56. doi:Retrieved from

Roman, H. T. (2011). The electric cars challenge. Technology and Engineering Teacher, 71(1), 22-24. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db= eric&AN=EJ941851&site=ehost-live

United States Department of Energy. (2012). Ethanol. Retrieved from http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/ethanol.shtml

United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2002). Clean alternative fuels: Electric vehicles. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer/fuels/altfuels/420f00034.pdf

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