Information About Electric Cars – Their Safety and Popularity

Tristan Perry asked: An electric car is a vehicle which uses electrical motors and motor controllers to power itself, instead of internal combustion engines that more typical petrol/diesel-powered cars use. Electric cars need to be re-charged roughly ever 150-250 miles, however this is their maximum life. They can be re-charged at home (using special devices) or at electric-car charging stations which are being deployed across the country (San Jose, Calif was the first to test the stations). Whilst their popularity has varied over time, they have recently (since about the mid 1990s) started gaining in popularity again. In April 2009, the United Kingdom Government announced plans to provide a subsidy of up to ?5,000 to people who buy electric or hybrid cars. Electric cars need to be re-charged periodically, as mentioned above. Re-charge times vary depending on the amount of power the socket provides, however a re-charge center can re-charge an electric car battery in anything up to an hour (some batteries can be re-charged in much less time, however). They don’t emit any carbon dioxide, which means that such cars are used favourably by environmentally-friendly consumers. Of course, electricity is currently primarily generated by burning fossil fuels – which does release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Hence the use of an electric car would indirectly release carbon dioxide, although it goes without saying that an electric car is better for the environment than a standard car. Many electric cars use regenerative braking – this process means that the significant portion of energy used when a car accelerates can be gained back when the car breaks. This helps to increase the overall efficiency of the vehicle. Electric Car Safety Electric cars are relatively safe since many have the standard safety features (side impact bars, front and rear crumple zones, safety glass etc), and also they are relatively heavy (compared to standard cars), and it’s been proven that heavier cars tend to see lesser injuries occur to its passengers compared to lighter cars in the event of a crash. Of course, this is on average – safety also comes down to the manufacturer and the safety features they install. But there’s no specific reason why electric cars are less safe than standard cars. Additionally, electric cars have multiple safety layers built in to mitigate any potential possibility of getting a shock from the electric car’s battery. More specifically, the battery pack is known as a “floating system” since it’s kept electrically separate from the car’s chassis. Some other components may simply not function if they detect even a slight fault in the electricity going to the chassis. As with any electrical system, electric cars have numerous circuit breakers, fuses, mains contractors etc. Due to the aforementioned safety layers, it is perfectly safe to use electric cars in the rain. Remember that an electrical car is, on average, heavier than standard cars. This does mean that there will be a slightly adjustment needed when handling the vehicle (for example, just as it would if you put heavy items in the boot/trunk of a standard car). Power steering and power brakes are recommended features to look out for when purchasing an electric car. One problem with the external safety of electric cars is that they are relatively quiet, and in speeds of 20 mph (32 kph) or lower they are especially hard to hear. This will pose a threat particularly to visually-impaired pedestrians who may not be able to hear the vehicle coming. To combat this, the United States Congress and European Union Commission are looking at introducing legislation to ensure that electric cars emit a minimum level of sound. Popularity Of Electric Cars Currently electric cars are seen as quite different, and aren’t very popular (albeit they are growing in popularity). However this hasn’t always been the case. In the early 20th century (1900-1920), electric cars were more popular than standard gasoline-powered cars. However their popularity rapidly diminished from the 1920s to the 1980s, as oil (and so petrol/diesel) prices become relatively cheap. However since the 1980s, oil has started becoming relatively more expensive again, and eco-friendly attitudes have risen. As such electric car popularity is rising again. In an LA car show in 1990, the President of General Motors unveiled the “Impact” electric car – this was a forerunner to the hallmark EV1 electric car. Many car makers started producing various electric car models throughout the 90s, mostly prompted by the California Air Resources Board pledging to push for more fuel efficient vehicles. According to the American Electric Drive Transportation Association, in 2006 there were about 70,000 electric cars in use in America, up from the estimated 56,000 cars just two years before – an increase of 25%. Overall numbers of such cars used are still very low compared to usage figures of gasoline-powered cars, however their usage numbers are rising and the trend towards more eco-friendly views can only benefit electric car usage. Read more on Information About Electric Cars – Their Safety and Popularity…

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Information About Electric Cars Their Safety and Popularity

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Hybrid Cars?

Found a good video today that talks about what the pros and cons of hybrid cars are and gives some good advice. Check it out and then comment below with your thoughts on hybrid cars . Read more on What Are The Pros And Cons Of Hybrid Cars?…

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What Are The Pros And Cons Of Hybrid Cars?

Cheapest Green Car – Honda Fit Hybrid

In tune with its focus on continuing with combining hybrid attempts and smaller size, Honda is offering another hybrid – the smallest and cheapest. This fall, Honda’s Fit will be on sale in Japan priced at 1.6 million yen hoping to become an instant hit. Honda will be launching the cute little car in Posted in: Economy , Hybrid Cars , Transportation

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Cheapest Green Car Honda Fit Hybrid

Kelley Blue Book’s top ten green cars for 2010

The Kelley Blue Book has just come out with their listing of the Top Ten Green Cars for 2010. You can read the full description of these cars right at the Kelley Blue Book site . The list is not just based on fuel mileage – they include many other factors in their ratings. “While it Related posts: Green claims for hybrid cars fail to add up, says Which? survey Lots of green at the upcoming 2010 Detroit Auto Show The New York Times road tests the next generation 2010 Prius

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Kelley Blue Books top ten green cars for 2010

Tax Credit End Hurts Iowa Biodiesel Industry

kccitv asked: Tax Credit End Hurts Iowa Biodiesel Industry Water 4 Gas Energy Tags: hybrid cars , biodiesel

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Tax Credit End Hurts Iowa Biodiesel Industry

Biodiesel no Jornal Nacional

biodieselbr asked: www.biodieselbr.com O JN fala sobre o biodiesel e as oportunidades criadas por este biocombustvel. Parte de uma srie de reportagens sobre energia alternativa, por Jlio Mosqura. Solar power Energy Tags: hybrid cars , wind power

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Biodiesel no Jornal Nacional

Amazing Lecture Series On Energy Of The Future

I got turned onto this great resource for lectures all about the future of energy. I have clipped a few out of the list of 100 Amazing Lectures for you to check out. But you should also go over here to see the rest of the list. There is some great stuff in there. Read more on Amazing Lecture Series On Energy Of The Future… Energy Tags: hybrid cars , solar power

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Amazing Lecture Series On Energy Of The Future

Range Rover Sport Hybrid by 2012

In close association with sister company Jaguar, Land Rover has been working a hybrid system to improve the brands eco-conscious image. Land Rover has recently declared that they are going for a new Range Rover Sports Hybrid. They are taking care of the carbon emissions. According to them this car will emit just 100g/km Posted in: Hybrid Cars , Industry , Transportation

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Range Rover Sport Hybrid by 2012

FedEx Establishes First All-Hybrid Facility in NYC

Now the prestigious and successful business units are competing to become green in their operations. FedEx Express which is a subsidiary of FedEx Corporation expressed its commitment to purchase 51 extra gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles from Azure Dynamics Corporation. Scott Harrison, CEO of Azure Dynamics says, “We applaud FedEx for its continuous effort to Posted in: Hybrid Cars , Industry , Transportation

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FedEx Establishes First All-Hybrid Facility in NYC

Modified Hybrids to be Tested

CSIRO is an Australian research organization. CSIRO is working in collaboration with Victorian energy distributor SP AusNet. They both are aiming to evaluate the impact and benefits of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles on the electricity network. They are also trying to figure out how this low emission transport option could be incorporated into our Posted in: Batteries , Hybrid Cars , Transportation

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Modified Hybrids to be Tested

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