Electric Cars

The issue of electric car has been arising nowadays. But many of us never really find a true

example of the uses of electric cars in everyday life. From the article "Electrical Engineering",

an Australian built his own electric car from a second hand Porsche. The article proves that

having a private electric cars is no longer a dream. But do all people know the good things and

the bad things about having a private electric car?

Now, what electric vehicles really are? Simply put, electric vehicles are vehicles that are

powered by an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine. Electric vehicle use

electricity as the "fuel" instead of gasoline or some other combustible fuel. The electric motor in

an electric vehicle converts electricity, usually from a battery pack, into mechanical power to

turn the wheels.

Major auto manufacturers are producing high-performance electric vehicles not only in the form

of cars but also in a wide range of styles and sizes, including, mini-vans, sport utility vehicles

and pickup trucks. Electric vehicles today come as small as bicycles and motor scooters and as

big as buses. In Melbourne for example, we are using electric powered trams as public transport.

Many people fancy electric vehicles because they had many advantages compared with

petrol fueled vehicles. The benefits are :

Ð'* Quiet, Clean Driving Experience Ð'­ On a personal level, electric vehicles offer a quiet,

fume-free, smooth driving experience. Since the motor does not operate when the vehicle is at a

stop, an electric vehicle has no "idle" noises. When an electric vehicle is under power, the

sounds are the soft sound of the motor and the tires rolling over the roadway.

Ð'* High Performance Ð'­ First-time electric vehicle drivers are consistently surprised by the quality

of the electric vehicle driving experience. electric vehicles provide fast acceleration by

delivering power instantly to the wheels. By providing high torque at low speeds, they give a feel

of smooth and quick responsiveness. Well-designed electric vehicles, like those produced by

major auto companies, travel at speeds equivalent to conventional vehicles and offer all the same

safety and high-performance features.

Ð'* Lower Operating Costs Ð'­ The per-mile fuel cost of operating an electric vehicle can be less than

one-third that of a gasoline-powered car. The exact amount of savings depends on the local

electricity rate which varies from utility to utility. In addition, electric vehicle owners say

goodbye to many familiar maintenance costsÐ'-no more tune-ups, oil changes or muffler

replacements.

Ð'* No Gas Stations Ð'­ One of the conveniences electric vehicle drivers like the most is that

"refueling" can be done easily and safely at home overnight, at work, or at public locations like

shopping centers, where electric charging units have been installed.

Ð'* Environmentally Friendly Ð'­ Electric vehicles are today's zero-emission vehicles. They have no

tailpipes and emit no pollutants. Instead of gasoline from oil refineries, electric vehicles get their

"fuel" from electric power stations. Although power plants using fossil fuels do have emissions,

power plant emissions generated for electric vehicle use are typically much lower than emissions

from the comparable use of gasoline-powered cars. For power plants using renewable energy

sources like wind, solar and hydropower, no air pollution at all is created.

Ð'* Energy Security Ð'­ Australia and many other developed countries imports more than half the oil

it uses, and the percentage is continuing to rise. electric vehicles help lessen the country's

dependence on imported petroleum and reduce the national security concerns associated with

that growing dependency.

Currently, the drawbacks of the electric vehicles are the cost of buying and operating the

vehicle and also the limited distance capacity of one time charging. Many people afraid that they

will not find a electric socket or station to charge their vehicle when they are travelling far

distances. How