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Why electric? We believe that electric is the future of transportation and in fact,
past due in respect to the present state of art. In 1880 we converted from gas / kerosene lighting to electric
lighting. In 2009 we are still driving gas cars.
Electric vehicle technology is
not really new, difficult or something waiting to be developed (although it is rapidly improving). It is
simply waiting for the momentum of public opinion to shift towards accepting something different. This
does not mean compromising or sacrificing performance, convenience, economy or safety. Electric vehicles
simply offer a different way.
Performance? It is clear that electric vehicle
technology opens the door to the next generation of performance. There are a handful of electric vehicle enthusiasts
throughout the country that design and build high performance electric “muscle” cars in their garage at their
home. They even build their own electronics and motors. These enthusiasts’ electric cars are outperforming world-class
gas powered super cars. A few examples include: Bill Dube’s KillaCycle. The KillaCycle is an electric motorcycle that does a standing quarter mile in 7.89 seconds at 174 MPH.
This home built electric motorcycle is pushing the record held by a nitrous oxide drag bike. John Wayland’s White Zombie, a 1972 Datsun 1200 “door banger grocery getter” out runs Vipers,
Ferraris and Corvettes at 11.4 seconds in the quarter mile. Roderick
Wilde’s Maniac Mazda runs an 11.04 second quarter mile, and many, many more. Keep in mind these are all home grown projects by individuals. Another interesting difference between gas and electric drive is that the larger and more powerful an
electric drive motor is, the more efficient it is. This is in contrast to high power gas engines that have poor fuel
economy compared to small, low power engines in economy cars. As an illustration, an electric vehicle that scorches
the asphalt with over 400 horsepower is more energy efficient than a Toyota Prius.
Convenience? We humans are creatures of habit. Anything different
from our established habits is generally viewed negatively. For example: one primary “negative”
opinion regarding electric vehicles is range. Conventional gas powered cars need more range than an electric
car because the availability of its fuel is restricted. Since we are familiar with that, we don’t
think of it as a restriction. Electricity, on the other hand, is not restricted. It
is available everywhere. Essentially every building has electricity. Everyone’s
house, work place, grocery store, etcetera has electricity. All the electric car needs is an outlet to
access the electricity that is already there. After driving an electric car for a while one can fully realize
the restriction and inconvenience of having to stop at a gas station.
Electric cars generally have
less range per fill-up than a gas car, however, since electricity is available everywhere you go, it can be full each time
you get in to go somewhere. When you can top off you car at every stop, the range is not an issue.
It only takes me 14 seconds to get out of the car, get the charging cord and plug it in. The rest
takes care of itself. In this form, an electric car is a commuter or auxiliary vehicle.
Much like a microwave oven is an auxiliary to a conventional oven. The microwave won't do everything a conventional
oven will do, but since we have become familiar with its convenience, it is hard to find a household without one. However,
the limited range of electric cars is rapidly becoming history. Battery technology, that provides long
range between charges, has been developed and is becoming available. There are now several manufactures producing very
high capacity battery technology. One example is Altairnano. These batteries are employed in the Phoenix Motor Cars½ ton pickup truck and full size SUV. These vehicles carry five passengers
plus a full load of cargo, at highway speeds, up to 95 MPH, for over 130 miles and can recharge in ten minutes. The
lifespan of these batteries exceed 20 years and 250,000 miles. Performance? Altairnano batteries are also used
in the Current Eliminator dragster. Another example is A123 systems. These batteries are used in the KillaCycle, a super high power drag bike. We certainly are not waiting for technology.
Environment? A common concern of battery electric vehicles consuming energy from
the electric grid is that it will increase the pollution output from power plants. That may be true; however, the total
pollution produced is far less than the equivalent use of gasoline. It
takes a lot of energy to refine oil into the many distillates including gasoline. The sources of energy to power oil
refineries include natural gas, still gas, Petroleum Coke, LPG and, yes, even electricity. Each of these produces pollution
(with the possible exception of electricity). Sources of pollution for a
gasoline vehicle include the oil refinery, the electric power plant to power the refinery, and finally the car that burns
the gasoline. With an electric car, the only pollution is from the electric power plant - except, electricity can be
generated without pollution including hydro, wind, solar, wave, geo-thermal, etc. Gasoline, however, cannot be produced
or used without pollution. Another concern is pollution resulting from battery replacement.
That concern can also be laid to rest simply because all types of electric vehicle batteries are 100% recyclable. |
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