Causecast

by AARON HORWITZ, Contributing Writer

1. A true electric vehicle is one that is able to run off an internal battery and thus does not rely on traditional gasoline. While these vehicles do need to be recharged much more frequently than a gas-powered vehicle needs to be fueled, emissions are far lower (in fact, non-existent) and the price of recharging costs far less than the price of refueling.

2. The technology and research required to develop a successful full-electric vehicle and to produce its battery have historically been far more difficult to develop and more expensive to produce than gas-powered vehicles, a possible reason for their lack of success thus far.

3. A hybrid vehicle is one that uses two distinct power sources, usually an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. Unlike true electric vehicles, most hybrids require gasoline as their primary fuel source. The electric component of their engine allows for greater gas mileage and far lower emissions than a purely gas-powered vehicle.

4. Hybrids most commonly run (silently in fact) off an electric battery until they reach a speed of about 15 miles per hour, at which point the gas engine (and the noise) kicks in. This is one factor that accounts for their superior gas mileage over strictly gas-fueled engines. Unlike electric vehicles, hybrids never need to be plugged in; their battery recharges itself while the vehicle is in use.

5. The first mass-produced electric vehicle in the United States was GM’s EV1, officially put on the market in California and Arizona on December 5th, 1996. The no-emissions EV-1 was capable of 75 miles on a single charge with the massive stock 1,100 lbs battery. The vehicle, which GM promised would pave the way for a future of electric vehicles, proved to be short-lived, as GM officially terminated the lease-only vehicles in 2003, ordering them all to be destroyed.

6. The reasons for the demise of the EV1 have been widely debated by industry analysts and conspiracy theorists alike, resulting in the creation of an award-winning but controversial 2006 documentary on the subject, Who Killed the Electric Car?

7. The failure of the EV1 experiment put a damper on the immediate future of electric vehicles, but the window it opened, coupled with rising gas prices, paved the way for the uprising and eventual success of the hybrid vehicle, led far and away by the Toyota Prius.

8. The Prius first premiered in Japan in 1997, and was eventually released worldwide in 2001. In 2007, it sold 180,000 units, and in early 2008, eclipsed the Ford Explorer by selling 20,000 units in just a month’s time. The United States EPA recognizes it as America’s most fuel efficient vehicle, and classifies it under SULEV, or Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle. Since its creation and massive success, nearly every major auto manufacturer has gotten into the hybrid market, converting many of their current automobiles and SUVs into hybrid models.

9. With the increasing success of the Hybrid and the ever-rising costs of gas prices, major auto manufacturers are hard at work to develop the first widely manufactured electric vehicles. The Chevy Volt looks to be the first on the market. The Volt will still have a gasoline component, though that’s more of an option than a necessity; the car will be able to drive up to 40 miles without using a drop, and then can be recharged again. Nissan’s upcoming, fully-electric Leaf, however, looks to best even that.

10. Carbon emissions from cars and trucks account for almost a fourth of the United States’ annual greenhouse gas emissions. Cutting down on automobile emissions is an important step to our national, and international, fight against global climate change. In addition to the environmental benefits of owning a hybrid or electric vehicle, and the obvious savings on gas expenses, the government also offers tax incentives to owners. So, what are ya waitin’ for?

Photo by Argonne National Laboratory, flickr.