Green Tech: Electric Cars

There is no question that by eliminating the tailpipe, electric cars can help reduce air pollution in major metropolitan areas in the long run.

Green Technology has become the catchall term to describe the collective industry that is attempting to create products and solutions that are more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Electric cars, power efficient products, renewable energy, reduced emissions, environmentally friendly materials, and the list goes on. But like any new technology or industry, there are trials and errors, winners and losers, and even false or shady claims to sell products using the Green Technology hype. This article is the start of a series to explore and understand various technologies, products, and practices that fit in the Green Technology envelope.

There has been much activity and hype around electric cars in the past few years, especially since the mid-2008 spike in gasoline prices. Electric cars appear environmentally friendly, and cost less than half as much to run on a per mile basis, compared to a typical gasoline-burning sedan. But there are practical challenges to owning and operating an electrical car, such as limited driving range and long charging times.

Environmental Appeal
There is no question that by eliminating the tailpipe, electric cars can help reduce air pollution in major metropolitan areas in the long run. But not having a tailpipe doesn’t mean electric cars have zero carbon dioxide (CO2) contribution to the environment. That’s because the electricity used to charge electric cars is in most cases generated using carbon-based energy sources such as natural gas and coal. So, the source of carbon emissions for the car is just being transferred from the tailpipe back to the energy plant. But with all that said, electric cars are still a lot more energy efficient than their gasoline counterparts, mainly because they don’t waste so much energy in form of heat in order to operate. So, there is a clear reduction in carbon emissions for using electric cars.

Economics
Currently, available electric cars have a noticeable price premium, mainly because their key components, such as the battery, are still in early stages of technology and can’t benefit from the economics of mass production. The other expense associated with owning an electric car is the installation of a charging station in your home that costs around $2,000, which most potential buyers overlook. But, the sizable Federal and State refunds (in most states) and the more than fifty percent per mile energy cost savings could still make electric cars attractive for the right people.

Challenges
There are a few challenges with owning an electric car as your main vehicle. First, they have a limited mileage per charge: ninety miles in case of the Nissan Leaf, and forty miles for the Chevy Volt (in electric mode). The total mileage achieved with a charge highly depends on whether the AC or heater is on and the amount of head wind while driving. If your daily commute is anywhere near these distances, then you risk running out of charge before you make it back home. This phenomenon, known as Range Anxiety, is a key factor in determining whether the current generation of electric cars is right for you.
The second challenge is the lack of charging stations other than your own home. Although there are many companies building these stations across the nation, they are not available at common locations just yet. It will take many years before these stations become common at offices, strip malls, and other locations where cars could be charged while not in use. In the meanwhile, relying on a single charge for a full day’s use is the only solution.
Another challenge is the amount of time it takes to fully charge a car’s battery, which runs in the eight-hour range right now. This means that you could only get to a full charge at home overnight.

Real Electric Cars
The car industry is making great strides in bringing electric cars available to consumers, but some manufacturers are using marketing gimmicks to label their cars as electric. The most obvious example is the Chevy Volt, which is not nearly as “electric” as its name would suggest. The Volt has an electric engine that provides about forty miles of driving range, and a gas engine that gives you an additional 250. So it’s basically a gasoline car with a small electric engine added for fun -- not a real electric car by any practical definition. Chevy would’ve bought itself a lot more credibility had it had called the Volt a pluggable hybrid, the same as Toyota is doing with one of its Prius models sold outside the US.

The Bottom Line
So, if all the hype around electric cars is making you think about owning one, make sure the driving range, charging times, and the additional costs don’t leave you with surprises after you’ve signed on the dotted line!