Electric Cars (Essay Sample)

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Electric Cars
Introduction
Humans are mobile beings by nature. In the ancient days, humans invented the wheel to aid them in movement. Carts and wagons were majorly used for transportation between cities and towns (Deal 10). The need for ease in movement instigated the invention of vehicles. The first electric vehicle was invented by Robert Anderson in Scotland (Deal 5). In the 1890s, this invention reached the United States, and electric cars flourished more than other fuel-dependent cars (Deal 5). Many people preferred electric cars since they were quiet, smooth and could be charged from home. On the contrary, gasoline cars required cranking and produced exhaust (Gresham and Phillips). In the 1920s, there was a decline in the demand for and production of electric cars due to a reduction in gasoline prices and an increased demand for long-range movement (Gresham and Phillips). The death of electric cars was experienced later between the 1930s and the 1960s with the exception of 1936 Wilson Electric, 1947 Nissan Tama Electric, 1959 Henry Kilowatt and British Electric Milk Float (Gresham and Phillips).
Later, in the 1970s, the oil crisis emerged, and this led to the comeback of electric cars (Gresham and Phillips). In 1979, General Motors (GM) decided to capitalize on this situation and spent twenty million dollars on research and development of electric cars (Gresham and Phillips). Later, in the 1990s, the state of California passed the 1990 Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) Act giving a boost to the sale of electric cars (Kliesch 58). However, ten years later, electric cars were out of demand again. The low demand for the electric vehicles was due to their limited range i.e. 70-120 miles per charge (Plug In India). As a result, manufacturers like GM lost interest and literally crushed their electric cars and stopped their production. This trend continued in the early 2000s as well. After several years, in 2006, electric cars were again in demand (Kliesch 58). Increased greenhouse effect from CO2 produced by the gasoline cars and the energy crisis leaves electric cars as the future cars that would ensure clean environment.
Basic Working of Electric Cars
Electric cars comprise several different technologies. However, the underlying basic technology is similar in all EVs. An Electric car has three basic components i.e. energy storage unit, control unit and propulsion unit (Plug In India). The energy storage unit can be in different forms regardless of its stored power. A chemical battery is the most common, but there are other forms of power that can be used as well (Plug In India). For instance, the hydrogen fuel cell in which hydrogen is converted to electricity and water is an alternative power source. Power flows from the battery to the controller which acts as a gateway to the electric motor that propels the car. The controller has several roles. It modulates the power, keeps it even and decides how much power should be used (Kliesch). Moreover, it acts as a converter i.e. it converts the power from one form to the other, for instance, from DC to AC in most cases. It is sort of the brain of the whole system. The electric motor then takes the electric power and converts it into a physical energy or movement hence the wheel of a car is propelled (Plug In India).
Benefits of Electric Cars
Electric cars are cleaner than the conventional cars. Therefore, these cars contribute to cutting down of the transportation sector’s greenhouse gas emission (Kliesch 64). This is achievable since electric cars do not consume gasoline thus do not emit the byproducts of gasoline such as CO2, which is a major pollutant. Carbon footprint is lessened in the atmosphere thus reducing the greenhouse effect (Deal 8).
Electric cars are a better option to drivers concerned with energy security and also offer the convenience of being able to be recharged at home (Kliesch 59). As electric cars do not need petroleum, they help save ener...