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The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

Written by: fordmaverick
9/30/2008 8:42 AM

Today with the emergence of the electric cars into the automotive industry, many people wonder if they even have a future. Many skeptics point out issues such as powering them up and time that they can be ran before requiring some form of recharge. In reality though, most of it comes down to the comparison of electric cars versus that of the gasoline or diesel powered automobiles and regardless of how you choose to look at it, the fossil fuel guzzling smog belching relics relying on more than a century old technology continue to prevail. The real question is though, does the internal combustion engine prevail because it is much better or simply because the world hates changes.

For more than a century now, the exploits of the automotive industry has led the way to the creation of jobs all in the name of laying vast miles of piping systems to transport fossil fuels. Then you have the fact that using the gasoline station is a simple task that anyone can do. The concept in reality is that it comes down to laziness. The largest majority of the nay-sayers who insist the electric car will not survive, are the same people that only use the fossil fuels because it is a no-brainer to drive up to a fueling station and refuel.

It is important to point out though, that an electric car is far from pollution free and in some cases can even leave behind a rather massive carbon footprint. Keep in mind that all of that electricity being stored up for the drive has to come from somewhere and that place is from the power plants of which a large percentage run on fossil fuels in one way shape or form. The concept is not unlike the steam powered cars from the last century in which although the car itself may be clean burning, it still needs to get the power from somewhere albeit electricity from power plants or steam from boilers.

There is nothing to show that the electric car does not have a future or otherwise there would not be so much money invested into the research and development of electric vehicles. On the other hand though, it is also important to keep in mind that electric cars that get their power from fuels cells are much different. However the biggest issue with hydrogen is the cost of producing it. If the means of creating hydrogen could be done easier and cheaper then it is today, it will be more readily available as well as a great means of energy storage for solar power plants all over the world; allowing them to produce power throughout the night.

There is a very big future ahead for electric cars. However you should keep in mind that this future is most likely with the fuel cell electric cars and not the ones with two tons of batteries sitting under the body. One day the gas guzzling internal combustion engine will be a thing of the past and when that day comes, people will look back and wonder how we could drive something so dangerous and expensive.

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22 comments so far...

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

Show us some pics of your Maverick!

By heywood on   9/30/2008 8:45 AM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

There is always every thing good only about electric cars.
The fossil fuel and sound pollution has to come down now.
More research and people should opt for electric cars.

By antonympg on   10/1/2008 6:41 AM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

I would like to see a solar powered car make an intro. Or something like it. It seems that vehicles that run on anything other than gasoline are so expensive that you have to be upper class to buy them. I'd like to see an economic vehicle that was also eco friendly. There has to be a way to do it too. Thanks for the article!

By mamatito33 on   10/2/2008 8:50 PM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

The carbon footprint of the electric car is a misnomer that is commonly quoted by those who do not keep up with the day to day technological advancement of energy production. just recently I read of a technology that is being tested that will eliminate 100% of the carbon footprint of coal based power plants, the most common source of power production in the world. hydro electric plants have no carbon footprint, and neither do nuclear power plants. Nor will solar or wind plants for that matter.
And I see no complication what so ever in plugging your vehicle in when you get home, or even at the parking lot where you park at work. yes it would take some infrastructure upgrades, but we need that across the board in the USA anyway.
The electric motor is vastly superior in its utilization and conversion of energy compared to any fossil fuel engine and should be a standard option within the next couple of years in my opinion.

By Taki on   10/3/2008 10:19 PM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

even though the electric car is ahead of its time, at this day and age we have no efficient means of not only mass producing them for every person in america, but also that until we find and alternative fuel source, there is no practical and cost effective way to power them.

By crowan on   10/5/2008 9:14 PM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

I must agree with Taki on. While it *may* be true that burning fossil fuels increases the carbon footprint on the environment, it does not mean that is our only option for energy production. If we can stop and be creative in our efforts, there are lots of way to produce electricity that are completely clean.

The internal combustion engine severely limits our options while the electric powered vehicle increases our options.

We need to do several things to really make electric power work:

1. create a more efficient electric motor
2. enable and incent engineers to create renewable, clean, efficient energy production methods (more efficient solar arrays, solar furnaces, creative hydro-electic plants, etc.)
3. create a more efficient, longer life, and earth-friendly battery

Doing these things will vastly increase the appeal of the electric vehicle and will also drive other uses of this type of energy consumption for home use and other areas.

The best thing that can happen right now is for gasoline prices to stay high. This will drive innovation toward these new technologies.

By jkilgrow on   10/7/2008 8:32 AM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

Apparently those who think solar, wind and nuclear leave no carbon footprint forget about the massive amount of carbon emissions caused by the manufacturer and transportation of the machinery needed for these technologies, AND the carbon footprint from all the workers and subcontractors who put up the machinery, and maintain and run the machinery. See? EVERYTHING has a carbon footprint.

By Scott on   10/7/2008 9:04 AM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

I'd suggest anyone interested in this topic look into Shai Agassi's "Better Place" concepts. Israel is committing to them, as is Denmark. Deutsche Bank released a report in April of this year which concluded that, if implemented widely, it would mean "the death of the gasoline engine car".

By Joel on   10/7/2008 9:39 AM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

I think that electric cars may be a very useful thing especially in the future. but then it may not work for some people. and this may be more expensive than what we have now. gas prices are increasing but we can't say that it will be easy for us to use this electric cars.

By Maylin on   10/8/2008 3:39 AM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

Many arguments are presented on this subject with the usual list of environmental impact comments. A consideration of environmental impact and owner expense resulting from battery replacement should receive be voiced. Where will the old and no longer serviceable batteries go?
What will be their environmental impact and the ultimate operating cost of these vehicles?

By Stan S. on   10/9/2008 6:21 AM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

I believe that the future holds a lot of things which we can’t really think or even predict right now. We might think that electric cars are the future. It is a possibility that Hybrid cars take the lead, but what if we find a new source of energy. Something so different, that it cannot even be thought of right now. All of us will have to just wait and watch what the future has in store for us all.

By jigyasa on   10/9/2008 11:38 AM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

it's a great thing to see,but when are we going to see it produced in mass?

By solayemi on   10/14/2008 4:06 AM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

An amazing article and even more amazing are the comments here. I did not know much about electric cars other than they have gotten them to go a few hundred miles before needing a recharge. But this article and these comments have definately peaked my interest in know more about it and finding out what some of the other differences including good and bad things are when it comes driving one of these types of cars. I too believe that ther e are many things to come in the future but the question is how near is that future.

By attagirl on   10/14/2008 2:15 PM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

oh wow, you are most deffinatly correct! but your not telling me some just negative things about electic cars without me having to read like alot and it not even giving my info....................??????

By carolyn on   10/29/2008 9:57 PM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

Any way you look at it, there is going to be good and bad points about the alternative methods for making cars run. I often think that if the positive out weighs the negative then it will be ok. I do not know much about electric cars but I do know that they only go so far before needing to be recharged. Are you going to have charging stations instead of gas station and how much will they charge.

By attagirl on   11/10/2008 9:02 PM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

Am sure that it will take another decade to reach the markets. I do not know how far will it be successful. Because we generate electricity from coal and the rest from hydro. But there is a scarcity for both. We are not able to meet the domestic needs itself. So government must take care that enough electricity production is there.

By descorpio on   11/24/2008 1:55 AM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

what does electric mean!!!!??? :-{

By 002yfkd on   11/24/2008 8:03 PM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

lol jk!!!

By 002yfkd on   11/24/2008 8:28 PM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

I've designed a new concept for an engine to produce electricity. This engine would be relatively small (depending on the amount of electricity needed) and be able fit many uses. One would be to incorporate it in an electric vechicle to produce the electricity necessary to recharge the batteries, eliminating the need to plug the car in or use solar panels. This engine turns mechanical energy into electrical energy. Nothing new there, but, it how I do it that makes this new design concept exciting, practical and efficient.
What I need is funding to take this from concept to prototype and obtain all patents that will arrise from the design and new parts that need to be built for this new engine design.

I will monitor the thread for "My thoughts for new technologies for cars). Anyone interested, please post with your contact info and I will respond to you.

By Joseph1 on   11/29/2008 11:34 AM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

yea I agree, that when clarifying and getting people to understand the good and the bad you have to explain what makes the care electric, and you have to list both the good and the bad. I know I have commented before but after re-reading this and then reading some of the comments I was bound to write another comment asking about these things.

By Attagirl on   12/5/2008 10:48 AM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

I ACTUALLY DONT KNO ANYTANG BUT I WANT TO

By ERUYD on   12/8/2008 7:19 PM

Re: The Good and Bad of the Electric Car

why is it that the battery in the electric vehicle gives the car good handling????? please help me!!!!!!!!!!!

By someguy on   12/16/2008 8:04 PM

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