Automobile

Electric Cars Look to Increase Volume

: Image via Wikipedia

Consumers haven’t found much to be unhappy about with electric cars. They can reach the same speeds of their gas-guzzling counterparts. The car’s lithium-ion battery can travel a commuter’s daily average mileage on a single charge–and they are getting better with constant technical advances. You can still get the same great makes and models you love for similar to lower prices due to tax credits, for instance BMW car prices can be cut by nearly $7,500–making them affordable for a wide range of buyers.

However, there is one aspect of electric cars that has been a cause of concern. They’re quiet. While that can be considered a blessing in contrast to the sounds emanating from combustible engines, electric cars can be almost too quiet. Since the internal operations of the vehicles are run on electric pulses they can be devoid of nearly all sound presenting safety issues for pedestrians and others.

Sounding the alarm are advocates for the blind, who potentially would be most affected since they rely on sound to travel around cities, especially when crossing intersections. But all pedestrians can be at risk, since not everyone takes the time to look both ways before crossing.

Electric car makers have teamed up with blind advocates like The National Federation of the Blind to come up with a solution. They have begun outfitting electric cars with sound technology that will alert pedestrians. The sound effects kick in when the car is moving forward or in reverse. Makers are even considering creating sound for when cars are idle too.

Sound is to be generated from a synthesizer under the hood of the vehicle and broadcasted through speakers in the wheel wells. It will cease when the vehicle reaches around 20 mph when the sounds from the tires and wind will be enough to make the car’s presence known. And, passengers will be unable to hear them in the cabin. Challenges will persist, however, as electric car makers must formulate sounds that will alert, but at the same time, not annoy.

Filed Under: Auto Technology and Performance Tagged With: Automobile, Electric car, Electric vehicle, Energy, Lithium-ion battery, Sound effect, Technology, Transportation

To Lease an Electric car, or to buy? That is the Question

: Image by Vattenfall via Flickr

The introduction of electric cars to the automotive market has raised some new questions for car buyers. Electric cars are equipped with the newest technology–most notably, the lithium-ion battery–giving buyers more things to learn about and consider. Currently, the pricing for these zero emission vehicles is a tad different from their carbon dioxide-emitting brethren when you consider the generous tax credits involved. The answer as to whether you should even buy an electric car or not is a no-brainer. Yes, of course. But consumers may have trouble deciding whether to lease or to buy? That is a harder question, and there are pros and cons for both.

If a buyer wants the easiest method to getting an electric car, then leasing is the way to go. It is also the best choice for those buying on a budget. There won’t be a substantial down-payment, and from there only monthly installments. Electric car lessees won’t have to worry about the car’s depreciating value and can be comforted knowing that it will be under warranty. Also, leasing lets the owner acquire a new model every couple years and reaping the benefits of new technology like faster charging batteries and larger driving ranges. On the negative side, leasing an electric car will cost more in the long run with rising finance charges. Plus, the owner will be under contract and will have to give up the car when terminated. Not to mention restrictions such as mileage.

By buying an electric car the owner has significantly more freedom. The car can be tricked out or even repainted with no repercussions. It can be driven all over the country without fear of going over mileage limits. Also, buying an electric car lets the owner drive it for as many years as desired, which gets the most value out of it from savings on gas. Buyers will, however, have to worry about depreciation and face large first and last payments.

Filed Under: Careers in Auto Technology Tagged With: Automobile, Chevrolet Volt, Electric car, Electric vehicle, Energy, Lithium-ion battery, Tax credit, Technology

Increasing Range of Electric Cars Leads to Tire Advancements

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Many technical advancements have been coming out of the design and production of electric cars. From lithium-ion batteries to aerodynamic designs, automakers have put in lots of money and time to ensure electric cars are the most advanced vehicles on the road. The majority of the technology is wrought from bettering the car’s performance potential and in the case of electric cars, the most important performance factor is their driving range on one battery charge.

Not only are car makers concentrating on building a more powerful and energy-efficient battery, they are employing alternative tweaks to increase driving ranges such as using lighter materials. Now attention is being focused on the electric car’s principal relationship to the ground: the tires. Giant tire maker Michelin has already started working to fulfill this need. Its Michelin EV tire is designed specifically for the advent of the electric car. The tire maker estimates an advanced tire design can increase the driving range of an electric car by a respectable 10 percent.

The goal of the Michelin EV design isn’t to make a regular tire–designed for speed and ruggedness for vehicles that run on gas–suitable for electric cars, but instead to meet and exceed the demands of them. It boasts a much wider diameter, but is more narrow than general tires in use today. Each design adjustment has its purpose. The increase in diameter eliminates some of the resistance created from rolling. Meanwhile, its narrower shape will lower the amount of drag caused by each tire. Michelin also believes that these tires will hold up much longer since they will turn much less often, allowing for greater distances to be traveled with less wear. This will also help decrease the amount of tires tossed into landfills, thus making the electric car even more green.

As can be expected, there is a financial reason behind this push as well. Tires are a much cheaper way to increase range over batteries.

Filed Under: Auto Technology and Performance Tagged With: Automobile, Electric car, Electric vehicle, Lithium-ion battery, Michelin, Nissan Leaf, Technology, Tire

Rules to Follow When Charging Your Electric Car

With the release of more lines of electric cars from the American automotive industry, a demand is growing for charging stations across the country. Initially, there will most likely be a limited installation of charging stations in cities to meet that demand until electric car sales increase further. So, before charging stations are located on every street, there are sure to be drivers clamoring to use them at relatively the same time. This make it imperative that the pioneers–first ones on the road–of electric cars to adhere to a few rules of etiquette to make the charging process easier for all.

The first thing all electric car drivers should be conscious of is how far they anticipate driving and if their battery can cover the distance, before they decide to plug into a charging station. Knowing this information beforehand can keep drivers from unnecessarily hogging a station from someone who may need it more. Another thing to be aware of is of what kind of vehicle you are driving: is it a plug-in hybrid or completely electric? While it is admirable for hybrid drivers to not want to tap into their gasoline, it shouldn’t be at the expense of drivers that rely solely on electricity.

Once an electric car has finished charging, it’s polite of the driver to relocate the vehicle to a proper parking spot. Leaving a car at the charging station may guarantee a great parking space, but it is extremely rude to fellow drivers. Newer electric cars are capable of alerting drivers that they’ve finished charging–with a text message, for example.

During and after using a charging station, drivers should consider the safety of others–both fellow electric car drivers and passerby. The extension cord reaching the vehicle from the station should not be obstructing any walkways when in use to prevent pedestrians accidentally tripping over them. Also, when finished, they should be hung up in their proper place.

Filed Under: Auto Safety Technology Tagged With: Automobile, Charging station, Electric car, Electric vehicle, Energy, European Union, Technology, Transportation

Buy an Electric Car with Your Tax Refund

: Image via Wikipedia

Many people today are turning to electric cars. There are many reasons for this. First, it is said that they will save you a lot of money in the long run on gas prices. As gas prices continue going up, this is a very important factor for many people. Not only will an electric car help you save money, it will also help cut down on pollution, which in the long run helps the world. Leaving a little less of a carbon footprint is very important, and deciding on an electric car can help you do that.

Some may be concerned that an electric car can be expensive in its own right, because even though you are not using gasoline, you are still using electricity. It has been shown, though, that charging an electric car uses about the same amount of electricity as a 60 watt light bulb. What this means is that it costs no more on your electricity bill than leaving on a light for a few hours. Or, you could cut that price even further by making sure that the lights that you may normally leave on are off while you are charging the car!

One downside that people have found to the electric car is that it can be somewhat expensive. In fact, buying any new car can be a burden for many people. An optimal time to buy a new car is when you get your tax return back. Use the little bit of extra money that you get to invest in a great new car that can help you help the environment. By putting your tax return toward an electric car, rather than a gasoline powered car, you are showing that you are interested in saving money and going green at the same time.

Filed Under: Auto Technology and Performance Tagged With: Automobile, Carbon footprint, Electric car, Electric vehicle, Energy, Nissan Motors, Technology, Transportation

Eliminating Concerns of Electric car Driving Ranges

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

One of the most common arguments from car buyers for not purchasing an electric car is their concern about the driving ranges possible on a single charge. While it is true that electric cars cannot go as far as cars can go on a tank of gasoline, about 200-250 miles, the majority can reach over 100 miles and meet the daily demands of the average driver. However, this still doesn’t allay the fears for some potential electric car buyers who wonder about traveling greater distances and possibly having to worry about finding a charging location.

Fortunately, there are multiple solutions being tested for conquering and ultimately eliminating these concerns for future electric car owners. One solution is the idea of exchanging batteries. Think of it like a toy car. The used battery pops out, and you put a new one in and start playing all over again. In this scenario, cars can park on an automated platform that will take out the used battery and put in a fully charged replacement. This way drivers will not have to wait for the battery to charge and can just continue on their way.

A second solution is being installed in some newer electric cars already. They are informally called range extenders. Simply, they are gasoline-powered generators that can engage once the car battery has emptied and start running the motor. Obviously, some electric car owners dislike the idea, but it has its undeniable advantage as a very reliable Plan B.

Another solution already in the works, and perfect for drivers on a long journey, are faster charging stations. These fast-charging stations implement much higher voltage than their counterparts, thus decreasing the time it takes to charge; in some cases in as little time as half an hour. Picture these appearing at a rest stop near you.

Ultimately, as car markers look to advance the batteries in their electric cars, the issue of driving range will end.

Filed Under: Auto Technology and Performance Tagged With: Automobile, Charging station, Electric car, Electric vehicle, Energy, Nissan Leaf, Technology, Transportation

Use Electronic Cars for a Greener Earth

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

After the invention of electric cars, a new epoch has come for using electric automobiles that excites most people. The overall notions about an electric car, brings a picture of a vehicle with ultimate design and mechanism that saves money, and is energy efficient. After the energy crisis in early 1970′s, the usage electric automobiles increased adding several benefits including a decrease in pollution and using renewable source for propulsion.

With new and sizzling electric car models from famous companies like Nissan, Ford, General Motors, and Tesla, civilians have a good chance to choose an electric car with that benefits them and stops adding pollution to the atmosphere. Electric cars run on electric charge which comes from a battery. So, electric cars are one time investment, whereas conventional cars need refueled every time the tank gets empty.

Basically, the battery technology works by using the storage current which questions the efficiency of the vehicle. But, taking the performance of the new electric cars in to consideration proves that, solely on electric charge, the upcoming models of electric cars give a mileage up to 40 to 100 miles. It is true that the mileage is less in comparison to gasoline cars, but when we look at the benefits, an electric car outshines. The pollution that comes from a normal gasoline car due to the combustion of fuel is much higher than the electric vehicle. Heavy duty electric vehicles emit more pollution, but still less than gasoline cars. New hybrid and sole electric cars hardly emit any harmful air pollutants like carbon dioxide or any derivatives of nitrogen. As we know, automobile pollution is the main reason of major environmental changes like global warming, ozone layer depletion and acid rain in some countries, using electric cars on a full scale might solve the problem of not adding any extra pollutants to the atmosphere.

Currently, though there is not any large-scale infrastructure to support an electric car market, but public support and success will surely bring some changes causing more investment on electric vehicles.

Filed Under: Auto Fuel Technology Tagged With: Automobile, Electric car, Electric vehicle

Luxury Meets Fuel Economy

: Image via Wikipedia

Way back in the 19th century, electric cars actually predated gas powered ones. But since cars that run on gas were more reliable, they quickly won over the automobile buying public. By the early part of the 20th century, electric cars were completely relegated to being nothing more than curiosities and extremely niched work equipment. Since that time, gasoline has gotten more expensive, and the effects that burning gasoline can have on environment have gotten onto the radar of the average person. Because of these factors, fuel economy and not even burning fuel in the first place have once again gotten into the realm of a serious discussion, instead of just a bunch of “wouldn’t it be cool?”

It really would be cool if, instead of comparing BMW car prices with Tesla Roadster prices, we could just compare which one of these cars could better suit our needs. While a lot of luxurious, fast cars that handle like a dream cost a lot of money, this really is not about money. This is about how well a great car can work alongside a worldview where how much carbon an individual person puts into the air actually makes a difference. The fact that people with more money tend to be more sensitive to their impact on the world is much of the reason why electric cars have been so expensive thus far.

Think about how great it would be to roll around in a luxury car every day that you never have to put that stinky, toxic oil cocktail into. You just plug it in every night, and you’re ready to roll in style every day. While it may cost more at the front end, you can justify that with the fact that you’re both helping the environment (especially if your home uses energy produced from renewable power sources) and saving money while you do so.

Filed Under: Auto Fuel Technology Tagged With: Automobile, BMW, Electric car

The Daily Life of the Electric Car

: Image via Wikipedia

A lot of people have read the advertisements and news reports over the past couple of years, touting the benefits of the electric car. We all know that instead of having to go out for gas, you can just charge your car for a few hours, and have it be ready to roll with no emissions and practically no noise. Moreover, of course, the fact that electric cars are quite powerful is a pretty nice touch, too. However, what about what happens between taking high-speed drives through the scenic vistas, when the dealer’s lot is far behind you? What happens when you and your car leave the honeymoon phase, and settle into your new life together?

While cars are obviously not alive, there are a few similarities between your car and your marriage. You spend a lot of time together, you depend on each other and your car exposes you to additional considerations and expenses. Hopefully, your auto insurance company is all right with offering you coverage, despite the less-traditional nature of your union. In addition, your power bill is destined to travel upward just a bit, because of the additional juice you need to fuel your new “baby.” It will be very interesting when the little things like those make their way into the advertisements.

Consider how they market sport utility vehicles and more family oriented cars. They rarely show a minivan racing through the desert or along a coastal highway. When safety and dependability begin to outrank speed, and fuel economy becomes a virtual non-issue, we should see some interesting ads. Moreover, just think of the specialized, locking permanent extension cords that the car companies will be able to put on the market as tie-in products. That will be an interesting day for the electric car. When it reaches total equality, which may be a marriage made in heaven… or maybe in Michigan.

Filed Under: Auto Technology and Performance Tagged With: Automobile, Electric car, Michigan, Sport utility vehicle

Telsa Motor Company: Electric Cars Designed to Please

: Image via CrunchBase

Founded in 2003, in Palo Alto, California, Telsa Motor Company uses it’s technology to produce electric cars that are more affordable for the typical consumer. The company’s mission is to steadily increase the amount of electric vehicles on the road, and give people more options to choose from.

While Telsa Motors introduced the first version of their electric car, the Telsa Roadster, in 2006 the first one didn’t hit the road until 2008. Since then the company improved the car’s performance and announced the that the 2010 Telsa Roadster is available. The electric two-seater sports car quickly caught the eye of numerous consumers.

The Roadster features a single speed fixing gear box, an electric motor which is capable of producing 14000 revs in a minute. The electric motor is able to perform at up to an impressive 288 horsepower, and easily reaches 0 to 60 miles-per-hour in just 3.7 seconds. The speed tops out at 125 miles-per-hour, and the battery capacity has a life of almost 7 years and 100,000 miles. The battery reaches a full charge in an average of 3.5 hours. The car also includes a 345V in-built air conditioner.

Telsa Motor Company also boasts the Model S. This four-door sedan is designed for people with families. The electric car has the look of a luxury sedan. It was designed for performance, yet is still roomy enough to cart around the whole family. In fact, the sedan seats seven people and offers extensive cargo space. The car features three battery pack options and can drive up to 300 miles on just one charge. While Telsa’s Model S is available to order, the cars don’t begin shipping until 2012.

Electric cars are the future of the automobile industry and Telsa strives to be on top. The company leaders realize that as electric cars become more affordable, the more people will drive them. In addition, to making the cars easier to afford, they are trying to get as many electric cars on the road as they can. This way the company plays its part in ridding the country of unnecessary pollution.

Filed Under: Auto Technology and Performance Tagged With: Automobile, Electric car, Tesla Motors, Tesla Roadster