Electric cars can be fitted with either DC or AC motors. If a car is equipped with a DC motor, then it can run on anything between 96 to 192 volts. The electric fork lift industry is a premier producer of DC motors for electric cars.

When an AC motor is used, it is most likely to be a three phase motor running at 240 volts AC with a 300 volt battery pack.

Installing a DC motor is definitely far simpler and cheaper than an AC motor. A regular DC motor will have a range of 20000 watts to 30000 watts and a controller will be in the 40000 to 60000 watt range i.e.  400 to 600 amps may be delivered by a 96 volt controller. They are exceptional in that they may be over driven (up to 10:1) for short spans of time. Meaning, a 20000 watts engine can receive 100000 watts for a short period and deliver up to 5 times of its horsepower. It is fantastic for bursts of acceleration, but repeatedly overdriving a vehicle may cause its motor to heat up and self destruct.

Installing AC motors is easier as any industrial 3 phase motor can be used. These are easier to find in terms of size, shape and power rating issues. AC motors and controllers come equipped with regenerative features which help the motor become a generator during braking, and supply power back to the batteries.

If there are any drawbacks to electric cars they are its batteries. The top six problems that lead – acid batteries face are:

They are massive with a typical battery pack weighing 1000 pounds or more.

They are ponderously large in size, with a car needing 50 batteries measuring 6x8x6 inches.

They are constrained in capacity where a regular battery may hold up to 15 kilowatt hours of electricity i.e. power for a 50 mile drive only.

These batteries can take anytime from 4 to 10 hours to recharge depending on battery technology and charger.

Their life span is 3 to 4 years or maybe 200 full charge/ discharge cycles.

They cost about 2000$.

Electric Vehicles believe in one word: simplicity. In comparison with gasoline powered vehicles, electric vehicles achieve a staggering 90% efficiency rate because they are engineered to convert energy no matter the speed levels or power usages. These cars are also easier to control than normal cars.  This uniqueness comes from the combination of electric motors and a regenerative braking system. This system enables energy to be restored to the cells that drive the car. For people living in cities like Los Angeles, which experience high levels of grid lock, this is a boon.

The regenerative braking system can provide torque even as the car is coming to a rest and this enables the electric vehicle to maneuver curves and handle inclines. It is this ability of the electric engine that erases the need of torque converters or gear boxes. Electric engines have very few moving parts and are therefore silent and produce lesser vibrations. While this might be seen by some as dangerous to the elderly, the blind and children, it is a pleasure to drive and is a definite advantage to the owner of the car.

Electric vehicles do not pollute the air with noxious gases like CO2, NO2, PM, CO and NMHC making them assuredly environmentally friendlier. Looking at their efficiency in energy utilization, we find that electric cars are three times better at tank to wheels efficiency than gasoline cars. According to information available with the GM Volt, these cars are far cheaper to be run. In fact estimated costs are as little as 2 cents as against the 12 cents per mile paid by gasoline cars.

Electric cars are environmentally the better option as they use energy stored in batteries for propulsion. They are definitely a cleaner and safer alternative to internal combustion vehicles. As with all things, there are definite pros and cons to electric engines. They can move much faster and can be controlled better but they cannot traverse long distances at one time and while they do not emit any exhaust, they take a long time to charge the batteries.

Change is imminent in the transportation industry with the certain arrival of electric cars.  The arrival of these cars will encourage us to move from internal combustion engines to vehicles powered by electricity. These cars herald a time of clean emissions and revolutionary technology and should entice all to give up dependence on gas powered vehicle.

It is important that we know what plug in cars are. Plug-ins are cars which use cheap, clean and safe domestic electricity for all or some of its power. The difference between plug in or all electric vehicle(EV) and hybrid vehicles (PHEV) is that plug in cars use store all energy in batteries but hybrid cars  store only some energy in batteries and depend on gasoline to extend their performance. PHEVs depend entirely on gasoline and cannot be powered by electricity.

If there is one word to describe electric cars it is “reliable”. These cars do not need tune ups or oil changes and work just as well with 10 times fewer parts than ordinary cars.

These cars provide the ideal option to bring down carbon emissions. Making optimum use of the renewable aspect of electricity to power transportation is the first step to ecological safety. Electric vehicles are the only way to ensure sustainability of environment and fuel price stability.

Isn’t it amazing!

Where can one get an EV?

Procuring an electric vehicle is very challenging as most vehicle manufacturers do not have electric versions of their cars. This is because of the oil and auto industries rallying hard to withdraw the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate proposed during the 1990’s. With the mandate withdrawn, auto giants were under no pressure to sell electric cars and consumers were denied any choice in the matter. Cars were in fact confiscated and destroyed despite pleas from owners.

In 2005, DontCrush.com campaigned hard for electric vehicles and had companies like Ford and Toyota cease crushing their electric cars. The success of the DontCrush.com campaign has encouraged companies like Plug In America to provide customers with electrical choices in vehicles.

Change is Coming

Better times have arrived for Evs. Several auto manufactures have begun to offer Plug in cars. Chevrolet launched it VOLT at special dealerships in 2010 and Nissan has launched its LEAF. 2011 brings in electric cars from the factories of Ford, Coda, Think, MINI and smart into the market.  All major auto manufacturers along with a few start ups have announced a new range of plug in vehicles, but only consistent pressure from environmentally conscious sectors of society will ensure that these cars will be sold.

Where can I buy a Plug in?

Plug In America’s Plug in Vehicle Tracker is the best way to stay up to date with news about electric vehicles in America. Updated twice a month, all details pertaining to highway- usable electrical cars and trucks are provided here. The Tracker is only for informational purposes and does not certify or sponsor any specific brand.

Action to be taken

It is up to the people to ensure that they are provided with the right choices in vehicles. They have to insist and demand that all auto manufacturers build and sell plug-ins. Only persistent efforts to encourage plug ins will ensure sustainability. Contacting local dealers and signing Plug in America’s petition is the first step in the right track.

Since there are only a few electric car companies around the world it may not be hard to determine which might be the best one for you. There are a few options to consider that include price range, where you live and the kind of car you want. The following are few of the best electric car companies that one can consider:

Aptera

Once the Aptera2 model goes into production, this may be the best electric car in the market. It will have three wheels but will be more energy efficient than any other of its kind. This is a nice electric car company if you plan to purchase such a car in the next couple of years.

Tesla Motors

Though expensive, this company manufactures only electric sports cars. However the company also has capabilities of producing highway capable electric cars.

Chevy and Toyota

These companies are already producing hybrids and the electric models were released in late 2010. If you are looking to buy an electric car, these companies have affordable models. So, if you are looking to save some money, these may be the best options for you.

These kinds of vehicles are duel powered and use the help of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor to power up the vehicle. This category of car is slowly gaining acceptance as they are proving to be a cheap alternative, is energy efficient and helps the owners reduce their carbon footprint. Carbon Footprint is defined as the amount of pollution we generate individually that depletes the environment.

They are more advanced than electric vehicles that run wholly on plug-in batteries. The major issue with electric cars is with the limited range they have, on a single charge and needs regular charging. Hybrid vehicles works with the help of internal combustion engine to get started and later the electric energy stored in the batteries is used to keep the automobile running.

Nearly every domestic and foreign car manufacturer makes such vehicles, with Toyota and Honda being the leaders in this technology. Currently Toyota Prius is the largest selling hybrid car. Ford Escape and Mountaineer, from the stable of Ford is the largest selling U.S car manufacturer of hybrid cars. As the U.S. economy rebounds, more manufacturers will start offering newer models to car buyers. It is a fact that by now, car enthusiasts have developed a following for hybrid cars and this will only grow with increased offering from manufacturers.

Maintenance of an Electric Car Costs Less

In the opinion of some people, maintaining an electric car is an enormous task to do. But the majority may not think so.

The structure and components of a gasoline engine consist of several hundred parts and each and every part is vulnerable to be damaged at any time. But, this is not the case with the electric cars. These cars possess merely single progressive part. You don’t have to sustain and concentrate on electric motor, nothing to change as filters, oil changing or cooling; in short, no fuss at all.

We can find electric motors almost everywhere, starting from our houses and every room might have different kind of electric motors, from washing machines to blenders, fridge and freezers to can openers. These items do get damaged but the question is, how many times these electric motors cause the problems and are responsible for no work? As the matter of fact, nothing else in the world of technology is more reliable and lasting than an electric motor. That is why the motors in the electric cars work and run for longer time and the resale percentage are higher in the market.

You must know that the batteries don’t long forever and need the change after certain period. Lead-acid batteries are old and a pack of batteries might last for 20 thousand miles and replacing a pack of 16 batteries would take just $800 for the replacement. Thinking about the saving from the fuel point of view, this all costs about 1.5 cents and the overall workable cost is merely 5.5 cents/mile.

New batteries with new technology being introduced such as Lithium-ion and nanotechnology in batteries make it a stunning and more effective device with 250,000 miles or maybe till the vehicle itself runs out.

The other repairing works in an electric car are not needed for years. The controller can be reliable as well as other parts connected to it. Same as you work once in a while on brakes and other suspension work, you would need the same with the electric car. And if you got advanced braking system, it would last longer.

Electric Automobiles Help against Pollution

A general critique would criticize electric automobiles for spreading contamination and pollution through tailpipes to energy stations. In simple words, power plants burn the contaminated material, so the risk of polluting the environment is higher. But this criticism is not fair.

Most of the electric cars are charged at night time and at that time, the energy stations work which means the risk of pollution is lower when the waste processing takes place. The estimations show that there is plenty of waste power and abundance of volume for millions of cars. No new plants would be set up as there is much energy left, so it won’t cause spreading pollution by making new power stations.

Even when we may see a boom in electric car industry, it is hoped that they would build some environment-friendly stations to provide fuel. The coal plants which generate energy are more efficient with 80% than the gasoline engine efficiency of tradition-25%. Higher in efficiency makes electric car helping in reducing pollution.

Let us imagine that the above figures and statistics are not factual, but this is still goes in favor of electric vehicles as electric cars are much more efficient than the typical gasoline cars and waste less energy and doesn’t pollute environment as much as gasoline does. To prove this, we can look at the energy or fuel prices for the two kinds. Gasoline makes it 14 cents per mile and can reach to 30 cents which depends on the car quality and gas charges. On the other hand, electric vehicles only take one or two pennies/ mile.

Gasoline process in the firms uses electricity. So, gasoline is responsible for pollution caused in the factory, during transportation and its use too. Another benefit of electric cars compared to hydrogen fuel-cells is that the latter is less efficient and produces much pollution and they are comparatively costly than the electric cars.

Is it Affordable to Purchase an Electric Car?

If the Electric vehicles were in the market in abundance, we might not have to look for them somewhere specific but as we know, they are the rare vehicles in the market today, so we have to work out on where to get them.

As the matter of fact, the electric cars that we actually see on the roads today are made by enthusiasts or some minor entrepreneurs who had an ambition. You might find some of the online links to find those people and buy the car from them.

As ambitious people, they converted the gasoline cars into electric cars. An aged car which possesses a good body but a failed engine would be cheaper in price. They clean everything and change the gasoline car into running electric cars.

You may be interested in converting your own car into an electric one- or purchase a cheaper one which has already been worked on. This might range to $5000 and it is not a bad price for electric cars enthusiasts and usually, the prices are limited in the range of $20,000.

Majority of these cars possess the batteries built on old technology. This is due to the copyright of the invention by other manufacturers which is quite difficult for a small entrepreneur to co-op with. This still gives you enough speed to drive on the motorways or freeways with 100 miles range or even the lesser.

Not to forget this important thing that you can plug your car anywhere and get it recharged without any problem. For example, at your home, and especially, if you are a worker and take your car with you, you can easily charge it at work while it would give your car ample energy to get you to home or anywhere else you want to go.

The Savings with Electric Automobiles

A traditional driver runs his car for about 15,000 miles annually which means that it runs around 1250 miles every month.

Considering the mileage and the cost of a traditional gasoline car, it takes 20 miles per gallon or above and it all can cost around $ 320 per month. On the other hand, an electric car takes kilowatts per hour of electric energy and not gasoline at all. Fundamentally, these cars can get 3 to 7 miles per kilowatt. Let us imagine that it takes 5 miles per kilowatt. In some cities, the electric rates might be as low as 3 cents per kilowatt and in some other cities; it might be at maximum 10 cents per kilowatt. Let us take the aggregate and use 7 cents per kilowatt. Now if we compare the electric cars with gasoline, it would only cost you $17.50 compared to $ 320 per month.

So, you can save this money for some other services or bills to pay.

Electric car batteries are restricted in volume as other batteries we use in our daily lives. So, it can supply limited quantity of electrical energy. The running of your electric car is dependent on the volume of energy and the usage of it. Typically, your electric car should be able to last from 150 to 300 miles if they are fully charged. These cars can be recharged through a plug in the wall, so the anxiety of cost for an electric car battery is not a problem.

Amplitude and Volume

The limitation of work held by the electric car batteries depends on the bulk of their dimensions and the substantial matter that is used in it. Right now, the major ingredient to make an electric car battery is lithium but you may know that this is kind of energy producer which costs most. This might not be long when the technology advances and we might see some charming and effective batteries.

It costs more for a battery that is of higher volume, and few car producers, e.g., Tesla Motors, provide you the facility as which kind of battery you want to fit in your car. The work power of a battery can reduce so it is your duty to keep a constant check on it and make it run well. Also, as we take care of plugging other appliances, same care should be taken as plugged in constantly would damage the performance of the battery.

Capable Drivers

If you are capable you can drive without recharge for long time. Slow speed and stops at lights would increase the energy of your car battery. Using brakes lesser makes energy go up.

Electric Cars would become Famous All Over

According to many electric car lovers, in a decade or two, the electric car would take place of current gasoline cars as they can fore-see the future market going crazy for the electric vehicles. But, the fact is that even if the governments give incentives and subsidies, the electric cars would still take few decades to come to a significant level.

Approximately, there are about a billion cars running on the roads today all over the world and till 2050, the figures could be double to what we have today. The gasoline-electric loan bend waited for a decade to reach 3 percent of the business in the markets. Even the blooming predictions are that these cars would be 10 percent in the sales market by 2020 and 25 percent in the next decade- 2030.

Electric Cars Occupy One Distant Reliance for Another

Electric cars possess the batteries and motors which are dependent on the metals we get from mines. These include lithium and a classification of materials which is known as infrequent earth metals. Chile, Bolivia and China are those countries which get most of these materials from the mines. Some experts are thoughtful as the electric cars would make us all dependent on the distant means of batteries and electric motor elements than the distant means of oil and gasoline.

The amount of production that we get of lithium now-a-days, it can be sufficient for the running of electric cars for the next decade and there are numerous studies and plans being carried out to increase the production and search the new sources. This is likely to happen in the future and there might be a supply of fuel which equals to 700 million electric cars. Although China is producing large quantity of earth metals, but there are mines all over the world which can give the production and it is including USA. These mines can be reopened to get more benefits while meeting the requirement and needs.

In case the fuel for the electric cars runs out, there are millions of lithium batteries which could be processed for recycling. Also, in the coming years, the experts in this field could produce motors which are helpful to get lesser earth metals.

Electric Cars- Modern and Untried Idea

Critics of electric cars believe that these cars are an unproven idea which needs to be proved. Those who entertain this thought process must have some fore-sight or they are the keen observers but, all at once if we look back in the era when new innovations were made, people hardly believed but the passage of time proved that their perception was just a hypothetical guess. Just as in the circle of 20th century, the electric cars surprised people and got more appreciation and likeness than the traditional engine-based automobiles. Less in cost and abundance of oil made electric car a dream in the 1920’s. But, as the prices for gasoline are going high rapidly, we are likely to see electric cars in abundance. So, we might trust electric cars in future that can bring storm in vehicles’ market.

Electric car batteries have higher chances to blow-up

The lithium-ion batteries are vulnerable and catch the fire. But modern lithium-ion batteries have fewer hazards as the appealing particles and administration system improved. Additionally, the guarding gaps are built for incision of power so that they don’t get overheated. Lithium-ion batteries have low risk than a tanker full of oil.

Electric Cars- Dangerous for the Vulnerable, Handicapped

Electric cars are silent-runners. They can cause accidents for blind, deaf, kids, etc. But no serious damage has been reported till-date. Those who always criticize electric cars and its silence should speak about those modern gasoline cars which are quiet. Even then the manufacturers are working on walker’s sound alarm but it is better if the driver be cautious while driving in pedestrian area.

The Network Can’t Take Charge of Electric Cars

Electric cars must be charged at home or at work. Statistics show that the current network of stations liable for charging the cars has the ability to make room for 180 million electric cars. Multiple EVs stopping at the same time, is a problem but hopefully, this issue will be resolved with the immediate area utilities by the time the electric cars start roaming on the roads.

?Electric Cars- Modern Golf-Course Four-Wheelers

It has been years since we hear that electric cars are just modern and refurbished golf-carts. Even the comparison between the Fiat or Yugo and an electric car doesn’t affect most of the people. With the arrivals of new electric cars which are in the queue to be launched in coming years, might show us the true face of what they are capable of and what is their specialty. Fundamentally these automobiles are somewhat like the modern-day’s famous and well-known gasoline automobiles as per the characteristics, reliability, extent, performance, usefulness and protection from harms are concerned. As the matter of fact, today’s gasoline vehicles, e.g., the Chevy Volt and Nissan LEAF, are far better than any luxurious vehicle and there might not be any other brand or structure oppose their traits.

Electric Cars are equally responsible for Pollution

Few of the electric vehicles’ producers seem to claim loud of zero emissions. This is due to that electric cars are lesser responsible than those automobiles which run on gasoline or diesel. Why they are less polluting? It is due to the batteries throw the power directs electric motor and moves to the wheels. This is like burning of liquid fuel directing through internal combustion engine and transporting. The supply of electricity from the feeders through the wires to your home or power stations emits more pollution than reforming the usable oil through the ships and vehicles to a gas station.

Drivers of Electric Cars might get abandoned

Electrical cars might affect the drivers a great deal as these cars can only run 100 miles while charged once. It requires to be recharged and the approximate time for a single recharge is about 8 hours. The drivers have to keep an eye on the indicator on the dashboard where ‘state-of-charge’ would show the current situation of the battery. If you ignore this feature, the chances are that you would be abandoned in the middle of the road. This is like a driver with gasoline car which can travel 200 miles with single fuelling, tries to cross 300 miles distance and going to a stranded place where there is no gas station or any other kind of help which could take you out of this misery.

Electric Car Power Charging- Most Important Feature

This is one of the issues if solved; the electric car’s future might be bright. People often point out that there should be sufficient public recharging stations where they can easily recharge the cars and it is mainly because they fear they might get abandoned or stranded before they reach their destination. Those who have driven Tesla Roadster and electric Mini E for few years, have better idea of how limited the range of those cars can be.

They know the best places to recharge your electric car is either home or office. As most of the people in America travel less mileage so it can easily handle the distance in one-go charge.

Only Wealthy people can buy Electric Cars

It is a fact that as new technology is introduced, it is always expensive. For example if we think about the times when we were kids or in our teens and we heard about computers, laptops, mobile phones, etc. were expensive and we could only dream of buying them as they were the luxuries for the rich people. But the business does have a magic of its own which at last makes it within a range of the masses. Demand of a product increases the production so hopefully, it would be in range of middle-class.