For starters let’s all agree that the combustion engine that exists in all cars of today are a major contributor to the pollution which causes global warming around the world. With emerging markets only getting stronger (such as India, China etc.) there’ll be undoubtedly a much larger number of vehicles on the road very soon from now, only worsening the problem.

So is the electric car a solution? Well, for starters EVs have no tailpipe or evaporative emissions at all, since there’s no fuel or combustion system. One should also consider the amount of “oil” used when a car goes in for oil changes, air filters, tune-ups, mufflers, timing belts, or emission tests (if that doesn’t make too much sense, I highly recommend you watch “Who Killed the Electric Car?” where they explain this concept in detail) - EVs are virtually maintenance-free.

However, there are those that will argue that EV’s don’t solve the problem, since all it does is transfer the emissions from the car itself to the power station which is charging the EV on a daily basis. Certainly there are emissions associated with fossil-fuel-burning power plants, but the emissions directly associated with charging EVs are extremely low. Let’s not forget that if the EV is charged from a zero emission power source such as nuclear, hydroelectric, solar, and wind power, then the electric car is 100% clean! The overall mix of power plants in the U.S. is 55 percent coal, 9 percent natural gas, and 4 percent oil (*World Resources Institute.) The other 32 percent include other energy sources such as hydroelectric, solar, wind, nuclear and geothermal. Although half of the U.S. uses coal-fired plants for electricity, EVs recharging from these facilities are predicted to produce less CO2 than conventional combustion vehicles, and will reduce CO2 emissions in the country by about 20 percent. Imagine what EV’s that are being charged from renewable sources would do to the emissions value? In France most of the electricity comes from nuclear power plants. Hence, emissions produced to charge EVs would be cut down to almost non-existant across the board.

The next issue critics raise is that the country could not possibly support the energy requirement of a sudden surge of EVs on the road. The Electric Power Resource Institute (EPRI) estimates that the U.S. can support 50 million EVs without requiring a single extra power plant. Another study puts this number closer to 20 million. Thousands more could be added if they are charged at night during off-peak hours, which is the time that majority of EVs would be charged anyway. 20 million EVs, each with 100,000 miles on the odometer, would reduce CO2 emissions by 500 000 000 000 000 kilgorams (that’s 500 million tons) in the U.S. alone, without requiring any more power plants.

In conclusion, with the constant development of new technology designed to reduce emmissions and improve the efficiency of power plans, thus far EVs continue to be the best solution towards attaining clean air, and reducing our dependence on oil.

ZAP, in partnership with Lotus Engineering have designed a new EV that will result in one of the most advanced electric cars ever developed. The aptly-named ZAP-X Crossover does potentially offer a very real transition option from conventional combustion vehicles, as the short-falls of electric vehicles have been almost completely eradicated in this new design. The award-winning APX lightweight aluminium architecture allows for unparalleled performance and usability. The drive system comprises of innovative electric motors inside each of the wheels, which in partnership can deliver up to 644 horsepower, and speeds of 0-60mph in 4.8 seconds, up to a maximum speed of 155mph. The power system enables the vehicle to travel up to 350 miles before needing a charge, and the new rapid-charge technology allows for battery recharging in as little as 10 minutes. Seating allows for up to 7 passengers (not a type-o) and some very cool new gadgets included as standard too, such as touch-screen controls, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, High-Res Video, Windows XP, iPod Ready, firewire, GPS, USB2 and more! Regenerative braking as standard, and energy collecting windows and windshields allow for some additional charging, too.

With everything you’d want out of a conventional sports car, it also has the versatility of being used as a family vehicle too! Definitely 10 points from me – look forward to this one!

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