So for my Junior Theme topic, I decided to research why electric cars have recieved a lot of opposition in the past and especially in the last 40 years or so. And one of the reasons why it is so difficult to market an electric car are the batteries. In the past, only lead acid batteries were used. They are very heavy, expensive, and have short lives, but they deliver a lot of charge and are rechargable. Since this clearly isn't going to work in the future, there are a number of other alternatives.
Henry Ford had an idea for a sodium sulphur battery, but it only works at about 600 degrees F, and the containment device for this battery would be too heavy, but it would give a lot of energy.
Here is one of the lithium ion batteries that will power the Nissian Leaf.
I read a great article about a Nickle Metal Hydride battery that would give long life, lots of power, and is pretty light. There is another battery that has been a huge success in the mobile communications business, the lithium ion battery. They are light, give pretty good charge, and last a while and are also environmentally friendly. I read in an
article by MIT that describes how they are making the lithium ion battery even more powerful and longer lasting. The only problem with all new technology is that it will cost a lot for the first few models.
In addition to these technologies, there is also a lot of research done so that we can move towards thin film battery technologies. This will allow batteries to be printed on plastic or metal sheets and then used to power items. Using this technology, electric cars could go up to 4x the distance that they can now. (The leaf is marketed that it can go 100 miles on a single charge)
So would you buy one of these cars that may be a little on the expensive side? I mean, wouldn't it benefit us all? Or would the cost of all the things involved keep you away from the new technology? Would a hybrid work?
I think the cost is what turns many people away from buying an electric car. Personally I would definitely buy an electric car because I think that as a country we are way too oil reliant and the carbon emissions of gasoline fueled cars are terrible for the environment. Maybe if the government supplied some "carrots" for buying an electric car, like a tax break or something, then more people would consider buying one and companies would spend more money on developing new electric cars.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting that you say that, Alex. Actually, the government is offering a $2000 cut for anyone who buys one, and mandates that companies must have average mpg rates that get higher ever 5 years or so. This makes it necessary to keep improving technology. The problem is, as you pointed out, the cost. Even with the government tax cuts and stuff, the price still is high. People seem to think that they can buy a "simple" car that is electric. But the technology is new and took a long time to develop, so it is a little costly.
ReplyDeleteI am writing my junior theme on why America is having such a hard time getting off of oil and cars are definitely a big part of that. Finding small affordable batteries that deliver a lot of power would be a miracle. I would love to see that happen. I think a slightly more viable option is to find alternative fuels, but we need to keep all options open!
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