Future of Electric vehicle: Clean cities or End of Earth

Electric vehicles are considered the current future of automobiles. Scarcity of liquid and gaseous fuels was the reason behind their discovery as an alternative, after which increasing pollution in the residential areas became a major reason behind the adaptation of electric vehicles. Let us know the advantages and disadvantages of electric vehicles.

Advantages:

• Electric vehicles working on electric energy supply do not emit any kind of CO₂ or harmful greenhouse gases.
• Electricity is cheaper than liquid and gaseous fuels because of cheaper tax rates on electricity.
• Electric vehicles reduce the usage of mechanical parts which helps in noise reduction.
• Electric vehicles have comparatively cheaper maintenance costs.
• Long battery life (about 10 years).
• In electric vehicles, the clutch mechanism is not required which makes the vehicle easier to drive.
• A regenerative braking system is very useful in electric vehicles which absorbs back the loss of kinetic energy due to braking and increases efficiency.

Disadvantages:

• In between two successive rides, batteries are to be recharged. The time required to recharge the batteries is much longer (30–40 mins).
• The driving range and speed of electric vehicles are also lesser.
• Electricity is cheaper but its availability with an increase in usage of electric vehicles will make it costlier.
• Initial investment costs of electric vehicles are very steep.
• The availability of charging stations has also been an issue in current circumstances.
• On an electric supply, vehicles are restricted to manufacture for more than 4–6 passengers.
• Rapid charging technology of electric batteries harms the ecosystem by releasing harmful rays into the atmosphere.
• On earth, 80% of electricity-producing power plants are chemical-based using non-renewable sources of energy.

From all the advantages we can consider Electric vehicles as clean means of transportation. And research is going on to reduce the disadvantages stated. But with cleaner cities, we never think about additional production of electricity and how it will be produced. Electricity is not available directly; we need to produce it using renewable or non-renewable sources of energy. Around 80–85% of electricity is produced using non-renewable energy which is creating pollution and emitting CO₂.

Let us compare conventional I.C.engines (chemical fuel vehicles) with various modes of electricity production techniques using non-renewable fuels going to use with electric vehicles. We have gathered approximated data from various sources of energy conservation and impact controlling institutes.

1. Conventional vehicles:

The efficiency of petrol-Diesel engines……………………25–30%

Transmission efficiency……………………………………. 90%

Overall vehicle efficiency………………………….……… 24–29%

1. Electric vehicles:

Coal Powered electric generator efficiency…………………30–40%

Transmission efficiency to charging stations………………. 90%

The efficiency of electric vehicles……………………………75–80%

Transmission efficiency………………………………..……. 95%

Overall vehicle efficiency…………………………………….19–27%

Liquid or gaseous fuel electric generator efficiency…….…..25–30%

Overall vehicle efficiency (remaining efficiencies same)…..16–21%

Nuclear electric generator……………………………..……. 45%

Overall vehicle efficiency (remaining efficiencies same)…..29–31%

The emission of CO₂ of various non-renewable fuels are also analyzed

1. Anthracite coal…………………….205.7
2. Bituminous coal……………………228.6
3. Diesel or heating oil……………….161.3
4. Petrol or gasoline or kerosene…….157.2
5. Propane ……………………………139
6. Natural gas …………………….….117

From all these data and statistics we will conclude the efficiency of all the electricity production plants for Electric vehicles are comparatively the same or less efficient than conventional vehicles except nuclear power plants. But nuclear fuels are so hazardous and are not used for mass electricity production. In the world, maximum electricity production is from coal power plants which have more emission and polluting particles compared to conventional fuels. No Renewable sources from Solar, wind, or hydropower plants are capable at present to produce electricity fulfilling requirements for electric vehicles.

The use of Electric vehicles on Renewable sources will make our cities cleaner but the areas where power plants are situated will get affected and it will no longer affect the ecosystem and atmosphere on Earth. Considering all the pros and cons shoes wisely your mode of transportation.

Written by: Meet Shah(Instagram: @meet8600)
Vociferous Writers (Instagram: @vociferouswriters)