Many people believe that hybrid electric cars have opened the marketplace for pure electric cars as well as increasing demand for hybrid vehicles. But what exactly is a hybrid electric car and what can it do for you?

Hybrid vehicles

A hybrid vehicle is one which integrates both traditional internal combustion engine power with that of electric motors and onboard batteries. It is this ability to integrate these technologies which has increased efficiency, increased reliability and ultimately increased the trust of motorists around the world.

Parallel hybrids

A parallel hybrid system is one which sees both internal combustion engine power and electric motor power linked directly to the transmission system. The ability to extract power from these two very different sources has led to greater efficiency and extended the distance you are able to drive before a recharge is required.

Series hybrids

In general a series hybrid vehicle is used for short distances and possibly town and city travel. The vehicle itself is powered by an electric motor, as opposed to an internal combustion engine, but there is an internal combustion engine helping to power the electric motor by recharging the onboard batteries. These vehicles also tend to incorporate things such as regenerative braking and other new energy-efficient systems.

Series parallel hybrids

As you might guess, a series parallel hybrid vehicle is one which incorporates both technologies and allows the driver to switch between the two. Very often a different mix of the technology will be required for different journeys and the variations available with this particular type of vehicle have hit home with the mass market.

The efficiency of electric cars

The success of the electric car market has until today depend upon the ability to balance out lower emissions, more environmentally friendly fuel systems and extended journey capacity. While there have been massive improvements in electric battery power technology there is still further to go and indeed a purely electric powered car will have nowhere near the same journey potential as a traditional fuel powered vehicle.

We also need to take into account the fact that there are very few electric car recharging stations around the world, although places such as the UK have begun to make plans for the future, but as the number does increase we will see more “pure” electric cars on the market. Finding this balance between efficiency, reliability, speed and extended journey capacity is the key to the future.

Conclusion

For many years there was a stigma attached to the electric car market which took some time to shake off but finally it seems to have disappeared. Many experts believe it was the introduction of the hybrid vehicle, which offers a combination of electric power and standard internal combustion engine power, which broke the back of consumers who had a definite mistrust of electric vehicles before then.

Thankfully, slowly but surely we are seeing electric power become more prominent in the car market and this is a trend which is likely to continue for some time to come. As technology improves, specifically in the battery market, so the reliability factor, the trust factor and the performance factor will also improve.

In the recent years of vehicle trends, it seems like everyone is into eco-friendly vehicles such as hybrids and all electric cars. Americans cannot get enough of the mediocre looking Prius. They *** in their pants just thinking about the new all electric Nissan Leaf. But what about all the driving enthusiasts out there who wish they could drive a fun sports car that was both riveted by powerful performance and looked dead ****? Both Nissan and Toyota have put their thinking caps on and came up with a couple exciting new concept cars for the future. Prius haters rejoice! You can still look good and be eco-friendly at the same time when driving these vehicles:

1) Nissan ESFLOW Electric Sports Car-it looks like a sports car and drives like a sports car, but it has one key difference-it’s all electric. The ESFLOW is powered by the same technology used in the Nissan Leaf. The ESFLOW is a pure electric vehicle with zero emissions, has two electric motors and lithium ion batteries. With the new ESFLOW, no sacrifices need to be made to drive an ecological car. You get everything you want out of this eco-friendly sports car-an attractive sleek look, sporty performance and friendly to the environment.

2) Nissan Townpod Concept. After seeing the new 2011 Juke, it isn’t shocking to see Nissan developing the most unique looking concept vehicles in the market today. Take a look at the Nissan Townpod Concept, a car that looks more like a toy than an actual vehicle. Nissan notices that there are more people today who work from home and do not have fixed hours or regimented schedules. Their business life and social life tend to blend together. As such, Nissan believes “their personal transportation must be equally multifaceted.” The Townpod will combine the “comfort and style of a passenger car with the businesslike utility of a commercial vehicle.” This will also be a zero emission vehicle.

3) Toyota FT-HS. Toyota’s concept FT-HS combines hybrid powertrain with sports car fundamentals. In order to come up with a “suitable sports car for the 21st century” Toyota developed the FT-HS concept, a hybrid sports car that is powered by a V6 3.5L engine and coupled with Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive that produces 400 horsepower and a projected zero-to-60 acceleration in the four-second range.

If I charge up an electric vehicle, won’t I be simply transferring my pollution to a power station?

Yes! You will, but fortunately not nearly as much. Even though there is a loss of electricity between the power station and your home, it is still vastly more efficient to power an electric car. The Tesla roadster is a US based electric sports car which is about 10 times more energy efficient that its equally performing combustion driven sports car rivals.

Why? how can electric cars use less energy?

Through regenerative breaking, electric car batteries are charged every time the car slows to a stop for an intersection or traffic lights (which is quite often during city driving). An electric car does not use fuel when stationary which can be the case in peak hour traffic congestion. The electric motor itself is many times more efficient as it involves a single rotating part with very minimal frictional and heat losses. A petrol powered motor uses small explosions to drive pistons and a crank shaft. The heat loss in a combustion engine is very high. Through economies of scale, combustion in a power plant makes very effective use of heat to drive turbines and recapture waste heat.

Presently most electric cars will have to make do with available infrastructure, however solar PV can be added to the roofs of your home, workplace and carparks in order to give you 100% environmentally friendly energy. You will be essentially driving your car off the sun and contributing to a green sustainable friendly future.

Are electric cars slow?

There are several electric cars on the market which have certainly disproved this myth. Have a look for information on the Tesla and you will see that this consumer level vehicle can do 0-100 in only a few seconds rivalling the performance of a Lamborghini. Now these high end electric sports cars are priced at a premium, however they certainly show that electric vehicles do not have to be slow. In fact electric vehicles have instant torque from the moment you put your foot down, therefore offer incredible off the mark acceleration capabilities. Of course there are also the very cheap ‘golf buggy’ style electric vehicles which are fine for getting from A to B and are considerably cheaper to purchase, however not all EV’s are the same.

How much will it cost to run my electric car?

Not much at all thankfully! The fuel for an electric vehicle is very cheap, or in many cases free. A number of charge points in various cities around the world have offered free electricity to electric vehicle owners in order to research driving habits. Other companies have offered free recharge points as an incentive to park at their cafe/restaurant/shopping mall for the 20-30 minutes it takes to recharge your car. If you were spending 50 a week on fuel, then you may spend at most 5 if you purchase an electric vehicle.

Over 10-20 years, the premium on purchasing an electric vehicle often pays itself off through reduced fuel costs. Of course electric vehicle battery technology is improving constantly as is the price of petrol and diesel increasing, so our payback period for the initial investment is actually decreasing as we speak.

Through vehicle to grid (V2G) technology, the local electricity provider can ‘borrow’ some of your battery charge during critical peak demand periods and pay you money for that energy. In some schemes this will pay for your electricity in low periods and you will essentially have free fuel!

What is the range like on electric vehicles? What if I run out of electricity… will I get stranded?

Range is one of the main qualms of electric vehicle owners. Some have a range of around 200 miles, but still need to be recharged for about 30 minutes in order to continue on their journey. There are some options including recharge points, or even small generators in the car boot or a small connected trailer which can combat these fall backs however. There are some exciting technologies on their way including the lithium nickel battery and lithium air battery which both have potential energy densities of about 3 times that of lithium ion batteries. This will double or even triple mileage down the track without increasing the weight of the vehicle.

Should I buy an electric vehicle?

Yes! if you have the money, make the investment and join thousands of satisfied electric vehicle owners around the country. Technology is ever increasing and soon with petrol prices rising there will be real urgency to get on board the electric vehicle band wagon. There is also a heap of other information from DIY conversion enthusiasts and electric vehicle owners worldwide which it is worth checking before making your informed decision.

With the price of oil soaring and gasoline prices rising as a result, the desire for alternative fuels is higher than ever. Electric cars are one alternative mode of transportation that eschews the use of gas. Electric cars have both advantages and disadvantages as an alternative mode of transportation.

Advantages of Electric Cars
Electricity is everywhere and easy to come by. We do not need to set up electricity stations on the corner to re-charge our cars. It can be done at home. Electric vehicles are noiseless. There are no emissions from electric vehicles. As a result the environment will be cleaner with less smog and greenhouse gases. Electric cars are easy to assemble. They have few moving parts so they require less time and effort to put together. Electric cars require less maintenance. So not only will the owner save money on gas purchases but there will be less maintenance costs. There may be tax credits or rebates possible if an electric car is purchased. Check with your city and insurance company to see if they have any specials rates or rebates if you purchase an electric car. The power plants that produce the electricity for the cars do pollute the environment but pollution from these power plants can be controlled better than gasoline engines.
Disadvantages of Electric Cars
One charge on a battery can take the car approximately 160km. Therefore if you plan on traveling a long distance this is not the car to use. It takes 6-8 hours to fully recharge the battery. You can not expect to be ready to go in a few minutes after wearing down the battery. There is no battery charging stations along highways for long distance travel. And if there were it would take too long to completely re-charge your car. Your home must be outfitted with a charging station to recharge the car battery. Your electric bill will probably increase as you have to draw power from your home electrical system to charge your car. Electric cars cannot compete with gas powered cars in terms of speed and acceleration. Technology has not yet developed an electrical system as powerful as a gas powered vehicle. Accessories such as air conditioning will drain the battery faster. Today electric vehicles work wonderfully for short distance travel and would be ideal for the weekend or for the individual that works at home. Electric vehicle manufacturers are working hard to make this car efficient and worthwhile for everyone. In the meantime the gas/electric hybrid is an effective substitute for the long distance driver. While it does save on gas there is no need to re-charge the vehicles battery.

Toyota electric cars are ahead of the curve most of the time. Now is no exception. Let’s take a look at the history of the Prius.

Over ten years ago auto makers were subjected to market pressures that basically killed the electric car movement. If you need more information on that, see the “Who Killed the Electric Car” video documentary.

After the EV battle was lost, there was some interesting fallout. Japanese auto makers were forced to abdicate their expertise and finally production of full EV Ni-MH battery packs. This is evidenced by the sudden end of production of the Toyota RAV4 EV. The SUV still today, ten years later, commonly sells for $20,000 – $30,000! That is how incredibly well the vehicle was built.

Toyota however made a genius move. It produced the Toyota Prius Hybrid. This worked in several ways.

First, Toyota could leverage their battery expertise. The new Prius still uses a 1.6 kWh Nickel Metal Hydride battery similar to the one installed in 2004. The company has manufactured literally millions of these packs. There’s your profit margin.

Second, the size of battery pack is optimal. Batteries are expensive. So, they kept the battery pack small. If you notice that a Prius size car might use up say 200 watt hours per mile. 1.6 kWh is 1600 watt hours. The car is going to go 1600/200 = 8 miles max on battery power. If you want to power the car on battery power only, you need a much larger and more expensive battery.

Toyota cut the battery size and cost to the quick. Since the resulting car still used gasoline, this kept the oil companies from further legal actions. It allowed Toyota to maintain a hand in EV manufacture and expertise and at the same time lowered the cost of the resulting car a whole lot. The company can still claim green, customers can feel all eco, and many cars are sold. This is sheer genius, marketing Aikido.

The next generation of Toyota electric cars remains to be seen. At auto shows in the past couple of years the company has been rolling out a futuristic looking drive by wire rig called the FT EV. This style of the car has been described as “Steampunk”.

Production of the Ft-EV has been stated as 2012. However, very few specifications beyond a range of about 55 miles and speed of 60mph/100kph are available. It makes one wonder how serious Toyota is about producing the car.

Finally we see that Toyota may be working on electric car technology that could revolutionize the market if they are correct.

The company claims it may well be able to effectively produce a Hydrogen powered EV for $50,000 USD by the year 2015. If this is true, and Lithium battery technology has not improved 4 or 5 fold in energy density/storage by that time, Toyota may once again be making millions of vehicles nobody saw coming.

There are yearly contests for engineering students, as well as high school students that can enter their electric car designs that promote the development of this automotive technology. Despite the fact the electric auto has been manufactured, and forgotten there is a continuous push for more optimal designs that can utilize battery or solar power to move a vehicle.

El Car Designs Do Not Differ that much from Conventional

Electric cars look like conventional cars aesthetically, both when it comes to exterior and interior. The same great and pretty designs are available, and friends and family will hardly be able to tell the difference. However, some new and simmering are emerging even today that promise better efficiency because unlike conventional cars which essentially only stress their aesthetics, electric vehicles also focus on the insides.

A question many people ask is; what exactly makes electric car designs different from other designs of conventional cars? Well, most electric automobiles bypass the use of gasoline and an engine completely although some have a secondary engine and storage tank in case the battery dies. Rather than using gasoline as a primary source of power, electric car design call for the usage of electricity like the name implies. A huge battery, made from materials like lithium ion – which is similar to performance batteries found in electronics like notebook computers – powers an efficient electric motor. New designs allow electric vehicles to travel up to fifty miles or more on a single charge.

Neat Usefulness

While conventional cars can easily travel 250 miles on a tank of gas, electric cars don’t yet have the ability to go even close to hundred miles on a single charge. Keep in mind though that electricity is still much cheaper than gasoline. Nuclear power, hydroelectricity, and other sources of power, can power an electric vehicle indirectly by empowering the lines that the vehicle is charged from at a cost as low as about one cent per mile. The most fuel efficient conventional automobiles still cost around 7.5 cents per mile. It’s unlikely that conventional engines will become significant more efficient, which is why research and development has occurred with regard to alternatives such as fuel made of hydrogen and other chemicals as well as electricity

Electric car designs should not be confused with design of hybrid cars. Hybrid cars utilize technologies from both conventional and electric cars to achieve slightly better fuel efficiency while lowering emissions, but they will probably never be as efficient as electric cars. Several families own two or more vehicles, so they would still have a long range car for vacations and business trips. For a car that’s cheap and efficient for everyday transportation, an electric vehicle is the perfect solution.

The increasing concern about the state of the environment has seen gas-guzzling automobiles become a target of much dispute. It’s no secret that the carbon-emissions being pumped into the environment every second by diesel-driven cars is having a major detrimental effect, which is why solutions like electric cars are becoming more popular.

Electric cars offer transport driven by an alternative fuel source – electricity. Carrying an on board battery pack which can be recharged as needed, electric cars make way for convenient ‘re-fueling’. You can charge up the batteries of an electric car both at service stations or at home, meaning preparing for long journeys doesn’t need to factor in a visit to the petrol station since you can charge up before leaving.

They compare admirably with petrol vehicles, with several aspects of electric cars being far cheaper than their less efficient counterparts. Since you can charge your electric car at home, the benefits from not having to pay for fuel are instantaneous. Over time, this can offset what you have to pay for the car itself as, frequently, electric cars are a little more expensive than petrol ones.

However, the current main reason for the electric car’s popularity is its eco-friendliness. The energy efficiency of the electric car excels above gasoline vehicles, which are well known to pump carbon emissions into the environment from their tail pipes. To begin with, electric cars do not even have a tail pipe. Although they still create some emissions that are bad for the environment, as well as increase the need for electricity generation, the comparison between the two types of car is very significantly in the electric car’s favour.

We all try to do our bit for the environment these days and, if you’re thinking it’s time to get a new car, an electric car could be a very worthy investment, both economically and ecologically. What’s more, if you’re unsure about taking the plunge, there are plenty of hybrid car insurance available that combine the efficiency of electricity with gasoline driving in a way that allows the two to complement one another with ease. The gasoline is used when cars are driving at certain speeds and electricity when idle or moving slowly.

Electric cars are a fantastic way to help reduce carbon emissions and there are many well-designed models too, so if you’re searching for a new car, consider an electric one for excellent environmental efficiency.

For many years the electric cars dc batteries have seen several design tests to check out different theories.

Back then prototypes were typically built to test the system designs and make adjustments before offering the final product up for sale.

Today we have costly gas and great battery technology which has actually piqued the interest in electric cars compared to the earlier years when gas was very cheap and batteries were ineffective.

With the gasoline prices what they are today and batteries being much lighter than years ago is making electric car technology a much more popular selection.

A main problem in these earlier vehicle models was the electric car dc power source. These older batteries supplied the power but were very heavy and ineffective due to this limited technology.

The issue with these vehicles was the weight of the batteries which needed motors that were more powerful, resulting in the demand for more batteries, or the length driven was very limited.

Making the power source lighter was a necessary concern over the course of the last few decades.

Finding some alternatives to electric car dc power sources meant researchers found some novel designs that decreased the demand for batteries.

One system was to put in a generator that uses gasoline and produces the electric cars dc requirements that the cars electric motor needed.

This plan proved quite easy thus keeping a band of batteries charged enough to operate the cars electric motor.

One other system tested was to have solar panels recharge the batteries hoping that this would be a functional electric car dc power generation.

This worked good on sunny days, however it was very limited for much of the year and evenings. Experimenting with this type of project helps to broaden the distance driven by the trial cars.

Curiosity in electric vehicles in the last few years is mainly due to the recent battery designs which are smaller, lighter, and the charge lasts much longer than the older types.

These modern batteries make the vehicles travel farther and faster from a single charge, plus it needs a lot less storage space.

Also these conventional batteries cost more than ordinary batteries, so electric vehicles that they are installed in will also be more expensive, and this cost must be passed on.

Prices will get lower as manufacturing improvements in building these batteries increase through time bringing them more in line with existing battery prices.

These electric vehicles are estimated by some major manufacturers to be introduced to the general public in the next two years and they will work on DC power alone.

It’s a very simple matter of plugging the car into an outlet when you get home to recharge it, plus you will also see that these vehicles drive just as good as gas vehicles.

A good number of these vehicles have a several hundred mile range and also have good enough power to keep up with traffic on highways.

Even though you will have to shell out more money for one of these cars, this expense will be offset significantly by not having to fill up with expensive gasoline when refueling.

This electric car dc technology will definitely become more popular as gasoline prices keep rising, which will increase production, as well as lower production costs to come more in line with regular car prices.

The electric cars for kids are not new on the market and they are becoming more and more sophisticated with the development of this segment of the toy industry. You can readily get one of these for your kid. He or she will definitely love playing with it outdoors. You will also have the peace of mind that your youngster is perfectly safe while having fun. Still, most parents think that it is very easy for such a car to be chosen. The truth is that this is not the case – you can choose from numerous models with different specifications. Here are some tips that will aid you in making the right choice.

The voltage of the battery is essential. The 12 volt models are the most widely available ones. The battery can last for a couple of hours and get charged overnight, which is convenient for both children and parents. These riding toys develop a speed of anywhere between 2 to 5 miles per hour. All these properties make them perfect for kids who are 2 or older. The 6 volt models are designed for toddlers between the ages of 1 to 2. These cars develop no greater speed than 1.5 MPH which provides for the perfect security of the youngsters. The 24 volt electric cars for kids are really powerful and can develop speeds of 7 mph and more. They are designed for older children and definitely require some steering skills.

One of the most important things to check when buying such as toy is the battery life. It should be between 3 and 5 years depending on the model. You should definitely check whether the car comes with a battery charger or not. Most of the packages of electric cars for kids include these devices at no additional cost, but it is best to be certain. The other technical aspect that you should take into account is the durability of the car in general – make sure that there is an authorized service center near you. The cars are reliable and are made to last, but anything can happen and a person with average technical skills might not be able to fix the damage on their own.

You should also check the type of surface the electric cars for kids can be used on. Most models are designed for “driving” on hard surfaces only, but you can readily find ones that give a smooth ride on grass and even on sand.

I have had an interest in alternate sources of energy. I have investigated solar power and wind power but both are very expensive and look ugly on my house. I have asked my neighbors what they would think of my building a virtual wind farm to power my home and the answers were not enthusiastic to say the least. As for the solar panel most people agree that it would be okay but I really don’t like the look. In addition these two alternatives are useless to power a vehicle and you’d need a lot of batteries to store your energy to power a vehicle. The cost of these batteries is prohibitive and they do not get you very far anyway.

My problem with electric powered cars has been the storage of energy using batteries and the technology of batteries while is getting better you still need a lot of them and they are very expensive as well. But being very persistent and doing a lot of research on line I have found a generator that will power any vehicle, can be used in the home, and may be used in any application that will out last any wind powered source or solar panels by far. As a matter of fact this generator was invented in the late 1950s and used in a home for over 30 years without any major break down. What eventually happened a Power Company actually confiscated this generator from the inventor AND filed suit against him for steeling power from them. They actually lost the case but refused to return the confiscated system back to him.

This system is not available to the public right now because this man refuses to sell the rights to it to any large Power Company or Auto manufacturer because he fears it will never be used. He has offered this technology to many Energy companies and Auto manufacturers to use in their cars and to power homes but each has demanded the total rights to it.

The advantages of an all electric vehicle are for one they last longer than internal combustion engines. An electric motor need less maintenance and never needs an oil change. One man had taken an electric motor that was in a 30 year old fork lift that spent several years outside broken down and put into an old car. That motor was still in operating condition and is powering his car locally. Another man put a electric motor in his car and his car went a quarter mile in 11 seconds. His electric car out performed corvettes, BMW and all comers that had internal combustion engines. These can be seen on You Tube. Unfortunately after each race the batteries for this car has to be recharged in order to race again.

So imagine an energy source, a generator that will power an automobile or any vehicle to be able to travel coast to coast without ever having to be recharged. The underlying technology or the power is produced using magnets. Magnets will last for over 400 years. Which means in this case the power for any vehicle or to power your home it will last for your life time easily. This is the biggest reason why major car companies and power companies will do all they can to make sure that this power source never gets to market. It goes without saying that the Oil Cartels would never want this technology to ever see the light of day.

What needs to happen here is that you and I need to get this information out. This inventor has been on many radio talk shows but still he is struggling to get the financing to get this to market.

Gas prices are on the rise and the Jones’s don’t know where to turn. Unfortunately employers don’t pay more to compensate for the escalating cost of fuel. This leaves families struggling to figure out the means to deal with the extra cost of travel. Less families are going on vacations, visiting relatives and taking unnecessary trips away from home.

More and more people are turning to electric powered cars, but trading in your car to incur the added expense of a new vehicle just isn’t viable for many families. In fact, it might not even be the wisest choice. The practical choice would be to simply convert your existing automobile into an electric one. This would give you all of the benefits of owning an electric car, without the hassle of car shopping, giving up a vehicle you love and are used to, and eliminate getting yourself into high payments.

Converting your vehicle into an electric powered vehicle is actually quite affordable, much more so than today’s gas prices, and it is certainly more affordable than purchasing a new vehicle. Plus, you are saving yourself the added problems and worries that come with purchasing a new vehicle. Keep the car you already committed to and turn it into a vehicle that fits your needs.

What is entailed in the electric car conversion is the removing of the gas engine of your vehicle, replacing it with electric car counterparts such as electric motors, water pump, batteries, and several other parts needed for an electric vehicle to run. Generally, you can just follow instructions given in the electric car kits for the entire procedure.

While one doesn’t have to necessarily be a professional mechanic to convert their current vehicle to an electric one, you should have basic skills and knowledge of how the engine works to install the conversion kit yourself. If you have no knowledge, that’s okay, there are many good mechanics out there that would install your electric conversion kit for a reasonable price. Remember, in the long run the one time fee of a mechanics services would be well worth it. In the future, while everyone else is still sighing over the rising price of gas, you can be relishing in the fact that you still have the car you originally bought, picked out because it suited your wants and needs, all while beating those ridiculous prices at the pump.

So before going down and trading in Bessy for a new and more expensive, electric car, consider instead turning Bessy into that inexpensive to run car that she used to be, and you hoped that she would one day be again.

Electric cars and their advantages versus their disadvantages are an ever-increasing debate. In a country that is so dependent upon petroleum products and convenience it is hard to convince people that there are alternatives to the way we use transportation.

For instance do we really to travel at 75 to 80 miles per hour? If you owned a car that was powered by electricity that you converted yourself from a gas-powered car, you would still get to where you were going just at a bit of a slower speed maybe 50mph instead.

The trade offs to an electric car are, a bit of a slower speed but in turn no emissions, fewer moving parts to wear out, no muffler or fuel tank. You would also have a limited range of about 100 miles between charges. I really don’t need to drive more than 100 miles per day unless I am going to go out of state and then I can always rent a vehicle.

There is also the added advantage of not having to get a tune up or a new muffler. A disadvantage is the cost for a new electric car it is at least in the twelve thousand dollar range. But, if you are even a bit handy you can convert a car using used parts for under one thousand dollars.

Don’t forget the savings in fuel costs. Electricity is a cheaper fuel that gas so you will be driving miles for pennies instead of dollars. This alone would offset the expense of renting a car for longer trips on occasion.

The more things change, the more they seem the same, and that is especially true with business and industry. Often we believe that things are going to change very rapidly, and new innovations are going to take over and change the world or the industry subsector that we are in. However, it usually turns out, that things do not change very fast; consumer buying behavior doesn’t change all that much, and everything just keeps on going as it was only advancing incrementally with only a few game changing innovations in any given industry every decade or two.

Now then, what about the oil change industry, and what about all those electric cars, they don’t have oil in them. If a larger and larger percentage of the cars we drive on the roads in the United States don’t have oil inside, then we don’t need as many oil change facilities, do we? Well, on first look that makes good sense doesn’t it – still, it will be quite a while until the number of electric cars even gets to a 10% level.

Likewise, The New Chevrolet Volt for instance is really a hybrid, that is to say that there is a motor or generator that charges the batteries which operate and run the car, as the batteries get too low and we know that in generators, you have to change the oil too.

Nevertheless, there will be more and more plug-in hybrids on the road in the coming years. These will be small city-cars, not really made for long trips. Some of the manufacturers will be able to produce cars that have extremely long range, and they will be able to recharge those batteries extremely fast. This means that some gas stations may actually be electrical stations.

Places where you plug your car in 10 minutes; have a cup of coffee, read the newspaper, grab a sandwich and go. In actuality will only take about five minutes longer than it normally would take to put gas in your car, and the price per mile will be a whole lot less.

But until that potential eventuality ever happens, I do not believe that the oil change industry has anything to worry about with all these new electric cars that will supposedly be on the road in the next decade or so. Indeed, hope you’ll please consider all this.

An electric car is a vehicle which uses electrical motors and motor controllers to power itself, instead of internal combustion engines that more typical petrol/diesel-powered cars use. Electric cars need to be re-charged roughly ever 150-250 miles, however this is their maximum life. They can be re-charged at home (using special devices) or at electric-car charging stations which are being deployed across the country (San Jose, Calif was the first to test the stations).

Whilst their popularity has varied over time, they have recently (since about the mid 1990s) started gaining in popularity again. In April 2009, the United Kingdom Government announced plans to provide a subsidy of up to ?5,000 to people who buy electric or hybrid cars.

Electric cars need to be re-charged periodically, as mentioned above. Re-charge times vary depending on the amount of power the socket provides, however a re-charge center can re-charge an electric car battery in anything up to an hour (some batteries can be re-charged in much less time, however).

They don’t emit any carbon dioxide, which means that such cars are used favourably by environmentally-friendly consumers. Of course, electricity is currently primarily generated by burning fossil fuels – which does release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Hence the use of an electric car would indirectly release carbon dioxide, although it goes without saying that an electric car is better for the environment than a standard car.

Many electric cars use regenerative braking – this process means that the significant portion of energy used when a car accelerates can be gained back when the car breaks. This helps to increase the overall efficiency of the vehicle.

Electric Car Safety

Electric cars are relatively safe since many have the standard safety features (side impact bars, front and rear crumple zones, safety glass etc), and also they are relatively heavy (compared to standard cars), and it’s been proven that heavier cars tend to see lesser injuries occur to its passengers compared to lighter cars in the event of a crash. Of course, this is on average – safety also comes down to the manufacturer and the safety features they install. But there’s no specific reason why electric cars are less safe than standard cars.

Additionally, electric cars have multiple safety layers built in to mitigate any potential possibility of getting a shock from the electric car’s battery. More specifically, the battery pack is known as a “floating system” since it’s kept electrically separate from the car’s chassis. Some other components may simply not function if they detect even a slight fault in the electricity going to the chassis.

As with any electrical system, electric cars have numerous circuit breakers, fuses, mains contractors etc. Due to the aforementioned safety layers, it is perfectly safe to use electric cars in the rain.

Remember that an electrical car is, on average, heavier than standard cars. This does mean that there will be a slightly adjustment needed when handling the vehicle (for example, just as it would if you put heavy items in the boot/trunk of a standard car). Power steering and power brakes are recommended features to look out for when purchasing an electric car.

One problem with the external safety of electric cars is that they are relatively quiet, and in speeds of 20 mph (32 kph) or lower they are especially hard to hear. This will pose a threat particularly to visually-impaired pedestrians who may not be able to hear the vehicle coming. To combat this, the United States Congress and European Union Commission are looking at introducing legislation to ensure that electric cars emit a minimum level of sound.

Popularity Of Electric Cars

Currently electric cars are seen as quite different, and aren’t very popular (albeit they are growing in popularity). However this hasn’t always been the case. In the early 20th century (1900-1920), electric cars were more popular than standard gasoline-powered cars. However their popularity rapidly diminished from the 1920s to the 1980s, as oil (and so petrol/diesel) prices become relatively cheap.

However since the 1980s, oil has started becoming relatively more expensive again, and eco-friendly attitudes have risen. As such electric car popularity is rising again. In an LA car show in 1990, the President of General Motors unveiled the “Impact” electric car – this was a forerunner to the hallmark EV1 electric car.

Many car makers started producing various electric car models throughout the 90s, mostly prompted by the California Air Resources Board pledging to push for more fuel efficient vehicles.

According to the American Electric Drive Transportation Association, in 2006 there were about 70,000 electric cars in use in America, up from the estimated 56,000 cars just two years before – an increase of 25%. Overall numbers of such cars used are still very low compared to usage figures of gasoline-powered cars, however their usage numbers are rising and the trend towards more eco-friendly views can only benefit electric car usage.

Many say the electric vehicle will never exist, but popular hybrid vehicles are a variation of them. To under electric vehicles, it is prudent to know who and when they were invented.

The electric vehicle has been heralded for many years as the vehicle of the future. This type of electrically powered vehicle is better for the environment and less expensive to run than traditional gasoline powered vehicles, and can be built from existing vehicle parts with a few modifications. With all of the focus on hybrid and electric vehicles in recent years, you might think the time when the electric vehicle was developed was relatively recently, but this is not the case.

So, when was the electric vehicle invented? Historians have recorded that between 1832 and 1839 (the exact year is uncertain), Robert Anderson of Scotland invented the first electric powered vehicles. This crude model was not exactly what would be considered a vehicle by today’s standards, but was definitely the forefather of electric vehicles today. Around 1842, more practical and usable electric vehicles were developed in America by Thomas Davenport, and in Scotland by Robert Davidson.

While the evolution of the electric vehicle invented more possibilities, France and Great Britain were the only two countries to really start focusing on the electric vehicle, in the late 1800′s. In 1895, the United States finally got on board with developing electric powered vehicles, after an electric tricycle was built by A.L. Ryker. The first commercial version of an electric vehicle or vehicle was found in 1897, when the Electric Carriage and Wagon Company of Philadelphia built a fleet of electric powered taxis for New York City.

The years 1899 and 1900 were the best years in the history of electric vehicles for the United States, as electric vehicles outsold any other type of vehicle in these two years. Production of electric vehicles peaked in the year 1912, and these type of vehicles enjoyed success into the 1920′s, after which there was a marked decline in the demand for electric vehicles. As more and more road systems were developed crossing the US, the need for longer range vehicles became apparent. Coupled with the finding of oil in Texas, which meant gasoline was more affordable for everyday use, combustion engines quickly became the more popular engine for vehicles.

Today, the electric vehicles invented in the last half of the 20th century are seen as the wave of the future for eco-friendly vehicles. The same problems still plague electric vehicles that did so in the 1920′s, including slow speeds and short ranges, but hopefully with new technology, electric vehicles will be able to replace the polluting combustion engine vehicles we drive today.

With the environment becoming an ever increasingly debated topic, as is reducing carbon emissions with one of the main contributors to this problem being auto mobiles. Over the past decade the cars on the road have become much cleaner and are leaps and bounds ahead of what they were in terms of carbon emissions. However there is still a call for internal combustion engines to leave the roads and to replace them with new electric car engines.

The technology has now become advanced enough for this concept to be seriously considered as an actual alternative to fuelled cars. These types of cars are powered and fuelled by battery packs that are placed into the car and are rechargeable. There is a lot of appeal for these cars to become much more popular as they do not use any fossil fuels which is a major contributor to global warming.

There seems to be a big demand for electric cars as a city car, which means that they will be primarily introduced in the cities so that it can have a direct impact on city pollution. Also be keeping them in cities initially, it means that the electric cars do not have to be able to cover extra long distances however this aspect of the technology should develop as the years pass.

These are very exciting times in terms of electric car development with Nissan planning on launching a fleet of electric hatch back family cars throughout 2010. There are many interesting aspects that come with the electric car revolution and there are many aspects of the combustion engine car that will have no place in the new electric operated world such as fossil fuel.

Another component that is in every car at present that will no longer be needed in an electric car is the alternator that powers the electrical systems of a combustion engine car. This obviously will not be needed as the whole car will be electrically powered, so there will be absolutely no need for either an alternator or a starter motor for that matter. Moreover one of the main fundamental benefits to the customer is that it is estimated the cost of running an electric car will be four times cheaper than a fuel car. With this fact alone it is more than ever an essential innovation that is really needed in the auto mobile industry as the fuel prices in the United Kingdom have reached an all time high as of 2010.

The safety of the electric cars is also very promising with them being closely managed by the international ISO standards. There are obviously some key differences that fire fighters would have to train on, for example with fuel cars they would produce a fuel fire where as with an electric car they would need to be fully trained on the electrical fires that could potentially occur.

All in all electric cars do seem primed to take the world by storm. They seem to be cleaner, greener, cheaper and to all intents and purposes just as safe.

Electric cars are currently touted to save the mother Earth from the issue of global warming but are they really capable of doing that? After all, electricity is generated from coal and coal, just like petrol, is a non-renewable source of energy. Are we better off with the electric cars or do we just need to make the fuel based cars more energy efficient? Electric car certainly save on energy, no doubt about that but they are not zero emission automobiles. Driving it still involves a lot of money and you’d be surprised to know that 49.7 percent of US electricity is generated from coal. However, these cars are certainly much lower in carbon dioxide emissions as compared to the fuel based ones. Toyota recently came out with the Tesla Roadster which gives you 245 milers of travel on a single charge. There is also the 2006 Corolla which is excellent in fuel efficiency give an average of 31 miles on a single gas galleon provided it has manual transmission. After a hundred miles, the Corolla will produce 63.11 pounds of carbon dioxide through 3.23 gallons of gas. Energy Information Administration says that one gallon of gas emits 19.564 pounds of carbon dioxide. This figure again doesn’t include the energy which is spent on taking the oil out of the ground.

Looking at the Roadster, you will find that this electric car give you 100 miles of travel on a single charge. Out of this, only 70 percent is used in the vehicle movement and the rest is lost due to the inefficiency in charging processor. One kilowatt of electricity generation produces about 1.55 pounds of carbon dioxide and this means the Tesla, in 100 miles, produces 48.05 pounds of carbon dioxide. You can check for yourself and the results will wary a bit, depending upon your state. States like West Virginia, North Dakota and Wyoming use a lot of coal and hence the CO2 production is higher. Roadster will end up with a lower carbon dioxide production at the end of the day. On the flip side, if you are a motorist from the Pacific Northwest, I would recommend an EV since this region uses hydroelectric pumps. You can check on the Internet regarding how much electricity does your state make from coal.

Lower emission of carbon dioxide is not the only reason to purchase electric cars. You won’t see a single electric car having a tail pipe on the back which means these automobiles will not put a thick pile of smoke when they are running. The electric cars produce less nitrous oxide, methane and other green house gases as compared to the gas counterparts. The only exception to this is sulfur dioxide which is produced a lot by coal combustion and can result in acid rain.

The biggest drawback with the electric cars is that they need huge batteries and they are a bit difficult to manufacture. Some people say that if you take in to account the process that is needed for making these batteries, it makes the electric cars less greener.