What’s Wrong with What’s Wrong with Electric Cars?Electric Cars?

At first glance electric cars look like a At first glance electric cars look like a very green alternative to our current very green alternative to our current

gas powered cars. gas powered cars.

Before you buy an electric car, ask Before you buy an electric car, ask yourself these questions first.yourself these questions first.

Question 1Question 1

If the car makers produced a car If the car makers produced a car that ran on coal?that ran on coal?

Would you buy it?Would you buy it?

What powers power plantsWhat powers power plants

Power PlantsPower Plants

Coal power generates over 50% Coal power generates over 50% of our electricity and is the single of our electricity and is the single biggest air polluter in the U.S.biggest air polluter in the U.S.

source source ucsusa.org, epa.orgucsusa.org, epa.org

Coal plants emit carbon dioxide, sulfur oxide, nitrogen oxide,

mercury and many other pollutants.

Question 2Question 2

What if you forget to plug your car into What if you forget to plug your car into its charger or your electric car’s its charger or your electric car’s

battery runs ‘out of gas” when you battery runs ‘out of gas” when you are miles from home? are miles from home?

Where do you recharge it?Where do you recharge it?

Recharging the Electric CarRecharging the Electric Car

Electric cars have a range of Electric cars have a range of approximately 100 milesapproximately 100 miles

Recharge time- Recharge time- at least three hoursat least three hours Recharge stations- Recharge stations- not currently not currently

availableavailable

The infrastructure needed to support The infrastructure needed to support and recharge electric cars will be and recharge electric cars will be costly to build. costly to build.

Question 3Question 3

How easy is it to repair a broken-down How easy is it to repair a broken-down electric car?electric car?

Parts are expensive and hard to find Parts are expensive and hard to find due to low demand and they are due to low demand and they are complicated to install.   complicated to install.   

You have to be a licensed electrician You have to be a licensed electrician and a licensed and a licensed mechanic to work on to work on them them

BatteriesBatteries

A replacement battery will cost A replacement battery will cost between between $1,000$1,000 and and $2,000$2,000 and will and will need to be need to be replaced every four replaced every four years.years.

Hard to dispose of since the batteries Hard to dispose of since the batteries are either Lithium-ion or Nickel metal-are either Lithium-ion or Nickel metal-hydride and not the lead-acid type hydride and not the lead-acid type used by most current cars.used by most current cars.

Question 4Question 4

Could the electromagnetic interference Could the electromagnetic interference (emi) from handheld devices like (emi) from handheld devices like

cellphones cause the electric car to cellphones cause the electric car to dangerously malfunction?dangerously malfunction?

Source:USA Today

The Dangers of EMIThe Dangers of EMI

Can cause improperly shielded Can cause improperly shielded critical systems such as critical systems such as

steering, brakes and throttle controlsteering, brakes and throttle control

to malfunction with dangerous resultsto malfunction with dangerous results EMI has been suspected as a cause EMI has been suspected as a cause

in recent hybrid car malfunctions.in recent hybrid car malfunctions. Electric cars generate Electric cars generate more more EMI than EMI than

hybrid carshybrid cars

Other ProblemsOther Problems

A lack of mechanical parts and A lack of mechanical parts and linkages.linkages.

Electrical cars are control by wires Electrical cars are control by wires and sensors instead of linkages (drive-and sensors instead of linkages (drive-by-wire)by-wire)

A simple electrical failure could leave A simple electrical failure could leave the driver unable to steer or stop the the driver unable to steer or stop the car.car.

SummerySummery

Harmful to the environmentHarmful to the environment Fossil fuel-powered electrical Fossil fuel-powered electrical

plantsplants Batteries not eco-friendly Batteries not eco-friendly

Expensive to buy, maintain and repairExpensive to buy, maintain and repair

Could dangerously malfunction due to Could dangerously malfunction due to electrical problemselectrical problems