There are many benefits of operating electric vehicles. First, there is no fuel odor as the vehicles operate on batteries, not on gasoline, diesel, or some other type of combustible fuel. Electric vehicles are quiet...the ride is virtually silent. By correctly using regenerative braking, electric vehicles achieve greater brake life as well as create energy through kinetic energy. By using high-tech composite technology, electric vehicles can be much lighter than an ICE counterpart which also helps reduce brake wear along with road wear.
Electric vehicles are much more energy efficient. Electric motors convert virtually all of their fuel energy into usable power. The internal combustion engine (ICE) is less than 20% efficient.
Maintenance cost, including fuel cost, is much lower with an electric vehicle. There are no tune ups or oil changes necessary. By eliminating everything on a vehicle maintenance checklist that pertains to the ICE, it becomes a pretty short list. And, by charging at night, the "fuel" for an electric vehicles is reduced up to one-fourth the cost of gasoline or diesel.
Electric vehicles, especially electric buses, provide great public relations benefits. The public and media alike love riding in and talking about zero-emission electric vehicles.
There are, however, two primary benefits of electric and hybrid-electric vehicles. Electric and hybrid-electric vehicles can help reduce our nation's use of foreign oil, and reduce pollution that negatively impacts health and well-being.
General Motors EV1An electric vehicle is a motor vehicle, such as an automobile, truck, or bus, that uses a rechargeable battery for fuel, replacing gasoline, diesel or other types of combustible fuels. Gone is the internal combustion engine and the transmission. An EV utilizes an electric motor or, in some applications, more than one motor to propel the vehicle.
Electric vehicles are similar in many aspects to vehicles powered with internal combustion engines. The chassis or body of many electric vehicles on the road today are from vehicles that once contained an internal combustion engine (ICE). In most electric vehicles, even the interior of the vehicle is unchanged and almost all electric vehicles contain the same accessories as their internal combustion cousins.
The energy stored in the Electric Vehicle's rechargeable battery supplies power to the motor controller. The motor controller is a device, which controls the amount of power supplied to the electric drive motor(s) based on the position of the accelerator pedal. The electrical power supplied to the electric drive motor(s) is used to generate an electromotive force, which turns the shaft of the electric motor(s). This shaft is coupled to the wheels of the vehicle and causes movement either forward or reverse, depending on the direction the shaft is turning.
Refueling an electric vehicle consists of plugging in the vehicle's charge plug into an outlet that is specifically designed for charging an electric vehicle. Recharging time varies, depending on the battery type, capacity and the voltage/current output of the charger. Most EV's can be recharged in about 6 hours.
The primary focus of EV's is to reduce the amount of noxious gases that are released into the air due to the combustion process of an internal combustion engine. An electric vehicle produces zero emissions. Some critics of the EV industry will argue that a reduction of polluting gases has not taken place because of the emissions that are generated in the production of electricity at the power plants. Though it is true that power plants do produce some pollutants, the government has very strict regulations on power plant emissions. And since power plants produce an excess of power at night, when the demand is low, EV owners can use the excess power by recharging at night. This makes the power plants more efficient.
Additionally, electric vehicles are much more energy efficient then ICE vehicles. Not only is the propulsion system itself much more efficient, but energy loses through the transmission and idling simply do not exist. Because there is no transmission, acceleration is "seamless"; no jerking or noise....just nice and smooth.
