1、The electric car a green transport revolution in the makingAs the worlds continuing energy crisis, and war and oil consumption and energy - car full with the amount of increase, decrease energy day by day, one day it will disappear without a trace. Oil is not living resources. Oil consumption in the
2、 net must be to find a substitute before. With the development of technology and social progress, the invention of the electric vehicles will be effective help ease the financial difficulty. Electric cars will become the ideal means of transport.Faced with high energy costs and rising consumer and g
3、overnment concern over the fate of the environment, the worlds automakers are stepping up investment in the development of alternative power train technologies that promise to substantially cut fuel consumption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.much attention to-date has focused on advances by Jap
4、anese and American automakers in the development of hybrid and battery electric vehicles. Toyotas, Prius has emerged as the best-selling hybrid car in the world. Tesia Motors, a US-based start-up, has launched its first battery electric vehicle, the Tesla Roadster. By the end of 2010, GM plans to la
5、unch its much-touted Volt hybrid, while Chrysler has recently announced similar plans.The Chinese government also has the National High Technology Research and Development Program specifically listed, including hybrid vehicles, including electric cars of major projects. At present, Chinas independen
6、t innovation of new energy vehicles in the process, adhere to the government support to core technology, key components and system integration focusing on the principles established in hybrid electric vehicles, pure electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles as a “three vertical “Several European countri
7、es as well as US ,Japan,China and others, have recently announced bold plans for the introduction of electric vehicles. These include fiscal incentives, funding research on batteries and electric vehicles and plans for the deployment of a charging infrastructure. Major cities such as London and Pari
8、s have announced electric car-sharing systems, while public administrations and companies using large captive fleets are purchasing electric vehicles. At the same time, utilities, car manufacturers, battery producers and academics are joining forces on initiatives such as the EURELECTRIC Task Force
9、on Electric Vehicles, the European Technology Platform on Smart Systems Integration. Together with the European Investment Bank the European Commission has launched the European Green Cars Initiative, with EUR 5 billion partly dedicated to the research, development and manufacturing of batteries and
10、 electric cars and to demonstration projects.This flurry of activity seems to indicate that the electric car is heading for a major breakthrough at last - but is it here to stay this time? History calls for caution. The production of electric vehicles began as far back as 1838 52 years before combus
11、tion engine vehicles. However, after 1913 the mass commercialization of the combustion engine led to a rapid decline in electric vehicles. Attempts to reintroduce electric vehicles in past decades have for the most part been unsuccessful and they still represent a very small, niche market.One of the
12、 biggest issues facing the potential take-up of electric vehicles is the rate of improvement in the performance of electric vehicle batteys.The biggest drag on electric vehicle performance comes from the lithium-ion battery, which can add another 220 kilograms to the total weight of a car, versus an
13、 ICE-powered vehicle.Since most passenger vehicles in China today are driven in urban areas, where shorter distances and slower speeds are the norm, this may not prove to be as vexing an issue as it is in other markets such as the US or Europe, where the average driving distance and top speed are co
14、nsiderably longer and higher. Continued research and development into electric battery technology is generating promising improvements in performance. US-based A123Systems,one of the worlds largest producers of high-power lithium-ion batteries, Announced a battery capable of powering a car for 200 k
15、ilometers between charges. Toshiba recently announced the commercial launch of its Super Charge battery, which can be charged to 90 percent capacity in less than five minutes.Yet today the future looks brighter. A great deal of progress has been made in battery technology and electric vehicles are e
16、xpected to re-enter the market on a large scale within the next couple of years. Based on a moderate growth scenario, by 2050, electric vehicles could represent more than 60%of new sales and constitute up to 25% of the global car fleet. However, estimates of the extent of future deployment vary grea
17、tly, as there is still some uncertainty in relation to the development of technology and future consumer behavior.One of the primary benefits of electric vehicles is, of course, the reduction of Green house gases emitted into the atmosphere. Our calculation of the total carbon abatement potential of
18、 alternative power train technologies counted not only the CO2 emissions that vehicles produce, but also emissions produced through out their entire life-cycle, from the CO2 emitted during the generation of electric power through to the transportation of fuel.Over a period of 8 months in 2008, a glo
19、bal McKinsey team studied the passenger vehicle industries in North America, Europe, China, and India. The team examined four power train technology alternatives, chosen on the basis of existing technologies and their near-term commercial feasibility. They contrasted them to conventional internal co
20、mbustion engine (ICE) vehicles that run on gasoline or diesel.Full hybrid vehicles: Running primarily on gasoline, full hybrids are powered by a battery during acceleration of the vehicle, but draw most of their power from an internal combustion engine. Full hybrids, equipped with ICE improvement te
21、chnologies mentioned above, have a life-cycle carbon abatement potential of 56 percent.Compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles: CNG vehicles are normally perceived to be a source of clean energy, but their life cycle carbon abatement potential depends wholly on the source of the gas 一 the greater the
22、distance the gas needs to be transported, the higher this power trains “well-to-tank“ emissions. CNG cars rank close to hybrids in their life-cycle carbon abatement potential at 55 percent, assuming the gas comes from local sources. Electric vehicles: Electric vehicles include plug-in hybrid vehicle
23、s (PHEV) and battery electric vehicles (BEV). Compared with full hybrids, plug-in hybrid vehicles contain a much bigger battery that can power the vehicle for a longer distance without the aid of an internal combustion engine, can be recharged by plugging them into standard electric sockets, and der
24、ive a smaller proportion of their propulsion from the internal combustion engine. Can be recharged by plugging them into standard electric sockets, and derive a smaller proportion of their propulsion from the internal combustion engine. Battery electric vehicles run solely on battery power without t
25、he aid of any internal combustion mechanism.electric vehicles today only have a 19 percent carbon abatement potential over current internal combustion engine technologies; however, this can be increased to as much as 49 percent if diversifies its energy mix towards alternative energy sources for its
26、 supply of electric power.Electric vehicles have zero tailpipe emissions, but there are, of course, emissions involved in the production of electricity. As an example, with no concerted action to adopt new power train technologies, the level ofCO2 emissions from passenger cars in China could reach n
27、early 1.2 billion tons in 2030. However, our research showed that by adopting a mix of various alternative power train technologies, China could cut emissions from passenger vehicles by up to 45 percent. Relative to other power train technologies, electric vehicles demonstrate some what weaker carbo
28、n abatement potential. While full hybrid cars have abatement potential of 56 percent, electric vehicles potential stands at 19 percent. This can be explained by the fact that China still relies on coal-fired plants for as much as 85 percent of its electricity supply.This can be explained by the fact
29、 that China still relies on coal-fired plants for as much as 85 percent of its electricity supply.It also can blossom into another electric car benefits of electric vehicles is the “displacement “of harmful air pollutants from urban to rural areas, where population exposure is lower. Noise levels ar
30、e also lower, particularly in urban driving conditions.Another major advantage of electric vehicles is their energy efficiency. With a tank-to-wheel efficiency in the range of 60 to 80 %, they outperform conventional cars four-fold. Generally, electric vehicles show greatest energy savings at low sp
31、eeds and in situations involving frequently-changing driving dynamics, which is another reason why cities are a prime target market.Electric vehicles will also create opportunities for software developers. Electric vehicles require an electronic interface that informs the driver of the status of the
32、 cars vital statistics, from fuel and battery usage, to split-second updates in GPS navigation systems. Venture-backed start-up Better Place is developing a comprehensive information management system it calls Autos that will, among other things, inform the driver of the nearest battery-charging sta
33、tions.While other technologies such as fuel cells hold great promise in reducing CO2 emissions, its commercial application remains years away. Investing in electric vehicles, however, does not mean Chinese OEMs and suppliers should stop their research into other technologies. Rather, they should mai
34、ntain a balanced technology portfolio, with electric vehicles being a near-term solution, while viewing other technologies such as fuel cells as a potential long-term solution that could yield returns once the technology becomes commercially viable.Thanks to their energy efficiency, and assuming tha
35、t electricity generation will be even greener in the future, electric vehicles could contribute to a considerable reduction in greenhouse gases. Given the ongoing debate on climate change, this could prove to be an important factor. Indeed, transport is responsible for more than a fifth of the EUs g
36、reenhouse gas emissions and it is the only sector with growing emissions. While the improvement of internal combustion engines still offers considerable potential for reducing emissions per kilometer driven, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions over and above 50 % will require new technological so
37、lutions, such as the electric vehicle.Compared to conventional vehicles, and based on the current average European electricity supply, electric vehicles have 50 % less emissions. Further benefits can be achieved if the carbon intensity of power generation continues to decrease with further greener a
38、nd renewable energy sources.The electric car finally seems to be on the verge of breaking through, offering significant environmental benefits, especially in urban areas. There are, however, still some obstacles related to green electricity supply, the as yet expensive battery technology, the limited driving range and the need for a dense network of electric charging facilities. To overcome these obstacles, innovative business models are being developed to help transform automotive transport.
