Futuristic Electric Cars by Kerrily Sapet

Author:Kerrily Sapet
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mitchell Lane

An artist’s concept of an electric car

Batteries have disadvantages. They don’t match the power per pound of fossil fuels. A battery must weigh 100 pounds to equal the driving distance of one pound of gas. Engineers place the heavy battery packs in the floor of the car. Batteries also don’t work as well when it’s cold. Engineers are testing batteries in extreme temperatures and redesigning car heating systems to keep batteries warm.

Battery chemists have tested thousands of ingredients to develop better batteries. “Car owners want batteries that can go long distances on a single charge, can charge quickly, have long lives, are efficient, are not too costly, and are safe” says Gao Liu, a researcher at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Scientists are experimenting with solar power and also with hydrogen fuel cells, which combine hydrogen and oxygen to make electricity.

Engineers are designing cars that weigh less. The heavier the vehicle, the harder the motor works, and the faster the battery drains. To make stronger, lighter parts, scientists are developing composite materials that combine two or more materials. Many companies also are testing bioplastics, plastics made from plants instead of petroleum.

Cars of the future will be packed with new technology and made with new materials. “Once you make the leap, and you have a big battery, and you have electric motors, you’ve done all the hard stuff",” says Tony Posawatz of General Motors.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.