EV: Vehicles of the 21st Century: Green Vehicles Articles: Eco20/20

EV: Vehicles of the 21st Century

As we look at the automobile industry, it is easy to see that the landscape is quickly changing. The internal combustion engine is no longer the darling of the industry. We've seen a rapid increase in mass produced hybrid gasoline-electric and other plug-in technology swamping the marketplace in recent years. The concerns over climate change and the greenhouse gas emissions from internal combustion engine cars, as well as the unstable and volatile nature of the oil market, is leading many to look for alternatives.

However, for many, the hybrid is not enough. They want to wash their hands of the internal combustion engine completely. And thus, the emergence of the all-electric vehicle. An all-electric vehicle is now the most attractive alternative to the internal combustion engine and automobile manufacturers are taking note of the increased interest in 100% electric vehicles, as opposed to more advanced hybrid technology. Many see the electric vehicle as the car of the future.

Why now? Electric motor technology is not a new concept. As early as the 19th century, technologies for electric motors - both for personal automobiles and trains - were available. Unfortunately, electric vehicles could not compete with the newly created internal combustion engine and its ultra cheap fuel source, the seemingly never ending supply of crude oil, turned into gasoline. So, the short answer as to why now, is that now the price of petrochemical products is increasing rapidly, as well as concern over its burning, so the electric vehicle is finally getting another, more serious look.

Many of the top car companies are at the drawing board, creating prototype after prototype of different types of all-electric vehicles - from sports cars to economy cars. Some of the smaller, more niche car companies have already rolled out preliminary versions of all-electric vehicles onto the market. The larger car companies are set to begin debuting their mass produced all-electric models as soon as the end of this year.

As motor efficiency and battery technology continues to improve, the electric vehicle continues to gain ground on the dated internal combustion engine. Electric vehicles not only offer zero emissions, they also provide faster acceleration and have a lot of torque, so even hills are no problem. There are many high performance electric vehicles that are just as spunky as the traditional sports car, without the guilt that comes from all the emissions of an internal combustion vehicle.

With the increased interest in electric vehicles, research in the area is soaring. Pilot projects for battery exchange stations are in the works and battery technologies are increasing every year. Governments are providing incentives to manufacturers, consumers, and even researchers to promote the electric vehicle as the car of the future. With these incentives, we will continue to see an increase in the efficiency and capabilities of electric vehicles, as well as giving consumers the ability to try them out for themselves As these technologies advance, we will be scratching our heads in wonder as to why we ever drove such an archaic, nasty vehicle as the internal combustion engine. With electric vehicles, the sky is the limit, and the future looks much greener as a result.