Electric Vehicles and Zero-Emission Cars Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Electric Vehicles and Zero-Emission Cars - Essay Example Introduction The 21st century has ushered in a new host of problems. To a large extent one recognizes that the increasing move towards globalization has created many of these challenges. One of the most predominant difficulties is energy consumption. Energy consumption is a notable concern both for the difficulties associated with attaining overseas petroleum, as well as environmental concerns over gas emissions. While petroleum use, most scientists agree, threatens the environment, society still has maintained a strong reliance on this energy source. In recent years, however, electric vehicles and zero-emission cars have emerged that have posed a slight challenge to the petroleum hegemony. This essay considers various elements related to these vehicles and cars. Electric Vehicles and Zero-Emission Cars While most people are aware of electric and hybrid vehicles, few understand their history or cursory issues. The electric vehicle is a vehicle that implements an electric motor for it s primary power source. Within this context of recognition there are a number of different types of vehicles that implement electric power. One sort of electric vehicle uses energy that is located at an outside power source. Another form of electric vehicle operates from electric energy that was originally produced by an outside power source; one recognizes that hybrid vehicles would fall within this category as they gain their energy from an external electrical supply. The final type of electric vehicle is one that produces electric energy from an internal source (Mitchell 2010, p. 7). While most people associate electric vehicles with cars, in actuality electricity has been used to power a wide range of transportation devices. In these regards, everything from boats to planes to trains has been powered using electric energy. Electric vehicles have a long history. Indeed, one considers that by the early 18th century engineers and scientists had been experimenting with electric prop ulsion. Still, it wasn’t until the 20th century that electric vehicles were popularized within the United States. While electric vehicles were among the first types of cars produced, to a large extent electric propulsion remained marginalized to petroleum devices throughout the 20th century. Towards the end of the 20th century electric cars gained a slight resurgence. In 1990 the California Air Resources Board mandated that major automobile manufacturers produce electric vehicles for sale. Through the decade then automobile manufacturers increased production of these vehicles. Towards the end of the 1990s, however, consumers increasingly began to move towards sports utility vehicles. One of the main recognitions in these regards is that the lower-gas prices that were experienced during this period and the robust economy created a situation where electric vehicles were increasingly untenable. Still, with the on-set of the 21st century the hybrid car emerged as a trend. The 200 1 the Toyota Prius became the first mass-produced hybrid electric car. A number of other hybrid vehicles would follow. Hybrid vehicles held a number of benefits over vehicles that entirely relied on electric power.