Electric Car: Definition, Advantages and Disadvantages

We live in the \(21^\rm{st}\) century and people worldwide are working together to fight climate change. The environmental pollution caused by the unrelenting use of fossil fuels have wreaked hell on the atmosphere around us, and the result of it are heat waves, melting of ice caps and rising sea levels. There is an urgent need to minimise our dependence on fossil fuel-based technology. With the growing advancements in science and engineering, we have been able to develop various alternate energy resources that are renewable and eco-friendly. Hydropower plants, nuclear power plants, solar energy panels and wind energy power plants have the capacity not just to fulfil the electricity needs for our homes and industries; now we have surplus electricity stock to power our vehicles too.

Electric vehicles are our present and future, which is why the automobile industry worldwide has been launching one electric vehicle after the other. Electric cars are very important electric vehicles that are a major trend of the era and an essential change that we need to make to save our climate from further deterioration. Let us learn more about electric cars and how we can make one at home.

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What are Electric Vehicles?

Electric vehicles or EV’s are vehicles that use electricity as fuel. These are the vehicles that offer a perfect alternative to gas-emitting vehicles. These vehicles are powered by electric motors and require two or more motors for their propulsion. These vehicles are powered by a collector system that derives electricity from off-vehicle sources. These are installed with a battery, an electric generator or solar panel that efficiently transform their fuel into electricity. Electric vehicles were the foremost kind of mode of transport that did not require human power.

The first known electric cars and trains were built around the 1830s, and by the early 1900s, there were far more electric cars on the road than fossil fuel-powered cars. But over the next \(100\) years, there was a major rise in petroleum-powered vehicles. But now tables have turned again, with rising fuel costs and sensitivity towards environment the demand for electric vehicles is again on the rise. They deliver similar average and comfort as their predecessors and provide an eco-friendly choice for the buyers. We currently have E-rickshaws, electric scooters, and cars already in use to promote a safe environment.

What is an Electric Car?

An electric car is an automobile powered by several electric motors that utilise the energy stored in rechargeable batteries to function. Ányos Jedlik of Hungary built the first-ever electric car. He made a small model of a working electric car in 1828. Then after 2008, there was a rise in the manufacturing of electric vehicles due to the improvements made in battery-based technology. Smaller and much more efficient batteries have been developed and helped further in the recent advancement of electric vehicle-based technology.

Electric cars ensure environmental safety with the idea to reduce greenhouse emissions and improve the air quality in urban areas. Modern electric cars can be charged at the charging stations, and such stations can be installed at both homes and public places. In fact, governments all over the world are providing incentives and infrastructures essential for plug-in electric vehicles. Last year, Tesla Model 3 became the world’s best-selling electric car with a maximum range of \(500\,\rm{km}\) \((310\,\rm{miles}).\)
There are three possible types of electric cars:

1. Cars that work on fuel cells: Cars powered by fuel cells use hydrogen to generate electricity. Hydrogen is abundant in nature, but it isn’t easy to store it. Hydrogen can be derived from water, but we generally use natural gas to make hydrogen for electric cars.
2. Cars that work on solar cells: These cars use the power of the sun to function. Although solar power is insufficient to accelerate cars reasonably, solar power can not be used at night. That is why solar-powered vehicles require a battery to store extra energy. These are also known as solar cars.
3. Cars that work on battery: A battery-operated electric vehicle or (BEV) are the most common type of electric vehicle. Batteries have chemicals, and as the battery works, this chemical energy gets converted into electric energy. These batteries can be recharged by plugging them into normal house plugs. The plug-in car market is inclining towards fully electric battery-operated vehicles.

DIY Electric Car: Let us Make an Electric Car at Home

We have seen kids play with battery-operated cars, trucks and helicopters; all of these are nothing but miniature versions of the electric vehicles. Using some basic materials, we can easily make our battery operated electric car at home.

Things needed to make an electric car at home

1. A Plastic can
2. An AA type battery
3. Four bottle caps
4. An AA type battery holder
5. Few Plastic cups
6. Wood skewers or dowel rod
7. A DC motor
8. Rubber band
9. Plastic pulleys
10. A Propeller
11. A Switch to create a simple circuit

Pieces of equipment required:

1. Screw
2. Paper clips
3. Razor knife
4. Scissors
5. Hot glue gun
6. Motor mount

Follow the steps given below to design your battery-operated car at home:

Step 1. Mounting the Axle: Cut two straws wider than the size of a can of chips for creating an axle.  An axle is like a rod or shaft that rotates the wheels and supports the car’s weight. Carefully insert the dowel rods or skewers after glueing the straws to the can. These straws will extend about an inch on each side of the box.

Step 2: Creating the Wheels: Pick a few plastic cups to make the wheels for your car. Using scissors, cut out the circular bottom of the cups and fashion them as wheels for the car.

Step 3: Making a hole: Carefully punch out the centres of the wheels to create a hole in the wheels of your car.

Step 4: Mounting the wheels: Lightly take the skewer or the dowel rod and push it through the centre of the wheel to mount the wheel of your car.

Step 5: Gluing the spaces: Now, the connection between the skewer and the car’s hole may be loose; in that case, dab some hot glue to secure it and wait for some time and allow the glue to cool down. Slightly press the wheel to make sure that the wheels are straight.

Step 6: Attaching the battery holder:  Using the hot glue, carefully attach the battery holder to the centre of the chips can. Make sure that the wire from the battery holder is long enough to reach the end of the can.

Step 7: Creating a platform for propeller: We needs a platform for our car and to make it cut two equal pieces of cardboard using scissors and glue them together tightly.

Step 8: Connecting the propeller: Carefully join the propeller to the shaft of the dc motor.

Step 9: Mounting the Motor: Use glue to stick the centre of the motor to the platform while making sure that the terminals of the motor are visible and at the top. If you use zip ties instead of hot glue, you can reuse this set-up in the future to create some other device.

Step 10: Connecting the wires: Place your batteries on the battery holder and connect the black wire to a terminal on the motor and red wire to the other motor terminal. Make sure that the propeller is at a distance from the motor. Please do not connect the red wire; take the black wire, attach it to a proper terminal, and twist it a few times to ensure the connections are tight.

Step 11: Stripping the wire: Strip an end of the red wire after cutting it in half from the battery holder. Take this striped wire and push it through the middle hole of the switch. Twist the wire a couple of times to secure it properly.

Step 12: Closing the switch: Take one end of the red wire through the outer hole of the switch and twist it to make sure it’s tight. Attach the other end of the red wire to the open terminal on the motor. Carefully stick the switch to the can using hot glue. When you want to move your car, add batteries and flip the switch.

There you have it, your own DIY electric propeller car.

Advantages of using Electric Cars

Electric cars use electric motors, which is why they do not create any noise, and in fact, they do not exhaust any harmful gases into the atmosphere. Thus, it saves us from both noise and air pollution.
Fossil fuel-based technology is set to expire with the reducing blocks of coal and petroleum worldwide. An electric vehicle based on electricity provides a green and eco-friendly alternative to ensure sustainability and comfort in this scenario.

Disadvantages of using Electric Cars

These cars are relatively expensive, and their batteries need recharging after short periods. The batteries installed in these cars are large and heavy and take a long time to recharge fully. These batteries require frequent replacement, which is again an added expense. Moreover, there is a requirement for a large infrastructure of service centres and charging points all over countries to make electric cars accessible. The technology used in making parts required to build and an electric car is still based on fossil fuels. Thus, its production adds to global warming.

FAQs

Q.1. What are electric cars?
Ans: Electric cars are automobiles that are propelled by an electric motor that is energised by a rechargeable battery.

Q.2. How are these different from the regular cars we use now?
Ans: Electric cars have electric motors, and they use electricity to function, while regular cars use petroleum products like petrol, diesel or natural gas to function.

Q.3. Write a few disadvantages of using an electric car.
Ans: Disadvantages are:
1. These are expensive.
2. These require frequent battery replacement, which is again very expensive.
3. There are not enough service centres available.
4. These cannot be taken on a long route because of the lack of charging points.

Q.4. Are electric cars better than fuel-based cars?
Ans: With decreasing levels of fossil fuels, increasing cost of petroleum and environmental pollution, electric cars are better than fossil fuel-based cars. The latest cars provide all the features and comfort of a regular car but cause much less damage to our environment.

Q.5. Can we make an electric car at home?
Ans: Yes, using basic equipment, we can design our electric car at home, although it will be a miniature version (details are mentioned above).

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