Question

1. A delivery service company has made a decision to purchase electric cars as their fleet vehicles. The decision was made for environmental reasons, as the company wishes to take measures to prevent pollution and also wishes to project an image of being an environmentally responsible company. The management committee that made the decision felt that switching the fleet from conventional internal combustion engine cars that run on gasoline to electric cars would be environmentally beneficial since electric cars release no exhaust emissions when they are operating.

1. Describe a scenario in which the reasoning for the decision to switch to electric vehicles is correct.
2. Describe a scenario in which the reasoning for the decision to switch to electric car is NOT correct.

Answer 1

a) Switching to an electric vehicle from the conventional IC engine is correct since it releases no exhaust. The efficiency of the motor is more than gasoline and thus energy can be used more effectively and it can be sustained. You can plug-in across the country to charge electric vehicles and thus are cheaper to fuel than their gasoline-powered counterparts. They cut down the oil cost of the nation. They provide instant torque which results in instant acceleration.

b)Switching to electric vehicles from the conventional IC engine is not correct since the motor might be efficient but the generation and distribution of electricity are more expensive. Recycling of earth metals of which batteries are made is another challenge that needs safe disposal otherwise it poses danger to health. Greater charging time is also an issue that decreases the range of BEVs. Fast charging stations offer a partial solution, but will substantially increase fuel costs for BEVs.