It seems like everywhere you turn nowadays people are talking about electric cars. Electric cars are the new buzz terminology. They are part of the green new deal and represent a concerted effort to decrease our dependency on fossil fuels. Electric cars are a significant factor in the fight against global warming, and the world’s richest man has gained his wealth from producing electric cars.
So, what exactly is an electric car? An electric car or Electric Vehicle (EV) is an automobile that serves as a mode of transportation, and its power source is electricity rather than gasoline. Electric cars run off a battery or fuel cell rather than a conventional engine. There is no internal combustion process or burning of fossil fuel.
Many people now want to purchase an electric car and replace their traditional gasoline-powered cars. If you are one of these people, here are some seven illuminating facts from northwestautocollision.com about electric cars that you probably didn’t know before.
1. The first electric vehicle was manufactured in 1884.
The invention of the electric car was more like an inventive process that occurred in several different countries, including England, Hungary, the Netherlands, and America, from approximately 1880 to 1905. However, when asked to define one particular event that started the process, historians will generally cite Thomas Parker, a British inventor. He created the electrical car powered by rechargeable batteries in 1884.
In America, the first electric car debuted in approximately 1890. The car was invented by William Morrison, a chemist in Des Moines, Iowa. Morrison’s vehicle could hold six passengers and travel at a top speed of 14 miles per hour.
With the current focus on electric cars, many believe that electrically powered cars are a recent invention; however, this is not the case, and the truth is that the development of the electric car closely correlates with the development of the gasoline-powered car.
2. During the 19th century and early 20th century, electric vehicles were the most famous automobile.
From approximately 1890 to 1915, different automakers, many of whom were traditionally associated with petrol-powered cars, began to produce electric-powered cars. This included Ferdinand Porsche, founder of the Porsche sports car company, and Henry Ford, who dabbled in building a low-cost electric car that could be mass-produced.
By 1990 electric vehicles were in their heyday, and they accounted for nearly one-third of the cars on the road. There was even a fleet of 60 electrically powered taxis. In a precursor to today’s movement toward electric vehicles, urban dwellers in the early 19 hundred’s chose electric cars before gasoline-powered cars. They cited reasons such as the electric cars emitted no smelly fumes, were easier to drive and were more maneuverable when used for short trips in the city.
3. Electric vehicles are heavier than gasoline-powered ones.
Another interesting fact unbeknownst to many is that the electric car is heavier than gasoline motor powered cars. Electric cars are anywhere from 20 to 30% heavier than traditional gasoline powered because they require massive batteries to store and emit power.
4. There are six types of electric vehicles.
One important fact to realize about electric cars is that there is more than one type, and there are six separate categories that electric cars fall under.
This is a type of electric vehicle that is powered solely by electricity produced from a battery contained within the body of the car. The battery is the only power source in the car, and it is devoid of an internal combustion engine like that of conventional motor cars.
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles
A hybrid is officially defined as a mixture of two species. Still, instead of mixing species, the hybrid car is a mixture of different types of motor vehicles. This hybrid car contains two power sources, a traditional gasoline-powered internal combustion engine, and rechargeable batteries.
Users of the plug-in hybrid car can fill the internal combustion engine with gasoline or power the batteries by plugging them into an electrical power source.
Another type of electric vehicle is the hybrid electric vehicle. Like the plug-in hybrid, this vehicle contains both an internal combustion engine and a battery; however, the batteries are charged by regenerative brakes that convert kinetic energy into electrical energy rather than by plugging it into a power source.
Extended-Range Electric Vehicles
The extended-range vehicle is primarily powered by electricity generated from a battery. However, this vehicle type also has a small built-in internal combustion engine which kicks in to power a generator that, in turn, powers the electrical battery once the battery power reserves reach a certain level.
In transportation terms, the amount of power a battery can supply and for how long is referred to as the battery’s power range. All batteries have a limited range before having to be recharged, but in the extended-range hybrid vehicles, the internal combustion engine is switched on to run a generator which, in turn, recharges the battery, giving the battery an extended range.
Neighborhood Electric Vehicles
A neighborhood electric vehicle is an electric-powered vehicle that has a top speed of 25 miles per hour. It can be charged through an external electric power source or through clean energy such as wind and solar.
As its name implies, this is any type of electric vehicle, not specifically an electric car. This type of electric vehicle is not usually seen on roads. One good example of a non-road electric vehicle is the electric tractor.
5. Electric vehicles require less upkeep cost.
Electric vehicles have a higher upfront purchasing cost than traditional gasoline powered cars. However, this initial cost is balanced by the fact that electric vehicles are cheaper and easier to maintain upkeep. Electric vehicles have less moving parts than gas fueled vehicles, which makes upkeep a much easier, less expensive and less time-consuming exercise.
The more parts a car has, the more expensive and time-consuming becomes the upkeep. In electric cars there are fewer working parts which means a reduced need to replace or repair parts, making general upkeep and maintenance significantly easier.
6. Tesla Roadster covers the longest reach in one charging.
One of the most noteworthy electric vehicles on the planet right now is the Tesla Roadster; it very well may be completely energized in somewhere around four hours and can be set for up to 80% of its battery in thirty minutes.
Makes it really intriguing that it can cover the most expanded range in spite of its short charging time. It is known to cover a distance of 240 miles on only one charging, and this distance is roughly two times the distance that can be covered by other electric vehicles.
7. It is feasible to control a house utilizing an electric vehicle.
One more intriguing fact about electric vehicles is that you can utilize them to drive your own home assuming you have the right hardware. Their battery-powered batteries can be utilized as a power source.
With the current inflation rate and gasoline being more expensive than at anytime in history, many people are turning to electric cars. Electric cars are also considered better for the environment and are cheaper to maintain and run. All these factors combine to make electric cars a more popular choice than traditional gasoline-powered cars.
In the modern world, there are now more electric-powered cars on the road than ever, and this increasing number has necessitated a corresponding increase in the number of auto body repair shops specializing in the auto body repair of electric vehicles. Contact a professional if you are in need of an electric vehicle that requires body repair.
