Notes

In 1891, William Morrison of Des Moines, Iowa, developed the first electric car. By the turn of the century, dedicated
electric vehicles (EVs) outnumbered their gasoline-powered counterparts by two-to-one. Today there are about
10,500 dedicated EVs in use in the United States, mostly in the West and South. Researchers are still working on
the same problem that plagued those early dedicated EVs--an efficient battery.
BATTERY LIMITATIONS
Dedicated electric vehicles must have batteries that can be discharged and recharged repeatedly. Since most
batteries can't store large amounts of energy, a dedicated electric vehicle must carry as many batteries as possible.
In some dedicated EVs, the batteries constitute almost half the weight of the car. The typical dedicated EV battery
pack must be replaced every three to six years, a big expense in itself. Tax incentives can offset some of these
costs.
The batteries limit the range of a dedicated EV, which is determined by the amount of energy stored in its battery
pack. The more batteries a dedicated EV can carry, the more range it can attain, to a point. Too many batteries can
weigh down a vehicle, reducing its load-carrying capacity and range, and causing it to use more energy. The typical
dedicated EV can only travel 50 to 130 miles between charges. This driving range assumes perfect driving
conditions and vehicle maintenance. Weather conditions, terrain, and some accessory use can significantly reduce
the range.
Dedicated EVs, therefore, have found a niche market as neighborhood or low speed vehicles for consumers going
short distances at speeds of 30 mph or less.
The batteries used in EVs today include lead-acid, NiCad, NiMH, Magnesium-Lithium, NaNiCl, nickel iron, and
nickel zinc. Extensive research is being conducted on advanced batteries that will increase electric vehicle range.
Some of these batteries are scaled-up versions of the batteries used in portable computers. Such advanced
batteries could double the current range of electric vehicles, and hold promise for being longer lived.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
Dedicated electric vehicles produce no tailpipe emissions, but producing the electricity to charge them can. EVs
are really coal, nuclear, hydropower, oil, and natural gas cars, because these fuels produce most of the electricity in
the U.S. Coal alone generates more than half of our electricity. When fossil fuels are burned, pollutants are
produced like those emitted from the tailpipe of a gasoline-powered automobile. Power plant emissions, however,
are easier to control than tailpipe emissions. Emissions from power plants are strictly regulated, controlled with
sophisticated technology, and monitored continuously. In addition, power plants are usually located outside major
centers of urban air pollution.
MAINTENANCE
The low maintenance of dedicated electric vehicles is appealing to many consumers. Dedicated EVs require no
tune-ups, oil changes, water pumps, radiators, injectors, or tailpipes. And no more trips to the service station.