As worldwide oil reserves diminish and people become increasingly more aware of an imminent shortage, innovative minds scramble to develop alternative methods of fueling transportation. Most of the proposed solutions promise reduced or clean emissions, but a green solution doesn’t necessarily mean a good solution.

In July of 2009, ExxonMobile announced a new program to research and develop biofuels made from photosynthetic algae—organisms more commonly known as seaweed or pond scum. The oil company invested $600 million in this venture to “help address the world’s long term energy challenges,” according to its website.

While Exxon’s algae-based biofuel science fair project deserves creativity points for sure, pond scum oil, no matter how green, will ultimately fail to alleviate the world’s energy challenges. 

The key benefit of algae-produced biofuel, as Exxon sees it, lies in its molecular structure: the product closely resembles gasoline. “Algae produce bio-oil that can be processed into biofuels similar in structure to today’s gasoline and diesel fuels. This helps ensure the fuels are compatible with existing transportation technology and infrastructure,” Exxon’s website explains.

That means internal combustion engines, gas stations and other aspects of America’s liquid fuel based economy can remain intact. To an oil company, a solution that guarantees it will continue to profit after petroleum becomes scarce seems like the perfect answer. As an added bonus, algae-based biofuel pollutes less than gasoline so Exxon can claim its seat on the green bandwagon.

However, maintaining the status quo by substituting one type of oil for another will not address fundamental flaws in America’s transportation system. Internal combustion engines are only about 20 percent efficient at converting fuel into a car’s forward momentum. Gas stations only seem handy because Americans have never had a more convenient means of fueling their cars. And, a new type of liquid fuel will not guarantee any price breaks for the consumer.

Exxon’s biofuel project, which won’t become commercially viable for at least five to 10 years, will needlessly waste time, effort and money—especially when a cleaner, cheaper and more efficient alternative already exists: electric vehicles.  

With the potential of costing as little as two cents per mile to charge and a highly efficient method of expending its energy, electric cars show the most promise in solving the energy-related issues our world faces today. Engineers and developers continue to make tremendous strides in advancing electric vehicle technology, charging infrastructure and methods of generating electricity.

America needs to look beyond buzz words like “green” and “renewable” to the big picture energy issue and promote into fruition the solutions that offer the most positive changes. Alternatives like Exxon’s algae-based biofuel make for interesting science experiments, but that’s about it.

Sources:

http://www.exxonmobil.com/Corporate/energy_climate_con_vehicle_algae.aspx

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/business/energy-environment/14fuel.html

Millions of Americans could be driving pure electric cars right now, if we all could afford to buy high performance $100K Tesla Roadsters. Similarly we could all be driving 100 percent electric mini cars, if we weren’t afraid of being run over in rush hour traffic. These two polarized options—either exceedingly expensive or terribly tiny—dominate the all-electric car market. Electric vehicle technology is undeniably here, yet practical middle-of-the-spectrum EV options are not.

A practical middle-ground EV option means an affordable sedan or SUV without a gas tank. Such vehicles became available in the late 90s after California issued its Zero-Emissions Mandate, forcing auto manufacturers to produce cars that didn’t pollute. The large capacity NiMH battery made 100 percent electric cars like the GM EV-1 and the Toyota RAV4-EV commercially viable. These vehicles set the bar high, proving what auto manufacturers are capable of making. So where are these options today?

Ever since complicated legal fallout between Chevron and EV manufacturers rendered large capacity NiMH batteries off-limits, EV battery makers have been trying to reinvent the wheel, so to speak, by developing new battery technology. In the meantime, auto manufactures are playing around with hybrids and plug-ins. They can’t offer real electric vehicles, but half-electric vehicles make for a nice consolation prize. Cars fueled partly with electricity and partly with gas like the Toyota Prius or the upcoming Chevy Volt have some merits, but they still have that infernal gas tank.

Nissan is the first auto manufacturer since the 90s to promise consumers a “normal” true-blue all-electric car: the Leaf. The Leaf is a mid-size hatchback that runs on lithium ion battery power with about a 100 mile range per charge. It doesn’t quite reach the 150 mile range of the RAV4-EV, a NiMH battery powered SUV, but the Leaf looks like a promising pure electric vehicle. However, with an unscheduled release date and an inevitably high price tag (upwards of about $30,000), this pure EV option remains out of reach for most Americans.

Going all-electric can mean freeing America from its dependence on foreign oil and alleviating some of the world’s most pressing environmental concerns. However, these positive changes won’t happen if going all-electric will cost Americans—either financially or by sacrificing their current lifestyle. Americans want to be able to drive a roomy, safe, decent-looking car to wherever they need to go for the same or less amount of money they do now. For now, that means America is hooked on gasoline. To change that, America is going to need some better pure electric car options.

Electric vehicles are somewhat difficult to find. Most of the modern electric cars manufactured in recent years were removed from the public eye after the California Air Resource Board’s zero mandate emission was killed in 2003. While the RAV-4EV, Toyota’s 100% electric SUV is still on the highways in California, most of the other electric vehicles made in the 1990s and 2000s were leased, not sold. When the leases expired, car manufacturers refused to renew the leases or sell the cars. GM even piled up and crushed the Saturn EV-1s as documented in the movie Who Killed the Electric Car?

But with the rise in gasoline prices, a renewed interest in electric vehicles is emerging. Neighborhood electric cars are becoming more prevalent in the United States, Europe and Asia but these vehicles have limited range and limited top speeds that do not meet the needs of some commuters. While some major auto manufacturers have shown reluctance in developing new electric vehicles, others have been working to introduce new electric cars. In the coming few years, it appears the electric car will once again get some attention. Some car manufacturers are working with individual states to build and promote a recharging infrastructure for recharging. Electric cars can be charged at home over night, but to alleviate consumer concerns about becoming stranded, these manufacturers want to have a quick-charging public option available.

Colorado Senate Bill (SB 75) was passed in the summer of 2009. The bill allows neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) to drive on public roads with a 35mph speed limit or lower. Most NEVs have a top speed of no more than 40 mph and can run about 25-50 miles on a battery charge. These vehicles use no gasoline and have zero emissions.

Legislators supporting the bill boasted that the new law provides economic, environmental and social benefits for Colorado citizens. For every 1,000 miles that a NEV is driven, 39.5 gallons of gasoline is saved. It takes two 55 gallon barrels of oil to produce about 40 gallons of gas.

Some NEVs were already in use in Colorado including parks departments and local cities and even by Dominos Pizza. But the new law opens the door for new NEV users to travel to the grocery store, to schools, and local errands without ever purchasing gasoline.

NEVs have other benefits because they are 100% electric vehicles. The vehicles are plugged in overnight to recharge and do not have many of the parts and labor associated with gas-powered vehicles. NEVs do not need oil changes or regular tune-ups. There is no internal combustion engine (ICE) so all the parts associated with the ICE do not need repair or replacement such as oil filters, hoses, clamps, spark plugs etc. These differences add up to huge savings and little maintenance other than tires. The cost to operate an NEV ranges from one to three cents per mile depending on the rate your electrical company charges and the time of day the vehicle is recharged (it is generally cheaper to recharge NEVs overnight during “off-peak” hours). Additional benefits include cleaner air and noise pollution. NEVs do not have a tailpipe or emissions and the electric motor is virtually silent.

Colorado residents who purchase new NEVs may also qualify for federal tax incentive up to $2,500 to help lower the initial price of the vehicle. NEVs range in price from about $7,000-$16,000 before the tax credit.

Delaware became the first state to pass a bill that allows electric car owners to sell electricity back to the grid, further reducing the price of electric car ownership. Governor Jack A. Markell signed Delaware Senate Bill 153 into law in September, 2009. The bill allows vehicle-to-grid transfers of energy resulting in energy savings for electric car drivers.

Plug-in electric cars are typically recharged overnight at home. They plug into 110 and 220 volt plugs and recharge their batteries in the evening and overnight when electrical demand is lower. This time frame is also referred to as “off-peak.” Vehicle-to-grid electrical cars are capable of absorbing excess energy when the demand for energy is lower, particularly over night time hours. The vehicles can return some of this energy when the demand for electrical power is higher. The Delaware bill allows consumers to sell back this stored electricity during peak usage time which lowers the customer’s electric bill by allowing the consumer to pay only for the electricity they use in net usage.

Governor Markell said the historic bill was the first of its kind not only in the United States but in the world. As plug-in electric vehicles become more prevalent, more states may pass similar bills to reward consumers for purchasing greener transportation vehicles.

The U.S. Department of Energy is offering tax incentives for consumers who purchase plug-in electric vehicles and “green energy” systems. The credit for purchasing a plug-in electric vehicle is up to $7,500 for vehicles purchased after December 31, 2009. Depending on the battery capacity, the tax incentive can range between $2,500 and $7,500. The vehicle must weight less than 14,000 pounds, be purchased as new, and have four or more wheels. The car must also be rechargeable from an electric outlet. Once the manufacturer’s sales have reached 200,000 plug-in electric cars, the tax incentive will be gradually reduced over the period of a year. All the tax incentives for vehicle purchases under are part of the American Recover and Reinvestment Act of 2009. 

Hybrid-gas electric vehicles and alternative fuel vehicles also may be eligible for a tax incentive. Individuals and businesses must purchase the vehicle on or before December 31, 2010. Hybrid vehicles that use less gas than a comparable gas powered vehicle qualify for the tax credit. The tax credit varies depending on the weight and fuel economy. Some manufacturer’s vehicles may be phasing out the credit because of the number of vehicles sold reducing the amount of tax credit the buyer receives.

For consumers and businesses who convert their vehicles to plug-in electric vehicles, up to a $4,000 tax credit can be claimed. The qualifying period is between February 17, 2009 and December 31, 2011. The credit is equal to 10% of the cost in converting the vehicle into a qualifying plug-in electric vehicle.

The Recovery Act also has tax credits for certain low-speed electric vehicles and 2 or 3 wheeled electric vehicles. Many of these types of electric vehicles are referred to as neighborhood electric vehicles or NEVs. The tax credit is 10% of the purchase price up to a maximum of $2,500 and must be purchased between February 17, 2009 and January 1, 2012.

More tax incentives are available for improving home energy efficiency. Consumers can get a 30% tax credit for installing energy efficient systems such as heating and cooling systems, energy-efficient windows and doors, roofs, and insulation. The qualifying period is between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010.

Lastly the Recovery Act gives tax breaks to renewable energy systems for their homes. Previously, there was a tax credit cap which no longer applies. These credits are good through December 31, 2016. Qualifying systems include solar panels, solar water heating systems, solar electric systems, small wind systems, geothermal heat pumps, and residential fuel cell and micro turbine systems. The tax credit for qualifying systems is 30%.

A summary of the tax incentives offered under the Recover Act are available at:

http://www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm

Some individual states have added tax credit for purchasing electric vehicles as well. By combining the federal and state incentives can seriously reduce the price of the vehicle. Check with your state’s government to see if additional incentives are available. Most car dealers are aware of the incentives as well.

There is much buzz around the introduction of the Nissan Leaf in late 2010. What makes this car extraordinary is that is will be the first mass-produced fully electric car available to the U.S. public. The Leaf will make a twenty-four city tour later this year to encourage local governments to install charging stations as the era of electric cars is once again dawning. The car will only be released in controlled markets in 2010 but will available in all Nissan dealerships by April or May 2011.

The car will cost between $30,000 and $35,000. Tax incentives bring the price of the car down to $22,500-$27,500.

The Leaf will get 100 miles per charge with a top speed of 90 mph and can be charged overnight at home. You will never need to buy gasoline bringing the cost of ownership to about three cents per mile. A comparable gas-powered car, although initially less expensive, costs about eleven cents per mile to operate making the Leaf far less expensive in the long run.

Because the Leaf runs exclusively on electric power, using the heat and air conditioning will reduce the total range of the vehicle. However, one innovative feature of the Leaf allows drivers to use their cell phone to contact their car while it is still plugged in to adjust the heat or air conditioning temperature while it is charging.

One problem associated with adaptation of electric cars on a large scale is a lack of quick-charging stations to help alleviate consumers’ fears of becoming stranded in their electric vehicle when the battery is depleted. While drivers can recharge their electric vehicles overnight at home, there is a lack of public charging stations. With the introduction of the Nissan Leaf, a 100% electric car, San Francisco is getting ahead of the game by changing its building code requiring new structures to be pre-wired for electric car charging stations.

California has been a leader in the promotion of electric vehicles for decades. California’s Air Resource Board (CARB) passed a zero-emission mandate in the 1990s requiring automakers to produce more zero-emission cars. The mandate was killed by lawsuits but California is maintaining its reputation for being on the front line of electric vehicle adaptation by preparing for the inevitable adoption of more electric cars in the near future.

In February 2010, six UK energy companies joined together to launch a second report entitled “The Oil Crunch-A Wake-up for the UK Economy.” The report predicts that peak oil could be reached as early as 2015 as demand for oil grows. Reaching “peak oil” means that demand for the oil outstrips supply. If and when this occurs (industry experts agree it will happen; the debate is mostly over when it will happen), whether it is five or ten or twenty years from now, most experts agree it will lead to an economic tsunami that will spread throughout the global economies. Other threats include social unrest, food shortages and destabilized political environments.

The report warns that governments and businesses must accelerate their efforts in transitioning to greener energy development. The group of companies is fronted by Virgin CEO Richard Branson. In the opening remarks of the report, Branson warns, “We must plan for a world in which oil prices are likely to be both higher and more volatile and where oil price shocks have the potential to destabilize economic, political and social activity.” He goes on to say, “Don’t let the oil crunch catch us out in the way that the credit crunch did.”

Both Branson and oil man T. Boone Pickens has invested hundreds of millions each in burgeoning renewable energy technologies.

Another way to reduce the demand for oil in the U.S. and around the world is through the development of electric vehicles. More than 95% of the transportation industry is fueled by oil. Transitioning to electric vehicles has the potential to eliminate the need for foreign oil imports to the United States. The United States represents only 5% of the human population on Earth but consumes 24% of the world’s energy.

A Brief History of the Electric Car in the United States

The electric car has been around since the early 1900s in the United States even before most homes were wired for electricity. The initial fleets of electric vehicles were not widely accepted because there was not a supporting electrical system in homes where they could be charged. But by 1912, most homes were wired and the electric car gained acceptance and sales of electric cars peaked in 1912. At the turn of the century, 40% of American cars were powered by steam, 38% by electricity and 22% by gasoline. With the discovery of large reserves of petroleum in Oklahoma, California and Texas in the 1920s, the popularity of gas powered cars with internal combustion engines soared partly due to the longer range and partly due to the inexpensive fuel: gasoline. The popularity of gas-powered cars surged unabated from the 1920s right through the 1980s. When the energy crisis of the 1970s and 1980s occurred, some auto manufacturers took a renewed interest in electrical vehicles as a potential replacement or supplement to gas-powered cars.

In the early 1990s, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) began pushing for more fuel efficient cars with the ultimate goal of producing cars with zero emissions. CARB set guidelines for carmakers to make 10% of their vehicles emission free by 2003. Carmakers responded by beginning to produce electric cars. The most well-known models were GM’s Saturn EV-1 and Toyota’s RAV4-EV although there were dozens of other purely electric cars made by a variety of manufacturers. The birth and subsequent death of the EV-1 is examined in the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?

Even while these automakers began manufacturing electric vehicles, the automakers were widely accused of intentionally limiting the promotion of the new electric cars as a way of justifying limited demand and a lack of consumer confidence in the new cars. Meanwhile, car manufacturers used lobbyists and lawsuits to fight against the CARB mandate. In 2003, the mandate was killed with assistance from the federal government and production of electric cars came to a screeching halt. Some manufacturers even destroyed the remaining fleets of electric vehicles.

When the price of gasoline soared past $3 a gallon in the 2000s, a renewed interest in electric vehicles began to take shape. Neighborhood electric vehicles, vehicles with a small range and limited speed started popping up around the globe. Honda introduced the first mass-produced hybrid, the insight while Toyota began selling the Prius in North America. These hybrids are not purely electric vehicles but use a combination of electric power and gas engines. The Chevy Volt is due to be released in 2010 although it has been twice delayed and Chevy only expects to release 10,000 units. The Volt goes 40 miles on electric power before kicking in its gas-powered engine. The Nissan Leaf promises to be the first mass-produced purely electric car getting almost 100 miles per charge. The Leaf is also due to be released in 2010.

A complete history of electric vehicles can be found online at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_car

Now let’s take a look at some common misconceptions about electric vehicles:

“Electric cars are no better than gas-powered cars because the electricity they use is generated from fossil fuels.”

It is true that most of the electricity generated in the United States comes from the burning of fossil fuels. Indeed, half of generated electricity comes from the burning of coal. Another 20% comes from natural gas. But efficiency must be considered when comparing gas-powered cars to purely electric cars. Gas and the internal combustion engine represent one of the highest losses of energy. Gas cars must convert the energy stored in fossil fuels (gas) to mechanical energy via the use of a heat engine (the internal combustion engine). This type of engine operates is very inefficient because heat cannot be directly converted to mechanical energy. This results in a huge loss of energy resulting in only 20% thermal efficiency. The remaining 80% of the energy is lost as what is called “waste heat.”

Electric vehicles are far more efficient even when charging from electricity produced by fossil fuels. This is because converting electric to mechanical energy is far more efficient than converting fossil fuels to mechanical energy with an internal combustion engine. Furthermore, electric cars use regenerative braking which recaptures the energy otherwise lost by gas-powered cars. There are many fine points to argue when comparing the efficiency of gas-powered cars to electric cars, but, in the final analysis, experts agree that the electric car is far more efficient producing fewer carbon emissions even when factoring in the generation of supplied electricity from fossil fuels. And as we add more sources of renewable energy such as solar and wind power to generate electricity, the efficiency rating of electrical cars compared to gas-powered cars grows respectively.

“Electric cars are too limited in range. I don’t want to get stranded when the batteries lose their charge.”

If you want to drive your electric car from New York to Florida, it is true you can’t get their on a single charge as the battery technology exists today. During a transition period of converting from gas cars to electric cars, charging stations may not be as widely available as needed for drivers going more than 100 miles per day. But just like the cost of batteries it is about supply and demand. If millions of electric vehicles were sold, the infrastructure changes would evolve. Where there were once gas stations, there would now be charging stations. We already have the technology for fast-charging systems that could recharge an electrical car battery in 6-12 minutes.

But how about those people already driving neighborhood electric vehicles? And what about the future purchasers of the Nissan Leaf, a 100% electric car that goes about 95 miles on a charge? The truth is “limited range” is a perception issue that was created by car manufacturers back in the 1990s when EVs were self-determined by manufacturers to be too limited. The average American commutes 33 miles per day. Throw in some errands, soccer practice etc. and you may be approaching 60 miles at best. EVs with current battery technology easily exceed this average. Of course there are people who drive further in a day but the fact is that 90% of Americans drive about 40 miles a day. For those 90%, an EV with a 100 mile range is more than enough even without a public recharging infrastructure.

“Electric cars are not as safe.”

There is a perception among some people that electric cars are little tin cans that offer little protection in an accident. However, the frame construction of an electric vehicle is the same as that in a gas-powered vehicle. The Toyota RAV4-EV, a 100% electric SUV still on the road today, uses the exact same frame as the gas-powered RAV4. Electric cars have the capacity to offer all of the same safety features such as air bags and anti-lock braking systems used in gas cars.

Furthermore, electric cars tend to weigh more than gas cars of the same size. While some arguments can be made about the weight of the batteries used in electric cars, when comparing safety, you are safer in a heavier vehicle. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an accident in a 2000 pound vehicle will cause 50% more injuries than in a vehicle weighing 3000 pounds. So it turns out, the weight of the batteries used in an electric car actually makes the car safer than a comparable gas car.

“Electric Cars don’t give me the performance I get from my gas-powered vehicle.”

Gas powered cars accelerate gradually. Even the most powerful gas cars are constantly losing energy. This again goes back to the transfer of energy and energy inefficiencies of internal combustion engines. In short, the torque produced by gas cars is less efficient when compared to electric cars. Electric vehicles can use a direct motor to wheel configuration which actually increases the power produced. Separate motors are attached to each of the wheels delivering a more direct and efficient energy distribution. Gas cars, even automatic transmission versions, must go through a series of gears as they accelerate. Electric cars bypass the need for a sophisticated transmission to regulate these gear changes which results in a smoother and faster acceleration and smoother braking. The Tesla Roadster, a 100% electric sports car can reach 62 miles per hour is 4 seconds.

“Maintenance on electric cars is too expensive”

This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Gas-powered cars use internal combustion engines which mean dozens of moving parts, all of which can need replacement or repair at great cost to the driver. Electric cars do not use internal combustion. They run on electric motors powered by batteries. There is no complicated transmission, no exhaust or tailpipe, spark plugs, etc. A tune-up on an electric car requires rotating the tires and filling the washer fluid. Battery technology has advanced to the point that electric car manufacturers are guaranteeing batteries for as much as 8 years or 100,000 miles. Replacing the battery in an electric car is potentially the most expensive repair or maintenance item. Some EV manufacturers are allowing consumers to lease the battery instead of purchasing it alleviating the worry about eventually replacing the battery. But even for drivers who use up an EV battery after 100,000 miles, battery prices are expected to drop over time as EVs become more prevalent. Even at today’s prices for EV batteries, the cost to replace a battery is far less than the cost associated with driving gas powered cars over the same amount of time and usage.  

“If everyone was driving electric car, the price of electricity would skyrocket and the electrical grid would not be able to handle all the additional electricity required.”

 It is a legitimate concern to be worried about increased electrical use when considering electric vehicles. As our dependence on foreign oil increased over the past several decades and electrical vehicles gained popularity as a replacement to gas cars, the Department of Energy did a study in 2006 to gauge the impact of converting from gas cars to plug-in cars.

A summary of the report is available at:

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/12/doe_study_offpe.html

The study found that if all the cars and light trucks currently on the road today in the United States were to switch to plug-in hybrids, current electricity production could support 84% of all of the vehicles (or about 175 million cars and light trucks). The average commute in the U.S. is about 33 miles per day and the study assumes that most consumers would be charging their vehicles during off-peak hours, namely, overnight at home. The study also suggests that the increased demand for electricity may result in lowering the cost for purchasing electricity from power plants. The infusion of more money to the plants would result in the investment of more energy efficient systems such as solar wind power yielding cleaner and more environmentally friendly sources of electrical power. The DOE also noted that companies could lower the cost of electricity during the off-peak times making it even less expensive to charge the vehicles overnight. Gasoline accounts for 73% of the oil that is imported into the U.S. and the conversion to plug-in vehicles would seriously reduce the amount of oil we need to import. In fact, if vehicles were charged off-peak, the DOE estimates foreign oil imports could be reduced by 52%.

The full Department of Energy report, released in June, 2007 is available online at:

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/avta/pdfs/phev/pratt_phev_workshop.pdf

“Batteries for electric cars are too expensive and are not reliable enough.”

Batteries for electric cars are very expensive. The lithium ion batteries used in the Toyota Prius cost $2300-$2600. Although these prices are expected to fall over time, the cost will remain fairly high. New technology produced in limited production always costs more than mass-produced items. When VCRs were new, they cost about $800. Now you can get a new DVD player that produces a far superior picture for under $100. The same is true for batteries for electrical vehicles. If EVs become the preferred choice of manufactures and consumers, the price for batteries will drop considerably. In terms of reliability, batteries for electric cars have a stellar performance record. The batteries used in the Toyota RAV4-EV are still going strong after more than 10 years on their nickel metal hydride batteries (NiMH). A smaller version of the NiMH is used by Toyota in the Prius. These batteries along with all of the components associated with it are guaranteed for eight years or 100,000 miles. There are rumors that Toyota will even increase the warranty on the NiMH batteries because they have proven to be so reliable.

Even if battery prices remain where they are, the overall cost of the vehicle compared to gas-powered cars is far cheaper. At current electric prices, it costs on average about two cents per mile to run a purely electric car. This cost is consistent with electric vehicles and does not suffer from the variables associated with driving gas-powered cars. Depending on the gas mileage, the amount driven per year and the age of the vehicle, the cost per mile for a gas-powered car varies greatly. For a new car with average gas mileage that is driven 15,000 miles per year, the cost is about 37 cents per mile. Even if electricity doubles in price by the time a conversion to electrical vehicle occurred (and, in fact, it is expected to decrease), electrical vehicles would still be almost ten times less expensive per mile to operate.