Electric Vehicle History

Although history of the electric vehicle is a little fuzzy, it seems as though the first EV was invented sometime between 1832 and 1839. Being that rechargeable batteries (lead-acid) were not invented until the late 1850’s, the first EV incorporated non-rechargeable batteries. From this point in history through the early 1900’s a number of EVs were produced and during the 1890’s, outsold gas vehicles 10 to 1. The first car dealership, opened in 1903, exclusively sold EVs. In 1910, the motorized assembly line for gas vehicles was created. Being that most manufacturers of that time hand assembled vehicles, the motorized assembly line forced most of these manufacturers out of business. As time went on, production of EVs dwindled and by the conclusion of World War I it had all but ended.

As with HEVs, electric vehicles made a resurgence in the late 1960s and early 1970s due to the OPEC Oil Embargo. In addition, Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring, started a movement of the environmentally conscience who were concerned about air pollution created by gas vehicles. However, EVs once again went dormant and would not resurface until the early 1990s.

As a result of California’s zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, automakers were again building EVs. Toyota, Honda and GM were all quick to join the effort, but all three manufacturers abandoned the idea due to low interest, high production costs, and a weakening of the California ZEV mandate. By 2004 all EV production was halted by the manufacturers.

Here are some interesting historical EV facts:

* The first car dealership opened – selling only EVs (1896)

* The first woman to buy a car bought an EV (1898)

* The first speeding ticket is issued (1903)

* Henry Ford buys his wife an EV (1908)

Electric Vehicle Overview

Electric vehicles use a battery or series of batteries to store electricity in order to power an electric motor. The batteries are replenished via power source, typically through a plug. In most cases, the power source required is the electric grid, which does contribute to air pollution. However, electric vehicles themselves are considered zero emission vehicles as their motors do not produce exhaust or emissions.

The biggest problem with EVs right now is that there are no electric vehicles being produced on a mass scale. There are some small companies experimenting with EVs, but the cost is generally high and the availability to low.

However, the neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) market is growing and there are a variety of manufacturers involved. NEVs are typically used for neighborhood and campus commuting, light hauling and short distance delivery. Although they do not apply for fleet credit, due to the low maximum speed of around 35 MPH, they are becoming popular fleet vehicles for some applications, including airports and resort areas. In addition to NEVs, electric bikes and scooters are also gaining popularity.

The Cost of an EV

Electric vehicles with direct current (DC) electric systems get about 0.4 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per mile, while those with more efficient alternating current (AC) systems get about 0.174 to 0.288 kWh per mile. If your home electricity rate is $0.13 per kWh, it would cost about $0.05 per mile for DC operation and $0.03 cents per mile for AC operation. You would pay $0.12 per mile for gasoline in a vehicle that gets 25 miles per gallon when gasoline sells for $3 per gallon.

When considering total operating costs, weigh battery replacement at four-year intervals or about 20,000 miles ($1,000 or $2,000) against four years of tune-ups, oil changes, mufflers, starters, water pumps, etc.

Are EVs the answer?

Being that EV vehicles have not really made the grade, as of yet, this is a tough question to answer. Like the HEVs, we feel that electric vehicles are an integral part of the overall solution. As stated earlier there is still pollution created by the production of electricity, however, the zero emissions created by electric vehicles on the road is certainly a huge leap forward when it comes to ground level emissions and the human health impact.