Background
An electric vehicle, or EV, utilizes one or more electric or traction motors or propulsion. Having emerged in the mid-19th century, the first EVs have soon been replaced by internal combustion engines (Ehsani, Gao, Longo, & Ebrahimi, 2018). In the 21st century, EVs have seen a resurgence and the public’s growing support due to technological advancements and concerns for the health of the planet. In 2018, global sales reached 1.26 million units – a 70% increase from the previous year engines (Ehsani et al., 2018). Environmental challenges have been the main rationale behind creating alternatives to traditional engines (Ehsani et al., 2018).
On the market for green transportation technology, EVs compete with hybrid electric vehicles, HEV, that combine a conventional combustion engine with an electric compulsion system and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Some of the most prominent HEV models on the market include Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, and Ford Fusion Hybrid (Ehsani et al., 2018). Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles only went commercial in 2015 with the launch of the Toyota Mirai (Ehsani et al., 2018).
As compared to their conventional counterparts, EVs are more energy efficient. Energy efficiency is understood as the amount of energy derived from the fuel source that can be converted into actual energy for powering a vehicle. In this regard, EVs were found to be superior to gas-powered vehicles. Moreover, EVs are not only smooth, high-performance rides, but also require less maintenance than conventional internal combustion vehicles (Green, Skerlos, & Winebrake, 2014). EVs give the driver full control due to their quick reaction and enhanced responsiveness. The main objective of this project is to examine the claimed benefits of the EV technology and troubleshoot it for possible weaknesses.
Proposed Project
Some of the important statistics on the potential benefits of EVs include energy efficiency and environmental impact. First, for gas-powered vehicles, the conversion rate is at 17-21%. AEV batteries, on the other hand, are able to convert up to 62% of energy into movement (Wu, Freese, Cabrera, & Kitch, 2015). Another undeniable advantage is reduced usage of fuel, which equals decreased gas emission.
Since EVs utilize rechargeable batteries, they do not generate any tailpipe emissions that were found to be the primary source of pollution in many countries such as the US (Ehsani et al., 2018). The rechargeable battery means that all energy can be sourced within a single household, and often with the use of other green technologies like solar panel systems.
Lastly, the owner of an EV can save a decent amount of money: while an electric vehicle can drive up to 100 miles using 25-40 kWh of energy ($1), a gas-powered car will require about four gallons for the same distance (Wu et al., 2015). However, there is evidence that the batteries can emit toxic fumes, which may hurt both the environment and owners’ health (Wu et al., 2015).
Currently, many customers concerned with their environmental footprint struggle to choose between fully electric vehicles and hybrids. Mild, series, and plug-in hybrids vary in price but are still less costly than any EV, which allows them to dominate the market for green transportation technology (Hannan, Azidin, & Mohamed, 2014). As opposed to their contenders, EVs still have a limited range and a lengthy recharge time (Mi & Masrur, 2017).
However, given the instant torque, silent operation, and zero emissions, it is hard to say whether hybrid vehicles are superior to EVs. According to Bohnsack, Pinkse, and Kolk (2014), the target demographic for EVs is customers in their late 20s to early 40s who care about the environment, knowledgeable about technology, and well-off financially. European markets seem to be more accepting of Evs, probably, due to liberalism and environmental awareness as opposed to the more conservative customer base in Asia.
Project Team
Y is a new student from Energy Management, M.S. at the NYIT Vancouver campus. She studied Accounting and Finance at the University of Plymouth in the United Kingdom. Also, she received her first master’s degree in MSc International Business Management at Surrey University in the United Kingdom. Regarding her education and internship background, she does not have any experience in energy technology. However, after she graduated as a young observer, she clearly sensed the rapid economic development in China.
The environmental and energy issues brought out by economic development is a current and widespread public concern in China. After that, Yan decided to pursue an education in energy technology to discover and solve this problem. Meanwhile, the government has developed several resolutions to these environmental problems. The promotion of the popularized, new energy vehicles is a significant breakthrough and achievement in this field.
For the new energy technology project, Yan wants to research, gather information, and develop more innovative solutions revolving around new energy vehicles. As new technologies emerge, she expects current issues caused by the rapid economic development to be solved in a more efficient and pollution-free manner, which makes her believe that there is a bright future in the energy technology field.
Project Plan
Key Project Tasks
Task 1: Conduct research for the project proposal
The first task is to select the project topic. Then, research the background, aims, and objectives of the project to find appropriate sources for the literature review. The project proposal is due on June 3rd, 2019
Task 2: Literature review
The second task involves writing up the introduction and providing background information on the topic. The literature review includes the methodology, analysis, and ethics of the topic. Lastly, the literature review will include a discussion about environmental consequences.
Task 3: Draft and update the project
In this task, create a draft for the discussion and conclusion. Focus on methodology, analysis, and findings for the project.
Task 4: Complete the report and prepare for the presentation
The last task is to review and format the project by checking for grammar, spelling, and flow. In addition to that, an appointment will be made with the student assistant to aid with in-text citations. Regarding the presentation, Microsoft Office PowerPoint will be used to complete the slides. Project presentation and slides are due on July 3rd, 2019. The final report is due on July 11th, 2019.
Estimated Level of Effort and Project Schedule
Table 1: Estimated Level of Effort.
Table 2: Project Schedule.
References
Bohnsack, R., Pinkse, J., & Kolk, A. (2014). Business models for sustainable technologies: Exploring business model evolution in the case of electric vehicles. Research Policy, 43(2), 284-300.
Ehsani, M., Gao, Y., Longo, S., & Ebrahimi, K. (2018). Modern electric, hybrid electric, and fuel cell vehicles. Boca Raton, FL: CRC press.
Green, E. H., Skerlos, S. J., & Winebrake, J. J. (2014). Increasing electric vehicle policy efficiency and effectiveness by reducing mainstream market bias. Energy Policy, 65, 562-566.
Hannan, M. A., Azidin, F. A., & Mohamed, A. (2014). Hybrid electric vehicles and their challenges: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 29, 135-150.
Mi, C., & Masrur, M. A. (2017). Hybrid electric vehicles: principles and applications with practical perspectives. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Wu, X., Freese, D., Cabrera, A., & Kitch, W. A. (2015). Electric vehicles’ energy consumption measurement and estimation. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 34, 52-67.