I chose the manufacturing of electric and hybrid automobiles because I find this industry to be a dichotomy within itself. The overall concept of these vehicles sounds like the ultimate solution to the world’s biggest environmental issue, air pollution. We once thought that electricity could take the place of fossil fuels and power our cars with no harm done to the planet, but research has proven otherwise.
As it stands today, the United State’s auto giant General Motors, is third in production of electric and hybrid vehicles, with newcomer to the road Tesla, in fifth place. The number one selling electric vehicle is produced by Japan/France owned Nissan-Renault. (Schaal, 2016). As the major car companies are forging ahead with grand plans …show more content…
China, although they are aiming to be among the leaders of electric vehicle use, they are struggling with the reality that although emissions from the use of these cars have shown a decrease in air pollution , the country is still dependent on burning coal for energy. The struggle now being they have to burn more coal to generate more electricity to run the non-polluting cars. To me, the choice is almost like switching cigarette brands. Neither is good, hey are both contributors to ill health. The Electric car manufacturers also use the angle that the cars and their charging stations, are able to use power from renewable sources such as solar panels, but what they don’t mention is that to make the number of solar panels required to operate the desired number of these vehicles would increase the amount of fossil fuels that are needed to power the manufacturing of the panels. So while the US and other auto producing countries are consciously at the drawing board attempting to reduce the amount of lithium in these batteries and reduce the weight, they are also developing renewable alternatives for building a vast amount of necessary charging stations for the projected take over of electric cars.
Weighing the difference between the two, I believe electric powered cars compared to fossil fuel burning cars, are the wave of the future, the positives definitely outweigh the negatives, but it will take time and further engineering to lessen emissions that are released into the atmosphere from the production of these ‘green’
As it stands today, the United State’s auto giant General Motors, is third in production of electric and hybrid vehicles, with newcomer to the road Tesla, in fifth place. The number one selling electric vehicle is produced by Japan/France owned Nissan-Renault. (Schaal, 2016). As the major car companies are forging ahead with grand plans …show more content…
China, although they are aiming to be among the leaders of electric vehicle use, they are struggling with the reality that although emissions from the use of these cars have shown a decrease in air pollution , the country is still dependent on burning coal for energy. The struggle now being they have to burn more coal to generate more electricity to run the non-polluting cars. To me, the choice is almost like switching cigarette brands. Neither is good, hey are both contributors to ill health. The Electric car manufacturers also use the angle that the cars and their charging stations, are able to use power from renewable sources such as solar panels, but what they don’t mention is that to make the number of solar panels required to operate the desired number of these vehicles would increase the amount of fossil fuels that are needed to power the manufacturing of the panels. So while the US and other auto producing countries are consciously at the drawing board attempting to reduce the amount of lithium in these batteries and reduce the weight, they are also developing renewable alternatives for building a vast amount of necessary charging stations for the projected take over of electric cars.
Weighing the difference between the two, I believe electric powered cars compared to fossil fuel burning cars, are the wave of the future, the positives definitely outweigh the negatives, but it will take time and further engineering to lessen emissions that are released into the atmosphere from the production of these ‘green’