Vidic 2:00
L16
ASSESSMENT OF ETHICAL ISSUES SURROUNDING THE PRODUCTION OF
ELECTRIC VEHICLES WITH FUEL CELLS AND ELECTRIC BATTERIES
Emily Zullo (ecz7@pitt.edu)
INTRODUCTION: ILLUSTRATING AN
ETHICALLY-CHARGED SCENARIO
As a mechanical engineer in the research and development
department of the EZ Motors Corporation, it is my duty to
apply my knowledge and skills to my work in order to
advance the industry to best suit both the consumer and
company while also making sure that the products along with
the manufacturing processes have a neutral environmental
impact. Within the past few years, EZ Motors has shifted its
focus to putting “environmentally-friendly” automobiles on
the market. Company reports have shown that as the
worldwide search for energy-efficient technology continues,
consumers are rapidly taking interest in electric and hybrid
vehicles as opposed to traditional gasoline-powered cars.
Therefore, to appeal to consumers and stay at the top of the
market, my employer has assigned me to a research and
development team of our electric vehicle production division.
The most common approach to electric vehicles by car
companies today is designing cars with electric batteries that
must be charged often in order to operate. However, as a
mechanical engineer, I believe that EZ Motors should be
gearing towards a new method of energy for electric vehicles;
a method that is even more environmentally-conscious than
electric batteries. I have taken it upon myself to research and
consider the benefits and drawbacks of two different methods
of powering electric vehicles: electric batteries versus fuel
cells. When I explained to my supervisor that I was
researching multiple technologies, he strongly suggested that
I limit my efforts to electric batteries. However, as my
research on both electric batteries and fuel cells continues, I
question if my employer’s wishes are really the best option to
pursue from a sustainability standpoint. My initial research
seems to indicate that fuel cell-powered vehicles are much
more sustainable and energy-efficient than electric battery
vehicles. As noted by W. Richard Bowen in Engineering
Ethics: Outline of an Aspirational Approach, “In some
instances, appropriate technology is available but is not being
applied” [1]. Perhaps this is currently the case with fuel cells
in electric vehicles; a case in which the ethical decisions of
the engineers capable of such technologies may be
questioned. The main issue with my employer, however, is
that he is interested in the factor of cost. Fuel cells are quite
expensive to produce and provide infrastructure for, while
electric batteries are less expensive and require infrastructure
that can be implemented easily in consumers’ lives. I have
also recently learned that my employer holds an interest in a
company that manufactures electric vehicle charging stations.
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering 1
2013-10-29
This company stands to gain business as more electric
vehicles take the road, and is pursuing projects strictly
focused on electric battery vehicles due to grant funding from
the Department of Energy. I am now faced with an issue of
my employer’s focus on monetary gain versus my
responsibility as a mechanical engineer. As an engineer, as
stated in the Code of Ethics of the National Society of
Professional Engineers, I am responsible for acting as a
faithful agent of my employer [2]. As a mechanical engineer,
I am also responsible, according to the Code of Ethics of the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers, for considering
environmental impact and sustainable development in my
work [3]. To develop a response to this situation, I plan to
fully research each method of powering electric vehicles to
have a clear sense of the positive and negative impacts each
may have. I am concerned about providing the highest
quality, most environmentally responsible product to the
public as a part of my professional duties as an engineer, but
my employer’s wishes are also very important. Ideally, I will
be able to find a way to implement the most sustainable and
cost-effective method of powering electric vehicle while still
acting in the best interest of my employer.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPORTANCE OF
ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND THE IMPACT
OF THEIR PRODUCTION COMPONENTS
As a mechanical engineer, one of my duties is to consider
environmental impact and sustainable development.
Therefore, a fundamental concern of mine is one of the
leading issues in the environment today: the buildup of
greenhouse gases.
Greenhouse gases absorb infrared
radiation from sunlight and trap heat in earth’s atmosphere
[4]. The most abundant greenhouse gas in the environment is
carbon dioxide, which is produced mainly by the combustion
of fossil fuels. According to the US. Energy Information
Administration, “[in the United States] during the past 20
years, about three-quarters of human-made carbon dioxide
emissions were from burning fossil fuels”, as displayed in
Figure 1 [4]. If the amount of fossil fuels being burned in the
United States could be reduced, the resulting impact on the
environment would be significant.
A closer look at these statistics reveals that vehicle
emissions account for a substantial portion of these
greenhouse gas emissions. According to the 2009 EPA
Greenhouse Gas inventory, light-duty vehicles (cars and
trucks) contributed 17.7% of all US greenhouse gas emissions
[5]. Since such a large percentage of our nation’s greenhouse
Emily Zullo
gas emissions come from fossil fuels, and vehicle exhaust
accounts for a substantial portion of these emissions, the
production of electric vehicles would be greatly beneficial to
the environment. For example, as 8,887 grams of carbon
dioxide are emitted through the tailpipe of gasoline-powered
vehicles, zero grams of carbon dioxide are emitted into the
environment with the operation of electric vehicles
[6]. Essentially, electric batteries that power most electric
vehicles are high-voltage, and they are able to be totally
discharged and recharged often (a process referred to as “deep
cycling”) [7]. These batteries are built to deliver energy for
long periods of time and are able to go through several deep
cycles. Although a much cleaner option than gasolinepowered vehicles, electric batteries still need to be recharged
often and thus require energy to be consumed by the battery
on a daily basis. Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), on the
other hand, operate not on rechargeable batteries, but on
hydrogen fuel cells. The hydrogen supply can be stored in
tanks, or it can be extracted from other fuels through the use
of a reformer [7]. In addition, FCEVs are estimated to
provide greater potential for reductions in greenhouse gas
emissions than battery electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles
combined [5]. Since fuel cell vehicles do not require a
constant recharging and use of energy in the way that electric
battery-powered vehicles need, I believe they are truly the
most sustainable method of producing electric cars that is
currently feasible.
I am personally interested in discovering more about the use
of fuel cells in electric vehicles, it is imperative that I find
out as much as I can about both methods of powering the
vehicles. The conventional method of powering electric
vehicles is through the use of rechargeable electric batteries.
According to James Larminie and John Lowry, authors of
Electric Vehicle Technology Explained (2nd Edition), battery
electric vehicles (BEVs) consist of an electric battery for
energy storage, an electric motor, and a controller that
completely replace the need for gasoline or other fossil fuels
[8]. Electric batteries operate by storing direct-current
voltage then releasing it when connected to a circuit [7]. In
the battery, electrons move between positive and negative
plates surrounded by electrolytes that react with metals used
to construct the plates [7]. The reactions between the
electrolytes and metals provide electrons for current flow
until the circuit is opened, then recharging the battery
reverses the chemical reaction, restoring the battery to the
original state [7]. In terms of greenhouse gas emissions,
BEVs generally emit more carbon dioxide as they are driven
for longer periods of time, as displayed by Figure 2 [9]. In
addition, as batteries are added to electric vehicles, the mass
of the car becomes greater, therefore generating more
greenhouse gases per mile driven [9]. In fact, some longrange electric vehicles are heavier due to the mass of the
battery, which in some cases can result in the production of
more net greenhouse gases over a certain distance interval
than a traditional gasoline car of the same size [9].
Alternatively, according to Jack Erjavec, author of Hybrid,
Electric and Fuel-Cell Vehicles (2nd Edition), “A fuel cell
produces electricity through an electrochemical reaction that
combines hydrogen and oxygen to form water” [9]. This
reaction releases electrons, and the cells continue to produce
electricity until the fuel is depleted [9]. There are no moving
parts in fuel cells, so the driving range is almost entirely
dependent on the amount of fuel in the cell. In comparison
to gasoline-powered vehicles, FCEVs would immediately
reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 47% [9]. The
distribution of greenhouse gas emissions between traditional
gasoline-vehicles, various types of BEVs, and FCEVs is
displayed in Figure 2, showing the relationship between
distance range and carbon dioxide emissions. Figure 3 then
shows the United States Department of Energy’s projected
greenhouse gas pollution of different types of vehicles from
the year 2000 to 2100. Note that it is projected that if fuel
cells become widely used, they would be expected to cut
greenhouse gases to 80% below the pollution in the year
1990, whereas the use of BEVs is expected to reduce
greenhouse gases to 60% below the pollution in 1990.
Although both BEVs and FCEVs would greatly reduce the
greenhouse gas pollution, FCEVs produce the fewest
greenhouse gases over a particular range (Figure 2), and
FCEVs are also expected to reduce greenhouse gases
exponentially over an extended period of time more than the
use of any other vehicle (Figure 3).
FIGURE 1 [4]
United States Greenhouse Emissions by Gas
ANALYZING BENEFITS AND
DRAWBACKS OF BOTH ELECTRIC
BATTERIES AND HYDROGEN FUEL
CELLS
In order to be confident in my beliefs and in my
suggestions to my boss, the most important step to take in
this ethically-charged scenario is to research all aspects of
the topic in question. Therefore, since my employer
encourages me to focus my research on electric batteries but
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Emily Zullo
FIGURE 2 [9]
Estimated Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Vehicle
owners [11]. Therefore, since both the cost of mass
production and necessary infrastructure of electric batteries
are less expensive than that of fuel cells, BEVs would be more
affordable for both consumers and vehicle corporations such
as EZ Motors.
CONCLUSION: STRIVING FOR AN IDEAL
SOLUTION TO ETHICAL ISSUES
Now that the production aspects, the environmental
impact, and the costs of production and infrastructure for both
BEVs and FCEVs have been evaluated, I believe that I am
well-informed and more able to make a decision about my
situation concerning engineering ethics and my employer.
Ethically speaking, it is my duty as an engineer to be a faithful
agent of my employer and to consider environmental impact
and sustainability of my projects. After doing research on the
topics in question, however, I am not confident that I can be
fully committed to these two canons of engineering
responsibilities at the same time with this situation. From an
environmental standpoint, my research shows that fuel cells
are undoubtedly the best method of powering electric
vehicles, as they are estimated to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions more than any other vehicle, including BEVs.
Referring back to Bowen’s Engineering Ethics: Outline of an
Aspirational Approach, perhaps the ethical issue really is that
superior technology is available, but not being used.
However, from a financial standpoint, FCEVs are
significantly more expensive than BEVs in aspects of both
production components and necessary infrastructure.
Combining the expensive cost of producing FCEVs with my
employer’s interest in a company that produces BEV charging
stations definitely proves that my employer is not at all
interested in pursuing the idea of FCEVs. It seems as if I am
caught between my two duties as a mechanical engineer;
should I be more concerned with pleasing my employer or the
welfare of the environment and innovating sustainable
solutions to worldwide problems? My responsibility as a
professional engineer is to be concerned with both, so a
decision that pleases both canons can hopefully be reached.
However, if this ideal situation proves to be impossible, it
is still noteworthy that both electric batteries and fuel cells are
still exponentially cleaner and more energy-efficient than
traditional gasoline-powered vehicles. In 2010, vehicles with
gasoline internal combustion engines were estimated to
produce 297 grams of greenhouse gases per kilometer driven,
while BEVs and FCEVs were estimated to produce 222 and
169 grams/kilometer, respectively. Therefore, I will strive for
the absolute best method of powering electric vehicles, but EZ
Motors is still on the right track by implementing electric
vehicles in general.
In conclusion, as I continue to address this issue with my
work, I plan on speaking to my employer about the
environmental benefits of fuel cell electric vehicles. I will
FIGURE 3 [10]
Projected Greenhouse Gases for Different Alternative
Vehicle Scenarios over the 21st Century
In addition to the specifics of how electric batteries and
fuel cells operate, there are other key factors that must be
considered before making a decision with my scenario. Most
importantly to my employer is the factor of cost between
electric vehicles and fuel cell-powered vehicles. According
to Stephen Eaves and James Eaves, authors of A Cost
Comparison of Fuel-Cell and Battery Electric Vehicles, the
mass-production cost of a lithium-ion battery propulsion
system for BEVs is $16,125, while the mass-production cost
of a fuel cell propulsion system is $23,033 [11]. Furthermore,
not only the production cost of the batteries and fuel cells
themselves can be considered; the cost of necessary
infrastructure for BEVs and FCEVs are also important to
consider. BEV owners would be able to purchase their own
charging outlet fixture at a price of around $2100 [11]. FCEV
owners, on the other hand, would not be able to own their own
hydrogen fueling station; it is estimated that the net cost of
building hydrogen refueling stations alone would be between
$100 billion and $600 billion throughout the country, making
FCEVs somewhat less accessible and convenient to FCEV
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Emily Zullo
also bring the idea to the attention of my fellow engineers on
the research and development team at EZ Motors. Therefore,
I hope that through discussion, more research, and
experiments and tests, the best situation for both the
environment and the company can be attained. In Josep M.
Basart and Montse Serra’s article, “Engineering Ethics
Beyond Engineers’ Ethics”, the authors question our views of
ethics in engineering [12]. Is it the technology engineers
design and create that sparks discussions of ethical issues? Or
rather, is it the engineers themselves that are not performing
with the mindset that innovation and ethics act as one? In
either case, it is imperative that all engineers are consistently
mindful of technology and its potential impacts, as well as all
realms of ethics that may be associated with their work. A
balance of innovation and ethical mindfulness makes an
engineer that truly strives for the positive advancement of all
aspects of society.
[8] J. Larminie, J. Lowry. (2012). Electric Vehicle
Technology Explained (2nd Edition). Chichester, West
Sussex: John Wiley & Sons. (Online book).
http://app.knovel.com/hotlink/toc/id:kpEVTEE00E/electricvehicle-technology p. 79-81, 253-258
[9] C.E. Thomas. (2010). “Fuel cell and battery electric
vehicles compared”. International Journal of Hydrogen
Energy.
(Online
article).
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S03603199
09008696
[10] C.E. Thomas. (2010). “Fuel Cell and Battery Electric
Vehicles Compared”. Department of Energy: Efficiency and
Renewable
Energy..
(Online
journal).
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/educatio
n/pdfs/thomas_fcev_vs_battery_evs.pdf
[11] S. Eaves and J. Eaves. “A Cost Comparison of Fuel-Cell
and Battery Electric Vehicles”. Arizona State UniversityEast.
(Online
article).
http://www.evnut.com/docs/bev_vs_fcv_compare_acp.pdf
[12] J. Basart and M. Serra. “Engineering Ethics Beyond
Engineers’
Ethics”.
(Online
article).
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11948-0119293-z
REFERENCES
[1] W. Bowen, Richard. Engineering Ethics: Outline of an
Aspirational Approach. Caswell, Swansea: Springer-Verlag
London
Limited.
(Online
book).
http://rt4rf9qn2y.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.
88-2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fm
t=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:book&rft.genre=book&rft.title=Engi
neering+ethics&rft.au=W.+Richard+Bowen&rft.date=20081202&rft.pub=Springer+Verlag&rft.isbn=9781848822238&rft.
externalDocID=9781848822245&paramdict=en-US p. 5
[2] “NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers”. National Society of
Professional Engineers. (Online code of ethics).
http://www.nspe.org/Ethics/CodeofEthics/index.html
[3] “Code of Ethics of Engineers”. American Society of
Mechanical Engineers. (Online code of ethics).
http://files.asme.org/asmeorg/governance/3675.pdf
[4] “Greenhouse Gases, Climate Change, and Energy.”
(2004). U.S. Energy Information Administration. (Online
brochure).
http://www.eia.gov/oiaf/1605/ggccebro/chapter1.html
[5] S. Thomas. (2012). “How green are electric vehicles?”
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. (Online article).
http://www.sciencedirect.com.pitt.idm.oclc.org/science/articl
e/pii/S0360319911028412f
[6] “Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger
Vehicle.” (2011). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
(Online
fact
sheet).
http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/gpo22265/420f11041.pdf p.
1-4
[7] J. Erjavec. (2013). Hybrid, Electric and Fuel-Cell
Vehicles (2nd Edition). Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Learning.
(Online
book).
http://app.knovel.com/web/toc.v/cid:kpHEFCVE05 p. 58-61,
264-268
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
For their helpful assistance in the composition of this
ethics paper, I would like to give thanks to my Engineering
Analysis professor Dr. Vidic for her continued support in all
assignments in the Engineering 0011 course. I also thank my
writing instructor Liberty Ferda for giving me helpful revision
tips on Writing Assignment 2 that helped me aim to construct
this paper with a more concise and detailed approach.
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Emily Zullo
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