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Carol Ramirez
Professor Devin Patten
English 1010
December 4, 2012
Stasis Model Facts
Hamilton, James. "Electric Vehicle Careers: On The Road To Change." Occupational
Outlook Quarterly 56.2 (2012): 14-21. Academic Search Premier. Web. 14 Nov. 2012.
“According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, U.S.
sales of electric cars increased from near zero in 1999 to about 250,000 in 2010. Sales of these
vehicles are expected to continue rising as electric vehicle technology improves and consumer
acceptance grows. An August 2009 study by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology at
the University of California, Berkeley, projected that by 2030, electric cars will make up 64
percent of sales of all light vehicles (passenger cars, vans, pickup trucks, and sport utility
vehicles). Some consumers purchase electric vehicles for their environmental benefits.”
“There are several types of electric vehicles: hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and all-electric vehicles.
Hybrids and plug-in hybrids use both gasoline and battery power. All-electric vehicles use only a
battery to run and must be recharged at special charging stations. Plugin hybrids, like all-electric
vehicles, receive power from a charging station but have a longer range because they can run on
a conventional engine when the battery runs out.”
Motavalli, Jim. "The Road Ahead For Gasoline-Free Cars." Futurist 46.2 (2012): 6-7.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 14 Nov. 2012.
“Until recently, most people experienced clean-energy cars at auto shows, in the pages of
magazines, or as image advertising -- they weren't tangible. All that's changed now: You can
actually see electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles on the street, picking up groceries with early
adopters at the wheel, taking the kids to Little League, and -- lo and behold -- even charging up
at public stations.”
“Nearly every major auto maker is planning new clean-energy models. Ford, for instance,
intends to roll out five new models in 2012. Roland Berger Strategy Consultants forecasts that
10% of new cars globally will be electric by 2025, and the larger category that includes hybrids
and plug-in hybrids will have grabbed 40% of the market by then. That would mean that half of
new cars heading into showrooms around the world would be at least partly electric, but it's a
pretty optimistic forecast -- what ultimately rolls out depends to a great extent on what happens
with gas prices.”
“Hydrogen fuel-cell cars should be ready for mass use in just a few more years. In addition, four
car companies -- Daimler, Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai -- plan to roll out tens of thousands of
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hydrogen-powered cars by 2015.The near-term challenge is the lack of a hydrogen infrastructure.
There are currently fewer than a hundred hydrogen stations in all of the United States, and only a
handful are public. Some entrepreneurs are attempting to change that. Tom Sullivan, the founder
of Lumber Liquidators, has just started SunHydro, a private chain of hydrogen fueling stations
along the U.S. east coast. As it stands, though, the upcoming hydrogen-powered cars may end up
being sold in Europe, South Korea, or Japan, where public commitments on hydrogen
infrastructure are much stronger than in the United States. The U.S. government has had an onagain, off-again relationship with hydrogen-powered cars.”
Rothschild, Matthew. "A Gouging Market." Progressive 70.6 (2006): 8-10. Academic Search
Premier. Web. 14 Nov. 2012.
"Gas station owners cannot force us to buy gasoline," writes Alex Epstein of the Ayn Rand
Institute, in an article entitled "The Myth of Price-Gouging." "They can only offer us a trade,
which we are free to accept or reject."
"The real problem is legal manipulation of prices," says Tyson Slocum, acting director of Public
Citizen's Critical Mass Energy and Environment Program. "The oil companies have gotten so big
they don't need to collude anymore. Advances in computer modeling have really aided the ability
of the big companies to game the market."
Newman, Rick. "A Stuttering Start For Electric Cars." U.S. News & World Report 147.4
(2010): 47-49. Academic Search Premier. Web. 14 Nov. 2012.
“Comparing EVs with conventional cars is bound to be confusing, with a learning curve that
regulators and consumers will have to scale together. The fuel economy for the $109,000 Tesla
Roadster, for example--the only full-speed electric vehicle on U.S. roads today--is 110 watthours per kilometer, allowing it to travel 244 miles on a charge that takes about 31/2 hours.
Enthusiasts estimate that the mpg-equivalent ranges from 135 mpg to 400 mpg, depending on
how the equivalency between gas and electricity is computed. (The Roadster also rockets from
zero to 60 in 3.9 seconds, highlighting one feature of electric powertrains that drivers will love:
instantly available torque, which translates into zesty acceleration.)”
Kester, Corinna. "Diesels Versus Hybrids." World Watch 18.4 (2005): 19-21. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 14 Nov. 2012.
“The U.S. transportation sector produces significant amounts of air pollution, including 40
percent of volatile organic compounds, 77 percent of carbon monoxide, and 49 percent of
nitrogen oxide emissions. Vehicle use produces five key regulated air pollutants: nitrogen oxides
(NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and
particulate matter (PM). NOx and hydrocarbons combine to form ground-level ozone, which
damages the lungs and increases the vulnerability of plant life to disease. Carbon monoxide
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causes cardiovascular damage, and sulfur dioxide leads to acid rain. Particulate matter can
contribute to lung cancer and respiratory problems at any ambient concentration; the World
Health Organization estimates that it leads to 100,000 deaths per year in Europe. Approximately
10 percent by weight of the VOCs emitted are known or suspected to cause cancer; these include
benzene, 1,3-butadiene, acetaldehyde, and formaldehyde.”
Fong, Jocelyn. "Myths and Facts about Electric Cars." Media Matters for America. N.p., 08
2012. Web. 14 Nov 2012. <http://mediamatters.org/research/2012/02/08/myths-and-factsabout-electric-cars/185798>.
“A 2007 study by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Electric Power Research
Institute, which represents electric utilities, examined nine potential scenarios to determine the
impact of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle use through 2050. The study found that in each scenario
greenhouse gas emissions were "reduced significantly" -- even if the electric sector remained
carbon intensive and PHEVs only accounted for 20% of the market in 2050. The study further
found that each region of country would yield reductions in greenhouse gas emissions if PHEVs
were adopted. The study was a "well-to-wheels" analysis that accounted for emissions during
production of both electricity and gasoline.”
“In a phone interview with Auto Observer last week, Perry said exhaustive data gleaned from the
U.S. Department of Energy's EV Project and from the 7,500 Nissan Leaf EV hatchbacks now on
U.S. roads makes it abundantly clear that "there's no market need" for an EV that gets hundreds
of miles between charges.
“The data shows that the typical Leaf driver averages 37 miles a day in the car, and that the
typical trip length (distance between power on and power off) is seven miles, Perry said. The
findings are consistent with studies of conventional-vehicle driving patterns that found that 72
percent of American drivers travel less than 40 miles a day, and 95 percent drive less than 100
miles a day.”
Sioshansi, Ramteen, and Paul Denholm. "The Value Of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles
As Grid Resources." Energy Journal 31.3 (2010): 1-23. Academic Search Premier. Web. 14
Nov. 2012.
“Over the past few years a number of automobile manufacturers have announced plans to
produce plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). PHEVs are similar to hybrid-electric vehicles
(HEVs) except that they have batteries with a larger energy storage capacity, which can be
recharged from the electric grid, allowing PHEVs to be driven over moderate distances without
needing to use their combustion engines. Most PHEV designs currently being discussed call for a
battery capacity allowing the vehicle to be driven between twenty and forty miles using the
battery only.”
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Chin, Ryan. "Sustainable Urban Mobility In 2020." Futurist 44.4 (2010): 29-33. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 15 Nov. 2012.
“Today’s vehicles are predominantly powered by petroleum-based fuels. An internal combustion
engine is terribly inefficient (approximately 15%) in converting chemical energy into mechanical
work to drive the wheels of your car. Hybrid vehicles are better at conserving energy at the cost
of a more complex powertrain, but projections for the next five years call for less than 12% of
the total new car market. The remaining alternative fuels, like compressed natural gas, hydrogen,
compressed air, and biofuels, have varying levels of efficiency, but are utilized in even fewer
numbers than hybrids. Battery electric vehicles utilize electric motors that are more than 90%
energy efficient, but these have not taken over mainstream markets because of limitations of
battery technology.”
Schewel, Laura, and Daniel M. Kammen. "Smart Transportation: Synergizing Electrified
Vehicles And Mobile Information Systems." Environment 52.5 (2010): 24-35. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 15 Nov. 2012.
“Plug-in vehicles, including plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV), extended range electric vehicle
(EREV), and pure battery electric vehicles (BEV), have become the next-generation vehicle of
choice for U.S. policy-makers and automakers.”
“Several studies from academic and industry sources have found that familiarity with electrified
vehicle technology, costs, and benefits is significantly lacking. One study found that stated
“high” familiarity with all plug-ins was well under 20 percent, and for PHEVs under 10 percent.
Furthermore, the study found that accurate understanding of the vehicles may be lower still than
stated familiarity.”
" Electric Cars vs Gasoline Cars and Other Vehicles." CarsDirect. N.p., 08 2010. Web. 15
Nov 2012. <http://www.carsdirect.com/green-cars/electric-cars-vs-gasoline-cars-get-thefacts>.
Cost Per Mile
“The big savings with electric cars is the non-reliance on gasoline. Yes, you have to substitute
electricity for gas, but electricity is much cheaper than gas. Depending on the month, electricity
on average is four to five times cheaper than gas per gallon equivalents. With a gas car, usually
every mile you drive is about 36 cents. The electric cost is under 10 cents per mile. That goes for
most cars. One car is the exception. The Tesla Model S sedan only costs $4 to charge for a 300
mile range. Most electric cars are around $10 to fill up the charge.”
Miles per Gallon vs. Electric Range
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“This is often the biggest reason why people change to an electric car, the fuel economy. It is no
secret that electric cars get much better fuel economy ratings than regular gasoline cars. The top
range for an electric car so far is 300 miles, but most of them are under 50 miles. Many electric
cars also have a gas engine for a longer trip. There are some cars that are trying to be affordable
and break the 50 mile range mark, like the Chevy Volt. The advantage that these hybrid electric
cars do provide is that even though they can use gas, their miles per gallon ratios are incredible
and normally over 50 miles per gallon. Not many regular gasoline cars are able to achieve such
high numbers. Often the best is under 40 miles per gallon.”
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Definitions Page
Battery electrics: These cars have electric motors and battery packs, and no other means of
propulsion. The range is generally 100 miles, but that's not likely to remain the standard for long.
The Tesla Roadster can deliver 245 miles on a charge (Motavalli).
Plug-in hybrids: The plug-in hybrid car acts like an electric car for the first 15 to 50 miles, but
then can switch to an onboard internal-combustion engine that, in many cases, acts as a generator
instead of directly driving the wheels. The Chevrolet Volt is an example of the plug-in hybrid, as
is the Fisker Karma (Motavalli).
Hybrids: Hybrids either use their electric motors as assists for the gas engine, or allow short
bursts of electric-only driving. The Toyota Prius and Ford Fusion hybrids are examples of this
car type (Motavalli).
Hydrogen fuel-cell cars: The fuel cell, which produces electricity from hydrogen, replaces the
battery pack. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe; we'll never run out of it.
The main challenge is not having enough hydrogen filling stations (Motavalli).
EV or Electric Vehicle: Usually referring to registered passenger vehicles but can refer to any
vehicle that is powered exclusively by an electric drive train (“Environmental Friendly Store”).
AFV or Alternate Fuel Vehicle: A vehicle powered by fuel other than gasoline or diesel.
Examples of alternative fuels are electricity, hydrogen, and CNG (“Environmental Friendly
Store”).
CNG or Compressed Natural Gas: CNG is a readily available alternative to gasoline that’s
made by compressing natural gas to less than 1% of its volume at standard atmospheric pressure.
Consisting mostly of methane, CNG is odorless, colorless and tasteless (CNG Now!).
Volt: a unit of potential equal to the potential difference between two points on a conductor
carrying a current of 1 ampere when the power dissipated between the two points is 1 watt;
equivalent to the potential difference across a resistance of 1 ohm when 1 ampere of current
flows through it (C).
Gasoline: a volatile flammable mixture of hydrocarbons (hexane and heptane and octane etc.)
derived from petroleum; used mainly as a fuel in internal-combustion engines (C).
ZEV or Zero Emissions Vehicle: Vehicles which produce no emissions from the on-board
source of power (“”).
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Works Cited
"GLOSSARY OF AIR POLLUTION TERMS." . N.p.. Web. 14 Nov 2012.
<http://www.arb.ca.gov/html/gloss.htm
C, Lisa. "Electric Car." vocabulary.com. N.p., 27 2011. Web. 14 Nov 2012.
<http://www.vocabulary.com/lists/38993
"What is CNG? ." CNG Now!. N.p.. Web. 14 Nov 2012. <http://www.cngnow.com/what-iscng/Pages/default.asp&xgt;.
"E-terms ." Environmental Friendly Store. N.p.. Web. 14 Nov 2012.
<http://www.environmentfriendlystore.com/ebike-glossary.html>.
Motavalli, Jim. "The Road Ahead For Gasoline-Free Cars." Futurist 46.2 (2012): 6-7. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 14 Nov. 2012.
"Clean Vehicles." Cambridge: 2012. <http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_vehicles/why-clean-cars/airpollution-and-health/>.
Bunkley, Nick. "Payoff for Efficient Cars Takes Years." New York Times [New York] 04 Apr
2012, n. pag. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/05/business/energyenvironment/for-hybrid-and-electric-cars-to-pay-off-owners-mustwait.html?pagewanted=all
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Cause & Effect
Humans by their very nature are mobile beings. During many years inventors have been
creating ways to people move quickly by large distances. One of these inventions has been the
car, a tool that has provided humans nearly unlimited mobility to travel where and when they
want. Unfortunately the economic crisis has become a disaster for our income. Therefore, the
automakers have listened to the new consumer demand to create an electric car.
Electric vehicles have a long history in the automotive world; by the late 1890s
mechanics and inventors began to develop electric vehicles in the United States. However,
during that time electric powered vehicles disappeared because of competition with gasoline
vehicles. Today we can see a renewed interest in electric cars because of financial,
environmental and climate change concerns.
The savings in fuel costs are dramatic. According to AAA the current national average
gas price is $3.46 for regular gas. Here in the state of Utah the average is $3.64, and electricity
cost about 12 per kilowatt-hour nationally. The future looks bright for electric vehicles, as people
recognize that the price of oil will probably continue to rise and electric vehicles can help to
reduce petroleum dependence.
The Lundberg Survey, which tracks fuel prices, said in March that gas prices
would need to reach $12.50 a gallon for the Volt to make sense purely on
financial terms. It said the Leaf would be competitive with gas at $8.53 a gallon.
Still, in a recent survey by Consumer Reports, the most satisfied drivers owned
Volts. The survey said 93 percent of Volt owners would definitely buy the car
again — though there are only 12,000 of the cars on the road (Bunkley).
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Keeping electric vehicles on the road depends on widespread infrastructure changes
because public charging stations for power, are not yet available everywhere. As a consequence,
people are not allowed to recharge their vehicles when they are away from home. One reason
why electric vehicle industry needs growth is because that would cause opportunity for creation
of new jobs. Many occupations related to electric vehicles are similar to those that help to make
and maintain all types of automobiles. But, the industry is also adding some nontraditional jobs.
One of the most important reasons why we need to prefer electric cars is because it is
fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly. There are many ways to create electricity without
doing damage to our environment. For example, there is solar or wind powered plants that cause
no air pollutants.
According to the EPA, in typical urban areas cars, buses, trucks, and off-highway
mobile sources such as construction vehicles and boats produce at least half of the
hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides. Even though nationally these pollutants are
created from a great variety of industrial and combustion processes, the personal
automobile is the single greatest polluter. The emissions from the millions of
vehicles on our nation’s roads each day contribute substantially to our air
pollution problems. Driving a private car is probably a typical citizen's most
"polluting" daily activity ("Cars and Air Pollution").
American consumers believed that gasoline would become an increasingly expensive and
risky way to get both the mobility and the cleaner air they want, as a result electric cars are
better and cheaper alternatives for all of us. Nowadays, green jobs are one in which workers
produce goods or provide services that benefit the environment, which is related to electric
vehicles.
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Thesis and 3 Proposals
We need to think about trying to be a greener society by driving cars that do not rely on gas. This
will help our environment, health, and in the long be cheaper to operate.
Gas prices keep on going up and are up nearly 400% since 2001. Driving electric powered cars
will save us money in the long run because we will not be relying on gas to power our cars.
Utah has one of the worst pollution problems in the United States and our cars give off the
majority of this pollution. Recently studies show that autism has been linked to bad pollution.
People with asthma also have a hard time with all of the pollution in the Salt Lake area.
The emissions our gas-powered cars give off damage our environment by contributing to global
warming.