Which Technology Should Be Used to Power Electric Cars?
Auto manufacturers have developed technologies for several kinds of alternativefuel vehicles, including electric cars. Two promising types of electric cars are battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and hydrogen fuel cell cars. However, in both cases, the technology under the hood has some drawbacks.
BEVs are already available. Instead of a fuel tank, a BEV contains a large rechargeable battery pack that powers an electric motor. You can recharge the vehicle's battery pack by using a household electrical outlet. One major problem with BEVs is that they rely on the power grid for energy, and the power plants that generate this energy often burn fossil fuels.
Unlike BEVs, hydrogen fuel cell cars have a fuel tank but the gas inside is hydrogen, not gasoline. A hydrogen fuel cell is a device that produces electrical energy from a controlled reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. Inside the fuel cell, compressed hydrogen is combined with oxygen from the air. The current generated by the fuel cell is used to power an electric motor. (Fuel cell cars also contain a battery to provide additional power to the motor when needed.) The only by-product of hydrogen fuel cells is water. A major disadvantage of fuel cell cars is that isolating hydrogen is an expensive, energy-intensive process. In order for fuel cell cars to become widely used, engineers will need to find cheaper ways to produce hydrogen and also improve the efficiency of fuel cell technology.
Electric Cars Should Use Fuel Cells
Hydrogen fuel cells run on hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe. Although both hydrogen production and fuel cell technology are very costly, they will become more affordable through technological innovation. Since the only by-product of hydrogen fuel cells is water, the technology is clean and environmentally friendly. In contrast, BEVs are only as “clean” as the power plant used to generate the electricity. Furthermore, BEVs can travel only a limited distance before needing to be recharged (a process that can take several hours). BEVs might seem more practical in the short term, but fuel cell cars offer a better longterm solution.
Electric Cars Should Use Batteries
Batteries are a proven and relatively inexpensive technology that is already being used in electric and hybrid cars. The cost to make a BEV is about one tenth that of a comparable fuel cell car. Although not practical for long road trips, BEVs are well suited for commuters who drive. In addition, many commuters do not use their cars at night; there is plenty of time to recharge the battery of a BEV as long as you remember to plug it in. It is much easier to recharge a BEV than it is to refuel a hydrogen car. For a BEV, you just need an electrical outlet. For hydrogen cars to be practical, we need to build an infrastructure of hydrogen refueling stations from scratch, which would be very time-consuming and costly. In addition, the cost of manufacturing the hydrogen fuel is high.
Research and Decide
Defining the Issues List some of the advantages and disadvantages of BEVs. Do the same for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Analyzing the Viewpoints Think about the factors you listed in your answer to the first question. Which of those are likely to be most important to a supporter of BEVs? Of hydrogen fuel cell technology? Can you make any generalizations about the difference in their viewpoints?
Forming Your Opinion Are BEVs or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles a more promising transportation technology for the future? Explain and defend your position.
Writing in Science In 2009, the U.S. Department of Energy announced that it would cut off funding for development of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle because other technologies can lead to greater reductions in emissions in a shorter time. Write an essay in which you support or criticize this decision.