personal transportation - mechanical engineering |...

Mechanical EngineeringME217 Energy, Environment & Society

ME 217: Energy, Environment & Society Fall 2015

Personal transportation

Mechanical EngineeringME217 Energy, Environment & Society Personal transportation 2/42

Would you buy an EV?

I have one!

Yes, my next car will be an EV

Never, they are too dorky

Maybe if the price is right

Not enough info


Project submission instructions

Must be submitted through Learn

Must be in pdf format

Must be anonymous – i.e. don't put your name on the cover page or anywhere else!

ME217TP_XXXXXXXX.pdf where XXXXXXXX is your student ID


Where does the oil go?

the focus of today's discussion


5 possible futures


Reasonable long-term options?

Battery electric Fuel cell


How does a lead-acid battery work?


How does a Li-ion battery work?


Battery specifications


The Ragone plot


Battery performance measures


What do we want from a car?


Our “reasonable” electric vehicle


Can we do this with lead-acid?


What about Li-ion?


A good compromise


History of BEVs Prevalent between 1880

and 1912 Cleaner

Quieter

More reliable

Easy to start

More powerful

Declined because: Electric starter

Need for range

Mass production

Improved reliability of gasoline engines


Signs of a comeback


Recent developments


supercapacitors

High power

High voltage from single unit

No chemistry

Many cycles

Fast charge / discharge

Best used in parallel with battery


Other battery options


Hydrogen by electrolysis


Hydrogen by thermal decomposition


Chemical reaction


Storage and transportation


William Grove's 1839 fuel cell


Fuel cell technologies


Modern PEM fuel cell


Typical fuel cell power curve


Can we put one in a car?


Some prototypes


Well to wheel analysis


Well to wheel analysis - example


Well to wheel for various options


Where does the H2 come from?


Needed infrastructure


Subsidies for EVs or PEVs UK: £5000 Plug-in Car Grant

Ontario & Quebec: up to C$8500 payment

U.S. Feds: up to $7500 tax credits

California: total tax credit up to $10000

Colorado: total tax credit up to $13500

West Virginia: up to $15000 for EV, up to $10000 for charging station

Ten US states offer use of HOV lanes to EVs

VIP parking, free electron fill-up

Norway – no VAT or gas-guzzler tax for EVs


Comparing a tankful of electrons Charged with coal:

High CO2 emissions

land degradation from mining

Mercury

Charged with NG Moderate CO2 emissions

Potential hazards due to fracking

Charged with nuclear power Nuclear waste management

Risk of fallout from accidents

Charged with solar / wind?


Inside an EV


Non-greenhouse damages


National Academies 2010 report Operating an electric vehicle is generally less damaging than

operating a gasoline powered one

However, most of the damages come from stages other than just driving:

Manufacturing – high-tech materials needed to offset weight of batteries are very energy-intensive

Materials used in batteries could be damaging to the environment if not mined / disposed of properly

Lifetime health and environmental damages caused by electric cars are actually higher than for gasoline ones

A number of studies come to similar conclusions


Things to consider Electric car technologies and power grids will become more

efficient and cleaner over time, so how about giving EVs a chance?

This may take more time than we think

Are there better alternatives to cars?

Public transportation

Walking / cycling / electric assist cycling?

Better urban design

Or are we just switching brands of cigarettes?

personal transportation - mechanical engineering |...

Documents