If you think electric cars are a new phenomenon, think again. They have been with us for more than a century - as early as 1897, electric vehicles found their first commercial application in the US as a fleet of electric New York City taxis. In 1911, the New York Times stated that the electric car has been recognised as “ideal” because it was cleaner, quieter and much more economical than gasoline-powered cars.
But why did they literally disappear from the scene? In short, they could not compete with the gasoline engine. Oil was comparatively cheap, a car could run hundreds of kilometres on a full tank and the infrastructure (filling stations and service stations) was easy to build. The Ford Model T, which heralded the era of mass-produced gasoline-powered cars, sounded the death knell for electric cars.
The advantages quoted by the New York Times could not compensate for one simple flaw: electric car batteries simply did not have the capacity for a long-range commute without a long recharge. And in the early days of electric power, the required recharging infrastructure was a distant dream. No wonder electric cars faded from the scene as petrol and diesel cars took over the world.
But oil, a finite resource, would not remain cheap forever. The world learned this harsh lesson during the oil crisis of the early 1970s and again in the 90s and the early years of the 21st century. Suddenly, that 4.0 litre gasoline engined car did not look all that appealing. Governments and automakers scrambled to find a solution. They increasingly turned to electric cars to stave off the threat of escalating oil prices.
But the one problem that plagued early electric cars still hampers the electric car industry today - battery capacity and range. This is why some car makers opted to ditch the battery altogether and couple an electric motor with a standard gasoline engine to make so-called ‘hybrid’ cars.
The best example for a hybrid car is the Toyota Prius, which pioneered the trend towards ‘greener’ cars way back in 1997. Honda followed with hybrid Civic models. The Prius is now in its fourth generation and getting better all the time. Though not particularly beautiful ‘in the metal’ these cars get the job done admirably. The main advantage from a consumer’s point of view is that hybrids cut fuel consumption by a considerable margin, requiring less than four litres of petrol to travel 100 Km. They are also friendly to the environment, having less emissions. The Prius will also come in a ‘plug-in’ hybrid version, which will augment its versatility.
Maxxa ne...........Rep+ parakuth daanna hode!!!!!!
But why did they literally disappear from the scene? In short, they could not compete with the gasoline engine. Oil was comparatively cheap, a car could run hundreds of kilometres on a full tank and the infrastructure (filling stations and service stations) was easy to build. The Ford Model T, which heralded the era of mass-produced gasoline-powered cars, sounded the death knell for electric cars.
The advantages quoted by the New York Times could not compensate for one simple flaw: electric car batteries simply did not have the capacity for a long-range commute without a long recharge. And in the early days of electric power, the required recharging infrastructure was a distant dream. No wonder electric cars faded from the scene as petrol and diesel cars took over the world.
But oil, a finite resource, would not remain cheap forever. The world learned this harsh lesson during the oil crisis of the early 1970s and again in the 90s and the early years of the 21st century. Suddenly, that 4.0 litre gasoline engined car did not look all that appealing. Governments and automakers scrambled to find a solution. They increasingly turned to electric cars to stave off the threat of escalating oil prices.
But the one problem that plagued early electric cars still hampers the electric car industry today - battery capacity and range. This is why some car makers opted to ditch the battery altogether and couple an electric motor with a standard gasoline engine to make so-called ‘hybrid’ cars.
The best example for a hybrid car is the Toyota Prius, which pioneered the trend towards ‘greener’ cars way back in 1997. Honda followed with hybrid Civic models. The Prius is now in its fourth generation and getting better all the time. Though not particularly beautiful ‘in the metal’ these cars get the job done admirably. The main advantage from a consumer’s point of view is that hybrids cut fuel consumption by a considerable margin, requiring less than four litres of petrol to travel 100 Km. They are also friendly to the environment, having less emissions. The Prius will also come in a ‘plug-in’ hybrid version, which will augment its versatility.
Maxxa ne...........Rep+ parakuth daanna hode!!!!!!
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