Electric Cars

(www.howstuffworks.com)

Electric cars are something that show up in the news all the time. There are several reasons for the continuing interest in these vehicles. They create less pollution than gasoline-powered cars, so they are an environmentally friendly alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles (especially in cities).

Vehicles powered by fuel cells are electric cars, and fuel cells are getting a lot of attention right now in the news.

An electric car is a car powered by an electric motor rather than a gasoline engine.

From the outside, you would probably have no idea that a car is electric. In most cases, electric cars are created by converting a gasoline-powered car, and in that case it is impossible to tell. Under the hood, there are a lot of differences between gasoline and electric cars: the gasoline engine is replaced by an electric motor, the electric motor gets its power from a controller, the controller gets its power from an array of rechargeable batteries.

A gasoline engine, with its fuel lines, exhaust pipes, coolant hoses and intake manifold, tends to look like a plumbing project. An electric car is definitely a wiring project.

The electric vehicle began its life as a normal, gasoline-powered 1994 Geo Prism. The gasoline engine, along with the muffler, catalytic converter, tailpipe and gas tank, were all removed.

A new AC electric motor was bolted to the transmission with an adapter plate.

An electric controller was added to control the AC motor.

A battery tray was installed in the floor of the car.

Fifty 12-volt batteries were placed in the battery tray (two sets of 25 to create 300 volts DC).

Electric motors were added to power things that used to get their power from the engine: the water pump, power steering pump, air conditioner.

The range of this car is about 50 miles (80 km).

The 0-to-60 mph time is about 15 seconds.

It takes about 12 kilowatt-hours of electricity to charge the car after a 50-mile trip.

The batteries weigh about 1,100 pounds (500 kg) and last three to four years.

1) Por que carros elétricos são opções interessantes?

2) Quais as principais características de um carro elétrico?

3) Quais os indicadores de desempenho dos carros elétricos?