Articles tagged “Electric Cars”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Pre-heating and Cooling Electric Vehicles By Team Planet Green IN Tech & Transport Nov 8 2010 Anyone who's ever tried to start a car on a cold winter morning, cranking the ignition several times before the internal combustion engine finally chugs to life, knows that their car's battery doesn't perform as well when it's cold as it does when its warm. So when it's cold out, what does that mean for electric cars? + READ MORE

Building Electric Car Charging Infrastructures By Team Planet Green IN Tech & Transport Nov 8 2010 For better or worse, we've come to rely on our motor vehicles as long-distance conveyances. Even though the average trip by car in the United States is around 10 miles, we want our cars and trucks to be able to take us the 120 miles to Grandma's house for the two or three times a year we actually need to. How will electric cars get us there? + READ MORE

Are Electric Cars Safe in Accidents? By Team Planet Green IN Tech & Transport Nov 5 2010 Cars are dangerous machines. They kill more than 30,000 people per year in the United States alone. What makes them dangerous is their size, their weight, their speed, their momentum and -- perhaps most frighteningly -- they have a tank full of gasoline, a substance that can potentially catch fire and explode. Will electric cars be any more safe? + READ MORE

Will Electric Cars Require More Maintenance? By Team Planet Green IN Tech & Transport Nov 5 2010 In the beginning, your main problem in keeping your electric car well-maintained is going to be finding a mechanic who knows how to do it. But when it comes to more regular maintenance, are electric cars going to require more or less maintenance than gasoline-powered cars? + READ MORE

Cars Without Starters, Alternators or Spark Plugs By Team Planet Green IN Tech & Transport Nov 4 2010 One of the first things you learn in Cars 101 is that you need fuel, air and spark to bring a car's engine to life. It's practically a mantra. With electric cars, we have to toss all that out the window. + READ MORE

All-New Electric Car Parts By Team Planet Green IN Tech & Transport Nov 4 2010 In the beginning, long before electric cars were considered cool by mainstream auto snobs, the category was something of an automotive freak show. Throughout the last decade, though, small companies have sprung up to cater specifically to the market that exists for electric car parts. + READ MORE

Top 10 Electric Car Frequently Asked Questions By Team Planet Green IN Tech & Transport Nov 4 2010 The electric car is sure to figure prominently in any conversation about green vehicles. But the subject raises lots of questions. Are electric cars more environmentally friendly than traditional gas-powered vehicles or alternatives like cars that run on hydrogen? And why are electric cars so expensive? We're going to answer these questions, and more, right now. + READ MORE

Do Electric Vehicles Have Performance Benefits? By Team Planet Green IN Tech & Transport Nov 3 2010 More and more, the future of the automobile is looking to be an electric one. That sounds great for the environmentalist crowd, but what about the horsepower-loving, speed-worshipping petrol heads? Will the electric future get to include those drivers who like to go fast? + READ MORE

AC Motors: kW vs. Horsepower By Team Planet Green IN Tech & Transport Nov 2 2010 For about as long as cars have been around, the thing to say when a powerful car rolls by has been: "How much horsepower are you running?" But now that we're moving to an age of electric vehicles, that may change to "How many kilowatts does that baby have?" + READ MORE

Can Electric Car Batteries Be Recycled? By Team Planet Green IN Tech & Transport Nov 2 2010 Happily, the answer is yes -- the batteries that power electric cars can be recycled. For decades, the few electric vehicles that were on the road were powered by lead-acid batteries. The latest models, with their lighter weight and longer range, use lithium-ion batteries. In either case, the batteries that power electric cars can be recycled. Here's how it works. + READ MORE

Rapid Charging for Electric Car Batteries By Team Planet Green IN Tech & Transport Nov 1 2010 If you've looked into electric car ownership at all, you've probably seen the estimated charging times: about 8 hours at a 220-volt outlet, which is a workday or overnight. Not so bad, right? Until that day you need to drive a little extra…can rapid charging bail you out? + READ MORE

How Green are Automotive Lithium-Ion Batteries? By Team Planet Green IN Tech & Transport Nov 1 2010 The latest in battery technology is lithium-ion, and it's being used in the electric cars and hybrid cars of the future. Lithium-ion batteries are lighter than previous battery technology and they hold a charge a lot longer, too. Does that make them green? + READ MORE

Challenges Facing the Electric Car Industry By Team Planet Green IN Tech & Transport Oct 31 2010 It's tough to get a new business off the ground. It's even tougher when you're trying to launch a new industry based on a new product that could alter the ways millions of people get around. Just ask any electric car maker; there are a handful of real challenges facing the electric car industry. + READ MORE

Electric Car Government Programs By Team Planet Green IN Tech & Transport Oct 30 2010 Growing things need help and encouragement; it's why you cover your tomato plants when frost is forecast and why you make sure your kids eat right and do well in school. The same principles apply to industry. New industries need help to grow. In order to help the electric car industry, the U.S. government has created a number of new programs. + READ MORE

Ed Begley Jr. Helps You Save $240 Per Year with One Switch By Blythe Copeland IN Home & Garden Oct 29 2010 Living with Ed follows Ed Begley, Jr., and his wife, Rachelle, as they green their home, family, and celebrity friends. But if you've ever wondered what kind of advice they'd give the rest of us, then the Ask Ed forum is your chance to find out. + READ MORE

Should the Government Be Using Electric Vehicles? By Team Planet Green IN Tech & Transport Oct 29 2010 or electric car manufacturers, it's an exciting proposition: The U.S. Government is asking for bids to supply the government's fleet of vehicles with 100 electric cars. Landing the contract could spur sales and prove to consumers that electric vehicles are practical enough for everyday use. Sounds like a win, but is it that easy? + READ MORE

How Does Horsepower Figure Into Electric Cars? By Team Planet Green IN Tech & Transport Oct 29 2010 Just like a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine, an electric car's motor generates power that drives the wheels to put things in motion. Unlike a gasoline engine, electric vehicles (EVs) deliver power a little differently. So does that mean "horsepower" can still be used to describe electric cars? + READ MORE

When Will All Cars Be Electric? By Team Planet Green IN Tech & Transport Oct 28 2010 In the last five years, electric cars have gone from being a big joke to being the next big thing. A full lineup of extended-range vehicles will soon be available from a number of manufacturers, putting the electric car within reach of the average consumer. Does that mean they'll replace gasoline-powered cars anytime soon? + READ MORE

Can the Power Grid Charge Millions of Electric Cars? By Team Planet Green IN Tech & Transport Oct 28 2010 On the heels of range anxiety arises a new fear: grid anxiety. This is the worry that if everybody gets rid of their gasoline-powered cars and charges up their shiny new electric cars in garages across the land, the grid won't be able to handle it, and there'll be a huge blackout. Would that really happen? + READ MORE

What is Range Anxiety? By Team Planet Green IN Tech & Transport Oct 28 2010 These days, we have no shortage of things in our lives that cause worry and stress. Although electric cars will mean many great things for our planet, like zero emissions and a reduced dependence on fossil fuels, the truth is they're about to give you one more thing to worry about: range anxiety. + READ MORE