Exploring Electric Vehicles: Eco-Friendly Future of Transport
School
City University of Hong Kong**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
GE 1401
Subject
Electrical Engineering
Date
Dec 11, 2024
Pages
5
Uploaded by BrigadierDove4401
GE1401 Argumentative EssayLIM Klein Edbert Tjundawan58638077Electric Vehicles: The Future of Automobile IndustryElectric vehicles (EVs) are vehicles that use electricity as their energy source (Costaet al., 2021). There are two types of electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) andplug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). BEVs use only electricity as their source of power,while PHEVs use both electricity and fuel combustion as sources of power (Costa et al.,2021). Electric vehicles became popular due to the major concerns regarding global warmingand climate change. With its rising demands, EVs are predicted to take over the dominance ofpetrol cars, perhaps even in the near future. Some key advantages that EVs have over theirfuel-powered counterparts include its eco-friendly nature, simpler engine structure, lowermaintenance cost, battery efficiency, and much more (Sanguesa et al., 2021). This essay willelaborate further on these advantages and how EVs can contribute to the betterment of theplanet.The vast growth of the EV market can be seen in many developed countries across theworld. For instance, China is reported to be the country with the largest EV population in theworld, with them contributing to almost half of the global EV market in 2018 (Agrawal &Rajapatel, 2020). This positive trend of EV sales can be observed in several other countriessuch as Finland, Norway, Sweden, Japan, The United States, and many more. (Agrawal &Rajapatel, 2020). With such enormous growth, it is projected that around 1 in 5 cars beingdriven on the streets in 2030 will be electric (Agrawal & Rajapatel, 2020).The sustainable and eco-friendly nature of an electric vehicle are its most prominentselling points. Internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) produce around 28% of globalgreenhouse gas emissions through their engine combustion process, which emits a sideproduct of hazardous gases such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides (Zhao et al., 2021).The average petrol car emits around 122 grams of carbon dioxide for each kilometretravelled. Meanwhile, an electric car produces as little as 9 grams of CO2 per kilometre(Costa et al., 2021). Considering the fact that an average U.S. citizen travels around 59kilometres by car each day (United States Department of Transportation, 2022), with somesimple calculations we discover that driving an electric vehicle would cut down each U.S.citizen’s annual CO2 emissions by 2.433 tons. This number gives a strong picture on theimpact EVs could bring when implemented on a global massive scale.Despite its overall eco-friendly nature, there are concerns regarding the dangerous andtoxic materials contained in the lithium ion batteries (LIBs) of electric vehicles. Thesechemicals can be damaging to the environment when handled improperly (Diekmann et al.,2017). In efforts to solve this, researchers and recycling companies from around the worldare continuously developing more efficient and eco-friendly techniques to recycle LIBs. Oneof them is the Canadian company Lithion Recycling, which claims that they are now able torecycle 95% of the components found in a used electric car’s battery into reusable materials(Beaudet et al., 2020). Researchers from Hydro-Quebec have also developed a new method
of LIB recycling that allows them to extract lithium out of LIBs without the need to dissolveother valuable materials in the battery. This technique is more efficient, since these valuablematerials can now be reused as well, and also safer for the recycle workers since it avoids theusage of corrosive chemicals to dissolve metals like in older methods (Beaudet et al., 2020).Beyond its eco-friendly nature, electric vehicles also offer economic benefits for theirusers, allowing people to spend less on their automobiles. Electric vehicles offer higherefficiency and thus cost less to travel. Statistics comparing travel expenses between aVolkswagen Golf, a gas car, and the Nissan Leaf EV show that it costs 80% more to travelusing the Volkswagen (Costa et al., 2021). On top of that, production prices for EV batteriesare projected to go down as their market increases. While gas prices will always be on anincline due to its scarcity (Costa et al., 2021). Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) also require18% less funding for repairs and maintenance compared to petrol cars (Propfe et al., 2012).Adding on to their efficient nature, several countries across the world have also started toimplement subsidies, incentives, and other government policies to help increase the purchaseof EVs in their country. The U.S. government for example subsidises 10% of every EVpurchase with a cap of US$4000 (Li et al., 2019). Norway, the country with the largestpercentage of electric cars on its streets, exempts EVs from parking fees, road tolls, andferries across the country (Li et al., 2019). Other developed countries such as Japan, China,Netherlands, Germany, and many more also have policies to promote electric vehicles (Li etal., 2019). All of these supporting factors make owning an EV more economical compared toan ICEV.With all its strengths and advantages over conventional fuel-powered cars, andlooking at the EV market’s drastically positive trend, the statistics support that electricvehicles will most likely take over the automobile industry in the near future. Concernsregarding toxic battery waste can be resolved with new recycling techniques and thecontinuous research to find better ones. Electric vehicles have the potential to make driving amore affordable, enjoyable, safer, and eco-friendly experience.
ReferencesAgrawal, M., & Rajapatel, M. S. (2020). Global perspective on electric vehicle 2020.International Journal of Engineering Research And Technology, 9(1).https://doi.org/10.17577/ijertv9is010005Beaudet, A., Larouche, F., Amouzegar, K., Bouchard, P., & Zaghib, K. (2020). Keychallenges and opportunities for recycling electric vehicle battery materials.Sustainability, 12(14), 5837.https://doi.org/10.3390/su12145837Costa, C. M., Barbosa, J. C., Castro, H., Gonçalves, R., & Lanceros-Méndez, S. (2021).Electric vehicles: To what extent are environmentally friendly and cost effective? –comparative study by European countries.Renewable and Sustainable EnergyReviews, 151,111548.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2021.111548Diekmann, J., Grützke, M., Loellhoeffel, T., Petermann, M., Rothermel, S., Winter, M.,Nowak, S., & Kwade, A. (2017). Potential dangers during the handling of lithium-ionbatteries.Sustainable Production, Life Cycle Engineering and Management,39–51.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70572-9_3Li, J., Jiao, J., & Tang, Y. (2019). An evolutionary analysis on the effect of governmentpolicies on electric vehicle diffusion in complex network.Energy Policy, 129,1–12.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2019.01.070Propfe, B., Redelbach, M., Santini, D., & Friedrich, H. (2012). Cost analysis of plug-inhybrid electric vehicles including maintenance & repair costs and resale values.WorldElectric Vehicle Journal, 5(4), 886–895.https://doi.org/10.3390/wevj5040886Reka, S. S., Venugopal, P., V, R., Haes Alhelou, H., Al-Hinai, A., & Siano, P. (2022).Analysis ofelectric vehicles with an economic perspective for the future electricmarket.Future Internet, 14(6),172.https://doi.org/10.3390/fi14060172
Sanguesa, J. A., Torres-Sanz, V., Garrido, P., Martinez, F. J., & Marquez-Barja, J. M. (2021).A review on electric vehicles: Technologies and challenges.Smart Cities, 4(1),372–404.https://doi.org/10.3390/smartcities4010022United States Department of Transportation. (2022).Average annual miles per driver by agegroup.https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/onh00/bar8.htmZhao, J., Xi, X., Na, Q., Wang, S., Kadry, S. N., & Kumar, P. M. (2021). The technologicalinnovation of hybrid and plug-in electric vehicles for environment carbon pollutioncontrol.Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 86,106506.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2020.106506
Changes made from draft 1 (highlighted in yellow)●Clearer thesis statement in opening paragraph.●Further elaboration and evidence for opposing statement (These chemicals can bedamaging to the environment…).●Further elaboration and evidence for resolution of opposing statement (This techniqueis more efficient,…).●Further elaboration in the conclusion paragraph (Deleted in final draft).●Stronger and more convincing choice of words for concluding statement (the statisticssupport that electric vehicles…).●Fixed typos and formatting mistakes in reference list.Changes made from draft 2 (highlighted in blue):●Rewrote paragraphs 1 and 2 (Not highlighted because almost the whole twoparagraphs were changed).●More concise opening paragraph (Shifted statistics and data to another paragraph,opening paragraph solely for introduction and to show stance).●More argumentative thesis statement (This essay will elaborate further on…).●Further elaboration on counter argument (dangerous and toxic materials…)●Splitted paragraph 2 into two paragraphs.●Further elaboration on the main argument of paragraph 4 (allowing people to spendless…)●Fixed cohesion (Adding on to their efficient nature,...).●Removed additional arguments in the conclusion paragraph.●Use of hedging devices in the conclusion paragraph (will most likely…)●Fixed spacing in reference list.●Fixed unstandardized reference in reference list (Reka, S. S.)