Electric Vehicles & the Future of Transportation by the Raptor Tech Team of Southern Maryland (January 2010).

1. DRIVING CHANGE
ELECTRIC VEHICLES & THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION
Submitted By:
The Raptor Tech Team
Jabari Caire (10 th Grade), Sekani Caire (9th Grade), Myles Davenport (10th Grade),
Marcellus Davenport (10th Grade) & Miles Gill (10th Grade)
http://drivechangenow.webs.com

2. OBJECTIVE
To explore the growing market for electric cars,
their design, and the infrastructure (present and
g (p
future) that is required to support their growth.
Our research will also explain the benefits of
O h ill l l i th b fit f
electric vehicles and how they can help protect our society
from a polluted future and reduce our dependence on
p p
imported oil.
*Photo borrowed from www.carblog.co.za .

3. The Case for…
DRIVING CHANGE
Cars and other vehicles
are a major source of
carbon emissions in the
United States.
United States
The transportation sector
accounts for roughly 33%
accounts for roughly 33%
of all carbon emissions in
the United States.
______________________________
Image from www.i.ehow.com at:
http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/5636927/2750711
244fde9724ebb‐main_Full.jpg

4. DRIVING CARBON
Carbon Emissions from Automobiles
b E f A bl
There are an estimated 250 million
automobiles on U.S. highways on a
daily basis. This number is rising
d il b i Thi b i ii
annually, as is the number of miles
drivers are traveling.
Exhaust fumes from all of these cars
E h tf f ll f th
and other autos contain carbon
dioxide and methane, gases that help
create the greenhouse effect,
contributing to global warming and
t ib ti t l b l i d
health risks to humans and the natural
environment.
______________________________
Image from www.treehugger.com at:
http://www.treehugger.com/20090501‐california‐traffic.jpg
http://www treehugger com/20090501 california traffic jpg

5. OIL DEPENDENCE
Conventional automobiles and our
C i l bil d
reliance on them is one of the biggest
reasons for our oil dependence. As oil
prices rise and our, we pay for it at the
prices rise and our we pay for it at the
pump. We are too reliant on big oil
and fossil fuels!
It also makes little sense that the U.S.
imports 2/3 (60%) of its oil. As conflict
increases in the Middle East and other
countries who we rely on for oil, it is
clear we need a better alternative!
WE CAN’T KEEP DRIVING STUPID!

6. IT’S TIME TO. . .
DRIVE CHANGE NOW!

7. ELECTRIC VEHICLES (EV’S)
y
History Brief Electric vehicles are not new!
They have been around since 1830! Their development
began in Europe. The U.S. would catch on soon, and EV’s
gained popularity at the turn of the century (1899‐1900).
Electric cars outsold both steam and gasoline powered
cars at that time. They did not vibrate, smell, or make
noise like gas powered cars.
They could go up to 8 miles, 14 mph and cost about
$2,000. Sadly, only the upperclass could afford them!
Eventually, gas powered cars beat out electric cars!
Eventually gas powered cars beat out electric cars!
By the 1920’s big cities had been developed, and people
needed to drive further distances to get to work. Crude
oil was discovered in Texas, and Henry Ford revolutionized the gas powered engine making
oil was discovered in Texas and Henry Ford revolutionized the gas powered engine making
these cars available and affordable to the masses!
_______________________________
Image from Wall Street Journal at: http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2008/10/07/electric-avenue-will-electric-cars-ever-be-mass-market/

8. ELECTRIC V
C C VEHICLES ( V S)
C S (EV’S)
History Brief, cont’d
y
Electric cars made a come back in the 1990’s for many reasons:
U.S. 1990 Clean Air Act Amendment
U.S. 1992 Energy Policy Act
Tough Emissions regulations passed in California (CARB)
Tough Emissions regulations passed in California (CARB)
These laws were designed to force car companies to make ‘cleaner cars’, including
electric cars, with lower carbon emissions to lower the impact of pollution and
global warming.
l b l i
But, according to EV advocates, big automakers and oil companies worked hard to
crush the rise of EV’s to public prominence. It has been claimed that companies
like GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota and Honda who even made EV’s in the 1990’s, along
with big oil companies like Exxon Mobil, created negative, false information about
EV’s to scare consumers into not buying them. Unfortunately, it worked!
A movie was even made about this in 2006 called Who Killed the Electric Car.
_______________________
Image from http://www.city‐data.com/forum/los‐angeles/1849‐smog‐bad‐4.html

9. ’ h f
WHY EV’S? The Benefits…
ECO FRIENDLY!
CO !
No tailpipe! No (zero) emissions!
Reduce Carbon footprint.
Reduce oil dependence.
Reduce oil dependence.
More efficient use of power than
conventional automobiles.
Affordable—generally costs the
same as gasoline powered cars.
Quiet and smooth operation.
p
Less upkeep and maintenance
required because of simpler power
system.
Infrastructure and battery efficiency
improving.

10. ’ h f
WHY EV’S? The Benefits:
FACT: .
EV s use 75% of the power generated by the electricity.
EV’s use 75% of the power generated by the electricity
Gasoline powered vehicles only use 20% of the power
produced by the gasoline, leaving the other 80% to
produced by the gasoline leaving the other 80% to
pollute the air, clog up car components, etc.
______________________________
Information from:
http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/56128/cars/the_benefits_of_electric_vehicles.html

11. HOW EV’S WORK
EV’s are powered by electric motors
yg
rather than by gasoline.
An on‐board battery, now usually a
Lithium Ion battery, powers the motor.
The motor, which gets power from the
controller, turns the wheels and powers
controller, turns the wheels and powers
other car components.
Unlike a conventional car (ICE), EV’s have
no fuel lines, exhaust pipes, or other
complicated inner parts to maintain. This
complicated inner parts to maintain This
keeps maintenance costs down.
EV’s are charged by ‘plugging in’ at a
home charger station, or at a public
charge station.
charge station
There is no gas tank in an electric car EV companies are working together to build
because it uses no gasoline, and charging
an EV costs less than fueling up a car. a standard plug for all EV’s, the J1772, to
____________________________________
Image from www.co2.org .
make powering all these cars easy, reliable,
k i ll th li bl
and possible at public charging stations.

12. HOW EV S WORK
EV’S
The plug‐in charge port is a key feature of
all EV’s.
Just plug‐in, recharge and go!
J t l i h d !
At‐home chargers can take 4‐8 hours. Quick
charge stations can re‐charge batteries in
20 minutes.
20 i t
There are even battery exchange stations
where a weak battery can be switched out
with a fully charged one in just minutes.
with a fully charged one in just minutes
Photos from Google Images & various sites.

13. EV INFRASTRUCTURE
In order for EV’s to take off with
consumers and to become a serious
player in the auto market, there must
be a strong infrastructure to support
them.
them
Like the current gasoline vehicle
infrastructure with stations
everywhere, EV infrastructure must
everywhere EV infrastructure must
be widespread and readily available.
Public charging stations must be
planned well and available where
planned well and available where
people live, work and play.
Utility companies must be prepared
to upgrade power grids to support
pg p g pp
the growing power needs of EV’s.
Images from www.newecologist.com and www.gas2.org .

14. EV INFRASTRUCTURE
Keep it Green!
It is critical that builders of the new EV infrastructure focus on
g g g y
building charging stations that are fueled by renewable energy gy
rather than by coal powered energy sources.
Most of our electricity today is produced by coal‐based power
plants. This will not do for EV s!
plants This will not do for EV’s!
Though the coal‐based power plant emissions from powering EV’s
would be less than the emissions from conventional gas powered
vehicles, this is still not the best we can do.
vehicles this is still not the best we can do
Electricity can and should be produced using renewable sources like
solar, geothermal, wind, biomass, and hydropower; and at least, by
cleaner burning fuels.
cleaner burning fuels
We want EV’s powered by green energy!

15. EV INFRASTRUCTURE
A sample public charging station model by
American based company Evoasis The
Evoasis.
station would charge up to 24 cars at once.

16. ELECTRIC VEHICLES (EV’S)
PROS CONS
ECO FRIENDLY!
No emissions! Charging time is long (4‐8 hours
Reduce Carbon footprint.
Reduce Carbon footprint average.
average
Reduce oil dependence.
Short distance travel on battery.
More efficient use of power than Current infrastructure not fully in
conventional automobiles.
conventional automobiles. place to support widespread use of
place to support widespread use of
Affordable—generally costs the EV’s.
same as gasoline powered cars.
Batteries are expensive, heavy and
Quiet and smooth operation.
Quiet and smooth operation hard to dispose of.
h d t di f
Less upkeep and maintenance Less control of acceleration.
required because of simpler power
y
system. Expensive parts & repairs.
Infrastructure and battery efficiency Require more power plants which
improving. generate pollution, esp. coal plants.

17. ELECTRIC VEHICLES (EV’S)
Innovations
Battery technology is constantly improving, resulting in lighter batteries with
lower charging time, and greater distance per charge.
U.S. now investing more in battery technology development so that we are
not dependent on China/Asia where most batteries currently manufactured.
Infrastructure is growing and will grow as demand rises for EV’s. Charging
I f t t i i d ill d d i f EV’ Ch i
tations will be available at home, at work, at the mall, and the grocery store‐‐
everywhere!
EV makers are working together to develop standard plugs rather than
EV k ki t th t d l t d d l th th
different plugs for different models. This is critical to EV infrastructure
development.
National support from leaders is spurring the growth of EV’s. President Obama
N ti l tf l d i i th th f EV’ P id t Ob
recently pledged $2.4 Billion to support EV car, battery and infrastructure growth.

18. DRIVING CHANGE
A NATIONAL INVESTMENT
President Barack Obama
has invested $2.4 billion
has invested $2 4 billion
dollars in electric vehicles
to advance our technological
growth and help our
economic challenges. He
granted Navistar $39.2
million dollars to change
illi d ll t h
their trucks into battery
operating systems.

19. PRESIDENT’S
PROMISE
“These cars of tomorrow require the batteries of tomorrow. I am announcing that the
Department of Energy is launching a $2 billion competitive grant program under the
Recovery Act that will spark the manufacturing of the batteries and parts that run these
cars, build or upgrade the factories that will produce them, and in the process, create
thousands of jobs right here in America. Show us that your idea or your company is best‐
suited to meet America s challenges, and we will give you a chance to prove it.
suited to meet America’s challenges, and we will give you a chance to prove it. ”
‐‐ President Barack Obama March 19th, 2009 speech at
the Edison Electric Vehicle Technical Center.
the Edison Electric Vehicle Technical Center

20. EV LEADERS
Companies that are Leading the Way
Aptera
Fiskers
Ford
General Motors/
Chevy
Miles
Mitsubishi
Nissan
Toyota
And others big and
A d th bi d
small…

21. IT’S TIME TO…
DRIVE CHANGE NOW!

22. SOURCES
The History of Electric Vehicled. About.com, found on the web at:
The History of Electric Vehicled About com found on the web at:
http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aacarselectrica.htm
Big Oil’s Vendetta Against the Electric Car
http://www.stwr.org/multinational‐corporations/big‐oils‐vendetta‐against‐the‐electric‐car.html
http://www stwr org/multinational corporations/big oils vendetta against the electric car html
Web site: http://www.ev1.org/pvevfact.htm
Hybrid Car Blog, http://www.hybridcarblog.com/
y g, p y g
Understanding plug‐in hybrids, EVs and the electric vehicle infrastructure
Landscape. Found on the web at:
p g p j 9 5 gp g y
http://movementbureau.blogs.com/projects/2009/05/understanding‐plugin‐hybrids‐evs‐and‐
electric‐vehicle‐infrastructure‐landscape.html
Battery switch stations: support for long distance road trips
http://www.betterplace.com/solution/charging/

23. SOURCES
Electric vehicle security concerns and Smart Key system trends from IAA 2009.
El t i hi l it d S t K t t d f IAA
http://www.sbd.co.uk/uknews/post/Electric‐vehicle‐security‐concerns‐andSmart‐Key‐system‐
trends‐from‐IAA‐2009.aspx
Debunking the Myth of Evs and Smokestacks by Chip Gribben
and Smokestacks by Chip Gribben.
http://www.electroauto.com/info/pollmyth.shtml
PBS Now “Who Killed the Electric Car”. http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/pbs‐now‐
who‐killed‐the‐electric‐car/9F08BF5AAEA358C4017B9F08BF5AAEA358C4017B
Nissan Leaf. http://www.nissanusa.com/leaf‐electric‐car/index.jsp#/car/intro
Chevy Volt. http://www.chevrolet.com/pages/open/default/future/volt.do
Autoblog Green. http://green.autoblog.com/2009/03/12/greenlings‐battery‐basics‐for‐
beginners
Miles Electric Vehicles. http://www.milesev.com/

24. Th R t T h T
The RaptorTech Team
Our mission is to
educate people about
the importance,
effectiveness, and use
of renewable energy
sources and other
technology
innovations that save
and sustain lives,
natural resources,
natural resources
and the health and
beauty of our planet.
Together, WE CAN!
Together WE CAN!
‐ Raptor Tech Team
R‐to‐L: Jabari Caire (16), Miles Gill (15), Myles Davenport (15), Sekani Caire (14), Marcellus Davenport (15) with their
coach Chip Gribben of the Electric Vehicle Association, DC Chapter standing in front of an electric vehicle made by
Miles Electric Vehicles of Santa Monica, CA. (Photo by K. Caire: November 2010)