Electric cars - an alternative to the internal combustion engine

Never incompetent as his critics claimed, "an electric car never destined to become a universal vehicle of choice for the typical driver." In some times and places, and for individual applications, the electric vehicle is different.

Before 1903, the very soul of the car was at stake. Three factors led to the failure of the electric vehicle. Firstly, oversized early users play a role in determining the overall shape technology. The wealthy elite men in search of sporting life looking for technologies that offer extreme.

Although many wealthy families also use electric car with other cars, electric vehicle were too practical and "home" to meet the needs of these deep symbolic.

The successful use of electric vehicles for commercial use is concentrated. Electric taxis operate continuously in New York from 1897 to 1912.

Secondly, they require a special and versatile infrastructure that acts as an internal combustion car. In addition to roads and service facilities that were clearly less favorable for electrical machines, access to electricity is inherently problematic.

Regardless of the absolute range of technical problems and battery charging in remote areas, symbolically electric car has always been "attached to the wire." Finally, electric technology suffered from unmet expectations, while the internal combustion engine was able to significantly outperform its original competitor.

After electrification of lighting streets and railways, many observers were expecting the beginning of the development of improved types of electric motors.

Rapid progress in the field of materials and processing of petrol engines include a high degree of compression, which led to a sharp increase as a power to weight ratio and reliability. Universal electric car could not be established, and mass motorization with internal combustion started.

By the end of the First World War, electric vehicles continued to flourish, but always in a lifeless market or as part of a larger fleet. Where fire danger is limited to the internal combustion engine, electric loaders replaced horses on the docks and railway platforms.

Electrical lifting machinery have been used in factories and warehouses, where delicate goods can not be exposed to dirty exhaust gas. In the 1920s in the United States and also in the aftermath of World War II in Britain, electric vehicles fleets delivered everything from mail milk.

The unique properties of the electric car is quiet, reliable, cost-effective, and capable of frequent starts and stops. In the mid-1960s, the electric car once again emerged as the car of the future.

Growing public awareness of the increasing costs of unbridled expansion of systems of gasoline and the industry has prompted politicians to take a fresh look at the overall objective of the electric car.

In the United States, after 1973, energy independence, provided an additional argument in favor of electric vehicles, ultimately leading to the passage of electric and hybrid vehicle research development and demonstration of the Law (1976).

Despite the infusion of funds public research groups, the electric car has been unable to supplant the established internal combustion standard. This cycle is repeated again in 1990 year.

In January 1990, General Motors introduced the Impact, a prototype electric car, which is proposed to significantly increase the performance and range by using modern materials and design.

Later that same year, California Air Resources Board has demanded that the part of all vehicles sold in the state must be zero-emissions from vehicles (Zeus).

Only electric vehicles met the initial criteria of Zeus, and a ten-year battle between the industry and state and federal regulators. As a by-product, a small amount of electric cars and trucks were sold or leased major manufacturers such as Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Nissan, Toyota.

Enthusiasts loved technique, but overall sales were disappointing, and industry support for the vehicles has been tepid at best. Similar stories unfolded in different Western European countries.

A tiny minority is well-electric version, but not surprising, that the technology is not yet able to compete head to head with the internal combustion engine.

Gradually, researchers and policy declined again from the electric vehicle instead hopes on other technological options including hybrid electric vehicles (reintroduced Toyota in Japan in late 1996, and in the United States in 2000) and is often promised hydrogen fuel elements.