Archive for January, 2012

Are Electric Cars Dangerous For Pedestrians?

 

A study released by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), an affiliate of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), has indicated that the heavier construction of hybrid vehicles make them safe for drivers, but their quiet motors make them a hazard to pedestrians. To most of us, this comes as an unexpected consequence of cleaner, quieter, more environmentally friendly cars. Sure, they dramatically reduce noise pollution, but many pedestrians rely on their sense of hearing to detect oncoming vehicles.

The study indicated that hybrid vehicle occupants suffer fewer crash related injuries than those in conventional cars, but the study found that hybrids cause more pedestrian accidents than their non-hybrid counterparts. The study suggests that the weight of hybrids factored in the 27% decrease in bodily injuries. Batteries and other components add to the curb weight of hybrid cars. A hybrid sedan can weigh 480 pounds more than its conventional counterpart. Some believe that hybrid drivers may not be as aggressive on the road, further contributing to the lower injury rate. ”Because they are more concerned about maximizing fuel economy and making sure that they are getting every mile out of the gallon,” said Joseph Telmo, a Toyota representative.

On the pedestrian side of things, the risk of injury from hybrid cars is 20% greater than from conventional gas models. The main reason is the quiet electric motors. These motors are touted as one of the benefits of the hybrid vehicles, but have become a safety hazard for walkers. ”When hybrids operate in electric-only mode, pedestrians can’t hear them approaching,” said Matt Moore, vice president of the Highway Loss Data Institute and an author of the report. ”So they might step out into the roadway without checking first to see what’s coming.”

Congress has given the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) three years to come up with a safety guideline to equip hybrids and all-electric cars with sounds to help protect unsuspecting pedestrians. Toyota is ahead of the game. The 2012 Toyota Camry hybrid and Prius emit a noise that increases in pitch as the car comes closer. Ford is working to develop a sound that alerts pedestrians, but is not annoying, said Chad D’Arcy, a Focus electrical marketing manager. It sounds like a solution will soon be found, but we can only hope that it will not be an annoyance. Perhaps automakers should simply make their electric vehicles emanate a sound that mimics a normal combustion engine?

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Emergence of the Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

While hybrid cars use the combination of electric with fossil fuels, the result have been only a relatively small increase in fuel efficiency. Electric cars are becoming more popular, but they have a very limited range when compared to gas engines. Natural gas has been providing heat in homes for decades, but it use in cars has been limited due to concerns over the pressurization.

This leaves the fuel cell as perhaps the best chance to produce a practical energy source for vehicles that has the range of gas engines, but provides a clean energy alternative. A solid oxide fuel cell produces electricity from the oxidization of the fuel source. The electrochemical conversion provided in the cell creates a highly efficient method of power generation for a vehicle that’s both stable, has few emissions and a relatively low cost.

The development of the technology dates back to the 20th century, but the program got a significant boost almost a decade ago when more government incentives were used to help promote the program. Today the fuel cell car is still in the experimental stages though it has progressed significantly over the past 10 years. The recent hikes in oil prices have help to expand interest in the development of the fuel cell.
The major technical problems that must be overcome with the cell centers on the high operating temperature needed to produce the electrical current. This result is a longer start up time for the fuel cell that includes mechanical and chemical issues that have yet to be fully fleshed out.

Current research to improve the fuel sources is currently being conducted by several companies around the world. The main effort is to reduce the temperature needed to provide the electrical current from the cell which would significantly reduce the cost of the materials needed to house the fuel cell.

One of the more promising areas of research, though it is still in the initial stages is to combine gas turbines to the cell to help augment the chemical reaction. This would be a similar step to the current hybrid vehicles on the market which combine electrical batteries and a gas powered engine.

There are many different chemicals including fossil fuels that are being tested, particularly natural gas and diesel fuels to try and reduce the temperature but these fuels have their own issues which interfere with the electrical process of the cell itself.

With the growing need for renewable energy sources around the world, solving the final issues of the fuel cell may revolutionize the way vehicles are powered leading to a cleaner, healthier environment with more resources being used to solve other energy concerns.