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Brady Reichart

Waggoner

Eng 1201

2 May 2021

Electric and Gas Powered Cars

“We will not stop until every car on the road is electric”(qtd. in As the CEO and

founder of Tesla, Elon Musk is a big advocate for the electric car. For years now, the world has

been trying to create a new environmentally friendly future. One of the first steps the world took

towards this new green future was the creation and signing of the Paris Agreement in 2015. This

agreement was signed by nearly every nation in the world, and the document explains how each

country needs to abide by each rule to ensure a healthy future for our planet. One small step that

many countries are following is the increase of electric cars on the roads. With more electric cars

on the roads, there will be less emissions released into the atmosphere, thus reducing the effect of

global warming. I chose this topic because I have had a love for cars ever since I was born, and I

have always wanted to learn more and more about them. This research paper is giving me the

opportunity to research the long term effects of driving a gas powered car on the environment.

Because of this love for cars, I am pursuing a bachelor's degree in engineering, which will allow

me to work with cars and other vehicles in the future. I chose to discuss electric vehicles because

I would enjoy the opportunity to work for Tesla after college. I love Tesla for many reasons,

including their mission to lead the electric vehicle industry to reduce the pollution emitted from

the streets, the looks of each model they have produced, and their performance. Tesla’s models

have nearly the fastest acceleration for street legal vehicles in every class, while doing their part
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to keep the environment safe. Electric vehicles are healthier for the environment because of less

emissions, both vehicle and life cycle, and do not use fossil fuels.

For over 100 years, the world has been experiencing the effects of global warming. There

are many causes to these effects, but the main ones include the burning of many types of fossil

fuels, including oil, gasoline and coal. When these fuels are used, they release gases which stay

in the atmosphere for 40+ years, and have long term effects, even after they are not in the

atmosphere anymore. Simply put, these gases are what cause global warming. These gases

prevent the heat from the sun from leaving the atmosphere, thus causing the earth to warm up.

There are many negative effects when the earth warms up, including the ice caps melting and

droughts. These effects may seem small, but over time, they can have threatening impacts, such

as a rise in sea level, an increase in sea temperatures, and droughts, which can lead to bigger

wildfires, destruction of farms, and may leave whole regions to be uninhabitable. To slow the

effects of climate change, the world came together to sign the Paris Agreement.

The Paris Agreement is a treaty that was signed in 2015 by nearly every country in the

world, including the United States. The goal of this agreement is to limit the “limit the global

temperature increase in this century to 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, while

pursuing the means to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees'' (Denchak). This means that these

countries would like to reduce the use of fossil fuels to decrease the amount of greenhouse gasses

released into the atmosphere. With this agreement, the world has finally been motivated to keep

the release of these gasses to a minimum, and begin research of new sources of clean energy, and

to begin the conversion of factories and power plants into greener energy sources. One step of

reducing emissions of greenhouse gasses may include the increase of the use of electric cars and

vehicles.
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In the case of vehicular emissions, there is a wide margin between those of electric

vehicles and those of gas powered vehicles. Zdzislaw Chlopek held a study on the comparisons

of emissions of internal combustion engines and electric powered engines. Through his study,

Chlopek has found that the electric car is greener in almost every way that he studied. One of the

results of his research was that electric cars decreased energy consumption “by 70% and the

emission of non-methane volatile organic compounds—at the level of 90%” (Chlopek), which

clearly states that electric cars are more efficient, while reducing emissions. Chlopek’s research

also shows that electric cars emit significantly less amounts of particulate matter (Chlopek).

Particulate matter is a mixture of dangerous solids and liquids in the air. With particulate matter

being damaging to the environment and to people themselves, it is obviously a bonus that electric

cars release less. Chlopek’s study mainly focuses on comparing the emissions of electric cars,

and cars with internal combustion engines. In this experiment, he tested for carbon dioxide, non-

methane volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter emissions. After his

study, Chlopek found that “electric cars emit practically no pollutants during operation”

(Chlopek). This finding is a clear statement in favor that electric cars are obviously more

environmentally friendly. Not only are these cars healthier to run, but electric cars are also

greener to produce, rather than internal combustion vehicles.

The findings of many research studies have proven that electric vehicles release more life

cycle emissions than internal combustion vehicles. It has been proven that these electric cars

have less emissions than conventional vehicles, but that is not the case in their production. The

Union Of Concerned Scientists has said that “Manufacturing a mid-sized EV with an 84-mile

range results in about 15 percent more emissions than manufacturing an equivalent gasoline

vehicle” (Cleaner Cars). In the same article, they also state that “For larger, longer-range EVs
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that travel more than 250 miles per charge, the manufacturing emissions can be as much as 68

percent higher” (Cleaner Cars). Yes, these facts may not give proof that these vehicles are more

environmentally friendly to produce, but these cars only need 6 months to “offset the extra

emissions and continue to outperform gasoline cars until the end of their lives” (Cleaner Cars).

These vehicles produce less emissions due to the lithium ion batteries that power them.

Fig. 1. Results show that these electric vehicles may be producing more emissions

through their production. These vehicles all produce the same emissions when manufacturing the

vehicle, but the battery for the electric engine does add up, thus increasing the electric vehicles
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manufacturing emissions. These EV’s are shown to decrease operation emissions by over 50%

when compared to a gasoline vehicle that travels the same distance throughout its life cycle.

Most electric cars, such as the Porsche Taycan, use lithium ion batteries. People believe

that these lithium ion batteries are dangerous due to the fact that if they short circuit, it can cause

a violent reaction. This short circuit only occurs if the battery sustains enough damage, and in

most cases, if a gasoline powered engine sustained equal damage, it would produce a much more

dangerous result. Most cars that use these lithium ion batteries place them towards the back of

the vehicle, which is the safest, strongest part of the vehicle. Because these batteries are

recyclable, they are more environmentally friendly. Even though a battery may lose its life,

people are able to recycle these batteries for companies to tear them apart, take the resources that

they can, and create brand new batteries with the same materials as the first battery was made

from. This process ensures the preservation of important materials, instead of wasting them.

This process is also better than using gasoline because you cannot recycle gasoline.

For a vehicle, especially one that will be driven usually every day, it is important to be

efficient. Continuing the discussion of Chlopek’s in depth study of these two vehicles, he also

discusses the efficiency of each of the different types. Throughout his tests, he notes the

efficiency of each vehicle while driving in urban, low speed areas, along with rural, higher speed

areas. Through each of his tests, he found that there was a “significant increase in energy

consumption occurs typically at the average speed which is much higher” (Chlopek). This

finding just means that, while driving at higher speeds, the electric vehicle uses less energy to

keep the vehicle running at that speed. Not only are these vehicles safer because they do not

pollute the air to nearly the same extent as internal combustion vehicles, but they also do not use

fossil fuels to power their engines.

The use of fossil fuels is essentially the main reason internal combustion engines create

and release so much air pollution. This is obviously not a problem for electric cars, because they

do not need to use these types of fuels to power their engines. Using these electric vehicles to

reduce air pollution will help slow down the effects of this pollution, while people try to figure

out how to convert our power plants and factories into environmentally friendlier places of

production.

In the late 1800s, the first gasoline powered and hybrid cars were invented. Until Henry

Ford created the assembly line shortly after he invented the assembly line, only about ¼ of the

cars on the road were actually internal combustion engines, another quarter were electric and the

other half were steam engines. After the invention of the assembly line, the prices of gas cars

dropped significantly while electric car prices continued to soar. Internal combustion engines

continued to outperform and outlive electric vehicles, and even Thomas Edison could not create

a battery that would compare to a conventional vehicle. Since the era of the first gasoline cars in

the early 1900s, the demand for gasoline has grown exponentially, “from less than three billion

gallons in 1919 to approximately fifteen billion in 1929, 46.5 billion in 1955, and more than 135

billion in 2002” (Melosi). As these cars become more advanced, their need for gasoline

increases. With the addition of things that add luxury and improve performance, such as power

steering, air conditioning, and automatic transmissions, demand for gasoline to power these

vehicles skyrocketed.

The creation of the first electric car came in the late 1800s, right around the same time of

the first conventional car. The electric car was one of 3 options that one may have had the voice

of purchasing, along with the steam and the gasoline powered car. At this point in time, the

electric car seemed to be the best option for many people due to it being an easy drive, easy start
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up, quiet, and did not emit smelly exhaust fumes. These electric vehicles became less popular

after the invention of Henry Ford’s assembly line. Although they had all of these benefits, no one

was willing to pay an extra $1000 for these electric cars. The invention of the electric start, used

for gasoline powered vehicles instead of hand cranks, was just the cherry on top of this improved

internal combustion engine car of the 1910’s.

After a nearly 50 year drought in the electric vehicle industry, interest was triggered

when the United States suffered a gasoline and oil shortage, which are two very important

resources to run these internal combustion engines. Many of the automobile companies around

this time were trying to create their own electric vehicles, but by the time any of them could

figure out something that was as cheap and efficient as the current gas powered cars, The United

States had pulled itself out of the shortage of gas and oil, and gas powered cars became the main

focus of these companies once again.

Fast forward to the late 1990s, where environmental concerns reignited the flame which

will burn until the modern electric vehicles will be produced. In 1997, Toyota released the first

mass-produced hybrid vehicle the world has ever seen, the Toyota Prius. In 1999, Honda

released its first hybrid EV, the Insight, which became the first electric vehicle to be sold in the

United States since the 1910s. Currently, Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk are leading the electric

automobile industry with the most advanced, luxurious, and fastest electric vehicles in the

business. Elon Musk may be a huge proponent of the electric vehicle, but he is not the only one.

Pat Davis, the President and CEO of Summit ELectric Supply was interviewed about his

ideas of electric vehicles back in 2010. They touch on many different topics surrounding electric

vehicles throughout the interview, and some of the most important topics include: costs of

charging, how to get charging stations at home, and public charging stations. They first began to
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talk about the buzz around electric vehicles in early 2010. Davis states how the government is

granting money to fund the creation of manufacturing plants that will produce many of the

essential parts to these batteries for these electric vehicles. WIth this kind of money flowing in,

there are many new products ready for release in the upcoming years.

They next compare the costs of gasoline and kilowatt hours. Around the time of this

interview, gas prices soared to around $3 a gallon due to the Gulf oil spill. If someone were to

drive the average 10,000 miles a year, they would spend almost 3 times as much paying for

gasoline rather than kWh for their electric vehicles.

The main differences between gas and electric vehicles is the range. This problem is

solved with the Chevy Volt. This vehicle is labeled a hybrid because it uses both electricity and

gasoline to power the car. During operation, the vehicle begins to use the electricity that it has

from being charged to power the car, usually for around 40 miles. Once that energy is used up,

the vehicle converts to using the gasoline, but it uses it a little differently than normal internal

combustion engines. These hybrid vehicles take that gasoline and use it to charge the battery in

the vehicle. This kind of vehicle can satisfy the needs of someone who needs this for an every

day short trip to work or to the grocery store, but this vehicle is built for your long distance trips

as well.

Another topic discussed in this interview is charging stations. Back in 2010, there were

obviously less public charging stations throughout the country than there are now. Davis talks

about the safety risks and costs of at-home charging stations and states that there are very few

risks of having charging stations at home. The costs of these charging stations may not be any

more expensive than $500, but there are many variables that will determine how much the

electric bill will be while charging the vehicle.

Although, as you can see, there are many positives of electric cars, there are still many

arguments against these vehicles. One of the concerns with electric vehicles is definitely the fact

that there are so few charging stations around the country, how can someone who needs to travel

a long distance get to their destination in an electric car? Well, as discussed in the Pat Davis

interview, hybrid vehicles are still more environmentally friendly, all while getting the same

range of distance as a regular gasoline vehicle.

Another one of these issues is the cost. These electric vehicles do cost more than the

usual low budget gasoline vehicle, but these electric vehicles can save you money in the long

run. Just like gasoline vehicles, you still need to fuel up your car, but the difference is that you

are using electricity rather than gasoline. At this time, gasoline prices have been at a slow, but

noticeable increase. With these gas prices increasing, it is hurting a lot of people's pockets. These

electric vehicles are not having a shortage of electricity, so these prices have been staying pretty

consistent. You may be paying more money out of pocket when purchasing the vehicle, but you

will most definitely be saving money on fuel prices in the long run.

When considering both vehicle and life cycle emissions and the use of electricity instead

of fossil fuels, these electric vehicles are in fact healthier than the environment. Throughout all

of these topics, electric cars definitely seem to be an answer to the call of a future where we do

not have to worry about global warming and having to take special care of our environment. In

recent years, the electric car has been spiking up more and more interest, and with all of these

people working on trying to improve them, there is a good chance that these vehicles will

become more and more advanced, and much more common. After finding all of this information

and researching on this topic, I feel like my thoughts of electric cars definitely has changed. I
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was not really with the idea of these vehicles, but after finding that they are incredibly more

environmentally friendly, I will definitely be in the market for an electric vehicle when that time

comes.
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Works Cited

Chłopek, Z., et al. “Comparison of Pollutant Emission Associated with the Operation of

Passenger Cars with Internal Combustion Engines and Passenger Cars with Electric

Motors.” International Journal of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Springer

Berlin Heidelberg, 1 Jan. 1970, link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40095-021-00382-

4#:~:text=It%20was%20found%20that%20the,small%E2%80%94less%20than

%2010%25.

“Cleaner Cars from Cradle to Grave.” Union of Concerned Scientists, 29 Oct. 2015,

www.ucsusa.org/resources/cleaner-cars-cradle-grave.

“Climate Science.” Union of Concerned Scientists, www.ucsusa.org/climate/science.

Davis, Pat. “The Facts On Electric Vehicles: Interview with Pat Davis.” Energy.gov, 22

Dec. 2010, www.energy.gov/articles/facts-electric-vehicles-interview-pat-davis.

Denchak, Melissa. “Paris Climate Agreement: Everything You Need to Know.” NRDC,

19 Feb. 2021, www.nrdc.org/stories/paris-climate-agreement-everything-you-need-

know#sec-whatis.

“Electric and Hybrid Electric Cars and Vehicles.” Go Gale, Gale, 2020, go-gale-

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Gonçalves, André. “Are Electric Cars Really Eco-Friendly? Maybe Not as Such Much as

You Think.” Youmatter, 9 Mar. 2020, youmatter.world/en/are-electric-cars-eco-friendly-

and-zero-emission-vehicles-26440/.

K.D., Zachary. “Elon Musk's Best Quotes About Tesla & EVs.” Elon Musk Quotes, Elon

Musk Quotes, 13 May 2019, elonmusknews.org/blog/elon-musk-quotes-about-tesla.

Palmer, Brian. “Electric vs. Gas: Is It Cheaper to Drive an EV?” NRDC, 12 Aug. 2020,

www.nrdc.org/stories/electric-vs-gas-it-cheaper-drive-ev.

Melosi, M. V. (n.d.). Automobiles and the environment in american history: Energy use

and the internal combustion engine. Retrieved March 21, 2021, from

http://www.autolife.umd.umich.edu/Environment/E_Overview/E_Overview3.htm#:~:text

=The%20first%20gasoline%2Dfueled%2C%20four,their%20modern%20stage%20of

%20development.

Matulka, Rebecca. “The History of the Electric Car.” Energy.gov,

www.energy.gov/articles/history-electric-car.

Nealer, Rachael. Gasoline vs Electric-Who Wins on Lifetime Global Warming Emissions? We

Found Out. 12 Nov. 2015, blog.ucsusa.org/rachael-nealer/gasoline-vs-electric-global-

warming-emissions-953.
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