I am planing to buy a new car. So I have been doing my research on different cars and technologies.Based on my research findings – I found that there are mainly four different types of technology. They are electric, hybrid , hydrogen cell and conventional. Conventional cars are the one that we know as the regular cars that we use present days. Here is what I have found.

Electric

Electric cars also known as Battery electric vehicles or BEV. These car has electric motor and rechargeable batteries. Electric motor get the power from the batteries to move. Batteries also supply power to the rest of the system. Like headlight, wiper etc. Once the battery charge is depleted, they can be recharged from a electrical outlet. Most of them do not have any conventional transmission – as it is not required.

Tesla is a good example of electric car.

How Tesla Works

Tesla cars are full electric. Tesla cars have batteries. And just like a cell phone, drivers need to recharge it. They can use a standard electrical outlet to recharge their car. Once the batteries have enough juice, the car can be driven and when the batteries are depleted, drivers need to recharge it again.

 

Hybrid

Hybrids care are between conventional car and electric car. Hybrid cars has battery, electric motor and gasoline engine. The best thing about the hybrid is that gasoline engine doesn’t have to work as hard and thus uses less fuel. Hybrids also get better mileage.

There are 2 main types of hybrid

Conventional Hybrids

During startup, the car use juice from battery to run the electric motor. When the battery charge is depleted, the gasoline engine kicks in and start powering the electric motor and also recharge the battery.When maximum acceleration is needed, both can work together.

Toyota Prius is the best example of hybrid car

How does Toyota Prius work?

During start-up and low speeds, the Prius is powered only by the electric motor, which is fed by the battery. As the battery charge is depleted, the gasoline engine responds by powering the electric generator, which recharges the battery.

 

Plug-in Hybrids

Plug-in hybrids has the same functionality like a Conventional hybrids. Major difference is –

• These car can be plugged in to an electric outlet to recharge their batteries.
• At the same time batteries can also be recharged when the car is on move. (like a conventional hybrid )
• Their batteries are larger then the Conventional hybrid’s batteries. Plug-in hybrids cars can go longer distances on electric power. And just like Conventional hybrids, when maximum acceleration is needed, both can work together.

Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV is good example of Plug-in hybrids.

 

Hydrogen Fuel Cell

Fuel cell is a device that convert chemical energy to electricity. Fuel cells are different then battery. Battery holds electric charge and gets depleted when use. But fuel cells can continuously create electricity as long as there is a continues supply of source chemical.Fuel cell use hydrogen gas as source chemical and then it mix oxygen with it.

Benefits of Fuel Cell

• By products are heat and water.Which is environment friendly.
• Two to threes times more efficient than traditional combustion engines.

 

So what is the best option ?

This is hard to answer. It depends on personal preference and financial situation.

Electric Car

Good : if you live in big city. Big cities has more more people and base of that more charging stations. So in the middle of your daily commute, if your electric car lost it’s charge, you can call a tow truck and while you are wating, you are not in danger. Beside they are environment friendly.

Bad : If you live in a rural area. Less population means less charging station. Yes you can always charge your car at your home, but what if your car’s charge depleted, in the middle of nowhere ? You are stranded in the middle of no where. Besides electric cars are still very expensive. Close to $100,000 UD dollar.

Conventional Car

There is nothing much to choose – you know your budget and what you are looking for. You can a good deal from any car dealer.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell

This is another environment friendly car.

Hybrid Car

This is the best options. They are environment friendly and good on gas.

 

Writer – Rubayat M.