10 Electric and Hybrid Vehicles 1.6.1 T he e arly y ears Prior to the 1830s, the means of transportation was only through steam power, since the laws of electromagnetic induction, and consequently electric motors and generators, were yet to be discov- ered. Faraday demonstrated the principle of electric motor as early as in 1820 through a wire rod carrying electric current and a magnet, but it was in 1831 when he discovered the laws of electro- magnetic induction that enabled the development and demonstration of electric motors and genera- tors that is essential for electric transportation. The history of EVs in those early years up to its peak period in the early 1900s is summarized below:
• Pre 1830 – Steam-powered transportation. • 1831 – Faraday’s law, and shortly thereafter, invention of DC motor. • 1834 – Non-rechargeable battery-powered electric car used on a short track. • 1851 – Non-rechargeable 19-mph electric car. • 1859 – Development of lead storage battery. • 1874 – Battery-powered carriage. • Early 1870s – Electricity produced by dynamo-generators. • 1885 – Gasoline-powered tricycle car. • 1900 – 4,200 automobiles sold: 40% steam powered 38% electric powered 22% gasoline powered The specifications of some of the early EVs are given below: • 1897 – French Krieger Co. EV: Weight – 2,230 lbs, Top Speed – 15 mi/h, Range – 50 miles/ charge. • 1900 – French B.G.S. Co.
EV: Top Speed – 40 mph, Range – 100 miles/charge. • 1915 – Woods EV: Top Speed – 40 mph, Range – 100 miles/charge. • 1915 – Lansden EV: Weight – 2,460 lbs, 93 miles/charge, 1 ton payload capacity. • 1912 – 34,000 EVs registered; EVs outnumber gas-powered vehicles 2-to-1 . • 1920s – EVs disappear and ICEVs become predominant. The factors that led to the disappearance of EV after its short period of success are as follows: 1. Invention of starter motor in 1911 that made gas vehicles easier to start. 2. Improvements in mass production of Henry Ford’s Model T (gas-powered) vehicles, which sold for $260 in 1925 compared to $850 in 1909. EVs were more expensive. 3.
Rural areas had very limited access to electricity to charge batteries, whereas gasoline could be sold in those areas. 1.6.2 1960 s EVs started to resurge in the 1960s primarily due to the environmental hazards caused by the emis- sions of ICEVs. The major ICEV manufacturers, General Motors and Ford, became involved in EV research and development. The General Motors started a 15 million dollar program that culminated in the vehicles called Electrovair and Electrovan. The components and specifications of the two Electrovair vehicles are given below. Electrovair I (1964) and Electrovair II (1966) by GM • Systems and characteristics: