Electric Vehicles

Presented by Moritz Schneider and

Melissa Valgardson

February 4, 2008
 A Few Statistics
• in 2005 there were 790 million cars
worldwide
• almost all transportation is fossil fuel
dependent
• 14% of greenhouse gas emissions are from
transport

we need alternatives to reduce

emissions and the need for fossil fuels
 Outline
• Efficiency
• Emissions
• Batteries
• Costs
• Grid Balancing (V2G)
• Electric Vehicles (EVs) Available
• Other Personal Transport Alternatives
Efficiency Comparison
 Emissions

If EV’s are charged from the

conventional grid are emissions just
transferred from tailpipe to smokestack?
Denmark’s Electric Grid
wastes
(non-renewable)
1%

oil
4%

renewables
16%

coal
natural gas 59%
20%

Grid Mix for Denmark in 2006

Emissions Chart
 More Info on Emissions
• as combustion engines age their efficiency goes down and
emissions go up
• if trends continue, the average grid emissions (and therefore
EV emissions) will continually decrease due to a larger
percentage of RE and improved efficiency of fossil fuel
electricity generation
• electric cars would reduce smog in cities
• it is easier to monitor/control emissions from a few plants
than from millions of cars
• you can always choose to buy green power or install your own
RE charging station
RE Charging Station
 Batteries: Current Technology
Energy/Weight Power/Weight Self Discharge Rate
Battery Type Life (cycles)
(Wh/kg)
Wh/kg) (W/kg) (%/month)

Sodium/Nickel
90 150 1500-3000
Chloride

Nickel-Metal
30-80 250-1000 30 500-1000
Hydride

Lead-Acid 30-40 180 3-20 500-800

Lithium-Ion 160 1800 5-10 1200

 Lithium
• is the 33rd most abundant element on earth
• does not naturally occur in elemental form
• largest concentrations in granites
• Chile is currently the leading lithium metal
producer in the world, with Argentina next
• China may emerge as a significant producer
of brine-based lithium carbonate towards
the end of this decade
• Lithium batteries are recycleable
Promising Batteries for
the Future
Battery Type Life (cycles)

Lithium Iron Phosphate 2000

Lithium Manganese 500

Lithium Titanate 15000

 Operating Cost Comparison
Cost to
Car Efficiency Fuel Cost drive
100km

average Danish car 9 l/100km kr 10.50/litre kr 94.50

Lupo 3L 3 l/100km kr 10.50/litre kr 31.50

average electric car 15 kWh/100km kr 1.75/kWh kr 26.25

 Maintenance
• no oil changes or tune-ups
• largest cost is replacing batteries
every 3 to 8 years
• one problem might be finding a
mechanic familiar with electric cars if
you do need repairs
Typical Electric Grid Demand
and Supply Over 24 hours
 V2G: Vehicle to Grid
• on average, cars are parked 23 hours a day
• if the 190 million vehicles in the US were
converted to electric the total enery stored
in car batteries would be 6 times more than
the US power plant capacity
• cars could be used as a short term storage
to buffer peaks in demand and RE supply
 V2G: How it Works
• plug in your vehicle when not in use
• program in when you need your vehicle
charged and how far you need to go
• grid operators use your vehicle to balance
loads
• cost savings to grid operator could be
shared with EV owner (potentially
€2000/year)
EVs Available
EVs Available
 EV Drawbacks
• initial cost
• range
• availability
 EV Benefits
• cost saving (fuel and maintenance)
• reduce/eliminate CO2 emissions
• fuel up at home
• can provide back up power to your
house
Other Personal Transport
Alternatives

• public transport, biking,

walking, car pooling, electric bus in Adelaide, Australia

car sharing
• urban planning to
reduce need for cars
Solar shuttle in Hamburg, Germany