Zero-Emission Vehicles Barriers To Overcome Essay Example

Zero-Emission Vehicles: Barriers To Overcome Essay Zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) are vehicles that produce very little or no carbon emissions. ZEVs include battery-operated vehicles and vehicles which run on hydrogen fuel cells. In 1990, California became one of the first states to pass legislation establishing a ZEV program at the state level (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2008). Since that time, concerns over pollution, dependency on foreign oil, and other economic issues have increase interest in ZEV technology and have led other states to adopt similar policies. A measurable and meaningful shift towards ZEV, however, has not yet developed. Several barriers have prevented the implementation and consumer acceptance of ZEV technology. Overcoming these barriers will be an important challenge for policy makers and engineers in the future. Problems with infrastructure Cars, trucks, and other vehicles in the United States use either gasoline or diesel for fuel. Consequently, the fuel delivery system for the country is set up to handle these two products. Cars that use alternative fuels, including alternative fuels that are as relatively common as propane or natural gas, have a difficult time finding refueling stations. The lack of reliable refueling stations for these alternative fuels prevents the widespread user of vehicles that use alternative fuels. Owners of propane-powered cars and trucks, for example, must plan their trips and travel itineraries around the availability of fuel. This problem is increased dramatically as more exotic fuels are added to the mix. For example, while hydrogen fuel cells may provide a clean and affordable alternative to gasoline powered cars, there are currently no commercial refueling stations for hydrogen fuel cells. If the driver of such a vehicle was to try to make a trip of any reasonable distance, he or she would eventually run out of fuel and would be forced to change plans. The lack of hydrogen stations has created a veritable Catch-22 for commercial hydrogen technology. On the one hand, fuel providers are unlikely to create a distribution system for hydrogen fuel until there is a greater demand for their products. Unfortunately, the lack of a commercial hydrogen distribution system that is capable of servicing a fleet of hydrogen-powered cars has prevented any serious development of this technology. This problem will probably require some type of public-private partnership to be resolved. The government could provide support to create a hydrogen distribution network that could provide fuel for hydrogen-powered cars. Private investors could be encouraged through tax incentives and other government subsidies to develop the distribution network until such time that there are sufficient customers to support the new industry. We will write a custom essay sample on Zero-Emission Vehicles: Barriers To Overcome specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Zero-Emission Vehicles: Barriers To Overcome specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Zero-Emission Vehicles: Barriers To Overcome specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Fuel cell technology faces a similar problem. It is true that there is a highly-developed electrical energy grid that is already established in the United States. Some consumers believe that all they will have to do is simply plug their battery-powered cars into any convenient outlet to recharge their batteries. Unfortunately, this perception may not be completely accurate. While the grid is in place, the ability of that grid to support the energy needs of millions of battery powered cars is not guaranteed. It is very likely that the current energy grid might simply collapse under the additional burden of millions of drivers plugging in their cars to recharge over night. As the country switches to battery-powered vehicles, it will eventually become necessary to provide more electrical energy, either through wind, solar, or nuclear power. The addition of these extra sources, however, will still not be sufficient unless the distribution system can handle the additional load.   This w ill require an upgrade of the current energy grid to handle the increased power demands. Industry problems A similar Catch-22 exists for the automobile manufacturers. Car companies must invest millions of dollars into the research and development (RD) of new models of traditional vehicles. They do this because they are reasonably sure, based on their market research, that consumers will like their new product and that they will be rewarded for their research. Along with the usual amount of RD that is to be expected of any new model car, the development of a ZEV will require the additional expense of developing new technologies. It is unrealistic, for example, to expect a ZEV engine to propel a chassis and body type that was designed for an internal combustion engine. Not only will the automobile manufacture need to develop a new ZEV propulsion system, but the company will also have to develop a body and chassis that can work with that new engine. This will require retooling and reconfiguring existing plants and/or the construction of new manufacturing facilities that are dedicated to the production of ZEV products. This is a huge expense with an unsure payoff, at least in the short term. Car companies may have a difficult time justifying this expense at a time when they are already almost bankrupt. Once again, the solution seems to lie in a partnership between government and the private sector. Government can help car companies to develop the technology that is required to mass-produce commercially-viable ZEV products. At the same time, private investors can provide capital to create the manufacturing facilities to produce the cars. Economic barriers Increased demands for electricity (in the case of battery powered cars) will drive up the cost of electricity for other purposes. This price increase will affect all consumers, not just the consumers who happen to purchase ZEVs. Increases in prices for electricity could affect the profitability of businesses, household budgets, and governments that are required to pay the electric bills for the areas in their jurisdictions. The popularity of ZEVs could suffer if the public perceives that these vehicles are increasing fuel prices. That perception will become more dramatic if ZEVs are perceived as causing or contributing to blackouts or brownouts due to an insufficient power supply. Public Perception The problems of available alternative fuels and their distribution are real problems. They can, however, be solved, given enough time and resources that are devoted to finding a solution. These problems, however, are complicated by the public awareness of them and the perception that they will be difficult to overcome. The transition from a petroleum-powered car fleet to a nation-wide fleet of battery or hydrogen cars represents a major shift not only in technology but in the publics definition of a car. Such massive change does not come easily to people, especially to people who are used to convenient and relatively inexpensive transportation. People will have to rethink the concept of what a car is, what fuel is, and how these products are purchased and used by consumers. Americans like big cars. This attitude changed somewhat during the most recent round of gasoline price increases, but there are still millions of Americans who drive SUVs or other gas-guzzling vehicles. Americans, for the most part, think of smaller cars as somehow less secure, less safe, and less prestigious than large cars. This mentality represents a serious psychological barrier for the development of alternative fuels and the cars that will use them. Until Americans change their perception of cars and overcome this psychological barrier, it is unlikely that cars that use alternative fuels will have enough of a market demand to justify their production. It is true that Honda, Hyundai, and other automobile manufacturers have done very well with smaller cars. However, even these relatively smaller cars are still larger than the typical ZEV would need to be in order to be commercially viable. Automobile manufactures and the government will need to use a combined strategy of public e ducation and advertising to create a greater demand for these cars. Conclusion Ultimately, the United States and the other nations of the world have no choice but to switch to ZEVs or other vehicles that do not burn fossil fuels. The price surge of the summer of 2008 demonstrated how vulnerable the global economy is to fluctuations in oil prices and how easily those prices may be manipulated by small groups of individuals. There is also the problem of a finite supply of oil reserves in the world. While it will be some time before the world is out of oil, it is very likely that demand will exceed production capabilities at some time in the very near future. This gap between supply and demand will drive up prices and will make gasoline powered cars inoperable in some cases. There are also environmental considerations. The link between fossil fuels, pollution, and environmental change has been well established. This is not to say that ZEVs will not come with their own set of environmental problems, including the problem of disposing of used batteries and depleted hydrogen cells. These new problems, however, can be resolved as the technology is developed. Engineers and policy makers must address both the technical and the psychological barriers to market if ZEVs are to become commercially viable in the United States. These will be difficult challenges; yet they can be accomplished if the government and private industry are willing to work together. References Union of Concerned Scientists Union of Concerned Scientists (2008). Californias Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Program. Retrieved December 12, 2008, from http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_vehicles/solutions/advanced_vehicles_and_fuels/californias-zero-emission-3.html