The automobile world has come a long way from its origins, however, the biggest change in the industry is upon us as electric-powered vehicles announce themselves as the future of the car industry. This is due to the various benefits they offer when it comes to environmental friendliness, improved driving experience and lower maintenance costs. Starting with a brief overview of the EV engine, we shall explore below what it takes to keep these cars of the future well maintained.
The EV Engine
Traditional cars depend on an internal combustion engine to keep moving. Electric vehicles, on the other hand, are battery-powered. They run on an electric motor that is powered by a large traction battery located in the inner workings of the vehicle. EVs also do not have most of the fuel components located in a combustion engine vehicle. Parts like the fuel tank, fuel line, and fuel pump will soon become a thing of the past. This means that there will be a dynamic shift in future mechanics and manufacturing, and most of today’s motor vehicle parts might no longer be mass-produced like they are today.
Charging
Considering the notable differences in these cars of the future, the aspect of charging is an important factor to look at. Charging the electric car means plugging it into an electric outlet, often referred to as EV charging stations. Many people have questioned the reliability and convenience of these vehicles considering that charging such a large battery could take a lot of time. All the same, this has attracted the interest of the vehicle manufacturing industry towards the possibility of developing fast-charging stations. In line with this, many companies around the world are looking at the potential benefits of other technological solutions like:
- Solar charging
- Dynamic conductive charging
- Wireless charging
- Hydrogen fuel
For electric vehicles to be sustainable and reliable, fast-charging solutions will be needed. One way this could be done is wireless charging grids as seen in the graphic above made by this website. This could mean investing in quality charging equipment that could charge the vehicle in as little as ten minutes with enough power to run for at least one hundred miles before requiring another charge. It will also mean investing more power into the grid, creating jobs by upgrading and maintaining the infrastructure.
Cooling Solutions
While fast-charging solutions will increase the dependability of EVs, there is a small caveat. This is in the fact that a lot of heat is normally generated from fast charging, which means one thing. By using these solutions, you risk hurting the efficiency of the car battery, which, of course, won’t come at a small price. The excess heat could also lead to the melting of the car’s delicate components. Thankfully, several cooling solutions are available to arrest this caveat. Air cooling and liquid cooling are the two most popular options currently in use, tried and tested. To keep EVs and their charging stations well maintained, providers of charging equipment and services will need to learn to utilize these cooling solutions.
How Will Governments and Education/Training Adapt?
In many countries, completely phasing out diesel and petrol cars will not be an easy task. A lot of effort will be needed from governments in creating awareness and educating its citizens on the importance of shifting to zero-emission automobiles. Governments might also have to come up with various incentives to encourage citizens and the key players in the automobile industry to make the shift. For instance, they might have to support the current fuel stations to make the change by offering rebates for power upgrades and the purchase of EV charging equipment.
Finally, the education and training programs in automotive engineering and mechanics will also undergo a significant change of syllabus. Those with prior training in these areas might also have to go back to school and gain knowledge on these cars of the future. Otherwise, there is still a lot more to learn about EVs as their usage continues to increase.
