It is pretty amazing to see kids, our future, grasp onto the science, engineering, and creativity behind electric vehicles. The innovation and the world that we all get to experience right now is phenomenal and it’s sparking even more ideas for the true keepers of our world…kids. Rock on to Keller for writing a science project about EVs and the infrastructure rapidly growing in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is only 11, has officially joined The Collective, and his paper is bound to teach you a thing or two about EVs.
Science Fair Project 2018
Electric Vehicles vs. Gasoline Vehicles
BY: Keller
The Science Fair project I chose to research is to compare two different types of vehicles with two different types of motors. The question I posed and wanted to have answered is: Comparing electric vehicles (EV) and gas vehicles which is more efficient, environmentally friendly and budget friendly? I chose to ask this question because I like to know how things work and operate. I also am very interested in all the new technology that is coming out about electric vehicles. I hope my research and experimentation will help me answer this question.
In order for me to answer this question I had to research several different topics to get an answer. Not only did I compare the efficiency, environmentally and budget friendly aspects of these vehicles, but I also chose to go a little deeper. I researched which car is faster, which car breaks down more often, which car is easier to find for purchase, which major car companies make an electric car, why are electric cars silent and how are electric vehicles changing Nevada.
The first major topic researched was the efficiency of the two vehicles. In researching I discovered, “ Electric cars produce no tailpipe emissions, reduce our dependence on oil, and are cheaper to operate….they are also more convenient. Charging up at home means never going to a gas station. And electric cars require almost none of the maintenance, like oil changes and emissions checks, that internal combustion cars require.” ( www.plugincars.com) These things make the driver’s life more efficient. But how does the efficiency of electricity compare to gasoline when collecting, storing and using their energy sources? According to research done by Transport and Environment, oil loses 44% of its energy when changing it to the gasoline used by cars. Then the motor loses 70% of the gasoline’s energy because the motor is very inefficient. From oil to the moving car, a gas car only uses 13% of the beginning energy. That mean 87% of the energy was lost. On the other hand, Transport and Environment say that electricity loses 5% of its starting energy to transport, store, and distribute the electricity to your house. Then the electric car loses 25% of the energy from the wall outlet to store the electricity in the car and to run the motor. That means that from the original electric source to the moving car, an electric vehicle uses 73% of its starting energy. That means that an electric car is 60% more efficient than a gasoline car.
I was able to conduct several interviews with an electric vehicle specialist (Tyler Best) and and electric vehicle owner and operator ( Boyd Erickson) and both agreed that the electric vehicle is the more efficient vehicle . Being able to ride in both types of vehicles I was also able to conclude the electric vehicle is more efficient . The ride was smoother and the acceleration was much faster in the electric vehicle.
The second major topic I researched was which vehicle is more environmentally friendly. With the research I produced I figured out that an electric car does not have an exhaust pipe therefore not polluting the air. In an electric vehicle no fossil fuels are being burned. Electricity is being sent to the motor which causes the car to accelerate. In gasoline vehicles fossil fuels are being burned, oil to be precise. This reaction creates greenhouse gases which need to go out somewhere. Hence, the exhaust pipe. Greenhouse gases are what make up part of our atmosphere. We need these gases to control the heat on Earth. Without them, we would be dead. Now, you would think, hey, if we need greenhouse gases, why not use gasoline cars to put more of them into the air? But that is incorrect. Too much greenhouse gas will kill us. The four main greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide Co2, methane CH4, ozone O3 and water vapor H2O. Notice that carbon dioxide is one of them. Carbon dioxide is what we exhale. It can harm us if we inhale too much. That is why we can not have too many greenhouse gases. It will kill us. Due to what I just told you we can both agree that an electric car is more environmentally friendly.
The third major topic I researched was which vehicle is more budget friendly. An electric car is commonly more expensive than a gasoline car. You would think because of that, no doubt about it, an electric car is more expensive overall. But think about all the gas you have to pay for in a gasoline car. You do have to pay for electricity in an electric car, but it is much cheaper. Also, I was able to learn that electric vehicles and gasoline vehicles look very similar from the outside but they are quite different on the inside . According to CALSTART, the advanced transportation consortium in California, 70% of an electric vehicles component parts may be different from a gasoline powered vehicle. The electric vehicle has several unique components that serve the same function as more common components in a gasoline- powered vehicle. (www.avt.inl.gov) Since an electric car has less parts, less parts can break down. Gasoline cars require maintenance yearly which is pretty expensive. Electric cars do not require that kind of maintenance. Little to no maintenance helps the electric vehicle in the budget area. That brings me back to my point: Electric cars cost the same as gasoline cars, or are less expensive.
After researching, I decided to take a look outside of my project, into how Nevada is preparing for electric vehicles. I was able to figure out that Nevada is one of the most EV friendly states. Governor Brian Sandoval said, “It is my goal to have all of Nevada’s highways, no matter how remote, accessible to all EV drivers and the first complete EV highway system in the nation.” The same Review Journal article that quoted Governor Sandoval also said that at the end of 2017, Nevada had 6 EV charging stations from Las Vegas to Reno, making it possible for an electric vehicle to travel between those cities without worrying about running out of charge. Also, I found out that Nevada is the 2nd state in EV growth, behind Utah, and Las Vegas is the fastest growing electric vehicle city in the nation. In summary, Nevada loves electric vehicles (ritholtz.com).
All that data brings me to my conclusion. And that conclusion is that an electric car is overall better than a gasoline car. It is more efficient, environmentally friendly and budget friendly, not to mention Nevada friendly. I would recommend an electric vehicle to anyone.
If you decide to do this experiment or something similar to this experiment I would suggest you test an electric car that is normal with no extra features. I tested the Tesla Model S which has two motors for more horsepower and better four wheel drive. One for the front wheels, one for the back wheels. Normal electric cars have one motor. That is the only factor of this project that I would change in future research.
