When German engineer Karl Benz came out with the Benz Patent-Motorwagen in 1886, it forever revolutionized the way we travel and move goods. Advances in technology have made cars today a far cry from the first working automobile. However, the fundamentals remain largely unchanged. All cars made over the past 130 years have these basic parts: an internal combustion engine, a transmission, four wheels and brakes, and run on fossil fuel.
The only attempt at running an automobile using an alternative fuel source that has been successful is the introduction of electrically powered vehicles. Electric vehicles (EVs), as they are formally known, are vehicles that are powered by electricity sourced from rechargeable batteries. Some EVs, known as hybrids, alternately use both fossil fuels and electric batteries as power sources. Compared to conventional engines, electric vehicles do not emit smoke, which causes pollution, and are quieter, thus reducing noise pollution.
Concerns over the available global oil reserves and air pollution have become the driving force for the further development and introduction of EVs. With the world officially passing the 400-ppm (parts per minute) threshold on carbon-dioxide emissions in the atmosphere, many countries have taken steps to fast-track the introduction of electric vehicles.
Just this week, the German Bundesrat (upper house) passed a resolution that calls for banning the sale of cars that run on gasoline by the year 2030. In the Philippines EV advocates and manufacturers have been calling for the government to implement standards for the introduction of EVs, while the government has been pushing to phase out the jeepney in favor of “electric jeepneys”.
While EVs are heavily touted as the embodiment of technological advancements in transportation, are they really the future of automobiles and transportation?
Issues such as air and noise pollution, as well as fossil-fuel supply, are pressing issues that need to be addressed. But we must also look at the current situation, as well as its implementation for countries like the Philippines.
Unlike regular automobiles, electric cars rely on heavy financial subsidies to entice customers to buy them. Compared to an ordinary sedan, an EV can cost up to double the price. A certain hybrid sedan sold in the Philippines costs almost 75 percent more than a regular gasoline- powered sedan.
There is also the factor of electricity costs and how it is generated. EVs require charging stations to recharge their batteries. Having one of the most expensive electricity rates in Asia makes owning EVs somewhat impractical at the moment. Since most power in the country are generated by burning coal and fossil fuels, it negates some of the environment-friendly benefits of EVs.
Despite all of the press releases highlighting the technological prowess of EVs, many glaring safety and performance issues have been reported. An electric jeepney on Katipunan Avenue once caught fire, while EV maker Tesla has reported several significant issues on its self-driving “autopilot” feature and batteries.
Until EVs can be made more efficient and affordable, we should not buy the latest hype.
Image credits: Jimbo Albano