¶ … electric cars a good solution to oil consumption in the United States?
Electric cars
McKibben and Electric cars
Alternate Vehicle (AV)
Are electric cars a good solution to oil consumption in the United States?
Electric cars are the contemporary technology that auto-industry has come up with in order to mitigate higher carbon emissions and pollution issues. It is estimated by researchers and practitioners alike that electric cars will play an important role in restricting the use of imported oil in the U.S. The hybrid and plug-in-hybrid cars can significantly reduce the dependence of vehicles on oil. Since oil production has been even riskier in recent months due to some incidents of spillover at deep sea, the new technology of electric cars is being heavily invested in by the auto makers.
Thesis Statement: With current emphasis on reducing oil dependence of the U.S. And reducing the vehicle-generated emissions, the role of electric cars and other alternative fuels for vehicles have gained much importance. Both from an ecological and efficiency related perspective, it is contended that the use of electric cars is an appropriate solution to reduce oil consumption in the U.S.
Battery electric vehicle and the thermal hybrid electric are the two contemporary electric car technologies that auto makers are starting to project. In this paper, analysis will be conducted to support the aforementioned thesis statement. There are several limitations to the use of electric cars before they become a significant source of reduction in oil consumption. These will also be discussed in the paper. The perspective of Bill McKibben will also be presented to highlight the importance of electric cars in reducing dependence on oil by the U.S.
Electric cars
It is estimated that global energy consumption during next 15 to twenty years will dramatically increase and estimated increase is 54% of the current level of consumption (Phyllis Cuttino). Vehicles are the single largest source that will contribute in this increase. U.S. has faced many risks in exploring new deep sea wells and production of oil from these wells. The U.S. economy has to bear approximately $1 billion daily for the purchase of imported oil (Phyllis Cuttino).
The fuel costs of individual car users and private businesses have increased manifold during the last few years. The surge in oil prices have led to this increment. In 2011, the estimated cost of oil that transportation sector use was more than 70% of the total U.S. oil consumption and during 2011; the U.S. spent more than $300 billion on oil imports (Parks, Denholm, and Markel, p. 1). Thus, it is pertinent to view electric cars as an alternative to fuel consuming cars. Although complete dependence on oil in the vehicles will not be eliminated but reduced significantly if the technology is promoted widely across the U.S. By all the auto makers.
Plug-in-cars that carry an additional electricity powered battery are increasing in number of sales made and the result is that people are buying these cars. The option of always filling up the tank with gasoline allows the customers to travel on electricity within cities as these cars allow the driver to travel forty to fifty miles on electric power alone (McKibben, 68).
A senior fellow at Council of Foreign Relations (CFR) named Michael Levi also reported that changing the fuel mix of transport sector can significantly reduce the dependence on imported oil. The use of hybrid and plug-in-hybrid cars was seen as appropriate for making a good start in altering the fuel mix of transport sector (Levi, Perl, Weiss & Johnson). There are also plans in Canada regarding the use of electric rails to reduce dependence on oil. However, this greatly depends on the capacity of government of the U.S. And Canada to introduce the infrastructural changes and incentives to the auto makers for investing heavily in the electric and hybrid car segment. It is also important to preserve the ecological balance as mentioned by Steingraber that "what fascinated me most were the elegant black and white diagrams representing ecological food chains" (Steingraber, 930).
The facts are also supportive of the new technology as International Energy Agency (IEA) also outlined a significant cut in oil consumption of the U.S. during the period 2007 to 2030. It was estimates that 29% reduction in oil consumption would be made through the introduction of several changes, considerable among these changes was the plan to introduce hybrid and electric cars. As noted by McKibben, "Driven by ever-more-dire scientific reports, Congress has, for the first time,...
Argumentative essay will be on an environmental topic from the list of options below. Consider your audience for this paper to be your peers. The essay should be between 3 � and 4 pages (850 to 1,000 words) in length, not including the cover page, abstract, or reference page. It should be double spaced in Times New RomanEnvironmental issues are becoming a very contentious and polarizing issues within society currently.
Much oil is also used for heating, especially during winter. Therefore, new commitments toward researching, developing, and making available, on a large scale, alternative sources of heating must be made, and this time kept, as well. Conclusion To try seriously, however, to identify and describe one core "solution" to oil dependency; that is both untested and would nevertheless work, in this author's opinion, is (and especially given even the current extent
Solar is the Solution, author Steve Heckeroth argues that solar energy is the key to alleviating climate change. Heckeroth builds his argument on the statement that "Solar is a promising source of future energy supplies because not only is it clean, it's remarkably abundant." Another one of Heckeroth's claims is that "relying on coal, oil and natural gas threatens our future with toxic pollution, global climate change and social unrest
Literature that is associated with actual vehicles is often provided by designers and manufacturers of such vehicles as they attempt to sell their significant economic outlay to consumers. The footage in the film, Who Killed the Electric Car? showing individuals using such technology and even president George W. Bush attempting, though rather stiltedly, to fill the tank of an alternative fuel vehicle are examples of marketing. It is difficult to
Hybrid vs. Gas Powered Cars Currently, global warming and a shrinking natural resource base are two of the greatest headaches for governments and regulators alike the world over. The price of gas in the U.S., for instance, almost doubled over the last decade, from $1.86 in 2004 to $3.62 on average in the first half of 2014; and given that more than half of the country's oil consumption is taken up
The Issue of the EV: Is it Really Green and Good? Do Teslas Make the World a Better Place Introduction The electric vehicle (EV) has arrived and the 21st century is poised to be the century of the EV. However, there is still a great deal of controversy and confusion about what EVs actually do for the environment and if they are really as “green” as they are purported to be. Chad Berndt,
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now