The Modern Electric Car

In a New York Times article, the electric car has been revered as “the ideal solution” to the problems presented by gasoline powered vehicles. In addition to being “cleaner and quieter” it states that “The electric car is also much more economical.” This article, written shortly after Thomas A. Edison had invented a new high-capacity battery, was published on November 12, 1911.

Just over 100 years later, the electric car is still struggling to see any large scale commercial production. The electric car succumbed to the internal combustion engine in the early 20^th century as gas production became more developed and cheaper. By 1931, gas cost just $0.17 per gallon, and the electric car simply couldn’t hope to compete. However, with steadily rising gas prices and increased awareness about ecological impact, electric cars have been slowly regaining prominence. Not only does gas average $3.39 per gallon today, but the U.S. acknowledged spending $366 billion to defend oil supplies in the Middle East between 1980 and 1990. This was just one territory, and at a time before America began fighting a major war there. Now we have accumulated well over $14 trillion in national debt, and no small part of that can be attributed to protecting our oil supplies (experts conservatively reported an estimate of $7.3 trillion of peace time spending over the last three decades to protect oil supplies with at least another $3 trillion in the invasion of Iraq). This has, reasonably, led us back towards the prospect of electric cars.

Today, there are few fully electric production cars available in the U.S. They include the Tesla Roadster and the Nissan Leaf, both of which are groundbreaking vehicles in terms of concept, but they are still only the beginning of this automotive revolution. As the public is beginning to become aware of, electric cars present convenient solutions to so many problems that we are facing today. These vehicles produce zero emission, and are much more efficient than standard internal combustion cars. This new industry has the potential to create many new jobs and even help revive the economy. These cars are cheaper to run, with about 10 times fewer moving parts to maintenance and about $3 per 100 miles worth of fuel. These benefits come without the compromises that many seem to hesitate over. The Nissan Leaf can travel 100 miles on a single charge, and the new Tesla Model S boasts an optional 360 mile range. As the Roadster proved to us as well, these cars are no golf carts. With a top speed of 125 mph, the Roadster accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 3.7 seconds, rivaling many performance cars of any type. The electric car is the solution to a struggling automotive industry.

                My name is Robert Hrabchak. I am a high school student in New Jersey with a passion for problem solving, and I am undertaking the task of converting an internal combustion engine to a fully electric car. Besides for the many perks that come with owning an electric car, I am taking a stand against the notion that we have to spend $50 a tank and send our neighbors overseas so that I can make my daily commute. I will be posting my progress on this blog and I openly invite you to join me on this exciting journey.