Leading-edge battery technologies and efficient temperature management of the battery pack are providing electric vehicles with the keys to success
BY MICHAEL KAWA
Electronicproducts.com
The electrification of the automobile has begun. The pace was slow and unsure at first, but it is now gaining steam and ready to take off. At present, every major auto-maker has an electric vehicle (EV) on the market or is in development with plans for release on the docket. Concurrently, leaders worldwide are strongly pushing for EV development and increased production to promote a cleaner environment and to reduce oil dependency.
The European Union has established stringent green house emission rules that can only be met with the mass adoption of EV technology in the coming years. To move things along, the United States and China have both recently vowed to be the first country to put one million EVs on the road by the year 2015. They are backing up their talk with economic incentives and funding for research and development.
The catalyst for change among consumers is the skyrocketing gas prices at the pump. Hard economic reality has car drivers looking for better fuel efficiency and cheaper alternatives. EV producers are making their case stronger through significant engineering advances that have addressed many of the initial shortcomings of early EV technology. This includes travel range, cabin heating and , speed and method of recharging, and vehicle cost.
