History

1 Introduction

Electric cars are increasingly talked about in the media. In this unit, we will look at why they are gaining popularity, the theory behind how electric vehicles work, and you will make and refine your own drag racer.
To help us understand the present (and to look to the future) we must first look at the past. Many people think that electric cars are a 21st century idea, but this isn't the case.

The picture above is of Robert Anderson, a Scottish inventor, who is often credited with creating one of the earliest electric-powered vehicles during the period between 1832 and 1839. Known as the "Electric Carriage," Anderson’s design marked an important milestone in the history of electric vehicles.

Draw a basic timeline of the history of the electric car, including significant dates (at least 10 dates).
State the sources of your information and try to use more than one site.
Add pictures and short explanations to your timeline of what happened at each point.

Go online and investigate the use of fossil fuels and links climate change.
Look at the impact on the environment that burning oil and gas is having on the environment.
Look at the products that are directly related to the fossil fuel industry and consider how you would be affected should the industry be banned.

Describe the advantages and disadvantages of the electric car. Explain each point.
Some clues? How efficient are electric motors compared to ICE (Internal Combustion Engines). What is regen braking? What is the range, i.e. how far can you drive?, of electric vs ICE car. What is the average commute, journey to work, in the UK? What are the prices of EVs vs. ICE cars? Compare Ford Puma. Look up Dacia Spring. How is Lithium, for the batteries, and Crude oil mined/extracted? What are the environmental consequences of both? How have the price of electricity and diesel being affected by the Iranian war?

Investigate future developments of the electric car and explain how this could be applied to your Drag car.
Go online and investigate the current developments in electric vehicles look at:
Hydrogen power - Toyota Mirai, Kawasaki motorcycles, Caterpillar Heavy machines.
Solar power - Aptera
New battery technology - Nano Diamond Battery, Sodium-ion, Solid-State, Lithium-Sulfur and Niobium - there are lots to choose from!
Fast chargers - What are the fastest chargers in China? Do you even need to wait for them to charge? Look at Nio battery swap stations.