Electric Vehicles and Electric Infrastructure

The findings indicated that increasing charging facilities will create convenience and influence more people to purchase the vehicles. The results also showed that reducing the cost of the vehicles through cheaper production methods will also increase the demand for the electric vehicles. However, to the third subsidiary study question, the results were inconclusive since the performance of the vehicle varied among different demographics and genders. These findings aim to reduce the gap in the research of electric vehicles and electric infrastructure. Keywords: electric vehicles, charging facilities, battery charge. Additionally, gasoline has been increasingly getting more expensive, more so due to its non-renewable nature. The mining and refining of gasoline is often a costly venture that also releases poisonous elements into the environment. The byproducts that are associated with gasoline have been noted to be the most profound cause of global warming.

This situation has necessitated the motor vehicle industry to develop better alternatives that can have more sustainable impacts on the planet. Since the community accepted the concept of global warming and climate change, several alternatives have been developed. Another problem that is affecting the same industry is the lukewarm approach of the governments towards the trend to the EVs. Gasoline has been a commodity that has created the largest source of income for many countries as well as their citizens. However, the realization that the same product is harming the environment should have pushed the focus of the governments towards a safer and more sustainable source of energy. However, the current situation indicates that most countries are still reluctant about their support for the proliferation of the electric vehicles. Thus, the tax incentives are minimal and little is done to ensure that the same machines can be available to the public at an affordable cost.

The cars that used gasoline were simpler to make and easier to maintain. At the time, the prices of gasoline were also low meaning that most buyers would have preferred the types of vehicles that would cost less to use (Zhang, Zhang, Zhang & Edmonds, 2016). The period when the same technology was being developed did not favor for the establishment of the infrastructure that was needed for the vehicles. Thus, even though the right type of vehicles could be produced, few consumers would consider them since they would have had limited places where the cars could be charged (Zhang, Zhang, Zhang & Edmonds, 2016). Currently, even after years have gone by, the facilities that can charge these EVs are still few. This situation required that charging stations to be established after several miles, especially on busy highways.

However, the support of the technology by the governments has been minimal meaning that few regions have such facilities. The mere lack of the charging or plugging stations has somehow hindered the demand for electric vehicles. A factor that has also affected the progress of the electric vehicles has been the criticism from several parties. While many people support the concept of relying on such vehicles due to their ability to sustain the natural environment, some activist has raised concerns on the impact that the EVs will have on the national grid (Cheng, 2009). While the increment was negligible at first, the effects have been increasing to the point where the entire world is facing the adverse effects of global warming. This impact is now known as climate change. The earth has been experiencing severe and extreme climate patterns that are likely to get worse in the next few years.

The main cause of these problems that result from global warming has been somehow linked to the production and the use of gasoline. Currently, the “carbon footprint” is a term used to describe the role that each person on earth has towards the increase of the global warming phenomenon. Another alternative to these vehicles is the hybrid. The hybrid combines gasoline and electricity as the primary source of power. Thus, such vehicles tend to use gasoline in the generation of electric power that can be used in the same car once it is charged (Cheng, 2009). This technology was also made possible decades ago after the invention of the battery. Finally, the third type of car is like a hybrid but in this case, the dependence on gasoline and electricity are separate.

The primary question is presented first while the auxiliary questions follow after it. The major question is: • Does the current technology use in the manufacture of electronic vehicles and its recharging infrastructure promote the increased use of these environmentally sustainable locomotives? The subsequent questions are: • Can the increase of the charging facilities for the EVs attract more consumers? This sub-question relates to the main research question since it attempts to answer whether the accessibility to charging infrastructure will improve the performance of EVs in the market. • Can the current technology for the manufacture of these vehicles become affordable enough to ensure that the electric vehicles are preferred over the ones which use gasoline? This auxiliary question relates to the main question since it ponders whether reducing the production cost of the electric vehicles can increase the demand for the same items • How can electric vehicles be improved to the point where they store battery charge for more miles and also ensure that the speed and the power of the same vehicles are similar to those of the gasoline-powered vehicles? This research sub-question affects the main one by addressing some of the apprehension consumers have regarding the performance of electric vehicles when compared to gasoline-powered vehicles.

Professional Significance The topic chosen for this project is relevant for this course and also my professional goals. The issue about the proliferation of the electric vehicles in the community is an emerging issue that needs to be debated. Overview of the Methodology Despite the extensive nature of research that will be involved in this paper, the study design will be qualitative. This factor means that most of the information, the analysis, and the results will rely on non-quantifiable findings. Thus, the information presented in the results will be of a descriptive nature. This research design is selected mainly because the topic chosen is more subjective than objective. Therefore, the process of analyzing the findings will focus on the opinions presented by the different primary and secondary sources. Another source by Wolfram and Lutsey (2016) will present information regarding the cost of production of the electric vehicles, how the cost can be lowered, and how this factor will affect the demand for the same vehicles.

Finally, the third question on performance of the vehicles will be obtained from Ralston and Nigro (2011) and the information will indicate how this factor influences the preferences of the consumers. Delimitations The main boundaries of this research come from its scope and the sources of information. While the materials that will be used for the information will cross international boundaries, these sources will be already published and they can be located by almost anyone. The same information will be written by multiple authors and the findings can have issues pertaining to the credibility and authenticity of the information. However, this section will not cover the entire list of the complex words that would be used. The remaining words that will be included that have difficult definitions will be explained in the appendix section at the end of the paper.

The following list will explain some of the terms with challenging definitions that have been and will be used in this paper. • Electric infrastructure: This term refers to the locations where the electric vehicles can be charged to maintain the amount of electricity in its system. • Electric vehicle: A locomotive that does not use the internal combustion engine which relies on gasoline. This question relies on 3 sub-questions which address the consumer preferences and apprehensions. The overview of the auxiliary questions include the charging facilities, the cost of the vehicles, and the performance of the EVs. Using research from various sources, these questions can be answered and fill the gap in research on electric vehicles. Chapter 2 Part 1: Literature Review Introduction This section evaluates some of the past and current studies that are relevant to this research topic.

These research report will offer information that supports the current topic and also present ideas and arguments that contradict the same subject. This issue is important since EVs are often compared to the performance of the gasoline-powered vehicles and the situation tends to go against the demand for the electric vehicles. The thesis for this section is that the literature review will provide an overview of the sources which will respond to these 3 auxiliary research questions and how they influence the main research question. Charging Facilities A paper that was written by Cheng (2009) talks about the progress made in the technology of the electric vehicles. While the information from the report is diverse and it covers numerous aspects about these vehicles, the researcher is able to discuss a crucial aspect that involves the vehicles.

One of the biggest concerns that affect the popularity as well as the demand for the EVs is the availability of the energy source. A different report by Efthymiou, Chrysostomou, Morfoulaki and Aifantopoulou (2017) discusses the challenges facing the progress and demand for the electric vehicles. These authors acknowledge that the vehicles powered by electricity are far better for the environment. The consumption of power is also much cheaper when compared to the vehicles which rely on gasoline. However, the researchers indicate that the availability of the charging facilities for the same cars is limited. The paper establishes that the EVs rely on the charge stored in the installed batteries. These researchers declare that the technology used to manufacture the EVs and also the charging facilities tend to differ from one country to another (Foley, Winning & Gallachoir, 2014).

This situation currently hinders any form of progress or development that can be achieved in the manufacture of the EVs. The proposed solution in the paper is the creation of a global standard in regard to the technology used for the development of the same vehicles. The writers call for a unified system where vehicles that rely on electricity are made using the same form of technology and they can be charged from similar facilities (Foley, Winning & Gallachoir, 2014). The researchers believe that the unification of the regulation for this technology can lead to an increase in the establishment of the charging facilities. Lithium batteries are still being developed and improved upon. This situation makes the devices to be rare and even fragile. The expense of making the lithium batteries which can be installed in the EVs spikes the cost of the same vehicles.

Once these batteries are made using less money or a better alternative for storing the electric charge is developed, the production cost for the electric vehicles will reduce (Wolfram & Lutsey, 2016). This move will ensure that the vehicles are more affordable to the general public. This trend will lead to the decline of the cost incurred when making the electric vehicles (Matulka, 2014). Therefore, the paper concludes by stating that the diversification of the technology and also the inclusion of several companies in the manufacture of EVs will gradually lower the price of the vehicle. This move will improve the industry and ensure that more people are more willing to buy and even own the same vehicles. Speed and Power The paper by Ralston and Nigro on plug-in vehicles (EVs) (2011) focuses on the reasons why gasoline-powered vehicles managed to capture the interest of the consumers (Ralston & Nigro, 2011).

Gasoline was one of the cheapest and easily available sources of energy. Therefore, for the popularity of the EVs to surpass the current demand for gasoline-powered vehicles, the cost of the vehicles should be reduced. A different paper by Liao, Molin and van Wee (2017) focuses on the preferences of the consumers in regard to the electric or hybrid vehicles. While the hybrid vehicles are seen to have more demand, the electric vehicles are also gaining popularity. The issue of power such as the acceleration speed of the vehicle presented different results when the preferences were compared according to the gender of the subjects (Liao, Molin & van Wee, 2017). The paper indicated that most women did not consider the speed as an important factor for purchasing an electric vehicle. Electric vehicles are safer for the environment.

The current concern for the safety of the natural environment is likely to influence more people into purchasing and owning these vehicles. Furthermore, the younger generation is more likely to own the same kind of cars when compared to the older generation. Thus, this theoretical approach can generate the necessary information that will be presented in this report. Summary This chapter has presented the different studies that talk about the issue of electric vehicles and the technology for charging the vehicles. Recent development on electric vehicles. In Power Electronics Systems and Applications, 2009. PESA 2009. rd International Conference on (pp. IEEE. Foley, A. M. Winning, I. Ó Gallachóir, B. P.  Transport Reviews, 37(3), 252-275. This report was based on a study on the preferences between the hybrid cars and the fully electric vehicles. The issue of power and speed was significant, especially among the genders.

Nevertheless, the researchers indicate that the technology used to make these vehicles is expanding rapidly and these considerations of speed and power will no longer be relevant. Matulka, R. The main setback in the development of this industry is that most of these vehicles are less powerful than those that use gasoline for fuel. However, once this issue is solved using technology, the industry is likely to gain more ground due to the increased demand of the vehicles. Chapter 3 Research Design and Methodology Introduction This section looks into the issues and challenges facing the industry that develops electric vehicles. The main research question is does the current technology use in the manufacture of electronic vehicles and its recharging infrastructure promote the increased use of these environmentally sustainable locomotives? The first sub-question is will increasing the facilities that can charge the same vehicles will help increase the demand for the products? Another subsequent research question is can the reduction of production of EVs increase the affordability, hence, the demand for the vehicles? Finally, the third auxiliary question is will the increase of the power and speed of electric vehicles improve the demand for them? The perspective of the research is to gather information regarding the development and the application of electric vehicles.

The research perspective involves a quasi-design (Haydel, 2017). The next section introduces the research sub-questions and how the data that will answer the same questions will be collected. Can the increase of the charging facilities for the EVs attract more consumers? This research sub-question looks into one of the major challenges that face the advancement of the EV technology. The inadequate number of electric charging facilities creates some inconvenience for any person who considers owning the same type of vehicle (Liao, Molin & van Wee, 2017). Thus, responding to this question can provide a solution to the challenge, hence, increasing the demand for the demand for the vehicles. This information should be collected from several articles and research reports. The issue about the technology being used in the development of these vehicles mainly involves the batteries that are used for maintaining the electric charge.

The common type of batteries for the electric vehicles require lithium as the main component. These batteries are more efficient since they store electric power for a longer period. However, the same technology is costly and expensive. This reason raises the cost of electric vehicles. Thus, the findings will indicate which measures are more likely to improve the industry by solving the same challenges facing the proliferation of the vehicles. The easiest option to implement will be the preferred recommendation from this research. These findings will help the people working in the industry to find better ways of increasing the use of electric vehicles. The measure will improve the natural environment by reducing the various forms of pollution that arise from the use of gasoline vehicles. Chapter 4 Results of the Study Introduction This section presents the results which were obtained to respond to the main research question as well as the study’s sub-questions (Haydel, 2017).

However, the authors cite some problems that can arise from such a move. If the charging stations are unmanaged, hence, they do not meet the requirements of the national grid system, the situation will lead to the reduction of electric power (Ralston & Nigro, 2011). This finding indicated that a mere increase of 5% of the EVs in the market will lead to power outages. This problem will be largely faced in the residential areas since these locations are the preferred choice for installing the charging facilities. However, when the installation of such stations is conducted while considering the demand for electric energy for both the residential and non-residential areas, the issue of power drainage from the grid would be solved. This issue makes the EVs to be costlier than the gasoline-powered vehicles, since the lithium batteries that are used to store the electric charge in these vehicles significantly surpasses the general cost of the entire vehicle (Wolfram & Lutsey, 2016).

Research Sub-question 3: How can electric vehicles be improved to the point where they store battery charge for more miles and also ensure that the speed and the power of the same vehicles are similar to those of the gasoline-powered vehicles? This question attempts to resolve some of the underlying concerns that most people have in regard to the ownership and the use of electric vehicles. These concerns relate to the storage capacity of the batteries, the power of the electric engine, and the acceleration as well as maximum speed of the EVs. The figure below shows a comparative study carried out between participants from the USA and those from China. The focus was on the performance of the different types of EVs and the willingness to pay (WTP) for any changes in the performance (Helveston et al.

The data indicated that the current technology for storing electric charge using lithium batteries was costly and added up to 68% of the total cost of manufacturing these vehicles. The third question was answered using a comparative study between subjects from the USA and China. The criterion being tested was the willingness of the participants to pay for several performance improvements on the EVs. The findings showed that people from China were more likely to prefer vehicles with better performance due to the high WTP averages. The people from the USA, on the other hand, were reluctant to change the performance features of the electric vehicles. Can the current technology for the manufacture of these vehicles become affordable enough to ensure that the electric vehicles are preferred over the ones which use gasoline? 3.

How can electric vehicles be improved to the point where they store battery charge for more miles and also ensure that the speed and the power of the same vehicles are similar to those of the gasoline-powered vehicles? Review of Methodology The research design was both quantitative and qualitative. The study generated sufficient findings which responded to the main and secondary questions involving how the demand for electric vehicles can be increased in the market. The findings for the study were obtained from numerous study reports that focused on the same subject. These materials included the article written by Helveston, J. called Plug-in electric vehicles: literature review. A different report by Wolfram, P. and Lutsey, N. titled Electric vehicles: Literature review of technology costs and carbon emissions also offered sufficient information that was used to address the main research question as well as the 3 secondary study questions.

The next section presents the summary of the results from the study. However, the same studies have indicated that the increase of charging facilities will likely make the consumers to charge their vehicles at a more frequent level. This issue can create significant strains on the power grid of any nation. Thus, while the results focusing on this sub-question indicate that the demand for EVs will increase, the same situation can affect the consumption of electric power leading to other challenges. Can the current technology for the manufacture of these vehicles become affordable enough to ensure that the electric vehicles are preferred over the ones which use gasoline? The results that address this question indicates that the cost of electric vehicles is a primary issue affecting the same demand for the vehicles.

This problem is significantly affected by the cost of the technology used to develop the same vehicles. One study which compared respondents from the US and China proved this conclusion. Thus, while the performance capabilities of the electric vehicles is paramount to potential consumers, the same problem is not a significant factor affecting the demand for the same vehicles. Relevance of this Research to the Industry The research on the proliferation of electric vehicles concerns various elements that have an effect on the motor vehicle industry. The issues that influence the spread and the demand for these vehicles are numerous. While the trend on the concern for the natural environment is increasing, especially when it involves the use of fossil fuel as a source of energy. Thus, the results obtained from this study clearly show how the current global demand for electric vehicles is affected.

The same findings show the main challenges which affect the proliferation of the same commodity. Nevertheless, despite these setbacks, humanity can still redeem itself by applying and implementing the recommendations described in this research. This move will reduce the poisonous impact human beings have on the environment and also enhance the chances that the people will be able to survive for many generations. References Cheng, K. Morfoulaki, M. Aifantopoulou, G. Electric vehicles charging infrastructure location: a genetic algorithm approach.  European Transport Research Review, 9(2), 27. Foley, A. Helveston, J. P. Liu, Y. Feit, E. M.  Transport Reviews, 37(3), 252-275. Matulka, R. The history of the electric car.  Department of Energy: Washington, DC, USA. Ralston, M. Edmonds, A. S. December). Literature review of electric vehicle technology and its applications. In Computer Science and Network Technology (ICCSNT), 2016 5th International Conference on (pp.