Electricity

ELECTRICITY

Our minds usually think of electricity as powering our heating, kitchen appliances and lighting up our homes. Electricity is an extremely flexible resource and has even more versatility than we initially realised.

The challenge is more about how to store the electrical energy in large enough quantities to be able to power something as large as a car. Recently developments in battery technology have gone some way towards addressing this. Even today, some electric car batteries are just thousands of mobile phone size batteries linked together... Find out how you can use such super batteries to power our green cars.

ELECTRICITY

How does it work?

Rather than using an internal combustion engine found in conventional cars, green cars that run on electricity use electric motors. Their energy source is drawn from onboard battery packs which can be charged at home or at recharge stations.

It has been said that London Mayor Boris Johnson wants his city to become the electric car capital of Europe, and has called for 25,000 recharging spaces to be installed by 2015.

There is discussion of also introducing recharge points at car park areas so that while you work, rest or play, your car is being recharged for your onward journey.

Why is it green?

There are many benefits of going green with electric powered green cars. One of the main reasons is zero carbons emissions. This instantly improves air quality and reduces noise pollution.

It is estimated that 69 per cent of harmful particulate emissions in London come from road transport, whereas electric cars have zero emission while being driven.

(http://www.greenwisebusiness.co.uk/news/london-to-get-extra-recharging-points-for-electric-cars-but-many-more-needed.aspx)

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