Automobiles

I love to talk and write about cars. I am an electrical engineer and not a mechanical engineer but amazing shift in technology has made it easier for me to talk and write about automobiles. Yes, I am talking about shift from massive engines to battery powered electric vehicles. The future belongs to efficient cars. I am careful in using the word "efficient" instead of "electric". The technology is still evolving and there is no single technology that has claimed victory hence auto companies will have to keep evaluating different alternatives. 

I believe that proposed technology should make a business case, you can sell electric car with zero emissions to customers who can afford the high cost and have passion towards zero carbon transport but you cannot sell it to the normal consumer. Outside developed world, even the rich people will not buy those expensive electric cars. Plug in electric vehicle such as "Chevy Volt" and "Prius plug-in" are good option for those who want to drive electric cars but don't want to limit their driving range. Then there are more affordable hybrid vehicles such as "Prius". With current gasoline prices, these hybrid vehicles make most business sense but still the cost is out of reach of mass market. To make a real impact, the technology has to be in reach of average consumer. 


Diminishing resources are pushing world to be more efficient. All industries including housing, automobile, aviation and manufacturing are looking for solutions to be more efficient, conserve fuel and water and reduce pollution. The advancement of technology in automobiles is critical as the industry accounts for almost 25% of our energy consumption and is vital for development and economic prosperity of any country.  

So in my opinion no single technology can be a solution. Governments all around the world should acknowledge this fact and should stop making huge claims and should not set targets without addressing implementation issues. For example president Obama announced a target to have 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2020. Now such targets can disrupt the evolution of technology on its merit. I am a big fan of electric propulsion technology but that does not mean it is the best. Many other competing technologies such as clean diesel, CNG and hydrogen fuel cell are evolving. Favoring one technology over other will not help. I agree that in the long run fossil fuels will run dry and we will have to develop alternative technologies. But at the same time we can not ignore technologies which can clean up current systems quickly and in a cost effective manner. 

It is important to have efficiency. Energy can come from any source. People say we have to get rid of fossil fuels, I agree but when you think rationally, you will agree that it will take many decades. CO2 emissions saved by having 10,000 electric cars will be lesser than emissions that we can save if we have technology to make all cars efficient by even 5%. I agree that investment in new technology and systems is critical but incremental upgrades and improvements can not be neglected. These technologies get limelight when gasoline prices reach $5 a gallon but disappear when prices fall.


Two technologies which I believe have potential to replace gasoline powered cars is plugin electric and hydrogen fuel cell. Plugin electric vehicles will still use some amount of gasoline but these systems provide higher benefits per dollar spent. Hydrogen fuel cell can really make a mass impact but there are huge challenges that need resolution. We are fortunate to live in this time when new technology is revolutionizing the way in which we move from one point to other. Which technology achieves market parity and wins the next revolution is still not decided but the race is getting exciting every day. 


Signing off
Nikhil Parchure