Driving the future: electric vehicles
Michael Chang
Abbreviations EV – electric vehicle: a vehicle that is powered by batteries
ICE – internal combustion engine: the engine that petrol cars use AC – alternating current: current that changes polarity at a frequency DC – direct current: current that travels in a single direction RMF – rotating magnetic field: can be induced by an alternating current EMF – electromotive force: electrical potential produced by an electrochemical cell or by a changing magnetic field VFD – variable frequency drive: a type of motor controller that can vary the AC frequency and voltage of a power supply for an electric motor RPM – revolution per minute: a measurement of how fast something is rotating IGBT – insulated gate bipolar transistors: a semiconductor device forming an electronic switch PWM – pulse width modulation: a digital technique to control a signal by switching between a high and low state in a consistent pattern BMS – battery management system: a technology that oversees the battery pack
Background 1.1 Double Edged Sword
Six decades ago, society existed without smartphones, networks, and all such innovations. In recent years, humans have developed technologies so rapidly that we are now pioneering in fields that previously existed only as dreams: computer engineers and scientists are working on quantum computing and artificial intelligence, nuclear engineers are trying to harness the sun’s energy source , while aerospace engineers plan missions to our neighbouring planets. However, such
development has also come at a great cost. With each innovation the many advantages are emphasized some of the
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disadvantages are overlooked. As time goes on, the drawbacks of these innovations have led to a gradual shift in how scientists approach innovation, as unsustainable methods have started to pose serious threats to the environment. 1
1 Gutierrez 2018.
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