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Case Study

Optimizing Electric Vehicles Compared to Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles

Construction Engineering 330

Professor Hossein Hemati

Table of Contents

Cover Page________________________________________________________________ pg. 1 Table of Contents___________________________________________________________ pg. 2 Background Information____________________________________________________ pg. 3-4 Proposed Case Study/Abstract_________________________________________________ pg. 4 Objectives_________________________________________________________________ pg. 5 Electric Vehicles vs. Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles_________________________ pg. 5-6 Proposed Engineering Solutions________________________________________________ pg. 7 Learning Curve___________________________________________________________ pg. 7-8 Evaluation Results and Discussion_____________________________________________ pg. 8 Conclusion/Recommendation _________________________________________________ pg. 9 Reference Page____________________________________________________________ pg. 10 hi

Background Information

Climate change, global warming, and electric vehicles (EVs) have been one of the most trending topics for over the past many years and will continue to remain as the center of focus as the technological revolution in the motor vehicle industry continues to expand and further. In 2018, the global electric car industry surpassed 5.1 million, up 2 million from the previous year and almost doubling the number of new electric car sales (Global EV Outlook, 2019). Overall, electric vehicles have gained a great amount of research attention due to the benefits which are assumed to accompany the vehicle.

These assumed benefits include the idea of a zero-carbon emission footprint left behind in our environment from this specific transportation industry, as well as the idea that the consumer will save money when compared to users who purchase gasoline for their internal combustion engine vehicles (ICE). Goals from some of the electric vehicle companies are focused on attaining a zero net greenhouse gas emission within the next 30 years (Global EV Outlook, 2019). This goal would require a large reduction in the current atmospheric carbon load.

There are many policies which need to be taken into consideration in order to support the deployment of electric vehicles and charging infrastructures. These policies include the minimum requirements to ensure electric vehicle readiness in new or refurbished buildings and parking lots, as well as the idea of chargers in cities and highways available for public use. The success of electric vehicles depends on many factors, which must be considered and resolved in order to persuade the public to turn away from the typical internal combustion engine vehicles. The most skeptical factor focuses on the batteries used for electric vehicles, including the recharging prices and time, the lifespan and range, and the disposal of the electric vehicle batteries.

Technology developments are delivering innovative and substantially cost reduction solutions regarding the charging of electric vehicles. Advances in technology and cost cutting are expected to continue. Key enablers are developments in battery chemistry and expansion of production capacity in manufacturing plants. Other technology developments include the possibility to redesign electric vehicles, using simpler and more innovative design architecture that capitalize on the compact dimensions of electric motors (Global EV Outlook, 2019). This study will focus on whether the switch from internal combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles is worth it, as well as the potential solutions to the issues regarding battery limitations for electric vehicles.

Proposed Case Study/Abstract

This case study will tamper around the idea of whether electric vehicles and their battery life span are a more efficient and effective potential solution to environmental pollution and health problems when compared to internal combustion engine vehicles. This case study will focus on key areas of interest, such as electric vehicle and charging infrastructure deployment, ownership cost, energy use, carbon dioxide emissions and battery material demand. This study will also discuss key challenges in the transition to electric mobility, and solutions that are well suited to address them. This includes vehicle and battery cost developments; supply and value chain sustainability of battery materials; implications of electric mobility for power systems; government revenue from taxation; and the interplay between electric, shared and automated mobility options. The use of electric vehicle batteries is limited by their capacity, initial cost, and the environmental implication of their end use disposal. This case study will remain to focus on the idea of whether or not the switch to an electric vehicle is overall beneficial or not for the consumer and the environment.

Objectives

The objectives of this study will include the following:

i. The assessment of an electric vehicle in comparison to an internal combustion engine vehicle and their individual performance regarding the global market.

ii. To evaluate and assess three important topics regarding electric vehicle batteries; recharging prices and time, the lifespan and range, and the disposal of electric vehicle batteries.

iii. To conclude and establish the most effective and efficient engineering method, resulting in an overall recommendation related to the previous and found information.

Electric Vehicles vs. Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles

Electric vehicles, under most circumstances,  are deemed to be more beneficial than internal combustion engine vehicles, having a smaller carbon footprint than their conventional counterparts as well. Newer studies suggest that electric vehicles may also have a lower total cost of ownership. I have compared the total cost of ownership, to study a couple of moderately-priced cars: the Hyundai Elantra (ICE) and the Nissan Leaf (EV). I have created a table below, table 1.0, to compare the costs of each type of vehicle.

The problem I encountered while comparing these vehicles was the fact that so many variables exist, and each of them apply differently to each case, which affects the overall outcome. Two of the significant unknowns I have concluded are the maintenance and repair costs. To ballpark those, I used estimates from Edmunds.com, an independent and reputable automotive information site. Taking the US electric vehicle subsidy, the federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax credit for electric vehicles ranging from $2,500-$7,500 depending on size and battery capacity of vehicle, into account and assuming that the consumer takes out a loan of 4% APR to cover the difference in purchase price, the electric vehicle shows to have a slightly cheaper total cost of ownership than the internal combustion engine vehicle (Lombardo, 2017). The total cost of ownership plays a factor in choosing which type of vehicle consumers will want to purchase, next we will look at the limitations electric vehicle batteries hold.

Table 1.0:

Proposed Engineering Solutions

There have been many different suggested engineering approaches regarding the issues and limitations of electric vehicle batteries. Three important topics regarding electric vehicle battery limitations includes recharging prices and time, the lifespan and range, and the disposal of electric vehicle batteries. After multiple engineering approaches, solutions have resulted in numerous quick charging stations around all common routes, as well as an option to recycle electric vehicle batteries, along with a new lithium design as well as appropriate disposal areas. By tuning these constraints, it is possible to push total system performance in one direction or another as required, and to adapt the solution to a variety of networks and to different sets of network limitations (Hoog, 2016).This present study has focused on the comparison of electric vehicles compared to internal combustion engine vehicles and their individual performance regarding the global market, as well as solutions to electric vehicle batteries in order to solve and end life pollution electric vehicle batteries produce.

Learning Curve

This graph depicts the learning curve of past and projected price trajectory for lithium-ion NMC battery packs between the years of 2010 and 2030. As one can see, the price of these batteries has and will continue to decrease. This will make the total cost of ownership of electric vehicles decrease as well, becoming more desirable to consumers. The depreciation rate would decrease as well, which is the difference between the initial price and the resell price of a product after a period. Depreciation is often the biggest cost in the vehicle total cost of ownership analysis as well.

Evaluation Results and Discussion

The results of this case study show that the total cost of ownership of electric vehicles is cheaper overall when compared to the internal combustion engine vehicles. The total cost of ownership plays a factor in choosing which type of vehicle consumers will want to purchase. The electric vehicles, however, have shown to have battery limitations including recharging prices and time, the lifespan and range, and the disposal of electric vehicle batteries. Engineering solutions have been developed in order to counteract as well as diminish these limitations, and as technology advances in the electric automobile industry, these limitations will eventually become eliminated. The total energy efficiency of the electric vehicle is 2 times higher than the nearest competitor – hybrid cars and hydrogen fuel cells (Gelmanova, 2018). The safety of the public and environment will increase as these vehicles continue evolving.

Conclusion

In summary, this study has evaluated the benefits of electric vehicles compared to internal combustion engine vehicles and their individual performance regarding the global market. I have also examined and taken into consideration three important topics regarding electric vehicle batteries, including recharging prices and time, the lifespan and range, and the disposal of electric vehicle batteries, in order to arrive at a conclusion. When comparing the total cost of ownership between the electric vehicles and the internal combustion engine vehicles, the electric vehicles show to be slightly cheaper. Electric vehicle batteries do, however, have limits. These limits include the amount of electricity and time spent charging these batteries, the shorter lifespan and range of these batteries, as well as the harm which can be done by inappropriately disposing of these batteries.

Engineering solutions to these issues regarding electric vehicle batteries includes the numerous quick charging stations around all common routes, as well as an option to recycle electric vehicle batteries along with a new design and appropriate disposal areas. The comparison of the two types of vehicles, EVs and ICE, along with the three important topics regarding electric vehicle batteries has show that the most convenient, beneficial, and efficient method would result in choosing the electric vehicles over the internal combustion engine vehicles. Electric vehicles are still undergoing research changes and improvement’s, and from this report I recommend electric vehicles.

Reference Page

Gelmanova, Z S, et al. “IOPscience.” Journal of Physics: Conference Series, IOP Publishing, 22 May 2018, iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1015/5/052029.

“Global EV Outlook 2019.” International Energy Agency, 2019, www.iea.org/publications/reports/globalevoutlook2019/.

Hagman, Jens, et al. “Total Cost of Ownership and Its Potential Implications for Battery Electric Vehicle Diffusion.” Research in Transportation Business & Management, Elsevier, 22 Jan. 2016, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210539516000043.

Hoog, Julian de, et al. “Analysis of Constraints for Optimal Electric Vehicle Charging.” IFAC Proceedings Volumes, Elsevier, 25 Apr. 2016, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1474667016428545.

Lombardo, Tom. “Electric Vehicle vs Internal Combustion Engine Vehicle: A Total Cost of Ownership Analysis.” Engineering.com, Engineering.com, 5 Nov. 2017, www.engineering.com/ElectronicsDesign/ElectronicsDesignArticles/ArticleID/15954/Electric-Vehicle-vs-Internal-Combustion-Engine-Vehicle-A-Total-Cost-of-Ownership-Analysis.aspx.

Newnan, D. G., Eschenbach, T. G., Lavelle, J. P., & Lewis, N. A. (2017). Engineering economic analysis. New York: Oxford University Press.