The Electric Vehicle (EV) concept was adopted by the automobile industry several years ago. But EVs did not find wide acceptance in view of the power-crazy consumer mindset, Internal Combustion Engines (IC Engines) proving more powerful and convenient compared to EVs. But the success of IC Engines has proved hazardous in context of rising pollution that pose threat to human life itself. Although stringent norms have compelled vehicle manufacturers to produce vehicles that are environment-friendly, will this effort prove effective enough to curb pollution and the phenomenon of global warming?

The Electric Vehicle (EV) is a fruit of scientific research that is being reconsidered by the auto industry as a prudent option to ensure an environment free of hazardous pollution.

Obstacles that threaten this electric revolution occur due to several factors: EVs are limited in scope owing to excessive weight of battery packs used in EVs as the main power source; long or even substantial distance travel in vehicles loaded down with battery weight is not feasible due to frequency of charges necessitated by low battery storage capacity and long duration of charging times; the final nail is the exorbitant cost that such vehicles entail due to complexity of their design.

Thus, the industry has pondered long before taking to the EV option. However, today electric vehicles are undergoing revamp to enable them to hold their own against the tried and trusted IC Engines.

Electric Vehicles are of two kinds: Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs).

BEVs use an all-electric mechanism. A pack of batteries is the source of power which initiates rotation of a motor which in turn spins the wheels. BEVs are ultimately environment friendly with their zero emission performance. Apart from offering smooth, muted drive, BEVs cut global warming emissions by up to 70 per cent.

The life positive aspect of electric vehicles is because they run on electricity and battery packs are the main source of power. The big drawback of these vehicles centres around the storage factor; battery packs fall way short of the load of power required to move the vehicle for large distances. Another setback for the use of BEVs is owing to the time consuming process of charging the battery. While topping up of a petrol tank takes 5 minutes less or even less, charging a BEV battery pack will cost you not less than two hours of precious time.

Coming to matters of speed, to achieve speeds comparable to petrol-engined vehicles, BEVs would have to use a lithium-ion power source to set the vehicles zipping but the cost incurred in procuring such devices is way beyond reach of the common man for whom factors of low cost and reliability assume much larger priority rather than the seemingly obscure issues of a pollution free environment and noiseless travel.

Disabilities like these have made BEVs commercially inviable and given way to the more harmful conventional vehicles. Batteries could also be hazardous to the environment if not recycled in a proper way and moreover batteries have a considerably short life span.

It has been due to these drawbacks that Battery Electric Vehicles have not found popularity.

On the other hand Hybrid Electric Vehicles are entering the automotive scene in a better anticipated manner. With HEVs worked upon by vehicle manufacturers, the concept has penetrated not only the car market but also the commercial vehicle segment. Again the cost factor plays a major role in the viability of HEVs. The vehicle does not run on electricity alone but energy produced by fuel is utilised to generate electricity which is then used as the power source. The IC Engine incorporated in the powertrain is utilised only to run a charger that charges the battery pack. The generated electric current is then passed on to motor(s) which is coupled to the road wheels.

Hybrid Electrics cannot be called 'zero-emission' vehicles as they only require electricity to function at lower speeds or inter-city travel. But when the vehicle is revved up for higher speeds, the system automatically goes into the IC Engine mode. A consumer's aspirations are catered to admirably in HEVs which offer far superior fuel efficiency than conventional vehicles. Refuelling is quicker in HEVs since the battery pack is charged by the coupled IC Engine which is assigned as backup to discharging batteries. They reduce dependency on fossil fuels because of capability of running on alternative fuels. Alternative fuels such as LPG, CNG etc., thus making the system compatible to use of IC Engines, gas turbines and fuel cells.

Special lightweight materials are incorporated in the body shell construction which makes for an important decrease in overall weight of the vehicle while boosting fuel economy.

HEVs have been developed to capture niche markets as of now where the vehicles will be used for short distances, making the concept viable in urban environs. Japanese automotive giants such as Honda and Toyota had foreseen the success of the petro-electric concept and produced cars such as Insight and Prius which are capable of performing steadily for kilometers together. These cars have also been carefully designed to meet the likes in, safety and costs of purely fuel powered vehicles. The Insight and the Prius have been accepted widely in the American market as a road to a clean future.

India has also taken a step toward the Electric Revolution with the Reva - the first Indian electric car. The Reva is the brainchild of Amerigon Electric Vehicle Technologies Inc (AEVT) of Irvinedale, California and Bangalore-based Maini Group. The first prototype was showcased in 1996 and has been under constant improvement since. The car houses integrated power supply and drive system which consist of 70Nm (5kW) torque and also has a peak output DC motor that is installed on the rear axle. The Engine Management System (EMS) monitors the battery charge and accordingly optimises the flow of energy from the battery pack to maximise driving range. Another big player in this segment is the commercial vehicle giant Ashok Leyland, which showed off its Hybrid Electric truck at the 6th Auto Expo.

It's certainly not an illusion for Indian consumers to own electric vehicles, particularly hybrid ones in the future. Hybrids have already brought awareness worldwide of a 'clean' future.