ELECTRIC CARS

The electric car isn’t a new invention – the first practical electric car was manufactured in 1884. By the end of the 19th century there were more electric cars than cars with internal combustion engines! But by 1935 cheap fuel and the fact that electric cars can’t drive long distances had made these vehicles unpopular.

Because of concerns about the harmful effects of emissions from internal combustion engines on the environment, there’s been renewed interest in electric cars since the ’90s. Electric cars produce fewer pollutants so they’re an eco-friendly alternative to cars with internal combustion engines, especially in urban areas where people drive mostly short distances.

It’s almost impossible to tell whether a car is electric or uses petrol just by looking at it. But one way you can tell is by the sound – electric cars make almost no noise.

Once you open the bonnet, there’s a big difference. Fuel-using cars have engines with lots of tubes and flaps, while the mo- tors of electric cars have lots of electrical wiring.

A car with an internal combustion engine has a tank that holds the fuel. The engine burns the fuel to make the car’s wheels turn. In electric cars there are rechargeable batteries that supply electricity to an electric motor. The electric motor makes the car’s wheels turn.

In 2006 the Tesla company manufactured an electric car that could drive for more than 380km before its batteries had to be recharged. The latest model of this car, expected on the market in 2020, will have a top speed of 400km/h – making it the fastest car on Earth. This Tesla, called the Roadster, will also be able to travel more than 1 000km (at moderate speeds) before the batteries will need recharging.

But one of the biggest drawbacks of modern electric cars is that they’re still expensive to make, putting them out of the reach of most people.