Get Introduction -> Why is electromobility interesting? Guide for Volkswagen Touareg SUV Second Generation (2010-2018)

Introduction

Why is electromobility interesting?

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For our study of the core aspects of electromobility, we have chosen the areas of environment, politics, economy,

society, infrastructure and technology. It is not possible to completely separate the content of these areas because

there are complex relationships between them.

Climate change and the conditions for the use of fossil resources (limited availability, price) are causing countries

to change their climate and energy policies and are causing changes to their national societies.

Politicians are responding to these changes with national emissions limits that unfortunately vary at international

level. As a rule, these limits cover direct emissions of CO₂or other environmentally harmful gases. 

Electric vehicles do not produce direct emissions in the form of CO₂.

The introduction of low emissions or emissions-free zones in towns and a changed political framework will speed

up the expansion of electromobility. State or municipal funding will stimulate the economy and support advances in

science and research. An increasing number of companies are investing in electromobility and are thus improving

existing concepts, technological innovations and their future applications in collaboration with researchers.

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Politics

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International specifications for

emissions limits

Environment

Climate change

Economy

Limited oil reserves

Introduction of low-emissions or

emissions-free zones

Development plans and 

subsidies

-

Reduction of global 

Rising prices for fossil fuels

Desire for independence from

oil-exporting countries

CO emissions

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-

Reduction of noise emissions

Awareness of consumption of

raw materials

Electromobility

Technology

Society

Growing mobility

Infrastructure

Comprehensive infrastructure to

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Technical advantages of electric

motor compared with 

internal-combustion engine

Increase in efficiency

-

Increasing acceptance towards

electromobility

supply energy for 

electric vehicles (at home, at

work and on the road)

-

Increasing demand for vehicles

with lower consumption and

emissions

High-voltage safety

Increasing urbanisation 

(mega cities)

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Introduction

Advantages of electromobility

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Electric drive motors run considerably more quietly than internal-combustion engines. The noise emissions from

electric vehicles are therefore very low. At high speeds, the rolling noise from the tyres is the loudest sound.

Electric vehicles produce no harmful emissions or greenhouse gases while driving. If the high-voltage battery is

charged from renewable energy sources, an electric vehicle can be run CO₂-free.

In the near future, if particularly badly congested town centres are turned into zero-emissions zones, we will

only be able to drive through them with high-voltage vehicles.

The electric drive motor is very robust and requires little maintenance. It is only subject to minor mechanical

wear.

Electric drive motors have a high degree of efficiency of up to 96% compared with internal-combustion engines

that have an efficiency of 35–40%.

Electric drive motors have advantageous torque and output characteristics. They develop maximum torque

from standstill. This allows an electric vehicle to accelerate considerably faster than a vehicle with an internal-

combustion engine producing the same output.

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The drive train design is simpler because vehicle components like the gearbox, clutch, silencers, particulate

filters, fuel tank, starter, alternator and spark plugs are not required.

When the vehicle is braked, the motor can also be used as an alternator that produces electricity and charges

the battery (regenerative braking).

The high-voltage battery can be charged at home, in a car park and by using any accessible mains sockets. The

blue charging connector on the vehicle and on public charging stations has been standardised across Germany

and is used by all manufacturers.

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The energy is only supplied when the user needs it. Compared with conventional vehicles, the electric drive

motor never runs when the vehicle stops at a red light. The electric drive motor is highly efficient particularly in

queues and bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Apart from the reduction gearbox on the electric drive motor, the electric vehicle does not require any

lubricating oil.

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Disadvantages of electric vehicles

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Electric vehicles have a limited range. The electrical energy needs to be stored in sufficient quantities in a

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modern high-voltage vehicle battery. This quantity of energy is decisive for the range of an electric vehicle.

If a high-voltage battery needs to be charged from fully flat to fully charged and only a basic charging

possibility is available, the charging procedure will take up to 7.5 hours.

The possibilities for charging the electric vehicle at public facilities are still being established. The network of

electric charging stations is sparse.

If the destination is beyond the range of the electric vehicle, the driver will need to plan the journey. 

“Where can I charge my electric vehicle on the road?”

Comparison of torque development

Electric drive motor

The electric drive motor (a) reaches its maximum

torque as early as the first revolution. It does not

require a start-up phase to reach idling speed. Once

a specific rpm figure has been reached, the available

torque falls as the revs increase. 

a

b

This motor speed is approx. 14,000rpm. 

In addition, these characteristics of an electric

drive motor mean that a complex vehicle gearbox is

not required.

Idling speed

Engine/motor speed [rpm]

Electric drive motor (a)

Internal-combustion engine (b)

Internal-combustion engine

The internal-combustion engine (b) requires an idling speed to produce a torque. The available torque increases

when the engine speed is raised. In addition, this characteristic of the internal-combustion engine requires a

gearbox with several gear ratios. The torque is transferred to the gear wheels via a clutch or a torque converter.

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Introduction

Environmental aspects

CO emissions

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Before 2050, global warming should not exceed the value of 2°C related to the earth's temperature from pre-

industrial times. This goal can only be achieved by reducing CO₂emissions. The plan is to reduce the CO₂

emissions per capita from the current 45 tonnes per year to 0.7 tonnes per year by 2050.

Electric vehicles do not directly produce CO₂emissions. However, the analysis of CO₂producers does not just

evaluate the vehicle, but also the emissions that occur during the production of the electrical energy (e.g. in coal

power stations).

In Germany in particular, electromobility is closely linked to the use of “clean electricity” 

(i.e. from renewable energy). Therefore it can be presumed that today's electricity mixture causes lower CO₂

emissions per vehicle compared with vehicles with internal-combustion engines. Analysing the electricity mixture at

international level is less favourable. The environmental balance of the electricity generation in threshold countries

like China and India is not so good since they mainly rely on electricity generated from coal due to the rapidly

rising demand for energy.

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Diesel, 111g/km

Petrol, 132g

Production of hydrogen, 210g/km

Wind energy, 1g/km

Nuclear power, 6g/km

Natural gas, 98g/km

Heating oil, 145g/km

Hard coal, 171g/km

Lignite, 188g

Electricity mixture in Germany in 2010, 115g

Electricity mixture in China in 2010, 179g

All figures: Grams of CO per kilometre driven (as of 2011)

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Did you know?

Since the pure hydrogen required for a fuel cell does not exist in nature, it must be produced using a complex

process. This process requires a large amount of electrical energy.

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Renewable energy

Renewable energy sources are energy sources that will be available in inexhaustible supply in the short run by

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human standards. Renewable energy sources include wind power, solar power, geothermics (terrestrial heat),

hydropower and biomass.

A further reduction of CO₂emissions in the electromobility field will be possible when the share of renewable

energy sources is expanded in the electricity mixture. This share of European electricity production should rise to

48% by 2030 compared with the 17% in 2010.



Renewable 

energy 17%

Nuclear power 22%

Solar energy 2%

Natural gas 14%

Hydropower 3.2%

Biomass 5.6%

Lignite 24%

Wind energy 6.2%

Other 5%

Hard coal 19%

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Electricity mixture in Germany in 2010

Potential of solar energy

The solar energy shining onto the earth corresponds to about ten thousand times today's total global energy

requirement. Therefore sunlight can provide more energy than we will need in the future.

However, the costs and efficiency of solar cells stand in the way of the development of this potential. While the

efficiency of the photovoltaic modules was around eight percent at the start of the eighties, the average modules

currently on the market reach 17% and the leading-edge products almost 20%. In order for solar energy to be

able to compete with other energy sources, solar power plants need to be made more efficient.

Did you know?

Within 24 hours, the amount of energy that reaches the earth around the world in the form of sunlight is enough

to supply the world's population with electrical energy for a year.

The share of geothermics (the use of heat in the earth's crust) in the generation of electricity is still smaller than 1%

in Germany in 2011.

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Introduction -> Why is electromobility interesting? for Your Volkswagen Touareg SUV Second Generation (2010-2018)

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