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Electricity and Basic Electronics
Electricity and Vehicles
Many companies have experimented with
electricity-powered transportation. Some cities
have made all of their public bus transporta-
tion electrical. Other cities have converted their
buses to run on natural gas. Both of these plans
help reduce air pollution in the city.
The most common type of automobile that
is powered, at least partially, by electricity is
the hybrid automobile, Figure 24-12. A hybrid
vehicle still has a gas engine, but it also has
a large capacity battery (over 200 V) that can
run the vehicle. The gasoline engine, regen-
erative braking, and a very large generator are
used to keep the battery charged.
All-electric vehicles are still very
uncommon for the road, although they are
very common on golf courses, as golf carts
are electric. The battery of an electric vehicle
needs to be charged. The time for charging
can be inconvenient for commuters, but it is
easy for golf courses to recharge their golf cart
batteries each night. Some vehicle charging
stations are showing up at malls and at a
limited number of service stations.
Some companies have been investigating
electric transportation for a single person. One
example of this is the Segway®, Figure 24-13.
A Segway® uses batteries for power and
gyroscopes for balance. Some police offi cers
and some security offi cers in airports and
on college campuses are using these to move
about quickly without becoming tired. The
average speed of most models is over 12 mph.
Alternative Energy
Alternative energy is energy derived
from a source that does not deplete the earth’s
natural resources or harm the environment.
The use of two leading sources of alternative
energy has evolved over the last few decades.
One source is the sun’s energy and the other is
the wind. Photovoltaics are used to harness the
Figure 24-13. The Segway® balances itself and
moves forward or backward by the rider leaning
slightly in the desired direction.
Figure 24-12. Hybrid vehicles help conserve
gasoline.