What is electric transport?
Electric transport is a type of transport that uses
The energy that drives a vehicle can be obtained from several sources:
- from the chemical energy of on-board batteries and accumulators (electric car, electric bus, etc.);
- from the stored energy in capacitors (capabus);
- jointly from an on-board battery and a fuel power plant (hybrid vehicle);
- be generated on board using a gasoline engine or diesel engine (diesel locomotive, mining dump truck, etc.);
- generated on board using fuel cells;
- be generated on board using atomic energy (nuclear submarine, aircraft carrier);
- from more exotic sources such as flywheels, wind and the Sun (gyrobus, solar-powered electric vehicles);
- by direct connection to a ground power plant through substations (tram, trolleybus, monorail, metro, electric train, electric locomotive, etc.).
What is electric transport for?
- Electric passenger transport
In developed countries, electric transport isthe main carrier of passengers within the city, accounting for more than 50% of traffic. In developing countries, the percentage of electric transport in cities ranges from 15%.
The main means of urban passenger electric transport are trams, trolleybuses, subways, electric trains, monorails, funiculars, etc. are also used.
- Electric car
- Electric scooter
- Electric bike
- Golf car
- Freight electric transport
Electric freight transport is used intransportation that requires high vehicle efficiency, for example, freight trolleybuses are used in open-pit mines, and electric trains and electric locomotives of direct and alternating current are used on railways.
Also, electric freight transport includes electric cars, electric carts, electric tractors, electric forklifts, some types of mobile cranes and excavators.
- Individual electric transport
Individual electric transport includes Segway, hoverboard, electric scooter, unicycle and electric bicycle.
The legal status of individual electric vehiclesdefined in Russia ambiguously. The current traffic rules do not specifically classify these vehicles as any particular mode of transport.
- Other types of electric transport
Almost any non-electric motor can bereplace with electric. Accordingly, any vehicle using a non-electric engine for movement (internal combustion engine, diesel engine, steam engine, etc.) can also use an electric motor as traction.
Various electric vehicles exist in the form of developments, small copies or series:
- electric aircraft (aircraft powered by electric traction),
- electric cars, gyrobuses, electric buses,
- on the water - electric ships, electric submarines, etc.
What kind of electric vehicle do we already use?
- Electric bike
This is an electric bicyclewhich partially or completely ensures its movement. It is also called a hybrid bicycle, although a hybrid bicycle is a bicycle that combines in its design both the attributes of a mountain bike and a road bike.
In general, an e-bike is distinguished fromthe usual presence of three additional components: an electric motor, a battery and a controller. Unlike an electric scooter or motorcycle, an electric bike can be propelled by pedals, and its operation and maintenance is slightly more difficult than handling a regular bicycle.
disadvantages
- Pedaling and control of an electric bike with a capacious battery is complicated by a large mass (from 30 kg or more), corresponding inertia and inconvenience with transportation.
- Insufficient range for many users only on electric drive from small-capacity batteries (no more than 20 km for a conventional model).
- Long charging time for conventional batteries (at least 4-6 hours). The problem is solved by using lithium titanate batteries.
- Short service life of the most common lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries (no more than 2-3 years at average load).
- Restrictions on the use of electric bicycles onbased on lead and lithium-ion batteries at negative temperatures. At the same time, these batteries begin to degrade strongly. Below –20 ° C, only lithium titanate and some models of lithium iron phosphate batteries can be used.
- Insufficient maneuverability and reliability onunpaved roads for e-bicycles with a geared motor-wheel: plastic gears of the motor-wheel wear out quickly in conditions of high vibrations.
- The high cost of the product and its operation compared to a conventional bicycle (2 or more times).
- The impossibility of combining high speed and long range: you have to choose one thing with the batteries available at the moment.
- Electric scooter
The scooter is easy to control:stand on a wide platform and steer. The average speed is 20–35 km/h, again, driving to work in parks and sidewalks is just right. The battery charge is usually designed for 25–45 km. The battery is recharged in 3–5 hours.
When fully discharged, you can reach the nearest outlet by pushing off with your foot or by holding the folded device in your hands.
The cross-country ability of a city electric scooter is lowdue to small wheels with a diameter of 6–10 inches. It is better to go around bumps, puddles, and paving stones. But there are also monster SUVs like the Dualton, priced from 70 thousand rubles.
For roads of average lousy enoughelectric scooter with large wide wheels and shock absorption. The ergonomics are excellent: the vehicle is compactly folded, due to its low weight of 8–12 kg it is easy to carry it in your hands, take it with you on the subway, bus, minibus. You can store it anywhere.
- Gyro scooter
This is a street electric vehicle, made in the form of two connected transverse platforms for the feet, movable relative to each other, with wheels on the sides.
Uses electric motors powered by an electroaccumulator and a series of gyro sensors to self-balance and maintain the horizontal position of the footrest.
This unit consists of several key elements:
- two electric motors;
- gyroscopic sensor system;
- a control device that processes all information received from the sensors;
- gyro scooter body;
- battery.
In many countries, the operation of gyro scooters has beenbanned both on highways and sidewalks. For example, a similar prohibition applies in the UK (they are allowed to be used only on private territories with the consent of the owner).
- Monowheel
It is electric self balancinga unicycle with one wheel and footrests located on both sides of the wheel. The unicycle is a deep modernization of Segway - an electric self-balancing vehicle from Segway Inc with two wheels located on either side of the driver, which looks like a chariot.
Invented by Dean Kamen. The unicycle also uses various sensors, gyroscopes and accelerometers, along with an electric motor to automatically balance the pedal plane forward and backward.
Left and right balancing is carried outa person (unicycle or rider) and is controlled by tilting the body and turning the entire device to the right and left with your feet. In this way, dynamic balance is maintained, just like on bicycles or scooters.
Electric scooters, including electric unicycle, are notcan be used on highways in some countries. Some people think that using unicycle requires wearing inline skate protective gear due to the risk of falls.
The latest modes of transport
- Electric plane
Polish designer Michal Bonikowski came up with howmake airplanes a more environmentally friendly mode of transport. He proposed using the energy of the air to charge the batteries of special electric aircraft. The project was named Eather One.
Eather One itself looks like a regular plane ifdisregard nano-generators in the design of its wings. Static energy drains from the hull during flight. Mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy.
The designer suggested installing in the wings duringflight instead of fuel tanks triboelectric nanogenerators. Using the vibration of the structure and the friction created by the bending of the wings during flight, they will generate the energy needed to power several small electric motors.
- Hydrogen buses
The authorities of the city of Aberdeen in Scotland presentedthe world's first double-decker buses powered only by hydrogen. They have already become part of the city's public transport, the reform is the first step in a zero emissions project aimed at combating air pollution.
Buses are in their final stagestesting, but citizens can already use them. They will be moving around the city for several weeks so that drivers can get used to driving a new type of transport.
This project is being led byAberdeen City Council, whose goal is to continually improve the economic and environmental aspects of the city through the introduction of clean transport.
- Vacuum trains
A Hyperloop prototype is being developed in Korea.It became known that he reached a speed of more than 1,000 km/h. This comes just days after a high-speed vehicle concept conducted its first successful passenger test using the technology.
The Korea Railway Research Institute announced that the Hyperloop has reached a top speed of 1,019 km / h.
The country already has high-speed trains serving this route, but the government is keen to make travel even faster on it.
Previous maximum speed, alsoset by the institute was 714 km / h. South Korea hopes to launch Hyperloop by 2024, which will cut travel times between Seoul and Busan from three hours to 30 minutes.
- Electric aircraft
E-Volo multicopters, or Volocopter, are a series of electric manned ultra-light multicopter helicopters developed by the E-volo company from Germany.
To control a Volocopter, as opposed to conventionalhelicopters do not require mechanical devices such as a swashplate, variable pitch propeller, tail rotor and rudder. The screws are fixedly fixed on the axles of the electric motors. The change in flight altitude, turn and horizontal movement is provided exclusively by decreasing or increasing engine speed.
Additional (planned) engine inthe longitudinal axis, mounted behind the fuselage, provides additional thrust for level flight. Electro-remote control is carried out by a joystick.
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