The electric car , Practicalities and Prospects Essay

The electric car , Practicalities and Prospects - Essay Example In the context of this reality some of the states in the U.S. have passed laws requiring that a minimum percentage of sales made must be zero emission vehicles. Although the law does not explicitly mention electric car, they are the most feasible alternative as of now (Lave, 2005). Also, helping the case for electric cars are chemicals such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds are extremely hazardous to humans as well as the ecosystems they live in. Several studies have shown that the exhaust gases released by petroleum run cars are the contributor to this pollution. This pollution has no small part to play in the general increase in temperatures across the world, also called â€Å"global warming†. At this juncture the introduction of electric cars in the market is not only a good business opportunity but a better alternative for humans and their environments alike. In this respect, the prospects are quite good for electric cars in the near future, until a better technology replaces it (Newbery, 2001). On the flip side generating electricity for recharging batteries can lead to significant harm to the environment. A transition to electric cars, as made compulsory already in some parts of the world, is proven to be no more environment friendly than cars that run on low-emission petrol. Factories making lead-acid batteries would release higher levels of toxic lead. Low-toxicity batteries on the other hand are not yet suited for mass manufacture (Ochoa, 1997). The possible dangers of rechargeable batteries are illustrated in the following passage: â€Å"For vehicles that are to be mass produced in the future, lead-acid batteries are likely to be the only practical technology. Smelting and recycling the lead for these batteries will result in substantial releases of lead to the environment. Lead is a neurotoxin,