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S-Miles Per Gallon

Robert Cheing

Divine Savior Academy

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Introduction

It is said that cars should not be about the miles per gallon, but about the smiles per

gallon. The way that a car makes the owners feel and the emotions it brings out every time driven

matters more than its gas mileage. Some people are against that reasoning saying oh it's just a

car or if it gets me from point A to B then Ill drive it. For a car enthusiast, these words just

make people cringe in the arrogance of the people saying this. All these environmental changes

are pushing the major car companies to appeal to the consumers. This meaning driving to work

or school everyday, being stuck in traffic, getting caught in rain, and reducing pollution in the

environment.

Nowadays, car companies are cutting down on the number of cylinders and liters they are

putting in their engines. It used to be unheard of to find a Mustang with a 4 cylinder turbo, but

that is what Ford is now doing, and they are calling it an Ecoboost engine. Car companies are

either putting smaller engines in their cars, making hybrid engines, or just going full electric

mode. For the classic car enthusiast, these will never be able to replace the feeling of a good old

American V8.

Consumer cars are now usually 4 cylinder transverse mounted engines, front wheel drive

and automatic making a generally comfortable, but boring, form of transportation. But there are

alternate forms of automobile transportation that do not involve gas pollution or boring trip

experiences. Electric cars, although relatively new, have been in development since the creation

of the Ford Model-T. New models such as Tesla's Model S and Model X have a great way of

transportation without causing fuel consumption and pollution but keeping the driving

experience enjoyable and on the edge of your seat. Although petrol vehicles have been a

primary form of transportation for years since the beginning of the car, electric vehicles
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have provided a new, fun and economical way of transportation while reducing carbon

pollution and improving air quality

Gas Vehicles

Gas powered engines move the world. They are used in almost any industrial form of

business or agriculture to generate power to machines in order to give us transportation, help

people make any job simple, and make industrial lineups more efficient. Gas engines are the

most common form of efficient locomotive force in the 20th and 21st century. There are many

benefits and drawbacks though regarding their efficiency but damaging characteristics.

First off, they get through the heart of any car enthusiast, especially big V8 owners or the

average middle class tuner heroes. To those people, a car is much more than a car. A car has a

personality, has a story that makes their owners a sense of adrenaline no other car can give.

Gas vehicles also cover further distances traveled. For example, it is more convenient to

go on a road trip with a gas car in today's age of past resources. Gas stops are more common than

charging stops for cars. Crystal Lombardo (2016) supports this statement by saying that a 20-

gallon gas tank on a car has about an average fuel economy of 20 miles per gallon. This means

that a gas-powered vehicle can travel about 400 miles before it needs to be refueled (para,4). As

a result, gas engines in these types of situations are more convenient and efficient for

transportation. Not only will electric vehicles need to be recharged more often, they also take a

very long time to recharge the batteries. This is no problem for gas vehicles that take two short

minutes to fill up the tank.

Retail prices for gas engines are also cheaper than that of relatively new electric car

models. The cost of new technology is significantly pricier to research and integrate in new cars

running with different engines on different fuels with brand new engine layouts. Crystal
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Lombardo (2016) points out that those with limited budgets would most likely choose a gas-

powered vehicle given the friendlier price tag. And this even applies to used cars. Besides, given

the newness of hybrid vehicles, there likely wont be lots of used ones up for sale (para 1).

Lombardos statement makes sense and it is backed up with many visual evidences of everyday

situations involving the price of car and amount of money to pay for it. Many people buy a gas

car because they have no other choice in what type of vehicle they want to drive.

Performance wise, the gas engine decimates battery engine car. Usually, the bigger the

displacement of the engine, the more horsepower and torque that it has. Lee Sailing (2016)

makes the point that the gas engine car still has an advantage; its performance doesn't diminish as

the fuel tank level drops (para 12). Unlike the electric engine, maximum horsepower is given

even as the car is burning gas. Although power is delivered to the wheels in each car, fuel

decreases for the electric car so thus the power decreases.

On the other hand, car companies are cutting down on emissions by making their engines

smaller and more fuel efficient to compete with their electric counterparts. These changes are

being made to the car due to high levels of air pollution due to high emissions. Regulations on

these emissions are now active and stricter than ever before. Volkswagen recently was

discovered cheating on their emission regulation test with having intelligent computers detect

when a car would be up for test. The result would be the car giving the wrong emission that it

would normally have. Rebecca Lake (2015) claims that the Environmental Protection Agency

estimates that the average passenger vehicle produces approximately five tons of carbon dioxide

(CO2) annually, which is thought to contribute significantly to the greenhouse effect (para 1).

This much pollution could cause global warming if we keep using conventional gas vehicles as

frequent as we use it today.

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Electric Cars

Pollution for electric cars is virtually nonexistent. The layout of the car does not need any

form of carbon expel because the engine is not running on any form of nonrenewable fuel.

Instead, it utilizes electricity to charge its lithium-ion batteries.

Electric vehicles boast great potential but still are not fully developed to be used for more

versatile trips or certain situations. These involve road trips, off roading, and last minute

situations. Claes Bell (2011) argues that current battery technology cannot yet match the energy

stored in a regular old tank of unleaded. That means in the near future, electric cars will have

significantly less range than comparable combustion cars (para 6). This meaning that electric

vehicles have shorter ranges in comparison to regular gas vehicles. One car company by the

name of Tesla, has sought to improve these problems in mileage range by placing their own

charging ports around the globe to help their consumers get around without the uncertainty of

running out of fuel or energy.

Another problem on the rise is high retail prices for electric vehicles. With Tesla models

starting around $65,000 to $90,000 with their newest models, it would be a bit difficult for low to

average income families to afford. Depreciation is always an alternative that can take about 2 or

3 years for the car to be cheap enough but also will be used car market with many better models

coming out. Car loans are also a way of attaining the vehicle in a quicker way.

Charging is a big issue for electric cars. Unlike gas cars that can fill up in a minute and

gas stations on almost every street corner, charging ports for electric vehicles are not as common.

Clares Bell (2011) refers to this issue and remarks that it is not uncommon to see a gas station on

every corner, but I haven't yet laid eyes on one public car charger. Even if sales of electric cars

take off, there won't be public chargers widely available in most cities for years to come (para
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10). Hopefully in the next year or two, charging ports could start being as common as gas

stations or maybe even having electric ports at each gas station for whoever owns an electric or

gas vehicle.

There are more upsides than downsides to electric vehicles, though. First off, zero

emissions, which means zero pollution for the environment. Rebecca Lake (2015) confirms that

electric cars are significantly better for the environment in terms of greenhouse gas emissions

and pollutants. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, electric cars produce zero tailpipe

emissions or air pollutants (para 5). There is no need for an expel of carbon emissions because no

fuel is being burned and used. The energy it uses is pure electricity that has a higher conversion

rate than gas vehicles. Lake (2015) also makes that claim that electric cars are also more energy-

efficient than combustion engines, converting 75 percent of the battery's energy versus just 20

percent of the energy converted by gasoline cars (para 5). All in all, electric vehicles are

economical to use with more energy conservation and zero air pollution.

Claes Bell (2011) makes great points on the economical side of electric vehicles but

another point that the author brings up is the cleanliness of electric cars. Leaving aside the

environmental benefits, which are considerable, an all-electric car means freedom from a

substance that can be really messy: oil (para 5). No electric cars need fluids such as oil or

coolant, making the maintenance an easy job to handle with significant savings over time.

Lake (2015) points out in the article about the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

estimating that the average passenger vehicle produces approximately five tons of carbon dioxide

annually, which is thought to contribute significantly to the greenhouse effect (para 1). Lake also

refers to a site, Hybrid Cars, estimating that electric vehicles cost approximately 2 cents per mile

to operate, compared to 12 cents per mile for gas vehicles (para 4). The 10 cents per mile
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difference is really significant to why electric vehicles are the future of transportation. Gas

nowadays is almost $4 per gallon and there is only a finite amount of fuel left until we burn it all

or before the greenhouse effect gets worse. The moment to make sacrifices is now and electric

vehicles are giving people the chance to do so reasonably.

Application

As concerned drivers, it is now that people should recognize the long-term consequences

of driving gas vehicles. The fumes produced by burning gas to power the engine are toxic not

only to life, but also to the Earth. Global warming is a huge topic that many activists are figuring

out how to solve.

People should and will be worried about this issue if humans keep burning petroleum at

the rate that we do. The future of the Earth is at stake and people should take into consideration

every alternative against gas vehicles. Many forms of energy such as wind, solar and

hydroelectric energy are already making a difference to the outcome of gas consumption. Many

other forms of energy are also being developed to run an engine longer and creating a more

efficient energy usage.

Electric cars, although looking at the efficient aspect, also have an interesting and exotic

aspect because of the rare and luxurious characteristics of exterior as well as interior. It is shown

in a survey I have conducted that 26 percent of student and teacher drivers would consider or

would like to own an electric car for its interesting and classy feel, shown in the figure below.

Another 65 percent of people would get one for its fuel efficiency and eco friendly aspect in

which reality should be the number one reason why we need to have electric cars replace gas

cars.
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In reality, the reason why people should switch to electric is to create a lasting home for

the generations to come. There is always new technology being developed and from this point to

the next few years, people will realize that their small actions now, will affect the rest of the

world in the future. We might not have the most efficient electric vehicle having the mileage

range as long as normal gas cars, but there is always room for improvement in everything we

create.
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Conclusion

To end off on a serious note, the time for change is now while people still have a chance.

Electric vehicles just might seem as new and cool idea, but in reality they are the future of

transportation. People just need to be more educated on the concept of electric versus gas energy

in order to make the smart decision of owning an electric car not because they want to but

because they need to. The earth is the only place we have and we should treat it as our home.
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References

Bell, C. (2011, January 18). Pros and cons of electric cars. Retrieved October 22, 2016, from

http://www.bankrate.com/financing/cars/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars

Electric cars have many pros for the environment. Financially, electric

cars are cheap due to no fuel consumption at all and electricity is cheaper

than buying fuel. Electric cars are also cleaner and require less

maintenance every so often. Tax credit is significantly better from the

federal government. With all these pros, cons are also present. Such cons

are shorter milage range, high retail prices, expensive chargers and less

mechanical infrastructure. These are some of the many thing to take into

account when thinking about owning an electric car.

Lake, R. (2010, July 21). Gas Powered Cars Vs Electric Powered Cars. Retrieved October 22,

2016, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/180159-gas-powered-cars-vs-electric-

Gas powered and electric powered cars both have their ups and downs

when it comes to the economy and ecosystem. It is said that gas cars cost

an average of 12 cents per mile while in ion battery electric car costs only

2 cents per mile. Gas powered cars cause more pollution due to burning

fuel causing carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere hurting the

ecosystem. While electric cars might not seem as harmful, they do still

cause harm to the environment in some ways.

Nice, K. (n.d.). HowStuffWorks "Gasoline Power vs. Electric Power" Retrieved October 22,

2016, from http://auto.howstuffworks.com/hybrid-car1.htm

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Hybrid cars are an alternative to having electric and gas cars. They use

both octane gas and have a source for battery usage so you get the best of

both worlds. Questions emerge such as is having hybrid worse than

having just electric or just petrol cars. Many studies are being made and

some people speculate that having a hybrid is just as polluting as having a

gas powered car.

Romero, F. (2009, January 13). A Brief History Of the Electric Car. Retrieved October 22, 2016,

from http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1871282,00

Electric cars have always fascinated people because they are the future of

transportation. Although they seem like a brand new idea, electric cars

have been around since the start of the automobile with some of the first

car designs running on only electricity. Today they seem more common

among the people of better social status with Tesla and Fisker models

always innovating.

Sallings,, L. (n.d.). Electric vs. Gas Cars | eHow.com. Retrieved October 22, 2016, from

http://www.ehow.com/about_5456046_electric-vs-gas-cars.html

Electric cars have better performing engines because they don't require a

change of gear and have better throttle response than a petrol car. Petrol

cars have slower response times when changing gears. Also, gas engines

are heavier than electric engines.