Mark the statements as True or False (F). Read the text from 3.3 again to check your answers

1. An electric vehicle is a device with oneengine for propulsion and it is also referred to an electric drive vehicle.
2. The motion can be provided using both wheels and propellers driven by rotary motors.
3. An electric drive vehicle uses electricity which comes from sources such as batteries or generator.
4. The energy can come from different sources such as fossil fuels, wind, solar, nuclear power and etc.
5. The energy is supplied to the vehicle from refueling stations as it is stored in special separate tanks.
6. Electric vehicles consist of garages, subways, refueling stations and even network of mobile stations.

 

Fill in the gaps with appropriate words and phrases from the text.

1. A ………… isa vehicle with one or more electric motors for propulsion.

2. Unlike an …………… that is tuned to specifically operate with a particular fuel such as ……….

3. This …………..allows the drive train of the vehicle to remain the same while the ……….. can be changed.

4. The electricity used to ………….. the vehicle may be provided in many different ways.

5. Electric vehicles can include …………………………………………..

Speaking

3.11. Work with a partner. Ask him/her if he/she has an electric vehicle of his/her own? What type of electric vehicle does he/she have? What are advantages and disadvantages of electric vehicles?

Writing

Fill in the table

Advantages	Disadvantages

Unit 4

Before you read

Answer the following questions and discuss in pairs.

1. What does zero emission vehicle look like?

2. In what spheres can they be used?

 

Read the text and compare your answers with the information from the text.

 

Fuel Cell Vehicles-the ZEVs of the future?

 

Another type of Zero-Emission Vehicle is the fuel cell powered vehicle. When the fuel cells are fueled with pure hydrogen, they are considered to be zero-emission vehicles. Fuel cells have been used on spacecrafts for many years to power electric equipment. These are fueled with liquid hydrogen from the spacecraft’s rocket fuel tanks.

 

Fuel cell vehicles turn hydrogen fuel and oxygen into electricity. The electricity then powers an electric motor, just like electricity from the batteries powers the motor of an electric vehicle. Fuel cells combine oxygen from the air with hydrogen from the vehicle’s fuel tank to produce electricity. When oxygen and hydrogen are combined they give off energy and water (H2O). In fuel cells this is done without any burning (combustion).

 

There are a number of ways that hydrogen can be provided to the fuel cells. One way is simply to put hydrogen gas into the fuel cell, along with air. Hydrogen gas can come from gaseous or liquid hydrogen stored on the vehicle.

 

To carry gaseous hydrogen on a vehicle, it must be compressed. When compressed (usually to a pressure of about 3.000 pounds per square inch), it must be stored in special high-pressure containers. This is similar to the way compressed natural gas is stored on natural gas-fueled vehicles.

 

Many people in the vehicle manufacturing business think that fuel cell vehicles may be the technology of the future. However, a lot of work have to be done to make fuel cell vehicles perform well enough to replace the internal combustion engine in the vehicles we use today. They also will need to be made much less expensive.

 

At present, fuel cell vehicles have been developed to what might be called the pre-prototype stage. That means there are very few fuel cell vehicles in existence, and all of them are actually used for testing. Most car manufacturers have been or are working on demonstration models, some of which can reach a speed of 90 mph and can travel up to about 280 miles before they need refueling. DaimierChrysler has developed the NECAR 4 and Ford calls its demonstration model P2000 Sedan. Some manufacturers claim they will have fuel cell cars available for the public in the next ten years.