I’m starting an argumentative English research paper and it needs to be about a controversial subject. I decided that I’d like to learn more about electric vehicles and have done research on electric vehicle power systems, battery materials and technology, as well as Hybrid power systems. What I’m having trouble with is coming up with a controversial issue that pertains to this subject, let alone figuring out, sticking to, and aguing my opinion on the issue.
Just need some ideas.
Paper is 8-10 pages, I figure I can fill up about 4 pages right now just describing the different hybrid arrangements, electric power, battery materials, limitations, etc… I need an issue to focus on though.
I came across the whole Prius vs. Hummer thing but that’s been beaten to death.
The ‘carbon footprint’ a hybrid leaves is actually GREATER than any other car in production. The production of the batteries (tons of pollutants/toxins) to begin with, then eventual need to recycle/dispose of batteries, and replacement of more battires (there are those toxins and pollutants again) actually outweight 50,000 miles worth of driving a gasoline engine. So the ‘hybrids’ are behind the 8 ball right off the bat. Do they use less fuel, making them more ECONOMICAL vs a gasoline engine? Yes. But they are NOT ‘green’. The most ‘green’ friendly car is by far and away the NEW diesel technology a lot of companies are going to which utilizes ultra-low-sulfer diesel fuel. These vehicles get excellent mileage and are actually PZEV compliant. The 2008 GREEN CAR OF THE YEAR was the Volkswagen Jetta TDI. No silly hybrid. Do some research, you can really bash the ‘green-ness’ of Hybrid’s as the truth is all out there.
That seems to be the way the paper is going…I honestly think that electric powered cars are great, hybrid seems retarded to me for many reasons. I’d like to see electric cars but the battery technology isn’t quite up to par to make it feasible. Maybe I could argue that hybrid power is garbage, but I’d like to see electric powered vehicles. Like one or the other, screw Hybrid?
Another idea… Why not talk about the issues associated with where the power comes from for these hybrids?
Not just the manufacturing / carbon footprint issues mentioned above, but I’m talking about where to get power for, say, rechargeable plug in type hybrids that we will likely see in the future.
The majority of folks out there think it’s so great that you can go home, plug your car in, not use gas because you have an ___ mile commute and there’s no need for your little green car to kick in the gas engine… Presto green lifestyle, right?
Well, the truth is that in the end, if these plug in hybrids sell well, energy consumption will go up per household, and energy demands will rise as well.
Where do we get these kW from?
Renewable / alternative sources sound good on paper and all that, but last time I checked one wind turbine generates like 0.3% of the power of a typical coal fired power plant… But guess which gets the bad rap.
Anyways, you could write a paper discussing the issues of what the next generation of hybrid drivers will face in terms of “greenness”.
The prius makes a bigger environmental footprint in just its production than a hummer does in its production and whole lifetime. good luck on the paper benny. Im sure if you keep this thread going alot of good points will come up.
Anyone notice that everywhere else small Diesel coupes and hatcbacks that get 40+mpg are extremely popular and cheap, and here you hardly see them if it all and if you do they cost twice of what they do anywhere else?
I would rather walk across hot coals after having had my feet filed down with a cheese grater, covered in lemon juice, all the while having a hot soldering iron burn my eyes after the eyelids were ripped from my face with a pair of channel locks.
I have a 5-6 page argument paper based on why GM should have put the EV1 electric car into production. I can send it to you if you want. I got high 90’s in both my Economics class and joke of a college English class. :rofl
If I remember right that article is about 5 years old and has since been found a total lie and totally untrue.
Benny, if your going to write any info on the factory where the Prius batteries are made do some research. Theres alot of shitty info out there. The fact is that that place the batteries are made was one of the worst in the world when it comes to pollution in the 60s and 70s, which of course was well before the prius. Since then the place has done a total 180, they got rid of 95% of the sulfur pollutants and have one a ton of environmental awards. Alot of the wildlife around the place is still dead and dark but that all happened about 25-30 years before the prius was even thought of.
Re-Read what you wrote… and then think about what everyone else was saying…
Just because it was being done “before” the prius doesnt change the fact that its happend and damage has been done…
Just because the Prius dident exist yet doesnt mean that the factory where they are made now and even before the prius caused more damage than a single vehicle does in its lifetime…
The damage from the factory already has been done, you just proved it saying that theres still lack of wildlife in the area
Just because 40 years past doesnt mean that the damage that was done doesnt exist
He is writing about the Prius, not the factory. The damage has not been done since the Prius has been in production. It has cleaned up and now emits 95% less than it did back in the day.
and yet still all the damage done from the factory prodeucing those same type of batteries back in the day caused more poloution then any car does in its lifetime