Automobiles that use diesel or gasoline-powered engines emit a considerable amount of carbon dioxide, which is a primary culprit in global warming. Electric cars have proven to be the solution to the negative environmental impact of conventional cars. In the next section, know what an electric car is and how to build your electric car for school projects.
What is an Electric Car?
An electric car is a plug-in electric automobile that is propelled by one or more electric motors using the energy stored in rechargeable batteries. The electric cars can be charged at a variety of charging centres installed at public places and houses. In the article, we have provided detailed steps to help you build your own electric car.
How do you charge an electric car at home?
Charging your electric vehicle (EV) at home is easier than you might think, and is by far the most convenient way to keep your electric car fully charged. Your EV should come with a standard charging cable for plug-in-and-go use, meaning it plugs right into any socket you have free. Useful as that may seem, they are far from the most efficient way to charge your car, and can take up to 24 hours.
A wallbox charger is the more common solution and is installed onto an outside wall of your home, tapping into your electricity supply. Unlike a normal socket, a wallbox is specifically designed to charge EVs in a safe and reliable way. You can also purchase models that allow for quicker charging or smart cthat only charge when your (variable) electricity tariff is at its cheapest.
Electric Car Project
In the electric car project given here, the transmission of the force from the motor to a wheel axle is carried through two gears and a rubber band that acts as a belt.
To powe,r up the car, we are using a battery in this experiment and a paper clip as a switch that connects and disconnects the circuit. The chassis of the car is made of plastic board, instead of the plastic wooden piece can be used as a chassis. Make sure the chassis is lighter so that the car moves forward effortlessly.
Electric car
Electric car model
After completing this project, you will explore many things, including a simple propulsion method of physics, design concepts, a concept of converting stored chemical energy into mechanical energy and a simple electric circuit.
How To Make A Electric Car For School Project?
- Materials Required
- A plastic board for car chassis
- Four wheels
- Four tire rings
- Battery
- Battery holder
- Electric motor
- Motor mount
- Transmission pulley
- Rubber bands
- Paper clips
- Screws
- Straw
- Procedure
Cut the plastic board for car chassis
Cut the straw into 4 equal pieces
Make axles by drawing two lines and also mark two points that should be 6 mm away from all four sides.
Now, insert eye screw on each of the points, this act as a holder for the axles.
Ensure the alignment of axles are straight and spin them freely. Now use the four-piece of straw and place them as a spacer between wheel and chassis.
After making space for the wheels, now insert wheels on all four sides. One the back wheel you need to insert a gear or a pulley to make it spin as the according to the motor.
Use a paper clip as a switch, fix it on the plastic base and secure it in a way that the head of the paper clip is on the side.
Place the batter with the mount and fix it on the base. Now connect one wire to the paper clip.
Fix the motor with mount and place it securely next to the battery. Connect one wire to the battery and another to the switch.
Now place the rubber band – one end on the motor and another to the rear wheel gear. That’s it, move the paper clip to start the motor, your electric car is ready.
Observation
The electric car is an example of an alternative transport facility. Due to the lack of supply in oil and petroleum products, the cost of transport has increased as well as an increase in environmental pollution. By this project, it is proved that an electric car can be a significant method of transport alternative to the vehicles on petroleum products as fuel. This project will explore majorly on new concept simple propulsion method of force and motion and converting stored chemical energy into mechanical energy.
What are the different parts of an electric motor?
A simple motor has the following parts:
A power supply – mostly DC for a simple motor
Field Magnet – could be a permanent magnet or an electromagnet
- An Armature or rotor
- Commutator
- Brushes
- Axle
What is direct current?
The current electricity whose direction remains the same is known as direct current. Direct current is defined by the constant flow of electrons from a region of high electron density to a region of low electron density. DC is used in many household appliances and applications that involve a battery.
Give some examples where an electric motor is used.
The electric motor is used in:
- Drills
- Water Pumps
- Hard Disc Drives
- Washing Machines
- Industrial Equipment
In New York City, where many people park their cars at the curb and don’t have access to a home charger, charging an EV can be a challenge. To address this gap, NYC DOT and the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability (MOS) are working with partners to expand access to public EV charging across the five boroughs.
In partnership with Con Edison, NYC is installing 120 Level 2 charging ports at curbside locations across the five boroughs. The chargers will be in place for four years as part of a demonstration project, which will include an evaluation period. Installation of the Level 2 chargers began in June 2021. Use of the chargers will be managed by FLO.
NYC DOT, with input from Con Edison, selects curbside locations based on projected demand for charging, geographic diversity, and input from local elected officials and community stakeholders. NYC DOT collected input from the public on where chargers should be installed. Business owners could also request an EV charger outside of their business.
The curbside Level 2 chargers will come with a standard SAE J1772 connector that is compatible with most EVs. Tesla owners will be able to use these Level 2 chargers with an adapter that comes with each Tesla.
EV owners will pay for charging on a per hour basis. The cost of charging will be competitive with the cost of gasoline for non-EVs. Customers will be able to pay by smartphone, tap card, or on the program website. These parking spaces are reserved for actively charging EVs. Non-charging vehicles may be ticketed by NYPD.
Where can I charge my electric car in public?
Public charging points are increasingly common around the UK, especially in large cities like London. If you’re out and about and in need of a car top-up, you can use apps to help you locate the nearest charging point.
Charging points usually fall into two categories:
Chargers where you stay with your car for a quick top-up
This includes chargers in petrol stations or service stations. These usually charge at a rapid rate, so you can get going again in under an hour.
These chargers are usually tethered — that means you don’t have to do anything but pull up and plug in.
Chargers where you park your car for a longer period of time
This includes chargers in car parks like at supermarkets, gyms or shopping centres. Because you’re expected to spend longer here, these chargers work at a slower rate.
These chargers are often untethered, so you will have to bring your own charging cable to use them.
Charging stations can also be found on the side of the road. Naturally, these will be placed in areas where parking is more plentiful, so if you can’t see any on the high street, check quieter side roads.
Where to find public charge points
Many electric cars will come with a handy sat-nav system to tell you precisely where the nearest charge point is. If not, you can always get one on your phone in the form of an app or a website.
These will pull up a map of the local area and let you see where charge points are, if they are in use, what speed you can expect from them and, in some cases, information about their fees. You might also be able to reserve a charge point or register to use them from your phone, so it’s worth getting one of these apps as soon as you become an EV driver.
Public charge point speeds
Charge points should tell you the sort of speeds they offer, so you can figure out how long it will take to charge your electric car before you pay anything. Bear in mind that not all cars can use rapid charging, so be sure you’re plugging into a suitable charger. It won’t harm your car to tap into a rapid power source even if your car can’t benefit from it, but you might end up paying more than you need to.
Charging on the motorway
If you’re travelling on the motorway and are in need of a top-up, then the options are significantly slimmer. Luckily, one supplier, Ecotricity, can help. Ecotricity charge points can be found on several major motorways. They aren’t free to use, but if you’re already an Ecotricity home customer, you can enjoy discounted or even free use.
Is it free to charge an electric car?
Not often, but sometimes supermarkets and chargers in large car parks will provide free charging. The compromise on that convenience is that you get a slower charge speed and you have to use your own cables.
Different suppliers will also have different ways of setting fees, which can make it difficult to predict what your final cost will be. Different cost plans include:
Cost per time spent
- Cost per kWh
- Flat fee
On top of this, you may need to do a bit of admin beforehand, like registering an account to access a certain supplier’s charge points. You might also need to reserve a charge point ahead of time, or check no one else has beaten you to it.