The automotive industry is facing a lot of challenges in the environmental front and climate change is one of them. The industry is looking for ways to minimize the amount of green house gas emission and increase the efficiency of its production.
The automotive industry is responding to the climate crisis by implementing new technologies that are eco-friendly. It also helps them to reduce their manufacturing costs and production expenses.
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Fuel efficiency
One way that the automotive industry is responding to the climate crisis is through fuel efficiency. Aside from making vehicles more attractive to buyers, fuel efficiency improves the automotive industry’s ability to cut carbon dioxide emissions.
Increasing the fuel economy of an automobile is accomplished through two basic methods: reducing the loads on the vehicle (force needed to accelerate and climb, air resistance and tire rolling resistance), and improving the efficiency with which energy contained in the fuel is transformed into work.
The United States’ EPA has set Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards for passenger cars and trucks, as well as greenhouse gas (GHG) emission standards for new vehicles. The standards are tightened year-by-year and automakers must meet them.
Electrification
The automotive industry is a key player in the global fight against climate change. They are introducing new technologies to make their vehicles more fuel efficient and reduce their carbon emissions.
Electrification is the process of replacing technologies that use fossil fuels with technologies that use electricity as their energy source. It can help reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the transportation, building and industrial sectors.
In the United States, transportation, buildings and industrial processes account for about 65 percent of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. Implementing electrification can reduce these emissions and help decarbonize the economy.
Electric vehicles
Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular as consumers seek to reduce their carbon footprint and cut costs. In addition, strong government policies have encouraged EV production.
The battery-powered vehicles can be refueled with electricity at home or on the road, reducing the need to purchase gasoline. These vehicles can travel up to 300 miles on a single charge depending on the model.
However, EVs have several drawbacks. These include a shorter driving range, recharge time and the risk of an EV battery catching on fire.
In addition, some consumers may choose not to purchase an EV for safety reasons. This is especially true among people with little experience or knowledge of EVs. They may be less likely to buy an EV because they believe it is more likely to catch on fire than an ICE vehicle or because they perceive that maintenance of all-electric cars is more costly than maintenance of gasoline-powered vehicles.
Hybrid vehicles
Hybrid cars are a great way to save money on fuel and reduce pollution. However, it’s important to know what you’re getting into before you make the switch.
A hybrid vehicle uses a combination of gasoline engines and electric motors to power the car. It is also possible to purchase a pure battery-electric vehicle, which eliminates the gasoline engine entirely.
These vehicles are heavier and more complex than mild or full hybrids. But they can travel longer distances under electric power alone and recharge the batteries using a standard plug-in connection.
Fuel cells
Fuel cells are an important part of the automotive industry’s response to the climate crisis. They generate electricity with less pollution than batteries, and they also provide a longer range, which is especially important for larger vehicles.
In a fuel cell, hydrogen is passed over an electrode called the anode. The ions from the hydrogen react with a catalyst to form electrons that travel through an electric circuit.
The ions then return to the cathode side where they join with oxygen atoms to form water. At that point the resulting energy is converted into direct current electricity to power a vehicle or an electrical device.