Electrochemistry and the Automobile

The Electrochemical Automobile The earliest EV's (Electrochemical Vehicles) were battery powered. The limited range of a solely battery powered EV limits their ability to replace the internal combustion powered car. Then there is the question of recharging. Supercapacitors Fuel Cells Fuel cells appear to make an attractive alternative to batteries. Hydrogen gas (stored or generated on-board) is combined with oxygen from the air to produce water as the only product. The Green- house gas, carbon diox- ide, and the smog pro- ducing nitrogen oxides and ozone would not be produced as they are in the IC engine. The prom- ise is of a true zero- emission-vehicle (ZEV). Batteries Supercapacitors also play a significant role in the EV. Because they can be efficiently charged rapidly, they make excellent candi- dates for storing the energy from regenerative braking. ROCHEMIST and the automobile