Electric Scooters A Plausible Way to Reduce Air

Electric Scooters: A Plausible Way to Reduce Air Pollution in Urban Environments. By Chris Harrison

INTRODUCTION • Developing countries using electric scooters. – China – India • Developing countries not using electric scooters. – South East Asian Countries – African Countries • In developing countries, scooters are a high pollution vehicle because: – Many owners often do not maintain the scooter. – Many owners often use cheap, leaded gas. – In these cases, the exhaust levels are usually much higher than when they were tested at the factory.

EMISSIONS COMPARISON 1 1997 Off Road 2 -Stroke = 181 1997 Passenger Cars 36. 6 Grams/Mile HC 0. 202 Grams/Mile HC The Second Annual EPRI Conference, August 18 -20, 1999

ELECTRIC SCOOTERS • Electric Scooter Components – Batteries: Store the energy needed to propel the car. – Controller: Regulates the flow of electricity from the batteries to the electric motor, thereby controlling the speed of the scooter. – Electric Motor: Converts the electricity stored in the batteries to mechanical energy. This force moves the wheels.

ELECTRIC SCOOTERS Lynx SPEED: Up to 31 mph RANGE: Up to 40 miles PRICE: approx. $2, 300. 00 Electricycle SPEED: Up to 30 mph RANGE: Up to 25 miles PRICE: $2, 390. 00 Sol Gato SPEED: Up to 25 mph RANGE: Up to 20 miles PRICE: $2, 199. 99

HYPOTHESIS The use of electric scooters in developing countries instead of gas powered scooters will reduce air pollution in urban environments by approximately 30 -40%.

DATA • ELECTRIC SCOOTERS: – Scooter A • 30 Ahr (Amp Hours) • 48 V (Volts) • Range = 62 miles Scooter B • 55 Ahr • 24 V • Range = 40 miles • GAS POWERED SCOOTER: – Typical Scooter • Approximately 100 mpg • Gas = $1. 60 per gallon • OTHER DATA: – $1. 60 per gallon 100 mpg = $0. 016 or 1. 6¢ per mile (Gas Powered) – 100 mpg $1. 60 = 0. 625 miles per ¢ (Gas Powered)

CALCULATIONS Electric Scooter A 30 Ahr x 48 V = 1440 Whr (Watt Hours) 1440 Whrs = 1. 44 Kwhr (Kilowatt Hours) 1 Kwhr = 10¢ 62 miles 1. 44 Kwhr = 43 Miles per Kwhr 10¢ 43 Miles per Kwhr = $0. 0023 per mile or 0. 23¢ 1 0. 23¢ = 4. 34 miles per ¢ Electric Scooter B 55 Ahr x 24 V = 1320 Whrs = 1. 32 Kwhr 1 Kwhr = 10¢ 40 miles 1. 32 Kwhr = 52. 8 Miles per Kwhr 10¢ 52. 8 Miles per Kwhr = $0. 0019 per mile or 0. 19¢ 1 0. 19¢ = 5. 26 miles per ¢

RESULTS

CONCLUSION Based upon these results the electric scooter offers a practical way to reduce pollution, especially given that gas scooters produce such high levels of emissions. Electric scooters are a cheap, clean, effective, and fun form of transportation in urban environments.