Lesson #3 Charging up for electric cars
Have you seen an electric car in your city? Soon they might be the best way to get around. Can you help us work out what needs to happen before we can use them in Tasmania?
Electric vehicles might be here right now but they still face a number of challenges before they can be used by the majority of Tasmanian drivers.
We need your help to come up with some solutions to these six challenges facing electric vehicles. The challenges can be worked on individually by students or collaboratively in small groups. Be sure to think your ideas through carefully and brainstorm suggestions with each other.
Challenge 1
Electric cars are more expensive than 'normal' cars to buy.
Challenge 2
People cannot drive wherever they want to in Tasmania because there are not enough places to charge electric cars.
Challenge 3
Not everyone can afford a brand new car and there aren't enough second hand electric cars.
Challenge 4
There isn’t enough education about electric cars that helps people understand the benefits.
Challenge 5
It costs a lot for businesses to install a charger, particularly when there aren’t many people using it.
Challenge 6
We can't have everyone charging their cars at the same time - we don't have enough power!
How did you go?
If you need some help to kick start your ideas, check out these resources:
The world's first 'solar-panel highway' in China
Extremely cheap electric cars
First drive in a Hyundai Ioniq
Graphene batteries and how they can help electric cars
The future of commercial mobility
How electric cars can be cheaper than conventional cars
Travelling Tassie in an electric vehicle and finding charging stations
A drive in the Hyundai Kona electric