The electric car revolution

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worksheet

The electric car revolution:
is it realistic or optimistic?

Mục Lục

Governments
and motor manufacturers around the world are throwing money and
resources into the development of electric

vehicles

. But
can electric
power really replace the

internal
combustion engine

before the middle of the century? Maybe
it can, but this is by no means certain.

Electric car batteries – big, heavy and hard to exchange

Electric car batteries – big, heavy and hard to exchange

Words in

red

are explained in the vocabulary
guide; words in

blue

green

appear in the worksheet below.

vehicles

have
arrived. With
technology led by Tesla, and all of the world’s major car manufacturers
following along behind, electric vehicles are now a common

sight

on the
roads of most developed countries. Yet the situation in less
developed countries is rather different; the only African country to
have started the change to electric vehicles is South Africa and even
there, electric vehicles still

account
for

less than 0.01% of the total
number of cars on the roads. In South America, the situation is better,
with all Latin American countries beginning the move towards electric
vehicles, particularly Columbia which, in 2020, had a third of the
continent’s total electric car

fleet

.
In Russia,

the wealthy

are
investing in imported electric cars, but no electric cars are yet

manufactured

locally, while
in India the government is promoting

the
purchase of

electric vehicles with tax

exemptions

and other

incentives

.
So electric cars have arrived, and their share of the market is
increasing almost worldwide.

Does this mean, therefore, that the world is

on
track to

phase
out

the
use of petrol-driven vehicles in less than thirty years? And does it
mean that electric vehicles are the

sustainable

solution to our
transport needs
for the second half of the century? Unfortunately, to
the disappointment of some people, the answer to both of these
questions has to be “no”.
The massive development of electric
vehicles can only be possible if two conditions are met. Firstly the
expansion of electric vehicle manufacturing is dependent on the fragile
ability of manufacturers to source
vastly increased quantities
of
vital

components

and elements without
which electric vehicles cannot
operate; these include lithium, cobalt and “rare earths” such as
neodymium and tantalum, as well as silicon chips which have already

been in short supply

since
2020. Secondly, few countries
currently have electricity

grids

that are anywhere near being able to
cope with
the huge increase in demand
for electricity that will
accompany any rapid growth
in electric vehicle ownership.
Without
adequate

supplies

of all the vital ingredients of electric motors and
batteries, or without

power

supplies that are able to provide the
electricity needed to recharge millions of electric batteries every day
(as well as supplying
the current we need for everything else, such as
lighting, heating, trains and electric

devices

), the
electric
car
revolution will

run up against

insoluble
problems.

Governments and vehicle manufacturers

are fully
aware of

these
issues, but the consensus among policy-makers seems to be that somehow
technology will come up
with the answers, as it often has in the past.
Analysts also predict that changing social attitudes and environmental
awareness will lead to a reduction in private vehicle use and a fall in
the numbers of vehicles on the roads. This prediction is likely to be
right, though not necessarily for those reasons alone; any

shortage

of essential components will force up the cost of
electric vehicles, and any shortage of battery recharging facilities or
capacity will discourage people from buying electric vehicles,
leading to a fall in the number of vehicles on the roads.
Ultimately the success of the transition to electric powered
vehicles
will depend on advances in technology in three fields; the weight of
batteries, the amount of power that they can produce, and the speed at
which they can be recharged… or exchanged.
It may surprise
you to learn that electric vehicles are not a new idea; indeed, at the
start of the automobile age in the late 19th century, America had as
many electric cars as

gas

-driven
cars, and New York’s biggest taxi
company used electric vehicles. In order to keep their taxis on the
road
when the batteries ran
low, they set up battery points at
strategic locations where instead of recharging their batteries,
drivers would just exchange them for fully recharged ones, a
process that took no longer than refilling with gasolene.

Thus battery exchange stations, rather than battery recharging
points, may perhaps solve the problem of

slow
recharging times

which currently prevents owners taking their electric vehicles on long
trips. Yet battery exchange is not an option with today’s large heavy
batteries. While the latest generation of Lithium-ion batteries are
almost twice as efficient as the batteries being used just five years
ago, they remain big and heavy. Before batteries can become
easy
to exchange, a

in
battery technology is needed, one which
will allow batteries to store much larger amounts of electricity in
much smaller and lighter units. Teams of top electrical engineers
in universities and private laboratories worldwide are
working on
battery technology, and progress has been rapid…. New types of
lithium batteries are being developed, but the radical discovery that
will revolutionise battery design
is still to be made.
As for
the availability of clean renewable electricity in sufficient
quantities

to cope with
demand

from all the world’s electric
vehicles, progress in this direction is already

underway

.
Ideally,
notably in hot countries and outside cities, recharging points will be
autonomous, generating their own electricity from solar panels and wind
or water turbines and storing it either mechanically or in high-powered
batteries. The technology already exists, and a California company,
Beam Global, recently installed 30 solar-powered recharging stations in
sunny parts of the state.
So are people who believe in the
ability of technology to solve all our problems being realistic, or
over-optimistic? And will other problems such as environmental issues
and the availability of vital materials

throw a spanner in the works

?
Will all the world’s countries be able to complete the electric vehicle
revolution, or will the world’s poorer nations get left behind…. yet
again? For the
time being, progress is upwards, but can it continue? In terms of
volume, the electric vehicle revolution has only just

got underway

WORDS :
vehicle

pronounced

[‘viə-kul]

– car, truck,
van etc.

internal
combustion
engine:

the petrol (gas) engine used in cars and trucks –
fleet: the
total number of cars – manufacture (verb)
: to make, to produce – exemption: dispensation,
authorisation to not do something – incentive: encouragement,
something to make someone want something – is on track to :
is going fast enough to – sustainable:
permanent and not bad for the environment – grid: network
– power: electricity or other sources of energy –
device: machine, apparatus – gas,
gasolene (

American

)
: petrol (

British

):
quantum
leap: a radical new development – underway:
started, in progress.

© Linguapress. Do not copy
this document to any other website
Copying permitted for personal study, or by teachers for use with their
students

WithworksheetElectrichave arrived. With technology led by Tesla, and all of the world’s major car manufacturers following along behind, electric vehicles are now a commonon the roads of most developed countries. Yet the situation in less developed countries is rather different; the only African country to have started the change to electric vehicles is South Africa and even there, electric vehicles stillless than 0.01% of the total number of cars on the roads. In South America, the situation is better, with all Latin American countries beginning the move towards electric vehicles, particularly Columbia which, in 2020, had a third of the continent’s total electric car. In Russia,are investing in imported electric cars, but no electric cars are yetlocally, while in India the government is promotingelectric vehicles with taxand other. So electric cars have arrived, and their share of the market is increasing almost worldwide.Does this mean, therefore, that the world isthe use of petrol-driven vehicles in less than thirty years? And does it mean that electric vehicles are thesolution to our transport needs for the second half of the century? Unfortunately, to the disappointment of some people, the answer to both of these questions has to be “no”.The massive development of electric vehicles can only be possible if two conditions are met. Firstly the expansion of electric vehicle manufacturing is dependent on the fragile ability of manufacturers to source vastly increased quantities of vitaland elements without which electric vehicles cannot operate; these include lithium, cobalt and “rare earths” such as neodymium and tantalum, as well as silicon chips which have alreadysince 2020. Secondly, few countries currently have electricitythat are anywhere near being able to cope with the huge increase in demand for electricity that will accompany any rapid growth in electric vehicle ownership. Without adequateof all the vital ingredients of electric motors and batteries, or withoutsupplies that are able to provide the electricity needed to recharge millions of electric batteries every day (as well as supplying the current we need for everything else, such as lighting, heating, trains and electric), the electric car revolution willinsoluble problems.Governments and vehicle manufacturersthese issues, but the consensus among policy-makers seems to be that somehow technology will come up with the answers, as it often has in the past. Analysts also predict that changing social attitudes and environmental awareness will lead to a reduction in private vehicle use and a fall in the numbers of vehicles on the roads. This prediction is likely to be right, though not necessarily for those reasons alone; anyof essential components will force up the cost of electric vehicles, and any shortage of battery recharging facilities or capacity will discourage people from buying electric vehicles, leading to a fall in the number of vehicles on the roads.Ultimately the success of the transition to electric powered vehicles will depend on advances in technology in three fields; the weight of batteries, the amount of power that they can produce, and the speed at which they can be recharged… or exchanged.It may surprise you to learn that electric vehicles are not a new idea; indeed, at the start of the automobile age in the late 19th century, America had as many electric cars as-driven cars, and New York’s biggest taxi company used electric vehicles. In order to keep their taxis on the road when the batteries ran low, they set up battery points at strategic locations where instead of recharging their batteries, drivers would just exchange them for fully recharged ones, a process that took no longer than refilling with gasolene.Thus battery exchange stations, rather than battery recharging points, may perhaps solve the problem ofwhich currently prevents owners taking their electric vehicles on long trips. Yet battery exchange is not an option with today’s large heavy batteries. While the latest generation of Lithium-ion batteries are almost twice as efficient as the batteries being used just five years ago, they remain big and heavy. Before batteries can become easy to exchange, ain battery technology is needed, one which will allow batteries to store much larger amounts of electricity in much smaller and lighter units. Teams of top electrical engineers in universities and private laboratories worldwide are working on battery technology, and progress has been rapid…. New types of lithium batteries are being developed, but the radical discovery that will revolutionise battery design is still to be made.As for the availability of clean renewable electricity in sufficient quantitiesfrom all the world’s electric vehicles, progress in this direction is already. Ideally, notably in hot countries and outside cities, recharging points will be autonomous, generating their own electricity from solar panels and wind or water turbines and storing it either mechanically or in high-powered batteries. The technology already exists, and a California company, Beam Global, recently installed 30 solar-powered recharging stations in sunny parts of the state.So are people who believe in the ability of technology to solve all our problems being realistic, or over-optimistic? And will other problems such as environmental issues and the availability of vital materials? Will all the world’s countries be able to complete the electric vehicle revolution, or will the world’s poorer nations get left behind…. yet again? For the time being, progress is upwards, but can it continue? In terms of volume, the electric vehicle revolution has only just..- car, truck, van etc.the petrol (gas) engine used in cars and trucks -the total number of cars -(verb) : to make, to produce -dispensation, authorisation to not do something -encouragement, something to make someone want something -is going fast enough to -permanent and not bad for the environmentnetworkelectricity or other sources of energymachine, apparatus -) : petrol ():a radical new development: started, in progress.© Linguapress. Do not copy this document to any other websiteCopying permitted for personal study, or by teachers for use with their students

STUDENTS’

interactive

WORKSHEET

The electric car
revolution

To save your answers, take a screenshot or select and print.

1. Multiple-choice cloze exercise. Undertanding the
text.

Choose the nearest equivalent of each of the
following expressions: click down arrow and select the correct answer.

Account for

:

a) pay for b) form
c) are under
The purchase of

:

a) the buying of b) the modification of
c)
the following of
Phase out

:

a) increase b) slowly start
c) gradually end
Been in short supply

..
:

a) been hard to find
b) been easy to find c)
been smaller
Supplies

:

a) sales b)
quantities c) orders
To run up against

:

a) go faster than b) be helped
by c) be hindered by
Shortage

:

a) reduction b) insufficient
quantity
c) acceleration
Got underway

:

a) begun b) finished
c) slowed down

2 Writing exercise: explain in your own words the
meaning of the
following words:

sight
the wealthy
components
are fully aware of
to cope with demand
slow recharging
times
throw a spanner in the works

Classroom or individual exercises.
Guidance for teachers.

DISCUSSION

Free expression

hydrogen
fuel-cells

which also have the potential ability
to power
sustainable vehicles in the decades to come. The problems with hydrogen
fuel cells are greater than with electric power, since most current
hydrogen fuel cells use hydrogen generated by a process called
steam-methane reforming (grey hydrogen or blue hydrogen), which uses a
lot of energy and also requires
the use of methane gas. Researchers are now suggesting that the only
sustainable hydrogen is actualy “green hydrogen”, requiring
the electrolysis of water powered by renewable energy.
This topic should be able to generate
plenty of lively discussion in classes where students are at least
partly aware of the issues.

Working backwards:

oral pair work.

Imagine that this article was written following an interview in which a
journalist talked to an electric vehicle expert. Recreate the interview.

Teachers
section : Using this article in class.

Technical language:

Although this is a technical text using the language and style of
technical writing, it is not a text that requires specialist technical
knowledge. This is a technical text for advanced students whether they
are technically minded or not. The subject is one that concerns
everyone. This is good document to use with students preparing for
TOEFL or TOEIC qualifications.

Vocabulary:

In
terms of vocabulary, this text is very rich, with its idiomatic
expressions, phrasal verbs, and broad range of useful vocabulary. Some
of the vocabulary is explained in the word guide, other words and
phrases are taken up in the exercises above, others are not explained,
but their meaning can be deduced from the context through logical
reading.

Expression

to throw a spanner in the works

is a British English idiom; the American equivalent is

to throw a wrench in the works.

Grammar: nouns:

Technical language is characterised by the regular use of verbal nouns
in greater quantity than in everyday language.
This
article contains a significant number of verbal nouns that are
identical (in spelling at least) to the verbs themselves. You might ask
students to find ten of these; they will include

move, change, purchase, needs,
supply, increase, demand, use, fall, advance, start, progress, design

Pay attention to all the verbal nouns used in this article, and in
particular to the endings, as in

development,
expansion, growth, lighting, heating, analysts, transition, discovery

For more general ideas about using a technical article like this in
class, see the Linguapress general guide to working with

(written or oral): This article provides plenty of information that can allow students to discuss the future of electric cars. Is it really realistic to imagine that we will all be driving electric vehicles by the middle of the century, or is this an example of vastly overoptimistic predictions by governments and the car lobby, faced with the increasing public awareness of the dangers of climate change?Do decision makers in the developed countries really understand how the world’s poorer countries will or will not be able to embrace the electric vehicle revolution?This article does not touch on other points that may be significant, notably the geopolitical issues that will arise from sourcing vital elements and rare earths from some of the world’s poorer countries, and countries with poor human rights records. Or sourcing them from deep-sea mining… another potentially explosive proposal.Nor does it mention other alternatives, such aswhich also have the potential ability to power sustainable vehicles in the decades to come. The problems with hydrogen fuel cells are greater than with electric power, since most current hydrogen fuel cells use hydrogen generated by a process called steam-methane reforming (grey hydrogen or blue hydrogen), which uses a lot of energy and also requires the use of methane gas. Researchers are now suggesting that the only sustainable hydrogen is actualy “green hydrogen”, requiring the electrolysis of water powered by renewable energy.This topic should be able to generate plenty of lively discussion in classes where students are at least partly aware of the issues.Imagine that this article was written following an interview in which a journalist talked to an electric vehicle expert. Recreate the interview.Although this is a technical text using the language and style of technical writing, it is not a text that requires specialist technical knowledge. This is a technical text for advanced students whether they are technically minded or not. The subject is one that concerns everyone. This is good document to use with students preparing for TOEFL or TOEIC qualifications.In terms of vocabulary, this text is very rich, with its idiomatic expressions, phrasal verbs, and broad range of useful vocabulary. Some of the vocabulary is explained in the word guide, other words and phrases are taken up in the exercises above, others are not explained, but their meaning can be deduced from the context through logical reading.is a British English idiom; the American equivalent isTechnical language is characterised by the regular use of verbal nouns in greater quantity than in everyday language.This article contains a significant number of verbal nouns that are identical (in spelling at least) to the verbs themselves. You might ask students to find ten of these; they will includePay attention to all the verbal nouns used in this article, and in particular to the endings, as inFor more general ideas about using a technical article like this in class, see the Linguapress general guide to working with technical texts in the English class.© texts linguapress.comPhoto by Artistic Operations. Licence Pixabay