Starch as the Flame Retardant for Electrolytes in Lithium-Ion Cells

The main purpose of this work is to illustrate the flame retardant properties of corn starch that is used as an additive to the classic electrolytes in lithium-ion cells. The advantages of using natural biomass include the increased biodegradability of the cell, compliance with the slogan of green chemistry, as well as the widespread availability and easy isolation of this ingredient. Due to the non-Newtonian properties of starch, it increases work safety and prevents the occurrence of thermal runaway as a shear-thinning fluid in the event of a collision. Thus, its use may, in the future, prevent explosions that affect electric cars with lithium-ion batteries without significantly degrading the electrochemical parameters of the cell. In the manuscript, the viscosity test, flash point measurements, the SET (self-extinguishing time) test and conductivity measurements were performed, in addition to the determination of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) for the anode system. Additionally, the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters, for both flow and conductivity, were determined for a deeper analysis; this constitutes the scientific novelty of this study. Through mathematical analysis, it was shown that the optimal amount of added starch is 5%. This is supported primarily by the determined kinetic and thermodynamic parameters and the fact that the system did not gel during heating.

Electric or Internal Combustion Engines for Passenger Cars? – Environmental and Economic Aspects

The paper is focused on fuels, their users - engines and the end-user, the vehicles, from an environmental and economic point of view. The basic characteristics of potential fuels for internal combustion engines, as well as possible sources of electricity, are analysed. A comparative analysis of characteristics of vehicle propulsion with gasoline, diesel fuel, compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas and electricity was performed. The research has shown that the application of vehicles with an electric motor is ecologically justified only in cases of obtaining electricity in an environmentally friendly way and that in other cases there is no profit in an ecological sense. From an economic point of view, if there were no subsidies to manufacturers and buyers of electric cars, they would not be competitive with internal combustion engines now. Within the research, potential solutions for reducing air pollution and improving the quality of life in cities have been proposed.

New goods demand patterns in digital economy environment: The case of electric vehicles in Russia

The trend of using electric vehicles is changing the automotive industry. Electric cars are becoming the most environmentally friendly replacement for combustion vehicles. Knowing the preferences of potential consumers will allow developing effective solutions to create demand for this product. Generating demand should be based on estimating its potential and shaping the consumer profile of this type of transport for market of each country. New goods need special methods to generate demand, since their potential buyers have difficulties in purchase decision making. This paper presents results of a study on prospects in Russia for such new goods as electric vehicles. The study identified factors that ultimately determine the interest of those Russian consumers who have the financial ability to purchase electric vehicles in the near future in electric vehicles. The study demonstrates that consumer prejudices are still there against difficulties in operating electric vehicles. The study confirmed that a number of factors affect the purchase of an electric car in Russia. Expanding the presence of electric vehicles in carsharing companies will significantly improve experience in using this type of transport by potential users. Generating the demand for electric vehicles by applying influence marketing tools is the one of the best solutions.

Dynamical systems approach in automobiles technological transition from environmental drivers

The effects of climate change have led us to identify the need to minimize emissions, particularly in the transport sector. However, the demand for cars has increased and, the only alternative is the technological transition towards zero-emission technologies such as electric cars. This document proposes a mathematical model based on system dynamics to evaluate with dynamical systems the technological transition of automobiles from environmental drives. The results show bifurcations of codimension 2 between 4 different types of phase portraits, each of which allowed to identify a different type of transition. It is concluded that the demand for each technology and its useful life will determine its permanence in the market, but that each of these gives rise to environmental impacts that will guide the preferences of consumers, with the possibility that there is a loss in the motivation of consumers generated by the emergence of some other type of alternative, perhaps such as active mobility.

State policy for the development of multimodal transportation by clean and energy efficient motor transport

The article substantiates the need for the Government of Ukraine to form a state policy for the development of multimodal transportation by clean and energy efficient vehicles, which will accelerate Ukraine's integration into the European and world space. The main strategic priorities for the development of multimodal transport, provided by the National Transport Strategy of Ukraine until 2030, are studied and its gaps are emphasized. The state policies of the developed countries concerning popularization of multimodal freight transportations by electric cars are considered and their comparative analysis is carried out. During the study, the following methods were used: comparative analysis, strategic analysis, - GAP-analysis, abstract-logical. It is substantiated that the formation of the balanced state policy for the development of clean and energy efficient multimodal transportation should be carried out with a presize definition of the stage and sequence of actions, ie in accordance with a guide for the state policy formation. The present paper is dedicated to the development of the guide. The author's guide is aimed at protecting the environment and ensuring the interests of present and future generations in a favorable environmentally friendly living conditions.

Development of Electromobility in European Union Countries under COVID-19 Conditions

The introduction of electromobility contributes to an increase in energy efficiency and lower air pollution. European countries have not been among the world’s leading countries in this statistic. In addition, there have been different paces in the implementation of electromobility in individual countries. The main purpose of this paper is to determine the directions of change and the degrees of concentration in electromobility in European Union (EU) countries, especially after the economic closure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The specific objectives are to indicate the degree of concentration of electromobility in the EU and changes in this area, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic; to determine the dynamics of changes in the number of electric cars in individual EU countries, showing the variability in this aspect, while also taking into account the crisis caused by COVID-19; to establish the association between the number of electric cars and the parameters of the economy. All EU countries were selected for study by the use of the purposeful selection procedure, as of December 31, 2020. The analyzed period covered the years 2011–2020. It was found that in the longer term, the development of electromobility in the EU, measured by the number of electric cars, is closely related to the economic situation in this area. The crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the economic situation in all EU countries, but has not slowed down the pace of introducing electromobility, and may have even accelerated it. In all EU countries, in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the dynamics of introducing electric cars into use increased. The growth rate in the entire EU in 2020 was 86%, while in 2019 it was 48%. The reason was a change in social behavior related to mobility under conditions of risk of infection. COVID-19 has become a positive catalyst for change. The prospects for the development of this type of transport are very good because activities related to the development of the electromobility sector perfectly match the needs related to the reduction of pollution to the environment.

Analysis of Fire Hazards Associated with the Operation of Electric Vehicles in Enclosed Structures

The article discusses the analysis of the possible development of hazards associated with the operation of vehicles equipped with an electric drive using the example of passenger cars. The authors review the problem of the safety of people and property resulting from the occurrence of a fire in an electric passenger car, in the context of fires that have occurred in recent years. Particular attention was paid to the analysis of the state of knowledge concerning the characteristics of the fire progression in an electric car, its heat release rate curve [HRR], total heat release [THR], heat of combustion and factors affecting the fire progression. In this paper, an attempt was made to compare the fire characteristics of an electric car and a passenger car equipped with an internal combustion engine together with an estimation, using CFD simulations, of the impact on the safety of people and property in closed structures such as underground garages or road tunnels. The need for further development of research on electric cars equipped with large lithium-ion batteries in the context of their fire safety is indicated. The authors pay attention to the insufficient amount of data available to understand the fire characteristics of modern electric cars, which would enable the appropriate design of fire safety systems in building structures.

Estimation of the potential of energy efficiency increase in SMARTGRID systems with prosum-ers based on electric vehicles

The modes of operation of power transformer substations 6 (20)/0.4 kV are analyzed. Scientific and technical solutions for the use of electric vehicles as prosumers of electric energy are substantiated. The potential influence of electric cars on electricity losses in "smart" electric networks is determined. Feasibility study of expediency of using electric mobiles as prosumers from the standpoint of loss reduction and efficiency of network equipment use is given. Quantitative indicators of the potential of equalization of the daily schedule of electric loads of the typical area of consumers of city electric networks are determined. The main indicator is the reduction of electricity losses in transformers by 7-10% compared with the existing ones when regulating the mode from the side of 0.4 kV with help of electric vehicles. Additionally, the possibility of increasing the capacity of electrical networks up to 45% identified.