ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM IN FUTURE TRANSPORTATION

Name: MUTEB ALKHAMISI

Electricity and Magnetism in Future Transportation
The discovery of electricity is arguably one of the most useful discoveries in the history
of humankind and so is its relevance in modern societies. Electricity is an important element in
everyday life and acts as a big influence in controlling almost of all human beings processes. In
homes, offices, public facilities, and communication technologies among others, the presence of
electricity is highly felt. It is obvious that the modern society is highly dependent on electricity
and most of the activities embedded to its contribution would not be taking place today. In
reference to that, it is expected even as time advances electricity will continue being an
indispensable element in human life. This paper reflects on the expected change in transport
industry by focusing on the contribution and use of electricity and magnetism as time evolves.
Much focus has been centered on the projected positive contributions of electric cars and their
tributary components, Magnetic Levitation (MagLev trains) and the Magnetic Wankel engine.
On a projection focus, much of the discoveries being done today in the transport sector
are centered on addressing the challenges related to the existing or traditional transport modes
especially pollution from harmful atmospheric emissions, slow and inconvenient transport and
highway congestion. Having a substitute technology that can cope with these challenges has been
a central focus point among technology experts and scientists and much of transport related
advances are expected in the future in that line. Basically, the contribution of electricity and
magnetism is enshrined on their capacities to provide alternative fuels, faster means of transport
as well as dependable ways to cope with atmospheric pollution.

ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM IN FUTURE TRANSPORTATION

Among the expected discoveries in the coming future, electric cars are widely expected to
impact significantly in the transport sector and their contribution will be far reaching in reducing
emissions, petroleum use, providing a faster means of transport as well as existing as a more
concentrated, intense form of energy direly needed. Their main positive contribution, however,
is providing an amicable solution to the existing side effects related to the continued use of
common fossil fuels in the atmosphere that threatens survival by polluting the environment by a
great margin. There are a number of reasons as to why the use of electric cars should be
encouraged and considering these advantages delineates the overall picture about the ways in
which electricity will be a pivotal playmaker in the transport sector in the future.
Firstly, electricity will provide a much more efficient energy for drivetrains bearing in
mind that electric drive trains have a higher capacity (75%) to convert energy consumed into
miles driven as opposed to the currently used internal combustion engines with an efficiency of
25% (Chan, 2007). The efficiency of the internal combustion engines is being improved
nowadays but it cannot match the heat loss conserved and high-energy conversion rates related to
the use of electric drive engines in the vehicles. As a case example to sensitize on the efficiency,
using just 11 kilowatt-hours of electricity a Nissan Leaf can cover a distance of 40 miles, which
it can consume 3 times of the same if gasoline was used. In reference to that, it also translates to
a reduction in cost, which is a major boost to the worldwide economy considering the economic
hitches being experienced today.
Another major projected contribution of electricity is providing a pollution free
environment or minimizing them by providing mitigation measures to the current environmental
challenges. Reliable research indicates that the small sections in the world and particular in the
United States where electric cars are used, carbon production in their operations are lower

ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM IN FUTURE TRANSPORTATION

compared to vehicles using other sources of energy (Weiller, 2011). In addition, much of the
carbon emissions that pollute the environment emanate from operational practices as opposed to
the production (Sovacool & Hirsh, 2009). Electric vehicles as an added advantage consumes a
third of comparable energy if other fuels were used an indication that it reduces environmental
emission by a third when used. The future holds a bright prospect if the projected growth and
dependence on electric vehicles will be realized and its contribution in the provision of greener
production cannot go unmentioned, whatsoever. It is of great use and high impact and the
governments should also team up with energy experts to come up with strategies to realize it
within the shortest time possible.
A common challenge in the transport sector today is the continuous dependence on fuels
that are obtained from limited or scarce sources of energy. Electricity in transport will also be
used to power electric vehicles supporting the economy in turn by providing a reliable alternative
to high dependence on expensive oil. As well known, oil and its related products are obtained
from the earth while electricity can be obtained from solar, wind, nuclear and hydro sources
among others. In regard to that, electricity will be reliant on many production units hence
providing an effective source of energy to propel engines.
Most of the existing cars in the world today depend on energy stored on their starting,
lighting and ignition (SLI) batteries energy for their propulsion. Electricity will also serve as a
substitute to the common car SLI batteries by providing deep cycle batteries that can last longer
and depend on much lower specific energy. As research indicates most of the common batteries
technologies do not provide maximum range hence an alternative is choice-less. It is also
expected that in the future electric cars will have an improved range of more than ten times of the
available cars (Bijker et al., 2012). Modernized ultra-capacitors powered by electric energy will

ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM IN FUTURE TRANSPORTATION

be used by electric cars as opposed to the lead acid accumulators, which have a lower cycle and
less resilience to run engines for a long time.
It is expected that adoption of electricity as energy in the transport system will result into
a pollution-free and versatile environments, reduced carbon footprints, vehicles using fuel from a
wide range of sources but among the significant impact of electric vehicles is the provision of
faster means of transport that reduces time for travelling as a resource. Ideally, time is a great
resource and if well managed can have great impacts on all dimensions in the economic set up.
In regard to that, having a world that is dependent on fast propelling engines will create a world
where issues of congestion, lateness for work and traffic jams will be eliminated in the transport
setup. It will be a major contribution in the countries economies factoring the much time that is
conserved by the use of the high speedy cars. For instance, a design like the Chevy Volt has
unlimited travelling distance as long as long as its gas tank is refilled something that cannot be
achieved while using oil and batteries that can get depleted. In the coming years, manufacturers
and end consumers will be highly dependent on electric cars due to their high-energy conversion
rates, greener products, multi-energy source capacity as well as dependence on a form of energy
that is evenly distributed worldwide.
Magnetism and Future Transport: MagLev Trains
The role of magnetism in the future transport setup is mainly converged on the
application of electromagnetic technology and most specifically the Magnetic Levitation
(MagLev) trains. Although they are very scarce in use today, it is expected in the next 50 years
there will be an equivalent development about their use, however. Maglev trains are an advanced
top-notch mode of transportation that is highly dependent on the effects of magnetic fields to

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propel trains, keep them on their course as well as repulsing/suspending vehicles gliding on their
highways (Hasirci et al., 2013).It is one of the technologies expected to bring a magnificent
change in the future by use of magnetism float concept propel trains, keeping them suspended
on top of a special track and in turn create an advanced, safe, convenient and faster means of
transport. MagLev trains are expected to be floating four to six inches in the air and travel to 300
mph. With that in mind, the magnetic technology is expected to provide a faster means of
transport, environmentally friendly as well as reducing petroleum use as in the case with electric
cars. The most elemental part, however, is to understand to which specific areas magnetism will
take effect.
In order to function as desired, maglev trains are controlled by magnetic fields that
emanate from fixed magnets on the sides to maintain the train on its course and other magnets on
the surface in order to suspend the train. In addition, a travelling magnetic field is created to
propel the train forward. As widely known, like poles of a magnet repel and this is the concept
widely applied for to propel maglev trains. The train is then fixed with a guidance and support
magnet, control system and only a small amount of external force is used to initiate its motion.
In the world today, its only one Maglev system that is successfully running commercially
although it is expected with the interests and developments being currently, there will be a
significant use of the technology in the coming future. The Transrapid in China is a case
example, developed using German design and uses electromagnetic forces to operate. In Japan as
well, trains with similar technology are being developed though the existing ones are applying
the superconducting magnetic coils as opposed to the regular magnetic coils. Due to the
evidenced interests from the proven technology experts in the world, it is projected that the use
of magnetic trains will continue to rise and provide an alternative source of fuels to operate. In

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turn, a greener environment will be realized without the resultant effects that emanate from the
use of petroleum to run engines. In addition, time will be saved and congestion minimized in
runaways cutting down the costs attached to their presence.
Another modern contribution applying the magnetic attraction concept and levitation
techniques is the Magnetic Wankel engine. It has the capacity to confine its back magnetomotive-forces (mmf) into a tiny section, which through the application of very minuscule energy
the back mmf is converted to forward mmf and the motor is moved forward. Very little energy is
consumed and yet much is achieved.
Discretion
Electricity plays an important role in the society than what we might be even thinking of.
It is also hard to imagine a life without electricity and its role in the future will also be significant
in controlling human lives. Although some energy experts have been skeptical about its reliance
as an alternative source of energy, the discussed positives dilute such notion and bolds its
relevance in the present and in the future. In a nutshell, human beings cannot do without
electricity and electromagnetism adds more value when the effects of the MagLev train and its
contribution is referenced on a futuristic dimension.
In conclusion, human beings best position in the future is highly dependent on the
impacts of the present activities. If the discoveries made today are done for the better part of the
future then the generations will have a safer place to inhabit. Ideally, much focus on many
discoveries is centered on securing the future as the present is being factored simultaneously. In
reference to that, the uses of electricity and magnetism in the future as discussed in the document
plays an integral role as far as the current challenges are concerned. Safer, convenient and faster

ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM IN FUTURE TRANSPORTATION

means of transport will be provided as well as addressing environmental challenges such as air
and sound pollution. With that in mind, there is no harm in improving the current processes or
promoting the achievement of related objectives for the future at whatever cost.
References
Bijker, W. E., Hughes, T. P., Pinch, T., & Douglas, D. G. (2012). The social construction of
technological systems: New directions in the sociology and history of technology. MIT
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Chan, C. C. (2007). The state of the art of electric, hybrid, and fuel cell vehicles. Proceedings of
the IEEE, 95(4), 704-718.
Hasirci, U., Balikci, A., Zabar, Z., & Birenbaum, L. (2013). Experimental performance
investigation of a novel magnetic levitation system. Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions
on, 41(5), 1174-1181.
Sovacool, B. K., & Hirsh, R. F. (2009). Beyond batteries: An examination of the benefits and
barriers to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and a vehicle-to-grid (V2G)
transition. Energy Policy, 37(3), 1095-1103.
Weiller, C. (2011). Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle impacts on hourly electricity demand in the
United States. Energy Policy, 39(6), 3766-3778.