Paper Outline

Outline

I. Intro to project and paper-what my goal is/thesis

1. Recent popularization of electric cars and increasing debate over what the best path is toward a more sustainable/liveable future
2. Introduce my question
3. Thesis

II. Environmental/greenhouse gasses and Electric vehicle background

1. Why climate change/renewables are such a pressing important problem
2. Why this change in the transportation industry could have such big effects/why answering the question of electricity vs. gas is so important

III. Intro to popular Pro ev arguments

1. Bring up various articles and their arguments-general

IV. Intro to popular anti ev arguments

1. Bring up the main arguments against electric vehicles-general

V. Cost evaluation of avg of popular ev’s and gv’s

1. Explain methodology of evaluating the 3 most popular/common cars for consumers
2. Evaluate/average the electric vehicles, find total/lifetime costs (also have to factor avg car lifetime into cost calcs.) for using them locally.
3. Evaluate/average the gas vehicles, find total/lifetime costs for using them locally (costs of purchase based on manufacturer’s msrp “starting at” price)
4. Quote from econ. Expert on EV market from Brammo or another EV company-maybe transportation to have less of a chance for bias
5. Brief conclusion of costs and transition to environmental aspect of evaluation

VI. Intro to EV environmental side

1. Main specific (what exactly argument is+reasoning) pro EV environmental arguments
2. Main specific (what exactly argument is+reasoning) pro Gas Vehicle arguments/ arguments for keeping status quo of gradually increasing gas efficiency- site mpg trend
3. Quote from EV expert- from Brammo or one of the article writers I get in touch with

VII. Ev energy systems evaluation/ environmental impact/pollution of entire EV lifecycle

1. Evaluation/ average of the New England energy sources-to figure out how much greenhouse gasses produced per Kwhr for new England grid
2. Factor in avg. electric vehicle efficiency to obtain equivalent mpg in terms of greenhouse gasses released for avg electric vehicle running on the New England Grid
3. Add in green house gasses/energy released/used to the entire lifecycle pollution released-of batteries and other EV components if significantly higher than Gas Vehicle components

VIII. Gas vehicle energy systems evaluation/ environmental impact/pollution of entire gas vehicle lifecycle

1. Evaluation of oil extraction, refining and transportation to New England-pollutants released from it/energy used on this part of the process
2. Average pollutants released for operating gas vehicle over entire lifecycle
3. Average energy that goes into building gas vehicle if significantly lower than EV (this will be determined above)-factor in if gas vehicles last longer (mainly if batteries in EVs have to be replaced before gas vehicles tend to break down)

IX. Conclusion/ remind reader of findings throughout the paper to give final answer and a look to the future

1. Economic Conclusions
2. Environmental Conclusions
3. Solutions to improve market or greenifying transportation strategies
4. Future outlook for electric vehicles and their place in the fight against climate change-how effective they will be.