The rapid transition to electric-drive vehicles is taking place globally. Most automakers are adding electric models to their lineups to prepare for the new electric future. From the analysis of the automotive market, it is evident that there is a growing interest in such vehicles. They are expected to account for half the models released after 2030. Electric-drive vehicles include battery-electric vehicles. As indicated in the research literature and emphasized by experts, electric vehicles (EVs) are supposed to be an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional vehicles. The rising number and variety of EVs contribute to a better understanding of their performance. With more EVs on the market, there are problems to be solved and challenges to overcome. This article is the first part of a two-article series reviewing the strengths and weaknesses of EVs. The article analyzes the environmental effects of EVs at each stage of their life cycle, compares large- and small-scale recycling methods, and explores the potential applications of second-life batteries. This article is an attempt to find out how environmentally friendly EVs are.

The electrification of road transport is developing dynamically around the world. Many automotive companies are introducing electric vehicles to the market, and their popularity is constantly growing. The increasing popularity of electric vehicles is caused by individual countries’ governments encouraging people to switch to electric vehicles and their lower operating costs. In 2022, the number of electric vehicles in China will exceed 10 million. Europe and the USA rank second and third in global electric car stock, respectively. The number of available electric vehicle models is constantly growing, remaining approximately 2.5 times smaller than the case of vehicles with an internal combustion engine. Among others, a significant limitation to the popularity of electric cars is users’ fear of range and the density of the charging infrastructure network. This paper presents the objectives regarding public areas and charging stations around the European Union’s comprehensive and core transport network. It is worth noting that the vehicle and charging point’s charging connectors vary depending on the geographical region. Therefore, the currently used charging connectors for different regions are presented. Charging time depends significantly on the charging current, the power of the charging point, and the devices installed in the vehicle. The paper analyzes the limitations of charging power resulting from the onboard charger’s power and the charging point’s power. It presents the charging time of selected electric vehicles. The second aspect that is also the subject of user concerns and discussed in this article is issues related to the safety of electric vehicles. General safety indicators of such vehicles based on Euro-NCAP tests are characterized. Attention was also paid to more detailed problems related to active and passive safety and functional safety analyses. The issue of the fire hazard of electric vehicles was discussed together with modern experiences regarding post-accident procedures in the event of fires.

The progressive degradation of the environment makes implementing pro-ecological solutions in various areas of our lives more meaningful. These measures also apply to transport, responsible for around 30% of total carbon dioxide emissions in the EU. Implementing ecological solutions in road transport encounters various barriers resulting mainly from the specificity of transport tasks. One of the most promising solutions in the high-tonnage road transport sector seems to be LNG-fueled engines, which allow for similar operating conditions to traditional combustion vehicles. The article aims to identify the environmental benefits of the use of high-tonnage LNG-fueled vehicles in freight transport and to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the economic efficiency of this solution. The article assesses the effectiveness of using an LNG-fueled vehicle and a diesel-fueled vehicle that meets the highest exhaust emission standard in high-tonnage transport, both in terms of economy and an impact of these solutions on the environment. The research was carried out on a given route, taking into account variants of vehicle manning and simulations of transport cycle time. In conclusion, a discussion of the obtained results was carried out, emphasizing the factors determining the profitability of using high-tonnage vehicles with LNG drive or its lack. Regardless of the indicated lack of clarity in the economic assessment of the effectiveness of LNG drives in high-tonnage vehicles, the identified environmental benefits from implementing these solutions seem to be quite unequivocal. Thus, it should be expected that in the event of loss of economic competitiveness of these solutions, appropriate fiscal instruments should be used - especially since LNG drives in the policies of individual countries are considered pro-ecological solutions.

The work deals with usability of the half-power bandwidth method in the diagnostic testing of automotive shock absorbers. In all the simulation tests, the front and rear suspension system of a present-day medium-classmotor car was considered. At the first stage, calculations were made in the frequency domain for a linear “quarter-car” model with two degrees of freedom; then, simulations were carried out in the time domain with using a similar but strongly nonlinear model. In the latter case, actual characteristics (corresponding to those obtained from test rig measurements) of shock absorber damping, suspension and tire elasticity, sliding friction in the suspension, and “wheel hop” were considered. The calculations were carried out every time for twelve levels of viscous damping in the suspension system, which made 48 calculation series in total. The factors of gain in the vertical force between the tester’s vibration plate and the vehicle tire (relative to the input force applied) and the dimensionless coefficients of viscous damping in the suspension system, determined by the half-power bandwidth method, were thoroughly analyzed. The calculation results were presented in graphical form. Attention was also paid to the distortions caused by the force of inertia of the tester’s vibration plate.

The practical problems that usually come up during the on-vehicle testing of motor car shock absorbers have been discussed. Results of example tests carried out to the EUSAMA standard procedure were compared to the test results obtained with u...

The technical condition of the shock absorbers used in automotive suspension systems is important with respect to vehicle occupants’ comfort and traffic safety. Therefore, much effort has been made for many years to find diagnostic methods that would be more effective. There is a preference for those methods where the shock absorbers do not have to be dismounted from the vehicle. Among those being in use, the ‘forced vibration methods’ have earned the widest acceptance. One of them is the solution where the angle of phase shift between the vertical displacement of the vibration plate and the tyre–plate interaction force is measured. The authors decided to assess this method’s usability by comparing simulation results with the results of experiments run on a prototype diagnostic test stand. They used two ‘quarter-car’ simulation models (linear and non-linear) and experimentally tested suspension systems of two medium-class cars. In the first stage, computations were made in the frequency domain for the linear model with two degrees of freedom, followed by simulations in the time domain, where an analogous but strongly non-linear model was used. In the latter model, the actual characteristic curves (determined during the laboratory measurements) of shock absorber damping, tyre and suspension elasticity, sliding friction in the suspension system, and tyre bouncing were taken into account. The authors have presented the computation results in the form of curves representing the phase angle as a function of the relative damping in the suspension system under test for the two medium-class cars. The suspensions of the cars had similar inertia properties but different characteristics of the spring and damping forces. The cars also differed from each other in the observed and measured level of the friction forces (twice bigger). The computation results obtained for the linear and non-linear model and the experiment results show a similar qualitative nature. In quantitative terms, however, they differ significantly from each other. The role of non-linearities is important. Nevertheless, the results show monotonicity and noticeable sensitivity to changes in the technical condition of the shock absorbers, which is an essential and desirable feature in diagnostics.