IELTS Reading Practice Test 19

Automobile engines of yesterday, today and tomorrow

Electric cars are all the rage nowadays. Some believe that the craze was started by a well-known, eccentric billionaire and his lovechild of an electric car company. Others hold that people came to their senses about the enormous carbon footprint their cars are leaving behind.

This may come as a surprise to many, but the electric engine is not a novel idea. The mist electricity-propelled vehicles were made as early as 1830, effectively predating cars equipped with the more conventional fuel engines by more than 50 years. By the beginning of the twentieth century, however, the electric motor had started lagging behind the petrol engine for a number of reasons, primarily due to their relatively high costs and unimpressive top speed. Internal combustion engine, on the other hand, was undergoing rapid development. At the time, petrol proved to be a more energy-efficient fuel, and its engine’s output was easy to increase through the combined displacement volume of all cylinders. Simply put, a bigger engine normally results in more powerful car, something that is more difficult to achieve with the electric motor. These, among other factors, made it a more favourable choice for the car manufacturers of the past.

The energy crises of the 1970s and 1980s brought about renewed interest in electric cars as a way to become less dependent on the price volatility of hydrocarbon fuels. Several major car companies developed models that were either fully electric or using so-called hybrid systems where petrol and electric engines would work to complement one another. The latter would mostly be used for stop-and-go traffic, common during rush hours and city traffic in general. All in all, public reception of this innovation was lukewarm at best because by the time these new models went for sale the oil prices had already stabilised, which, for the time being, mostly defeated the purpose of buying an electric vehicle.

It is worth noting that the price of fuel is not the sole reason to give up on the older technology and make the switch to electric. Because of its design, the electric motor has a significantly lower number of moving parts, which in turn means reduced complexity and, consequently, servicing costs. The engine is virtually silent and does not require as much attention. If that is not attractive enough, on top of that, many countries offer financial concessions to people who choose to make the switch to driving electric. Depending on their location, they are eligible for free parking, tax refunds, and other subsidies.

However, the whole idea of electric engines is not without a fault. One concern is limited number of battery charge cycles. After continued use, the capacity of the battery goes down, reducing the car’s range. The only way out is usually to replace the costly components. And since the technology is still fairly new, there is no consistent statistical data on how long these might last. Alarmingly, these batteries require particular chemical elements to produce, some of which can only be procured from a select few locations on our planet, and in limited quantities. Moreover, because the current era of electric vehicles is still in its infancy, there are not enough professionals around willing to service these cars. So unless the owner lives in a major metropolitan area, they end up having no other choice but to travel to another city should some major malfunction take place.

Then comes the issue of infrastructure. While the more glamorous cities like San Francisco boast thousands of charging stations conveniently placed, this is not the case for most other cities, where charging points are few and far apart. This means that most electric car owners are limited to recharging their vehicles from power sockets at home – if they are lucky to live in a house, that is. This limitation alone is enough to hinder mass adoption of the technology. Since demand for these cars is not quite there yet, and the share of these cars on the road is almost negligible, local authorities have little incentive to develop the charging network. This ends up in a classic Catch 22 situation with no apparent way out. A probable way out of this deadlock is for private investors to step in and take upon themselves the daunting task of giving impetus to progress; unsurprisingly, few are willing to do so because returns on this investment might take decades to manifest themselves.

Back to the century-old technology of internal combustion and things seem to look much more familiar. The servicing shops, fuel stations and spare parts are ubiquitous. Car mechanics are plenty and knowledgeable. Moreover, the vehicles themselves are well-documented, making it possible to work on them yourself. Over the past two decades, the performance, as well as higher efficiency of fossil-fuel engines have increased dramatically, partially thanks to hybrid systems. Sadly, the less savoury side of the petrol vehicle is known to all of us – the extent of harm they do to nature. Exhaust fumes and oil spills are the biggest offenders here. Another major point against fossil fuels is that oil will not last forever.

The prospects of a cleaner, more sustainable alternative to the conventional engine are very lucrative. However, there is some well-founded scepticism regarding the source of electricity that charges the new engine. At the end of the day, it is still produced by power plants that pollute the atmosphere. The truth is slightly different, thanks to how the scale of energy production works. In short, an industrial-scale energy complex is way better at generating power per unit of emissions created when compared to your average petrol car engine. This means that through centralization, the gross environmental impact is notably lower. Instead of tens of millions of cars burning fuel, there are going to be twenty modern power stations, supervised by qualified specialists and complying with the most stringent ecological standards. Thanks to that, the eco-friendly future, maybe for the first time in human history, becomes possible.

The bottom line is that the future is almost definitely going to be electric. The big question here is how it will come about. It could happen organically, through increased demand and heightened consumer interest in this technology. Alternatively, the state might force it on the drivers through various smog laws and taxes, leaving them no choice but to give up on their trusted gasoline engines. There is probably only one way to find out – to wait and see.

Questions 29-35
Complete the table below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

Questions 36-40
Choose the appropriate letters A-D and write them in boxes 36-40 on your answer sheet.

36 Why is government reluctant to expand the electric engine charging grid?
A it is too expensive
B not many people would benefit from it
C people can charge their cars at home
D private businesses are more likely to fill this niche

37 According to the text, electric engines
A get more media attention today.
B enjoyed prolonged period of popularity in the past.
C just like petrol engines, rely on finite resources.
D are mostly driven by well-off individuals.

38 How do electric cars manage to have lower environmental impact?
A Because of the stricter ecological standards
B Thanks to more modern technology
C They get energy from a more efficient source
D Their engines are easier to recycle

39 When compared to petrol engines, electric ones
A are easier to maintain and service.
B require more specialist knowledge to work on.
C entail additional taxing.
D make a more distinct noise when running.

40 What is said about the future of the electric engine?
A It will probably win, one way or another
B Petrol engines are likely to remain more popular
C It depends on infrastructure development
D Its future is uncertain

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