E-vehicle news roundup
I haven't done a story on my old interest [electric vehicles] in quite a while . There is quite a lot of recent news on this subject . And since gasoline prices are unlikely to drop back below $3/gal in the forseeable future this would be an auspicious time to report on these developments .
First of all General Motors has taken an interest in a small company which is researching a new type of lithium battery . Apparently it has a much larger energy density than anything on the market today .
http://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2012/08/gm-betting-on-game-changer-battery/
excerpt :
[[Perhaps the single biggest problem with electric vehicles is the limited range of todays batteries. But General Motors is betting that a small California company may have a breakthrough that could substantially increase so-called energy density yielding a major increase in the distance battery cars can travel between charges. The automakers investment arm, GM Ventures LLC, is investing heavily in Envia Systems, based in Newark, California. The firm claims to have developed a new way to pack about 400 watt hours of energy into a kilogram of battery. Put into perspective, thats a full ten times as much juice as the nickel-metal hydride battery in a Toyota Prius can hold and as much as twice the energy even the best of todays advanced lithium-ion batteries can manage. ]]
OK , that would be a big feather in GM's cap to close that deal . The improvement to the Chevy Volt both in range and in price would provide far more sales incentive for that car .
However , for those of you who don't want to spend the still premium price for such a car there is this next extraordinary development . It is still under development but it shows tremendous promise . It is a kit that you can install on your own gasoline powered car that can turn it into a plug-in hybrid car !
http://mtsunews.com/wheel-hub-retrofit-update/
According to the researchers it could result in a kit which costs only $3000 . You can install this yourself and save fuel . How much fuel ? According to the article the prototype :
[[saw gas mileage increase anywhere from 50 to 100 percent on a 1994 Honda station wagon retrofitted with laboratory prototype plug-in hybrid capability.]]
Also see this video for more information :
Finally there is this news about a $2500 tax credit for electric motorcycles and electric bicycles :
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2012/08/ev-motorcycle-tax-break/
Since some of those electric motorcycles are quite pricey , this might be just the news a lot of potential buyers want to hear .
Tags
Who is online
100 visitors
I'm sure it is very fast . Gotten any tickets yet ?
He loves that car more than his wife, LOL!
The new battery could potentially change the auto industry, if it is everything that it seems to be. I think that most people don't view electric cars as a possibility, and this might make the difference.
The electric car kit, is obviously not for everyone, but more for the DYI person. And the fact that the battery is huge and kept in the trunk of in this case the hatch of the car, takes away storage room and makes it an invitation to have it robbed, so while it's interesting, I really think that it will only be for the hobbiest.
The tax credit for electric motorcycles will be a big hit with the hog entheist, I think.
Mike , is this true ?!
OK , thanks for sharing your thoughts . This battery does seem to be a great advance if it pans out ...It would result in 2X the range at a lower cost . Instead of a super expensive battery to replace after maybe 5 years you would have a moderately expensive battery to replace .
As to the kit , it could be useful if you have a very roomy gas hog of a vehicle . And I don't see why you couldn't hire someone to install it for you ... although I'm not sure who .
And those electric motorcycles ... are extremely fast !
Thanks for your thoughts on this Bruce . I don't think I would advocate the e-car for everyone . Not all can make good use of it . I just like to keep people updated on the improvements as I become aware of them . Hopefully there will be sufficient improvement in the not too distant future ...
Bruce,
Reason number one I get. You have a farm to attend to, and that is a must.
Number two, well I won't be doing route 66 so it really doesn't impact on me. I think that an electric car that does about 250 miles, for most, will be fine. But I guess it does depend on where you live.
To get into more detail about that Route 66 issue , if one drives that route a lot then an e-car is not a good choice .But the Chevy Volt actually has a range that can deal with that . It would not offer any fuel savings over that route but it could get you there if it was needed .
OK , so the distance is no longer a valid standard ...
With my bladder ? Often ...
Hmmm ... that wasn't a denial .
I can't say that I've kept up with this technology, but am definately interested in that electric traction device. Most of my driving is done in my little rural town, and even though it seems that I don't have to fill the tank often, I am probably getting around 18 mpg.
My partner has played around with hydrogen generators and even installed one in a Geo Metro. The mileage went from around 50 mpg to 100 mpg. Wow! But it needed to be fiddled with constantly, and he simply doesn't have the patience for that.
Yeah , the continued elevation of gas prices [above $3/gal] is having its effects on even the diehard truck owners .
I wrote another article a while back about the economics of petroleum prices . You can find a link to it on my home page under "My best work ?"
As to the kit , I agree it won't accomplish much for you since you already have a hybrid . Good choice !
I am not prepared to discuss Nanosteel or nano-anything for that matter . Nanotech is becoming increasingly important in new products but people outside of the field [even with an engineering degree] are outside of the loop . Such is modern life ...
Leona ,
It's good to hear that you are looking around for ways to improve your mileage . That kit device sounds very promising . I will keep my eye on it and post updates as they happen .
It is interesting to hear about your partner's experience with the H2 generator . I'm not surprised that the results are inconsistent . Tuning an engine for a new fuel [especially one with computer controlled carburetion] requires a great deal of precision .
Anything to keep the money in my pocket and not the oil barrons. LOL
Thank you! I look forward to the updates.
I read your comment to him, and he said it had to do with the MAP sensor (whatever that is).
Promoting researching alternative sources for fueling vehicles is a must. We HAVE to. We no longer have a choice or an excuse to not give everything we have to developing these alternatives. The electric car is a first and very important step in thisdevelopment,,,I say aManhattantype project is called for and a no-holds-barred approach needs to be implemented from the top down.
Great article Rich!
Where ya been stranger ?!
A little vacationing and then filling in for the boss while she was away.
Refreshed and ready to rumble!
:~)
It's good to see you back . I hope your protective gear is in good condition : Helmet , shoulder pads , cup jock [especially that !] .
Always.
Safety first!
:~)
Here's another recent development from Ford Motors :
2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid, Americas first Prius killer: Motoramic Drives