Infrastructure could lead to more electric cars (Miami Herald, 02 Nov 2009, Page 2B)

This project sounds like a real one with lot's of details being taken care of. Nissan's commitment to electric cars is fascinating and I wish them all the success (while I continue to drive thirsty Pathfinder)

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Infrastructure could lead to more electric cars
BY LES BLUMENTHAL
Miami Herald
02 Nov 2009

WASHINGTON — After years of talk about a fleet of electric cars riding U.S. roads, a federally funded test in metro areas around the country could provide the first infrastructure to support the idea. Next year, roughly 1,000 all-electric vehicles...read more...

Tech Tags: Miami Herald newspaper Business&sports

Billionaire gives boost to electric-car battery plant (The Telegram, 28 Oct 2009, Page D4)

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Billionaire gives boost to electric-car battery plant
BY ANDY BLATCHFORD
The Telegram
28 Oct 2009

A French billionaire who’s in the thick of the global rush to bring affordable, reliable electric cars to the masses says he has the battery power to win the race. Vincent Bollore announced Tuesday his company, Bollore Group, will invest $120 million...read more...

Tech Tags: The Telegram newspaper BUSINESS

Electric carmaker to use GM plant (Calgary Herald, 27 Oct 2009, Page D6)

Joe:Electric cars can be charged from a number of alternative sources, like wind. And when the wind is not blowing actually feed electricity back into the grid. Smart grid system is designed to handle that. In fact electric cars may eventually become a distributed storage for electricity (one car can provide power to 10 households). Ed: Yes, it's kind of ironic, that petrol used to be a cheap byproduct of oil refining process to produce other chemicals. Well, that is a history though today. Price of the oil is primarily driven by consumption of petrol (oil as fuel). And one day I would be happy to see oil refiners paying for somebody to use petrol (as before).

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Electric carmaker to use GM plant
DANA HEDGPETH WASHINGTON POST
Calgary Herald
27 Oct 2009

The White House is expected to announce today a multimillion-dollar deal that will convert a closed General Motors plant in Wilmington, Del., into an factory making electric vehicles. Vice-president Joe Biden will make the announcement that Fisker...read more...

Tech Tags: Calgary Herald newspaper CALGARY BUSINESS

Toyota FT-EV for $19K

Toyota revealed new electric car FT-EV (should be available in stores by 2012):



Range: 80 km
Max speed: unknown
Acceleration: unknown

While this tiny car may be appealing to some city commuters as well as students, clearly we expected a lot more from Taoyota. Anyways, company promissed to put over 10 different plug-ins on our roads starting 2010. Let's hope that includes some SUVs as well.

Mitsubishi iMiEV for $32K

Mitsubishi (Japan) offers iMiEV car for purchase in Japan for $32K. Deliveries will begin this summer.


Range: 160 km
Recharging: 14 hours
Quick charge up to 80%: 30 minutes

U.S. firms join forces to build car batteries (The Wall Street Journal Asia, 19 Dec 2008, Page 3)

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U.S. firms join forces to build car batteries
By Rebecca Smith
The Wall Street Journal Asia
19 Dec 2008

Fourteen U.S. technology companies are joining forces and seeking $1 billion in federal aid to build a plant to make advanced batteries for electric cars, in a bid to catch up to Asian rivals that are far ahead of the U.S. The effort, the latest pitch...read more...

Tech Tags: The Wall Street Journal Asia newspaper Leading The News

F3DM by BYD Auto for $22,000

BYD Auto (China) began selling electric F3DM (Dual Mode) car in China:



Range (electric only): 100 km (62 miles)
Recharging: 220 v




Will be on sale in US in early 2010. The company also said it will launch an 'all-electric' BYD F3 and BYD E6 in 2009

Auto industry rescue plan collapses (The Expositor, 21 Nov 2008, Page B12)

Well, if that decision sticks, it would certainly mean we are one step closer to the goal declared by www.I-am-Electric.com blog - replace big 3 with lots of small innovative companies, producing great cars!

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Auto industry rescue plan collapses
BY JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS
The Expositor
21 Nov 2008

The US$25-billion rescue plan for the auto industry, desperately sought by Detroit’s beleaguered Big Three, collapsed Thursday as the U. S. Congress drew the line at one more bailout and Democrats said they wouldn’t even consider it until the companies...read more...

Tech Tags: The Expositor newspaper BUSINESS

MILES Highway Speed for $40,000

Miles Electric Vehicles (CA, USA) plans to start selling Highway Speed in the Q1 of 2010:



Top Speed: 80 mph
Range: 100+ miles
Batteries: 320V; 30 kwh LiOn
Battery Life: 100,000+ miles

Plug in and drive home (The Dominion Post, 21 Nov 2008, Page A1)

This is an excellent and forward-looking initiative by the city!

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Plug in and drive home
DAVE BURGESS
The Dominion Post
21 Nov 2008

A NETWORK of electric-car recharging stations, and burying the city’s trolley bus wires, are being considered by Wellington City Council as it looks at ways to future-proof the city. Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast gained support from councillors...read more...

Tech Tags: The Dominion Post newspaper Front Page

Buffett invests in Chinese electric car (National Post, 01 Oct 2008, Page P18)

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Buffett invests in Chinese electric car
BY KEITH BRADSHER The New York Times
National Post
01 Oct 2008

HONG KONG • The investor Warren Buffett announced on Monday that he had agreed to buy a 9.89% stake in a Chinese battery manufacturer that plans to sell electric cars in the United States by 2010. Mi d A m e r ican En - ergy Holdings Co. will pay...read more...

Related:
Berkshire unit invests in Chinese battery maker
Buffett goes on buying spree as prices fall

Tech Tags: National Post newspaper Financial Post

Berkshire unit invests in Chinese battery maker (The Wall Street Journal Asia, 30 Sep 2008, Page 8)

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Berkshire unit invests in Chinese battery maker
By Jeffrey Ng BYD
The Wall Street Journal Asia
30 Sep 2008

HONG KONG—Shares of Chinese battery maker Co. surged 42% Monday after a unit of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. disclosed a $230 million investment. MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co., an energy services provider 87.4%-owned by Berkshire, will...read more...

Tech Tags: The Wall Street Journal Asia newspaper Corporate News

Hyundai Getz Electric for $35,000

Hyundai plans to become the first car maker to sell new electric cars in New Zealand (even before Mitsubishi MiEV).


Top Speed: 120 kmh
Acceleration (0-60 kmh): 7.5 sec
Range (electric only): 120 km
Recharging: 9 hours

Appearently New Zealand is very serious about promoting electric cars and Government's energy strategy plans for EVs to reach 5 per cent of market share by 2020 and 60 per cent by 2040.

Dodge EV, Jeep EV and Chrysler EV to Hit the Road in 2010

Chrysler's in-house organization ENVI (stands for "environmental") is developing technology to bring Electric Vehicles and extremely fuel-efficient Range-extended Electric Vehicles to market.


Chrysler EV:

Motor - 190 kW (255 horsepower)
Torque - 350 N/m (258 lb.-ft.)
Acceleration (0 to 60 mph) - 9 sec
Range (electric only) - 40 miles
Combined - 50 MPG (400 miles on 8 gallons of gasoline)

Release: first 100 vehicles are planned to be tested in 2009. Mass production is scheduled for late 2010.


Dodge EV:

Motor - 200 kW (268 horsepower)
Torque - 650 N/m (480 lb.-ft.)
Top Speed - 120 mph
Range (electric only) - 150 miles
Acceleration (0 to 50 mph) - 5 sec
Recharging (110V) - 8 hours



Jeep EV

Motor - 200 kW (268 hp)
Torque - 400 N/m (295 lbs.-ft.)
Acceleration (0 to 60 mph) - 9 sec
Top Speed - 90 mph
Range (electric only) - 40 miles
Combined Range - 400 miles

Interesting fact: Chrysler and General Electric are jointly pursuing a project with the United States Department of Energy to explore advanced "dual-battery solutions" (combination of fast charge/discharge and large capacity storage) - AG: probably ultracapacitors + LiOn.

Nanotechnology for Supercapacitors

Cover story in the journal Synthetic Metals (#158, 2008 - 638) offers tantalizing insights into a new, lightweight, reliable means of delivering power via the mighty supercapacitor.


Post-doctoral Researcher Jiyoung Oh and Research Scientist Mikhail “Mike” Kozlov at UT Dallas along with legendary nanotechnology pioneer Dr. Ray Baughman, developed a means to create supercapacitors using “paper” sheets of single-walled carbon nanotubes embedded with a special polymer called polypyrrole.

“Our electrode preparation procedure is an extension of conventional bucky-paper [a film made of 100 percent carbon nanotubes] fabrication technique for the multi-component system,” Oh said. “This procedure is easily scalable for device fabrication on an industrial scale.”

Imagine if the boxy, heavy car battery morphed into something light, strong, perhaps paper-thin and flexible that could be molded to fit elsewhere in the vehicle—even hidden in plain sight. Getting rid of the weight and bulk of batteries could prove especially helpful in hybrid car designs, which today rely on a suitcase-sized array of hefty, metal batteries.

Nissan Electric Vehicle

Finally, NISSAN demoed an electric vehicle that has reasonable looks:



I was hesitant to mention it, as there is no technical information, other then the weight of the LiOn battery (300 kg). No details about range or time to charge or even weather it will have a small gas generator to extend the driving range. Regarding acceleration Nissan said it is faster then a regular gas model. Funny way to talk about a car, isn't it?

BugE Electric Tryke for $5,000

Blue Sky Design (Oregon, USA) offers you to assemble your own electric tricycle (Single Passenger Cyclecar):



Max range: 30 miles at 30 mph
Max speed: 50 mph (80 km/h)
Horsepower: Cont/BHP: 3hp/17bhp
Efficiency: the cost of electricity to run a BugE is about 1 cent per mile

Courting a creative spark (Los Angeles Times, 24 Jun 2008, Page A12)

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Courting a creative spark
By Noam N. Levey and Ken Bensinger
Los Angeles Times
24 Jun 2008

Sen. John McCain added an unusual twist to his emerging energy agenda Monday, promising to award a $300-million prize to the inventor of a nextgeneration battery that could power electric vehicles. The prize amount is small relative to the billions of...read more...

Tech Tags: Los Angeles Times newspaper The Nation

Electric Scooters by Evader ($2500)

Evader Motor Sports (FL, USA) offers several couple electric scrooters with similar technical capabilities:

Rally:


EV1000:


Range: 43 miles (70 km)
Max Speed: 40 mph (50 km/h)
Recharging: 2-6 hours
Battery: 4x12v 45AH Sealed Lead Acid Gel
Motor: DC Brush 1,000 Watt - 48 Volt

SubiEVee from Eco Auto Inc for $40,000

Eco Auto Inc (MT, USA) offers an upgraded all-electric AWD 2008 Subaru Forester:



Range: 60-120 miles
Top speed: 75 mph
Motor: 105 HP / 184 Lb Ft torque
Battery: 312 Volt pack (sealed lead-acid AGM or Lithium Polymer)

Drivers finding electric cars a powerful lure (Calgary Herald, 06 Jun 2008, Page F8)

Looks like there is a business waiting for small car repair shops - converting cars to electric (or electric assisted) power. Canada currently invested $92 million into buying old cars from owners paying $2,000 per car - why not convert some of them to electric power? After all, if conversion costs $5000, maybe it is better then using $2,000 as a down payment for a new gas car?

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Drivers finding electric cars a powerful lure
RHIANNA WISNIEWSKI AND GERRY SMITH CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Calgary Herald
06 Jun 2008

It took about six months, but Joe Downing finally broke free from the pump. The Sugar Grove, Ill., man recently converted his 1996 Ford Escort to run on electricity, shrinking the estimated cost of his weekly commute from around $32 to about...read more...

Tech Tags: Calgary Herald newspaper Driving.

AFS Trinity's EV Upgrade Should Cost Only $8,600

Extreme Hybrid™ Drive Train by AFS Trinity Power Corp (WA, USA) uses ultracapacitors to preserve batteries during fast acceleration and breaking.



Eventually, though, if 100,000 of the cars are made, they should cost only $8,600 more than a regular automobile, Edward Furia said.



Top Speed: 87 mph
Electric-only Range: 40 miles
Hybrid Range: 400 miles
Acceleration: 11.5 sec all electric - 8.9 sec hybrid (0-60 mph)

Switching off your gas guzzler (Ottawa Citizen, 02 Jun 2008, Page B3)

There is certainly a place for small body shops to start offering these kind of conversions to motorists. BTW, if one is prepared to shed a little more money - it would be easy to extend the range for the car by using higher priced LiPo batteries.

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Switching off your gas guzzler

Ottawa Citizen
02 Jun 2008

With the price of a litre of gasoline inching toward $1.50, converting a vehicle from gasoline to electricity seems like an interesting project, and it can be done for $1,000. The Electric Vehicle Council of Ottawa (EVCO ) will offer a course in 2009...read more...

Tech Tags: Ottawa Citizen newspaper City

Nissan plans wide range of electric vehicles (The Kansas City Star, 30 May 2008, Page F2)

Nissan! Pleas add electric SUV to the list of electric cars in development ;-)

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Nissan plans wide range of electric vehicles
By LINDSAY CHAPPELL Automotive News
The Kansas City Star
30 May 2008

CASCAIS, Portugal — While many in the industry ponder whether electric cars are viable, Nissan Motor Co. CEO Carlos Ghosn is preparing to plunge into the market. Ghosn sees potential for 10 million global electric-car sales a year in cities such as...read more...

Tech Tags: The Kansas City Star newspaper AUTOMOTIVE

Sanyo, VW to develop batteries for hybrid cars (Bangkok Post, 29 May 2008, Page 20)

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Sanyo, VW to develop batteries for hybrid cars

Bangkok Post
29 May 2008

TOKYO: Sanyo and Germany’s Volkswagen AG have agreed to develop lithium-ion batteries for hybrid vehicles as global automakers race to develop environmentally friendly technology. The Japanese electronics maker Sanyo Electric Co said yesterday it...read more...

Tech Tags: Bangkok Post newspaper Business

Stronach urges big change for Big Auto (The Globe and Mail, 02 май 2008, Page B3)

I found that story particulary interesting, as Magna chairman announced active persue by Magna for the electric cars in Europe, Canada and US. I believe Magna can change a lot in the EV play. Read on:

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The car Magna is developing in Austria would store power in a lithium ion battery, which is similar to the technology General Motors Corp. is working on for its extended range electric vehicle, the Chevrolet Volt.

Magna’s co-chief executive officer Siegfried Wolf said the company is aiming to build a car that will run 120 kilometres before it needs recharging. That’s double GM’s current goal of 60 kilometres for the Volt.

“The demand would be so enormous,” Mr. Stronach added, saying that he hopes Magna will produce the cars at two assembly plants in Canada, two in the U.S. and others elsewhere.

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Stronach urges big change for Big Auto
BY GREG KEENAN AUTO INDUSTRY REPORTER, TORONTO
The Globe and Mail
02 май 2008

Frank Stronach has some advice for the Detroit Three auto makers: cut wages and build smaller factories. “Companies have to change, unions have to change, otherwise there won’t be an industry,” the founder and chairman of auto parts giant Magna...читать дальше...

Таги на блоге: The Globe and Mail newspaper Report On Business

‘Think City’ electric cars head to US (Bangkok Post, 23 Apr 2008, Page 23)

The most interesting quote: ‘‘The company is negotiating with US utility companies to set up fueling stations to charge the cars, following similar models in Europe’’...

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‘Think City’ electric cars head to US
ANUPREETA DAS
Bangkok Post
23 Apr 2008

SAN FRANCISCO: One of Silicon Valley’s most prominent venture capital firms unveiled plans on Monday to put as many as 50,000 electric cars on American roads beginning late next year. The announcement of a new joint venture by Kleiner Perkins Caufield...read more...

Related:
Electric car’s route full of potholes

Tech Tags: Bangkok Post newspaper Business

Fisker Karma EV for $80K

Fisker plans to begin production of Karma sedan by late 2009.

The Karma's Q DRIVE (developed by Quantum Technologies) configuration consists of a small gasoline engine that turns the generator, which charges the lithium ion battery pack, powering the electric motor and turning the rear wheels.



Acceleration: 0-100 km/h 6 seconds
Top speed: 200 km/h
Range: no information

The driver will be able to select between two modes of driving. The first mode is Stealth Drive, which is the quiet economy mode for optimal relaxed and efficient driving. By flipping the second paddle behind the steering wheel, the car will switch to Sport Drive, which will access the full power of the vehicle.



Fisker’s chief asset is founder Henrik Fisker, a former designer at Aston Martin and BMW. His experience could be crucial because the company intends to create the Karma from scratch, rather than installing an electric drive train in an existing vehicle. Fisker has raised $20 million.

Mitsubishi iMiEV for $30K

Mitsubishi plans to produce over 2,000 iMiEV in 2009. Tetsuro Aikawa (Managing Director, Product Development) says the car will cost between $27,000 and $33,000 in Japan.



Range: 130 km
Recharging: quick-charge - 30 minutes; household outlet - 14 hours
Battery: lithium-ion by GS Yuasa

Renault, Nissan join on electric cars (The Detroit News, 28 Mar 2008, Page 4C)

And here is the car that is designed to work with 500,000 parking/electric charging stations in Denmark:

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Renault, Nissan join on electric cars
By Christine Tierney
The Detroit News
28 Mar 2008

French automaker Renault SA will produce electric cars powered by Nissan Motor Co. batteries for customers in Denmark as part of a public- and private-sector project to encourage widespread use of the emission-free vehicles. Renault’s announcement... read more...

Related:
Danish utility goes green

Tech Tags: The Detroit News newspaper Metro & State Business