BP Oil Spill Sad but a Boost to EVs

The BP oil spill is a major blow to the rich wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico and a true disaster. The only possible bright side to this is that it will be a boost for Electric Vehicles and other energy sources like bloomboxes and fuel cells.

Technorati Token... 7YUWFBM5ZXH4

Big firms like Fedex, Google, Walmart  Ebay are already using Bloomboxes on their property. They don't have to worry about downed power lines any more.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6228923n

A recent investor's news letter sees this power trend coming. Here is a little copy from their newsletter.....

[Qute]

The "Smart Grid" is NOT the BIG Story.
To see how much energy pundits don’t know, just watch how many times they bring up the "smart grid," or the "energy internet."

That’s all the pundits talk about, because that’s all the power companies want you to know about.
Their futures depend on our 100-year old system of centralized power.
A switch to localized power generation would destroy them, and even they know it!

In fact, asked confidentially about their prospects, one in seven utility industry professionals expect their industry to disappear by 2050.
It’s no wonder they feel that way.

In the next 20 years alone the world will need about 75% more electricity. In the next 50 years we’ll need 350% more.
NENE's motion power technology could help solve that problem.
Our electric grid is already maxed out and ready to fail at any minute.

Duke Energy, PG&E, SoCalEd and all the other power industry companies are heavily invested in those huge and crumbling power plants and their 10,000 miles of transmission lines.

And making the grid "smart" is just a band-aid.
They’re not about to make room for new technologies like New Energy Technologies.
[/Quote]

We can all look forward to local power and most importantly, no downed power lines. In fact no power lines at all!

UK Reva Electric Car co. [G-Wiz] Award Winner

**LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 2008 Frost & Sullivan European Automotive Powertrain Company of the Year Award is presented to Reva Electric Car Company (RECC) for demonstrating excellence in sales volumes, superior market penetration and high levels of customer satisfaction within the electric vehicle (EV) industry. In 2007, on average one REVA electric car was sold per day in the United Kingdom.

RECC is the world's best selling developer and manufacturer of electric cars and a pioneer of EV technologies. It is the first company to break through the price-performance barrier with an EV, the first to successfully commercialise EVs and, the first to volume sell EVs with AC motor drives.

**Technology leadership has enabled RECC to break the price-performance barrier and consistently develop and commercialise new mobility solutions,** notes Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Anjan Hemanth Kumar. **In 2007, RECC achieved milestones in terms of battery and electric motor technology.**

Research and development on lithium ion batteries reached new heights when RECC successfully tested and evaluated lithium ion batteries for the REVA quadricycle. The newly developed lithium ion batteries provide a driving range of more than 140 kilometers compared to 60-80 km from the existing lead acid battery pack.

http://tinyurl.com/5nghy6
======================== AutoblogGreen.com
= TG

Canada US Dollar inflation loss closing fast?

Meet Honda *Insight*. THE top efficiency car you can*t find or buy used.

Another twist to our dubious affair with gasoline. . .

Mexican crude oil supplies to U.S. to be cut back by 184,000 bpd

** Pemex PMI Comercio Internacional, has some bad news for U.S. oil consumers. Mexico will be sending America less oil this year - to the tune of 184,000 barrels per day. The cuts will continue for at least the next two years because production of crude in Mexico has been falling. **

http://tinyurl.com/5uk4ky
======================== [interesting comments]

As fuel costs rise, so too do foods and everything else. Time for an Electric Car, EV, and a back garden.
= TG

Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association [Debunked]

[ [This modern Paris Taxi runs on compressed air = clean! ]

Debunking Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Assn. 4/5 propaganda ad ; Page A7 National Post October 30th 2007

*We Have a Plan to Do More*
*New Technologies. We*ve introduced 70 new green technologies since 2005.

[Nice claim, but no list or examples.]


*Better fuels. We need more choice in renewable bio-fuels.

[Sure, anything to keep Internal combustion engines on the highways, practicality be dammed.]
[Only two (2) multi-mix E85 bio-fuel stations in Canada, so far.]

*Getting old polluting vehicles off the road. Government programs need to be expanded to replace older vehicles sooner.

[ A ploy to sell more cars by Government law. No mention that there are quick cures for engines that burn oil. Longer service of properly serviced oil burning vehicles is better for the ecology than scrapping and buying new.]

* Government leadership. Governments can continue to lead by purchasing new green technology vehicles for fleets.

[ Or Governments can lead buy converting hybrid fleet vehicles to (PEVs), Plug-in electric vehicles.] [No need to burn fossil fuels at all in daily service work.]

* Changes in driving behaviour. We must work together to help drivers reduce emissions. We can all make a difference.

[ Nonsense! Driving behaviour is a fixed value, is never likely to change and the CVMA knows it!

* Starting in 2011, we will be working toward more strigent efficiency standards with available most advanced technologies.[ Gonna play golf until 2011? Hogwash!]

Let me simplify the obvious cure for the Cdn. Vehicle Manufacturers Assn. Simply supply the 1993 EV-1 (Electric Vehicle) technology that was withdrawn and crushed in a secure GM compound in Arizona and then watch the poison smog that envelopes all cities vanish. Not to mention the freedom from paying a fortune to pump volatile gasoline for the excessive profits of Exxon, Chevron and the general club of oily carpetbaggers.]

The Propaganda on page A7 National Post speaks loudest by omission. There is not a mention of EV or PEV or battery. [Electric vehicle - Plug-in Electric vehicle.]

Understandable; The sale of electric vehicles with one motor moving part, ( the motor armature ), is not profit laden when compared to all the moving parts and attached systems for the old oil burning or bio-fuel motor.

Exxon, of Valdez oil spill fame, were court ordered to pay a penalty of 4 Billion$. Exxon appealed and had that reduced by half to two Billion$. Exxon is appealing the 2 Billion$ penalty for a reduction to zero$. Exxon is the worlds largest and most profitable corporation with profits in the Billion$. You would think they would pay some penalty just for political public relations reasons.

The CVMA begins with saying * We have a plan to do more* but notice that most points following seem to suggest that Government and the public must do more.

This post is meant to be constructive, CVMA. Back to the drawing board, and this time show us how YOU plan to do more!= TG

Phoenix EV SUT Best Electric Vehicle so far ?

These are the two most promising EVs, unless you can suggest a better candidate. To me the EV SUT [ sport utility vehicle ], is the most ideal so far. I am aware of the $90K Tesla Roadster, but we are speaking practical choice for the moment.

The Phoenix SUT goes for about $45K, yet what other Useful EV can you suggest that is available today? If you come up with a winner, I*ll post the description and photo here. = TG

EV battery pack conversion complex? Yes and No

Check this simple diagram and ask yourself, ** Can I do this? **

http://www.docdockdocuments.com/conversion/Conversion51.htm

http://www.docdockdocuments.com/conversion/ConversionIndex.htm

http://www.driveev.com/jeepev/photos/pgallery20.php

The basic simplicity of the Electric Vehicle can make one wonder at the needless complexity and inflated prices * Big Auto * likes us to believe are warranted for simple transportation.

This is an excellent EV conversion project by Nick = http://DriveEV.com

http://www.docdockdocuments.com/conversion/ConversionIndex.htm


The converter :
Even the 400v to 12v DC to DC converter need not be connected to the drive current supply.

For accessory lights and battery charging. I would prefer an independent charger system because the converter needs to throw off a lot of wasted heat.

The function of the main breaker is the obvious safety device. Not so obvious is the inertia breaker in case of a collision accident. One more safety feature is the dash mount pull to open the main breaker via mechanical cable tripping.

Batteries
10 deep-cycle gellCell batteries = 120Vdc @ $120 each = $1200
[ Heavy, should do until light, Hi-density batteries are reasonable in price. ]


400 Amp DC motor
Used DC9 400 amp DC motor Model FB-1 - 4001A = $
[Surplus auction or used military airfield supply]


Controller
These are the main elements to consider before getting started. You can get full conversion kits and they generally start at $9K , [ without batteries], so if you go this route it will be a month or two before you break even on gas savings.

Ken, gets his conversion supplies from Canadian Electric Vehicles Ltd Errington B.C. here on Vancouver Island just inland from Parksvill up from Nanaimo.


http://www.canev.com/

http://www.docdockdocuments.com/conversion/ConversionIndex.htm

http://www.driveev.com/jeepev/photos/pgallery.php

Temptation, . . . Eh? = TG

Phoenix battery EV SUV

. . . . [Owe them plenty . . Visit; AutoBlogGreen.com = Just the Best!]
Last week at their annual shareholders meeting battery developer Altairnano Technologies showed off the SUV version of the Phoenix Motor Cars truck. The fully enclosed version of the vehicle was available for meeting attendees to drive and most came away fairly impressed. In the Reno Gazette-Journal article, Phoenix's Bryon Bliss acknowledges that the vehicle itself is made by an Korean company he won't name.

For the record the Phoenix SUV is a Ssangyong Actyon. Ssangyong has been best known in markets where they sell for what can charitably be described as quirky styling. Fortunately the Actyon is among the most normal looking of their lineup. As for the battery powered variants from Phoenix there is really nothing new to report.

As for Altairnano, one of the main stumbling blocks that is probably preventing big carmakers from adopting their batteries is the issue of producing the batteries in large quantities at an affordable price. General Motors in particular is trying to create a vehicle based on the Volt by 2010 at 100,000+ unit volumes for a price of around $30,000 or less. At this point, that may not be possible with the Altairnano battery.

Prius Hybrid 52 MPG battery assist

Prices for a good used Prius are quite reasonable. Using one of the auto shopping finder service sites, you can use 98401 for a zip code and see what is selling from 11K to 22K in the WA area not too far south of Vancouver. BC.

Ideally, Evs like the Phoenix SUT [ Sport Utility Truck ], [Scroll down a few], are perfect since they allow you to remain mobile even when gas at the pumps is reserved, during a crisis, for police and emergency only.

A newer used Prius is an excellent interim choice. The money you save on gas can go toward a new EV, [ Electric Vehicle ] when they are easier to get.

Balkan Vehicle by Armet. . Weak?

This is a real shell of safety, yet it could be made more secure if you think about it*s weak points.

[1] Blocking the exhaust = failure

[2] Intake air [ oxygen], substitute inert gas = failure

[3] Damage to cooling radiator = failure

[4] No gas or diesel = failure

There are more, but the point is BatteryPack operation avoids all these security weaknesses.

An on board biofuel 3 cyl 4 stroke genplant can extend the range anytime. . . . . Here are two Gurkhas by Armet.

Battery powered EV enriches Pizza Guy

Domino's Pizza (The Official Pizza of NASCAR, btw) delivers piles of pizzas every day and probably burns several gallons of fuel, or at least pays their drivers to burn it. So going electric probably sounds pretty good to both the bean counters and the environmentalists.

We usually give a good size tip to the Pizza Guy. How much can he be making,.. right?
Well think again. If his vehicle never stops at the gas pump, he makes a decent income.

Further more, if he has shares in his EV maker*s company or in the AltairNanosafe Battery firm, then the Pizza Guy is likely to buy the apartment building he delivers to eventually.
Battery powered EVs do save you from financial abuse at the pumps.

Photo Credit & some copy = Thanks to AutoblogGreen.com
[Visit this Website!]

EV Battery Charge Range Compared

Remember, that while 250 miles can seem limited at first glance, every last owner of the 135 mile range EV1 loved their EV and would have bought it from GM if GM had allowed sales instead of reclaiming them all back off lease.

EV - Altairnano lithium titinate battery talk

This is the new Phoenix SUT, [Sport Utility Truck], using the quick-charge AltairNanoSafe battery pack.


Charging forward in Exponential times with the latest battery talk . .

Between AltairNanosafe battery and AutoBlogGreen

AG: we have developed a new class of electrode materials that are used in lithium ion batteries. And it's analogous to what was done with the nickel-based batteries 20 or so years ago when metal hydride electrode materials replaced cadmium in nickel cadmium batteries to produce what's called nickel metal hydride batteries. And we're doing something similar with our nano structure ceramic materials where we produce a lithium titanate material that's used to replace graphite that's conventionally used in conventional lithium ion batteries and as a result we have a new class of batteries that we call nanotitanate to reflect the new electrode material.

Now, these batteries have almost unbelievable performance in that they can be recharged very rapidly. Depending upon the power supply, we can recharge these batteries in less than a minute.

In large format that would power, say, a full sized all electric vehicle that carries five adults. Those battery packs can be recharged in less than ten minutes.



These are not souped-up golf carts. These vehicles can break loose the tires from a standing start, accelerate to speeds in excess of 100 miles an hour, even though that's higher than the speed limits of American roads.

The batteries have tremendous life, estimated to be in the range of 12 to 15 years, or about the design life of the vehicle. And importantly, these batteries can operate at minus 50 Centigrade to plus 75 Centigrade, or 165 Fahrenheit. It's unusual battery technology and the technology's been validated by third parties.

AG: We have been talking with Zap and Lotus and yes, Zap has, aspirations to use the Altair technology in their vehicle. And we're in discussion around the commercial terms of that agreement. Just a comment if I may, Sam. I'm not aware of anyone who has battery technology similar to Altairnano's NanoSafe battery performance.

ABG: Right. That's why I asked the question the way I did. Essentially your company are the only ones that would fit into the description of what Zap has given for what they expect their vehicle to do.

AG: Well, I'm sure that Steven is, Steven Schneider, the CEO of Zap, he's been quite interested in the Altairnano technology for some time. we've had extensive discussions with Steven and his team and I think he's quite excited about the Altair nanotechnology and what it can do for the Zap vehicle.

ABG: Well, it's definitely very exciting technology, and I'm looking forward to actually seeing it in, in real vehicles in the real world. speaking of which, are you also, working with any other car makers besides Phoenix and potentially Zap, at this point?

AG: Yes, we are. We have several programs, the one that we've talked the most about is our program with Alcoa where we're working on a joint program to provide hybrid electric battery packs that would be used in medium duty hybrid electric trucks.


These are parcel delivery trucks and route trucks. We do have some other programs with other automotive OEMs and truck manufacturers, but we've not really disclose those yet, but we'll be saying something about that the second quarter of 2007.
================ AutoBlogGreen.com
=TG

Tesla EV auto Stores coming

Since initial sales volumes will be relatively low, and very little maintenance is required with an electric car, they won't need as many stores at first.

Initially there will be five customer centers opening up in 2007 in the strongest markets for the Roadster. After that, more will be added over the next two years in preparation for the launch of WhiteStar.

Tesla Marketing VP Darryl Siry confirmed that they have selected a location in Los Angeles and are scouting locations in the Bay Area, Chicago and New York. The Miami area is another likely launch location for the Roadster, since it's a natural market for sports cars. After launching the Roadster, they will move into other secondary markets like Seattle, Boston and Atlanta.
============= Borrowed under kindness and tolerance of: AutoBlogGreen.com
= TG

Hybrid vehicle, Battery plug-in [EV] or Bio-fuel car?

Hybrid vehicle, Battery plug-in [EV] or Corn gas car?

With an EV, you will be able to drive scott-free for a limited time. Governments are devising ways to extract road taxes from highways users who do not buy gas or diesel. The following 10 comments debate should quickly bring you up to speed and help you decide what to drive.

I foresee a time when EV owners may be required to drive through a kiosk and pay a mileage tax in order to support highways the way fossil car owners do.

Do not miss your gas tax holiday. Try to enjoy that EV or even a compromise hybrid soon. The following may help you choose your next ride.

This exchange from the comments at: Autobloggreen.com [ A Great Blogsite BTW ]

(Page 1)
1. Corn...does a car good. I wish all cars would go green.
Posted at 11:58PM on Apr 27th 2007 by Steve Shickles



2. Well,
now that the public understands the difference between corn and cellulosic ethanol, it's time to complicate it again. There's two forms of cellulosic ethanol: 1)Enzyme, which you just mentioned and 2) Gasification, such as what the DOE just funded and you covered.

Gasification involves burning the biomass in the absence of oxygen, and taking the resulting "syngas" and converting it into liquid through the Fischer Tropsch process. Gasification will produce much more ethanol because it is more flexible. MIT claims they can convert Municipal Solid Waste into ethanolwith that process for $.10-.95/gallon. They further state that there is enough MSW to replace 25% of the gasoline we consume today. This is the technology that will truly take ethanol to the nest level.


http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/18084/

http://www.energy.gov/news/4827.htm
Posted at 8:44AM on Apr 28th 2007 by Rick

3. Once an EV battery pack is made, it requires only charging for its 10 year life, or 12 year life. [ AltairNano Ca.]

Biofuel, on the other hand requires ...

Land and cultivation
Labour for processing
BTUs for processing
Trucking of crop
Trucking of waste
Trucking of finished fuel product
Blending and pumping of product
All this on a daily basis

Not to mention the required ICEngine and all the cooling, ignition and exhaust systems that requires.

Biofuels must be a short term stop gap measure. = TG
Posted at 12:31PM on Apr 28th 2007 by TG

4. Corn derived biofuels are vastly more expensive than we may realize.

How practical is a fuel source that creates dietary and financial hardship for millions of Mexicans and South Americans who rely on the corn tortilla staple food?

What is the true price of corn based fuel when it pushes up the price of beef and hogs?

Fools rush in.. eh? = TG

Posted at 12:58PM on Apr 28th 2007 by TG



5. TG,
2 points.

I agree with your assessment of Altair. I am a stockholder and major advocat. And the nanosafe could displace 80% of the gasoline mileage today. I hope a major battery manufacturer buys them out soon, for, maybe $10/share. ;-) But there will be a need for ethanol for years because of heavy transport, trucks, etc even if all cars become electric only.

However, the jobs, labor, land, etc that you talk about for biofuels as a negative is actually a positive. Up until now, it has been impossible for small farms to compete with commercial farms in the production of food crops. Now, with prices at this level, farmers all over the world are back tilling the soil and growing much more food than they consume and the rest will be sold for fuel. Net effect? Jobs, jobs, and more jobs in countries all around the world for farms and all the products in that commercial chain such as tractors, fertilizer, etc, etc.

This is only the first crop year since prices have gone up. The Agriculture Dept released crop figures in late March and 16% more cropland went for corn than last year. Even more, the "setaside acreage", the land the govt has been paying farmers not to produce, is going back into production now, slowly. There were something like 30 million of those acreas last year. Fewer subsidies, more crops, more money flowing in the economy, everybody benefits.

Trust the free market system a little more. The laws of supply and demand really do work. We are just spoiled by cheap energy and food prices. In fact, the corn crop i mentioned, which was up 16%, only takes us back up to WWII levels of production. The gov't has been trying to slow down production of crops for decades because they were driving prices through the floor with excess production. Farmers are revving up and it is very good for the economy. Worldwide.

Do you really believe all those people in S America are going to starve when all they have to do is plant some corn, eat well and sell the excess for some extra jingle?
Posted at 3:57PM on Apr 28th 2007 by Rick



6. TG,
Go back to my original post and factor in 1)the MIT MSW-to-ethanol scenario along with the 2)AltairNanoSafe battery(or any other battery that will get the consumer 60miles/day of gasoline free driving) and:

1)The MIT proposal displaces 25% of gasoline consumed today with ethanol from garbage.

2) Since 80% of all drivers go less than 60 miles/day, the Nanosafe(or any other equal battery) would eliminate a corresponding amount of gasoline consumed.

If this country set out to implement ONLY THESE TWO EFFORTS, you could make a case for an American economy that eliminates the purchase of all offshore oil. And since we import about 20m bbls/day, that is a $1.2Billion/day impact on this economy!

The terrorists have a window of only about 5-7 years to disrupt our economy by taking out Saudi Arabian oil or other significant sources.

Now, we only replace about 6% of all automobiles each year so my outlook is optomistic, admittedly, but i believe it is an accurate prescription of what COULD BE DONE, it we set about it.

Posted at 4:59PM on Apr 28th 2007 by Rick

7. Rick,

There are always two sides to every debate and you filled out the picture in excellent form.

There are conditions in flux having to do with agra-corporations, and manipulative wholesalers, where some of the good things you outline may fade somewhat.

In any case the people in the stands here will make their own conclusions shaded by our input.
Posted at 6:15PM on Apr 28th 2007 by TG



8. Our underlying motives are the same.

To make North America able to function without the need for very much ME oil.

To devalue oil to a more realistic level and deprive Acmahdinejad of the means to build a nuclear reserve. [ The Russians are annoyed with his *Slow pay* policy now]

To enable the good people of Iran to take back their country from extremest Islamofascists. [ unemployment is high - economy is rough.]

=========== That part so we live a bit longer.

To free ourselves from the gas pump and it*s uncertainties.

To free ourselves from the old fashioned ICEngine and all the attached energy wasting systems.
[No anti-freeze. Fewer animals will die.]

To free ourselves from the stench of gasoline, the exhaust poisons and the volatile risk.

To breath cleaner air. [ Clean coal tech for gen plants in China, India, Asia and North America would do vastly more, however.]

Full steam.. er. NanoSafe batteries ahead. I can*t wait. = TG
Posted at 6:23PM on Apr 28th 2007 by TG

9. #3
TG, you fail to mention that to charge the EV battery pack someone needs to mine coal, uranium or drill for natural gas. Also, recall that coal and nuclear power plants are far less efficient than combined cycle plants fueled by natural gas. Natural gas which is in short supply in North America.

While a handful of persons may charge an EV with solar power, that is far from economically viable or practical in large numbers. I think it will be far easier to have biofuels meet most of our transportation needs than to generate trillions of kWh from renewable sources.

#4
Ethanol production from yellow field corn does not impact tortilla production from white corn. This myth has been discussed extensively.
Posted at 12:27AM on Apr 29th 2007 by Jimmy

10. Even though some grid power is provided by coal plant generation, it is far more efficient to tap the grid rather than have millions of power plants scooting about on four wheels.

There is capacity in the NA grid to support the overnight charging of 180 million EVs without stressing the system.

Air conditioners are far more demanding. That*s why there can be brown-outs during a heat wave.


Posted at 2:49AM on Apr 29th 2007 by TG

Electric Zap EV plug-ins 8,000 and 10,000

Fwance not completely hopeless.
10,000 EVs for postal service. When Iran pulls the next stunt in straits of Hormuz and there*s no gas. You still get your mail.

How many electric vehicles does $79 million buy? If you're buying from Zap! (maker of the Xebra, the car above, but solid black), it's probably around 8,000.

Zap! isn't saying how many vehicles exactly are involved in the massive deal they announced yesterday, but suffice it to say it's pretty big news.

Just as big - or perhaps a bit bigger - was the announcement of 10,000 EVs that will soon join the French postal service fleet. The electric car revolution is coming.
===== Autoblog.com

And just in time too! = TG

75 Phoenix EV SUTs battery electric selling well

See? We told you Phoenix had a good thing with it's all-electric SUT. Phoenix says it's taken orders from several utility companies and municipalities for 75 of its battery-powered sport utility trucks. The Ontario-based company doesn't mention any buyers by name, though.

Phoenix has only to sell 425 more SUTs before December to reach its goal. Their next trick? A full-sized SUV capable of carrying seven passengers on not one drop of gas.

[Source: EV World]
Autoblog.com

Phoenix Motorcars Takes First Fleet Pre-sales Orders
for its All-Electric, Sports Utility Truck

Company on Track to Sell 500 Zero-Emission Vehicles in 2007

ONTARIO, Calif. - January 12, 2007 - Phoenix Motorcars has announced the receipt of 75 fleet orders from
several municipalities and an utility company for its new zero-emission, all-electric, freeway-ready sports utility truck. The company, which is on target to manufacture and sell 500 fleet-ready vehicles by year's end, will produce 16 pilot-build vehicles next month.

The company also confirmed that in consideration for a three-year exclusivity agreement within the U.S., Altair Nanotechnologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTI), a leading supplier of nanomaterials and high-power battery systems technology, received a 16.6 percent ownership in the company. The three-year exclusivity agreement provides Phoenix with limited, exclusive use of Altairnano's NanoSafe™ battery packs in four-wheel, all-electric vehicles having a gross weight up to 6,000 pounds. Phoenix must meet minimum battery pack purchases, annually, to maintain the limited exclusivity agreement.

The minimum commitment to maintain exclusivity for 2007 would provide $16 Million in battery pack sales to Altairnano.
The Phoenix Motorcars sport utility truck can cruise on the freeway at up to 95 m.p.h. while carrying five passengers and a full payload, a capability that has caught the attention of fleet dealers, consumers, Hollywood and the media.

It exceeds all specifications for a Type III ZEV and has a driving range of 130 miles. Its battery can be recharged in less than 10 minutes and has a life-span of 12 years or more.
================== PhoenixMotorcars and AutoBlog.com

This is too much. Pass me a chair, I gotta sit down. = TG

GM and lithium-ion battery begging

[Credit = Autoblog.com photo gallery]

By NORIHIKO SHIROUZU
April 13, 2007; Page B1

Wall Street Journal

General Motors Corp. executives -- blue over their company's less-than-green reputation and envious of eco-darling Toyota Prius -- began searching the world for advanced batteries they hoped would power a new generation of gas-electric hybrid cars.

Most roads led them to Japan, the leader in battery technology and #HYPERLINK *http://online.wsj.com/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=tm*

WSJournal

Toyota Motor Corp.'s home turf. Several GM engineers and executives describe their experience at Panasonic EV Energy Co. Ltd., one of the top makers of hybrid-car batteries, as typical of the reception they received there: When GM team members asked for detailed information about the company's most sophisticated automotive lithium-ion batteries, Panasonic EV refused.

A Panasonic EV spokesman says that as a matter of company policy it only discloses that kind of information to its parent company, Toyota.

Facing growing pressure to curtail greenhouse-gas emissions, U.S. auto makers are increasingly worried that the critical battery technology they'll need to compete is getting locked up by Japanese rivals who moved more quickly to develop gas-electric hybrid vehicles.

*It's important to have the knowledge base on advanced automotive battery technology and manufacturing capacity right here locally in the U.S.* says Beth Lowery, GM vice president of Environment and Energy.
======== Wall Street Journal

Guess crunching the EV-1 in 1993-95 was not too smart.
Now GM is worried about Toyota killing off the new GM Volt with an EV that will go twice as far for less money. = TG

Zap-X Dream Car

An advanced battery system will enable the car to travel a range up to 350 miles between charges, with a rapid charge technology that can recharge the batteries in as little as 10 minutes.

The drive system alone is enough to excite driving fanatics, featuring an innovative all-wheel drive option with revolutionary electric motors inside each of the wheels, potentially delivering 644 horsepower and speeds up to 155mph.

ZAP and Lotus are utilizing the award-winning APX lightweight aluminum architecture design to achieve unprecedented levels of performance and utility for electric cars.
= = = = = = = = = = =

OK, this is not the bargain basement model. They do have other models at..
ZapWorld.com

= TG

Al Gore warming guilt

Looking at the picture and AlGoreWarm*s oratory, we hear his sermon. . .

Suspect ye not the GM of auto who were shocked that their rudimentary electic car of 1993, the EV1, was a wild and addictive public success. Indicating the death of the ICE engine. So much so, that they gathered every last one and crushed them in a secure GM compound.

Suspect ye not the Chevron / Esso / Texaco of oil who gained control of patents for the large format NiMH battery. The ideaL BATTERY FOR AUTO-MOTION. For nay, they have no wish to keep us dependent upon products of their 8 to 12 Billion$ refineries and distribution networks.

Suspect ye not the governments who, [at the moment], have no idea how to bring in tractor trailer loads of money on the 8 to 16 cents of charge demanded by EVs that can plug in anywhere anytime.

No, ye sinners. Look within thyne own black souls, guilty of tossing tetra-packs and disposable razors with no sense of guilt.= TG
Graphics H/T SmallDeadAnimals.com

GM and Cobasys sign Battery Contract

Cobasys Confirms Production Contract for 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Sedan

Orion, MI, March 13, 2007–Cobasys, a leading supplier of advanced integrated energy storage solutions, today confirmed that they have been chosen to provide their NiMHax® Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery system for General Motors’ redesigned 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Sedan unveiled at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The Chevrolet Malibu arrives in showrooms in fall, 2007 and will feature the same hybrid system that powers the Saturn Vue Green Line SUV and 2007 Saturn Aura Green Line mid-size sedan. The Malibu hybrid combines sophisticated controls and a unique electric motor / generator mated to their 2.4L Ecotec four-cylinder engine and the Cobasys NiMHax®battery system, leading to substantial fuel economy gains.

Coabasys website