MiniCooper lithium 65k hybrid on Sams cover

A fun set of wheels for the ** Cashed up Greenies ** trend setters.

Click on the Photo once and get a full sized view.=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.

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

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

EVs Hybrid Electric Vehicles and the Grid

[Photo Credit = Autoblog.com photo gallery]

Tony...just what is being used to produce all that electricity to recharge these wonderful electric cars? The Good Fairy?
Posted by: Justthinkin at April 25, 2007 6:08 AM

We'll need nuclear power for the extra electricity.
Posted by: Belisarius at April 25, 2007 10:12 AM

[ Discussion from SmallDeadAnimals blogsite ]

Justthinkin and Belisarius,

Too easy.

There is overnight recharge capacity in the grid for 180,000,000 electric vehicles without stress to the grid.

Air conditioners are far more demanding. That*s why there are brown outs in a heat wave.
Air conditioners are becoming much more energy efficient, much as the new refrigerators are.

Some hybrids like the new Ford Escape may not require plug-in at all. The battery pack is kept up through braking and downhill, or coasting.

The solar panel auto roof will be practical soon. Plug-in demand will become minimal or not required at all.

Just think. You go to work or the beach and your EV battery reserve is down to 25%. When its time to go home, the solar roof has you back up to 75%. Ain*t tech great?= TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at April 25, 2007 12:49 PM

Prius Escape Accord Hylander Civic Camry Hybrid

[Credit = Autoblog.com photo gallery]


This is the first diagram you see when you go to GreenHybrid.com

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

Escape, Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid winners

[Credit = Autoblog.com photo gallery]

The 2007 Escape Hybrid in front-wheel drive form is the most fuel-efficient SUV on the market. As such, it is one of just three current model-year vehicles to qualify for the federal government's maximum $2,000 EcoAuto incentive.

Toyota's Prius and Honda's Civic hybrid also qualify.

The 2008 Escape Hybrid is even more fuel-frugal.

That improvement should qualify the new 4WD model for the full $2,000 rebate as well. Its 2007 counterpart is eligible for a $1,500 incentive.

Those incentives should help offset the price of the Escape Hyrbid, which is listed as $31,499 for the FWD version and $33,899 for the 4WD version.

For those who may worry about the longevity of such relatively new technology, the Hybrid's CVT, battery pack, and electronic power controller are covered by a special eight-year, 160,000 km warranty. More at TheStar.com = 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

Toyota NiMH Nickel Metal Hydride Battery

Newly developed modular metal casing for compact packaging and improved cooling
The Ni-MH battery used in Highlander Hybrid is packaged in the newly developed metal battery casing.

Although it is only 0.014? (240 cells) in volume, it can deliver high voltage of 288 V. The improved cooling performance reduces loss of efficiency due to heat generation, ensuring that the battery can supply required electric power to the motors at all times.

The battery Monitoring Unit manages discharge and recharging by the generator and motors to keep the charge level constant while the car is running.

Toyota Prius Toyota Highlander and more . . . .

Gas engine vs Electric Motor or EV [vehicle]

Gas engines lose efficiency at every junction from drilling crude, pumping, refining, storage, tanker loading, transport, unloading , pumping at retail sales points and it burns at about 22% energy efficiency. [Ethanol has much lower efficieny and costs more, but does help displace some barrels of crude imports.]

Not so with electric engines:

[ Hydro power is derived from gravity pull of water through a turbine spinning a generator and fed directly by wire to your wall plug. Battery charging normally occurs from 1 to 6 am during off peak demand.]

When the power gets flipped on, the engine goes. Delivery of power to the engine is not as big of an issue. Most electrics also only have two gears, forward and reverse, so drivers don't get stumped by a mis-shift. Additionally, very little of the energy gets lost.

Mr. Wright, engineer of the X1-EV said . .
*Of the energy you take out of the wall, almost all of it ends up on the road,* he said. *They are so close to nearly perfect that there is no point in inventing anything else.*

This is the link


Electricity is also comparatively cheap. The X1 consumes about 220 watt-hours per mile in city driving. That's the equivalent of 170 miles per gallon: The vehicle's vanity license plate reads 170 MPGE.[+-42 MPl.]

It can be charged from a 110-volt wall socket and will be compatible with the faster chargers Tesla will bring to market.

The problem is the batteries, which effectively serve as the gas tank on an electric car. The 538-pound battery in the X1 can hold about the same amount of energy as three liters of gas.
As a result, electric cars can only travel so far without recharging. The EV1 from General Motors could only go 130 miles before it needed a recharge, and it needed a special charger. [ All drivers LOVED their EV-1s in spite of the short range. =TG]

The all-electric Xebra from ZAP doesn't go on the freeway. The Tesla Roadster, an electric sports car coming from Tesla Motors, can go 200 miles before its 6,831-cell lithium ion battery peters out.
The X1 can go around 100 miles under regular conditions and might only go 25 miles in racing conditions before it needs a recharge.

*Batteries are also intrinsically expensive things,* Wright said. *There's a lot of R&D involved.*

The *Better Battery* could come from Chevron , as they hold the patents [from Ovonics], for the *Large Format NiMH battery*. But, I suspect Chevron bought the rights in order to keep the efficient battery from cutting into fuel sales.

Rumours mention that the secretive German based firm, Eestor is onto a *Super Battery*. Question is; will the designer of the better new battery sell the rights to Exxon or Chevron for quick profits, or will they actually go into production? = TG

GM volt EV plug-in

General Motors will roll out its new Chevrolet Volt Concept later today. The sedan is powered by GM’s new E-flex hybrid system. The plug-in four-seater has a brace of lithium-ion cells that can be fully charged in six hours using a standard 110-volt outlet, giving the Volt a range of 40 city miles.

When the batteries are depleted, it then employs its turbocharged, 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine to replenish the cells, theoretically giving the Volt up to 150 miles-per-gallon. According to GM’s car czar Bob Lutz, “More than half of all Americans live within 20 miles of where they work (40 miles round trip). In that case, you might never burn a drop of gas during the life of the car.” Like seemingly every new GM car these days, the Volt’s tri-banger is also amiable to running on E85, giving it even greater credibility among the environmentalists.

http://news.windingroad.com/concept-cars/naias-gm-rolling-out
-volt-plug-in-hybrid-concept-today/

Winding Road Mag

=== Winding Road Magazine = TG