Electric Vehicle - Other means to achieve cheaper EVs

Currently the price for an electric vehicle is currently rather high, mostly because the batteries are still quite expensive. A lot of effort is put into improving the batteries and make them cheaper, but NREL is also investigating another way to reduce the costs: give the battery a second life.

The idea is not new, it has been the source of many online discussions already, but NREL is going to take a serious look into the matter and investigate the options more closely. It does make a lot of sense, a battery which can only hold 80% of its original charge for example, is not an attractive option in a vehicle (also given the current ranges), but such batteries could be ideal buffers next to an array of solar panels on your house!

Repurposed Batteries Offer Benefits for EV Owners
http://www.greenchipstocks.com/articles/electric-car-batteries-get-a-second-life/1304

One advantage to utilizing these repurposed batteries is they could actually bring down the cost for electric vehicle owners. “We want to prove the battery has value, ultimately lowering the cost of owning the car for the consumer,” said Ahmad Pesaran, principal engineer on the NREL lab’s study. One plan for this initiative calls for various companies — the automaker, local utility, or finance company, for example — to retain ownership of the battery and lease it to the car owner, therefore only paying for the portion of the battery used while in the car. Research at the NREL labs looks to conclude as early as October 2012, which it will then offer the findings to anyone who wants to further explore these various ownership models.

(via Instapaper)

Have a nice weekend!

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

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Electric Vehicle - Mitsubishi Electric buses soon to be tested here

With all the buzz on electric cars, you'd almost forgot that buses are ideal as an electric vehicle too. With the experience from the iMiev, Mitsubishi is aiming for an electric bus, pulling technology and knowledge from various other Mitsubishi branches. 

The plans are to construct it within a year in Canada, then have it field tested in the two year after and if it proves a succes, mass-market it to the rest of the US. Seems a bit long to me, but that must be my enthusiasm for this technology I'm sure.

Electric buses soon to be tested here
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/electric-buses-soon-to-be-tested-here-120763249.html

Chomiak said the goal is to have the electric bus developed in about a year so it can be road-tested in Manitoba’s climate over the following two years. The next step would be mass-producing the electric bus for sale in North America and overseas.

“If the bus is successful, we will be able to sell many buses to the U.S. market,” Ichiro Fukue, senior vice-president of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, said at an event at Red River College.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

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Electric Vehicle - Superlight Electric Wolf Is an Apex Predator

Just wanted to share this special electric vehicle development with you, an electric motorcycle which was designed as such from the ground up, resulting in a superlight bike which goes a lot fastet, but also can do so with less power (and with that, lighter components, etc).

A really nice story, comparing this bike with a few others, go check it out. 

Superlight Electric Wolf Is an Apex Predator
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/04/amarok-p1-electric-motorcycle/

Every electric racing motorcycle we’ve seen so far has suffered from one major problem: Physics.

They’re all perfectly capable of transforming electrons into motive power. And some, like Chip Yates’ 190.6-mph beast, are blindingly quick. But in their pursuit of powertrain innovation, the people building these machines have overlooked, if not forgotten, what’s made internal-combustion-engine motorcycles so successful: Less weight equals more performance.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

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Electric Vehicle - Retro Electro

A really nice example of a conversion gone great, an old Chevrolet Apache pickup was converted to an electric vehicle. It is truly a green car, even the paint job matches ;-)

The car wasbuild for hauling beer for a brewery and inspired by the idea to do so in a sustainable way. Also check out the video on the Wired site for additional info on the green machine!

Electric Beer Truck Delivers Great Taste, Less Filling
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/04/electric-beer-truck-delivers-great-taste-less-filling/

A Canadian brewery has electrified a 1958 Chevrolet Apache pickup for hauling kegs and cases without tailpipe emissions.

When Toronto company Steam Whistle expanded into British Columbia, they kept up the tradition of using vintage cars and trucks in their delivery fleet. We all know the greenest car is the one that’s already been built, but Steam Whistle’s local fleet manager wasn’t thrilled with the emissions controls on 50-year-old engines. So he assembled a team of EV conversion experts and got to work.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Electric Vehicle - Electrifying Win for the Nissan Leaf

The World Car of the Year has been won by the electric vehicle from Nissan, the Nissan Leaf. Congratulations to Nissan for this prestigious award, the Leaf is currently an electrifying example of what an electric vehicle should look like!

The price is also a big boost for EV technology, validating it is ready for the market and the masses.

Electrifying Win for the Nissan Leaf
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/04/nissan-leaf-world-car-of-the-year/

The Nissan Leaf charged past two German luxury sedans to win “World Car of the Year,” a huge validation of the car — and of electric vehicles in general.

A panel of 66 automotive journalists from 24 countries named the Leaf the best thing on four wheels, choosing it over the BMW 5-Series, Audi A8 and 34 other automobiles from around the world. The jurors called it “the gateway to a brave new electric world.”

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Hybrid Vehicle - Mercedes Benz B Class F Cell

The hydrogen powered hybrid vehicle from Mercedes has been going around the globe to celebrate the company's 125 years of existence, get media attention and actual usage data. A nice article I found from a reporter who was lucky enougj to drive one in Australia, with some nice comments on the car as well.

It is nice to see this product existing now, but there is a lot of work to be done still to get it to market by the scheduled 2015. 

Road test: Mercedes-Benz B Class F-Cell
http://www.gizmag.com/test-drive-mercedes-benz-b-class-f-cell/18433/

At the turn of the key, it comes to life with a whirr straight out of Dr Who’s props department. But whatever space-ageness there might be in this is countered by the cockpit. It’s surprisingly conventional, meaning there’s very little effort required to adapting from a normal car.

If you’ve ever driven an existing B Class, such is the physical similarity indoors that you might need to take a second look at the instruments to tell the difference. But there are differences. In place of the tacho is a power output gauge, while the center console houses a screen with a bar-graph arrangement showing instantaneous and average hydrogen consumption.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Electric Vehicles - 138M electric motorcycles and scooters projected worldwide by 2017

Quite an outlook from Pike Research on the two wheeled electric vehicle market, they project 138 milion electric motor cycles and electric scooters to be on the road worldwide by 2017. 

I'm not sure how many there are at the moment, but there is a fortune to be made selling electric two wheelers for sure! 

They are clean, sustainable, produce less noise and provide excellent mobility in urban areas. With their acceleration they should also appeal to the sportier drivers out there. Who can I get one?

[pic] : Vectrix electric motorcycle - <a href="http://www.robradyblog.com/robrady-brings-home-the-green/">Link</a>

Pike Research projects 138M electric motorcycles and scooters to be on the road worldwide by 2017
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2011/04/pike-20110419.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+greencarcongress%2FTrBK+%28Green+Car+Congress%29

According to a new report from Pike Research, the number of e-motorcycles and e-scooters on the road will increase from 17 million in 2011 to 138 million by 2017, the majority of which will be powered by lead-acid batteries.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Electric Vehicle - At the Amsterdam AutoRAI

Last week I was at the Amsterdam AutoRAI to check out the latest electric vehicle developments. As a small teaser this is a first picture from the Citroen Survolt and I will put more available online with more detailed information soon.

The Citroen Survolt, quite a beastly electric vehicle, note that the blue can seem like lights, but it is just the painted body work, I was fooled initially myself.

A report from Top Gear on Citroen Survolt:
http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/tg-drives-the-citroen-survolt

A link to the AutoRAI, you can still visit:
http://www.autorai.nl/nl/nl/Pages/admission.aspx

Watch this space for more updates later.

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable