Electric Vehicle - Buses that charge at each stop

When an <a href="http://www.myhev.com">electric vehicle</a> stops, it has a nice opportunity to charge the battery. Buses make frequent stops and with that have a lot of potential charging moments. There are many technologies to recharge buses at each stop, for example using induction (Conductix Wampfler), or overhead charging (Opbrid) like Proterra in the article below.

Besides the advantages of not having to run out of power to complete the trip, the other big advantage is thar the bus can do with a smaller battery. This leads to a lower cost for the vehicle and a lower vehicle weight. Soon on more buses in our streets?

Electric Buses that Charge at Each Stop
http://cleantechnica.com/2011/06/24/electric-buses-that-charge-at-each-stop/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+IM-cleantechnica+%28CleanTechnica%29

Proterra is capitalizing on the fact that the lithium titanate batteries powering their buses can be charged in 10 minutes, and therefore can be charged at each bus stop that has a charger setup. The distance between bus stops is normally short, making it possible to use very short range batteries which enable them to travel 30-40 miles per charge and keep recharging them frequently.

(via Instapaper)

- <a href="http://nl.linkedin.com/in/rreineman">Roelof</a>

Drive safe, <a href="http://www.myhev.com">drive sustainable</a>

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Electric Vehicle - Buses that Charge at Each Stop

When an <a href="http://www.myhev.com">electric vehicle</a> stops, it has a nice opportunity to charge the battery. Buses make frequent stops and with that have a lot of potential charging moments. There are many technologies to recharge buses at each stop, for example using induction (Conductix Wampfler), or overhead charging (Opbrid) like Proterra in the article below.

Besides the advantages of not having to run out of power to complete the trip, the other big advantage is thar the bus can do with a smaller battery. This leads to a lower cost for the vehicle and a lower vehicle weight. Soon on more buses in our streets?

Electric Buses that Charge at Each Stop
http://cleantechnica.com/2011/06/24/electric-buses-that-charge-at-each-stop/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+IM-cleantechnica+%28CleanTechnica%29

Proterra is capitalizing on the fact that the lithium titanate batteries powering their buses can be charged in 10 minutes, and therefore can be charged at each bus stop that has a charger setup. The distance between bus stops is normally short, making it possible to use very short range batteries which enable them to travel 30-40 miles per charge and keep recharging them frequently.

(via Instapaper)

- <a href="http://nl.linkedin.com/in/rreineman">Roelof</a>

Drive safe, <a href="http://www.myhev.com">drive sustainable</a>

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Electric Vehicle - Prestige Taxi opening up a Charging Station

With the electric vehicle comes electric charging. With many vehicles, you need more chargers. For Prestige Taxi, who has a nice fleet of electric taxis running in for example Utrecht, that resulted in a charging station. They feature not one, but four quick chargers and if that is not enough, also six normal chargers.

The quick chargers are from Epyon, a global player and experts in the field of quick charging electric vehicle batteries.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Currently they operate in Utrecht and Amsterdam, but obviously they want electric taxis everywhere. Next time you hail a cab, look for Prestige and get an electric ride.

- Roelof

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Hybrid Vehicle - Mercedes-Benz pulls fuel cell vehicle launch forward to 2014

Rarely you see product launch dates getting pulled forward in time. For the hybrid vehicle from Mercedes Benz, a Hydrogen powered fuel cell vehicle, the plans were to start in 2015. 

Recently a World Tour was completed with the F-Cell, a converted B-Class, to celebrate the 125th aniversary of Mercedes-Benz and to demonstrate the readiness of this technology. So, the chicken, or the egg? The Fuel Cell car is on its way and looking for some infrastructure. 

Mercedes-Benz pulls fuel cell vehicle launch forward to 2014
http://green.autoblog.com/2011/06/22/mercedes-benz-pulls-forward-fuel-cell-vehicle-launch-to-2014/

The product is ready for the market technically. We have proven that by sending three vehicles with a fuel cell around the globe without any relevant problems. The issue is infrastructure. We made this trip to prove technology is ready and we need partners to take care of infrastructure. We intended to go for volume production in 2015, but because of the experience of the world tour we have pulled forward.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

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Electric Vehicle - Natural Gas is Both Friend and Foe to the Grid

In the efforts to make the electric vehicle truly sustainable, the electricity has to be also sustainable. Because of this and numerous other reasons, coal and nuclear are losing the public interest as a means of generating electricity to power our daily needs. Besides wind and solar power, gas is seen asa good friend to sustainable energy; it is cleaner than coal and electricity generation from gas can be adjusted rapidly to meet the changes in wind/solar production.

It is important however that acquiring the gas is also done in a sustainable way, else all efforts will have been for nothing. If you have seen the documentary 'Gasland', you are aware of the current problems involved with 'fracking' and its associated environmental impact. Polluting your country like that and contaminating your water supply is by no means a good approach to be sustainable. That the EPA in the US claims this is just a "PR problem", while they refuse to drink water from the wells they claim to be good does not add up.

Natural Gas is Both Friend and Foe to the Grid
http://www.pikeresearch.com/blog/articles/natural-gas-is-both-friend-and-foe-to-the-grid

Natural gas proponents have called for the rapid expansion in tapping the huge reserves contained within the Marcellus shale deposit using hydraulic fracturing. The concerns over the environmental impact of fracking are growing by the day including at the EPA, but a roundtable panel was dismissive saying on several occasions that fracking occurs well below the water table and that it was “only a PR problem.”

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

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Electric Vehicle - Ghosn still committed to $5.6 billion EV investment

When it comes to vision and dedication, nothing beats Carlos Ghosn, the CEO of Nissan-Renault. There is no moment in public where he  explains his enthusiasm for the electric vehicle and he has the entire company transformed to do just one thing: be the first and the biggest on the market with electric vehicles. The Nissan Leaf is the first fully electric vehicle that has seen the light under his supervision and more are destined to follow.

The news that he committed a rather large sum of money to the EVs is good news, but hardly surprising. 

Renault-Nissan CEO still committed to $5.6 billion electric vehicle investment
http://green.autoblog.com/2011/06/20/renault-nissan-ceo-5-6-billion-electric-vehicles/

There is no other car company committing the massive investment in electric cars like us. None. A lot of people are saying they’ll come out with an electric car. But they’re saying 10,000 or 20,000 or 30,000. At this time, no one can match us.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

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Electric Vehicle - Track and Trace a Nissan

A lot of technical features in the electric vehicle allow one to monitor their car. Varying from "Where did I park?", to "How full is my battery?". Apparently this is also an opportunity for others to do the same on your vehicle, if it is not properly secured! 

This was the case for the first batch of Nissan Leafs out there, where Nissan Leafs could be tracked by others. Nissan has responded adequately in the matter and sealed the entrance to thrir system, only allowing the right people to this information. Do keep an eye out when getting yourself an electric vehicle, as you might not just be farming looks from impressed people in the street, but also from the internet. 

Before Nissan's patch, did the Leaf leak driver data?
http://green.autoblog.com/2011/06/17/before-nissans-patch-did-the-leaf-leak-driver-data/

That’s what Casey Halverson, a “self-described free-lance security blogger” told the New York Times, saying that the way that Carwings handles RSS feeds leaves the car’s information open to RSS providers the car is subscribed to, and that Nissan “pretty much left it wide open.”

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

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Electric Vehicle - EV Apps and Fleet monitoring

In my quest to get people more familiar with the electric vehicle, I'm currently in the process of developping some promotional EV Apps geared towards promoting EVs from manufacturers.

My other project is geared towards fleet monitoring and driving more sustainable and helps pinpoint the areas to improve your fleet at and get a lower carbon footprint for your mobility needs.

If you are a car manufacturer, or a fleet owner and would like to hear more from either product, feel free to contact me through Linked IN or Twitter (@my_hev). Thanks in advance for your interest and helping create more sustainable mobility.

- Roelof

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Volvo CEO says both plug-ins and fossil-fuel-powered cars can reduce emissions

Nice article on Volvo, not 'choosing sides' for the electric vehicle, or the hybrid vehicle. The main goal is to reduce CO2 and not focus on a technology (yet). 

While I think the electric vehicle has a bigger potential yet to come and unleashed, hybrids will offer a fair share of people what they are looking for in the next few years probably.

Volvo CEO says both plug-ins and fossil-fuel-powered cars can reduce emissions
http://green.autoblog.com/2011/06/14/volvo-ceo-says-both-plug-ins-and-fossil-fuel-powered-cars-can-re/

[The technology used] depends very much on the CO2 standards, that’s the guiding line, more or less… We should not forget that the traditional internal combustion engine can significantly be improved and the benefits out of this can be made with less investment and complexity. We are [in] a long transition period from fossil fuels towards alternative powertrains and we need to understand that we have to be careful to not invest into the wrong direction.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

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Electric Vehicle - VW exec says current li-ion tech allows for "a halfway decent car"

Now that is an interesting thing to say about an electric vehicle, right? You could say the current technology as is only allows cars to be roughly half of what we are used to (referring to range and charging/fuelling mostly), or alternatively, VW has a nice trick up its sleeve to bring us a fully decent car. What are your thoughts on this?

VW exec says current li-ion tech allows for "a halfway decent car"
http://green.autoblog.com/2011/06/09/vw-exec-says-current-li-ion-tech-allows-for-a-halfway-decent-ca/

So what has changed? What has changed the business mainly is that lithium-ion batteries have come around and finally supported an energy density that allows you to build a halfway decent car.

(via Instapaper)

Have a nice weekend!

- Roelof

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Electric Vehicle - Nissan Leaf Nismo RC Test: On-board Cam

Seeing this electric vehicle driver in action makes it seem just a matter of pressing "play" to go. Just wanted to share this video with you showing how the Nissan Leaf Nismo goes around the track.

The Nismo is very much like the standard Nissan Leaf, but tailored for racing: no eco-mode in this one.

- Roelof

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Electric Vehicle - Li-ion Flow Batteries Refill Quickly and Easily, Could Cut Cost of Li-ion Batteries in Half!

Another new type of battery; work in this field is very popular given the applicationin an electric vehicle. This type of battery is a flow type and promises to deliver a battery technology thatcan charge as quickly as fuelling up your car. There isa lot of work that still needs to be done, the final anode and cathode materials still have to be selected, but the lab results look good already.

Li-ion Flow Batteries Refill Quickly and Easily, Could Cut Cost of Li-ion Batteries in Half!
http://cleantechnica.com/2011/06/07/li-ion-flow-batteries-refill-quickly-and-easily-could-cut-cost-of-li-ion-batteries-in-half/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+IM-cleantechnica+%28CleanTechnica%29

“A sample of ‘Cambridge crude’ — a black, gooey substance that can power a highly efficient new type of battery. A prototype of the semi-solid flow battery is seen behind the flask.”

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

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Electric Vehicle - Audi A2 e-tron lightweight champion

The focus for an electric vehicle has been on batteries and weight mainly. Audi's expected A2 E-Tron is setting a low example of almost as low as 800 kg! Very impressive work of the guys and gals at the Audi engineering department. Now let's wait for it to show up on a street near us, hopefully sooner than later.

Audi A2 e-tron coming to Frankfurt?
http://green.autoblog.com/2011/06/06/audi-a2-e-tron-coming-to-frankfurt/

Engineers at Audi have reportedly set an internal weight target of 800 kilograms (1,764 pounds) for the four-seat A2, but that’s awful light and seems like it would require the use of Audi’s costly Multimaterial Space Frame (MSF) technology.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

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Hybrid Vehicle - Mercedes-Benz F-Cell World Drive successfully completed

The round the world trip of Mercedes-Benz it's hybrid vehicle, the F-Cell, is completed. Marking their 125 year anniversery this went on to demonstrate the viability of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

One thing to draw my atyention; calling a hybrid fuel cell car an alternative to a "traditional EV". What is traditional about the current generation of EVs then? If you have any suggestions, feel free to share them with us, I'd be interested to learn.

All in all, congratulations for Mercedes-Benz on their anniversery and completing the trip, a nice achievement!

Mercedes-Benz F-Cell World Drive successfully completed
http://green.autoblog.com/2011/06/03/mercedes-benz-f-cell-world-drive-successfully-completed/

The German automaker hopes that the drive will prove that fuel-cell vehicles are a viable alternative to traditional EVs and internal combustion vehicles and that lawmakers and businesses will respond by ramping up the infrastructure necessary to easily operate a fuel-cell auto.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

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