Electric Vehicle - Electric car gets parking ticket while using public charger

These days if you want to be sustainable, you could install solar panels on your roof, drive an electric vehicle or any other similar alternative. If you drive an electric vehicle, you occasionaly have to charge your vehicle and park it like any other car. Sure, they are a joy to ride for all day long, but some folks got to work as well.

If you park your electric vehicle at a charging location, it seems odd to get a parking fine for it, even though you exceeded the official time limit to use it. There seem to be counter-productive elements here; on one side the government wants to promote sustainable mobility, on the other hand they are limiting the access people get to the utilities like the charging infrastructure. Make up your mind please. :-)

D'oh! Electric car gets parking ticket while using public charger
http://green.autoblog.com/2011/03/30/doh-electric-car-gets-parking-ticket-while-using-public-charge/

Meter maids in the UK have come under fire after ticketing an electric car while it was juicing up at a public charger in Conventry. A parking warden spotted an electric Tata that overstayed the three-hour time limit and ticketed the vehicle on the spot.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Electric Vehicle - Electric car gets parking ticket while using public charger

These days if you want to be sustainable, you could install solar panels on your roof, drive an electric vehicle, or any other similar alternative. If you drive an electric vehicle, you occasionaly have to charge your vehicle and park it like any other car. Sure, they are a joy to ride for all day long, but some folks got to work as well.

If you park your electric vehicle at a charging location, it seems odd to get a parking fine for it, even though you exceeded the official time limit to use it. There seem to be counter-productive elements here; on one side the government wants to promote sustainable mobility, on the other hand they are limiting the access people get to the utilities like the charging infrastructure. Make up your mind please. :-)

D'oh! Electric car gets parking ticket while using public charger
http://green.autoblog.com/2011/03/30/doh-electric-car-gets-parking-ticket-while-using-public-charge/

Meter maids in the UK have come under fire after ticketing an electric car while it was juicing up at a public charger in Conventry. A parking warden spotted an electric Tata that overstayed the three-hour time limit and ticketed the vehicle on the spot.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Electric Vehicle - Tesla sues BBC over "rigged" Top Gear electric car test

In the famous show Top Gear the electric vehicle from Tesla got tested and got some good feedback, but poorly founded points of critique.

It seems that Tesla has taken up BBC and sues them for this faulty information. In the show, the car supposedly broke down, leading to the comment: "It's just a shame that in the real world it doesn't seem to work." It reminds me of the case where a reporter drove a Nissan Leaf in New York to fully drain the battery and createa bit of sensation. For a link to that, see at the bottom of this post.

Tesla sues BBC over "rigged" Top Gear electric car test [video]
http://electric-vehicles-cars-bikes.blogspot.com/2011/03/tesla-sues-bbc-over-rigged-top-gear.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FpEcq+%28Electric+Vehicles%29

Remember that time Top Gear gave the Tesla Roadster such a thrashing it broke, except it really didn’t break? Tesla does, and it’s now filed suit against the BBC and Top Gear accusing the Beeb of defamation. The test from the episode aired in December, 2008 involved a race between the Tesla Roadster and the gas-powered Lotus Elise it’s based on. The show featured Jeremy Clarkson saying the Tesla ran out of charge at 55 miles, with footage of it being pushed around a garage, ending with Clarkson saying “It’s just a shame that in the real world it doesn’t seem to work.”

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Link to article on WSJ to fully drain a Nissan Leaf:

http://electric-vehicles-cars-bikes.blogspot.com/2011/03/wall-street-journal-runs-leaf-battery.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FpEcq+%28Electric+Vehicles%29

Electric Vehicle - German Electric Airplane Completes First Flight

From Wired the article on yet another airborne electric vehicle, it seems electric powered airplanes have attracted more attention. 

Even though they will currently not replace large commercial airliners, they start to make a lot of sense for flight schools, crop dusting and perhaps even parachuting. The time they can fly is limited, but with just a few hours of flight is still plenty for any of the mentioned fields above. If you know of other potential applications where a two hour flight is enough, please do share your story here with us.

German Electric Airplane Completes First Flight
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/03/german-electric-airplane-completes-first-flight/

During the first flight, performed by former Scaled Composites test pilot and engineer Jon Karkow, the Elektra One climbed to more than 500 meters (1,640 feet) and used roughly half of the 6 kilowatt hours available in the batteries. The second flight, which took place on Wednesday, was performed by German test pilot Norbert Lorenze.

The small, but sleek airplane weighs just 100 kilograms (220 pounds) empty and carries another 100 kilograms worth of batteries. With a maximum weight of 300 kg, there is still enough room for a larger than average pilot.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Electric Vehicle - When an F1 team makes a bicycle

What does the Formula One have in common with bicycles and an electric vehicke? Not much you'd say, but knowledge and technology is shared from one industry to another. It is nice to see co-creation at work, in this case McLaren added their knowledge of materials to build a bicycle, which ended up being 10% lighter than the average carbon fibre bicycle!

Other great examples where knowledge or technologies are adopted in another industry are Tesla adopting battery technology from the consumer electronics and fit it in their vehicles. Or what about inductive charging, popularin your electric toothbrush or kettle, is now a promising technology to recharge your electric vehicle with.

This is what it looks like when an F1 team makes a bicycle [w/video]
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/23/this-is-what-it-looks-like-when-an-f1-team-makes-a-bicycle-w-vi/

Shortly after the debut of the Range Rover Evoque road bike comes this very slick racing bike, designed and fabricated collaboratively by McLaren and Specialized. The latter, as you might have guessed, contributed the basic bicycle-building know-how, while McLaren Applied Technologies brought the expertise in lightweight materials garnered from winning 169 grands prix, 12 drivers’ Championships and eight Constructors’ titles over the course of its years in Formula One. The result is a frame that weighs just 2.09 lbs – some 10-15 percent lighter than other carbon-fiber bike frames, achieved through a new way of cutting the fiber sheets.

(via Instapaper)

Check out this video on YouTube:

Have a nice weekend!

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Article: Google First to Install Wireless EV Chargers

It should be no big surprise that Google is having an experimental go at the electric vehicle at their campus they have a number of them riding around, both for practical reasons, but also to study (and perhaps improve) them. This falls in line with their projects at RechargeIT (under Google.org) and their other sustainable efforts.

The news today is that Google has installed a couple of inductive chargers   at their campus, which allows them to test this technology as well. Currently the technology is suitable for parked cars, with a loss under 10% it seems a matter of convenience mostly. Other plans for the future of this technology include lanes of inductive chargers in thrme roads, so you charge while you drive. Feel free to leave a comment or contact me for more information on this.

Google First to Install Wireless EV Chargers
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2011/03/google-first-to-install-wireless-ev-chargers.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+cars%2Fkickingtires+%28Kicking+Tires%29

Like smartphones, inductive charging is coming to the nascent electric car market and Google is on the forefront of using the technology. The company announced it is the first to use a new type of wireless charging, which will be installed at the internet company’s Mountain View, Calif., headquarters.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Electric Vehicle - Google First to Install Wireless EV Chargers

It should be no big surprise that Google is having an experimental go at the electric vehicle, at their campus they have a number of them riding around, both for practical reasons, but also to study (and perhaps improve) them. This falls in line with their projects at RechargeIT (under Google.org) and their other sustainable efforts.

The news today is that Google has installed a couple of inductive chargers   at their campus, which allows them to test this technology as well. Currently the technology is suitable for parked cars, with a loss under 10% it seems a matter of convenience mostly. Other plans for the future of this technology include lanes of inductive chargers in thrme roads, so you charge while you drive. Feel free to leave a comment or contact me for more information on this.

Google First to Install Wireless EV Chargers
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2011/03/google-first-to-install-wireless-ev-chargers.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+cars%2Fkickingtires+%28Kicking+Tires%29

Like smartphones, inductive charging is coming to the nascent electric car market and Google is on the forefront of using the technology. The company announced it is the first to use a new type of wireless charging, which will be installed at the internet company’s Mountain View, Calif., headquarters.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Electric Vehicle - Tesla CEO ~ Bet On Capacitors

Interesting statement from Elon Musk, CEO from the electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, where he think SuperCaps will be the next big thing in the vehicle industry. So far most manufacturers are going the battery approach, because of the power density they pack over SuperCaps. If some breakthrough in SuperCaps results in comparable or even a better power density than batteries, they might change the gameyet again. SuperCaps are a lot cheaper to manufacture, a welcome change in the EV industry where approximately 1/3 to 1/2 of the cost of a vehicle is caused by the battery.

Tesla CEO: I’d Bet On Capacitors Over BatteriesGigaOM
http://gigaom.com/cleantech/tesla-ceo-id-bet-on-capacitors-over-batteries/

Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk says he bets that it could be capacitors — rather than batteries — that deliver an important breakthrough for electric transportation. “If I were to make a prediction, I’d think there’s a good chance that it is not batteries. But capacitors,” said Musk at the Cleantech Forum in San Francisco on Wednesday.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Electric Vehicle - Inside Tesla Model S

A nice video from Green Overdrive on the expected electric vehicle from Tesla, the Model S. Currently in the 'Alpha' stage, the video shows an interview with Tesla's Jerome Guillen. 

What strikes me is the complete openness of the production floor, even though they are still in their prototype phase of the vehicle, the press can take a peek into their garage. No news from supposedly 'Spy Shots' as other manufacturers occasionaly have in the news, perhaps the new industry standard?

Go check out the interview on Green Overdrive after the break.

Green Overdrive: Inside Tesla’s Model S Alpha: Cleantech News and Analysis «
http://gigaom.com/cleantech/green-overdrive-inside-teslas-model-s-alpha/

For our latest episode of GigaOM TV’s Green Overdrive Show we take you behind the scenes of the Alpha program for Tesla’s next-generation all-electric car the Model S. Tesla has built 20 Alpha (prototype) Model S’s that it’s using to test out various features like safety, durability, electronics and steering capability. We get the skinny on some of the Model S design features and interview Tesla Model S Program Director Jerome Guillen, who has been driving the Model S Alphas to and from work.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Electric Vehicle - Renault will "get you home"

Often people worry on the range of electric vehicles; can this electric car get me back home? Renault is working on a service that does, provided you were driving a reasonable trip for your electric vehicle and still got stranded.

This "Take me home"-service is for Renault drivers only, though I'm curious to learn more details of this programme. Perhaps other companies will follow, like for example lease companies.

Report: Renault will "get you home" if its electric vehicles run out of juice
http://green.autoblog.com/2011/03/17/renault-get-you-home-electric-vehicle/

Worried that your battery-powered ride might run out of juice, leaving you stranded out in the middle of nowhere? Well, if your electrified auto happens to be one that’s built by Renault, then there’s no need fret because the French automaker is set to offer what Autocar calls a “get you home” guarantee on its electric vehicles.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Hybrid Vehicle - An outlook from a Daimler Executive

Found a nice article today outlining the outlook of Daimler on their view of thr future with regards to the hybrid vehicle and the electric vehicle developments.

Daimler is one of the few big manufacturers who are betting on multiple technologies, unlike for example Nissan/Renault who are completely bypassing hybrids and focus on EVs alone. Time will tell who has the best hand in this betting game, currently all options are still open at Daimler and they seem ready for anything.

Daimler exec explains challenges, hopes for hydrogen, electric cars
http://green.autoblog.com/2011/03/16/daimler-exec-explains-challenges-hopes-hydrogen-electric-cars/

Plugin Cars recently spoke with Daimler’s director of fuel cell and battery drive development, Dr. Christian Mohrdieck, to discuss the company’s stance on the whole hydrogen fuel cell vs. battery powered argument and found out it’s really more of a H2 + EV calculation. Daimler’s current roster, which includes the Smart ED, the A-Class E-Cell and the S-Class plug in hybrid, shows it is quite invested in the battery side of the debate. However, Mohrdieck does acknowledge that electric vehicles have their setbacks. He said, “If you need a larger vehicle, if you need long range, if you need short refueling times, then you have to something else than batteries.”

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Hybrid Vehicle - Nano material for H2 storage

News for the Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle storage; a new breakthrough in a nano material promises to increase storage capacity and safety for storing Hydrogen to be used in automotive applications for example.

The nano material can lock in the hydrogen molecules, creating a very stable means for storage, while still allowing the hydrogen to be extracted for use in a convenient (low temperature) way without damaging or 'burning up' the storage material.

A promissing technology in the least and something that can help the car manufacturers like Mercedes and Honda amongst others to improve their Fuel Cell Vehicle programs.

New material designed for hydrogen storage
http://www.gizmag.com/new-material-designed-for-hydrogen-storage/18141/

The Berkeley Lab researchers created the pliable nanocomposite from a matrix of polymethyl methacrylate, which is a polymer related to Plexiglas, with nanoparticles of magnesium sprinkled throughout. It reportedly is able to absorb and release hydrogen at “modest temperatures,” without oxidizing the magnesium after cycling.

To confirm that hydrogen was present within the magnesium, the researchers observed the nanoparticles through the world’s most powerful transmission electron microscope, the TEAM 0.5 – also located at Berkeley Lab.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Electric Vehicle - Revenge of the Electric Car World Premiere

Today I'm so excited about the news on the premiere of the movie that electric vehicle enthusiasts from around the world have been waiting on: "The Revenge of the Electric Car", it is considered the follow up of the other famous movie by director Chris Paine; "who killed the electric car?"

I'm just curious to find out when this movie will be available here in the Netherlands, I would love to get this movie here so everybody can see it!

Revenge of the Electric Car World Premiere
http://www.ev.com/knowledge-center/electric-vehicles-articles/revenge-of-the-electric-car-world-premiere.html

Behind the closed doors of Nissan, General Motors, and Tesla Motors, the race is on to develop the world’s first, and most economically accessible, electric car. Director Chris Paine’s energetic and beautifully shot follow-up to Who Killed the Electric Car? follows the innovative business models engineered by CEOs and independent entrepreneurs looking to jump-start the global resurgence of electric cars and win over a skeptical public.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Electric Vehicle - VW Bulli : Start the presses!

The recently revealed new electric vehicle from Volkswagen, the famous Microbus inspired Bulli, is slowly moving from concept to potential production.

Slowly, but not there yet. It is said that the Bulli was originally designed to house a petrol engine, instead of the electric drive train that is fitted now. The Bulli has a bit reduced speed when compared to other electric vehicle models, but an increased range is bound to make up for a lovely road trip experience. Watch this space for updates.

Volkswagen Bulli concept likely for production: report
http://www.caradvice.com.au/109423/volkswagen-bulli-concept-likely-for-production-report/

Dr Hackenberg did not set a timeline on the Bulli concept production project.

The Bulli concept shown at last week’s Geneva Motor Show was a fresh take on the 2001 Volkswagen Microbus concept, which itself was a modernised version of the traditional Kombi van that was launched more than 60 years ago.

The Bulli concept is an all-electric vehicle powered by a lithium-ion battery pack driving an 85kW/270Nm electric motor.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Hybrid Vehicle - Hydrogen Honda FCX Clarity as IndyCar Pace Car

With most of the buzz currently going on is about electric vehicles, the hybrid vehicle is also making nice progress and not just because of the oil price. The Honda FCX Clarity, the Hydrogen Fuel Cell powered hybrid is making its debut as the IndyCar Pace Car at the race in St Petersburg late March.

A nice demo of the speed of this car and a lot less polluting than the other cars on the track too. When will they all be electric or fuel cell vehicles?

H2 Racer: Honda FCX Clarity Will Serve as IndyCar Pace Car
http://rumors.automobilemag.com/h2-racer-honda-fcx-clarity-will-serve-indycar-pace-car-23029.html

Roughly 50 Honda FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are presently in the hands of select consumers in the U.S., but one example will apparently be called to motorsports service. Honda announced today that a FCX Clarity will serve as the official pace car for the 2011 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in late March.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Electric Vehicle - You want some chocolates with that?

In Japan owners of an electric vehicle can charge up their vehicle  while they visit a vending machine, for a beverage, or some candy. 

The Japanese vendor will install charging points near their current vending machines.

Japan vending machines to charge electric cars
http://electric-vehicles-cars-bikes.blogspot.com/2011/03/japan-vending-machines-to-charge.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FpEcq+%28Electric+Vehicles%29

Ten Japanese companies said Monday they plan to install electric vehicle chargers at the sites of beverage vending machines across Japan in a cost-cutting tie-up.

The consortium includes Forking Co., a major vending machine operator, and Panasonic Electric Works which will develop and produce electric vehicle chargers with rivals.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Electric Vehicle - Have you Given your car a name?

Some people name their cars, but it seems that you will be naming your electric vehicle, even if just out of politeness. Ford is launching its Sync system, first to be launched in the European Focus electric. The Sync system lets you control functions of for example the GPS, or your phone, by using voice commands. With the added amount of gadgets around, this will allow drivers to keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. When will other manufacturers follow this example?

Ford’s Future: Voice-Activated Gadgets in Electric Cars
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/03/fords-future-voice-activated-gadgets-in-electric-cars/

“You already do many things while driving — having a conversation, thinking, talking and figuring things out — while mobile devices, infotainment systems and telephones are moving attention away from the driving experience, ripping your eyes off the road and the hands off the wheel,” Mulally said. “Voice is absolutely safer, so Ford’s fundamental approach is to reduce the distractions and push hard on voice communication, which allows you to keep doing such things but prevents being distracted.”

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Electric Vehicle - Renault Stays With Removable-Battery Plan for 2012 Zoe EV

More news on the Zoe, the electric vehicle from Renault. Scheduled launch date is second half of 2012 and they still seem to hold on to their replacable battery concept so as to remain compatible with Better Place's battery swapping stations. It will also take out the price for purchasing a battery, it will be on lease.

Renault Stays With Removable-Battery Plan for 2012 Zoe EV
http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/2011/03/renault-stays-with-removable-battery-plan-for-2012-zoe-ev.html

The French automaker will start selling the Zoe in the second half of 2012 and will price it at about 15,000 euros ($20,700), or roughly half the price of a Nissan Leaf in Europe. The Zoe price doesn’t include the leasing rate for the battery, but with Renault charging 72 euros a month to lease batteries to Kangoo Express battery electric utility vehicle owners, with a cap of about 10,000 miles a year, expect Zoe batteries to lease for the equivalent of about $100 a month.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Electric Vehicle - Renault Stays With Removable-Battery Plan for 2012 Zoe EV

More news on the Zoe, the electric vehicle from Renault. Scheduled launch date is second half of 2012 and they still seem to hold on to their replacable battery concept so as to remain compatible with Better Place's battery swapping stations. It will also take out the price for purchasing a battery, it will be on lease.

Renault Stays With Removable-Battery Plan for 2012 Zoe EV
http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/2011/03/renault-stays-with-removable-battery-plan-for-2012-zoe-ev.html

The French automaker will start selling the Zoe in the second half of 2012 and will price it at about 15,000 euros ($20,700), or roughly half the price of a Nissan Leaf in Europe. The Zoe price doesn’t include the leasing rate for the battery, but with Renault charging 72 euros a month to lease batteries to Kangoo Express battery electric utility vehicle owners, with a cap of about 10,000 miles a year, expect Zoe batteries to lease for the equivalent of about $100 a month.

(via Instapaper)

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable

Electric Vehicle - VW Bulli Concept is a Microbus

Another announcement from Volkswagen concerning a fully electric vehicle, an electric remake inspired by the old VW T1 van. The van has a nice long range of close to 300 km, though it is not exactly fast. The old T1 van has a bit of a hippy image here in the Netherlands, but the new name rings a different bell to me: VW Bulli. I couldn't help but think of the famous restaurant El Bulli in Spain.

The new VW Bulli

A more related thing I came across more recently was a converted VW T1, a fully electric van here in the Netherlandsby The New Motion.

Link: http://www.thenewmotion.com/2011/01/project-freedom/

The van for Project Freedom by The New Motion

Volkswagen Bulli Concept is a Microbus redux for Geneva
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/28/volkswagen-bulli-concept-is-a-microbus-redux-for-geneva/

Now, a decade later, VW is trying out the concept again at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. This time it’s called the Volkswagen Bulli, and like its 2001 ancestor, this one is designed to carry on the legacy of the brand’s famous Microbus. This Geneva concept packs a 113-horsepower electric motor drawing power from a lithium-ion battery pack. At full charge, the Bulli is said to be theoretically good for 186 miles before a recharge. When it’s time for more juice, VW says the Bulli can be fully charged in less than an hour.

(via Instapaper)

Great stuff, but let's see what VW will reveal in Geneva.

- Roelof

Drive safe, drive sustainable