22/02/2010

Boston Power interested in battery vehicle tech

Boston-Power Inc., a Westborough company focused on lithium-ion batteries, said that Robert C. Purcell Jr. has joined its board of directors.Purcell is a former executive with General Motors, and from 1994 to 2002, he led the GM Advanced Technology Vehicles Group.

Boston-Power, which develops batteries for laptop computers, sees opportunities in battery-powered vehicles.
"Working closely with Boston-Power's executive team and fellow board members, Purcell is applying his expertise in battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to help drive the deployment of Boston-Power's batteries throughout the transportation sector," Boston-Power said in a press release.


Source : The Boston Globe, February 22nd, 2010

11/02/2010

Storage will be strategic


This surge in hybrid and plug-in automobile usage will result in one thing; storage solutions. Each of these vehicles will require some sort of rechargeable battery. Currently, nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries rule the roost, finding their way into the popular Prius. However, many analysts predict that old style NiMH batteries will soon be replaced outright, by lighter, better-charging lithium-ion units. Deutsche Bank estimates that just the automotive market place for these L-ion will reach $10-15 billion in sales through 2010, dwarfing the entire market for L-ion batteries in electronic devices. This echoes the bullish stance from auto makers and the Obama administration, who handed out $2.4 billion in stimulus grants to companies involved in the engineering and design of batteries. Deutsche estimates that advances in L-ion technology could replace NiMH style systems completely by 2020.


Source : Investopedia, by Aaron Levitt

More Green cars to come !


Toyota's recent recall problems aside, the Prius has been a remarkably successful vehicle, highlighting the nations appetite for such cars. The upcoming much-hyped Chevy Volt and its rated 230 miles per gallon is just one of the slated 75 new hybrid electric models expected to make their debuts in the 2011 model year. And that number is growing. Reports from the National Highway Safety Commission estimate that nearly 20% of the United States auto market will be hybrid cars by 2015. Similar findings from J.D. Power and Associates show Europe reaching 50% hybrid saturation in the same time frame.


Source : Investopedia, by Aaron Levitt, February 11th, 2010

Kia Ray Plug-In Hybrid

The latest result of Kia's continued research into hybrid motoring has been revealed at the Chicago Auto Show. The dramatic-looking Ray coupé concept is designed to use a 153bhp 1.4-litre direct injection petrol engine and a 105bhp electric motor, both of which drive the front wheels through a CVT transmission.

With that amount of power available, the Ray should be pretty quick, so Kia's claimed top speed of 109mph is rather disappointing. Not so the fuel economy, though. Kia reckons that the Ray has the potential to run at 202 miles per gallon (1.16l/100km) (admittedly a figure which has not been confirmed by an EU economy test). The reason it can do this is that it's a plug-in hybrid, which means that the battery pack can be charged not only during braking or coasting but also through a mains electricity supply.

Don't expect to be able to buy a Ray from your local Kia dealer. It's more a suggestion of the way things might be in future.


Source : CarKeys.co.uk, February 11th, 2010

17/01/2010

NYC to buy 70,000 EVs

A study came out today saying that electric cars–both battery electric and plug-in hybrids–would make up as much as 16% of new car sales inNew York City come 2015. That’s roughly 70,000 vehicles.

But what’s driving these EV sales? Governments are expected to impose higher restrictions on CO2 emissions, for one. Plus, subsidies and tax benefits for EVs are expected to increase.
The biggest carbon dioxide production concentration is in megacities,” said Stefan Knupfer, who heads McKinsey’s Automotive & Assembly practice in the Americas.

In other large metropolitan areas, like Paris and Shanghai, they expect to see a 9% and 5% increase respectively. These findings were the result of a year long study surveying around 2,000 consumers. The study claims half of the EVs purchased by 2015 will be plug-in hybrids. In Paris, the researchers found that plug-in hybrids would account for 80% of new vehicle sales by 2051.”

The early adopters are relatively happy with a basic charging infrastructure,” said Axel Krieger, a partner in McKinsey’s New York office who led the research. “That means they have the opportunity to charge at home, and to charge at their workplace in their garage.” The report says that a dense public charging infrastructure won’t be needed early on, but it will in the long run. NYC is currently looking to partner with other neighboring cities and vehicle stakeholders to set up a EV joint initiative.

Of course, we’ve already seen companies like California-based Coulomb Technologies expand its network of ChargePoint charging stations.


Source : Gas2.0, by Jerry James Stone, January 12th, 2010

GM will make pure-electric version of Chevy Volt

General Motors Co. will build a pure-electric vehicle by expanding the Chevrolet Volt's battery pack and removing its internal combustion engine, Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said.

He would not say exactly when such a vehicle would make it into showrooms, but said it would be "technologically trivial" to switch the Volt to pure electric.

The Volt can run 40 miles (65 km) on a charge from a standard home power outlet. After the battery runs down, a 1.4-liter four-cylinder internal combustion engine takes over and generates electricity to power the car.
It goes on sale in November.

GM confirmed that Michigan will be one of the first markets for the Volt. The company had previously said California will be another early market.


Source : The Eagle Tribune, January 16th, 2010

Hyundai displays Blue-Will PHEV technology

Hyundai Motor Co. is exploring plug-in hybrid technology and fluid design ideas with its Blue-Will concept car on display at the North American International Auto Show.
The Blue-Will has a 1.6-liter, 152-horsepower engine as well as a 100-kilowatt electric motor that can work together or separately as conditions demand. The car can go up to 40 miles (65km)on an electric charge.

Hyundai said the system will be similar to one on the Sonata plug-in hybrid coming later this year. The Blue-Will has a glass roof with solar cells that can recharge batteries and a generator that converts hot exhaust gases into electricity.


Source : The Eagle Tribune, January 16th, 2010

Korean car maker to make EVs in U.S.

South Korean electric car maker CT&T said Tuesday it will begin producing electric cars in the U.S. this year.
The company makes low-speed two-seaters and golf cart-style vehicles as well as the City EV, which can reach 65 miles per hour (105 km/h) and travel up to 70 miles (110 km) on an electric charge.

CT&T says the City EV is ideal for small businesses or delivery drivers or for use in retirement communities or small cities. The vehicles recharging cord can be plugged into a standard socket. CT&T said it plans eventually to produce around 10,000 electric cars per year in the U.S. at 40 manufacturing and distribution centers, starting with centers in South Carolina and California. It didn't reveal prices.


Source : The Eagle Tribune, January 16th, 2010

Commuter Cars promotes tiny Tango

The solution to crowding on the world's highways, says maker Commuter Cars Corp., is the 39-inch-wide Tango, so narrow that two can fit side-by-side in a single lane.

President Rick Woodbury of Commuter Cars, based in Spokane, Wash., whose company has built 11 Tangos so far, presented the vehicle at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit Tuesday. All electric, the Tango has one seat in front and one in back and can travel up to 200 miles (320 km) on a charge, depending on the kind of battery purchased.

Woodbury says the car's racing-style steel cage and weight, similar to a mid-size sedan, make it safe. It's also fast, going from zero to 60 mph in 4 seconds (0 to 100km/h).

Delivered as a kit, the car requires some final assembly.


Source : The Eagle Tribune, January 16th, 2010

Toyota unveils new Hybrid

Toyota unveiled a new hybrid concept car that is smaller than the Prius and geared toward younger buyers, part of the Japanese automaker's strategy to expand its lineup of hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles.

Toyota showed off the FT-CH compact car at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. No official timetable has been set for sale of the vehicle to the public, but Toyota plans to sell more than 1 million hybrids per year globally by the end of the decade. It also plans plug-in hybrids and electric cars starting in the 2012 model year and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles in 2015.

The plan to broaden the Prius brand is a sign of its success and loyalty among buyers. The Prius, which launched in the U.S. in 2000, has long been the nation's top-selling hybrid and was the best-selling vehicle overall in Japan last year.


Source : The Eagle Tribune, January 16th, 2010