Ford team up with Azure to produce EV Transit

Ford Motor Company announced today that Azure Dynamics Corporation has joined in a collaborative effort to deliver a pure battery electric Ford Transit Connect van for the United States and Canadian markets in 2010. Azure will integrate its Force Drive(TM) battery electric drive train in the Transit Connect van for commercial fleet and retail use.

The collaboration with Azure Dynamics for the Transit Connect BEV will build
on the existing business relationship between Ford and Azure as well as their
shared experience with battery supplier, Johnson Controls-Saft.

"We recognize an increasing interest in electrified vehicles and have an
aggressive strategy to bring these vehicles to the marketplace," said Nancy
Gioia, Ford director of Global Electrification. "Our work with Azure to
create a pure electric battery Transit Connect vehicle will allow us to offer
our commercial customers an additional option for environmentally friendly
transportation."

The Transit Connect BEV will be built on Ford's global commercial vehicle
platform as part of the company's One Ford global product vision. It is the
first of four electrified vehicles from Ford that will become available over
the next three years in the U.S. and Canada including:

-- Battery electric Transit Connect van in 2010
-- Battery electric Ford Focus passenger car in 2011
-- Next generation hybrid vehicle in 2012
-- Plug-In hybrid vehicle in 2012


Collaboration builds on existing business relationship Azure Dynamics develops hybrid electric and electric drive technology for shuttle buses and commercial trucks, such as the Balance(TM) Hybrid Electric,which is built on the Ford E-450 cutaway and strip chassis for the medium duty commercial vehicle segment.

"The opportunity to work with Ford on the Transit Connect BEV is a
breakthrough advancement for us at Azure and for the light commercial vehicle
market," said Scott Harrison, Azure Dynamics CEO. "For Azure, it's an
important evolution of our existing relationship with Ford. From an industry
standpoint, we are seeing delivery fleet and utility vehicle operators move to
smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles. The Transit Connect BEV will come to
market at an ideal time to meet this growing trend."

Oak Park, Mich.-based Azure Dynamics will integrate its proprietary Force
Drive(TM) battery electric drive train into the Transit Connect BEV, which
will have a targeted range of 80 miles minimum on a full charge and zero
tailpipe emissions. Force Drive(TM) components have previously been deployed
in more than 40 vehicle integrations and have more than 25 million miles of
on-the-road experience. The Transit Connect BEV will offer fleet owners the
opportunity to eliminate the use of gasoline and help to lower operating
costs. The vehicle will be badged with both the Ford Blue Oval and Azure's
Force Drive logo.

Azure Dynamics has selected Johnson Controls-Saft as the supplier for
lithium-ion battery cells and battery packs for the Transit Connect BEV. Azure Dynamics and Ford both currently utilize Johnson Controls-Saft battery technology for other products. The Transit Connect BEV will use the same proven cell technology that is currently deployed in the Ford Escape plug-in hybrid fleet that is on the road today.

In addition, Azure had previously announced it would use Johnson Controls-Saft
lithium-ion batteries for its E- 450 Balance Hybrid Electric beginning in the
second half of 2010. The shared supplier business relationship is expected to
provide additional synergy between Ford and Azure in the Transit Connect BEV
project.

Transit Connect commercial platform ideal choice for battery electric power
The Ford Transit Connect already is a proven global success. Ford introduced
the gasoline-engine Transit Connect to North America this year. With a unique
combination of car-like driving dynamics, cargo capacity, accessibility and
low purchase and operation costs, it is an ideal choice for electrification.
Commercial users often travel predictable, short-range routes with frequent
stop and go driving in urban and suburban environments. For customers seeking
sustainable mobility solutions, the Transit Connect Battery Electric Vehicle
with Azure Force Drive(TM) will provide a zero emissions option.

The Transit Connect was designed, engineered and manufactured on a dedicated
global commercial vehicle platform to beat tough commercial vehicle durability
standards. The final manufacturing location for the Transit Connect BEV has
not yet been determined.

BMW to put Carbon Fibre panels into mass production for EVs

The first mass production battery-powered electric vehicle from BMW, due to be launched in the US by 2012 will feature mass produced lightweight carbon-fiber reinforced panels, a first for the automotive industry.

BMW has joined forces with carbonfibre specialist SGL Group to produce lightweight parts for its new MegaCity electric vehicle.

MegaCity will take on Daimler's Smart division with a range of urban vehicles, in both two- and four-wheeled forms.

Two plants will be built in North America and Germany to manufacture carbonfibre parts which will be the first “large scale” manufacture of carbon fibre in the automotive industry.

"We will enter into a new dimension in the use of carbon-fiber reinforced plastics, both in terms of volume per car and in vehicle numbers," a BMW spokesman said.

The companies are said to be investing $500 Million in total.

40 percent of cars on the road could be EVs in 10 years

Almost one in three cars on the roads could be electric by 2020, according to the former head of Rover.

Professor Kevin Morley said a “significant” number of cars would be zero-emissions in 10 years' time, but added the technology needs to be much better before there can be mass appeal.

“In 10 years a significant amount of cars will be electric, and by that I am talking around 30 to 40 per cent,” he said.

But he believes electric cars need to have at least a 200-mile range and a charging time of around 10 minutes. Morley estimates this could be a commercial reality by 2012.

“The technology must be there soon,” he said.

In April this year the government announced that motorists will be offered incentives of up to £5000 to buy electric cars from 2011.

The £250 million scheme will also result in key UK cities becoming testing grounds for how drivers will use and charge their new vehic

Japanese car Tokai Challenger wins World Solar Challenge in Australia

A Japanese sun-powered car Tokai Challenger won the World Solar Challenge on Wednesday after averaging speeds of more than 100 kilometres (62 miles) per hour for four days through the Australian Outback. The Tokai University solar car entry #60 Tokai Challenger crossed the control finish line just north of Adelaide at 3.39pm SA daylight saving time to claim victory in the 2009 Global Green Challenge.

In what appeared to be a near faultless run over the 3,000 kilometre distance from the Darwin start, Tokai University has broken the four event string of victories set by the Dutch Nuon team in the 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2007 events.

The teams first and only reported issue occurred today at the Crystal Brook rail overpass when Tokai Challenger suffered a flat tyre, 2824 kilometres from the Darwin start.

The victory by Tokai Challenger is the first by a Japanese team since 1996 when the event was won by Honda Dream II. Honda also won the previous event in 1993.

The Global Green Challenge in its former guise as the World Solar Challenge was first run in 1987 and is conducted every two years.

Tokai Challenger started the event in fourth position in Darwin after qualifying at an average speed of 81.86kph at Darwin’s Hidden Valley raceway.

The Tokai team went to the lead position in the event at the end of Day 1 at Dunmarra 633 kilometres from the start and was 17 minutes ahead of Michigan University’s Infinium (Car #2) and the Nuon Solar Team entry The Netherlands Nuna V (Car #3).

The lead held by Tokai Challenger had grown to 56 minutes on Day 2 with the Japanese team still being trailed by Infinium and Nuna V. Tokai Challenger spent the night just south of Alice Springs with its rivals some distance to the north of the Central Australian town.

By the end of Day 3, Tokai had camped at Glendambo while its nearest rivals (still Infinium and Nuna V) camped near Coober Pedy and were two hours 23 minutes in arrears battling it out for second position.

The Tokai Challenger team will return tomorrow Thursday (October 29, 2009) to the control finish line and then parade into Adelaide for the ceremonial finish scheduled for 10am (SA daylight saving time) in Victoria Square.

It is expected that the second and third running cars will cross the official finish line at around 10.am (SA daylight saving time) on Thursday (October 29, 2009)

Eco Challenge Tesla sets new 500 km record on a single charge

Leaders of the Eco class for production cars on the World Solar Challenge (now known as the Global Green Challenge) have set a new 'world record' for distance traveled on one charge in a standard production Tesla Roadster of 501 kms or 313 miles. The car had about 3 miles of range left when the drive was completed.

The distance will be fully accredited by event officials in due course, and preparation for the record-setting drive included security sealing of the electric charge port door at departure and full on-road supervision of the vehicle during the drive.

The path driven was to the south from Alice Springs, in the Australian Northern Territory, and ended at a distance marker on the highway at a point 183 km north of Coober Pedy, in South Australia.

How do you drive a BEV across the Australian outback? The team has a service crew that includes a truck carrying a diesel powered 17 kw generator able to fully charge the Tesla's battery in 3 hours.

Japans's Tokai Challenger continues to blitz World Solar Field

The Tokai University solar car entry #60 Tokai Challenger has again made sensational progress on day 3 of the 2009 Global Green Challenge.

Starting this morning (Tuesday October 27) south of Alice Springs 1531 kilometres from the Darwin start, the Japanese team stormed across the South Australia border.

The team reported its speed at 106 kph as it headed southwards.

Astern of the leading car the battle was well and truly on between the two vehicles running second and third on the road.

Car #2 Infinium (University of Michigan Solar Car Team) camped north of Alice Springs 1465 kilometres from the start last night, in second position.

In third overnight was car #3 Nuna V (Nuon Solar Team) from the Netherlands, camped north of Alice Springs 1445 kilometres from Darwin.

The two rival teams swapped positions today with Nuna V taking over second position from the American Infinium car near the Alice Springs control point.

The event took a new twist when it was reported that a truck rollover had occurred on the highway 20 kilometres north of Coober Pedy.

The Tokai Challenger team passed the incident and is expecting to camp at Glendambo overnight only 591 kilometres from the Adelaide finish.

Second on the road is the Tesla Roadster of Eco Challenger leader Team Internode.

Japanese car Tokai Challenger leads World Solar Challenge

The leading cars in the World Solar Challenge have passed the halfway point in the race from Darwin to Adelaide.

Leading the way late on Monday was the Tokai University solar car entry Tokai Challenger.

At last report the car was 1,436km from Darwin. Race officials said it was expected to stop for the night just south of Alice Springs with about 1,540km covered.

In second position was Infinium from the University of Michigan, which was about 70km behind.

The leading cars are expected to reach the finish in Adelaide on Wednesday or Thursday, depending on weather conditions.

The Tokai Challenger is equipped with triple-junction compound solar cells that use indium gallium phosphide (InGaP), indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) and germanium (Ge) for top, middle and bottom cells, respectively. They are originally space cells used on communication satellites and feature a cell conversion efficiency of 30% (conventional crystalline silicon solar cells typically have a little more than 15% efficiency).

A total of 2,176 cells, each of which measures 77 x 39mm, were installed on the top surface of the vehicle. When used as space cells, they are sealed with glass to make a module. This time, however, the cells are sealed with a film so that they can be mounted on a curved surface and the total weight of the solar car can be reduced.

The total area of the solar cells is 6m2, and the total output is 1.8kW. Generated electricity drives Mitsuba Corp's brushless DC direct drive motor (efficiency: 97%) after passing through Mishimaki Denshi Y.K.'s buck-boost type maximum-power-point tracking circuit (efficiency: 98%). Also, Panasonic Corp's Li-ion secondary battery (5.6kWh) is used to store electricity.

The car can reach a top speed of 150km/h but as the race is being held on open public roads they have to respect the speed limit of 130km/h.

Follow the race Live on Google Maps here

Who will manufacture the Tesla Model S?

Tesla motors recently announced they have agreed terms for a lease on 350,000 sq/ft of manufacturing space formally occupied by Hewlett Packard. The Palo Alto facility is intended to be the powertrain production facility with assembly of the Model S at a separate, still as yet un-announced, plant. Tesla intend to spend $100 Million of their $465 M government loan to bring 'powertrain' manufacture in-house. The huge size of the facility seems to be pegged on securing more customers like Daimler who will incorporate Tesla made battery packs and chargers into their initial run of 1000 Smart EVs.

The biggest questions about Model S production still remain. With a self imposed delivery deadline of late 2011, over 1000 orders taken and the vehicle assembly plant location still not selected, we're left to speculate about how much of the Model S Tesla is actually planning to manufacture themselves?

With the chassis and most of the body panels for the Model S being specified in Aluminum it seems highly unlikely Tesla will bring manufacture of those parts in house. Currently the Tesla Roadster, which has an Aluminium chassis, is assembled by Lotus in the UK and delivered to Tesla as a completed vehicle minus the powertrain.

The adhesive-bonded aluminium Tesla Roadster chassis is not made by Lotus but is manufactured by aluminum sub-contractor Hydro Raufoss Automotive, a division of Norsk Hydro, on the same production line as those of the Lotus Elise.

Is Tesla planning to take over the vehicle assembly role currently filled by Lotus or will another company take their place and supply a finished Model 'S' minus powertrain using the same business models as used for the Roadster? There may be the option of having a 'glider' manufactured by a large subcontractor other than Lotus but Musk has made plenty of enemies in those circles to date.

Who 'could' build it?

Canadian firm Magna are one of the largest vehicle assembly subcontractors in the automotive business but as Tesla have already sued and been counter sued by them over the ill conceived 2 speed transmission, it would seems bridges have been burnt there already. Magna already has it hands full with a deal to make Focus EVs for Ford by 2011.

Finland based Valmet have years of experience building aluminium chassis and body panels having been the main contractor for Porsche building Boxster and Cayman over the past decade, but EV rival Fisker already have a production contract for their Karma to be manufactured by Valmet and Tesla have made themselves unwelcome by suing Fisker as well. When the music stops will Tesla be left standing?

There may be an option to have the Model S chassis manufactured by Hydro much as the Roadster chassis is although there are many technical differences between the two. While the Model S is a unibody the Roadster/Elise is a very unique bonded chassis constructed primarily from aluminium extrusions.

Full aluminium unibody chassis, while more common in recent years, are still rare in the automotive business and are usually the reserve of low volume, high priced sports cars where higher manufacturing costs can be recouped. Tesla may not have that option because while the 'S' will be a low volume production vehicle, they are simultaneously attempting to make it an 'affordable' car with a monster battery pack, both strategies leaving very little room for margin.

Powertrain

Currently the Roadster battery pack and 3 phase AC motor are manufactured in Asia and shipped to California for installation into the Lotus based chassis. With the new Palo Alto facility slated to take over the battery pack assembly, with some question over whether AC motor manufacture will be brought in-house, there must be a very steep learning curve for Tesla Motors to grow from a small operation who currently manufacture nothing in-house to manufacturing the entire powertrain and chassis with their own plant and equipment in the space of the next 2 years.

Some questions must also be raised about the engineering reality of offering different sized battery pack options for the Model S. Tesla says they will offer upgrade battery options for 230 miles (370 km) or 300 miles (480 km) on the standard 160 mile (256 km) range.

While the 160 mile 'Standard' Model S will include a 42 kw/hr battery pack, the larger 300 mile battery pack will be 70kw/hr and weighs 1200lb (544 kg). There will be a significant weight difference across the range of battery sizes which may pose a challenge to the Tesla chassis engineers if the various sized packs can be “hot swapped”. Installing the larger 300 mile battery will be like putting a load into a truck - and will have adverse affects on the vehicles dynamics as it's almost double the weight of the smallest pack.

Amongst the torrent of Tesla Press Releases there is virtually no news regarding Model S production. There was a recent company blog mention that the Model S chassis would be used as a base for derivatives including a minivan, cross-over utility vehicle and a utility van for fleets although these plans must be years off given the total lack of Model S production facilities to date.

We certainly hope Tesla haven't bitten off more than they can chew and that the Model S isn't a very expensive example of EV vapourware. It will be very interesting to see them create a vehicle assembly plant and supply chain from scratch, presumably in California, and make the leap from glorified EV conversion company to full fledged auto maker within the next 24 months!

AC versus DC electric car motors

In the world of gas powered vehicles, engines are not all alike. There are flat-heads, Hemis, straight, opposed, and V configurations. And on and on. One would have thought that, years ago, someone would have figured out which was best. That would have ended all the choices and thereafter only the one best engine type would be in production. Not so. There is no one best engine type, rather there are different types of engines to suit personal requirements, such as price and performance. This is also true for electric vehicle drives.

In the early days of EVs there were lead acid batteries, DC brush motors, and contactor controllers. Today, none of these remain. Lead has been replaced by lithium and DC by either DC brushless or induction. Contactors, meanwhile, have given way to modulating inverters. So, will each of these elements also become obsolete in the near future or is it possible that some “stability” may be at hand? Without a good crystal ball, it is hard to predict the future. My guess, however, is that we will see both induction and brushless machines “duke it out” for many years to come. Each will have its loyal proponents and religious detractors.

A Closer Look

So what are these two technologies? How do they work? What differentiates them? And what do they have in common? Let’s start with DC brushless drives.

With brushless machines, the rotor includes two or more permanent magnets that generate a DC magnetic field (as seen from the vantage point of the rotor). In turn, this magnetic field enters the stator core (a core made up of thin, stacked laminations) and interacts with currents flowing within the windings to produce a torque interaction between the rotor and stator. As the rotor rotates, it is necessary that the magnitude and polarity of the stator currents be continuously varied – and in just the right way - such that the torque remains constant and the conversion of electrical to mechanical energy is optimally efficient. The device that provides this current control is called an inverter. Without it, brushless motors are useless motors.

Let’s move on to induction motor drives. A forerunner of the 3-phase induction motor was invented by Nikola Tesla sometime before 1889. Curiously, the stators for the 3-phase induction motor and the DC brushless motor are virtually identical. Both have three sets of “distributed windings” that are inserted within the stator core. The essential difference between the two machines is with the rotor.

Unlike the DC brushless rotor, the induction rotor has no magnets – just stacked steel laminations with buried peripheral conductors that form a “shorted structure.” Currents flowing in the stator windings produce a rotating magnetic field that enters the rotor. In turn, the frequency of this magnetic field as “seen” by the rotor is equal to the difference between the applied electrical frequency and the rotational “frequency” of the rotor itself. Accordingly, an induced voltage exists across the shorted structure that is proportionate to this speed difference between the rotor and electrical frequency. In response to this voltage, currents are produced within the rotor conductors that are approximately proportionate to the voltage, hence the speed difference. Finally, these currents interact with the original magnetic field to produce forces – a component of which is the desired rotor torque.

When a 3-phase induction motor is connected to utility type 3-phase power, torque is produced at the outset; the motor has the ability to start under load. No inverter is needed. (Were an inverter needed, Tesla’s invention would have been useless until sometime in the 1960s.) The fact that induction motors are directly compatible with conventional utility power is the main reason for their success. In contrast, a brushless DC motor produces no starting torque when directly connected to fixed frequency utility power. They really need the aid of an inverter whose “phase” is maintained in step with the angular position of the rotor.

While 3-phase induction motors have great utility, they also have some severe limitations. They cannot operate from DC; AC is a must. Shaft speed is proportionate to line frequency. Hence, when used with utility power, they are constant speed machines. Finally, when operated from utility power, they have limited starting torque and somewhat limited running peak torque capabilities, when compared to DC type machines.

Add an inverter (without any feedback control) and it becomes possible to power an induction machine from a battery or other DC source; variable speed also becomes possible simply by adjusting the inverter frequency. Still, torque performance is low compared with DC machines. Add some feedback loops such that the inverter produces the exact frequency that the motor “desires,” and the induction motor is now capable of competing with DC and DC brushless for vehicle applications.

Brushless or Induction?

Back in the 1990s all of the electric vehicles except two were powered by DC brushless drives. Today, all the hybrids are powered by DC brushless drives, with no exceptions. The only notable uses of induction drives have been the Ford Ranger EV; General Motors EV-1; the AC Propulsion vehicles, including the tzero; and the Tesla Roadster.

Both DC brushless and induction drives use motors having similar stators. Both drives use 3-phase modulating inverters. The only differences are the rotors and the inverter controls. And with digital controllers, the only control differences are with control code. (DC brushless drives require an absolute position sensor, while induction drives require speed and current sensors; these differences are relatively small.)

One of the main differences is that much less rotor heat is generated with the DC brushless drive. Rotor cooling is easier and peak point efficiency is generally higher for this drive. The DC brushless drive can also operate at unity power factor, whereas the best power factor for the induction drive is about 85 percent. This means that the peak point energy efficiency for a DC brushless drive will typically be a few percentage points higher than for an induction drive.

In an ideal brushless drive, the strength of the magnetic field produced by the permanent magnets would be adjustable. When maximum torque is required, especially at low speeds, the magnetic field strength (B) should be maximum – so that inverter and motor currents are maintained at their lowest possible values. This minimizes the I² R (current² resistance) losses and thereby optimizes efficiency. Likewise, when torque levels are low, the B field should be reduced such that eddy and hysteresis losses due to B are also reduced. Ideally, B should be adjusted such that the sum of the eddy, hysteresis, and I² losses is minimized. Unfortunately, there is no easy way of changing B with permanent magnets.

In contrast, induction machines have no magnets and B fields are “adjustable,” since B is proportionate to V/f (voltage to frequency). This means that at light loads the inverter can reduce voltage such that magnetic losses are reduced and efficiency is maximized. Thus, the induction machine when operated with a smart inverter has an advantage over a DC brushless machine – magnetic and conduction losses can be traded such that efficiency is optimized. This advantage becomes increasingly important as performance is increased. With DC brushless, as machine size grows, the magnetic losses increase proportionately and part load efficiency drops. With induction, as machine size grows, losses do not necessarily grow. Thus, induction drives may be the favored approach where high-performance is desired; peak efficiency will be a little less than with DC brushless, but average efficiency may actually be better.

Permanent magnets are expensive – something like $50 per kilogram. Permanent magnet (PM) rotors are also difficult to handle due to very large forces that come into play when anything ferromagnetic gets close to them. This means that induction motors will likely retain a cost advantage over PM machines. Also, due to the field weakening capabilities of induction machines, inverter ratings and costs appear to be lower, especially for high performance drives. Since spinning induction machines produce little or no voltage when de-excited, they are easier to protect.


Still No Winner

My conclusion is that DC brushless drives will likely continue to dominate in the hybrid and coming plug-in hybrid markets, and that induction drives will likely maintain dominance for the high-performance pure electrics. The question is what will happen as hybrids become more electrically intensive and as their performance levels increase? The fact that so much of the hardware is common for both drives could mean that we will see induction and DC brushless live and work side by side during the coming golden era of hybrid and electric vehicles.

Top US general says Electric vehicles essential to national security

The nation needs to muster the same economic might that brought about the explosion in personal computing, the Internet and cellular phones, and apply it to electric vehicle technology to help wean the U.S. from its dependence on foreign oil, Gen. Wesley Clark said this afternoon at "The Business of Plugging In" conference.

Freeing the U.S. of its petroleum-dependence is crucial to national security interests, said Clark, former supreme allied commander for NATO. He noted that the past few wars -- from the first Persian Gulf War to the 2003 invasion of Iraq -- had securing U.S. access to oil among their motivations. Climate change could also put extra burdens on national security, as well, if it brings about storm-related catastrophes that require military assistance.

"It's absolutely dead center of the bull's eye of national security," said Clark, who was the keynote speaker at the three-day event at MotorCity Casino-Hotel. "It's a tragedy. It doesn't have to be that way, but it is."

Much of the oil imported -- about 12 million barrels a day -- goes to fueling our nation's 240 million vehicles with the U.S. spending $300 billion to $500 billion each year to pay for it, he added.

All that could be money better spend invested here to create jobs and stimulate the economy, he added.

"We need the next big thing for America. It could be in electric vehicle technology," Clark said.

At a morning session on readying cities for electric vehicles, speakers said moving electric vehicles into the mainstream will be crucial for reducing carbon emissions, but their adoption will largely depend on making the transition easy for consumers who want to plug in to their homes or workplaces.

"You can't have a meaningful effect with just a couple of cars," said Britta Gross, director of global energy systems at General Motors Co., who moderated the session.

Simplicity is key to making this new technology understandable to consumers who may be reluctant to plunk down tens of thousands of dollars on a vehicle when they don't know where to charge, how long it will take and whether they have the necessary equipment at home, said Mike Ligett, director of emerging technologies at Progress Energy Corporation, a utility in Raleigh, N.C.

He cautioned industry and government against being overly ambitious in the early years because it could end up confusing customers and stalling sales.

"We do not need a smart grid to make this work," Ligett said.

Rather, a customer needs to know a 110-volt outlet will be available when the electric vehicle arrives home from the dealer.

At the same time, not all homes have external 110-volt outlets, and installations will have to be made. Cutting down the time it takes to get residences and workplaces ready is also needed, said Enid Joffe, co-owner of Clean Fuel Connection, an Arcadia, Calif.-based installer of charging stations.

With existing systems, it could take anywhere from 30 to 45 days to install a charging station, she said.

"No one wants to wait 30 to 45 days to install their infrastructure" after they buy a new electric car, she said. "Part of what we need to do as an industry is we really need to reinvent this process."

Patrick Davis, program manger for vehicle technologies at U.S. Department of Energy, said he sees plug-in electric hybrids -- which run on electricity for a limited distance before switching to the gas engine -- as a transitional technology to gradually phase in pure electric vehicles, which use no gas.

Eventually, as the infrastructure is built out and charging stations become readily available, customers warm to the pure electric vehicles, which will go finite ranges on a single charge but have no carbon tail pipe emissions.

"Right now, we have range anxiety," he said.

In an earlier morning session on the electrification of vehicle, Peter Darbee, CEO of Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. in California, said demand for plug-in electric vehicles is likely to surpass industry estimates, and utilities should brace for a sharp increase in electricity use once these vehicles hit the showrooms.

He said he believes plug-in electric vehicles will be incredibly popular in Northern California where hybrid vehicles, like the Toyota Prius, have had strong market penetration.

An uptick in new electric vehicles could tax the grid in new ways, especially since a plug-in electric vehicle -- drawing electricity from a 220-volt outlet -- is like adding the equivalent of another home to the system. Add on top of that a hot day when drivers come home, turn on the lights and air conditioning and then plug in the vehicle, and "you would create a peak load on top of the peak load," Darbee said.

"What happens if three to five vehicles show up in one neighborhood," he said. "You're going to overwhelm the circuits."

To prepare, utilities must work with the automakers in building out the infrastructure, as well as consumers to encourage electric vehicle owners to plug in at off-peak demands.

Similarly, dynamic pricing will also be critical to evening out electricity use by giving customers a financial incentive to plug in at night when demand is low and prices are cheaper, he said.

Sanyo to expand Hybrid battery production overseas

Sanyo Electric said Wednesday that it could begin assembling hybrid vehicle battery systems overseas as early as 2012 as more automakers gear up to expand production of environmentally friendly cars.

Such regions as Europe, North and Central America, and China are among the candidates for possible locations, Sanyo said during a briefing in Tokyo to outline strategies for its automobile battery business. Launching overseas assembly, which is solely domestic at this time, will help Sanyo expand its hybrid battery systems operations.

The battery systems, comprising multiple cells and control units, are currently assembled at Sanyo's Sumoto plant in Hyogo Prefecture for shipment to automakers. But with this factory busy handling production of nickel-metal hydride batteries for Honda Insight and others, Sanyo is investing roughly US$33 million this year to set up a new assembly line at its Kasai plant, also in Hyogo Prefecture.

Sanyo also filled in details about plans for a new facility to mass-produce lithium ion batteries at its Kasai site. In addition to making these batteries for hybrid vehicles, the 30 billion yen plant will begin monthly production of roughly 300,000 to 400,000 high-output batteries for plug-in hybrid vehicles in fiscal 2010.

Brits battle Aussies in solar car race

A team from Cambridge University has entered the race for the first time and with the backing of new Formula One champion Jenson Button, has immediately been listed among the favourites.

The 3,000km race from Darwin to Adelaide gets underway on Sunday with the leading cars expected in Adelaide a bit over three days later.

Hot favourites are the Nuon Solar Team from the Netherlands with their car Nuna 5.

The team holds the race record and has won the past four events.

But organisers say the Dutch will be under pressure this year after a testing accident in Darwin that badly damaged Nuna 5.

The Dutch also face a strong challenge from the University of Michigan's car Infinium, the Belgium entry from the Umicore Solar Team called Umicar Inspire, Germany's BoCruiser car from the HS Bochum team, the Swiss entry Heliox II, Australia's own Aurora 101 and the Cambridge team with its car dubbed Endeavour.

It takes its name from Captain James Cook's ship that explored Australia's east coast in 1770.

"Endeavour requires 50 times less power than a normal, petrol-fuelled vehicle and experts believe that aspects of its design could provide a model for green vehicles in the future," team spokeswoman Lucy Hickmet said.

"Sustainable transportation is likely to prove an essential weapon in the fight to prevent the environmental decline of the planet and designs like this help to draw attention to the available alternatives to traditional carbon-consuming technologies."

This year's World Solar Challenge features 35 cars from 15 countries and race director Chris Selwood said picking a winner would be difficult.

"We don't really see the technology and ingenuity until the cars are scrutineered in Darwin and a lot of things can happen on the journey south," he said.

The record speed for the World Solar Challenge was set by the Nuon team's Nuna III car in 2005 at 102.75km/h.

Since then rules changes, which reduced the size of the solar panels, have slowed the cars with Nuna 4 averaging 90.97km/h to win in 2007.

Nissan, Sumitomo Establish JV to Boost Recycling of Lithium-Ion Batteries

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., and Sumitomo Corp. announced joint plans to initiate a business venture to "Reuse, Resell, Refabricate and Recycle" lithium-ion batteries previously used in electric cars.

The "4R" business model is designed to capitalize on the supply of reusable lithium-ion batteries as electric cars achieve widespread marketplace acceptance. While today there is no existing supply of large-capacity reusable batteries, by 2020 in Japan, the demand for "second-life" batteries is expected to reach the equivalent of 50,000 electric-cars per year at the minimum, as demand grows for an increasing range of energy-storage solutions.
"We recognize Nissan's unique responsibility as the first company in the world to commit to delivering affordable zero-emission mobility," said Toshiyuki Shiga, Nissan’s COO. "Consumers are excited by the promise of all-electric, zero-emission cars, but they also want assurances that lithium-ion batteries can be reused and recycled. In fact, our batteries are not only reusable, but they also contribute as a solution to energy storage. We are pleased to have found a business partner in Sumitomo."

Nissan has committed to bringing electric vehicles to the mass market by fiscal year 2012. As consumers increasingly choose zero-emission cars, demand for second-life batteries is expected to grow as the supply of reusable batteries from electric cars rises. Even after the end of normal vehicle life, the high-performance lithium-ion batteries used by Nissan will retain 70 to 80 percent of residual capacity and can be reused and resold to various industries as a solution to energy-storage.

"As a company that handles initiatives from natural resources and battery materials to building an infrastructure for electric vehicles, we are quite pleased to announce our work with Nissan to create a new market with second-life batteries," said Kazuo Ohmori, Sumitomo Corp.’s executive VP. "In coming years, our social commitment is to contribute to the substantial reduction of carbon dioxide. I believe this new potential venture could help us fulfill our social commitment."

The two companies have committed to a joint feasibility study to establish a framework for a JV company, which is expected to be operational by late next year, in Japan and the United States. In Europe, Nissan will proceed to explore the 4R business model with its Alliance partner, Renault. A task force from Sumitomo and Nissan will work to finalize details such as the shareholding structure, capital investment, business structure and other operational concerns for the joint venture.

The 4R pillars for the second-life battery business are:

Reuse: Start second-life use for batteries with approximately 70 to 80 percent capacity;

Resell: Resell the batteries for various applications;

Refabricate: Disassemble the battery pack and then repackage and customize to fit the client's needs; and

Recycle: Implement end-of-life recycling to salvage raw materials.

Venturi team up to launch Intelligent Battery Management System

Thomas Debuisser, founder and controlling director of Clairitec, and Gildo Pallanca Pastor, CEO of Venturi, officially announce the creation of the "Ventec - Intelligent Battery Management System", a new generation of Intelligent Battery Management System (IBMS) enhancing both security and performance of Lithium technologies.

The "Battery Management System" (BMS) is a major factor in the mastery of embedded energy. It handles temperature control, battery balancing, charging and discharging management and data processing for the cells composing batteries.

A company specializing in embedded intelligence, Ventec develops "Ventec IBMS", Intelligent Battery Management System wich incorporates a new generation of software and electronic cards. The degree of measurement precision combined with a predictive system based on modelling of the various types of battery chemistries make "Ventec IBMS" a particularly innovative solution.

"Ventec IBMS" is intended for all battery manufacturers, but also for car manufacturers wanting to propose a secure and high-performance range of electric or hybrid vehicles.

French "Ventec IBMS" technology is an important advance wich will help to speed up the marketing of reliable and competitive Lithium battery packs.

Clairitec is a digital and electronic engineering firm specializing in the design and production of industrial electronics. In just twelve years, Clairitec has become a reference in the provision of electronic solutions in the areas of aeronautics, automotive and medical equipment. Clairitec benefits from recognized expertise in the development of electronic cards and software specific to BMS. This expertise is backed up by the production of 12,000 electronic cards since 2000.

Since 2001, Venturi has pursued a policy of spearhead innovation enabling it to become a major player in the field of electric vehicles. Mastering the most advanced technological solutions in this sector, Venturi can claim unique feedback from its experience in the various battery technologies. Its expertise ranges from high-performance vehicles to urban cycles through conversion of vehicles into electric propulsion.

Nissan announce electric NV200 mini van.

At the opening of the Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan Motor Co. President and CEO Carlos Ghosn revealed that Nissan will produce an electric version of the firm's newly introduced NV200 light commercial vehicle.

In what is now becoming an emerging trend in the EV market with Ford, Mitsubishi and now Nissan planning small EV vans, Ghosn said "This low-cost multi-purpose vehicle would allow ambulance drivers to drive directly into the hospital... or van and taxi drivers to enter urban areas where CO2 emissions are restricted, It's a flexible, practical vehicle with zero emissions."

While the Japanese automaker released a teaser sketch of the fully electric NV200, no other information was given out on the vehicle.

Yamaha EC-03- electric powered commuter vehicle

The Yamaha EC-03 is a 100% electric powered commuter vehicle developed with a concept of Light, Smart, Clean and Silent. It mounts a slim electric power unit and lithium-ion battery on a lightweight aluminum frame. With Yamaha-exclusive motor control technology it provides smooth start-ups and acceleration. The charger is built into the vehicle for easy recharging from a home electric outlet.

The Yamaha EC-03 with Permanent magnet type synchronous motor power unit is equivalent to 50cc license category at less than 0.6 kW (600 watts) and is powered by Lithium-ion battery.

Legal barriers loom for fuel-cell auto technology

The recent buzz over hybrids and electric cars has overshadowed the massive investments global auto giants are making in fuel-cell vehicles — another near-reality dream car that some believe promises an ultimate zero-emissions society.

Japan plans to stay on the cutting edge of the accelerated race for green technology — including fuel cells — that has kept its automakers competitive even as rival gas-guzzling carmakers crumbled under the weight of the global recession.

But despite a lead in technology, some carmakers, especially from abroad, say costly and back-breaking legal barriers are making Japanese roads uninviting for testing their latest pollution-free cars.

General Motors Co. of the United States and Mercedes-Benz, an arm of Germany's Daimler AG, have long been engaged in talks with Japanese authorities to bring in their latest fuel-cell vehicles with 700-bar high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks for a test run on public roads.

"Japan is waving a flag for eco-cars but why don't they let these cars in," said George Hansen, director in charge of fuel-cell commercialization at General Motors Asia Pacific (Japan) Ltd.

Fuel-cell vehicles, which are powered by electricity generated by a reaction between oxygen and hydrogen, have long been researched as an alternative to petroleum-powered cars since they only emit water vapor, have ample driving range and can be quickly refueled.

With global auto giants pushing to mass-produce the electric vehicles with fuel cells from 2015, Japan is also scrambling to lay the groundwork that will help to allay concerns on safety, production costs and lack of infrastructure like hydrogen fueling stations.

But while the country already has regulations on a 350-bar ( 5000 psi ) hydrogen tank system, the government is still in the process of setting up a legal framework for a 700-bar ( 10,000 psi) system, which promises a longer cruising distance.

As a result, automakers say they currently need to collect and submit massive volumes of data for a series of safety tests to obtain certification, a straining and foggy process that could cost over $1 million in total.

In GM's case, the automaker needs to provide convincing data to verify the safety of a tank material that is not common in Japan — the key cause for stalled talks for certification.

"There is nowhere else in the world that requires this amount of money for a test vehicle," said Masanobu Wada, managing director of the Japan Automobile Importers Association.

Combined with huge resources already spent in developing the fuel-cell vehicle, there is also no guarantee that the extra costs for data collection will bear fruit.

At home, Toyota Motor Corp. is among the few domestic automakers given approval for driving its FCHV-adv fuel-cell vehicle with a 700-bar system on public roads.

Both Toyota and Honda Motor Co., whose FCX Clarity with a lower pressure 350-bar system is available for lease in Japan, refused to provide any details on the certification process.

But several officials familiar with the negotiations said Toyota likely also waded through the same hurdles to obtain approval for its FCHV since both Japanese and foreign automakers are obliged to meet the taxing requirements for a test run on public roads.

"There are no legal shortcuts," an official at a Japanese carmaker said on condition of anonymity. "The government does not have any guideline to evaluate the new technology."

GM brought one of its fuel-cell Chevrolet Equinox vehicles to Japan around two years ago for a test run, but it still remains stationed for display at a government exhibition park in Yokohama.

The U.S. automaker currently has over 100 of these cars on roads worldwide, including the United States, Europe and South Korea.

"To be honest, we can't just let our vehicle — our valuable asset — sit tight since it will decay if we don't move it," Hansen said.

But GM is no stranger in the process. It made similar investments when it was granted approval for its liquid hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, the HydroGen3, in 2003.

And this time the situation is vastly different. The company, which made a rare speedy exit from bankruptcy proceedings in July, is eager to put on a greener face and keep its foothold in an environmentally conscious market.

"We're not giving up," Hansen said. "GM believes it's important to have our cars driven in Japan."

Japan, for its part, has been trying to relax some of its regulations while launching various demonstrations and projects to ensure safety. It is also one of the key players in efforts led by the United Nations to compile global standards for fuel-cell and other auto-related technologies.

"We are aiming for international harmonization so Japan does not isolate itself with unique regulations," said Yasushi Takahashi, chief officer at the government-affiliated New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization.

"But these promotional activities (on fuel-cell vehicles) will come to an immediate halt if an accident occurs, so we need to be cautious in that sense," he added.

Takafumi Imada, subsection chief in charge of hydrogen and fuel-cell promotion at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, also said each automaker for its part needs to specify concrete numerical targets that demonstrate the company's long-term position on fuel-cell vehicles.

"We feel that they should clarify the role of their (fuel-cell) business and their firm commitment and resolve," Imada said. "Only then can we begin talk on division between the public and private sectors on what each of us needs to do."

But whether foreign automakers are willing to wait for those legal barriers to come down is another matter, especially at a time when many are turning their attention away from a shrinking Japanese market to vibrant auto demand in neighboring China.

"If Japan wants to lead in environmental technology, it needs to think more about what that really means," GM's Hansen said.

"Instead of simply making good technology and exporting it," Hansen said Japan should exercise "soft leadership in translating various ideas (on paper) into action."

From living in a truck to $200M how Dale Vince built Ecotricity

In previous coverage of the UK wind power company Ecotricity and their Lotus based EV project I have to admit I had the wrong opinion about Ecotricity CEO Dale Vince. Having just discovered he founded the company while having lived in the back of a truck for 10 years I have a new found respect for the man.

In an interview with Robert Llewellyn (of cult BBC sitcom Red Dwarf fame), Dale busts some myths about wind turbine load factor, the UK's wind generating capacity, and explains how Ecotricity got started from the back of a truck, taking 5 years to get his first wind turbine up, to building a company worth $200 Million. They also take the $350,000 wind powered Lotus EV for a spin.

The interview is part of an Internet TV series called Carpool in which Llewellyn interviews notable business people, celebrities and other interesting characters. Being mostly British based many of the 'Celeb's may be unfamiliar, but the show is mostly about Green topics and they're always in either a hybrid or an electric car. Other notable interviews Chelsea Sexton, proponent of electric vehicles, Diarmuid O'Connell, Vice President of Business Development for Tesla Motors and a test drive of the Mitsubishi MiEV.

Electric Cars to have downloadable fake engine noise

For decades, automakers have been on a quest to make cars quieter: an auto that purrs, and glides almost silently in traffic. Despite the fact that 70% of the noise generated by a vehcile is created by the tires, some are now claiming electric vehciles and hybrids aren’t noisy enough.

Self appointed safety experts, the same people who brought us the hyper annoying reversing beeper, worry that electric vehicles and hybrids pose a threat if pedestrians can’t hear them approaching and want to impose themselves on automakers to supply some digitally enhanced vroom.

So automakers have now gone on a PR offensive to counter these claims. Just as cellphones have ring tones, “car tones” may not be far behind — an option for owners of electric vehicles to choose the sound their cars emit.

Working with Hollywood special-effects wizards, some hybrid auto companies have started tinkering in sound studios, rather than machine shops, to customize engine noises. The Fisker Karma, an $87,900 plug-in hybrid expected to go on sale next year, will emit a sound — pumped out of speakers in the bumpers — that the company founder, Henrik Fisker, describes as “a cross between a starship and a Formula One car.”

Nissan is also consulting with the film industry on sounds that could be emitted by its forthcoming Leaf battery-electric vehicle, while Toyota has been working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Federation of the Blind and the Society of Automotive Engineers on sounds for electric vehicles.

“One possibility is choosing your own noise,” said Nathalie Bauters, a spokeswoman for BMW’s Mini division, who added that such technology could be added to one of BMW’s electric vehicles in the future.

Despite the fact that EVs haven't even hit the showroom floors yet, Congress introduced the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 early this year that would require a federal safety standard to protect pedestrians from ultra-quiet cars. We are left to imagine which particular vested interests are funding which special interest group pushing for this kind of law?

Karen Aldana, a spokeswoman for traffic safety agency, which is also working on the issue, said, “We’re looking at data on noise and E.V. safety, but manufacturers are starting to address it voluntarily.”

A Toyota spokesman, John Hanson, said: “I don’t know of any injuries related to this, but it is a concern. We are moving rapidly toward broader use of electrification in vehicles, and it’s a fact that these cars are very quiet and could pose a risk to unsighted people.”

A study published last year by the University of California, Riverside and financed by the National Federation of the Blind evaluated the effect of sounds emitted by hybrid and internal-combustion cars traveling at 5 miles per hour.

People listening in a lab could correctly detect a gas-powered car’s approach when it was 28 feet away, but could not hear the arrival of a hybrid operating in silent battery mode until it was only seven feet away. Of couse electric vehciles don't actually drive down footpaths so this only becomes a problem if a blind person jaywalks.

A more realistic proposal may be a law requiring all Vision-impaired people to wear day-glow safety vests when walking near roads, exactly like out-door workers, including Police, are required to do by current occupational health and safety laws.

Mr. Scott, vice president of the advocacy group Plug In America, said he would prefer giving drivers control over whether the motor makes noise, unlike, say, the Fisker Karma, which will make its warning noise automatically.

“Quiet cars need to stay quiet — we worked so hard to make them that way,” he said. “It’s the driver’s responsibility not to hit somebody.”

Mr. Scott has already warmed up to the idea of a car ring tone.

“It should be a manually operated noisemaker, a button on the steering wheel triggering a recording of your choice,” he said. “It could play ‘In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida,’ or anything you like.”

Not forgetting the manually operated steering wheel mounted noisemaker already standard on all cars... the HORN!!

Japanese firm plans zero-emission ferry

A Japanese shipmaker said Thursday it planned to launch the world's first large electric ferry -- the latest innovation aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

A subsidiary of heavy machinery giant IHI Corp. has completed a basic design for a 30-metre (99-foot) long ferry that could carry 800 passengers, powered by rechargeable batteries, a company spokesman said.

While smaller battery-powered boats are already in use, IHI's ferry would be "the world's first large plug-in vessel," he said.

"It would emit no carbon dioxide or nitrogen oxide. We also aim to slash fuel costs," said the spokesman, who declined to be named.

The ferry would be able to cruise some 120 kilometres (74 miles) on a charge of six to eight hours, he said.

The group's shipbuilding subsidiary IHI Marine United Inc. plans to launch the ferry in around 2015, when it expects high-performance rechargeable batteries to be available at a lower cost.

The total battery capacity would be around 5,000 kilowatt hours -- more than 300 times greater than that of a small electric vehicle currently in use, the spokesman said.

The price is likely to be some 60 percent higher than that of a conventional ferry, he added.

Japanese car makers are already world leaders in fuel-efficient vehicles and Nissan plans to start selling what it describes as the world's first affordable electric car in late 2010.

Audi R4 eTron rendering

Following our head to head comparison between the Mercedes SLS EV and the Audo eTron, various speculative renderings of what the future Audi R4 eTron might look like are doing the rounds. The Audi R4 will be the production version of the eTron electric car concept shown off at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Slotted between the Audi TT and the Audi R8, the all-electric R4 will likely have conventional combustion engine options as well. It will possibly share a platform with the Porsche Cayman, and the upcoming Boxster, and should utilize aspects of the Aluminum Space Frame.

Expect the electric model to run on lithium-ion batteries, sending power to electric motors mounted in-board on each wheel. Expect these four motors to combine for well over the Tesla Roadster's output of 248 horsepower. Because of a robust amount of torque, expect the TT Coupe's 6.6-second time to be shattered by the R4.

A full-charge may be able to take the R4 155 miles without plugging in, but that may not be enough to lure Tesla Roadster customers.

Electric Fuel Cell UAV Sets Unofficial Endurance Record

The Naval Research Laboratory's (NRL's) Ion Tiger, a hydrogen-powered fuel cell unmanned air vehicle (UAV), has flown 23 hours and 17 minutes, setting an unofficial flight endurance record for a fuel-cell powered flight. The test flight took place on October 9th through 10th at Aberdeen Proving Ground. The Ion Tiger fuel cell development system team is led by NRL and includes Protonex Technology Corporation, the University of Hawaii, and HyperComp Engineering. The program is sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR).

The electric fuel cell propulsion system onboard the Ion Tiger has the low noise and signature of a battery-powered UAV, while taking advantage of hydrogen, a high-energy fuel. Fuel cells create an electrical current when they convert hydrogen and oxygen into water, with only water and heat as byproducts. The 550-Watt (0.75 horsepower) fuel cell onboard the Ion Tiger has about 4 times the efficiency of a comparable internal combustion engine and the system provides 7 times the energy in the equivalent weight of batteries. The Ion Tiger weighs approximately 37 pounds and carries a 4 to 5 pound payload.

Small UAVs are growing in importance for naval missions, as they provide capabilities ranging from surveillance collection to communication links. Electric UAVs have the additional feature of being nearly undetectable from the ground. Due to the high energy in the fuel cell system onboard the Ion Tiger, it is now possible to do long endurance missions with an electric UAV, thus allowing a larger cruise range and reducing the number of daily launches and landings. This provides more capability while saving time and effort for the crew.

In 2005, NRL backed initial research in fuel cell technologies for UAVs. Today, says NRL's Karen Swider-Lyons, "the long endurance flight was made possible by the team's research on high power, efficient fuel cell systems, lightweight hydrogen-gas storage tanks, improved thermal management, and the effective integration of these systems."

Fuel cell technology is being developed to impact the operational spectrum of technologies including ground, air and undersea vehicles and man-portable power for Marine expeditionary missions. "The Ion Tiger successfully demonstrates ONR's vision to show how efficient, clean technology can be used to improve the warfighter's capabilities," comments ONR's Michele Anderson.

Flywheel Energy Storage goes on line.

Base load power plants often generate more electricity than consumers demand, and that electricity often goes unused. Now Beacon Power’s energy-storage plant can apply that excess to power motors that spin carbon-fiber flywheels.

When customers need extra power, the motors stop driving the flywheels and, as the wheels decelerate, convert their motion into electricity. A flywheel is actually a kinetic, or mechanical battery, spinning at very high speeds to store energy that is instantly available when needed. Flywheels have traditionally been able to release only a small amount of energy in a relatively small burst of power. These release a large amount of energy in a large burst of power.

The company's flywheel-based approach could become even more significant in the near future, given the increasing amount of energy being added to the grid from non-linear sources such as wind. As the amount of wind generation and other intermittent renewables increase in the next ten years, the need for high-speed regulation services will clearly increase.

Today, coal or natural gas power plants are currently used for grid frequency regulation. Flywheels could allow reassignment of these plants to power generation, or disintermediate them altogether.

The company recently added 10 flywheels to its two-megawatt facility in Massachusetts, making it the first flywheel system that can feed the grid at any time.

Beacon Power's flywheels each weigh 1 ton and levitate in a sealed chamber while spinning up to 16,000 times per minute. The Department of Energy has granted Beacon a $43 million conditional loan guarantee to construct a 20-megawatt flywheel plant in upstate New York.

BMW Mini E heading for the UK

BMW's electric MINI is about to hit Britain’s streets.

And with forty volunteers currently being selected to trial the battery-powered motor – including 20 lucky members of the public chosen from 515 applications - the German marque is busy making last minute preparations for the MINI E’s arrival.

If you didn’t make the shortlist, don’t hold your breath for a stint behind the wheel of this super thrifty round-around. The firm’s confirmed it won’t ever make it into production.

Instead, the car is being used to trail technology being developed under the BMW group’s alternative fuel Project i, which is expected to result in a four seat electric family car by 2015.

In the meantime, retailer Marks and Spencer has agreed to install charging points at more than one dozen stores across the southeast, where the MINI E test cars will be based.

The new owners will also have boxes installed in their homes to boost their electricity charge from 13 to 32 amps – enough to give drivers a full tank in just four and a half hours. MINI says that will give them a range up to 120 miles.

The trial, which will run from Oxford, down to London’s West End and west to Andover, will begin before Christmas, according to the firm, and last six months.

Wind Power using a Kite

The Italian firm KiteGen Research is developing a generator that harnesses the wind through kites. The company developed a prototype that flies 200-square-foot kites to altitudes of 2,600 feet, where wind streams are four times as strong as they are near ground-based wind turbines.

As the kite’s tether unspools it pulls the cables that, through a pulley system, activate the alternators on ground, that produce electricity. When cables are entirely unwound, the kite is guided to a position where it looses its wind resistance and the cables are wound in. Energy consumption of the winding phase is a minor fraction of the energy generated during the unwinding phase.

At the very core of the project is the software that autonomously pilots the power kites, so that the flight patterns can be controlled and normally directed to maximise the production of energy.

In 2006 Kite Gen Research has built a first prototype, codename KSU1, tested at an altitude of 800m. This spring, KiteGen started building a machine to fly a 1,500-square-foot kite, which it plans to finish by 2011, that could generate up to three megawatts—enough to power 9,000 homes.

Kitegen Video

Skoda looking to launch Electric Car

Skoda could add an electric car to its range on the back of Volkswagen’s E-Up concept car.

A zero–emissions vehicle in the next few years has not been ruled out, although the Czech manufacturer would have to rely on the technology currently being developed by parent company, VW.

The E-Up concept previewed at Frankfurt and is scheduled for launch at the end of next year. The model has 18kW batteries that can be charged in five hours, giving a range of 80 miles.

Because of an agreement with the VW group regarding the sharing of technology, if the E-Up goes ahead then Skoda would likely have to wait two years before it could roll out its own version, but it is something the company would seriously consider.

“If VW or Audi develop this technology then it is a great opportunity for Skoda to develop a car like this,” a company source told Autocar, “but they must do it first.”

Ford Hybrid sales up 73% bucking industry trend

Ford Motor Company’s hybrid vehicle sales have risen 73 percent this year in sharp contrast to a 14-percent decline in hybrid sales across the industry.

The fuel economy and durability of hybrid versions of Ford Fusion and Escape, Mercury Milan and Mariner also are winning over large numbers of conquest customers, many of whom are previous import owners. Through September, Ford has sold 26,016 hybrid vehicles, up 73 percent versus the same period in 2008, according to figures from Autodata Inc.

* Ford Motor Company’s year-to-date hybrid sales are 73 percent higher than the same period in 2008, fueled by the introduction of hybrid versions of the 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan
* More than 60 percent of the sales of Fusion Hybrid are by non-Ford owners – with more than 52 percent of those customers coming from import brands

* Numbers of Ford Escape Hybrid taxis growing on streets of San Francisco and New York where vehicles in service have exceeded 300,000 miles since their introduction
* Ford hybrids help “green” federal government fleets


“Hybrid customers increasingly are considering Ford,” said David Finnegan, Ford hybrid marketing manager. “More than 60 percent of Fusion Hybrid sales have been from non-Ford owners, and more than half of those are customers coming from import brands, mostly from Toyota and Honda.”

Ford’s strong 2009 hybrid sales have been fueled by the introduction of the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids, the most fuel-efficient midsize sedans on the road. Both vehicles deliver a certified 41 mpg rating in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, topping the Toyota Camry hybrid by 8 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway.

Durable and fuel efficient
While the introduction of the Fusion Hybrid has spurred sales from non-Ford owners, Ford’s longest-running hybrid nameplate, the Escape Hybrid, has proven particularly popular with Ford customers operating taxi, lifeguard and government fleets due to the combination of fuel efficiency and durability. The front-wheel-drive Escape Hybrid delivers 34 mpg in city driving and 30 mpg on the highway, making it the most fuel-efficient SUV on the market.

In 2005, San Francisco became one of the first cities to adopt hybrids into taxi service, with hybrids accounting for 14 percent of its current fleet. Each of the original fleet of 15 Escape Hybrids exceeded 300,000 miles per vehicle before being retired and replaced with more Escape Hybrids. There are almost 200 Escape Hybrid taxis on San Francisco’s streets today.

New York has more hybrid taxis in service than any other city in North America with 13,237, of which more than 2,000 are Escape Hybrids. The Big Apple recently has begun retiring its original fleet of Escape Hybrids put into service in the 2005 model year after accumulating 300,000 to 350,000 miles per vehicle.

“We’re extremely pleased with the performance of the Escape Hybrid in taxi service,” said Gerry Koss, Ford’s fleet marketing manager. “Not only have they proven very reliable, they’ve also saved taxi drivers money on gas and contributed to lower tailpipe and greenhouse gas emissions in the cities that use them in taxi fleets.”

“Greening” the federal government fleet
Government fleets also are seeking cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles and hybrids are filling that need. In 2009, federal agencies have purchased more than 3,000 hybrids from Ford, more than any other automotive brand. Included in the sales were 1,900 vehicles acquired through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for the purpose of improving the fuel economy of the federal fleet. The U.S. Army was the single largest purchaser among the government fleets, acquiring 400 Fusion hybrids.

Saving lives and conserving fuel
In 2008, Ford began delivery of a fleet of 45 Escape Hybrids to the Los Angeles County Lifeguards, a division of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, for use on rescue patrol along 72 miles of Southern California coastline. After the first 11 months of service, lifeguards reported that Escape Hybrids had played a crucial part in thousands of rescues and more than a million rescue preventions at L.A. County beaches.

The Escape Hybrid fleet enabled L.A. lifeguards to reduce their entire fleet’s fuel usage by 25 percent – more than 5,000 gallons of gas – during the first six months of service. That fuel cost savings has helped L.A. County to maintain its critical front line staffing despite the economic downturn.

Solar car 'uses less power than toaster'

The University of New South Wales (UNSW) solar racing team, Sunswift, has unveiled an all-new solar car to contest this year’s Global Green Challenge race from Darwin to Adelaide.

Sunswift IV, affectionately known to the team as IVy, is a three-wheeled, hand-built, carbon-fibre machine which can reach a top speed of 115 km/h using just 1300 W, the same amount of power it takes to toast two slices of bread.

About the same footprint as a small sedan, but half the height and one-tenth the weight, the single-seater car produces no carbon emissions and can cruise at 85 km/h.

Sunswift IV will be the only solar car entry from NSW, and the only student-run team from Australia, to contest the Global Green Challenge, a 3000 km race for solar and eco-friendly vehicles which draws competitors from around the world, including big-budget solar racing teams from the United States and the Netherlands.

The race starts in Darwin on 24 October, with Sunswift expected to reach Adelaide within five days.

Team Leader Clara Mazzone, who is studying Renewable Energy Engineering at UNSW, said the Sunswift team had put in an extraordinary effort to prepare the new car and raise the $280,000 needed to fund the project and race campaign.

“The 60 students in the team have given up their spare time over the past 18 months to design, build and fund this vehicle,” she said.

“Although IVy is a race vehicle, it has a new design, including a steering wheel and upright seating position, which brings it closer to something we might see on the road in the future.”

IVy is expected to run on 1.3 kilowatts of power from its solar array when travelling at a speed of 90km/h - compared with 1.8 kW needed to run a four-slice toaster, Mr Pye said.

It also has a 5 kWh Li-po battery that will run the car for five hours without sunlight.

"Everything is thought (of) to make it as efficient as possible, because the race that it's built for is an endurance race more than anything," Mr Pye said.

The students will take IVy from Sydney to Adelaide before the race and test-run her from Adelaide to Darwin.

They plan to stop at schools on the way to Adelaide from Sydney to showcase their project.

"We're hoping just to get (children) excited about renewable energy, really, and the technologies we're developing, to kind of inspire them to keep it going and show them what's possible," Mr Pye said.

"I think the most amazing thing about it is that a bunch of students have built a car that runs off the sun and can race from Darwin to Adelaide in four or five days," he said.

"And it shows you, if we can do that, imagine what companies and governments can do if they really put their mind to it."

Sunswift IV specifications:
Dimensions - (L) 4.6 m (W) 1.8 m (H) 1.8 m
Weight - less than 150 kg
Body and chassis - (Frame) monocoque (Body Material) carbon fibre
Suspension - (Front) double wishbone (Rear) trailing arm
Steering - rack and pinion
Wheels & Tyres - (Number) 3 (Wheels) carbon fibre (Tyres) Dunlop Solarma
Brakes - (Front) hydraulic dual redundancy (Rear) handbrake (Regen) CSIRO wheel motor
Energy Storage - (Chemistry) lithium polymer (Weight) 24.75 kg
Motor - (Type) brushless CSIRO 3-phase DC (Power) 1800 W (Efficiency) 98%
Controller - (Type) tritium wave sculptor (Power) 20 KW (Efficiency) 97%
Performance - (Solar Only@ 5.998 m2) 1300 W (Max Speed) 115 km/hr (est avg) 85 km/hr
Project Cost - (Cost) $280,000 (Project Time) 18 months

The contrast in the above picture (click to download larger image) between Solar Car meets fuel haulage Road Train is a graphic illustration. Because the ICE powered cars being supplied by this truck are all only 15% energy efficient at the wheels, the fuel in three of the four trailers being hauled by this Road Train will in fact only be converted into waste heat by those Internal Combustion Engines.

Better Place sees price advantage for EVs

Better Place, which is building a global network of charging stations for the electric car industry, expects its EV to be significantly cheaper than gasoline-powered counterparts, its CEO was quoted as saying.

"(Our partner) Renault has not set prices yet. But the e-car will be 3,000 to 5,000 euros ($4,400 to $7,350) cheaper than the model with a gasoline engine," Shai Agassi told German magazine Auto Motor und Sport.

"Governments give incentives for electric vehicles, that's how we can sell the car at cheaper prices," he added.

The Renault Fluence is also set to be significantly cheaper than the e-cars of other automakers because Better Place, not customers, will buy the battery, which many experts estimate will cost around 10,000 euros.

Customers pay only for their usage. Better Place will charge about 250 euros per month if customers drive up to 30,000 km annually -- the same amount they would pay if buying petrol for the equivalent car, Agassi said.

"If a customer has a flat rate to drive as much as he wants, he will pay 340 to 350 euros -- try to get such a deal with Shell," he added.

Agassi expects to profit from selling mileage to drivers, which will generate revenues that exceed the company's costs for the large lithium-ion batteries and power.

He expects the company to break even by late 2012.