ElectriClub

Български електромобилен клуб

May 19, 2012

  • GM says the Volt has saved a supertanker of gas превод на български
     

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    Chevy Volt

    That's one small step for man, and one less really big barge full of fuel for mankind.

    That's basically what General Motors' Chevrolet division is saying in its latest effort to pitch the Volt extended-range plug-in as a way for prospective drivers to save both money and the earth.

    Chevrolet estimates that Volt drivers have saved more than 2.1 million gallons of gas - or one supertanker - by driving their vehicles in electric mode. Since the model launched in late 2010, Volt drivers, who, on average, use electricity 60 percent of the time and fuel from the car's on-board generator the rest of the time, have put on 40 million electric-only miles on the car, saving a combined $8 million in unused gasoline the process.

    While the Volt fell about 2,300 units short of Chevy's goal to sell 10,000 units last year, 2012 sales through April tripled from a year earlier to 5,377 units. We anxiously await Nissan's own claim on how many fleets worth of gas its Leaf drivers have saved...

    Continue reading GM says the Volt has saved a supertanker of gas

    GM says the Volt has saved a supertanker of gas originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 19 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Utah State University working on in-road wireless charging [VIDEO] превод на български
     


    Utah State University electrical engineers have made a technical breakthrough that could solve this power-storage pitfall — not by improving batteries, but by recharging them wirelessly, according to...

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  • Mitsubishi reveal I-MiEV Evolution Pikes Peak racer превод на български
     


    Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) will enter two all-electric vehicles (EVs) in the Electric Class of the legendary Pikes Peak International Hill Climb1. MMC will be aiming for victory in the...

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  • Demand for EVs in Hawaii ends state rebate program earlier than expected превод на български
     


    A Hawaii electric vehicle rebate program has run out of money after doling out about $2 million since January 2011. The state extended the program twice, adding $500,000 in an effort to stimulate...

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  • Ford to start shipping Focus Electric to dealers превод на български
     


    Ford will start shipping its first electric passenger car to dealers this weekend. About 350 Focus Electric cars will be sent to 67 dealers in California, New Jersey and New York over the next...

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  • EVS: Utah State University quietly working on in-road wireless charging превод на български
     

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    utah state university wireless charging

    If you had to name one of the biggest game-change moments that the electric vehicle could bring to the world, try this one:

    Every prior attempt to electrify the car has assumed the vehicle would be the energy carrier. By comparison, the grid is much more efficient at moving energy from point A to point B, so if you can make dynamic charging safe and affordable, you are truly introducing something new.

    That's the vision of Jeff Muhs, director of Strategy and Business Development for Utah State University's Energy Dynamics Laboratory (EDL), whom we spoke with at the 26th Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS26) in Los Angeles recently. Dynamic charging is another way to say charging while a vehicle is moving by using in-road wireless charging units, something that USU has been working on for a while.

    Most people believe that in-motion charging is inevitable.

    For now, USU is focusing on stationary wireless charging and will launch an electric bus route later this summer in Salt Lake City at the University of Utah campus. The electric bus will travel along a mile-and-a-half route, stopping at either end for a few minutes to charge up. Using a bus at this stage makes sense as a way to test the technology because it's big, it travels along a fixed route and there is recharge time built into the schedule. An electric bus also helps reduce noise and emissions on campus, which is something the university wanted. USU's wireless charging team is also working on improving the space tolerance (making the charger work even if things are not perfectly aligned), the power levels (systems that are 20-50 kW instead of just 5-10 kW) and efficiencies.

    Continue reading EVS: Utah State University quietly working on in-road wireless charging

    EVS: Utah State University quietly working on in-road wireless charging originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 18 May 2012 19:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 18, 2012

  • Food Waste Could Create Hydrogen Fuel превод на български
     

    The world of the 21st century faces some incredibly daunting challenges that, unless dealt with soon, may eventually reach the point of no return. Overpopulation, water shortages, and climate change is just some of the long list of problems facing the world. Researchers in the UK may have come up with a clever solution to dealing with food waste and creating affordable hydrogen fuel.

    Scientists at the University of Birmingham are proposing a system that uses food waste, like the leftovers from chocolate processing, that would turn the waste into biohydrogen. This sustainable source of hydrogen fuel could even be applied towards ethanol production, resulting in a sort of two-for-one biofuel, and could be applied to waste food found in the trash, as well as the leftovers from processing.

    Food waste is already being used in a variety of biofuel processing techniques, ethanol and biodiesel among them. One problem facing hydrogen infrastructure is sourcing enough of the clean-burning gas to support our large transportation needs. But there will always be food waste to go around, and if we can get a variety of biofuels, hydrogen among them, from collected food waste, it’s like killing two birds with one very clean stone.

    Source: Domestic Fuel


  • Zero Motorcycles and Hollywood Electrics’ Sunset Strip Party превод на български
     

    Typical Hollywood Ladies Love Zeros Photo Courtesy Scottie Images

    Hollywood Electrics and Zero Motorcycles teamed up to celebrate the overwhelming success of the 2012 line Wednesday night at the chic Sunset Marquis Bar 1200. Zero Motorcycles sales for 2012 have far outpaced those of all previous years combined, and the company is still struggling to meet consumer demand for the fastest production motorcycles currently available, and tested by yours truly. The party was well attended by not only the requisite smattering of Hollywood PYT’s, but also by plenty of actual riders, judging by the piles of helmets everywhere, and bikers in their jackets. I saw more Ducati riders than anything else, showing that as predicted, these motorcycles have their strongest appeal among riders who appreciate a bike that’s different, cutting edge, and not too cheap.

    Actual Riders! (rare in Hollywood) Photo Courtesy Scottie Images

    There were also some gorgeous displays of 2012 models, both stock and customized by Hollywood Electrics, like this blacked out Zero S featured in the Sunset Marquis “gift shop”, Maximillian Gallery. With a stunning collection of some of the best emerging LA artists, it’s far more than your average gift shop, and makes an excellent backdrop for a matte black motorcycle.

    Maximillian Gallery and Custom Zero S Photo Courtesy of Scottie Images

    I had a great conversation with Zero COO Karl Wharton about Zero’s progress and different charging solutions. He told me about ChadeMo, a charging network expanding throughout the world. Karl also teased me that they’ve got some very exciting developments coming up this fall.

    More photos from the party for your entertainment:

    Hollywood Electrics owner Harlan Flagg with Adopt-a-Charger’s Executive Director Kitty Adams and Plug-In America Co-founder Paul Scott.

    Harlan, Kitty and Paul Photo Courtesy of Scottie Images

    The set they built, before the party was too crowded to see any bikes…

    Zero party set Photo courtesy of Scottie Images

    The author with Hollywood Electrics’ Josh Kearney and Harlan Flagg, and Lifetime Executive Christina Suwa. I may not be able to countersteer until my collarbone decides to reattach itself, but I can still sit on bikes!

    Photo Courtesy of Scottie Images


  • API Releases Slanted Study Aimed At E15 превод на български
     

    As I get older, I find my tolerance for bullshit receding at a rapid rate. I try not to lose hope in humanity, but there are days when even I am shocked at the ignorant persistence and slanted viewpoints of certain entities. The American Petroleum Institute, which represents America’s major oil companies, is a consistent purveyor of half-truths and crooked studies, and their latest “study” aimed at E15 keeps on that crooked path of deliberate misinformation.

    The study, which you can read in its entirety for yourself, was conducted by the Coordinating Research Council, a non-profit funded almost entirely by the API and major automakers. The study purports to conclude that E15 ethanol is harmful to vehicles made between 2001 and 2009. However, just by looking at the list of vehicles procured for this test, I can tell you that durability issues were all but inevitable. The vehicles chosen for this ethanol durability test were a 2009 Chevy Aveo, a 2002 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T, a 2005 Chevy Colorado, a 2004 Scion xA, a 2007 Ford Edge, a 2007 Dodge Ram, and a 2009 Dodge Caliber. None of these vehicles has exactly built a reputation as reliable. Why not include a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry, the two most popular and reliable passenger cars sold in America?

    These cars were picked for a reason. And while the API-funded study highlights the fact that two of the eight engines tested failed while running E15 ethanol fuel, the testing parameters were such that failure was almost a garauntee. The study also fails to highlight the fact that one of the engines failed while running straight gasoline.

    Funny, that.

    The API was quick to condemn the two-and-a-half years and 6-million miles of engine testing the EPA did as “rushed.” But this study put the engines through just 500 miles of engine dyno testing. Furthermore, the API is one of those very vocal, far-right institutions constantly badgering the government about its prolonged environmental studies…but two and a half years to study engine durability on a new fuel blend is a rush job? Ugh.

    The very notion that these engines failed on ethanol also makes it sound as though the engines blew up, when in fact “failure” was determined by a leakdown test of the cylinders and checking wear and tear on the valvetrain. So the engines still worked; they just didn’t quite match up to what the manufacturer’s suggested specifications were.  That is to be expected from engines that weren’t deliberately built to handle E15, even though five of the eight engines were just fine after running the supposedly corrosive fuel.

    Don’t take my word for it though. Read the study for yourself and you decide if this all seems legit. And just remember that the EPA is NOT mandating the use of E15 ethanol; it is merely giving gas stations permission to sell the fuel. In other words, less government regulation.

    But not when it eats into the profits of Big Oil, right?


  • Neal Saiki claims battery breakthrough gives more range, costs less превод на български
     

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    Computer render of battery pack design

    Engineering challenges are like a siren's call to Neal Saiki. Since leaving Zero Motorcycles in early 2011, the company he co-founded with his wife Lisa, he's spent lots of time and effort wrestling with the human-powered helicopter conumdrum. As engaging as that might be, however, he still hasn't been able to keep himself from considering how to build a better electric motorcycle; work that has, it seems, proved slightly less Sisyphean as he has just announced a pretty cool battery pack breakthrough.

    His approach tackles the big battery drawbacks of cost and energy capacity head on by employing the same "18650" cylindrical cells that Tesla Motors so successfully uses. Then, to get around the labor intensive connection method of welding thin strips of nickel to each one, he has devised a way to mechanically connect the cells with enough pressure to keep the current dependably flowing through them.

    This configuration makes it easy to replace a single cell if it goes bad - each one is thermally monitored for signs of failure - and also makes it super easy to upgrade when new, better cells become available. What's not to like?

    Saiki calculates a 200-pound pack will hold a nominal 16.1 kWh of energy using 1440 individual cells. That, he says, should provide for a real-world, driving-down-the-highway, 100-mile range. By contrast, the "100-mile" bikes by Zero Motorcycles and Brammo hold around nine kWhs.

    The system can also be adapted to four-wheeled vehicles. In that application, the pack would be arranged as a three-inch thick plate holding 26.6 kWh of energy per square meter (22.2 kWh per square yard). It's too soon to say whether or when the pack will be commercially available. Saiki's new company, NTS Works, is currently looking to work with "select OEM's on custom battery pack design and licensing." Scroll down below for the official press release for more details.

    Continue reading Neal Saiki claims battery breakthrough gives more range, costs less

    Neal Saiki claims battery breakthrough gives more range, costs less originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 18 May 2012 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Green News Daily: Friday, May 18th, 2012 превод на български
     

    Happy Friday readers, and welcome to the last day of yet another week. The weather is warm and beautiful, and I hope to get out and enjoy nature this weekend. Just a few more stories to go! Today’s green news highlights include a 3,300 MPG racer, Mercedes will start selling a hydrogen-powered sedan in 2017, and China builds a green power super highway.

    Michigan College Students Building 3,300 Mile “Racer” [New York Times]

    Video: ALTe’s Plug-In Hybrid Pickups [Translogic]

    Estonian Gov’t Pays Half The Cost Of New EV’s [Green Car Reports]

    China Building Advanced Power Lines For Green Energy [GigaOm]

    Algae Tec. Commissions Biorefinery [Domestic Fuel]

    Mercedes To Introduce Hydrogen Fuel Cell Sedan in 2017 [Green Car Congress]


  • Nissan's Fourth Electric Vehicle to be PIVO-Inspired Urban Commuter превод на български
     
    Nissan PIVO

    The funky Nissan PIVO concept will be the inspiration for Nissan's fourth electric-only vehicle.

    If Nissan’s EVs are going to become popular and profitable at a global scale, the company will need an entire line of attractive all-electric cars. When I spoke with Mark Perry, Nissan’s EV product planner, at the Tokyo Motor Show last year, he said the company was thinking about which vehicle to choose as its fourth Nissan-badged EV. Of course, the LEAF is Nissan's first mass-produced electric vehicle. The second and third will be the electric-only variant of the NV200 small commercial van, called e-NV200, and the Infiniti LE, a luxury electric sedan.

    read more

  • Ford C-Max Hybrid - Driving Scenes [VIDEO] превод на български
     


    Ford dealers are now taking orders for the Ford C-MAX Hybrid, which will be more affordable than Toyota Prius v while achieving better fuel economy Class-exclusive technologies include hands-free...

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  • World’s First Hybrid Solar-Geothermal Power Plant Opens [VIDEO] превод на български
     


    Last week, Enel Green Power inaugurated its solar-geothermal plant at Stillwater, Nevada. It is the world’s first plant of this kind. The Stillwater facility combines 26 MW of photovoltaic solar...

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  • Citroen reveal DS5 Hybrid4 Eliseo [VIDEO] превод на български
     


    Citroën has revealed the third model in its DS line the 2013 DS5. The DS5 is the first Citroën model to feature HYbrid4 diesel hybrid technology. The HYbrid4 system delivers 200bhp; four-wheel...

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  • Fisker Atlantic Specs Leaked: 300 HP, 0-60 MPH in 6.5 Seconds превод на български
     


    Fisker revealed a new car called the Atlantic at the New York auto show earlier this year. The Fisker Atlantic is meant to be a more affordable extended range electric vehicle. Until now, however,...

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  • FedEx Express adding more electric vehicles to fleet превод на български
     


    FedEx Express, a unit of FedEx Corp, has made significant progress towards its goal to make its vehicle fleet 20 percent more fuel efficient by 2020, announcing today that the FedEx Express vehicle...

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  • Nissan to Test NV200-based EVs With AEON Retail Company in Japan превод на български
     


    Nissan has begun tests of an electric vehicle (EV) based on the compact commercial vehicle NV200. AEON Retail will use the EV test cars as delivery vehicles within the Tokyo metropolitan area for...

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  • Chevrolet Volt Saves Supertanker of Gasoline превод на български
     


    Chevrolet Volt owners collectively have saved a supertanker of gasoline since the electric car with extended range went on sale, compiling 40 million miles on electricity and avoiding the use of more...

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May 17, 2012

  • EVS: After 24 million EV miles, Ecotality and Blink are ready for both CHAdeMO and SAE превод на български
     

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    One can think about conspiracy theories that maybe that's the way they wanted it be.

    The Nissan Leaf is the most mainstream electric vehicle in the U.S., and it has a CHAdeMO DC fast-charge option. Ecotality's Blink network offers CHAdeMO chargers. Ecotality is the managing organization behind The EV Project, which recently announced it had collected information on 24 million electric vehicle miles. So, if any group would have an opinion about the potential challenge to CHAdeMO from the SAE combo charger announcement, Ecotality would be that group.

    To find out, we spoke with Donald Karner, Ecotality's chief innovation officer, who said what others in the charging business told us during the Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS26): the cars - and EV buyers - will dictate which standard wins.

    "We're in the infrastructure business," Karner said. "We supply infrastructure to fuel advanced vehicles. We've done hydrogen, we do level 2 AC. On the DC side, if and when vehicles come to market that utilize the combo connector in sufficient numbers that justifies us making the investment in installing those connectors and developing chargers that will operate under that protocol, of course we will."

    Can we accommodate two different standards? Yeah, we can do that. Is it going to cost more? Absolutely.

    As you can see in the picture above, the Blink fast charger is dual port. "We did that a year and a half ago," Karner said. "The guys back here [he indicates a competitor's booth] are now saying, 'oh, what everybody should do is dual port so that you can do CHAdeMo on one side and combo on the other side. Well, that's exactly why we did that. A year and a half ago, we went to the SAE and said, 'look, you guys have a problem. You are two years behind schedule. DC fast chargers are coming, the Nissan Leaf with CHAdeMo is coming. We're sitting here as an EVSP [electric vehicle service provider] and we have to build a charger to service this. There's no U.S. standard. What are you guys going to do?' And the answer from the SAE committee was, 'Not our problem. We don't care. We're going to focus on J1772 AC and that's all we can do at one time.'

    Now, there are clearly some competitive issues in there (between the automakers) so here the auto industry has shot itself in the foot again. Can we accommodate two different standards? Yeah, we can do that. Is it going to cost more than having one standard? Absolutely it's going to cost more. Fast charging is already very expensive and the auto companies, because they couldn't get along and are going to squabble, just like they did last time with inductive and conductive, are going to shoot themselves in the foot."

    Continue reading EVS: After 24 million EV miles, Ecotality and Blink are ready for both CHAdeMO and SAE

    EVS: After 24 million EV miles, Ecotality and Blink are ready for both CHAdeMO and SAE originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 17 May 2012 17:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Trucks Borrow Trolley Idea, Link Up With Overhead Power Lines превод на български
     

    A hundred years ago, most major cities relied on trains and electric trolleys to move most of their citizenry around. These days cars and trucks rule the roads of America, although an old idea might soon find a modern application. I am talking about overhead trolley power lines electrifying hybrid trucks, allowing for long journeys on little fuel while reducing noise and emissions.

    The system, called eHighway, is being developed by Siemens, and as the video below shows, trucks can hook up and detach from this trolley-like power system on the go. This system would, in theory, give trucks an unlimited driving distance, while at the same time reducing road noise, fuel consumption, and emissions. The hybrid trucks could leave and return to the system at any time, traveling the rest of the distance on either battery, or backup engine power.

    Being that trolley lines have existed for a century or more in this country (though today are limited to places like San Francisco), nobody could claim this is some wacky unproven technology, like wireless in-road charging. And since the system itself is relatively simple, installing overhead powerlines on certain highways could be comparatively affordable.

    That is assuming that truck makers get on board with this idea. And I can’t see why they wouldn’t. High diesel prices are eating into the profits of many shipping companies, and even the government is finally clamping down on big truck emissions. This overhead charging apparatus couldn’t have come at a better time.

    Source: Gizmodo


  • Video: BMW M3 EV To Take On Pikes Peak превод на български
     

    Electric cars haven’t caught on with many Americans yet, but a new generation of gearheads is latching on to the performance potential of electric motors. EV West, a small San Diego-based conversion shop is one such group of gearheads. EV West has taken one of the top European sports cars, the BMW M3, and converted it into a race-ready EV that will tackle the Race to the Clouds at Pikes Peak.

    I’m not a huge BMW fan, but I have a healthy respect for the Ultimate Driving Machine, and the M3 in particular. It is a well-balanced automobile from the factory, with a clever suspension, powerful engine, and a mentality well-suited for people who consider themselves “drivers”. Taking the M3 and converting it into an electric vehicle is cool enough; racing it in the Pikes Peak rally is even cooler. EV’s have the potential to one day dominate Pikes Peak. Electric motors don’t suffer from power loss at high altitudes the same way conventional engines do.

    EV West’s electric M3 uses a Net-Gain HV11 electric motor and an Evnetics Shiva controller to limit output to about 400 horsepower. As the above teaser video shows, this electric M3 is no slouch, and it looks like it has plenty of chops to tackle the famed Pikes Peak rally. EV West has documented much of the build on their Facebook page, so give ‘em the ol’ thumbs up if you dig this project as much as I do.

    Pikes Peak has been attracting the alternative fuel crowd for some time now, and the trend is continuing towards greener kinds of competition. Last year Nissan entered a stock Leaf EV into Pikes Peak, and legendary hill climber Monster Tajima is entering a new electric vehicle in this year’s Race to the Clouds.

    It’s an exciting year to be an EV racing enthusiast. With the way electric cars have been infiltrating motorsports on all levels, it seems almost inevitable that more people will embrace this new mode of personal transportation, rather than dismissing it outright as slow and boring. If only major automakers would do something as cool as what EV West is doing with their electric M3, the conversion process might pick up the pace.

    Source: Electric Vehicles West


  • Green News Daily: Thursday, May 17th, 2012 превод на български
     

    Good morning, and Happy Birthday to my beautiful girlfriend Nicole! I’ve got a lovely weekend planned with her, but alas there’s still some work to do before then. Today’s highlights include the official EPA rating of the Tesla Model S, Kia is considering a diesel car, and an Electric Grand Prix gets under way.

    Tesla Model S To Get 265-Mile EPA Rating [Motor Trend]

    2011 Nissan Leaf Battery Bars Disappearing [Green Car Reports]

    Kia Considering Diesel Engines For U.S. Sales [LeftLane News]

    Bikability Of Cities Now Rated [Treehugger]

    Grand Prix de Pau Electrique Gets Under Way [Autoblog Green]


  • Leviton Unveils 40-Amp, 6-Hour Charger for Toyota RAV4 EV превод на български
     
    Leviton charger

    Leviton's 9.6 kW residential unit can charge a Toyota RAV4 EV in six hours.

    When an electric vehicle is equipped with a massive 41.8-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, completing a full recharge in a timely manner becomes an issue. That's why Leviton engineered a 240-volt, 40 amp charger for the upcoming Toyota RAV4 EV. Leviton's setup is capable of outputting 9.6 kW and thus charges a fully depleted RAV4 EV in approximately six hours.

    The 9.6 kW system pushes Level 2 home charging beyond the 6.6-kW charging on vehicles like the Focus Electric and Coda sedan, and way past the Nissan LEAF's 3.3 kW rate.

    read more

  • GE working on the Battery Powered Home [VIDEO] превод на български
     


    GE's joint showcase with Nissan at the SAE 2012 World Congress in Detroit displayed technology that can reverse the flow from your electric car's batteries to power your home in a blackout. The...

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  • Audi e-bike Urban Trials Action PLUS iPhone App [VIDEO] превод на български
     


    Trial-Biker Julien Dupont gives the Audi e-bike some Urban Trials action. The Audi e-bike Wörthersee's ultra-light carbon-fiber frame weighs only 1,600 grams (3.53 lb). It makes use of bionic...

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May 16, 2012

  • Antique EVs get their due at auctions, new museum превод на български
     

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    As Americans buy more Nissan Leafs, Chevrolet Volts and other electric-drive vehicles, some of those models' forefathers are getting their due by way of auctions and museum exhibits.

    A 1909 Walker Vehicle Co. delivery van recently sold on eBay for $127,500, signifying that old-school vehicles that predate the Nissan Leaf by a 100 or so years can fetch a pretty penny, according to the Wall Street Journal.

    The 1909 Walker, which is mounted on solid rubber tires, is one of hundreds of EVs produced around the turn of the 20th Century as early car customers looked for a quieter, cleaner alternative to what were loud and dirty internal combustion engines. Chicago-based Walker also made early variants of hybrid vehicles, according to the WSJ.

    With contemporary EV sales expected to rise during the next few years, car collectors are seeking out and paying for early versions of battery-electric vehicles. In fact, those thinking that the Walker set some sort of pricing record from the eBay sale would be mistaken. Last August, an 1899 Columbia Electric Landaulet sold at an auction for $550,000, making it the priciest antique EV ever sold.

    Meanwhile, America's Car Museum, which opens in Tacoma, Washington, on June 2 will have an "Alternative Propulsion" exhibit that will include a 1912 Standard Electric Open Tourer (still roadworthy, the museum says) and a 1914 Detroit Electric Priscilla. In all, the 165,000-square-foot museum will have more than 350 cars, trucks and motorcycles.

    Antique EVs get their due at auctions, new museum originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 16 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • EVS: Coulomb readying San Francisco with 100 stations, finds "museum tour of electricity" превод на български
     

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    Coulomb Technologies' big news at EVS26 was a collaboration with Fuji Electric Corporation of America to add Fuji's 25-kW DC Quick Charging Stations into the ChargePoint Network. In fact, the very first such charger on the network was sitting there in the booth, and actual deployment in the U.S. is scheduled for later this year. Coulomb is already neck-deep in actual deployments of electric vehicle charging stations: more that 6,300 non-residential stations are online now and Coulomb says that about half of all EV drivers in the U.S. have a ChargePoint card. To get the latest, we spoke with Coulomb's Michael Jones about the Multicharge SF program and - yes - the SAE combo charger announcement.

    It's like the museum tour of electricity. It's really kind of scary.

    First, about Multicharge SF, which is a partnership with the City of San Francisco, Coulomb and PG&E and is funded by the California Energy Commission. The goal, perhaps unsurprisingly for San Francisco, where upwards of 60 percent of people live in multi-family units, is to find a way for apartment dwellers to recharge their EVs. Jones said the city government took the lead and identified places where chargers would be most useful, then reached out to the property owners to get them interested. In the end, about 70 different properties applied to be a part of the $900,000 program - and around 45-50 of them will be selected to actually get some of the total of about 100 chargers. "[The locations] represent all the different demographics: large properties and small properties, condos, co-ops, TICs [tenant in common, which means one mortgage for multiple units] and rental communities," Jones said. The variety extends to different income brackets as well as new and old properties. "One of the things we ran into early on is that there are some incredibly old power systems in San Francisco. Glass tubes in the fuse boxes. It's like the museum tour of electricity. It's really kind of scary."

    The only way to get this many different groups involved was to start with a diverse set of partners. "It has to be a multi-stakeholder proposition to really work in the region," he said. "If I didn't have the city out with its resources, legal and building codes and everything else, it would be impossible for me to organize all those things. It really becomes a great template that other cities and public-private partnerships can use."

    For example, Jones said, there's a rule in San Francisco that says that if you charge money for a parking space, you need to register as a parking operator. So, how does that apply to EVs? Does every building owner who installs a charger then need to go get a parking license? The city attorney is currently researching the answer to this question, he said, adding that the mayor standing by to quickly go to bat and get the rules changed if it is determined that the answer is "yes."

    With its Chargepoint Network, Coulomb doesn't really care what connector people are using to get their cars on the grid. As long as the communication systems are there, Chargepoint can work with whatever kind of charging station is out there. But he did have a few things to say about the SAE combo charger. Specifically, that it doesn't encourage fast infrastructure deployment.

    "Having that Level 2 standard [J1772] gives certainty to drivers," Jones said. "With fast charging, because you still have competing standards, I think that makes it a pilot proposition for a lot of communities as far as really getting behind a specific charger type. I think until the market coalesces around a technology, you're still just going to see a lot of uncertainty about what to deploy on any large scale."

    As Coulomb works to solve some of the infrastructure problems, others arise. The trick is to not have partners hesitate too much, and so get as many chargers into use as makes sense.

    Continue reading EVS: Coulomb readying San Francisco with 100 stations, finds "museum tour of electricity"

    EVS: Coulomb readying San Francisco with 100 stations, finds "museum tour of electricity" originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 16 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Twisted n’ Went, 2012 превод на български
     

    This year’s Twist n’ Gone scooter race has … twisted? Gone? Went?

    Either way, it’s over, and it was AMAZING! The people were great, the atmosphere was buzzing (or was that the 2-strokes?), and there were some pretty trick contenders in this year’s drag classes, too. Some of the top performers at this year’s races included a 900 (nine-hundred) cc VTwin-powered Cushman scooter, as well as that slick purpose-built rig above (piloted by my man, Ryan J!).

    You can CLICK HERE to check out 6 pages of Twist n’ Gone photos, but I’ve pulled out my favorites and included them, below.

    Enjoy!

    twistgone_main twistedwent_1 twistedwent_2 twistedwent_3 twistedwent_4 twistedwent_5 twistedwent_6 twistedwent_7 twistedwent_8 twistedwent_9 twistedwent_10 twistedwent_11 twistedwent_12 twistedwent_13 twistedwent_14

    PS

    We’ll be interviewing one of the organizers of Twist n’ Gone, Jeremy Hall, later this week – so look for that this weekend!

    Sources | Photos: Enviromoto | LouevilBelle, Scooterworks USA.


  • New Infinity LE All-Electric Luxury Sedan on Sale in 2014 превод на български
     

    Infinity LE frontBy John Addison (5/18/12)

    The Infinity LE brings a new level of elegance to the all-electric 5-passenger sedan. Whether gliding down the highway or attracting a crowd in front of a favorite restaurant, the sculpted body and LED lighted grill are arresting. Premium appointments invite the driver to use a new generation of telematics and infotainment. Sexy.

    Car expert Nick Chambers states, “The Infiniti LE features lightweight and highly sculptured aluminum body panels that Nissan had to develop a new manufacturing process for in order to create the sharp creases that run along the length of the vehicle. While individual preferences certainly vary, it is almost unarguable that the LE concept is a much better looking vehicle than the Leaf.”

    For the American market, the new Infinity LE will be made in Tennessee along side the Nissan Leaf. The Infinity LE will use Nissan LEAF’s proven all-electric drive system with 24kW of lithium batteries for a 100-mile range. The new Infinity will have a larger 100kW electric motor with 134-hp and 240 lb-ft of torque for more performance than the LEAF’s 80kW motor. In the past year, my Nissan LEAF has always delivered needed acceleration, even when taking uphill freeway onramps and needing to quickly reach 70 mph. The Infinity LE will deliver more.

    Nissan Motors to Announce 51 New Vehicles in Next 5 Years

    Infinity LE angleAndy Palmer, Executive Vice President of Nissan Motors, plans to announce 51 new production vehicles over the next 5 years. The Infinity LE, currently a concept car, will go on sale in 2014 and probably be labeled a 2015 model year. Price has not yet been decided. When Palmer was asked about Nissan’s commitment to electric cars, he said, “We are all in.” Nissan has invested $4 billion in all-electric cars and advanced batteries and drive systems for hybrid electric-cars. In months, Nissan will open its new Tennessee plant that can produce 150,000 electric cars and 200,000 lithium battery packs annually. Nissan is all in.

    Twenty-eight thousand Nissan LEAFs are now on the road. I have driven ours for over a year. It has been problem free for my wife and I. We have never spent more than $35 per month for electricity to keep it charged, thereby saving us over $100 per month on gasoline. First-year sales of the LEAF are greater than first-year sales of the Prius.

    The LEAF is a convenient 5-passenger hatchback. We have lowered our backseat to put 2 mountain bikes inside. The Infiniti LE is a sedan where the backseat in the displayed concept cannot be lowered.

    The Renault-Nissan Alliance is also delivering in Europe the Renault Fluence all-electric cousin to the LEAF. Better Place plans to deliver 100,000 of the Fluence to Israel and Denmark, where thousands of charge points and battery switch stations are installed and in used to replace empty batteries with full in less than 5 minutes. From vans to luxury sedans, we will see a growing number of electric offerings from the Renault-Nissan Alliance.

    Wireless Charging for the Infinity LE

    Infinity Wireless ChargingThe Infinity LE will include wireless inductive charging as a standard. When a contact plate at the bottom of the car aligns with a companion plate on a garage floor, no-fuss charging can take place. It can charge immediately or when it is programmed to begin, such as when electric utility rates are lowest. The Infinity LE will also be equipped for public charging with a J1772 connector for garage 110v outlet or Level 2 charging at 6.6kW/hour and CHAdeMO DC Fast Charging. The AESC 24kW lithium-nickel-manganese polymer battery will not be switchable.

    Electric cars are heralding a new generation of stealth performance, apps that assist and guide us, and the convenience to “fill-up” at the nearest electric outlet. The Infinity LE joins new luxury electric cars such as the Tesla Model S, Fisker Karma, Cadillac ELR, Audi E-Tron Spyder, BMW i8, and Rolls Royce 102EX.

    New Infinity LE All-Electric Luxury Sedan on Sale in 2014 is a post from: Clean Fleet Report

  • Sensibly stupid: from Porsche 959 to 918 Spyder превод на български
     
    In the 1980s sports car maker Porsche produced a limited-edition £150,000 supercar called the 959. Its appearance was deceptive – it looked like an overinflated Porsche 911, but under the bulbous bodywork lurked running gear that had taken a very big stride beyond the contemporary air-cooled car. All four wheels were driven, for example, while the body was made of aluminium and lightweight
  • Selling The Ultimate Millennial Automobile: Part One превод на български
     

    Ever since Henry Ford started marketing the Model T as a car for the common man, the American auto industry has relied on the indisputable fact that America loves cars. By the 1950’s, owning a car was no longer just a dream; it was a necessity. America’s once-sprawling passenger train lines and public transportation options were put out of business as freeways and automobiles dominated the landscape.

    But my generation, “Generation Y” or “Millenials” as the old people call us, are changing the landscape when it comes to cars. And unless automakers figure out my generation soon, they risk alienating the largest generation of consumers since the Baby Boomers.

    Before I talk about what the auto industry as a whole, is doing wrong, I want to talk about what they are doing right. It is well-documented that my generation is coddled and entitled, and many of us are accustomed to a certain level of comfort and connectivity in our day-to-day lives. After all, a generation of social networkers and music pirates wants to be able to get in touch with friends and family at the touch of a single button, while at the same time recalling their favorite Lady Gaga song. And all of the automakers, from Audi to Volvo, are integrating more infotainment systems into their cars. Ford’s SYNC system arguably leads the pack, though outlets like Consumer Reports have knocked them for over-complicated input commands.

    Many automakers are also making “base” level vehicles much more appealing with better build quality and offering features like air conditioning and CD players standard. Once upon a time, driving a “base” level car meant manual windows, an AM radio, and less than 100 horsepower under the hood. Now cars like the Chevy Sonic, Hyundai Elantra, and Ford Fiesta all offer a lot more in the way of what most of my peers would consider “basic” necessities.

    And I have to say, after being stuck driving a car without a CD player for two years, I now understand why it is a necessity; radio stations play the same hundred songs over and over and over and over again. So, when it comes to comfort, connectivity, and standard features, automakers are getting it right. But they are still running up against a certain inalienable fact about my generation.

    We don’t like cars. Why don’t we like cars? Just look at the facts.

    Many of us inherited for our first cars second-hand American vehicles during a time when American cars were in a race to the bottom in terms of quality and reliability. To say our first driving experience was not nearly as enjoyable as someone coming to age in the 1960’s is an understatement. And that’s for those of us who even bothered getting a driver’s license.  The number of 16-year olds with a license dropped from about 46% in 1980 to about 31% in 2008. Among 18-year olds, the numbers dropped from 80% to 65%. That’s millions of teens who have opted out of car ownership.

    It has also become painfully obvious to even the most phone-obsessed teenager that many of America’s roads are in terrible shape. Speaking of phones, there is a reason why Apple has a ton of cash on hand, while Detroit automakers are saddled with billions in debt. Most young people can’t justify a $20,000 car; but a $400 iPhone? All day, every day. Add that to the fact that gas prices have climbed 300% in about ten years (I can remember filling up with premium fuel for less than $20 when I first started driving; now it takes about $60), and the picture starts to paint itself.

    That’s not to say there aren’t still auto enthusiasts out there; there are, just in seriously reduced numbers. People my age have a hard time getting excited about cars when many of us can’t find good-paying jobs. Even if we can afford a nice car, most of the time we spend in the car is commuting to work in bumper-to-bumper traffic on pothole-marred roads. It makes for a rather lousy driving experience, and it is easy to see why many people my age ust aren’t that into driving. To be honest, some days driving is a bummer, even for me.

    This dislike of driving has manifested itself in a sort of reverse White Flight, with many young Americans (myself included) fleeing towards urban areas to be closer to work and entertainment. It’s much more practical to live within walking distance of work and shopping versus owning a car for a lot of young people, and there are still enough young drivers so that bumming a ride usually isn’t an issue. I don’t see this trend reversing either. Young Americans are going to keep opting out of cars as long as our roads suck, gas prices are high, and “base” cars still cost more than most of us can afford.

    For me, the reasoning was practical; in Connecticut, renting anywhere outside of a metro area generally means sky-high prices. I wanted to get as close to my lady’s place of employment as possible, to keep her daily commute to a minimum. Many of my friends choose to live in Hartford, in apartment buildings down the street from their jobs. Many of them can go a whole month on a single tank of gas, which inevitably means less money in the coffers of the highway fund. This isn’t just a problem for automakers; it’s a problem for the entire U.S. interstate system.

    Generation Y want ways to opt of driving. It really is as simple as that. It may seem counter-intuitive to the auto industry, but this is exactly the kind of driving experience the auto industry will have to sell if they want to win back young drivers.

    Find out how the auto industry can do this next week in Part II.

    Image: Man on Smartphone via Shutterstock


  • Green News Daily: Wednesday, May 16th, 2012 превод на български
     

    It’s another happy Hump Day, so let’s get right on down to it. Today’s highlights include the challenges of scaling biofuel production, Porsche’s 918 hybrid hits the road, and turning old railroad tracks into a drunken booze ride.

    Amyris And The Challenges Of Scaling Biofuel Production [GigaOm]

    Landlords VS. EV Drivers [Green Car Reports]

    Georgia School District Embraces Propane Buses [Domestic Fuel]

    Porsche Unveils 918 Hybrid Prototype [Autoblog Green]

    Mercedes A-Class Engines Now 26% More Efficient [Hybrid Cars]

    Turning Old Railroad Tracks Into A Drunken Booze Ride [Jalopnik]


  • Does EV Quick-Charging By the Minute Make Sense? превод на български
     
    stop watch

    When drivers of gas-powered cars fill up at the gas station, they know they are paying a certain price for a clear and fixed amount of liquid automotive fuel. But emerging payment models for Quick Charging of electric vehicles for a 30-minute period means a lot of uncertainty about the real value of what you’re getting.

    The first operational Quick Charger near me is the 350Green location at Stanford Mall. I haven’t used it yet, but I’m told that it requires a special card that costs $21 for three sessions—or $7 per session. People usually talk about these Quick Chargers as providing up to 80 percent charge on a battery like the one found in the Nissan LEAF in about 30 minutes.

    read more

  • Holden Charging Towards Volt Launch превод на български
     


    General Motors Holden and ChargePoint unveiled the first electric vehicle charging station for Volt drivers in Port Melbourne outside Holden’s AUSTRALIAN headquarters today. The Volt charging...

    [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

May 15, 2012

  • Porsche reveal Hybrid 918 Spyder Production Prototype превод на български
     


    The Porsche 918 Spyder is on the road: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, has taken the driving trials of the super sports car of the future a step further with completion of the initial...

    [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
  • Audi unveils power-wheelie-ing e-bike in Austria превод на български
     

    Filed under: , ,

    Audi e-bike Wörthersee

    Audi     this week is following up companies such as Daimler AG's Smart division by unveiling a battery-powered bicycle for two-wheeled enthusiasts. And this one can do wheelies and has the power-to-weight ratio of an A4.

    Audi's e-bike Wörthersee, named after the town in Austria, has a top speed of 50 miles per hour and can go as far as 44 miles on a single charge. The bike lets its rider choose from five different cycling modes ranging from pure human power to pure electric power to a varying mix of the two.

    But the bike, whose price and broader launch date wasn't announced, also has some unusual traits, including flat spokes that cut the wind better than conventional ones and a smartphone hookup. The e-bike, which can be put in a mode that allows for power wheelies, also weighs just 24 pounds, and, with its 2.3-kilowatt motor, actually has a weight-to-power ratio of about 15 pounds per horsepower, or about the same as the aforementioned A4.

    Last year, Daimler unveiled its Smart e-bike, and earlier this month said it would start deliveries in the U.K. by the end of May. That bike has a smaller motor - about 250 watts - as well as a battery that can provide 62 miles of distance on a single charge.

    Smart said last year that Germany's annual electric bike sales jumped from 70,000 units in 2007 to about 200,000 in 2010. We have just one final question: Now that Audi officially owns itself a heralded Italian motorcycle brand, should this bike be branded an Audi or a Ducati?

    Continue reading Audi unveils power-wheelie-ing e-bike in Austria

    Audi unveils power-wheelie-ing e-bike in Austria originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 15 May 2012 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Porsche shows off hybrid 918 Spyder Prototype превод на български
     

    Filed under: , ,

    Porsche 918 Spyder prototype - front three-quarter dynamic view - black and white livery

    Porsche has officially put the finishing touches on the first prototypes of the company's 918 Spyder, complete with a black-and-white livery scheme that pays homage to the 917 racers of old. Production is set to commence in a little over a year, and the German sportscar manufacturer says buyers can look forward to taking possession of the first examples by the end of 2013.

    The plug-in hybrid will command a heady price tag, though. Porsche has confirmed the company will ask a whopping $845,000 per model, each with a 500 horsepower 4.0-liter V8 engine and two electric motors that the automaker says "make possible a unique combination of minimal fuel consumption and maximum performance."

    Altogether, the gas-electric drivetrain should be good for a 3.1-second 0-60 sprint and a top speed of 199 mph. Perhaps even more impressive is the news that the 918 will be able to propel itself with electric power at speeds of up to 94 mph. That little fact helps account for the news that the vehicle should be able to return around 78 miles per gallon on the EU cycle. Scroll down for the brief press release, but not before checking out the high-res gallery.

    Continue reading Porsche shows off hybrid 918 Spyder Prototype

    Porsche shows off hybrid 918 Spyder Prototype originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 15 May 2012 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Study: Lithium Overcapacity, Consolidation Coming превод на български
     

    After a year and a half of two mainstream electric vehicles hitting the market, I think it is safe to say that sales aren’t panning out how automakers had hoped. High prices, short range, and a down economy have old made electric cars a hard sell. That means all of the electric battery makers out there aren’t going to have the volume they were depending on. Lithium-ion battery overcapacity and company consolidation is coming, and coming soon.

    It’s more bad news for the electric car industry. “Overcapacity” and “consolidation” is corporate speak for too much product and not enough customers. Companies will merge or die, which means more jobs lost, feeding more ammo to the enemies of electric vehicles. It also means some government loans might not ever be paid back in full.

    The study, done by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants (RBSC) looks at the lithium-ion battery market and sees that oversaturation is inevitable. RBSC is considered one of Europe’s top-three consulting firms, and they pick five companies who they see as coming out on top when the dust settles.

    RBSC picks AESC, LG Chem, A123 Systems, Panasonic, and LiMotive as probable winners when the dust settles. For consumers, all of this consolidation will inevitably be a good thing as battery prices plummet, bringing down the price of electric vehicles. This in turn will spur more sales for the few survivors, and hopefully allow the remaining battery companies to survive on their own.

    It’s also worth noting which regions RBSC picks as the biggest players. The firm predicts that by 2020, Europe will make up the biggest chunk of lithium-ion battery usage, followed by China. The U.S. will be in a distant third, which at this rate unfortunately sounds about right. Electric vehicles are having a hard time catching on in the States, but Europe seems to have a much stronger demand for gasless vehicles.

    Picking a winner in the race for EV batteries isn’t an exact science; A123 Systems just reported a first-quarter loss of $125 million. This time though, I think electric cars and their battery systems are here to stay. The question then is who thrives, and who doesn’t?

    Source: Plugin Cars


  • EVS: Aerovironment's been around long enough to not pick sides in SAE/CHAdeMO debate превод на български
     

    Filed under: , , ,

    General Motors EV1 at Aeronironment

    There's a good reason that Aerovironment proudly displayed the 20-year-old EV1 in its booth at the Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS26): it's not a newcomer.

    Aerovironment's Wahid Nawabi, the senior vice president and general manager of efficient energy systems, told AutoblogGreen the car illustrates that the company has decades of experience with plug-in vehicles.

    "The cornerstone of our message in this booth is the EV1, which is a vehicle that is considered by the industry as the mother of the modern electric vehicle," he said. "We were the co-developer of that product back in the [19]89-90 time frame. We have this vehicle here to demonstrate that we understand EVs, we're involved in this and we have a deep history."

    That history means Aerovironment has a variety of offerings for companies looking for a charging station supplier, he said. "We are probably the best company that has an entire, end-to-end offering, a one-stop-shop in terms of charging. So, whether you need software capabilities, network subscriptions, chargers of all types or pretty much anything else, we offer all those categories," Nawabi said.

    Which means AV has a stake in the most interesting charging story at EVS26, the new SAE combo charger for DC fast charging. This plug was announced in Los Angeles but has been in the works for a while, and Nawabi said Aerovironment was involved in the standards discussion over Level One and Two chargers and has been involved with the Combo charger from day one. "We were involved in the charging standards for years," he said. "In fact, we were one of the first proponents of coming up with some sort of standard." The official news of the combo charger was great, he said. "We are very excited there is a standard," he said. "It is not a standard there are a lot of cars for, so it is something very new. Today's demand in the market is for the CHAdeMO charger, which we offer. If the market were to change, we intend to support it. We are standard agnostic."

    There has been a lot of discussion about the combo charger, but it's a fight that Nawabi said is not really that important - right now. He said:

    People are making a big deal about a standard that there is not a lot of market for, yet. I believe that one uniform standard that everyone can agree to is very positive for the industry. Whether that ends up being CHAdeMO or combo or something different, to me it's semantics. Today, the standard that makes the most sense for the consumer is CHAdeMO because that's out there and that's what the cars are shipping with. So, should that be the one? I think that makes a lot of sense. You can argue that one is better, I'm sure. But it's what's better for you, an apple or an orange? If you're hungry, you need food.

    Since the cars on the ground from Nissan and Mitsubishi accept CHAdeMO, AeroVironment has a number of CHAdeMO chargers installed in places like Texas, Oregon and Hawaii. Nawabi said EV drivers today are happy because these stations support the cars that they bought. "The consumer is just looking for something that works and allows them to charge fast, at the end of the day," he said.

    EVS: Aerovironment's been around long enough to not pick sides in SAE/CHAdeMO debate originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 15 May 2012 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Green News Daily: Tuesday, May 15th, 2012 превод на български
     

    Howdy howdy howdy, and welcome to the Green News Daily! Today I bring you a mixed bag stories from the world of alternative fuels. Highlights include Tesla’s plan to pay back government loans, Honda’s take on the Segway, and why Toyota plans to sell so few RAV4 EV’s.

    Tesla Plans To Begin Paying Back Gov’t Loans This Year [Leftlane News]

    Nissan Planning 3 New EV Models To Follow Leaf [Treehugger]

    Honda Showcases Uni-Cub V2 Seated-Segway Vehicle [TechVehi]

    A123 Systems Posts 1Q Loss Of $125 Million [Detroit News]

    Why Toyota Plans To Sell Just 2,600 RAV4 EV’s [Autoblog Green]

    Fisker Says Fire Experts Assessment Is Wrong [Automotive News]


May 14, 2012

  • A123 Systems posts $125 million net loss превод на български
     

    Filed under: ,

    A123 LogoThe Detroit News reports lithium-ion battery manufacturer A123 Systems is set to post a net loss of $125 million on revenue of $10.9 million for the first quarter of 2012. Official results will be released later this week. The loss includes $51.6 million tied to replacing battery packs produced at the company's Lavonia, Michigan facility. Some of those packs could have been manufactured with defective cells. The figure also includes $15.2 million to increase inventory reserves.

    As you may recall, A123 Systems provides battery packs for companies like Fisker. The extended-range EV manufacturer recently reported issues with the supplier's products, but A123 says it has determined the cause of the defective cells and is working to make sure the failures don't reoccur.

    The report also suggests A123 Systems will lower its revenue forecast for the year to $145 million to $175 million. The company originally projected it would generate between $230 million and $300 million.

    A123 Systems posts $125 million net loss originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 14 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • TTXGP Infineon Raceway 2012 Onboard Video Footage! превод на български
     

    Photo courtesy of TTXGP

    You may have been wondering why we’ve been so silent about the race we religiously cover every year, in person, since it first ran in 2010, where Lightning also won. Well, “we” being “me, Susanna Schick” meant that I was finally home after a month in the hospital, and wasn’t the least bit ready to travel to the world’s most hyper allergenic racetrack. Not with 6 broken ribs. You can read the full race reports on TTXGP.com

    So here are the on-board videos we’ve all been waiting for. My personal favorite comes from Lightning‘s Michael Barnes, overall TTXGP race winner. This is his qualifying lap. Notice the speed differential from the Lightning to the other bikes he passes. Clearly, this bike is worlds faster than the production Zero, but it’s great that TTXGP has a production class for racers who can’t afford a bike in the price range of a Lightning. $38,888 doesn’t seem too steep a price for this much fun, now does it? The Brammo question is still the big one. If both Steves hadn’t crashed out before the race, and Shelina Moreda’s contract had begun, perhaps Barnes would’ve had a real race. As it is, he got to go 1 second faster than he did on the Harley XR1200 he raced that weekend.

    Here you have Tim Hunt on the Lightning in practice:

    And here is onboard race footage of the Zero in action:

    I spoke briefly with Lightning’s Richard Hatfield in between his meetings with vendors at EVS26, and he was truly gutted that Brammo couldn’t make the race. I caught him at the Remy motors booth, which was running a video of their two sexiest customers, Lightning and MotoCzysz. It was a lovely video. Hatfield is looking forward to a great race at Isle of Man, and will certainly give 2010 & 2011 winners MotoCzysz a run for their money! For that race, you can bet we’ll have full, live, in-person coverage as I am doing everything I can to prepare for the journey. I even have a better camera and mic for interviews. Stay tuned!


  • Fisker says expert's theory on garage blaze is incorrect превод на български
     

    Filed under: , , ,

    Fisker Karma plug

    "Our technologies and engine design have been fully tested and certified at the highest level. It is irresponsible and ill-informed for technology pundits to suggest otherwise in order to secure media attention for unfounded claims."

    So says Paul Boskovitch, director of powertrain at Fisker, in response to reports that the Karma's tight engine bay packaging may be the reason one car was blamed for a garage fire in Texas. Those statements have been attributed to Jon Bereisa, CEO of Auto Lectrification. Lending credence to the theory is the fact that Bereisa formerly served as chief engineer for the General Motors EV1 and systems architect for the Chevrolet Volt.

    While Bereisa isn't exactly what we'd call an 'ill-informed technology pundit', Fisker has provided an in-depth defense of its Karma sedan in a statement provided to Automotive News. You can read more about it here, but the gist is that the car has been thoroughly tested and engineered not to bust into flames - as you might expect of any new car - and that it has been "fully tested and certified at the highest level."

    In any case, we're willing to wage a significant sum that we'll be hearing more from all sides of the argument in due time.

    Fisker says expert's theory on garage blaze is incorrect originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 14 May 2012 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Tesla will start repaying loans by end of this year превод на български
     

    Filed under: , ,



    A week after Tesla Motors announced it would be able to deliver the first Model S in June, a month ahead of the original July release date, the startup automaker continued the good news by announcing it will start repaying the Energy Department loans it got in 2009.

    The $465 million loan was part of the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing program meant to encourage the creation jobs and cars using little or no fossil fuels. Fisker, Ford and Nissan were also participants receiving loans under the program.

    As of March, 2012, Tesla reported having $104.5 million left of the loan, which is expected to be spent before the fourth quarter begins. Payments on the half-billion loan will begin in December.

    "We are delivering on the milestones, what we've committed to," said Tesla Chief Financial Officer Deepak Ahuja in an interview with Bloomberg. "Once we are delivering customer cars, then that signifies completion of the project."

    With the first Model S delivery taking place soon, Tesla is also focusing on its retail strategy. In charge of sales and ownership is former Apple executive George Blankenship. His plan for Tesla is to have only company-owned stores where well-trained company reps will interact with customers. Actual sales will take place online, not on the sales floor. Employees will not get a commission on sales, which should help tone down the usual hard-sale tactics of car salespeople.

    "It takes the whole not-selling-the-car process to another level," Blankenship told Automotive News. "We're telling customers, 'I can't sell you a car today if I wanted to.'"

    Tesla will start repaying loans by end of this year originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 14 May 2012 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Efficiency I Can't Quite Explain превод на български
     
    With the exception of the few months the Z3 has been off the road for repairs or upgrades, I've been driving the car for just over 26 months.  During that time, I've keep detailed records of every charge/discharge cycle of the batteries.  Every time I plug in, I note the mileage on the odometer, and the number of amp hours I've drawn out of the pack.  I then take that data and plug it into a spreadsheet that calculates a number of things for me, including how much money I've saved because I wasn't burning gas, how much the electricity I'm using is costing me, and most interestingly, how many Watt/hours per mile the car is using.

    I've reported in the past the the car averages about 320 Watt/hours per mile on surface streets.  That's the number I've used to calculate the range of the car: 19,400 kWh / 320 Wh = 60.625.  This is why I've always stated the car has a 60 mile range.  And I've proved that out once, driving 62 miles on a charge once, in preparation for doing a bottom balance on the batteries.

    Of course, once I go on the freeway traveling between 65 and 70 mph, that 320 Watt/hours per mile begins to look like a distant dream.  The aerodynamic drag on the car causes energy consumption to quickly rise to around 420 Watt/hours per mile at 65 miles an hour.  That meant that my round trip to work, a 23 mile journey, which includes 7 miles of surface streets and 16 miles of freeway, averaged between 370 and 380 Watt/hours per mile.  I've made this trip a few hundred times, I know the numbers.

    It's no secret that I've had a few problems with the motor in the car.  The balancing putty has come off for a some inexplicable reason, twice.  Just recently it developed a short to the case that no amount of air blown through its guts could resolve.  George Hamstra at Netgain has been a champion through all of this and ultimately had a new motor sent to me.  In addition, we swapped out the brushes from the standard H-49 brushes used for high current applications like drag racing, to H-60 brushes which are better suited for street use.  A cool feature on Helwig H-60 brushes is the split, Red Top design, which helps to ensure better contact on the commutator.

    At any rate, I got the new brushes seated in the motor properly, put the car back together and launched it back onto the streets about 3 weeks ago.  The car is my daily driver, so once I began driving it to work and other places, and recording the energy consumption, I was a bit surprised to notice it was more efficient.  At first I thought it was maybe just an anomaly, but it's clear something has caused the car to make much better use of the energy in the batteries.  My round trips to work are now averaging about 280 Watt/hours per mile.  Compare that to the older 370!  That's more than a 25% improvement in efficiency!  I made one trip where the average dropped to 266.

    Today I took a bit of a longer trip out to Scottsdale.  A total of 38 miles, with 30 of those miles on the freeway, traveling around 70 mph.  The average consumption for the entire trip was 274 Watt/hours per mile.  In the past, I would have estimated this trip to be a 400+ Watt/hour per mile trip.  But that's not all!  During the entire trip, I had the AC system on (which draws about 9 amps) and of course, I've configured the power steering pump to run all the time now adding another 2 amp continuous draw.  BTW, the change to the power steering is interesting, but that's another post.  So there are more parasitic loads, yet, efficiency is up.

    The one thing I haven't done yet is to see what average I would get if I traveled at 40 or 45 mph.   There's no reason to think the gain in efficiency that I'm seeing wouldn't appear there as well, but I simply don't have those numbers yet.

    It seems like an obvious conclusion to draw that the increase in efficiency can be attributed to the new motor, or brushes, or a combination of them both.  But I really can't say that with certainty.  Perhaps I'd made some error when installing the drive line in the past which caused some binding or friction that I simply wasn't aware of.  I kind of doubt that, but who knows?  There's no question I've gotten better at disassembling the drive line of the car, but there really isn't much room for error here.  I have no reason to doubt the numbers the meter is giving me; after all, it's the same meeter with the same set up I was using before the motor swap.

    What ever the cause, the car does seem to be more efficient.  At an average draw of 280 Watt/hours per mile, it's gone from a 60 mile range to nearly a 70 mile range.  I'll take it.



  • Sex Sells: BRINK Golf Electric Bike превод на български
     

    Whether it’s slinky lingerie, cheap beer, or electric cars: sex sells. I’m not gonna lie to you, either – I didn’t even notice the bike underneath the girl’s skirt on first glance.

    Hiding a product between a pretty girl’s legs is usually a bad sign, which makes me think that BRINK’s owners have made a terrible mistake playing the “sex sells” angle on this bike … because it seems like a pretty desirable little bike to me.

    The BRINKS Golf features a 36 V, 9.6 Ah Lithium-compound battery pack mated to a 750 watt brushless electric hub-motor, giving the little bike more than enough grunt to pull an overweight, middle-aged golf enthusiast and his heavy golf clubs up even the steepest greens. The BRINK also benefits from a high-quality tube frame made from 6061 – T6 aircraft aluminum. The associated trailer is specifically designed for “easy-on, easy-off” operation. It’s built for the course, in other words, and includes both a clever nook to keep a score card in the middle of the handlebars, and a bottle holder to the left of the heavy duty aluminum rear rack.

    It’s a neat little bike. See if you can spot the BRINKS Golf electric bike “hidden” in the photo above!

    ProTip: it’s easier to see in the gallery, below.

    brink_main brinks_1 brinks_2 brinks_3 brinks_4 brinks_5

    Source: Fortune Hanebrink, via Gizmag.


  • Volare Hybrid Plane is Pretty, Flies превод на български
     

    We’ve seen more than a few new-age planes here on Gas 2, from hybrid planes to full-electric planes to solar-electric planes. They’re all ugly. The new Volare, from Italian builder Volta, is free. King. Gorgeous.

    Just look at the thing.

    I want to name it “Bettina” and do dirty things to it.

    The beautiful, stunning, ever-so pretty Volare is a 4-passenger series hybrid is powered by a 1.5L turbo diesel engine. Similar in concept to Chevy’s Volt (Volt:Volare, get it?), the Volare uses its diesel as a generator to “fuel up” the 55 kWh lithium battery pack. Combined with the Volare’s lightweight construction and slinky aerodynamics, the package is good for a 310 knot speed with a 300 mile range in EV mode (before the diesel “kicks in”, in other words).

    Sound good? A little too good?

    Fear not: the Volare is no million-dollar money-pit of vaporware.

    Volta plans to sell the Volare for just under 500,000 USD, and claims maintenance costs will be 80% less than a similarly-performing ICE plane – and they’ve already sold a few! Of the initial run of 36, there are only 11 left.

    volare_main volare_1 volare_2 volare_3 volare_5 volare_4

    Source: Volare, via TechVehi.


  • J1772 Charging - The Joy and the Agony превод на български
     
    I continued with the work on the J1772 upgrade from yesterday.  Here I've tidied the wiring and zip-tied the wires in place.


    I painted the gray epoxy repair holding the front battery in place with white plastic paint.


    The box is now mounted to the side of the battery box.  You can see the nut holding the transformer bolt into place.  This will cause me some anguish shortly, I should have seen it coming...


    Finally the battery box is back in and the batteries are dropped into place.


    The batteries are wired up and the PakTrakr leads are all re-installed.


    I did another 120V and J1772 test, both passed!  Note that I didn't tie the box's 120V output into the charger yet, so there's no load on the output.


    Since the initial side-mounting for the relay box was inaccessible, I decided to mount it right on the top of the front battery box cover.  This will give me easy access to the fuses and the wiring.  I got another PVC enclosure and put the cable glands on the right side.  I attached heavy strength Velcro to the bottom, so if I need to get to the batteries, I pull the box off the Velcro and move it to the right side.  Now I just have to move the redo all of the wiring.


    After the wiring was complete, I plugged in for yet another charger test.  Note that this was the first one with the load of the charger filling the battery pack.  After a few seconds, I saw smoke coming out of the J1772 box!  Fudge bucket!

    That led to an adventure of getting the J1772 box out.  I had two problems that I should have recognized during the design.

    First, the bottom bolt is mostly inaccessible - I could touch it with my fingers, but couldn't get a wrench on it.  I ended up taking out the battery adjacent to the J1772 box and drilling out the bottom bolt from inside the battery box.  I won't replace the bottom bolt because it's not necessary for holding the box in place.

    Second, the big nut on the outside of the cover on the transformer bolt is about 1/4" too long and the side of the headlight area was blocking the box sliding up.  I managed to get a ratcheting socket on the nut and got it off, but the bolt was still too long.  After a lot of swearing, I drilled a 1" hole through the wall of the battery box where the head of the transformer bolt is.  I then backed out the bolt through the hole.  The J1772 box then lifted right up.

    My guess was that I had botched the wiring on the AVC1 board and melted it, but when I opened it up, I found the board seemed to be in good shape, but the small wire I used for ground was crispy where the insulation used to be.

    I sent an email to David Kerzel of Modular EV Power at 7:00 PM on a Sunday night hoping for a reply sometime tomorrow but he wrote back in 30 minutes!  He asked some questions about the wiring, so I've sent him my schematic and we're going back and forth on the problem.  Great customer service!


    I need to get the car rolling for the Warbirds, Wings and Wheels car show this coming Saturday!  Luckily I have about 80% charge and the show is a couple of miles from my house so the charging circuit doesn't really need to be working for the show.  I'll just re-mount the box and tell everyone it works perfectly!