I had originally planned to interview Peter Arnold at the Chewonki Foundation. He is the Sustainability Coordinator and is involved with hydrogen energy including fuel-cells. I made my questions and had been trying to reach him for a week until I found out that he was away until March 28th.
So for a back up plan, I decided to ask questions of the engineering experts working at Tesla Motors. Roy Harvie, an electronic technologist, took the time to answer my questions and gave me additional sources for my questions.
Q-I would think wide tires on the Tesla Roadster would help with lateral acceleration, but have you calculated the efficiency/range loss vs. using narrower tires?
A-Tesla has special tires designed to have lower rolling resistance but still be wide enough to be “sporty”, after all it is a sports car.
Q-How much do the Roadster batteries weigh?
A-The battery pack weighs almost 1000 lbs.
Q-What is the lifespan of the batteries?
A-The batteries are designed to maintain performance for at least 160,000 miles.
Q-Can the batteries be recycled?
A-Recycling the batteries has already been arranged. The batteries are made from lithium-oxide. They are made with strict environmental controls in Japan and do not contain common battery toxins like lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium and other chemicals. The batteries will be recycled by the company Kinsbursky Brothers/Toxco. Only the modules in the battery need to be recycled. The modules are ground up in a big grinding machine into 2'' pieces. The lithium-oxide and metal are then recycled and sold.
Q-I live in Maine and was wondering about the loss of battery power and range between freezing and -10 or -20 degrees F?
A-There would be some loss in range due to cold weather, mostly due to the requirement to heat the car and not because of efficiency loss in the battery itself. The battery has a built in heating/cooling system. The Roadster has the advantage of not needing to wait for an engine to warm up but can immediately get to work on the windshield using our electrically powered PTC heating system. We passed the defrost test with flying colors.
Q-How does the Tesla Roadster handle in the snow?
A-The Roadster has been extensively tested at the Continental Proving Ground in Arvidsjaur, Sweden. The anti-lock break system and traction control system were tested in extreme cold temperatures on a frozen lake. The anti-lock breaks have been adjusted so that they do not slip when they recharge the batteries during breaking since this process could cause the car to slide out of control. The traction control system is important because electric cars create so much torque at low speeds.
Q-If Tesla makes a car all-wheel drive, how much efficiency/range might be lost?
A-A 4-wheel drive version should actually be more efficient. Most of the braking energy is consumed by the front wheels, so the energy recovered can be higher in a front wheel drive electric vehicle. Tesla is rear only drive primarily to keep the cost down as a second motor and controller for the front would raise the price and also increase the weight slightly.
Q-Has Tesla tested the safety of these cars to passengers and first responders after they have been damaged in accidents, and how great is the risk of electrocution?
A-Tesla spent most of the first few years on battery safety, It is the only large battery pack certified for air travel in the world. The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards are slightly different for electric vehicles in that they cover spillage of electrolyte and avoidance of electric shock rather than the spillage of fuel as in a conventional gasoline powered vehicle. We have therefore incorporated numerous safety systems into the battery box to prevent such dangers. The most significant of these systems opens the primary contactors during a crash event and thus completely isolates the high voltage system from the rest of the vehicle. This system when combined with the physical protection of the enclosure, results in an electrically safe vehicle.
Q Which do you think are more promising, electric cars or fuel cell cars?
A Years ago the car makers spent a lot of time and money trying to create a viable battery system for cars. They failed. Eventually they turned their interest to fuel cells. The Oil companies encouraged this trend because they know that they will run out of oil and fuel cells have the advantage that they could keep their customers coming to the pumps to buy hydrogen. Tens of billions of dollars have been spent on fuel cell research, many more times than batteries. The last thing the oil companies want is to see customers charging their cars at home. Mean while battery research continued and great advances have been made. It’s all about size weight and energy density, how far can you travel on a tank of hydrogen vs a battery pack? Which costs more? Battery break throughs are happening almost daily now and is leaving the fuel cell camp in the dust. There is no question that batteries are much more efficient, about 95% vs 50% for fuel cells. Charge time for batteries can be about the same as fueling time for hydrogen. In a few more years even die-hard fuel cell advocates will give up completely.
Q Will fuel cell cars be cost competitive with electric cars?
A No.
Q Do you think it will be more difficult to make hydrogen stations or battery swapping/charging stations?
A Who cares? Both are losers. Battery swapping is a bad idea, why swap when you can charge just as quickly?
Q Will this be a deciding factor in which car will be more broadly used?
A When a low cost battery can take a car 800 miles on a charge, the whole world will go electric. When you can charge over night and drive all day there will be no more need for gas or diesel vehicles.
Q Are you aware of any other possible fuels such as bio-diesel which be competitive with electric or fuel cell cars?
A No.
Q How long do you estimate that it will take the United States to transition into using only alternative energy cars?
A 10 years. I know most people talk about 20 to 40, but I think it will happen much faster. As soon as point 4 (800 miles a charge) is reached, no one will buy anything else.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Electric Cars for All! (No, Really This Time)- Response (11)
This is my second article about Shai Agassi but I think it gives more information than the first one, and it is clear that he has made even more progress in developing charging stations for electric cars. I didn't think it would be possible to make such significant changes and in only 2 and a half years!
I think it is interesting that he has two separate strategies for charging electric cars. For day-to-day commuting usage, charging does seem more desire able. It would be convenient if everybody had a garage with a charging station but a lot of people don't have garages. This probably will not be an issue because people could run charging cables from their houses to their driveways. In a city, the chargers could be attached to or coming out of the parking meters.
When driving over 100 miles, Agassi predicts battery switching stations will be necessary. I wonder if this means they will only be located on busy highways. If most people are charging at their home, their work, or retail stores, there may not be very many battery swtiching stations. This may be a problem on busy holiday weekends when many people are driving long distances.
I also thought the thing about teenagers unplugging everybody was pretty funny.
I think it is interesting that he has two separate strategies for charging electric cars. For day-to-day commuting usage, charging does seem more desire able. It would be convenient if everybody had a garage with a charging station but a lot of people don't have garages. This probably will not be an issue because people could run charging cables from their houses to their driveways. In a city, the chargers could be attached to or coming out of the parking meters.
When driving over 100 miles, Agassi predicts battery switching stations will be necessary. I wonder if this means they will only be located on busy highways. If most people are charging at their home, their work, or retail stores, there may not be very many battery swtiching stations. This may be a problem on busy holiday weekends when many people are driving long distances.
I also thought the thing about teenagers unplugging everybody was pretty funny.
Electric Cars for All! (No, Really This Time) (11)
This article was at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/technology/personaltech/19pogue-email.html?adxnnl=1&pagewanted=4&adxnnlx=1237492803-IV9cQ/erklwloS1W7JWFZg.
This is my second article about Shai Agassi. This article is actually an interview of his revolutionary plan to make cheap electric charging stations across the globe. He says that charge spots "will be everywhere, like parking meters, only instead of taking money from you when you park, they give you electrons. And they will be at home, they'll be at work, they'll be at downtown and retail centers." He compares the process to buying cell phone minutes.
"We sell miles, the way that AT&T sells you minutes. They buy bandwidth and they translate into minutes. We buy batteries and clean electrons--we only buy electrons that come from renewable sources--and we translate that into miles."
He says that this will cover any typical drive that is less than 100 miles. For long distance drives he explained his switch stations again.
"You want to go from Boston to New York. And so on the way, we have what we call switch stations: lanes inside gas stations. You go into the switch station, your depleted battery comes out, a full battery comes in, and you keep driving. It takes you about two, three minutes--less than filling with gasoline--and you can keep on going."
Agassi has already made progress in Israel, Denmark, Australia and Hawaii. He is even going to Ontario, the capital of cars in north America. He said, "It's about 2 and a half years of testing, from now till the mass release...For a transformation of this magnitude, it's immensely fast."
The charging stations will cost from $250 to $300 to install in a garage. A regular plug would work just as well but in the long run Agassi's station will save money because it pre-pays for the electricity and only charges customers for the miles.
When asked, "How do you stop teenagers from just walking by and unplugging everybody?"
Agassi replied, "No, you can't just plug it out. You need your keychain...It has a mechanism in there to avoid vandalism."
This is my second article about Shai Agassi. This article is actually an interview of his revolutionary plan to make cheap electric charging stations across the globe. He says that charge spots "will be everywhere, like parking meters, only instead of taking money from you when you park, they give you electrons. And they will be at home, they'll be at work, they'll be at downtown and retail centers." He compares the process to buying cell phone minutes.
"We sell miles, the way that AT&T sells you minutes. They buy bandwidth and they translate into minutes. We buy batteries and clean electrons--we only buy electrons that come from renewable sources--and we translate that into miles."
He says that this will cover any typical drive that is less than 100 miles. For long distance drives he explained his switch stations again.
"You want to go from Boston to New York. And so on the way, we have what we call switch stations: lanes inside gas stations. You go into the switch station, your depleted battery comes out, a full battery comes in, and you keep driving. It takes you about two, three minutes--less than filling with gasoline--and you can keep on going."
Agassi has already made progress in Israel, Denmark, Australia and Hawaii. He is even going to Ontario, the capital of cars in north America. He said, "It's about 2 and a half years of testing, from now till the mass release...For a transformation of this magnitude, it's immensely fast."
The charging stations will cost from $250 to $300 to install in a garage. A regular plug would work just as well but in the long run Agassi's station will save money because it pre-pays for the electricity and only charges customers for the miles.
When asked, "How do you stop teenagers from just walking by and unplugging everybody?"
Agassi replied, "No, you can't just plug it out. You need your keychain...It has a mechanism in there to avoid vandalism."
Monday, March 9, 2009
Obama Signs Stimulus Package- Response (10)
For a while now, I have been looking for an article on President Obama's stimulus plan. This article not only gave information about his stimulus plan, but was specific about different alternative energy grants and tax breaks.
Some of the features of the stimulus plan would benefit the development and use of electric cars.
For electric cars to really be green, they need to have clean sources of electric energy. I think some of the proposals for increasing solar and wind power would help renewable energy production. For solar energy, grants will be available instead of just a tax credit. These would offset 30% of the cost of installing a solar energy system at a business. Wind energy will keep receiving production tax credit through 2012. Wind energy developers also can obtain a 30% investment tax credit to offset the cost of installing a wind farm. These proposals could really help create renewable electric energy for uses like electric cars.
My research has shown electric energy delivery to homes and charging stations will have to improve. A significant amount of stimulus money will be used to improve our electric grid and the delivery of electricity. The fact that the government will fund 50% of the cost of smart-grid demonstrations projects and contribute $4.25 billion to build a grid that will shift power around the country, will really help deliver the electricity to the homes and businesses where it is needed. The Western Area Power Administration and the Bonneville Power Administration will also be able to borrow $3.25 billion each year to build transmission lines. I think these projects are essential for the country.
Some money will be used more directly to jumpstart electric car production and usage. There will be a tax credit of up to $7,500 for buying a plug-in hybrid electric car and a lower tax credit will be available to buyers of neighborhood electric cars, electric motorcycles and three-wheeled electric cars. I believe there should be an even greater tax credit for people to buy these relatively expensive cars. A larger tax credit would encourage more people to buy plug-in hybrids from Ford, GM, and Chrysler. This would keep more Americans working and paying taxes and keep these companies from going bankrupt. Selling more electric cars would also assist the companies in paying back the money they borrowed from the government.
Some additional stimulus money will be used for technology necessary for the transition to electric cars, including battery technology. There will be $2 billion in grants for manufacturing advanced batteries for cars and other devices in the United States. Batteries are probably the most critical element determining the success of the electric car. Progress in this area is absolutely essential. I think the range of these cars needs to be at least 200 miles per charge.
Obama's stimulus plan is a stimulus for the electric car, almost as much as it is for the national economy.
Some of the features of the stimulus plan would benefit the development and use of electric cars.
For electric cars to really be green, they need to have clean sources of electric energy. I think some of the proposals for increasing solar and wind power would help renewable energy production. For solar energy, grants will be available instead of just a tax credit. These would offset 30% of the cost of installing a solar energy system at a business. Wind energy will keep receiving production tax credit through 2012. Wind energy developers also can obtain a 30% investment tax credit to offset the cost of installing a wind farm. These proposals could really help create renewable electric energy for uses like electric cars.
My research has shown electric energy delivery to homes and charging stations will have to improve. A significant amount of stimulus money will be used to improve our electric grid and the delivery of electricity. The fact that the government will fund 50% of the cost of smart-grid demonstrations projects and contribute $4.25 billion to build a grid that will shift power around the country, will really help deliver the electricity to the homes and businesses where it is needed. The Western Area Power Administration and the Bonneville Power Administration will also be able to borrow $3.25 billion each year to build transmission lines. I think these projects are essential for the country.
Some money will be used more directly to jumpstart electric car production and usage. There will be a tax credit of up to $7,500 for buying a plug-in hybrid electric car and a lower tax credit will be available to buyers of neighborhood electric cars, electric motorcycles and three-wheeled electric cars. I believe there should be an even greater tax credit for people to buy these relatively expensive cars. A larger tax credit would encourage more people to buy plug-in hybrids from Ford, GM, and Chrysler. This would keep more Americans working and paying taxes and keep these companies from going bankrupt. Selling more electric cars would also assist the companies in paying back the money they borrowed from the government.
Some additional stimulus money will be used for technology necessary for the transition to electric cars, including battery technology. There will be $2 billion in grants for manufacturing advanced batteries for cars and other devices in the United States. Batteries are probably the most critical element determining the success of the electric car. Progress in this area is absolutely essential. I think the range of these cars needs to be at least 200 miles per charge.
Obama's stimulus plan is a stimulus for the electric car, almost as much as it is for the national economy.
Obama Signs Stimulus Package (10)
This article at http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/obama-signs-stimulus-package-5736.html gives information about different features of President Obama's $787 billion dollar stimulus plan.
A 30 percent investment tax credit will be available for companies that make equipment for renewable energy systems, energy storage equipment, smart grid, energy-efficient lighting, electric transmission and distribution and carbon capture and sequestration.
Here are some other provisions:
Solar: Grants will be available, instead of a tax credit, for offsetting 30 percent of the cost of installing a solar energy system at a business. Large-scale solar plants, often developed to sell power to utilities, also are eligible. This applies only to systems that are installed in 2009 and 2010. Projects that begin before the end of 2010 and put in service by Jan. 1, 2017 also qualify. The U.S. Department of Treasury will still need to work out the details of the program.
Wind: The production tax credit has been extended through 2012. Last October, Congress extended the credit by only one year. Wind energy developers also can opt for the 30 percent investment tax credit to offset the cost of installing a wind farm, instead of getting the production tax credit.
Businesses that operate small-wind projects can get a true 30 percent tax credit during the year the projects are put in service, instead of a tax credit that was capped at $4,000.
Smart Grid: The government could reimburse as much as 50 percent of the costs of carrying out smart grid demonstration projects. It also has set aside $4.5 billion for electric grid improvements, including the use of demand-response equipment; the money also will be used to carry out energy storage research and deployment.
Electric Transmission: The Western Area Power Administration and the Bonneville Power Administration will be able to borrow $3.25 billion each year to build transmission lines. The two federal organizations operate transmission systems that serve the western half of the United States.
Fuel-Efficient Cars: A tax credit of up to $7,500 for buying a plug-in hybrid electric car. The new law expands the previous legislation, making the tax credit available to 200,000 cars per manufacturer, instead of 250,000 for the whole car industry. A lower tax credit will be available to buyers of neighborhood electric cars, electric motorcycles and three-wheeled electric cars.
Alternative Fueling Stations: A 50 percent tax credit, instead of the previous 30 percent tax credit, for gas stations or other businesses that install alternative fueling pumps that dispense E85 fuel, electricity and natural gas. There is a cap of $50,000 per installation project. Hydrogen fueling stations would get the usual 30 percent tax credit, but the cap has been increased to $200,000 instead of $30,000. All these tax credit increases will be available only for installations that take place in 2009 and 2010.
Batteries: $2 billion in grants for manufacturing advanced batteries for cars and other devices in the United States.
A 30 percent investment tax credit will be available for companies that make equipment for renewable energy systems, energy storage equipment, smart grid, energy-efficient lighting, electric transmission and distribution and carbon capture and sequestration.
Here are some other provisions:
Solar: Grants will be available, instead of a tax credit, for offsetting 30 percent of the cost of installing a solar energy system at a business. Large-scale solar plants, often developed to sell power to utilities, also are eligible. This applies only to systems that are installed in 2009 and 2010. Projects that begin before the end of 2010 and put in service by Jan. 1, 2017 also qualify. The U.S. Department of Treasury will still need to work out the details of the program.
Wind: The production tax credit has been extended through 2012. Last October, Congress extended the credit by only one year. Wind energy developers also can opt for the 30 percent investment tax credit to offset the cost of installing a wind farm, instead of getting the production tax credit.
Businesses that operate small-wind projects can get a true 30 percent tax credit during the year the projects are put in service, instead of a tax credit that was capped at $4,000.
Smart Grid: The government could reimburse as much as 50 percent of the costs of carrying out smart grid demonstration projects. It also has set aside $4.5 billion for electric grid improvements, including the use of demand-response equipment; the money also will be used to carry out energy storage research and deployment.
Electric Transmission: The Western Area Power Administration and the Bonneville Power Administration will be able to borrow $3.25 billion each year to build transmission lines. The two federal organizations operate transmission systems that serve the western half of the United States.
Fuel-Efficient Cars: A tax credit of up to $7,500 for buying a plug-in hybrid electric car. The new law expands the previous legislation, making the tax credit available to 200,000 cars per manufacturer, instead of 250,000 for the whole car industry. A lower tax credit will be available to buyers of neighborhood electric cars, electric motorcycles and three-wheeled electric cars.
Alternative Fueling Stations: A 50 percent tax credit, instead of the previous 30 percent tax credit, for gas stations or other businesses that install alternative fueling pumps that dispense E85 fuel, electricity and natural gas. There is a cap of $50,000 per installation project. Hydrogen fueling stations would get the usual 30 percent tax credit, but the cap has been increased to $200,000 instead of $30,000. All these tax credit increases will be available only for installations that take place in 2009 and 2010.
Batteries: $2 billion in grants for manufacturing advanced batteries for cars and other devices in the United States.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Final Focus; Further Research Needed
When I wrote my Blog Analysis essay, I discovered I needed to know more about Obama's stimulus package. In the future, I will research and write blog posts about Obama's stimulus plan and how it will benefit the production of electric cars.
One of my first tasks will be to find specific information about the stimulus plan, including the amount of money that will go to specific projects affecting electric cars. For electric cars to be better for the environment, the electricity they use must come from clean sources. I know some money is going towards renewable energy sources needed to cleanly support a nation full of plug-in electric cars.
President Obama's stimulus bill has given billions of dollars towards renewable energy though I don't know how it is going to be distributed among different projects. For instance, I don't know how much is going to wind power, solar power and other sources. I also don't know how it is going to be distributed around the country. Will wind turbine money be funding projects around the country, including not just the mid-west, but also states like Maine? Will solar projects only be constructed in the southwestern U.S. or will less sunny states be considered? Will this money only fund large projects or will it also be used to fund wind turbines and solar panels at people's houses? I am not sure about how much of this money is tax breaks and how much will be direct incentives.
I might also research how Obama's 'smart grid' will power homes and businesses across the country, many are far from wind and solar power producing areas. The smart grid is 'smart' because, unlike the current electric grid, it will be able to shift power all around the country. I would like to research more about how the system will work. Solar and wind power from rural areas will be transmitted to more urban areas. The grid should be strengthened so the system will be able to handle the extra energy demanded when everybody is driving electric cars. I'm not sure if this need is part of the stimulus package.
These are important points to research before I can draw final conclusions. How green our electric supply will be, and how the electricity will be delivered to the country's homes, will be crucial factors for the success of electric cars.
I would like to interview someone, possibly at Chewonki, who owns an electric car, especially if they use renewable resource technology for charging. My first question would be, "how long does it take to charge your car and how far does it go on a single charge?". I would also ask them about how the cold affects the batteries charge and usage time. I wonder if they use alternative energy sources to charge the car. I would also ask their opinion of the new electric cars being produces by major automakers. I think this would be a good way to conclude my blog.
One of my first tasks will be to find specific information about the stimulus plan, including the amount of money that will go to specific projects affecting electric cars. For electric cars to be better for the environment, the electricity they use must come from clean sources. I know some money is going towards renewable energy sources needed to cleanly support a nation full of plug-in electric cars.
President Obama's stimulus bill has given billions of dollars towards renewable energy though I don't know how it is going to be distributed among different projects. For instance, I don't know how much is going to wind power, solar power and other sources. I also don't know how it is going to be distributed around the country. Will wind turbine money be funding projects around the country, including not just the mid-west, but also states like Maine? Will solar projects only be constructed in the southwestern U.S. or will less sunny states be considered? Will this money only fund large projects or will it also be used to fund wind turbines and solar panels at people's houses? I am not sure about how much of this money is tax breaks and how much will be direct incentives.
I might also research how Obama's 'smart grid' will power homes and businesses across the country, many are far from wind and solar power producing areas. The smart grid is 'smart' because, unlike the current electric grid, it will be able to shift power all around the country. I would like to research more about how the system will work. Solar and wind power from rural areas will be transmitted to more urban areas. The grid should be strengthened so the system will be able to handle the extra energy demanded when everybody is driving electric cars. I'm not sure if this need is part of the stimulus package.
These are important points to research before I can draw final conclusions. How green our electric supply will be, and how the electricity will be delivered to the country's homes, will be crucial factors for the success of electric cars.
I would like to interview someone, possibly at Chewonki, who owns an electric car, especially if they use renewable resource technology for charging. My first question would be, "how long does it take to charge your car and how far does it go on a single charge?". I would also ask them about how the cold affects the batteries charge and usage time. I wonder if they use alternative energy sources to charge the car. I would also ask their opinion of the new electric cars being produces by major automakers. I think this would be a good way to conclude my blog.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Relative Participation- Extra Credit Opportunity
Liam,
I found your blog extremely interesting and informative. It really covers a lot of ground regarding the ongoing development of alternative fuel source autos.
I appreciated the blog addressing this subject in a general way, focusing on fuel cell v. plug-in electric v. plug-in hybrid cars, while incorporating news and information about specific vehicles being developed and tested by specific manufacturers.
After reading the blog, I feel like I have a very good sense of, not only which technology will likely prevail, but also the specific vehicles that will be offered in the near future, and their strengths and weaknesses. This information has started me thinking about what kind of car I might be buying in five or ten years, and even what model.
It is interesting that you started with a stronger focus on fuel cell cars, but gradually shifted attention more towards plug-in hybrids when you realized that they seemed the stronger, more economical, long term option. It is also commendable that you kept a very open mind on the topic, allowing your views to evolve rather than sticking with pre-set ideas and just looking for supporting views and information.
The coverage of ancillary issues around these cars was also very helpful to the general topic, anticipating questions that naturally arise. Specifically, information about developing battery technology, the logistics of charging electric cars, necessary improvements to the electric grid, hydrogen production, and the development of hydrogen and charging stations, were all very helpful in grasping the scope of change to come with these new vehicles.
Charles Mullen
(father)
I found your blog extremely interesting and informative. It really covers a lot of ground regarding the ongoing development of alternative fuel source autos.
I appreciated the blog addressing this subject in a general way, focusing on fuel cell v. plug-in electric v. plug-in hybrid cars, while incorporating news and information about specific vehicles being developed and tested by specific manufacturers.
After reading the blog, I feel like I have a very good sense of, not only which technology will likely prevail, but also the specific vehicles that will be offered in the near future, and their strengths and weaknesses. This information has started me thinking about what kind of car I might be buying in five or ten years, and even what model.
It is interesting that you started with a stronger focus on fuel cell cars, but gradually shifted attention more towards plug-in hybrids when you realized that they seemed the stronger, more economical, long term option. It is also commendable that you kept a very open mind on the topic, allowing your views to evolve rather than sticking with pre-set ideas and just looking for supporting views and information.
The coverage of ancillary issues around these cars was also very helpful to the general topic, anticipating questions that naturally arise. Specifically, information about developing battery technology, the logistics of charging electric cars, necessary improvements to the electric grid, hydrogen production, and the development of hydrogen and charging stations, were all very helpful in grasping the scope of change to come with these new vehicles.
Charles Mullen
(father)
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Mapping a Global Plan for Car-Charging Stations (9)
I chose this article because I think this is a very important aspect determining the success of electric cars. We can't really have widespread use of electric cars without fixing a "chicken-egg" situation. Realistically, for people to buy electric cars, we need charging stations. In order for companies to start building charging stations there needs to be electric cars. It is about time that someone took on the charging station aspect of this dilemma.
I thought it was interesting that the battery switching might be similar to an automatic car-wash. This would also be a quick and efficient method of fueling for consumers. Just like all cars have standardized gas spouts, this would require all electric cars to have a universal way of removing and replacing batteries. One potential problem is that all electric car companies would need to agree on standardized batteries to allow for universal replacement. Another potential problem is that these batteries are fairly heavy, weighing at least several hundred pounds.
I think it is interesting that Mr. Agassi is first testing his idea in Israel, Denmark and San Fransisco. I makes sense to start in a fairly urban area where people and electric cars might be relatively concentrated. It also makes sense to start in a relatively localized area to get the bugs out of the system. The success of his plan depends on car companies not only choosing one battery type, but it also has to be accessable in the same way. To do this, all of the car companies would have to get together and agree on these standards and then they would have to make all of their cars, trucks and SUVs built to fit this standard.
While these problems need to be worked out, it is great that there is someone trying to build charging facilities because the success of electric cars depends on them.
I thought it was interesting that the battery switching might be similar to an automatic car-wash. This would also be a quick and efficient method of fueling for consumers. Just like all cars have standardized gas spouts, this would require all electric cars to have a universal way of removing and replacing batteries. One potential problem is that all electric car companies would need to agree on standardized batteries to allow for universal replacement. Another potential problem is that these batteries are fairly heavy, weighing at least several hundred pounds.
I think it is interesting that Mr. Agassi is first testing his idea in Israel, Denmark and San Fransisco. I makes sense to start in a fairly urban area where people and electric cars might be relatively concentrated. It also makes sense to start in a relatively localized area to get the bugs out of the system. The success of his plan depends on car companies not only choosing one battery type, but it also has to be accessable in the same way. To do this, all of the car companies would have to get together and agree on these standards and then they would have to make all of their cars, trucks and SUVs built to fit this standard.
While these problems need to be worked out, it is great that there is someone trying to build charging facilities because the success of electric cars depends on them.
Mapping a Global Plan for Car-Charging Stations (9)
I found this article at http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/09/mapping-a-global-plan-for-car-charging-stations/?scp=6&sq=electric%20car&st=cse.
This article is about Shai Agassi and his plan to make service stations to recharge electric cars. Mr. Agassi is a former software executive who is using his Silicon Valley experience. It seems a good time to pursue his vision of building networks of battery-exchange stations in North America, Europe, Japan and Australia to increase the driving range of electric cars.
“It’s about what are you going to do to make the world a better place by 2020?” he added. He is calling his company Better Place.
Mr. Agassi is trying to persuade more consumers to buy all-electric cars, rather than gas-electric hybrids like a Prius that still create tailpipe emissions. He wants to build a network of stations that can replace drained batteries with charged ones. He believes drivers will be less afraid to travel far from home, if his charging stations are built.
“The battery is a consumable part of the car, just like gasoline,” Mr. Agassi told The Times. “Cars in the 1950s only went about 100 miles on a tank of gas, and that problem was solved by installing an infrastructure of gas stations.”
But Mr. Agassi expects most batteries to become standard in size and located in the same general area under cars. His firm is also working with battery makers on adapting the process for different models.
Mr. Agassi estimates that a single battery-switching station will cost about $500,000 to build. A vehicle parks on a conveyor similar to the track in a car wash, and workers replace its depleted battery with a fully charged one.
The batteries themselves could be owned by Better Place, with consumers simply buying electric charges as they would cellphone minutes. Mr. Agassi estimates that the cost in kilowatt hours to drive 100 miles in an electric car is less than half the current price of gas.
“I am passionate about the fact that we can get to the point where we use zero oil for most of our cars,” he told The Times. “Americans need one electric car per household. That’s 100 million cars right there. And it can be done.”
This article is about Shai Agassi and his plan to make service stations to recharge electric cars. Mr. Agassi is a former software executive who is using his Silicon Valley experience. It seems a good time to pursue his vision of building networks of battery-exchange stations in North America, Europe, Japan and Australia to increase the driving range of electric cars.
“It’s about what are you going to do to make the world a better place by 2020?” he added. He is calling his company Better Place.
Mr. Agassi is trying to persuade more consumers to buy all-electric cars, rather than gas-electric hybrids like a Prius that still create tailpipe emissions. He wants to build a network of stations that can replace drained batteries with charged ones. He believes drivers will be less afraid to travel far from home, if his charging stations are built.
“The battery is a consumable part of the car, just like gasoline,” Mr. Agassi told The Times. “Cars in the 1950s only went about 100 miles on a tank of gas, and that problem was solved by installing an infrastructure of gas stations.”
But Mr. Agassi expects most batteries to become standard in size and located in the same general area under cars. His firm is also working with battery makers on adapting the process for different models.
Mr. Agassi estimates that a single battery-switching station will cost about $500,000 to build. A vehicle parks on a conveyor similar to the track in a car wash, and workers replace its depleted battery with a fully charged one.
The batteries themselves could be owned by Better Place, with consumers simply buying electric charges as they would cellphone minutes. Mr. Agassi estimates that the cost in kilowatt hours to drive 100 miles in an electric car is less than half the current price of gas.
“I am passionate about the fact that we can get to the point where we use zero oil for most of our cars,” he told The Times. “Americans need one electric car per household. That’s 100 million cars right there. And it can be done.”
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Detroit Auto Show 2009: Green Rules- Response (8)
This article was posted about the Detroit Auto Show and I think it gives a very good summary. Many other articles merely talked about a single car or company. I also happened to watch a TV program on the show and thought it was very interesting.
It is clear that many car companies are beginning to understand how their less fuel efficient vehicles have been hurting the environment and have been forcing consumers to pay more at the pump. I noticed that more than half of the vehicles shown were fully electric or hybrids. I even saw a fuel cell vehicle, however this is not mentioned in the article. I think one reason fuel cells are having a difficult time is because they are more expensive to make than electric vehicles and hydrogen is not easily available.
The article mentions tax breaks for green-technology. I think that there should be around a 10% tax break for gas vehicles that get more than 30 mpg. There should be a 20% tax break for hybrid vehicles. Finally, there should be a 30% tax break for electric and other alternatively fueled vehicles.
The reason for these tax breaks, is they will help people work towards alternatively powered vehicles, specifically electric. This will slow carbon emissions and help the economy because money won't be wasted on foreign oil. Some people expect oil prices to climb soon.
I think that Toyota's new Prius is a little disappointing. The car gets 50 mpg but this is not a huge improvement from their last model. On the other hand, This might be a chance for American car companies such as GM and Ford to get one up with their upcoming plug-in electrics. Although Toyota already has many hybrid on the market, I think that the Volt and Fusion will be very strong when they are released.
After seeing and reading about all of these new cars I think that Tesla's Roadster is the top performer. It has the longest range of any plug-in electric car that has been proposed. It also is the fastest and most powerful electric car out, and this makes it more popular than the others. The only drawback to the Roadster, is it is the most expensive at $109,000. Tesla has already sold over 150 of these cars to environmentally-interested celebrites and other people with money to spare.
I think that Tesla will continue to make profits with this car and I am very interested to hear that they are producing a $57,500 version and possibly a model under $30,000. I think it is great that Tesla is making popular and soon cheaper cars. If Tesla manufactures these newer models in large numbers, it is possible that they might be bought by one of the "Big Three." If they gain a lot of profits, and are not bought-out, there might be a "Big Four."
Overall, car companies are selling "greener" vehicles (though it is up to the comsumers to buy them). In my opinion the new Toyota Prius is a little bellow my expectations, but it is the strongest currently sold. Tesla is my bet for the future if it can scale up production. It is great that American companies are making progress as well.
It is clear that many car companies are beginning to understand how their less fuel efficient vehicles have been hurting the environment and have been forcing consumers to pay more at the pump. I noticed that more than half of the vehicles shown were fully electric or hybrids. I even saw a fuel cell vehicle, however this is not mentioned in the article. I think one reason fuel cells are having a difficult time is because they are more expensive to make than electric vehicles and hydrogen is not easily available.
The article mentions tax breaks for green-technology. I think that there should be around a 10% tax break for gas vehicles that get more than 30 mpg. There should be a 20% tax break for hybrid vehicles. Finally, there should be a 30% tax break for electric and other alternatively fueled vehicles.
The reason for these tax breaks, is they will help people work towards alternatively powered vehicles, specifically electric. This will slow carbon emissions and help the economy because money won't be wasted on foreign oil. Some people expect oil prices to climb soon.
I think that Toyota's new Prius is a little disappointing. The car gets 50 mpg but this is not a huge improvement from their last model. On the other hand, This might be a chance for American car companies such as GM and Ford to get one up with their upcoming plug-in electrics. Although Toyota already has many hybrid on the market, I think that the Volt and Fusion will be very strong when they are released.
After seeing and reading about all of these new cars I think that Tesla's Roadster is the top performer. It has the longest range of any plug-in electric car that has been proposed. It also is the fastest and most powerful electric car out, and this makes it more popular than the others. The only drawback to the Roadster, is it is the most expensive at $109,000. Tesla has already sold over 150 of these cars to environmentally-interested celebrites and other people with money to spare.
I think that Tesla will continue to make profits with this car and I am very interested to hear that they are producing a $57,500 version and possibly a model under $30,000. I think it is great that Tesla is making popular and soon cheaper cars. If Tesla manufactures these newer models in large numbers, it is possible that they might be bought by one of the "Big Three." If they gain a lot of profits, and are not bought-out, there might be a "Big Four."
Overall, car companies are selling "greener" vehicles (though it is up to the comsumers to buy them). In my opinion the new Toyota Prius is a little bellow my expectations, but it is the strongest currently sold. Tesla is my bet for the future if it can scale up production. It is great that American companies are making progress as well.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Detroit Auto Show 2009: Green Rules (8)
This article is from http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=Q4XHGL1DIERKSQSNDLPSKHSCJUNN2JVN?articleID=212900435&pgno=1&queryText=&isPrev.
The article was posted on Juanary 16, 2009 and it decribes automakers pledging they will offer even more alternatives to gas-guzzling models, with many planning electric-only vehicles (EVs) within three years.
General Motors plans to start selling its hybrid Volt sedan in the U.S. next year. At the auto show this week, GM unveiled a concept luxury sedan that uses the same Volt technology, the Cadillac Converj.
Now GM wants to be a leader in hybrid and EV technology, and plans to open a battery research lab in Michigan. GM said it's hiring more engineers to work on battery technologies, is partnering with the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor on its research efforts. It will also open up a Michigan plant to assemble battery packs based on lithium-ion batteries supplied by LG Chem Ltd. of Korea.
GM stuck its latest Hummer models into the back corner of its floor space at Detroit's Cobo Hall. With all the attention on fuel efficiency and green technologies, the Hummer's presence was probably embarrassing.
GM has said it will spend $758 million on Volt technology by 2012 and will battle the Toyota Prius within a few years.
The Prius has a big head start, though. At Monday's show press preview, Toyota debuted the 2010 model, which was redesigned for more fuel efficiency and aerodynamics, is about one inch longer and wider, and will offer 50 mpg with combined city/highway use. Toyota said it hopes to sell 400,000 of the vehicles this year, putting it in the production range of the Camry and Corolla.
Ford, which has offered the hybrid Escape SUV for several years, will start selling a hybrid Fusion sedan this spring. Between the two models, it expects to sell 55,000 hybrid vehicles.
The hybrid Fusion will get about 41 mpg on the highway and 36 mpg in the city, which compares to 34/22 for a nonhybrid Fusion, he said. The price difference between the two is about $3,000, but that doesn't include savings from green-technology tax breaks. The hybrid version will offer the same deluxe features as the Fusion SEL.
Making its debut at the Detroit auto show this year is Tesla, a 5-year-old Silicon Valley company founded by Elon Musk, who founded and sold PayPal to eBay for $1.5 billion. Among Tesla's early investors were Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who each own a Tesla Roadster.
The Roadster is the only highway-capable, all-electric vehicle on the road. The only problem is the $109,000 price tag. But thanks to green-minded Hollywood stars, wealthy Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, and Manhattan bankers, Tesla has sold 150 Roadsters and has 1,100 orders. Tesla plans to open retail stores in Chicago, Miami, and Seattle this year, said senior communications manager Rachel Konrad.
The Roadster doesn't use any gas and doesn't even have a tailpipe; it's powered on 6,831 lithium-ion batteries. Tesla is developing a $57,500, four-door EV sedan for availability in late 2011, and also is planning an under-$30,000 model, Konrad said.
Green efforts weren't entirely about hybrids and EVs. GM debuted the futuristic-looking Spark, which gets 40 mpg and is the company's first "mini" vehicle. It will sell first in Asia and Europe, with a U.S. debut planned in the 2010 or 2011.
China's BYD showed off a few hybrid models and one all-electric vehicle, the e6, which it plans to start selling in the United States in 2011.
The article was posted on Juanary 16, 2009 and it decribes automakers pledging they will offer even more alternatives to gas-guzzling models, with many planning electric-only vehicles (EVs) within three years.
General Motors plans to start selling its hybrid Volt sedan in the U.S. next year. At the auto show this week, GM unveiled a concept luxury sedan that uses the same Volt technology, the Cadillac Converj.
Now GM wants to be a leader in hybrid and EV technology, and plans to open a battery research lab in Michigan. GM said it's hiring more engineers to work on battery technologies, is partnering with the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor on its research efforts. It will also open up a Michigan plant to assemble battery packs based on lithium-ion batteries supplied by LG Chem Ltd. of Korea.
GM stuck its latest Hummer models into the back corner of its floor space at Detroit's Cobo Hall. With all the attention on fuel efficiency and green technologies, the Hummer's presence was probably embarrassing.
GM has said it will spend $758 million on Volt technology by 2012 and will battle the Toyota Prius within a few years.
The Prius has a big head start, though. At Monday's show press preview, Toyota debuted the 2010 model, which was redesigned for more fuel efficiency and aerodynamics, is about one inch longer and wider, and will offer 50 mpg with combined city/highway use. Toyota said it hopes to sell 400,000 of the vehicles this year, putting it in the production range of the Camry and Corolla.
Ford, which has offered the hybrid Escape SUV for several years, will start selling a hybrid Fusion sedan this spring. Between the two models, it expects to sell 55,000 hybrid vehicles.
The hybrid Fusion will get about 41 mpg on the highway and 36 mpg in the city, which compares to 34/22 for a nonhybrid Fusion, he said. The price difference between the two is about $3,000, but that doesn't include savings from green-technology tax breaks. The hybrid version will offer the same deluxe features as the Fusion SEL.
Making its debut at the Detroit auto show this year is Tesla, a 5-year-old Silicon Valley company founded by Elon Musk, who founded and sold PayPal to eBay for $1.5 billion. Among Tesla's early investors were Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who each own a Tesla Roadster.
The Roadster is the only highway-capable, all-electric vehicle on the road. The only problem is the $109,000 price tag. But thanks to green-minded Hollywood stars, wealthy Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, and Manhattan bankers, Tesla has sold 150 Roadsters and has 1,100 orders. Tesla plans to open retail stores in Chicago, Miami, and Seattle this year, said senior communications manager Rachel Konrad.
The Roadster doesn't use any gas and doesn't even have a tailpipe; it's powered on 6,831 lithium-ion batteries. Tesla is developing a $57,500, four-door EV sedan for availability in late 2011, and also is planning an under-$30,000 model, Konrad said.
Green efforts weren't entirely about hybrids and EVs. GM debuted the futuristic-looking Spark, which gets 40 mpg and is the company's first "mini" vehicle. It will sell first in Asia and Europe, with a U.S. debut planned in the 2010 or 2011.
China's BYD showed off a few hybrid models and one all-electric vehicle, the e6, which it plans to start selling in the United States in 2011.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Ford Promises an Electric Future- Response (7)
After Ford declined the government bailout, it was a little unclear as to what direction they were planning to head in. This article made it more clear and it confirmed that Ford will be manufacturing electric cars.
There is however a lack of information on Ford's new car. Both Tesla and General Motors have already done significant work in creating and starting to put their cars on the market. Because Ford is still in an early developing stage, they haven't entirely committed towards the production of the car. From what I know so far, Chrysler has made very little progress towards electric cars.
The article mentions that Bill Ford originally planned to make more fuel-efficient cars and possibly electric cars. It is not completely clear why he abandoned his goals, but it is possible that he was pressured by others in leadership positions at Ford to manufacture less fuel-efficient vehicles, such as SUVs and trucks, because they thought they were more profitable.
The Ford Fusion is expected to be one of the most fuel efficient hybrid on the market in 2011. I think that they will competitive with the Toyota Prius as the two cars with the highest miles per gallon.
While the Fusion will have great mileage, I believe that it will not even be competitive with the Chevrolet Volt or Tesla Roadster. Both of those cars are plug-in electric which means that they will not initially use any gasoline. I would expect that the Fusion will be the cheapest of the three, however, the amount paid for gas will eventually accumulate. While fuel efficient cars are a good short-term goal, they still attribute to global warming; plug-in electric cars are optimal.
There is however a lack of information on Ford's new car. Both Tesla and General Motors have already done significant work in creating and starting to put their cars on the market. Because Ford is still in an early developing stage, they haven't entirely committed towards the production of the car. From what I know so far, Chrysler has made very little progress towards electric cars.
The article mentions that Bill Ford originally planned to make more fuel-efficient cars and possibly electric cars. It is not completely clear why he abandoned his goals, but it is possible that he was pressured by others in leadership positions at Ford to manufacture less fuel-efficient vehicles, such as SUVs and trucks, because they thought they were more profitable.
The Ford Fusion is expected to be one of the most fuel efficient hybrid on the market in 2011. I think that they will competitive with the Toyota Prius as the two cars with the highest miles per gallon.
While the Fusion will have great mileage, I believe that it will not even be competitive with the Chevrolet Volt or Tesla Roadster. Both of those cars are plug-in electric which means that they will not initially use any gasoline. I would expect that the Fusion will be the cheapest of the three, however, the amount paid for gas will eventually accumulate. While fuel efficient cars are a good short-term goal, they still attribute to global warming; plug-in electric cars are optimal.
Ford Promises an Electric Future (7)
This article was at http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/fords-electric-future/?emc=eta1.
When Bill Ford became the CEO of Ford a decade ago, he promised fuel economy improvements and other green efforts, but he later had to back away from them. He eventually decided to pass the chief executive job, hiring Alan Mulally to run the company.
On Sunday, Ford announced an “expanded electric-vehicle strategy in line with the nation’s growing interest in them.”
Within the next three years, Ford is planning to release two electric-vehicle projects, along with its next generation of hybrid vehicles (including a plug-in hybrid).
The first project is a collaboration with Tanfield, a British electric automaker, to produce battery-electric versions of the Ford Transit and Transit Connect, commercial vehicles sold in Europe. The second is a small battery-electric passenger car made in conjunction with Magna International, a Canadian automotive supplier. The car, which is scheduled for production in 2011, will be powered by lithium-ion batteries and have a range of up to 100 miles on a single charge, Ford said.
Recently, the Ford Fusion Hybrid has been garnering praise, after Ford announced that the car’s E.P.A.-rated gas mileage would make it the most fuel efficient mid-size sedan on the market when it goes on sale early this year.
When Bill Ford became the CEO of Ford a decade ago, he promised fuel economy improvements and other green efforts, but he later had to back away from them. He eventually decided to pass the chief executive job, hiring Alan Mulally to run the company.
On Sunday, Ford announced an “expanded electric-vehicle strategy in line with the nation’s growing interest in them.”
Within the next three years, Ford is planning to release two electric-vehicle projects, along with its next generation of hybrid vehicles (including a plug-in hybrid).
The first project is a collaboration with Tanfield, a British electric automaker, to produce battery-electric versions of the Ford Transit and Transit Connect, commercial vehicles sold in Europe. The second is a small battery-electric passenger car made in conjunction with Magna International, a Canadian automotive supplier. The car, which is scheduled for production in 2011, will be powered by lithium-ion batteries and have a range of up to 100 miles on a single charge, Ford said.
Recently, the Ford Fusion Hybrid has been garnering praise, after Ford announced that the car’s E.P.A.-rated gas mileage would make it the most fuel efficient mid-size sedan on the market when it goes on sale early this year.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Nice job with your blog so far, Liam! I can totally picture you making important political decisions later on in life; your articles are rich in information, your notes are well written and easy to understand, and your responses show that you have obviously been thinking about the article and all different aspects of it. I liked how you didn't just instantly agree with all the articles you read, instead arguing some parts: i.e. Michael Moroney feeling it's far fetched to believe 10% of all registered vehicles could run on electric by 2020. [That would be awesome, by the way!]
Keep it up!
ps. I took your poll(:
Keep it up!
ps. I took your poll(:
Monday, January 12, 2009
Kelsey Schwarz- Response to 4,5,6
I agree with Morgan, it's easy to tell that you are really interested in your topic and you enjoy researching it. I think that you're doing a great job. You're finding really good articles that are packed full with information. Reading your responses are my favorite part because you take your time to thoroughly think out what you read and you give in depth responses. Maybe you could talk with an owner of a car company or someone who manufactures cars to get an idea of what they think will come about in the future.
Aimee Response Reflection
Hayden, I like your comment about calling Obama a communist and a soviet. However, I think it was an interesting choice to involve politic in your I-search. Have you found any information about solar powered cars? Motorcycles are not cars, but are you going to include all vehicles as well now? Your notes are neat and informative, and your comments follow them. Keep it up!
Morgan's response # 3
You can tell how intrested you are in this topic, it shows through in your writting. One thing you need to work on is carying on the information from your acticles, not just repeating it,in that you can just make connections between your articles.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Is electric the road ahead?- Response (6)
I would have to disagree with Mr. Moroney regarding several points. I disagree with his belief that the Irish government’s recently announced target of having 10 per cent of all registered vehicles running on electric power by 2020, "seems a little far-fetched." I believe that it is entirely likely that by 2020, over 10% of the world's vehicles will run on electric power. This seems quite a reasonable goal considering that electric cars are already available and will continue to become more economically priced over the next 11 years. I think that once electric cars are affordable, people will quickly adopt them.
I think that it is only fair that electric car owners receive the most tax breaks as they produce the least carbon emissions. I also believe that electric cars are the most promising. Hybrid vehicles still produce carbon emissions so they do not deserve equal tax cuts. Biofuels cause the price of food to escalate because they have farmers devoting land to fuel-production instead of feeding people. Fuel cell cars are the most expensive and difficult to produce of all. Hydrogen production also requires fossil fuels and produces greenhouse gases.
Moroney also suggests that the electricity to supply electric cars comes from plants run by fossil fuels and therefore offers no great advantage over gasoline-powered cars. I think that there will be an increasing supply of renewable energy as technology advances and facilities increase in size and number. This includes large wind farms and large solar installations.
Overall, I think Moroney underestimates the advantages of electric cars over the other alternative vehicle types.
I think that it is only fair that electric car owners receive the most tax breaks as they produce the least carbon emissions. I also believe that electric cars are the most promising. Hybrid vehicles still produce carbon emissions so they do not deserve equal tax cuts. Biofuels cause the price of food to escalate because they have farmers devoting land to fuel-production instead of feeding people. Fuel cell cars are the most expensive and difficult to produce of all. Hydrogen production also requires fossil fuels and produces greenhouse gases.
Moroney also suggests that the electricity to supply electric cars comes from plants run by fossil fuels and therefore offers no great advantage over gasoline-powered cars. I think that there will be an increasing supply of renewable energy as technology advances and facilities increase in size and number. This includes large wind farms and large solar installations.
Overall, I think Moroney underestimates the advantages of electric cars over the other alternative vehicle types.
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