My Perfect Automobile » Electric Power

Cost of Electricity Baffles Some EV Owners

Larry Bell — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 19:55:36 +0000

Cost of Electricity (Pictured: Tesla Model S)

Those interested in purchasing an electric car often wonder about the exact amount of money they will save by using electricity instead of gasoline. The answer depends on two prices, both of which fluctuate daily. The price of gasoline is well known and easy to determine. The price of electricity for your EV is a bit harder to get at, but certainly valuable information to have.

Only after determining how much electricity you use per mile of driving will you be able to compare the costs of driving an EV with the cost of driving a combustion vehicle. Take the electric car’s kWh-per-100 miles figure and multiply it by your local cost per kWh. The result is how much it costs to drive the EV 100 miles. If your EV requires 53 kWh to drive 100 miles, and your local rate is 11 cents per kWh, then you are paying 53 x $.11, or $5.83 in electricity to go that distance. In other words, your EV is costing you 5.83 cents per mile to drive. If gasoline in your city costs $3.50 per gallon, and your combustion car gets 40 mpg, that car’s cost per mile works out to 8.75 cents. In most cases, even very inefficient electric cars cost much less to operate than very efficient gasoline vehicles.

Cost of Electricity: Video

For a quick overview of electric cars that are currently available on the market, see the video clip above. The piece points out the best-selling EVs, explains who makes them, what their general prospects are, and concludes with a discussion about electric charging infrastructure. When trying to calculate your own cost of daily driving in an EV, you need to know the basics of batteries, charging stations, and the overall cost of energy in your geographic region.

For more about electric power generation, see the U.S. Dept. of Energy website on the topic. The DOE site features extensive articles on fuel cells, car batteries, the national electric grid, and the history of electric power generation in America.
http://energy.gov/science-innovation/energy-sources/electricity

Larry Bell

Larry Bell + is My Perfect Automobile’s Genius Author, but we call him ‘The Expert‘. Here is his full Blog: My Perfect Automobile. Larry lives in San Jose, CA and is also the Expert Author. Larry is a lover of the Automobile as well and shares a passion for Concept, Hybrid and Electric Cars…

Toyota Prius Batteries Given Second Life

Larry Bell — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 02:05:26 +0000

A 2013 Toyota Prius v

Toyota has announced that it will begin selling electricity systems that use recycled Prius batteries for power. The units will work in conjunction with overall electrical management systems in buildings, solar generating stations, and lighting circuits The recycled nickel-metal hydride batteries will allow for storage of significant amounts of electricity, to the tune of about 10 kWh, and will tip the scales at over 2,000 pounds per unit. The storage devices will be able to cut energy costs for some businesses by as much as 50 percent.

Toyota Super Bowl Commercial

Toyota always seems to be up for the game when Super Bowl time rolls around. Below is the full commercial featuring Kaley Cuoco, who appears as the RAV4 genie and grants wishes to an unsuspecting family. The husband, wife, and children can’t seem to make their intentions clear to the slightly wacky genie. In the end, it all works out, and everyone ends up happily scooting along in the Toyota. It is all part of the company’s “Let’s go places” ad campaign, with this particular version called “Wish granted.” Watch for Cuoco to build a portfolio of Toyota ads as the carmaker leverages her current sitcom fame and familiar face to get the word out about the latest Toyota models.

Toyota Prius Batteries

Toyota has pioneered electrical adaptability of its hybrid car batteries, last years announcing an inverter system that would allow Prius plug-ins to operate as emergency home generating units in the event of natural disasters. Still the best-selling hybrid in the world, the Toyota Prius is facing more competition than ever as scores of automakers have entered the hybrid-electric vehicle market. In an effort to stay ahead of the marketing curve, the company has looked at innovative ways to use and even recycle battery components from its Prius family of cars.

For more about Toyota cars and trucks, see the Japanese automaker’s official corporate website:
http://www.toyota.com/Prius

Larry Bell

EV Battery Tech Set for April in London

Larry Bell — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 21:25:09 +0000

EV Battery Tech UK: Chevy Volt battery pack

London will be the host city for the seventh “EV Battery Tech: Global Cost Reduction” series, which runs for two days beginning on April 24. The conference brings together some of the top minds in the industry to develop realistic cost-cutting methods for battery production, development, and processing. In addition, several presentations will focus on recent breakthroughs in pack reduction, cell chemistry, energy density, range, and battery life.

EV Battery Tech: Video

You don’t have to be a scientist to understand the above video clip from IBM about the technology behind lithium-air batteries. Expected to make their way to the marketplace sometime between 2020 and 2030, the units would be able to power a standard car for about 500 miles between charges. The narrator explains how the batteries “borrow oxygen from the air” and then use the resulting chemical reaction to produce electricity. The air-breathing units are lighter than any battery used today and have an extremely high energy density. Already, IBM scientists and engineers have duplicated the charge-recharge process under controlled conditions, though much research still needs to be done.

EV Battery Tech UK

The EV Battery Tech event will also examine various battery-manufacturing methods, and how those methods can be optimized in order to minimize production expense.

Other relevant topics to be discussed at the conference include:

Next generation chemistries. This exciting topic has to do with the latest research in cell components.
Energy density, range, and life of batteries. Special emphasis will be given to pushing the limits of range and battery longevity.
Cost analysis. Virtually every aspect of battery development will be looked at in terms of how to cut costs and more efficiently produce better batteries.
Safety. Special panel discussions on safety will address how to cut production costs while maintaining safety requirements and performance.

For more information about the battery tech event, see the official website for the conference:
http://www.ev-battery-technology-2013.com/

Larry Bell

Wireless Charging Could Beat Range Anxiety

Larry Bell — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 20:50:22 +0000

Wireless charging system diagram

A new study from Pike Research suggests that wireless charging systems could go a long way toward alleviating consumer range anxiety associated with electric vehicles. Pike’s data estimates that there will be more than 280,000 wireless charging points by the end of this decade. Because the units can be embedded in roadways and public parking spaces, some look at inductive charging as a way to top-off a car battery while it idles at a stoplight or sits in rush hour traffic.

Wireless Charging: Video

There is a valid reason why car owners want wireless charging. It’s convenient. In the video clip that follows, Plugless Power walks us through their standard inductive unit for passenger cars. The system is installed in the garage and merely requires that the driver position the vehicle over a small floor device. As the narrator explains, there is actually an on-screen guiding system to make the whole thing goof-proof. Whenever the owner of an inductive unit wants to physically plug in, for whatever reason, there is no need to use the wireless method. The freedom of choice to switch between plug and plug-less is perhaps the most attractive feature of the Plugless Power inductive charging device.

Wireless Charging

Since the beginning of 2011, every major carmaker has investigated wireless charging, and most have created partnerships with firms who build the devices. Nissan and BMW, to name just two companies, have already found partners that will help them produce the inductive technology for the new wave of electric vehicles that will hit the roads, and showrooms, by 2015. In Italy, electric buses use wireless charging units that are embedded at each stop, allowing the vehicles to drive their entire route without having to plug in.

For more information about one company that makes inductive charging systems for cars, see the following corporate website for Plugless Power:
http://www.pluglesspower.com/
For a look at Pike Research, see their company’s website:
http://www.pikeresearch.com

Larry Bell

Chevy Volt Batteries: Backup Energy Source

Larry Bell — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 19:57:20 +0000

A Chevy Volt on the road

General Motors and ABB Group displayed an electrical backup system for private homes this week. The mechanism can provide enough energy to power three residences for approximately two hours, and is powered by used EV batteries from Chevy Volt automobiles. With a maximum output of 50 kWh of energy, the system was the result of a joint effort by ABB Group, General Motors, and Duke Energy. Each power box is composed of five used lithium-ion battery packs from a Volt hybrid-electric automobile.

Chevy Volt: Video

Because Chevrolet is constantly improving the Volt, both from a driving and a design perspective, it is interesting to take a look back at one of the first public test-drive sessions of the innovative car. Shot in 2009 at the LA Auto Show, the clip joins a guest driver along with the man who was Chevy’s line director for the car, Tony Posawatz, in the passenger seat as the two cruise along a closed track. Tony provides some very interesting commentary and answers the driver’s questions during the trip. Considering that hybrid-electric technology was still very new at the time, it is surprising how simple, quiet, and low-key the test drive was. If you have never been a driver or passenger in a Chevy Volt, this film footage will introduce you to the basics of how the car works and moves.

Chevy Volt

A GM senior manager for battery lifecycle management, Pablo Valencia, expounded on the new power packs at a company event in California this week, noting, “This is an industry first to be able to do secondary automotive batteries in a grid-based application.” ABB is a Swiss technology firm that specializes in automation and power. Duke Energy is based in North Carolina.

For more information about the Chevy Volt, see Chevrolet’s dedicated website for the hybrid-electric, award-winning car:
http://www.chevrolet.com/Volt

Larry Bell

New EV Connector Will Drastically Cut Charging Time

Larry Bell — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 11:23:29 +0000

New EV connector for cars like the Prius plug-in (shown)

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has just published a new specification for an updated J1772 EV connector, which has the potential to provide full charges in 10 minutes. The original device has been around for ten years, and only included AC charging in its specs. The new version incorporates DC charging, which allows for much more rapid battery replenishment. SAE engineers say the new device could routinely charge electric vehicles in 10 to 20 minutes.

New Connector: Video

For some very basic information about the different charging levels, how long it takes to charge with them, and what the J1772 connector is, the video link below covers all the bases. While most car enthusiasts are familiar with Level 1 and Level 2 charging, many are unfamiliar with the capabilities of Level 3. In addition, even those who are knowledgeable about all three are not always aware of how the J1772 connector works. The short film explains the function of each of the J1772’s five pins, and even shows the device in action on a Nissan Leaf.

New Connector: J1772

SAE came up with the new specifications alongside their European counterparts, who also worked toward developing the combo type device. The efficiency of the new J1772 is the real breakthrough, because the device is truly an all-in-one plug, providing multiple charging capabilities in a single, easy to use connector.

For more about SAE International, see the organization’s official website:
http://www.sae.org

SAE is a professional organization for engineers, many of whom work in the automotive and aerospace industries. The society works to create uniform technical standards in the industries it represents, though SAE only allows individuals, not companies, to become members. With more than 120,000 members, the organization assists educational, certification, and design activities related to engineering. Approximately 75 percent of SAE members reside in North America.

Larry Bell

Tesla Offers Free Charging for Life

Larry Bell — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 23:26:24 +0000

Tesla solar charging station

Tesla Motors revealed a network of fast charging stations that runs on solar power and is free for Tesla owners to use. The network of charging locations was constructed in secret and currently covers most of California, but will soon encompass the entire U.S. Company co-founder Elon Musk said at a special event this week that the stations will charge a Tesla battery to full in about twenty minutes, the average time for a rest stop.

Tesla Charging: Video

The video clip below, at about ten minutes, is longer than most we post here. If you watch even the first few minutes, the importance of it will begin to sink in. It is simply the short presentation Elon Musk made just a few days ago when he unveiled the Supercharger system. In fact, no other electric carmaker has anything like it, and as Musk says, you can now drive your Tesla electric car on sunlight, forever, for free.

Tesla News

Tesla has partnered with SolarCity for the photovoltaic panels which will create electricity for the cars. In fact, as Musk states in the video above, the panels have been designed to generate more power than the cars will use, thus allowing for a net addition to the grid.

Right now, only Tesla’s 85- and 60-kWh models will be able to use the Superchargers. The company’s base model 40 kWh car, as well as other automakers’ electric vehicles, are unable to use the units. A similar array of charging stations for Tesla cars is slated for Europe within the next few years.

For all the latest news about Tesla Motors, there is no better place than the company’s official website. Unlike most other car manufacturers, Tesla uses its site as a primary news outlet to announce developments about new models, financial information, and other relevant topics.
http://www.teslamotors.com

Larry Bell

Global Library For Electric Vehicle Technology

Larry — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 17:38:37 +0000

The Electric Vehicle Global Technology Library is Now Available.

Many of you are on this site because you have an interest in this new automotive technology as is relates to the way the hybrid/electric vehicles, that are available, looks, drives, saves on transportation costs, will they meet my needs, keeping up with the Jones’s or just curious about what’s happening now and in the future. Others of you are conscious of the technical aspects that go far beyond what the average driver would be concerned about. This demands a much more “in-depth” look at the technology that can only be provided by those who know and produce this technology. The following provides a link to the source of such knowledge and experience.

Global Technology Library—Electric Vehicle is a new, comprehensive resource from SAE International that covers the latest developments in vehicle electrification worldwide. Unique to the market, the library is designed specifically for professionals and businesses in the electric vehicle industry, and provides news and in-depth analysis on:

The competitive landscape
Market performance
Private and Government research
Intellectual property developments
New and proposed regulations

The Global Technology Library—Electric Vehicle is backed by industry-leading technical reference library of standards, technical papers, magazines and books. Subscriptions featuring premium content are also available.

http://saegtl.org/ev/?WT.i_asset_id=E-GTLEV-0812&WT.i_dcsvid=VEML3&PCN=6132356642&elq=c1c36e46208b4c41816f8b2d2605f063&elqCampaignId=32

Larry Judkin

Larry Judkin + is My Perfect Automobile’s General Manager, but people call him Lar’. Here is his full Blog: My Perfect Automobile. Larry lives in San Jose, CA and is also the Co-owner of My Perfect Automobile. Larry is a lover of the Automobile as well and shares a passion for Concept, Hybrid and Electric Cars…

In-Wheel Motors: The Secret Revolution

Larry Bell — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 18:21:54 +0000

In-wheel motor by Protean Electric

The story behind the story of the electric car is something that many people have not ever heard of, the electric wheel. More specifically, it is called either an in-wheel motor or a hub-motor system. Make no mistake, after Michigan’s Protean Electric starts mass-producing in-wheel electric motors early next year, the world of automotive technology will never be the same. Some industry analysts actually think that in-wheel science is the future for cars, but that it will take some time to catch on.

This is no garage-based, pie-in-the-sky technology by any means. With almost $100 million of capital behind them, Protean’s first assembly plant will be able to produce 50,000 electric motors per year. The entire program will be underway in about six months, at which time Protean’s Liyang, China facility will move into full swing.

In-Wheel Motor: Video

The video clip below takes you on a brief tour of Protean’s display at the most recent Frankfurt Motor Show.

In-Wheel Motor Technology

Turning automotive engineering on its head, Protean’s design places motors within each wheel of a vehicle. The typical in-wheel motor measures between 18 and 24 inches in diameter, weighs about 70 pounds, and can deliver 110 horsepower and almost 600 lb-ft of torque, each! Keep in mind, however, that not all vehicles use four in-wheel motors. Some just need two.

The company’s CEO, Bob Purcell, came from the proving ground of a much larger entity, General Motors, where he was the leader of the auto giant’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Group. Purcell is quick to point out that the truly revolutionary thing about in-wheel motors, no pun intended, has to do with adaptability. Because the units are so small, and inside the wheels, auto designers can create just about any style of car they want, from the ground up.

For more about the company behind the leading-edge innovation of in-wheel motor technology, see Protean Electric’s official corporate website:
http://www.proteanelectric.com

Larry Bell

Battery Demand Charges Onward

Larry Bell — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 06:40:02 +0000

Demand for car batteries will surge

A major provider of in-depth market research reports, Reportlinker.com, has just released a comprehensive analysis of the future growth in the vehicle battery market, focusing on lithium-ion battery packs that are employed in hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and electric cars. The study looks at strengths and weaknesses of the near- and long-term battery demand and draws surprising conclusions about overall trends in the sector.

The competitive outlook for automakers, as well as market share for all the big players, is a significant part of the report. Besides global forecasts, Reportlinker breaks the world into regional areas for the purposes of analysis and study.

One crucial aspect of future demand for lithium-ion batteries is related to the sport of auto racing, where most new technologies get their first tests. The video link above details one such event, a recent world-record at the famous Nurburgring track. An Audi R8 e-tron ran the course in 8 minutes, 9 seconds. Long an innovator in electric mobility and racing, this record for a production car sets new standards for electric vehicles not only in terms of speed, but for handling and endurance. Audi has set other records for electric production cars in 24-hour races.

Reportlinker’s paper goes into detail about virtually every aspect of the upcoming surge in battery demand for lithium-ion packs during the time period between 2008 and 2017. Trend analysis for the ten-year span reveals much about the industry, consumer behavior, and the overall social adoption rate of electric and hybrid vehicles.

Explaining the massive shift from nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries to nearly universal lithium versions, the report makes specific dollar-value forecasts for the market segment and discusses what it calls the three most important aspects of the trend: affordability, infrastructure, and consumer confidence.

For more about the company that compiled the data and produced the final report, see Reportlinker’s website:
http://www.reportlinker.com/

Larry Bell

Historic EV Law for Colorado

Larry Bell — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 12:18:59 +0000

A U.S. Army GEM electric vehicle

A new, groundbreaking law will go into effect in Colorado at the end of the summer. Under the unique regulation, virtually anyone can resell electricity, which means that for the reasonable sum of approximately $5,000, business entrepreneurs can open their own charging stations. Before, there was so much red tape involved in reselling electricity to the public; the only entities who could afford to do so were utility companies. It is all part of a statewide push to encourage citizens and small store owners to place charging stations on their retail property, mark up the price a bit, and turn a profit. Many establishments surveyed intend to sell the voltage for cost, hoping that low-cost electricity will bring in customers.

Irving, Texas, is by no means the largest city in its state, but the municipality is way ahead of the pack in terms of EV infrastructure. Recently, Irving’s city hall and public library installed several quick-charge units, along with about 50 other such devices near the metroplex-airport corridor. As the video clip below clearly explains, the sponsors of the new units are looking to create so-called “lifestyle charging points.” In other words, they want the stations to be located near places where drivers will naturally spend several hours. That’s why the library and surrounding shopping malls are ideal locations.

Since the quick-charge units are able to dish out about 10 miles’ worth of juice for each hour a vehicle is plugged in, that encourages drivers to spend a decent amount of time in the retail stores that host the stations. It is a win-win for the driver, who gets cheap or discounted voltage, and for the retailer, who gains a customer. The State of Texas is one of the leaders in the national race to build EV infrastructure.

For more information about charging stations for electric vehicles, see the following resource page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charging_station#Deployment_of_public_charging_stations

Larry Bell

Party Night for Tesla Model S

Larry Bell — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 18:18:14 +0000

Kilowatts of beauty: Tesla's Model S

There is nothing like a good party, and make no mistake, Tesla Motors knows how to introduce its hot new Model S in a fun, party-like atmosphere. The short video clip below will help you get into the mood of the festivities, so sit back and spend a few minutes relaxing and watching one of the company’s most recent rollout events. Be warned: At the end of the short film, you might have a strong urge to go out and purchase a Tesla Model S.

On a more serious note, Tesla Motors announced this week the official opening of their first U.S. store of the year, in White Plains, N.Y. The car maker intends to reinvent the buying experience by providing all sorts of interactive displays and exhibits at its showrooms, some examples of which you can see in the video link:

In the N.Y. store, there will a hands-on exhibit of the new car’s drive train as well as a user-friendly design studio where prospective buyers can create their very own customized Tesla electric car. The New York location also features four Model S cars. George Blankenship, the company’s vice president of worldwide sales and ownership experience, mentioned that Tesla’s business model is as unique as its cars, relying on high foot-traffic locations. Dealerships want to tell as many people as possible about the advantages of driving electric and about the unique aspects of the Tesla vehicle.

The New York store marks location number twenty-two for Tesla Motors, worldwide. Here in the U.S., the company plans to open four more dealerships this summer. Those will be in Scottsdale, Arizona; Miami Beach, Florida; Santa Monica, California; and Portland, Oregon. Tesla has already built a reputation for quality cars, and the company’s leaders intend to bring that same level of expertise to the customer experience.

For more about the gorgeous Tesla Model S, and everything else going on at the company, see the official website for Tesla:
http://www.teslamotors.com

Larry Bell