EV Digest 4120
Topics covered in this issue include:
1) EVLN(BAS: BELT-ALTERNATOR-STARTERS = cheap/mild/fake Hybrids)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
2) EVLN(Only 1 plea for lower SMUD rates for electric car owners)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
3) EVLN($revolutionary new all lightweight alloy electric car$)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
4) EVLN(Taiwan: Ford's electric truck Recall angers customers)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
5) EVLN(EV Rental Cars offering hybrids)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
6) EVLN(Dry-cell powered EV)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
7) EVLN(Toshiba to supply chips for Toyota's hybrid cars)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
8) EVLN(Portico designed for Hyundai's hybrid drive system)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
9) EVLN(Orkney island of Westray winds charge EVs)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
10) EVLN(Hi-speed Eskateboards designed as extreme machines)-long
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
11) EVLN(Green building = has an EV recharging station)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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EVLN(BAS: BELT-ALTERNATOR-STARTERS = cheap/mild/fake Hybrids)
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informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.earthtoys.com/news.php?section=view&id=625
COULD BELT-ALTERNATOR-STARTERS STEAL HYBRID'S THUNDER?
Visit http://www.abiresearch.com for further information.
The devices allow for start-stop operation similar to hybrids,
where the engine can be shut off at a stoplight or when idling,
but at a price premium of just a few hundred dollars instead of
the thousands required for hybrids.
Oyster Bay, NY - February 15, 2005 - While the popularity of
hybrid-electric vehicles keeps growing, automakers continue their
search for less-expensive alternatives such as belt-alternator
starter (BAS) technology, according to new research from market
intelligence firm, ABI Research.
Australia: , & !
BAS systems are a dream technology for some automakers. The
devices allow for start-stop operation similar to hybrids, where
the engine can be shut off at a stoplight or when idling, but at
a price premium of just a few hundred dollars instead of the
thousands required for hybrids. However, ABI Research cautions
both consumers and financial observers that, "you get what you
pay for."
"While a BAS system is less-expensive than a true hybrid, it
doesn't come close to matching the full functionality of a
hybrid," says ABI Research senior analyst, Dan Benjamin. "A BAS
doesn't provide any sort of assist in actually propelling the
vehicle, and will often have far less capability for regenerative
braking, if any."
For the consumer, this means that any improvement in fuel economy
will be negligible under any driving conditions, with the
exception of extended stop-and-go driving or idling. It also
means that there will be no performance boost, a trait currently
associated with several existing and upcoming hybrids. It should
prove useful only in urban markets.
For suppliers and investors, the trend towards this technology
could be more troubling. Suppliers for components such as
electric motors and high-voltage batteries are increasing
capacity in preparation for rising hybrid vehicle production. Yet
automakers, including General Motors and PSA Peugeot Citroen,
have already announced plans to deploy BAS technology. If BAS
systems take market share from true hybrids, the new capacity
could go unutilized.
ABI Research's new study, "Hybrid Electric Vehicles" examines the
hybrid vehicle's production potential for all major OEMs, as well
as the technological and supply choices that can be made for
platform development. Forecasts are provided through 2012.
Founded in 1990 and headquartered in New York, ABI Research
maintains global operations that support annual research
programs, intelligence services and market reports in wireless,
automotive, semiconductors, broadband, and energy. For more
information please visit www.abiresearch.com, or call
516.624.2500.
� Earthtoys Inc. 2002 - 2005
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Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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EVLN(Only 1 plea for lower SMUD rates for electric car owners)
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http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/energy/story/12386277p-13242569c.html
SMUD debates 6% hike
The utility weighs how to apportion the rate increase.
By Carrie Peyton Dahlberg -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Friday, February 18, 2005
Households that burn through the most electricity each month
could pay a little bit more and low-income residents might be
dinged a little less under rate-increase options debated Thursday
by Sacramento Municipal Utility District directors.
The seven-member SMUD board is closing in on the final design of
a 6 percent rate increase expected to be approved next month.
The electric utility, which serves most of Sacramento County and
a thin strip of Placer County, wants to raise an additional $60
million annually through rates to keep up with the rising cost of
natural gas, which fuels many power plants.
That represents an overall 6 percent increase, but varying groups
of customers could feel the hit very differently.
Thursday, after weeks of neighborhood meetings and committee
sessions, board members appeared to be leaning toward packages
that would raise some small-business rates 9 percent or 10
percent and residential rates by 6 percent or a bit more.
The community sessions have drawn mostly small crowds with
relatively low-key reaction to the proposed increases, several
directors have said.
"There just hasn't been a lot of excitement generated by this,"
director Peter Keat said Wednesday.
That trend continued Thursday evening, when the final formal
public hearing on the rate increase opened and closed with one
plea for lower rates for electric car owners, and a reminder that
even small increases can hurt.
"It's very difficult for older people living on a fixed income to
pay all these increases. It's getting real bad," Marion Ender
said.
One option still being reviewed by directors would give a little
more protection for those whose income is most limited - if they
also use relatively modest amounts of power.
That is among a half dozen ideas still being analyzed by SMUD
staff before coming up for final debate in early March.
Most of the options start with a rate design that aims generally
at having each group of customers pay what it costs SMUD to serve
them - without facing huge increases to get there. Some groups
already pull their own weight, while others, including small
businesses, still have a ways to go, according to district cost
analyses.
Whether those smaller businesses should play catch-up with a 9
percent increase or a 10 percent boost is one of the issues still
to be thrashed out by directors.
So is exactly where the residential rate increase should hit for
people on low-income and special medical rates: at all usage
levels or only in the top two tiers of heavier usage?
"The reason we have the tiered rates is to emphasize
conservation," said Jan Schori, general manager. Directors will
have to decide how strongly they want to send that conservation
message to SMUD's lowest-income customers.
Board members also are looking at whether they should strengthen
the conservation message for all residential customers, loading a
little more of the rate burden onto the two higher tiers.
About the writer: * The Bee's Carrie Peyton Dahlberg can be
reached at (916) 321-1086 or [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Copyright � The Sacramento Bee
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http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/?d=73123
Source: Victory Capital Holdings Corporation Acquires Universal
Power Vehicles
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 22, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Victory Capital
Holdings Corporation announced today that it has signed an
agreement to acquire Universal Power Vehicles, Corporation.
It is expected that the acquisition will close within a few
weeks.
Universal Power Vehicles (http://www.upvehicles.com), a privately
held company, has been involved in the research and development
of new lightweight metal alloy processes and electric motor and
battery technologies. This acquisition by VTYC will allow UPV to
obtain the finances necessary to start production. UPV has made
arrangements to acquire a production facility in the Salton Sea
area through non-dilutive debit financing.
"These are exciting times for UPV," stated Terry Payne, Director
of Operations for UPV. "We are currently negotiating a contract
with a company in the automotive business to help design and
build a revolutionary new, all lightweight alloy electric car."
The automotive industry is just one of the targets of UPV's
lightweight metal alloy processes as lightweight metal alloys
will enhance every industry where weight, strength, and size are
limiting factors.
"Universal Power Vehicles Corporation will bring exciting,
cutting edge technologies to the Victory family of companies.
Shareholders will be rewarded as these new technologies are put
into production and receive the proper sales and marketing
exposure," stated Jon Fullenkamp, Chairman & CEO Victory Capital
Holdings Corp.
Victory Capital Holdings Corporation (VTYC) is a publicly traded
company designed to leverage the assets of existing, proven
technology and to infuse those assets with marketing, management
and financial support to become the recognized leader in its
space (http://www.vtyc.com).
Certain statements contained herein are "forward-looking"
statements [...] CONTACT: Victory Capital Holdings Corporation
Investor Relations (916) 965-6439 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -
-
EVLN(SULEV: Super Ultra Low Electric Vehicle)-long
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http://www.amestrib.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=2035&dept_id=238095&newsid=14004129&PAG=461&rfi=9
Demand heats up for hybrids Ames Tribune - Ames,IA,USA
By Liz Austin February 21, 2005
Ames car dealers struggle to keep up with interest
As new technology seeps into the automobile marketplace,
Ames-area car dealerships struggle to keep up with the
nation-wide interest in hybrids. Car manufacturers are generating
newer, faster and sometimes more efficient models, while dealers
are selling them as soon as they arrive.
With gas prices on the rise, consumers are becoming more
economically savvy and environmentally conscious in their
automobile purchases.
"To me, it's a symbol of what needs to be fixed in terms of
conserving, in terms of passing on to the next generation, in
terms of world peace," said Pat Brown, the first person to
purchase a Honda Insight from Honda of Ames in July 2002.
The Insight was the first hybrid automobile to be sold in the
United States.
Brown's political frustration with the environmental policy of
the Bush administration prompted her to purchase the hybrid
without having seen it. Since then, she has replaced her Insight
with a second hybrid, a 2005 Honda Accord, in order to transport
her grandchildren more easily. The Accord's 255 horsepower engine
and larger interior space contrast with the Insight's
73-horsepower engine and two-seater design.
"You see every demographic across the board come in and buy
them," said Danny Wilson, vice president of Wilson
Olds-Cadillac-Toyota. "You can't pinpoint and say, this group of
people are buying this car."
Wilson has observed several owners of high-end cars - BMWs or
late-model Lexus sedans - trade in their vehicle for a Toyota
Prius.
Going green
Political and environmental considerations are motivators for
many hybrid car customers, including Mikesch Muecke, associate
professor of architecture at Iowa State University and owner of a
Toyota Prius.
"I thought it was time to show some civic responsibility and say,
'I'm not going to drive a car that makes us more dependent on
non-democratic states like Saudi Arabia,'" he said.
He is not only a satisfied owner; he's an advocate of hybrid
technology. He purchased signs for his front car doors that read,
"Gas electric hybrid, SULEV (Super Ultra Low Electric Vehicle)."
"I have the signs on the door to convince whoever sees me that
they should look at the car, too" Muecke said.
His environmental stance extends beyond the university parking
lot. He incorporates concepts of green design, or the
transformation of human industry through ecologically intelligent
design, into his architecture classes.
"I try to bring that kind of thinking into my teaching," he said.
"There's no way that we can keep going with what we're doing
because we're using so much energy."
How they work
Most hybrid vehicles operate on three principles: regenerative
breaking, electric motor assist and automatic start/shutoff.
"It recharges those batteries as you're driving it," explained
Tim Ellett, general manager of Honda of Ames. "So you use the
batteries by accelerating, and as you're breaking and slowing
down to a stop sign, it regenerates (kinetic energy)."
Both Honda of Ames and Wilson Olds-Cadillac-Toyota have hybrids
on the lot to test drive, but coming to own a hybrid takes a
careful balance of patience and preference. Most dealerships
require customers to go through an ordering process that requires
a $500 deposit.
Supply and demand
The wait time is in constant flux as the supply and demand
changes, but the average turnaround ranges from two to five
months. This time can be further delayed by a customer's
preference for make, model, and amenities.
"We're selling everything they give us," Ellett said. He believes
Honda's waiting list will lighten as the year progresses.
"If (customers) are committed to this idea, we've found them to
understand that this is going to take a little while," he said.
In the case of Toyota, the supply chain has deviated from the
normal allocation of vehicles.
"They're actually building these cars and sending them, and then
trying to match them to an order, as opposed to taking an order
and building a car from the order," said Ron Frandsen of Wilson
Olds-Cadillac-Toyota.
The lag time in Ames is neither unique nor new. Dealerships
across the country are waiting for their supply of hybrids to
arrive.
"There was a point where we actually had a year-long waiting
list," Wilson said.
What's next
General Motors has focused hybrid development on its most popular
pickup trucks, the GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado. Hybrid
models of these trucks not only offer improved gas mileage, they
are supplied with three-pronged, electrical power outlets in
their cabs and truck beds.
Outdoorsmen can use the outlets for camping, and construction
workers can use them for tools or equipment.
"For tailgating, you can plug in the George Foreman grill, and
you can have reserve power from those batteries," said Mitch
Roese, new car inventory manager at Benson Motors.
Roese said customers can order a GMC Sierra Hybrid and receive it
in six to eight weeks.
The next wave of hybrids to hit the Ames community will be sport
utility vehicles. Willey of Ames anticipates the arrival of the
2005 Ford Escape Hybrid in April or May.
Despite the high levels of customer inquiry, Guy Willey, general
manager of Willey of Ames, explained, "They're going to be in
very short supply to begin with... Most dealers, regardless of
size, are going to see one or two at the most early on."
The Wilson Olds-Cadillac-Toyota dealership is expecting to
receive the 2005 Toyota Highlander Hybrids in late summer or
early fall. Wilson said it has already received deposits for this
new vehicle.
"The awareness of (hybrids) is out there," he said. The
dealership educates consumers on "what the technology really is
while giving them an understanding of what it's like to drive the
car."
While Toyota and Honda have pioneered the road to hybrid
accessibility, many other manufacturers are in the process of
rolling out their own versions, such as the Lexus RX 400h SUV and
the Dodge Ram Pickup.
Sticker shock
While most if not all Ames dealerships offer hybrids at
manufactured suggested retail price, Muecke warns consumers not
to get drawn in to paying more than sticker price. In July 2002,
he researched online vendors and purchased from Toyota of Iowa
City due to local unavailability of his model.
"We have not charged over the suggested price of the car," said
Frandsen of Wilson Olds-Cadillac-Toyota. "There was a time on
eBay (that auctioneers) were selling $6,000 over window sticker
price."
The estimated cost difference between a hybrid versus a standard
model is $3,400 in the Ford Escape and $3,500 in the Honda Civic
and Accord, according to general managers at Willey of Ames and
Honda of Ames. Consumers currently receive a $2,000 federal tax
deduction on approved hybrid purchases. Although this helps
defray the higher cost, the deduction will drop to $500 for
2006.
Safety
As with any technological advancement, hybrids raise new public
safety concerns. The Ames Fire Department visited Honda of Ames
to become familiar with the design layout.
"If they're going to extract somebody from a wrecked (hybrid)
vehicle with the Jaws of Life, they have to be a little careful
of the high-powered electric circuit. They have to cut it in a
certain fashion," Ellett said.
Many car manufacturers are addressing this concern by
color-coding wires and adding automatic shut-off switches. In
addition, manufacturers are distributing emergency response
guides to increase public awareness.
One of the most important concerns with new automobile technology
is maintenance and repair.
In preparing for the Escape rollout, the Ford dealership has
upgraded its service department.
"We've had to do special training for our technicians, and most
of that relates to the battery cell that helps run the electric
motor," Willey said.
Otherwise, the Escape Hybrid is pretty similar to the standard
Escape.
Happy customers
Neither Brown's Insight nor Meucke's Prius has required any
service beyond normal wear and tear.
Both hybrid owners love their vehicles, and they want others to
own them too.
"I think it's people who want to make a real difference, Ellett
said. "They want to make a statement and be part of a movement -
cleaner air, cleaner water, use less natural resources."
"You have to drive a car. You have to get from Point A to Point
B. Why not have a hybrid that would get the best fuel economy
possible?"
�Ames Tribune 2005
Copyright � 1995 - 2005 PowerOne Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
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http://www.newstarget.com/004798.html
Tuesday, February 22, 2005 Commentary | Home
Recall for Ford's electric-powered trucks angers customers
Ford Motor Company has issued a recall for all of its fleet of
electric trucks, angering people who leased these emission-free
vehicles. With the worst fuel efficiency rating among any
automaker, Ford's decision to recall, then destroy their
electric-powered trucks is a widely unpopular move that has
brought down the ire of both ecological groups and customers who
love their electric vehicles. If you find this article
interesting, be sure to also read 'Japanese carmakers reach
milestone: 30 percent of U.S. auto sales.' - Staff writers
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http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0%2C1413%2C200~20950~2726697%2C00.html
Article Published: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 12:00:00 AM PST
Jeff Pink, CEO of EV Rental Cars, has the latest offerings in
hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles for the environmentally
conscious driver. (Gus Ruelas/LA Daily News)
[ image of Jeff Pink kneeling down at the rear of an Insight
http://media.mnginteractive.com/media/paper200/DB23_ev.jpg ]
Going for the green
Environmentalist CEO's business rents hybrid cars
By Brent Hopkins, Staff Writer
Going green proved to be a smart move for Jeff Pink.
As chief executive officer of EV Rental Cars, he's trying to turn
a small fleet of vehicles into a nationwide armada to protect the
environment. He's gained a toehold into three markets with 260
cars, but after recently partnering with the larger Fox Rent a
Car, Pink expects to more than double both his fleet size and
number of cities by the end of the year.
While it's not a bad business to be in, servicing a loyal and
somewhat lucrative niche, the frenetic executive sees EV Rental's
mission as nothing short of saving the world.
"People have to understand we're gonna kill ourselves with cars,"
he said, waving a finger for emphasis. "All these muscle cars out
there, getting terrible mileage, with the terrible emissions;
we've got to think about what we're doing."
Seven years ago, the Calabasas resident had a successful real
estate development business and a baby on the way. Conscious of
his unborn son's health, he started worrying about Los Angeles'
smoggy skies and wanted to find a way to cut down on the
pollutants that crept from his tailpipe.
So he looked into renting an EV-1, General Motors' pioneering
electric vehicle, thinking he'd test it out for a week before
leasing the futuristic-looking car. No such rental company
existed, so he signed up anyway and began thinking of a business
opportunity.
Abruptly jumping out of the family business, he started EV Rental
in 1998 with a tiny selection of 11 electric vehicles. The
business grew and shrunk over the years, peaking whenever hot new
cars like the Toyota Prius debuted, falling when the travel
market contracted. After many frustrating stops and starts, Pink
thinks this year will be his to shine.
The company currently serves Los Angeles from its headquarters on
Century Boulevard, San Diego and Phoenix. Expansions to Orange
County, Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose are in the works.
"When his rental base comes in, they're passionate," said Joe
Knight, Fox's executive vice president of business development.
"They don't want our Magnums or our 300Ms, they want his
Insights."
The hybrid Hondas aren't cheap to rent, with a price around
$39.95 per day, when compared with the $29.95 Dodge Magnum or
$39.50 per day luxury Chrysler. But to customers like Wendy
James, who runs an environmental consulting business in Burbank,
that doesn't matter. She'll rent the hybrids on principle, but
likes their better economy if she's driving any significant
distance.
"And it gives you something to talk about!" she said. "What's
more L.A. than renting the same car Leonardo DiCaprio drives? You
don't get to do that in Tulsa."
But if Pink can keep growing EV's coverage, he thinks that may
change. With gasoline prices at $2.19 a gallon on Tuesday, which
the Automobile Club of Southern California reports as nearly 20
cents per gallon higher than last year, he believes more drivers
will start searching out ways to cut down their fuel bills.
"As gas prices keep going up and up and up, people will want
these cars," he said. "California won't be the only place people
are environmental anymore."
Brent Hopkins, (818) 713-3738 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/17Feb2005_biz65.php
ELECTRONICS NEW PRODUCTS
Panasonic touts `Oxyride' batteries
SUKANYA JITPLEECHEEP
Panasonic Siew Sales (Thailand) Co, an arm of Japanese
electronics giant Matsushita, yesterday launched in Thailand its
third-generation ``Oxyride'' dry-cell battery, which it claims to
offer twice the power of alkaline batteries.
Panasonic hopes Oxyride, the first of its kind to be launched
here, will help the firm tap new business opportunities,
particularly among heavy users of products such as digital
cameras and MP3 players.
The company boasts that the new batteries could quickly erode
demand for conventional alkaline batteries due to the superior
power capacity.
Takuya Tanimoto, deputy director for the company's battery sales
division, said company surveys showed battery demand last year
was four times the level in 1995, thanks to the popularity of
digital cameras and electronic gadgets.
The company yesterday demonstrated that two of its AA-size
Oxyride dry-cells could propel its ``Panasonic E-Vehicle'', an
electric vehicle weighing 65.5 kilogrammes, including the driver,
a total distance of 1.23 kilometres.
A pack of two AA Panasonic Oxyride batteries sells for 68 baht,
compared to 45 baht for Panasonic's own alkaline-based brands.
Mr Tanimoto expected the total sales of Panasonic batteries in
the current fiscal year ending March 2005 would increase 12% to
2.8 billion baht, higher than its earlier projection of 5%.
The battery market in Thailand is estimated at 3.8 billion baht
in sales per year, of which 90% of sales are manganese batteries
and under 10% alkaline. Panasonic claims a 75% share of the
market.
===
http://www.eetimes.com/sys/news/OEG20040129S0018
Small image on
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0402/04020402matsushitabattery.asp
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http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific_business/view/132242/1/.html
Toshiba to supply chips for Toyota's hybrid cars: report
TOKYO : Japan's electronics giant Toshiba plans to invest 95
million dollars to produce specialized semiconductors for use in
Toyota's gasoline-electric hybrid cars, a newspaper said.
Toshiba Corp. has won the order from the world's second largest
car maker Toyota Motor Corp. with a plan to begin shipments later
this year, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun said, quoting sources
familiar with the deal.
Toshiba will spend a total of 10 billion yen (95 million dollars)
over three years to set up new chip production lines at its Hyogo
plant in western Japan, the business daily said.
Toshiba will make two types of chips -- one that adjusts the
number of motor revolutions according to the speed at which the
car is running, and another that keeps the electric current
stable even when the driver uses the brake and the accelerator
alternately in quick succession.
Both are crucial components for hybrid cars as they ensure a
smooth shift between the motor and the engine, improve fuel
efficiency and reduce emissions, while making the ride as
comfortable as that of a regular gasoline-powered car.
The electronics firm has developed new technology to reduce the
chip's heat and power consumption.
Toshiba wants to use its deal with Toyota as a springboard to
land similar contracts with other car makers such as Honda Motor
Co. Ltd. and DaimlerChrysler AG., Nihon Keizai said.
Toyota, the global leader in the hybrid car business, has so far
purchased similar chips mainly from Mitsubishi Electric Corp.
Toyota aims to boost sales of the vehicles this year to some
300,000 units, from 140,000 last year.
The global market for eco-friendly hybrid cars is expected to
grow to one trillion yen by 2010.
- AFP Copyright � 2005 Agence France Presse. All rights
reserved.
=====
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EVLN(Portico designed for Hyundai's hybrid drive system)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.fuelcellsworks.com/Supppage2025.html
Publication Date:08-February-2005
Source:Hyundai (Korea)
CHICAGO-- Hyundai today introduced its new Portico concept
vehicle during press days at the Chicago Auto Show. This event
marks the world debut of this new design concept from Hyundai.
"The Portico is an example of the new market segments Hyundai is
exploring - in this case, the next generation of family
transportation," said Hyundai's Vice President of Product
Development and Strategic Planning, John Krafcik. "Portico
features seating for six passengers and roomy, flexible cargo
space - previewing the types of attributes we'll be adding to our
growing Hyundai lineup in the U.S. We'll have two all-new Hyundai
models with seating for seven and roomy, flexible cargo space
within the next year or so - all part of the 24/7 new model
launch cadence we started with the Hyundai Tucson last fall."
The Portico concept vehicle previews Hyundai's future growth in
the U.S. market and its evolution here to a full-range producer
of cars, trucks, and innovative concepts like this one that defy
simple categorization.
Created to provide a look at the future of family transportation,
the Hyundai Portico is designed to be a versatile vehicle that
will adapt to the changing needs of modern families. The Portico
is neither a sedan nor an SUV, but it provides the benefits of
both designs with a car-like ride and a large, versatile and
"family friendly" interior. Portico combines the functional
benefits of current family vehicles in a stylish package with
better drivability.
Portico offers a clean aesthetic appeal that delivers a feeling
of strength and substance. Designers employed a unique panoramic
roof design with glass that can be darkened to control the inside
sunload. The unique seating configuration improves ingress and
egress for six passengers and provides better legroom for all the
passengers when compared to the common three-row configuration of
current family vehicles.
Portico features front hinged front doors and rear hinged rear
doors with a pillarless design. With both doors open, the Portico
invites passengers into the high-styled interior. The Portico
concept vehicle was designed and built by Hyundai's Advanced
Design Team at the Design Center in South Korea.
HPortico's wide stance and long wheelbase deliver lots of useful
interior space. The innovative concept's key feature is the
large, comfortable and versatile interior that provides
three-across seating and the option of staggered seating for
three in both the front seat and the second seat. Using two rows
of three seats - which can be staggered - allows for comfortable
three-across seating. This seating configuration also provides
much more space and volume for cargo behind the rear seat -
something that three-row vehicles lack.
Both front and rear seats are power-operated. A DVD-based
entertainment center is provided for rear seat passengers. In
front, driver and front passengers share a navigation screen and
overhead console, providing key road and vehicle information.
Portico is powered by Hyundai's new, high-tech Lambda V6 engine.
It's a 24-valve, DOHC V6 with aluminum heads and cylinder block,
mated to a six-speed Shiftronic automatic transmission soon to be
offered in Hyundai's production vehicles. The Portico is also
designed to accept Hyundai's hybrid drive system. This
configuration features two electric motors; one driving the front
wheels and a second driving the rear wheels, providing efficient
AWD (all-wheel-drive) capability. Front power is supplied by a
110 kW (136 horsepower) electric motor; a 60 kW (83 horsepower)
motor powers the rear wheels.
Hyundai Portico Concept Vehicle Specifications Configuration:
Hybrid AWD: Front engine/front drive, rear motor/rear drive
Wheelbase: 3,070 mm / 120.9 inches Overall length: 5,000 mm /
196.9 inches Overall width: 2,000 mm / 78.7 inches Front
overhang: 960 mm / 37.8 inches Rear overhang: 970 mm / 38.2
inches Gasoline engine: Lambda V6 Electric motor front: AC
li-ion battery power, 100kW Electric motor rear: AC li-ion
battery power, 60kW Transmission: 6-speed Shiftronic automatic
Tires: P255/60R-18
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif.
is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai cars
and sport utility vehicles are distributed throughout the United
States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced by more
than 660 Hyundai dealerships nationwide.
� 1999 - 2005 FuelCellWorks.com All Rights Reserved.
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EVLN(Orkney island of Westray winds charge EVs)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=175792005
Island harnesses wind to chauffeur disabled locals
SHARON WARD
ONE of Scotland�s windiest islands is to use its chief natural
resource to help power a new taxi service for its elderly and
disabled residents.
An electric car, which will transform the lives of local people
without transport, will be powered by four small windmills on the
Orkney island of Westray.
The pollution-free vehicle will be used to transport disabled
people around the island, which has a population of 563. The
battery can be charged up at various plug-in points along the
island.
Although free to disabled users, other islanders will have to pay
a small hire charge to cover insurance costs.
The Westray Electric Car and Windmill project is the idea of
William McEwen, a joint chairman of the Westray Development
Trust.
He secured �71,500 from the ScottishPower Green Energy Trust and
the Scottish Energy Efficiency Office to buy the car and carry
out the electrical conversion. Under the project, three new
turbines will also be installed on the island.
Colin Risbridger, the renewables engineer with the Westray
Development Trust, said: "The car will be available to everyone,
it has no fuel costs, is converted for wheelchair access and has
no engine noise."
Claire Doherty, the secretary of the ScottishPower Green Energy
Trust, said the car will not only improve life for many people
living on the island, but it will help to make Westray the first
community in the UK to become entirely self-sufficient through
renewable means.
Jim Wallace, the MSP for Orkney and minister with responsibility
for renewable energy, welcomed the new project.
He said: "Not only does it highlight the opportunities for
applications of green energy, it will also bring tangible
benefits to both residents, visitors, and not least those with
disabilities."
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EVLN(Hi-speed Eskateboards designed as extreme machines)-long
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informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2005/2/emw208241.htm
Electric Skateboard Competition Hits All-time high - Exkate
Raptor 4.0 Extreme Breaks Price Barrier at Under $500
Finally, an electric skateboard line for the masses, with a price
just about anybody can afford and the high performance old timers
have come to expect. Wouldn�t Henry Ford be proud?
(PRWEB) February 13, 2005 -- Get ready for a full line of Raptor
Series powerboards from Exkate to be released in the next few
weeks. The Raptors are Chinese imports designed as an in-company
rival to Exkate�s top selling X-24 powerboard, the granddaddy of
electric skateboards long considered the �most expensive in the
world.�
The Raptor Extreme 4.0 is manufactured by Exkate in China and
sells retail for an exceptionally reasonable $499.99, or about
half as much as the X-24. It is essentially the same board
(40-inch longboard, fully proportional wireless remote control
for acceleration and braking and a 400-watt motor, with a
cruising range of 10 miles on a charge and speeds up to 15 miles
per hour) but now the price is expected to make this board
affordable to a mass market.
The Raptor line consists of four new boards: The 4.0 Extreme,
Raptor 3.0, Raptor 2.2 and Raptor for Kids with retail prices
ranging from $499.99 to $199.99. The two larger models (4.0 and
3.0) are available for purchase through www.slide4less.com and
are suitable for use by adults. Contact us at 1-800-659-8731 for
more information.
Slide4less has long supported technological innovations and
market competition in motorized skateboard development. We can
now offer the consumer a chance to select just the right board
from a multitude of models, styles and prices and purchase it
easily and directly from us on-line.
The 4.0 and 3.0 will be out within the next 30 days and are
carried by independent dealers, while the two smaller ones are in
department stores,� said Exkate Owner Dave Kaplan. �All the
Raptors are imported from China. This was purely about price
because the market at $1,000 is really limited. At between $200
and $500, there is a huge market there.
These boards now have a battery gauge built into all the models,
which is a nice addition,� Kaplan said. �The two things people
didn�t like about the older line of boards was price and weight
and with these it�s a whole different animal. For example, the
4.0 weighs only 52 pounds and the 3.0 is 28 pounds. Portability
was key, so you can pick it up, put it in a locker, carrying into
a store�it fits everywhere.�
Kaplan noted the 3.0 has all the same electronics as the 4.0,
with a variable throttle and brakes. The adult models have
Exkate�s cool regenerative braking, meaning the remote trigger
stops the board when pushed in reverse.
They work very well and we went through a lot of testing to get
to this point,� Kaplan said. �You know what happens when somebody
gets on one of these? They come back smiling with that feeling of
freedom only these powerboards can provide. People are already
excited about it and they have a passion for this product.
Before, our market was 25 to 40 year olds because that is who can
afford to X-24. Now we�re going to have everybody riding these
things.
We�re still shipping the X-24 as well,� he added, �because people
still want the super performance.�
These and other board styles are featured exclusively on a
website devoted entirely to electric longboards:
www.electriclongboards.com and are also available via
www.slide4less.com.
All board designs offered for sale by Slide4less represent
cutting-edge developments in electrical, remote-operated and
compact vehicles. These are the only electric skateboards in the
world to offer truly effective remote operation, a necessity for
rider safety.
Motorized boards will likely become the world�s most advanced
vehicles with innovations that rival any other vehicle,� says
Steve Steinberg of Slide4less and Segway of Oakland. �They are
inherently dangerous, but sophisticated acceleration, braking and
board control are key to making these machines effective for
extreme sports enthusiasts.�
Steinberg notes that riders assume substantial risks with
motorized boards, as with any other extreme sport. (Could that be
a factor in the board�s wildly expanding popularity? Decide for
yourself.)
Remote, hands-free boards require a unique frequency and a
handset system which uses the rider as the exclusive antennae in
an attempt to eliminate interference, which can jeopardize a
rider's ability to maintain balance and control,� he explained.
Given this, Steinberg predicts that �these extreme machines will
offer a higher level of fun and excitement and the incredible
precision-crafted electronics make them a reality for serious
riders and extreme individuals.�
Stock Exkate X-24 boards feature a cruising range of 12 miles on
a single battery charge, with custom, high-power Lithium battery
packs available for purchase separately. The boards offer an
out-of-box, blistering top speed of 22 miles per hour.
These are the only vehicles in the world to give you a functional
and safe wireless remote throttle and braking system, right at
your fingertips,� says Slide4less and Segway of Oakland partner
Darren Romar. �These skateboards are designed to emulate the feel
and responsiveness that snowboarders and surfers love. This is an
extreme sport that does not require waves, snow, wind or hills.
People in the flatlands of the Midwest can have just as much fun
on these boards as those living in hilly Sausalito, Calif. Maybe
even more!�
Powerboards are one of the most environmentally friendly vehicles
available on the market, with strikingly silent operation and
zero emissions. It is snowboarding with no lift line,
wakeboarding without a boat and skateboarding without your feet
ever touching the ground. You just step on and accelerate! With
the X-24 motor specially built to suit the powerboard, you can
blast away to top speed in under four seconds. The extreme torque
will easily pull you and a friend up the steepest hills, and the
revolutionary longboard truck eliminates speed wobble while
providing for an astonishing 10-foot turning radius. The unique
bushings are formulated for the powerboard to absorb road shock
while keeping you in firm control via the wireless hand
controller.
Slide4less offers all new powerboard models and also pre-owned or
refurbished boards for less. We carry natural-color decks and
highly customized board styles including black, white and blue
with blue tires; black, white and red with red tires; and natural
wood with either red or blue tires.
All of our electric skateboards can be easily maneuvered through
a crowd, yet can attain very high speeds. These are cutting-edge,
hand-made electric vehicles with no expense spared. All parts are
engineered and machined specifically for the board and not
�adapted� from existing skateboard and electric vehicle parts.
You can test ride an electric skateboard for free. Contact us at
1-800-659-8731 for more information. And most importantly � Have
Fun!
Warning: These electric skateboards are designed to be
high-speed, extreme machines and should be operated with extreme
care. Interference from overhead high-voltage wires can interfere
with operation under certain circumstances. We recommend
operation in a wide-open area that has limited signal
interference. Motorized skateboards are illegal on many public
roads. Owners of these boards assume all risks of operation.
Helmet, gloves, and leathers are highly recommended! # # #
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. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
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EVLN(Green building = has an EV recharging station)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.dailycardinal.com/news/2005/02/14/News/Uw.Lays.Plans.For.Areas.First.green.Building-862786.shtml
UW lays plans for area's first 'green building'
By Laura Kalinowski/The Daily Cardinal
Published: Monday, February 14, 2005
Article Tools:Email This ArticlePrint This Article Page 1 of 1
The proposed �Green building,� which would mark the introduction
of UW�s first environmentally-conscious structure. Media Credit:
Photo courtesy Mark Nelson The proposed �Green building,� which
would mark the introduction of UW�s first
environmentally-conscious structure.
The dream of a "green" building at UW-Madison became a reality
last Friday, when students and professors from the Gaylord Nelson
Environmental Program Building Project convened in Memorial Union
to propose what would be UW-Madison's first environmentally
conscious building.
The project is a combined effort of students and instructors from
the UW-Madison Landscape Architecture program and Interior Design
Studio, as well as students from the UW-Milwaukee Architecture
Department.
The proposed building would be constructed on the corner of
Charter and Linden, taking the location of either Van Hise Hall
or the Medical Sciences laboratories.
UW-Madison Chairperson of Urban and Regional Planning James Lagro
said the building would be the first of its kind in the Midwest.
He said when his students were constructing potential building
designs he told them to consider adapting qualities from famous
environmentally-conscious constructions, such as the Oakland
Museum of California and the McCormick Tribune Plaza in Chicago.
Desirable qualities from these buildings incorporated into the
UW-Madison building would include low-impact construction, the
use of recycled and indigenous materials, controlled erosion and
a living machine, essentially a engineered wetland.
UW-Milwaukee Architecture Professor Jim Wasley stressed the
necessity for environmentally conscious buildings in a society
where 54 percent of our energy goes toward large buildings and
their construction.
"It's not just about technology-it's about creating a space for
people to come together and share ideas," he said.
Francis Nelson, President of the Gaylord Nelson Institute, said
certain forms of building, such as the proposed "green" building,
increase creativity and encourage thinking.
UW-Madison interior design students achieved this desired
environment with various potential designs that focus on the
concept of the circle of life.
UW-Madison Environmental Textile and Design Professor Mark Nelson
said his students strove to bring nature into the building both
conceptually and literally.
"If I had to go to this building every day, I'd want to sit in
this lobby," he said.
Design ideas included a computer lab with a garden inside and
furniture that reuses materials such as tires.
Other environmentally-conscious features of the building would
include a system that purifies rainfall running off the roof and
an electric vehicle recharging station to promote the use of
environmentally-friendly cars.
Members of the building project said the design will stimulate
change needed in social systems by the living example how to
effectively recycle a building locale.
The Gaylord Nelson Institute is on a list of potential occupiers
for the site and will now proceed to fundraise so a "green"
building will can be a part of UW-Madison's campus.
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