EV Digest 4650
Topics covered in this issue include:
1) EVLN(Raser dual mode/plug-in hybrid vehicle)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
2) EVLN(Why Not Switch to Electric Cars by Doug Korthof)-Long
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
3) EVLN(Cobasys = Chevron/ECD venture, plug&play hybrid battery system)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
4) EVLN(Plug-in hybrids really have some immense drawbacks)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
5) EVLN(Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX MIEV)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
6) EVLN(Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX MIEV)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
7) Re: Kelvin connection
by "Lawrence Rhodes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
8) EVLN(Fresh BYD li-ion batteries: 20min fast recharge = 150 km)-long
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
9) Eff mowers, Re: Steves Mower, was, 2000 mile range EV?
by jerry dycus <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Raser dual mode/plug-in hybrid vehicle)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=170101920
EE Times: Latest News
Consortium formed on next-gen hybrid vehicle
Dylan McGrath EE Times (08/30/2005 5:09 PM EDT)
SAN FRANCISCO Provo, Utah-based Raser Technologies Inc., a
developer of electric motor technology, said Tuesday (Aug. 30)
that it has joined with three other companies to create a
cooperative research and development consortium to work toward
the development of the next generation of hybrid electric
vehicles.
According to Raser, the Advanced Hybrid Vehicle Development
Consortium will be made up of component suppliers that will work
with participating automobile manufacturers to develop components
and technologies for an electric motor dominant, plug-in hybrid
electric vehicle.
Raser said the consortium participants would develop a working
proof-of-concept passenger plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that
may achieve up to 100-200 miles-per-gallon by operating in all
electric, zero-emission mode for the first 20-50 miles.
This "dual mode" hybrid vehicle could then continue to operate in
a high-efficiency hybrid electric mode to achieve conventional
range of operation, according to Raser.
Raser's partners in the consortium thus far are San Diego-based
energy storage and power delivery solutions provider Maxwell
Technologies, Toronto-based mobile power technology provider
Electrovaya Inc. and an unnamed San Francisco-based gas and
utility company.
In a statement issued by Raser Tuesday, the utility was described
only as "one of the nation's leading electric and gas utility
companies based in San Francisco." Calls to Raser seeking
clarification were not immediately returned. Pacific Gas and
Electric Co., one of the largest utilities in the U.S., is
headquartered in San Francisco.
Raser's statement also quoted U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch as saying,
"This consortium will help American automakers become more
competitive by accelerating the development of new technologies
necessary for the next generation of hybrid vehicles."
Raser CEO Brent Cook said, "In order to achieve the objectives
automakers are striving for with hybrid vehicles, the electric
motor has to play a dominant role in reducing emissions and
improving fuel economy beyond what we now have. By working
together, we can help reduce the R&D gap between advanced
component suppliers and the OEMs to accelerate vital new
technologies to market by demonstrating their readiness in the
next generation hybrid vehicles."
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
____________________________________________________
Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Why Not Switch to Electric Cars by Doug Korthof)-Long
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://baltimorechronicle.com/2005/083005Korthof.shtml
VIEWPOINT: Why Not Switch to Electric Cars? by Doug Korthof
There is more than enough off-peak electricity available to
easily allow the transfer of all of our driving miles from
gasoline- to electric-powered vehicles.
We hear a lot of empty talk about attaining energy independence
and about reducing our need for overseas imported oil. But
absolutely nothing is being done by our oily political leaders.
Yet there is something that people have found they can do, and
which bears out the axiom "when the people lead, the leaders
follow." There is a small but surprisingly unyielding number of
people who adopt the "PV-EV" way of living, using solar
Photo-Voltaic ("PV") panels to generate more electricity than
they can use and driving a plug-in electric vehicle ("EV") to
soak up some of that power. The only impediments to expansion of
this small number are the loss of our solar panel industry to
foreign companies and the failure of our leaders to make plug-in
electric cars available for sale on the open market.
There is more than enough off-peak electricity available to
easily allow the transfer of all of our driving miles from
gasoline- to electric-powered vehicles. That's an exciting
prospect, but for now let's just see how we can eliminate
overseas oil imports.
Here's the math in California, which has the figures readily
available, and which consumes 12% of the country's gasoline:
California uses 280 million gallons of gasoline per week. At the
fleet average of 20 miles per gallon ("mpg"), that's 5,600
million miles per week. On an average day, Californians drive 800
million miles burning fuel derived from petroleum.
The RAV4-EV-not even the most efficient EV-gets four miles for
each kilowatt-hour ("kWh") of energy it holds. Dividing 800
million daily miles by four miles per kWh means we would need 200
million kWh to convert all miles driven in gasoline-fueled cars
to miles powered by electric RAV4-EVs or other, even more
efficient electric vehicles.
In California, our installed capacity is 60,000 megawatts and
off-peak unused capacity is about 30,000 megawatts for 18 hours
(integrating under the curve on the state website, caiso.com), or
about 540,000 megawatt-hours. That's 540 million kWh of unused
electric capacity per day.
That's more than the 200 million kWh per day it would take to
convert ALL oil-fueled miles to electric-powered miles, by a
substantial margin, and without building one new power plant.
Replacing 40% of our oil energy with off-peak electric power
would eliminate the need for all overseas oil imports.
Even replacing just a fraction, merely 40%, of our oil with
off-peak electric power would eliminate the need for all overseas
oil imports. Using only Canadian, Mexican, and Alaskan oil, we
would be self-sufficient, no longer dependent on the Middle East,
Nigeria, Indonesia nor even Columbia and Venezuela. We'd only
need 80 million kWh per day to convert 40% of our oil used to
electric power, enough to attain energy independence.
It's a lot easier to control environmental impact of one power
plant than one million tailpipes.
That can easily be done without building a single new power
plant, even in the high-demand peak summertime period. Running at
constant capacity is also more efficient, since big generators
wear more quickly when ramped up and down every day. Using
off-peak electric would actually improve production efficiencies.
And as for pollution, our power plants are 97% cleaner than
gasoline. It's a lot easier to control environmental impact of
one power plant than one million tailpipes.
If we install rooftop solar power, it gets even easier to attain
energy independence. Solar power, distributed throughout the
city, provides a backup in case of grid failure, and becomes a
helpful adjunct to the grid in meeting peak daytime demand.
Solar power decreases daytime peak usage, making the surplus even
bigger. Even a small rooftop solar system can produce 25 kWh of
electric per day, at the most critical time-peak summer daytime
demand period.
Governor Schwarzenegger is planning to spend $20 billion on new
out-of-state power plants and transmission lines. If that were
spent instead here in California, it would provide incentives for
homeowners to install rooftop solar power. At $10,000 per house,
that money would enable 2 million houses to install solar panels,
which would be an additional 50 million kWh per day. And the
value would belong to the California homeowner instead of being
spent on a coal plant.
This minimal use of solar alone would almost be enough to replace
40% of our oil usage. This is made possible by the fact that the
EV is up to 10 times as efficient as a gasoline car, which
enables so little electricity to replace so much gasoline and
other oil-based fuels.
The all-electric Toyota RAV4-EV travels about 140 miles on the
energy equivalent of a gallon of gasoline.
At 4 miles per kWh, the all-electric plug-in Toyota RAV4-EV
travels about 140 miles on the energy equivalent of a gallon of
gasoline (at 35 kWh per gallon). More aerodynamic EVs, such as
the General Motors EV1, get 6 miles out of each kWh, or about 200
miles per gallon gas equivalent ("mpgge").
Compare the efficiency of an EV to a gas car over 100 miles. A
Hummer, Suburban or Navigator, at 10 mpg, takes 10 gallons to go
100 miles. Our fleet average car gets 20 mpg, and requires 5
gallons to go 100 miles. Even a Prius, at 50 mpg, takes 2 gallons
of gas to go 100 miles. The aerodynamic Honda Insight takes 1.6
gallons of gas to go 100 miles. But an EV goes 100 miles with no
gasoline and no oil, on the energy equivalent of less than one
gallon of gasoline. No smog checks, no exhaust, no tune-ups, no
oil changes.
An EV is anywhere from twice to ten times more energy efficient
than a gasoline car. But energy efficiency is only part of the
advantage of EVs: the EV uses no gas at all, and can be sourced
from a rooftop distributed solar photo-voltaic array.
This combination of "PV-EV"--a solar array providing seemingly
unlimited power credits and an electric vehicle to use
them--allows living essentially "oil- free." PV-EV practitioners
sail past gas stations, and never worry about the cost of
gasoline. When you drive free of cost and free of gasoline,
buying gas seems like the rip-off that it really is, and paying
the oil company seems like throwing money into the sewer.
We are proving this possible right now, and have been doing so
for the past seven years. Our solar PV system produces more than
enough kWh credits (we get a time-of-use benefit for charging
off-peak), and we drive a lot--up to 40,000 miles per year on two
cars, 20,000 miles for each RAV4-EV. Those miles are driven in
kWh, meaning no oil was used for them (although some was used
making the car), so instead of using 2,000 gallons of gasoline
(producing 25 lbs. of carbon dioxide per gallon of gasoline) we
used up 10,000 kWh to drive that distance, which was paid for by
our peak production (and sometimes directly charged off the solar
system). But even without the solar system, it only costs one
cent a mile to charge up off-peak.
The real point here is that we need to move in this direction. We
can't continue to rely on oil supplies from overseas dictators.
The ancillary expenses are much too high--not to mention the
human suffering and misery.
When will our leaders figure out that we don't need their oil and
thus have no real reason to dominate the oil producing regions,
no reason to subsidize protection of overseas oil supply lines,
no reason to bomb Iraq. All it takes is the will to produce
plug-in cars capable of driving 100 all-electric miles per day.
Most of our driving is local: 80% of our miles are driven on
round-trips less than 80 miles from home.
A serial plug-in hybrid that runs just like an EV at up to 80
miles per hour for up to 120 miles could be manufactured as
easily and as reliably as the RAV4-EV. The serial hybrid has a
small (40 hp) generator/engine that runs at constant speed to
charge the battery on occasional long trips or if you forget to
plug it in. We can do this: all it takes is the decision to allow
people to join the "PV-EV" crowd, who vow to live essentially
"oil-free."
Allowing more folks to drive all-electric cars lowers demand for
gasoline, and should lower the price of gas for everyone else. So
who, except the profit-bloated oil companies and their captive
politicians, would oppose PV-EV?
We've got to do something; is there a better idea? Perhaps
converting ALL cars to hybrids, increasing our fleet mileage to
40 mpg (let's say), would do the trick. But there are no hybrid
mini-vans, and many hybrids from Ford and General Motors only get
25 mpg.
The attractive thing about driving all-electric vehicles is that
we can eliminate the use of gasoline in our normal, car-oriented
lifestyle without giving anything up. No one is going to abolish
gas entirely; there will still be common tasks such as bringing
supplies to the market which require gasoline-powered vehicles.
PV-EV users are not judgmental about it; those who need to
continue driving gas cars can do so.
Only a few were allowed to buy plug-in electric cars; but those
lucky drivers who experienced the PV-EV lifestyle loved it, and
fought hard to retain the EVs that made it possible. Yet powerful
oil and auto companies, their trade associations, PR firms and
captive politicians largely won and destroyed almost all plug-in
electric cars. General Motors alone confiscated and crushed over
1200 gas-free cars. Oil and auto companies paid for campaigns to
stop electric cars, and finally sued California to force an end
to electric cars and destroy almost all of them.
Only Toyota allowed us to keep our EVs, honorably selling a
plug-in electric vehicle. If there were more plug-in EVs on the
market, more folks would be able to contemplate a move to the
PV-EV way of living.
Only political leadership can force the oil and auto companies to
allow plug-in electric cars, such as a serial plug-in hybrid, on
the open market. We know the technology is viable because
volunteer PV-EV engineers modified a Prius to enable it to plug
in (struggling against the on-board computer, which seems
designed to sabotage a bigger battery pack). But like all
electric cars, the plug-in Prius runs better than a
gasoline-powered car, and it gets up to 180 mpg. The true serial
hybrid would get up to 500 mpg, and could allow drivers to
generally avoid gasoline during the daily grind.
Doug Korthof, of Seal Beach, California (email
[EMAIL PROTECTED] or call 562-430-2495), says he "first learned
of oil industry hatred of electric cars at a meeting of the
California Air Resources Board in 1994." He has since attended
many public meetings on clean air. He and his family leased the
Honda EV plus, then two GM EV1s, a Ford Ranger EV, then finally
were allowed by Toyota to purchase the RAV4-EV. Retired, he holds
degrees in math and philosophy and is an advocate for local
habitat values and clean oceans.
Copyright © 2005 The Baltimore Chronicle. All rights reserved.
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
____________________________________________________
Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Cobasys = Chevron/ECD venture, plug&play hybrid battery
system)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?newsId=6745
Cobasys gets purchase orders for hybrid vehicle batteries
By Andrew Dietderich Aug. 30, 2005 11:11 AM
Orion Township-based Cobasys L.L.C. said Tuesday that it has
received purchase orders from customers for upcoming hybrid
electric vehicle production programs.
Cobasys, a joint venture between Chevron Technology Ventures
L.L.C., a subsidiary of Chevron Corp., and Rochester Hills-based
Energy Conversion Devices Inc.
News of the hybrid electric vehicle production programs sent the
stock up more than 4 percent to about $34 a share early Tuesday.
Cobasys said it issued the news release Tuesday in response to
media inquiries.
The company did not identify the source of the inquiries or the
customers.
The plug-and-play battery systems are to be manufactured and
assembled by Cobasys at its Springboro, Ohio, plant.
Cobasys also said it is in the advanced states of hybrid vehicle
prototype development and testing for several transportation and
vehicle manufacturing companies located in North America, Europe
and Asia.
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Plug-in hybrids really have some immense drawbacks)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/050830/305521.html?.v=1
Press Release Source: ABI Research
Plug-In Hybrids to Remain Rare Despite Amazing Mileage
Tuesday August 30, 10:25 am ET
OYSTER BAY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 30, 2005--Though it would
probably void the warranty, owners have been known to modify
their hybrid vehicles to run longer solely on electric power and
to charge their batteries from electric mains (thus the name,
"plug-in hybrid"). If they recharge frequently enough, it is
possible to use the gasoline engine in the vehicle only rarely,
literally allowing for hundred of miles per gallon. So why aren't
automakers offering this as a factory option?
"While the appeal is obvious, plug-in hybrids really have some
immense drawbacks," says ABI Research Senior Analyst Dan
Benjamin. "The major issue is battery life: rechargeable
batteries tend to die much faster if they are constantly
discharged until empty. Factory hybrid systems will use the
conventional engine to charge the battery before it discharges
too much, but plug-in hybrids are specifically intended to run
longer on battery power, and will thus result in higher rates of
battery failure."
Benjamin explains that when automakers experimented with pure
electric vehicles, the batteries were intended to be replaced
every few years. But to be cost-practical, batteries in hybrids
are intended to last for the life of the vehicle. Replacements
are very expensive, and automakers would not want to pay for this
cost as part of a warranty.
So is the technology doomed to obscurity? Not necessarily, says
Benjamin. "There will be something of a market for plug-ins on
the commercial side, particularly in Europe and Asia where there
is already more interest in pure electric vehicles. Eventually we
could see the technology offered on a passenger vehicle, though
not any time soon."
ABI Research offers dedicated research for both the commercial
and consumer hybrid electric vehicle markets. Focusing on supply
arrangements and technological approaches, "Hybrid Electric
Vehicles" and "Commercial Hybrid Electric Vehicles" each provide
regional forecasts broken down by key components 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
+1.516.624.2500.
Contact: ABI Research Beth Schechner, 516-624-2542
[EMAIL PROTECTED] Source: ABI Research
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX MIEV)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://car-reviews.automobile.com/news/mitsubishi-creates-electrifying-lancer-evo-ix-miev-concept/1403/
Mitsubishi Creates Electrifying Lancer Evo IX MIEV Concept
August 28, 2005 by Justin Couture / American Auto Press
Zero Emissions Evo IX MIEV Produces 268-HP and 1,528 LB-FT of
Torque
The 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX (ninth generation in case
you were wondering) is set to go rallying later this week. While
this news wouldnt be out of the ordinary, given the Lancers
winning history in rally racing, this is no ordinary Evo, and the
rally event isnt an FIA sanctioned WRC event. Instead of burning
high-octane gasoline, this car runs on volts and amps. The
vehicle in question is Mitsubishis Lancer Evo IX MIEV (Mitsubishi
In-Wheel Electric Vehicle) prototype, and the rally is this years
Shikoku Electric Vehicle Rally.
While electric cars have been around since the turn of the 20th
century, Mitsubishis MIEV technology breaks the mould. As implied
by its name, the motors are located inside the cars wheels, as
opposed to inside the body or chassis of the car. This new type
of electrical motor benefits the car by taking up less space,
allowing more batteries to be used, improving range and
performance. Like many other electric vehicles, power is provided
by a lithium-ion battery pack located inside the car. The MIEV
system made its world debut this past May on the Colt EV with
in-wheel motors propelling its rear wheels.
In the four months since its initial release, MIEV technology has
taken one major step forward. The first-gen MIEV motor, like many
other electrical motors, applied a conventional layout with the
rotor (turning part) located inside the stator (the
power-generating component). With the Lancer MIEV its the other
way around. The rotor surrounds the stator, making for an empty
doughnut-like hole in the center. This new design has three major
advantages over the first-gen motor: it is more compact and
lighter, reducing unsprung weight and therefore energy loss; the
hollow space in the center of the unit is able to house discs and
calipers for braking; and the speed reducer has been removed from
the motor completely.
In order to uphold the Evos legendary performance name, which
would require the new prototype to deliver performance that is
equal if not better than the gasoline-powered version, each of
the MIEVs motors produces 67-horsepower and a gargantuan 382
lb-ft of torque. In total, power output rivals the regular Evo at
268 total horsepower, but its 1,528 lb-ft of torque almost puts
it in the same class as NHRA sanctioned top-fuel dragsters! OK,
maybe not quite. Mitsubishi has yet to release any performance
figures, but with more than three times the torque of the gas
version available from zero rpm, this car will have a surreal
amount of pull. Currently, the MIEV has a top speed of 111 mph
and weighs 3,505 pounds, just 265 pounds more than the standard
Evo IX. With a wheel providing thrust at each corner, this
particular Lancer is significantly different than any
production-series vehicle. Mitsubishi has gutted the standard
turbo-four powerplant, including its gearbox, differentials, fuel
tank and other driveline components. The lithium-ion battery pack
used to power the car
As exciting as the EVO IX MIEV is, Mitsubishi isnt about to rest
on its highly charged laurels. Constant improvement is part of
the program, with close focus on optimizing the cars all-wheel
drive factor. Mitsubishis engineers are currently working on a
program to individually distribute and adjust power to each of
the cars wheels to mimic the fearsome grip and handling
characteristics of regular Evos.
The previous design of the MEIV motor could only be used on the
rear wheels due to conflicts with the steering system, one reason
why the standard front-driven Colt was RWD. However, with this
new kind of motor on board, and in use up front, the first
four-wheel drive electric vehicle of its type is ready for
action.
The Shikoku EV Rally is an annual event staged by scientists at
the Shikoku University in Japan, which has been taking place
since 1998. The main goal of the rally is to promote and educate
the public about electric vehicles, and to give manufacturers a
chance to do real-world tests on actual roads in Japan. This
event will be important to Mitsubishi, giving its R&D team
critical information on how the MIEV system reacts to the
elements and constant use. Since the event started, Mitsubishi
has become a regular participant, having entered models such as
the Japanese-market FTO-EV, based on the Celica-sized FTO sports
coupe, as well an EV-powered Eclipse.
Mitsubishi plans to development of the MIEV electric motor
system, which it claims can be used for many different
applications. While the Colt MIEV and Lancer Evo MIEV are purely
electric, the system could be practically applied to
next-generation hybrid vehicles, reducing the amount of
product-specific or proprietary components, as well as in future
fuel-cell vehicles. With core technologies relating to the
innovative MIEV system already developed, Mitsubishi hopes to
have some sort of vehicle powered by the systems brought to
market by 2010.
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
____________________________________________________
Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX MIEV)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://car-reviews.automobile.com/news/mitsubishi-creates-electrifying-lancer-evo-ix-miev-concept/1403/
Mitsubishi Creates Electrifying Lancer Evo IX MIEV Concept
August 28, 2005 by Justin Couture / American Auto Press
Zero Emissions Evo IX MIEV Produces 268-HP and 1,528 LB-FT of
Torque
The 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX (ninth generation in case
you were wondering) is set to go rallying later this week. While
this news wouldnt be out of the ordinary, given the Lancers
winning history in rally racing, this is no ordinary Evo, and the
rally event isnt an FIA sanctioned WRC event. Instead of burning
high-octane gasoline, this car runs on volts and amps. The
vehicle in question is Mitsubishis Lancer Evo IX MIEV (Mitsubishi
In-Wheel Electric Vehicle) prototype, and the rally is this years
Shikoku Electric Vehicle Rally.
While electric cars have been around since the turn of the 20th
century, Mitsubishis MIEV technology breaks the mould. As implied
by its name, the motors are located inside the cars wheels, as
opposed to inside the body or chassis of the car. This new type
of electrical motor benefits the car by taking up less space,
allowing more batteries to be used, improving range and
performance. Like many other electric vehicles, power is provided
by a lithium-ion battery pack located inside the car. The MIEV
system made its world debut this past May on the Colt EV with
in-wheel motors propelling its rear wheels.
In the four months since its initial release, MIEV technology has
taken one major step forward. The first-gen MIEV motor, like many
other electrical motors, applied a conventional layout with the
rotor (turning part) located inside the stator (the
power-generating component). With the Lancer MIEV its the other
way around. The rotor surrounds the stator, making for an empty
doughnut-like hole in the center. This new design has three major
advantages over the first-gen motor: it is more compact and
lighter, reducing unsprung weight and therefore energy loss; the
hollow space in the center of the unit is able to house discs and
calipers for braking; and the speed reducer has been removed from
the motor completely.
In order to uphold the Evos legendary performance name, which
would require the new prototype to deliver performance that is
equal if not better than the gasoline-powered version, each of
the MIEVs motors produces 67-horsepower and a gargantuan 382
lb-ft of torque. In total, power output rivals the regular Evo at
268 total horsepower, but its 1,528 lb-ft of torque almost puts
it in the same class as NHRA sanctioned top-fuel dragsters! OK,
maybe not quite. Mitsubishi has yet to release any performance
figures, but with more than three times the torque of the gas
version available from zero rpm, this car will have a surreal
amount of pull. Currently, the MIEV has a top speed of 111 mph
and weighs 3,505 pounds, just 265 pounds more than the standard
Evo IX. With a wheel providing thrust at each corner, this
particular Lancer is significantly different than any
production-series vehicle. Mitsubishi has gutted the standard
turbo-four powerplant, including its gearbox, differentials, fuel
tank and other driveline components. The lithium-ion battery pack
used to power the car
As exciting as the EVO IX MIEV is, Mitsubishi isnt about to rest
on its highly charged laurels. Constant improvement is part of
the program, with close focus on optimizing the cars all-wheel
drive factor. Mitsubishis engineers are currently working on a
program to individually distribute and adjust power to each of
the cars wheels to mimic the fearsome grip and handling
characteristics of regular Evos.
The previous design of the MEIV motor could only be used on the
rear wheels due to conflicts with the steering system, one reason
why the standard front-driven Colt was RWD. However, with this
new kind of motor on board, and in use up front, the first
four-wheel drive electric vehicle of its type is ready for
action.
The Shikoku EV Rally is an annual event staged by scientists at
the Shikoku University in Japan, which has been taking place
since 1998. The main goal of the rally is to promote and educate
the public about electric vehicles, and to give manufacturers a
chance to do real-world tests on actual roads in Japan. This
event will be important to Mitsubishi, giving its R&D team
critical information on how the MIEV system reacts to the
elements and constant use. Since the event started, Mitsubishi
has become a regular participant, having entered models such as
the Japanese-market FTO-EV, based on the Celica-sized FTO sports
coupe, as well an EV-powered Eclipse.
Mitsubishi plans to development of the MIEV electric motor
system, which it claims can be used for many different
applications. While the Colt MIEV and Lancer Evo MIEV are purely
electric, the system could be practically applied to
next-generation hybrid vehicles, reducing the amount of
product-specific or proprietary components, as well as in future
fuel-cell vehicles. With core technologies relating to the
innovative MIEV system already developed, Mitsubishi hopes to
have some sort of vehicle powered by the systems brought to
market by 2010.
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Avoiding all this could one just measure the voltage at the battery? Would
the reg still function? It would mean a lot of running back and forth or a
partner but will the regs function that way. Lawrence Rhodes......
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Fresh BYD li-ion batteries: 20min fast recharge = 150 km)-long
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-08/29/content_472977.htm
Science & Technology Fresh batteries LI WEITAO 2005-08-29 07:04
It's always wise for a company to periodically take stock of the
current situation and recharge.
Perhaps no company knows this better than rechargeable battery
manufacturer BYD Co. The Shenzhen-based firm, which produces
batteries for one out of four mobile phones globally, is trying
to get into car manufacturing.
BYD will soon start selling its first self-developed vehicles and
plans to introduce several more next year.
Expanding into uncharted territory could be risky, but BYD is
determined to diversify.
The Hong Kong-listed firm saw revenues surge last year by 58 per
cent to 6.43 billion yuan (US$794 million). Profits grew 20 per
cent to 1.04 billion yuan (US$128 million).
The profit margin is considerable. Chinese PC maker Legend, for
example, only recorded profits of HK$1.12 billion on revenues of
HK$22.55 billion.
"We are anticipating a new round of high growth in the
information technology (IT) industry," says Xia Zuoquan,
executive director and vice president of BYD.
BYD wants to sell cars because it cannot solely rely on the IT
industry. It could be a big opportunity in the coming five years,
Xia explains.
Two years ago, BYD bought a majority stake in Xi'an Qinchuan Auto
Co, the only State-approved manufacturer in Northwest China, for
269 million yuan (US$33.2 million).
BYD's boldness is buoyed by the vast potential of the automobile
market and its success with low-cost manufacturing and research
and development (R&D).
Over the past two years, it has invested more than one billion
yuan in the car business, mostly R&D.
Its automobile R&D centre in Shanghai employs more than 2,000
engineers and expects to recruit 1,500 more this year.
Huge R&D spending and non-patent technologies in the global
automobile industry have helped BYD significantly cut costs and
rapidly access a new market.
BYD's new car model, F3, will hit the market in September using
Mitsubishi engines.
Chinese companies generally are tight with R&D spending and
instead focus on low-price strategies. Strong R&D capabilities
should help BYD save huge amounts on fees paid to foreign
companies for technology.
The company has learned much from its success in the rechargeable
battery business, Xia says.
Japanese competition
BYD was founded in 1994 with about 20 employees and start-up
capital of two million yuan, following restructuring in the
rechargeable battery industry, most of which were Japanese
firms.
The firm started by making Ni-Cd batteries and entered the
lithium battery business in 1997.
When company founder and chairman Wang Chuanfu went to Japan to
buy equipment for making lithium batteries, he was amazed at the
costs. Japanese equipment manufacturers wanted more than US$20
million, which was unaffordable for BYD. After returning to
China, the company decided to make the equipment itself.
"Japanese firms did not believe we could do it," says Xia.
But BYD succeeded. It started shipping lithium batteries in
volume the following year.
It also expanded globally by establishing a European subsidiary
in December 1998 and a Hong Kong office and US subsidiary in
1999.
In November 2000, BYD landed a deal with US mobile phone giant
Motorola. BYD became their only non-Japanese supplier. It was a
milestone for the company.
"Within one or two years, we forced many Japanese rivals almost
out of business," says Xia.
Toshiba has since been forced to sell its lithium battery
technology and equipment to a Taiwan firm.
About 60 to 70 per cent of the batteries of mobile phones made by
Motorola are now supplied by BYD.
Insiders say BYD's production costs are 30 to 40 per cent lower
than Japanese companies and performance is comparable or better.
In December 2000 BYD launched its Japan office to compete with
its rivals on their turf.
Many Japanese mobile phone manufacturers, including Kyocera, are
now BYD's customers.
In 2001, BYD opened a South Korean office and got listed in Hong
Kong the following year. Its shares rose 20 per cent on the first
day of its IPO (initial public offering), a record high for
mainland firms.
"We are strong because we have been focusing much on R&D since
the beginning," Xia says.
Three years after it started, the firm established a patent
office to deal with issues related to IPR (intellectual property
rights). The office now has more than 40 employees, rare among
Chinese firms.
BYD owns more than 1,000 patents in the IT industry. Xia
estimated BYD would apply for 700 to 800 patents this year.
The company now leads the global Ni-Cd battery business. It is
also the second largest lithium battery maker in the world,
behind Japan's Sanyo.
Sanyo launched a lawsuit in 2002 against BYD, accusing the latter
of infringing on its patents related to battery technologies. The
lawsuit was settled in February. Sony has recently agreed to drop
another similar lawsuit. BYD won the settlements based on its
numerous patents for rechargeable batteries, Xia says.
Encouraged by its success in the rechargeable battery business,
BYD is determined to aggressively push its car business.
Diversification
It built most of the auto production lines itself on its strong
R&D. Costs could be one-third to one-fourth lower than imported
lines.
"We have high hopes for the auto market because the industry has
long been largely protected by the government," says Xia.
Most domestic players are State-owned and lack competitiveness
and R&D capabilities, he explains.
"We have a bigger incentive than State-owned companies to survive
because we have no backing from the government and banks."
The company also has more than ten years of experience in
manufacturing and global operations, he adds. More than 80 per
cent of BYD's batteries are exports.
The business was heavily diversified before jumping into the new
industry. The firm now makes every component for phones, from
batteries to displays to keypads. BYD also supplies displays to
Dell, the world's largest PC maker.
"Many of our customers now are asking for more components other
than batteries," Xia says.
"It should be very easy to enter the mobile terminal market
because we produce everything except the chips."
All other Chinese mobile phone makers, including TCL and Ningbo
Bird, still import major components.
Observers say BYD should do well if it decides to enter the
handset manufacturing business because of its strong technology.
The only thing it lacks is brand awareness among consumers.
"But we will never enter the handset business to compete
head-to-head with our customers."
Car manufacturing is connected to the battery business. BYD has
long been developing cars powered by rechargeable batteries.
According to Xia Zhibing, president of BYD Auto, the car
manufacturing division, a 12-hour recharge could power an
electric car as far as 350 kilometres. A 20-minute fast recharge
could last for 150 kilometers.
BYD recently made a record 500-kilometre drive off one charge.
"We are waiting for the regulators to set standards for electric
cars. We hope they could be sold commercially within three
years," Xia Zhibing says. "We are already a leader in this
emerging market. Once the standards are set, our car and battery
business will really grow."
Electric cars should become popular in China in light of
increasing oil shortages and environmental problems.
"We are confident about our car business," says Xia Zhibing.
Initially, BYD will focus on economical cars with a price tag
under 10,000 yuan (US$1,235).
(China Daily 08/29/2005 page6)
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
____________________________________________________
Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Hi Steve, Tim and All,
If I were doing it I'd use 2 E teks with 10-15/1
reductions, one to each wheel and use a wheelchair joy stick style forklift
controller or 2 sevcons with reverse, regen for turning, braking to get the
least power drain and complete control of a ZTR mower. I can see how they
really speed up mowing but at their costs, a Sevcon/e tek set up should be too
bad cost wise and do the job very well.
One could use 1 motor, a diff and speraterately
activated brakes for turning though would have less control.
A hydraulic is just too ineff to use for this.
I'd bet with 48vdc of GC batts you could do 4 acres
or so of regularly mowed lawns as other may not know, in Fla if you don't mow
at least every 2 weeks, you will have a jungle!!!
And maybe another E tek to drive the blades with a
resistor to absorb some of the shock if the blade hits something so you don't
overamp the motor..
130 amphr of 72vdc li-ion would get you about 80+
miles in the Freedom depending on what speed you go. If you limit your top
speed to about 65mph and use 2 e teks it would probably go 100 miles from the
450 lbs less weight from the batts and motors. E teks with 720 lbs of lead
batts probably wouldn't work well. 3 of them might do the job though with lead
weight or drop to 48vdc of T125's and E teks for a very economical EV and
probably 70+ mile range with Sevcon regen controllers..
I'd think there could be a fairly good market for
com EV lawn mowers that didn't make noise or pollution and would allow you to
start earlier without problems, important in the summer with your long days.
And probably get a premium for it.
You could use an inverter to power your other
equipment like blowers, trimmers, ect.
HTH's,
Jerry Dycus
PS, this new yahoo e mail is a pain in the butt. You never know what
it going to do next even changing fonts, text size in the middle of a post !!!
STEVE CLUNN <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim Humphrey"
>
> Steve;
>
> My Elec-trak, like most others, has 6 golf cart batteries, it will cut
> almost 2 acres on a single charge, probably more with a well manicured
> lawn. Do you use Gator Blades, we've noticed they use almost twice the
> power as standard lift non-mulching blades.
Yes I tried them , they wear out to fast , and didn't seem better to me . ,
right now I have 6 orbitals which would give me about 1/2 th amp hours you
have or 1 acre , so I'm getting 1/4 of that , one lawn , probable because of
the 2 hydraulic motors that drive and steer it and the speed I'm use to .
> My ET weighs 1275 lbs with me on it.
I think I;m at 800 or maybe 1000 with me on it .
>Are you sure you can't use the heavier batt pack??
not realy sure and I have though about adding another 6 orbitals , its ok
right now but I can feel the extra weight.
.>why are you concerned with weight? I understand your machine is a ZTR and
the extra weight might be an issue,
This whole mower thing has made me see things the way most people who burn
gas think , I'm singing that same song I've had so many sing to me , " I
want to go electric but I don't want things to be any harder for me than
they are right now , better is ok but less is not. :-) ". I've been hot
ridding my mower for years , twiking it , and balancing it , so we can
dance ( mower and me ) through people's yards at speeds that make me feel
like a race car driver , 10 mph and 1/2 form the side of your house , around
poles and trees . Its not just me , ZTR ( zero turn radius ) mowers changed
everything in the lawn mowing bis , even after 20 years of driving a ztr I
still enjoy it some how ,I think its kind of the same thing that race car
drivers experience, things are happening so fast that your mind has to stay
in the present totally. Now how can you have this kind of fun without
tearing up people's yards , well weight and skill , I seldom run anything
over . . so just like the gas burner's I don't want to give up any of this
but I've had a taste of electric and it is so nice , very nice , so now I'm
trying to get both. .
>if you do the back and forth mowing. If that's the case though I would
>strongly suggest dumping the hydro drive and go direct drive
yes this is my plan , I'm thinking two golf cart controllers one for each
wheel , and some series motors that I got form surplus supply.
>with two sepex motors, to take full advantage of the stop and go
>regenerability (oooh, a new word, makes me feel kind of Wayland-esque).
we are talking about small motors around 1 hp . do they make them this small
? what about a controller for this . this might realy be needed.
here is one thing I'm a little worried about , when I'm on a hill going
sideways I afton have the wheel that's on the hi side of the hill being
braked hard ( this is done by pulling back on the steering lever and this
kind of pulls that wheel like its in reverse but the wheel is still going
forward ,just enough to keep the mower on the hill , this keeps the mower
going straight while leaning on a ( up to 45*) angle , the wheel is not
going backwards but it is being slowed quite a bit ( unless I start to lose
it and then its going back words aas I slide down the hill ) , while the
wheel on the low side dose all the work pushing forward and holding the
mower on the hill . I wouldn't be about to run a electric motor this way I
don't think , that would be like going down a hill putting the car in
reverse and slowing it down by pushing the go peddle . a controller killer
for sure , there might me enough drag form the now 2 jack shafts ( needed 2
to get the ratio close ) or some how I'll make the motor brake when the
controller leaver is in neutral. . There is some stuff to work out , . I
know spending over 10k for batteries for a mower seems like allot but a new
one is more than that, I've never had a new one ( so I can spend the money I
would for a new one on batteries) , there are lots of lawn men with $500
trucks and 2 new ZTR's on there trailers , we like the best when it comes to
equipment . I'm also thinking that I could take them off the mower and put
them in some ev ( like Jerry's new freedom ev ) to do the tour da sole , 210
lbs of 130 ah 72v li -i0n in that light freedom ev , any ideas of the range
that would have .
I have a feeling that if this ev mower works I my have a 10x ev grin going ,
and that's gone'a hurt.
Steve clunn
>
>
>
> Stay Charged!
>
> Hump
>
>
---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses.
--- End Message ---
