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#Post#: 32--------------------------------------------------
Electric Vehicles
By: AGelbert Date: October 10, 2013, 10:01 pm
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Future Transport Solutions Will Require More Than Electric Cars
University of Vermont assistant professor Richard Watts believes
policies need to be implemented that dis-incentivize car use and
encourage other forms of mobility: walking, biking, public
transit, car-pooling.
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/128fs318181.gif
It certainly is fun to slip behind the wheel of an electric car.
But if we aim to build a truly more sustainable transportation
system, one that reduces greenhouse gas emissions AND addresses
other social, physical and environmental impacts, we have to get
out of our cars and use other forms of transportation.
Electric cars should be part of the solution — but the focus
should be first on reducing use, providing real alternatives to
the car, building communities that enable walking and biking,
and living in ways that reduce our auto-dependence.
Borrowing the electricity heuristic of “negawatts” from Amory
Lovins: The cleanest, greenest, cheapest mile is the
“nega-mile,” the mile not driven in a car.
Yes, electric cars are cool. I’ve spent hundreds of hours behind
the wheel of these peppy, quiet vehicles as the former director
of an electric car research and demonstration project in
Vermont.
And the promise of solving our transportation challenges —
one-third of greenhouse gas emissions, for example — by simply
switching fuels is alluring. President Obama has called for 1
million electric cars by 2015.
State policymakers also have embraced the idea. Vermont’s
Comprehensive Energy Plan calls for 90 percent renewable energy
by 2050, in all sectors, identifying electric cars as a core
strategy: “The state considers that the conversion of Vermont’s
vehicle fleet to plug-in electric vehicles, including hybrids,
is the best long-term path to reduce transportation fuel
consumption by light-duty vehicles” (CEP, Volume 2, page 259).
Switching fuels in our cars allows life to go on as-is, and
potentially “plug in” to cleaner energy. Anything else would be
a major disruption.
For example more than three-quarters of us drive alone to work
every day. Of the billions of trips made every day, more than
eight out of 10 of them are in a motor vehicle, according to the
Federal Highway Administration.
(See the administration’s 2009 National Household Travel Survey
at
HTML http://bit.ly/NHTS2009
for a data-driven look at our
automobile addiction.)
Technology solutions are easier for policymakers, because they
don’t require behavior change. But switching fuels does not
address other issues associated with driving, such as the
impacts on human health, land use and the social fabric of our
communities.
For example, sociologist Robert Putnam found that every
additional 10 minutes spent driving cuts community involvement
by 10 percent: “The car and the commute ... are bad for
community life” (“Bowling Alone,” page 213).
And what about the almost 10 percent of households that don’t
own vehicles? Or the elderly who outlive their ability to drive
a car? And young people, without access to activities without a
car? Do we really want to endorse a car-centered world?
This is the problem with switching vehicle fuels as a central
transportation strategy. You can’t endorse and fund an
auto-centered system and also expect other modes — walking,
biking, public transit, car-pooling — to thrive.
In Vermont, for example, we spent less than 8 percent of the
total transportation budget (about $450 million in 2010) on
providing alternatives to personal vehicle travel (UVM
Transportation Research Center Energy Report, page 16: Table
5-2).
Imagine for a minute if we spent $400 million on providing real
alternatives to automobiles? If we gave people real choices?
Safe sidewalks, more frequent bus service, roads that were safe
for bikers?
Instead of automobiles (whatever they run on), we should put
“nega-miles” at the center of our sustainable transportation
planning.
And here is the hopeful news. Even in a place like Vermont,
according to an analysis by the TRC, 39 percent of all trips
were less than two miles, and one-quarter were less than a mile
:o (TRC Energy Report, page 11).
Some higher percent of those trips could be/should be captured
by other modes. But it will take policies that dis-incentivize
car use and focus on behavior — charging the real cost for
parking, for example — that will challenge the existing system.
HTML http://www.evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=31446
#Post#: 45--------------------------------------------------
Fueled vs Electric Cars: The Great Race Begins
By: AGelbert Date: October 11, 2013, 6:27 pm
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[move]Fuel vs Electric Cars: The Great Race Begins [/move]
[IMG]
HTML http://smileys.on-my-web.com/repository/Transports/ferrari-046.gif[/img]
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/2mo5pow.gif
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/245.gif
Thomas Blakeslee
August 26, 2013 | 72 Comments
The amazing success of the Tesla model S proves that electric
cars may have a chance of replacing liquid fueled vehicles in
the long run. Skeptics point out that most of our electric power
today comes from coal, which is dirty and inefficient. We must
change to clean, renewable energy sources but is that really
practical? The Tesla has proven that we can use photovoltaic
solar power to recharge pure electric cars. Let’s calculate how
much land is needed to renewably fuel a car using several
possible electrical and biofuel approaches.
I recently purchased a Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid car. It is the
perfect laboratory for this experiment because it can run on
pure electricity or as a gasoline hybrid. In the electric mode
it can go 38 miles on a 10.8 kilowatt-hour recharge. That’s 3.5
miles per kilowatt hour. Allowing for power transmission and
charging losses, let's use 3 mi/kWh. I will compare the land use
efficiency of several real approaches to renewable power using
both liquid fuel and electricity. We will calculate the number
of miles per year that can be driven using an acre of land to
produce the power. We can then compare the miles/year/acre
numbers for some real-world renewable energy approaches
[I]Full article with knock down drag out comments war here: :o
;D[/I]
HTML http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2013/08/fueled-vs-electric-cars-the-great-race-begins-10
#Post#: 134--------------------------------------------------
Re: Electric Vehicles
By: AGelbert Date: October 21, 2013, 2:43 pm
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HTML http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IElqf-FCMs8&feature=player_embedded<br
/>
750 horsepower electric car
One horsepower = 0.745699872 kilowatts
This car has FOUR 138 KW MOTORS (one on each wheel with its own
individual drive mechanism). The cornering ability at high
speeds is beyond belief! They can alter torque instantly
(without braking - something not possible in an ICE car) to
improve cornering.
#Post#: 231--------------------------------------------------
Re: Electric Vehicles
By: AGelbert Date: October 31, 2013, 5:18 pm
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HTML http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WypZvsIj8-k&feature=player_embedded
[move]Way too pricey :P but this quiet, maintenance free
machine is definitely the wave of the future. 8) [/move]
#Post#: 232--------------------------------------------------
When Gasoline Stations are NO MORE
By: AGelbert Date: October 31, 2013, 6:11 pm
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HTML http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp6Rf_wS02c&feature=player_embedded
The Germans are not waiting for the fossil fuelers and nuke
pukes to realize that unsustanable dirty energy has to go. In
the video above, everyting you see is technologically possible
NOW. The video is a trip to a future when gasoline stations are
part of our fossil fuel folly energy PAST.
If gasoline stations are to survive at all, they will have to be
renewable energy ethanol fuel stations instead. 8)
#Post#: 245--------------------------------------------------
California Deploying First All-Electric School Bus
By: AGelbert Date: November 2, 2013, 1:22 am
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California Deploying First All-Electric School Bus
HTML http://ecowatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/elecbus.jpg
11/04/2013
Clean Edge News
New all-electric Type A school buses will hit the road in 2014,
due to a collaboration between Trans Tech Bus, and Motiv Power
Systems. Called the SST-e, the first all-electric school bus
developed in the partnership will go to Kings Canyon Unified
School District, in the San Joaquin Valley of California. The
bus is funded in part by the California Air Resources Board AB
118 Air Quality Improvement Program Electric School Bus
Demonstration Project. The new SST-e bus was revealed at the
2013 National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) Annual
Summit in Grand Rapids, MI.
The buses are built on Ford E450 chassis, utilizing the
all-battery, all-chassis compatible Motiv electric Powertrain
Control System (ePCS).The ePCS is installed as a Ford
ship-through chassis modification similar to a Compressed
Natural Gas (CNG) modification, enabling minimal changes between
the fossil fuel and electric versions of the school buses.
Passenger capacity for the Trans Tech/Motiv SST-e all-electric
school buses is up to 32 students for this Type A bus, or 24
students and 1 wheelchair.
"An electric bus can save a school district about 16 gallons of
fuel a day, or around $11,000 in fuel savings over a year, not
to mention maintenance savings," said John Phraner President of
Trans Tech. "We are very excited to continue to help school
districts reduce their transportation budgets and are committed
to opening the market for the all-electric school bus."
The SST-e buses are built on Ford E450 chassis, using the Motiv
ePCS, which is compatible with a wide variety of chassis and
batteries. The ePCS allows buses to be compatible with any
battery currently on the market or available in the future.
Additionally, one pack can be replaced without replacing all the
batteries on the vehicle. The new all-electric SST-e school
buses are available with four or five battery packs, providing
districts with range options of 80 or 100 miles.
With Motiv's onboard fast charging technology the buses can
reach 50 percent charge in under an hour and full charge in 8
hours. Motiv's low-cost 3-phase fast charging, requires minimal
building modifications and no expensive charging stations. The
buses are also equipped with telemetry systems, providing
real-time route data and preventive maintenance reports to fleet
managers. The cloud stored data can be viewed on the web and on
smart phones, helping them manage improved driver performance
and safety management.
"Our system is battery agnostic, it 'future-proofs' fleets
against changes in the battery market, such as discontinued
batteries or future improved technology," said Jim Castelaz
Founder and CEO of Motiv. "This makes a Motiv equipped bus the
most flexible and customizable all-electric powertrain for
trucks on the market. We are thrilled the ePCS will be assisting
schools get the most out of their transportation dollars, while
at the same time educating children on clean transportation."
HTML http://www.cleanedge.com/Resources/news/California-Deploying-First-All-Electric-School-Bus
#Post#: 254--------------------------------------------------
Re: Electric Vehicles
By: AGelbert Date: November 3, 2013, 6:38 pm
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Orlando Launches Electric Car Rental to Win Hearts and
Minds
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HTML http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD6OIqypz0I&feature=player_embedded<br
/>
Mickey Mouse is on board.
Katherine Tweed:
HTML http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/Orlando-Launches-Electric-Car-Rental-to-Win-Hearts-and-Minds
[i]Another nail in the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) coffin.
Once millions of people on vacation have driven an electric car,
they will never want an ICE car again!
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/8.gif
[/I]
#Post#: 282--------------------------------------------------
Re: Electric Vehicles
By: AGelbert Date: November 8, 2013, 3:01 pm
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HTML http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7lVQDFOSaI&feature=player_embedded
[move]If they can get this into production, it will massively
boost EV sales. I hope they do well. The EV is THE thransport of
the future!
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/earthhug.gif
[/move]
#Post#: 420--------------------------------------------------
Re: Electric Vehicles
By: AGelbert Date: November 21, 2013, 9:15 pm
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[img width=640
height=380]
HTML http://i0.wp.com/cleantechnica.com/files/2013/11/kubo.jpg[/img]
[img width=640
height=380]
HTML http://i0.wp.com/cleantechnica.com/files/2013/11/kubo-hauling-scooter.jpg[/img]
Scooter That Can Haul Some Serious Cargo, From Lit Motors
The Kickstarter page for kubo starts with this line: “Like a
pickup truck on two wheels, kubo carries you and your daily
essentials anywhere you want to go. And it’s electric!”
What I think the Lit Motors squad really nails is combining the
fun of electric scooters with serious utility and wonderful
style. I love its products, and can’t wait to test one out!
The crew at Lit Motors adds: “We’re big fans of two-wheeled
vehicles here at Lit, but we found existing motor scooters
lacking. They make carrying anything a hassle, and we couldn’t
find a good quality electric scooter anywhere. So as a side
project during our free time, we decided to make our own!”
Derek Markham, writing over on TreeHugger, has some details:
Designed and built as a side project, the idea for the kubo came
about because they “couldn’t find a good quality electric
scooter anywhere”. This 100% electric scooter looks a bit odd,
when compared to traditional moped and scooter designs, but
that’s because it’s made specifically to haul more than just a
person. The 22″ square cargo area within the frame of the
scooter has loops, hooks, and rails to secure your gear while in
transport, and the kubo can handle up to 300 lb (rider’s weight
plus the cargo).
kubo has a top speed of 45 mph, and a range of 50 miles per full
charge. The onboard charger can be plugged into any standard
outlet and is said to charge the scooter “in a few hours”.
I could see kubo doing very well, but the first hump it has to
climb is a $300,000 crowdfunding target set by the Lit Motors
crew on Kickstarter. Head on over there to help it out.
For more cool scooter stories, I’d recommend the excellent
collection over at Gas2. For the hottest EV news, definitely
keep an eye on our EV category or even subscribe to our free EV
newsletter.
Read more at
HTML http://cleantechnica.com/2013/11/21/scooter-can-haul-serious-cargo-lit-motors/#ZTptocQxjttRghu4.99
#Post#: 445--------------------------------------------------
Re: Electric Vehicles
By: AGelbert Date: November 24, 2013, 11:40 pm
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11/21/2013 02:32 PM
Nissan's Electric Leaf is Profitable[img width=130
height=130]
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SustainableBusiness.com News
[img width=640
height=420]
HTML http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Nissan_Leaf.jpg[/img]
In great news for electric cars, Nissan says its electric Leaf
is profitable now, and they are ramping up US production.
Cutting the price helped a lot - since the $6000 cut on the
sticker price, demand has been growing. And the Leaf is the top
reason customers are referred to the Nissan brand, Jose Munoz,
Senior Vice President of Americas sales and marketing told
reporters at an automotive conference, reports Reuters.
"From a purely attraction and branding point of view it's
already a very good car," he says.
When Nissan shifted manufacturing of the Leaf from Japan to the
US it was able to cut the price by more than $6,000, bringing
the sticker price to $29,650.
Since then, more than 2000 Leafs have sold per month, up from
9800 for all of 2012. There are 34,000 Leafs on US roads today
and 75,000 worldwide. It has a 75-mile range, rated at 115 miles
per gallon equivalent.
Meanwhile, BMW, which just delivered its first electric car in
Germany, says it already has orders for 10,000 cars. Its i8
plug-in hybrid sports car, which debuts in mid-2014, is sold
out. :o ;D
And Volkswagen announced it will electrify all segments of its
car lines by equipping manufacturing plants with standardized
assembly kits.
"We are able to produce cars on the same assembly line,
bumper-to-bumper, with conventional, electrified, and CNG
powertrains. This flexible strategy enables us to react fast and
cost-efficiently to actual demand and thus reduces risks," says
Rudolf Krebs, VW's Commissioner for Electric Drive Systems.
By 2014, VW will have 14 models of hybrids, plug-in hybrids and
all-electrics. As demand rises, they will be able to outfit up
to 40 models with alternative drivetrains. The company - which
plans to manufacture batteries in-house - has hired 400 experts
and trained 70,000 employees in e-mobility development,
production, and servicing, says Krebs.
"The objective of the program is to continuously improve the
environmental compatibility of the production process," explains
Peter Bosch, Head of Strategy, Processes and Organizational
Structures. By 2018, waste, energy, water consumption, solvents
and carbon emissions will be down 25%, while renewable energy
will increasingly power factories.
Last year, plug-in and electric cars were the fastest growing
segment of the US automotive industry, but carmakers still rely
on larger, conventional cars for their profits. :P
HTML http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/25362?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SBGeneralNews+%28SustainableBusiness.com+General+News%29
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