Electric Car Blogging

Filed under: Etc., EV/Plug-in, Solar, USA

As part of a program to provide the University of California at San Diego with renewable energy from several sources including sun, wind and bio-gas fuel cells, the school has “planted” a virtual grove of Solar Trees[TM] on the upper levels of a pair of parking garages. The “trees” provide energy for the school as well as shade for student vehicles. The grid-tied electrical infrastructure needed for the project also allows outlets for the spaces so when plug-in hybrids and electric cars begin to appear on campus they can be accommodated.

The school avoided paying any upfront cost by partnering with three different local companies who took care of the purchase and installation of the Envision Solar grove. The energy will be metered and the school will be billed monthly for the electricity received. The Solar Trees[TM] are said to be extremely sturdy and capable of enduring high winds as well as incidents of “driver error.” Although not present in this installation, other Envision solar groves include rain water capture as well. Press release is after the break.

[Source: The Earth Times]

Continue reading University planting solar trees on parking garages

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, GM, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Green Daily, At Witz End

NOTE: If you missed them, you can read parts one and two.

High tech development, market launch and retreat

Because its 1,175-pound pack of 27 advanced lead-acid (PbA) batteries - 26 propulsion, one for accessories - held a mere half-gallon of gasoline-equivalent energy, the production EV1 would have to be an incredibly efficient teardrop-shaped two-seater to achieve even barely acceptable range. Stretching it to accommodate four passengers would have reduced its already very modest range some 25 percent due to added weight and aero drag.

“The fundamental variables are mass, aerodynamics, rolling resistance, accessory loads and driveline efficiency,” says Bob Purcell, who was our Advanced Technology Vehicles (ATV) Div. Executive Director. “So the exercise was to ensure that we would meet all customer requirements using the least possible energy in each of those areas.”

Continue reading after the jump.

Continue reading At Witz’ End: GM EV1 - The Real Story, Part III

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Mercedes Benz, SMART, Daimler

Click the photo for a high res gallery

Daimler AG and German utility RWE are teaming up for what they are calling the largest electric car field test in the world. The “e-mobility Berlin” project will see Daimler deploy a fleet of over 100 second-generation Smart ED and Mercedes A-Class cars powered by lithium ion batteries. In order to facilitate the use of these cars around the German capitol, RWE will install 500 public charging stations. The charge points will get vehicle ID information when the cars are plugged in to allow accurate billing of the drivers. By working with the utility, Daimler wants to develop an integrated system that includes both electrically-driven vehicles and a publicly-accessible charging infrastructure. The latter is actually quite important because at least in the early years, the limited range of battery vehicles will mean that they are primarily used in urban environments. Many people living in such locales don’t necessarily have a garage or other place to plug in. Automatic charging points like the ones to be deployed by RWE or those developed by Coulomb technologies here in the U.S. will be an important part of the equation. The new electric Smarts to be deployed by Daimler will use lithium ion batteries but the company has not confirmed who will supply the packs. Previously the Financial Times had reported that Tesla would be supplying the batteries for these cars.

[Source: Daimler]

Continue reading Daimler announces deal with RWE, 500 Berlin charging points, lithium Smart

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, European Union, Asia

After showing practically no signs of life since being revived in a joint venture between Zap! and Youngman Automotive Group last February and officially striking out on its own less than a week ago, Detroit Electric has emerged, in Malaysia, as a Dutch company with 0 million in backing and a fleet of prototypes. Say what? We had a hint of this earlier but this seems to make it all official. The company, reportedly majority owned by CEO Albert Lam (Lam joined Zap! management late last year) has investors from America, Holland and Malaysia and appears to have taken over the Electric Cars Europe venture. The Malaysian appearance was a press event held to announce their plans to begin producing cars by the end of 2009.

We couldn’t be there, but Paul Tan of PaulTan.org automotive blog fame was and he did a little ride-and-drive and took some pics. The sportiest of the the wares on hand was an electric Lotus Elise that we last saw circling a track in the Netherlands although now it sports “Detroit Electric” decals on its hood and doors. There was also a Proton Savvy (pictured above) and a Proton Persona. The pair of Protons were fast and wet conversions put together for the event and sported motors developed by Detroit Electric’s chief scientist, Frits van Breemen-Schneider. An avid RC aircraft enthusiast who sells electric model aircraft and was co-president of Friend-EV, he claims his motors have a much higher power-to-weight ratio than existing tech and can produce 5 kilowatts of power per kilogram, adding that the best electric car of today are only capable of .25 kilowatts per kilogram. This is a bizarre claim, and either the International Herald Tribune made a mistake in quoting him or something because, at .25kw/kg the Tesla motor with 185 kw would weigh 1,628lbs.

Whatever the deal is with the motors, Detroit Electric is aiming sky high with a target of 30,000 cars in the first year and growing that to 270,000 by the third. As well as a Detroit Electric facility in Malaysia, the company hopes to work with the government to have a fast-charge network installed across the country. Press release after the break.

[Source: PaulTan.org / International Herald Tribune]

Continue reading Detroit Electric goes Dutch with Europe Electric cars and Proton

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Filed under: Economy, Hybrids/Alternative, Euro, Paris Motor Show, Hatchbacks, Nissan

Click above for high-res gallery of Nissan’s Paris Motor Show lineup

Nissan is bringing a trio of vehicles to the city of lights for the 2009 Paris Motor Show: a new concept called the Nuvu, an all-new production car car called the Pixo and a revised Note. We don’t have an image of the Nuvu yet, but Nissan says it’s a compact all-electric city car with 2+1 seating. It takes its green theme seriously with solar panels shaped like tree leaves on the roof that channel the sun’s power through a “tree trunk” conduit in the center of the vehicle.

Next up is the Pixo, a new production car for the city with four-doors and a rear hatch that’s powered by an eency-weency 1.0L three-cylinder engine. Built in collaboration with Suzuki, the new A-class car will obviously be geared towards fuel economy and low emissions when it goes on sale in Europe in the spring of 2009.

Finally, Nissan will have a revised version of its Note compact car that features a new, sleeker front end. New wheels, colors, a revised suspension and an available 1.5L dCi engine round out the changes. The Note also gets Nissan’s new in-car nav/infotainment system called Nissan Connect. It comes with everything the market demands including a touch-screen navigation system, connectivity for digital audio players and Bluetooth connectivity.

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Nissan Nuvu concept, Pixo city car, revised Note headed to Paris

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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green

click to visit AutoblogGreen

The upcoming Paris Motor Show is going to show us some very nice green rides. To wit: the new Honda Insight, aka Prius-fighter (alternate name: the Prius-lookalike), the Mazda Kiyora concept and the Hyundai i20 i-blue. What’s your top pick from the City of Lights?

• Confirmed: Volt will debut at GM’s Centennial party
• Paris Preview: Honda Insight concept to be new global hybrid
• GM Hybrid sales slowly picking up some steam: 1,629 deliveries in August
• Detroit Electric goes Dutch with Europe Electric cars and Proton
• Paris Preview: Hyundai will show new 59 mpg i20 i-blue concept
• Gale Banks talks about developing high performance diesel engines
• Paris Preview: Hyundai Santa Fe hybird
• EPA to NHTSA: Go higher on new CAFE standards!
• Citroën to debut new Hypnos hybrid ‘ute in Paris
• Paris Preview: “Clean and Pure” Mazda Kiyora concept
• Latest ploy to get people to leave the car at home: free showers
• Carticipate: meet friendly carpooling strangers on your iPhone
• New CO₂ limits for 2015 instead?
• Our Renewable Nation: just a simple family road trip to electric car companies across the U.S.
• Hawaii’s Big Island gets new biomass power plant
• Aptera hires Paul Wilbur as new president and CEO, looking to build new plant

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