Electric Car Blogging

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in

Altair Nanotechnologies announced this week that the new lithium titanate battery it is developing for the U.S. Navy has completed its 500th full depth cycle and, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, lost just one percent of its total capacity. The Navy (thanks to U.S. taxpayers) is paying Altair .5 million for these batteries. While not destined for any vehicles, the Navy’s goal with the battery program is to reduce dependency on expensive jet fuel used in back-up turbines and, through that, to reduce carbon emissions. Altair also has a history with Phoenix Motor Cars and their all-electric SUV and SUT.

More details on the Altair and the Navy’s lithium titanate battery are available here. Altair is also developing batteries for the Army’s “M119 105mm lightweight gun digitization program.”

[Source: Altair Nanotechnologies Inc.]

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Hydrogen, Nissan

Nissan has announced the development of the first inverter using SiC (Silicon Carbide) diodes for vehicle use. These inverters were first tried on a Nissan X-Trail FCV. According to Nissan, inverters on electric-powered vehicles control the electricity coming from the power source, and their size has often set limitations on vehicle layout. The newly developed inverter is made from SiC diodes and is used with a new Heterojunction Diode (HJD) structure (a diode structure using both SiC diodes and silicon). Nissan claims there are quite a number of benefits from this new technology: reductions in size and weight of about 15 to 20 percent, an increase in reliability, and simplification of heat dissipation devices, a higher breakdown voltage and more capacity. Meanwhile, surface area is reduced by 70 percent and overall efficiency is up by 20 percent. This technology, although tried on a fuel-cell vehicle, is designed for all vehicles with electric motors.

[Source: Nissan]

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Filed under: Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Manufacturing/Plants, On Two Wheels

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We recently got on the phone with Dan Squiller from PowerGenix, a company which hopes to “revolutionize the battery industry” with its new nickel-zinc batteries. The firm’s batteries will soon make an appearance in power tools and in lawn and garden machinery, with ebikes, scooters and consumer AA-sized units shipping shortly thereafter. Of course, the company also sees huge room for expansion in hybrid cars and has plans to sell its technology to a major manufacturing company in the near-term future.

What makes the company think its product is so good? Read on past the break for the story.

Continue reading ABG speaks with PowerGenix about NiZn batteries

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Filed under: Concept Cars, Economy, Hybrids/Alternative, Sedans/Saloons, Green, Paris Motor Show, Hatchbacks, Honda

It’s the impending debut of the all-new Prius-assaulting Insight hybrid that’s got our hearts all aflutter over Honda’s booth at the upcoming Paris Motor Show, but that’s not all the automaker will be bringing with it to the City of Lights. Along with the new dedicated hybrid we’ll see the latest version of its older and somewhat less interesting brother, the Civic Hybrid, that along with the rest of the Civic line for ‘09, gets a small bit of freshening for the new model year. We do like the looks of the new front-end, but besides that, there’s not much to see here… and so we move along to the CR-Z hybrid coupe that Honda’s been showing off since Tokyo. Big H’s other stab at saving the world runs on hydrogen, the FCX Clarity. Despite the fact that nobody in Europe will be able to buy it, it’ll be there with bells on.

Honda will also use the Paris Motor Show to introduce the Continent to its new-for-’09 Jazz, known to us Yanks as the Fit. Something else that should be of interest to the Europeans is Honda’s first automatic gearbox for its ubiquitous 2.2-liter diesel engine, dubbed the i-DTEC, which rounds out the new stuff that Honda has to show in Paris.

[Source: Honda]

Continue reading Paris Preview: Honda readies refreshed Civic Hybrid and i-DTEC gearbox

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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Toyota

Toyota has been testing plug-in versions of its Prius hybrid sedan on public roads in Japan for quite some time and the models have made it Stateside for testing, as well. Now Toyota has begun testing its PHEV in the U.K. Along with EDF Energy, the Japanese automotive giant and undisputed hybrid development leader plans to run the plug-in Prius on public roadways for at least a year, starting today. As the car, with its very unfortunate paint job, is driven by EDF employees as part of the energy company’s fleet of vehicles, both its capabilities and the cost savings to run the PHEV will be recorded and hopefully provide some sort of useful data to Toyota. Seriously guys, enough teasing. The real question is when Toyota will find enough reason to actually start offering the plug-in Prius for sale.

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Toyota launches plug-in Prius hybrid in UK

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Filed under: Convertibles, Hybrids/Alternative, Green

The Tesla Roadster launch has been anything but silky-smooth, but the upstart EV automaker hopes its problems are in the rear view mirror with the completion of Drivetrain 1.5, which includes an upgraded electric motor and swapping the original two-speed automatic transmission for a Borg Warner-sourced one speed. The changes will improve the Tesla Roadster’s instant torque from 211 to 280 lb-ft while also improving its range by 10% to a shockingly impressive 244 miles.

Drivetrain 1.5 also means Tesla can finally ramp up production of its well-publicized roadster. Within the next few weeks, Tesla will begin producing 10 Roadsters per week. By next March, that number will increase to 40 samples per week, which will go a long way toward satisfying demand for the sexy EV. The new, upgraded Drivetrain 1.5 is so much better than the mechanicals it replaces, Tesla will keeps its promise and retrofit the 38 models already produced and delivered with the new equipment. Hit the jump to view Tesla’s official press release.

[Source: Autoblog Green]

Continue reading Tesla ends development of Drivetrain 1.5, ready to ramp up production

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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green

click to visit AutoblogGreen

The Paris Motor Show is still a few weeks away, but we’re getting a good idea what we’ll see there: eco-friendly freshness from Chevrolet, Mazda, Ford and Volvo. Back in the U.S., looks like it’s time for Tesla to start building real cars. Finally.

• ABG speaks with PowerGenix about NiZn batteries
• Paris Preview: Chevrolet Orlando MPV to debut, Sequel gets real
• Paris Preview: Mazda to introduce new 2.2L diesel engine
• Paris Preview: Ford releases more details on the new Ka
• Paris Preview: three Volvo DRIVe models with CO₂ emissions under 120 g/km
• Frankfurt 09 Preview: Opel releases teasers of the new Astra
• Fisker closes million series funding round
• NYC gets hit with lawsuit over “unsafe” hybrid taxis
• Many motocross tracks planned for Quantya
• BMW jumps on “most sustainable automaker in the world” title
• Auto Alliance and Gov. Schwarzenegger launch Ecodriving USA
• Fuel-sipping diesel European minivans - is one right for you?
• California may soon allow aftermarket exhausts for motorcycles
• Economy cars, Prius score poorly in IIHS crash tests
• Tesla finishes development of new drivetrain, ready to start building real cars
• Mitsubishi’s biodiesel Racing Lancer gearing up for Dakar 2009
• Wonder what it takes to build a competitive solar racer?

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