batteries

The United States Advanced Battery Consortium, with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, today awarded Johnson Controls-Saft a contract valued at $8.2 million. The contract will focus on the development of lithium-ion battery systems for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and over the course of two years will seek to validate the commercial feasibility of lithium-ion technology for mass market plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Who's side is he on, anyway?

Students at the University of California Davis Hybrid Vehicle Research Center have been creating plug-in hybrids for national competitions for some time. "Team Fate" members Jungers and Kaufman describe how they "gut" the drive train of a standard vehicle, replacing it with an electric motor, a bank of batteries, continuously variable transmission, and some smart electronics. The resulting vehicle runs on electricity, assisted by a much smaller flex-fuel internal combustion engine only when needed.

TRIAC Electric Car. Range: 60-100 Miles. Cost: 2 cents per mile.This little number has been getting some good press lately, and for good reason: it’s the first commercially available electric vehicle with a price tag and functionality that could meet the needs of the average city driver (assuming you can afford it).

John Mizroch, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Department of Energy (DOE),  discusses the various projects underway within EERE, including researching and developing the use of biomass such as switchgrass and zero energy homes and buildings. He also explains how improving energy efficiency in buildings and furthering development of lithium batteries for vehicles is important for the United States' national security.

Just a few months ago I was presenting the Tesla Roadster as a pioneer in electric vehicles. And it surely is. It does 60mph in just 3.7 seconds, is extremely light and not so comfortable. This time, the British have projected a brand-new electric car that would ultimately compete with Tesla’s famous Roadster.

Forget about rechargeable batteries that are plugged to a nearby electrical outlet - there are now Pee Powered batteries that are being tested in Japan. Dubbed the NoPoPo (Non-Pollution Power) Aqua Batteries, these will come in AA and AAA form factors. They are environmentally friendly and do not contain mercury or other harmful materials.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory found that nighttime charging of plug-in hybrids would not increase electricity demand over baseline levels. But if owners charge their vehicles during the day, it could require the construction of 160 new power plants.

Not everyone is waiting until 2010 to get their first plug-in hybrid. As I reported previously, Hybrids Plus out of Boulder, CO, is offering conversions for the Toyota Prius and Ford Escape hybrids, turning them into 100 MPG+ superstars. Check them out...

55 MPG isn’t good enough for you? Then try adding a plug to your hybrid.

The electric-car company ZAP, in conjunction with Hybrids Plus, has announced it will offer $24,000 plug-in hybrid conversions for the Toyota Prius and the Ford Escape Hybrid.

Improper disposal of batteries can lead to contamination of soil and ground water. Batteries Plus is proud to offer complete recycling solutions to prevent harmful impact on our environment.

In addition to the video link, this post describes and provides additional links for electric cars that are available now. The article refers to explanations of how, by coupling solar panels for charging batteries and by adding power to the grid from distributed solar power stations, including homes, it is possible to run the grid without coal or nuclear power.

The Visionary Vehicles EVX / LS plug-in hybrid vehicle is set to compete with other luxury cars on price while achieving 100 mpg.

The Chrysler ecoVoyager hydrogen fuel cell concept car has just been unveiled at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show.