Production

Production BEVs like the GM EV1 and S-10 Electric, Chrysler EPIC, Honda EV Plus, Ford Ranger EV, Nissan Altra EV, Toyota RAV4 and Force have been made available to the consumer market in very limited quantities and locations. Even though all were placed very few were ever actually for sale, and so it's very unfair to say that there is no market. They would be cost competative if put into mass production, and they have been cheep to maintain and operate with as little as 7 moving parts in the electric powertrain. Just imagine no oil to change, no filters, no spark plugs. A number of Rav4-EVs have over 100,000 miles on their NiMH battery packs, which are also used in current hybrids. They may be unavailable because they are too good, since their range of about 150 miles was as good as the best of HFCV (hydrogen fuel cell vehicles) and today their range can be comperable to gas cars. HFCVs have about 7 very costly fuel stations, yet EVs already have a worldwide refueling infrastructure with outlets at every gas station and garage. Today EV's make good sense for the Consumer, Environmental, and Energy Conservation stand points, but perhaps not from the short term manufacturer, dealer, and oil producer standpoints. We are all going to have to Demand that they make these cars and trucks available instead of waiting yet another 30 years for HFCV's.

The Next Battery

Nickle-Metal Hydride

Have already been proven in many production BEVs, Hybrids, and other vehicles.

Lithium

Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTI) and Toshiba have rather promissing advanced Li-ion improvements which greatly increase their previousely lacking Power Density and Cycle Life. Energy Density, Weight, and even high volume cost of about $500/kWh have been a reality for some time now.

• Valence - According to Marc Kohler of Valence, their U1 will do 300A, not only 150A per [1]. Their U24 will do 600A instead of 200A, and will do 200A "up a long hill". Also per an EVDL thread cost is $600 per size? battery, and $800 for display and charger. image?

• Altair gets order for 1000kG of lithium titanate spinel electrode nanomaterials [2] [3] [4] [5]

• Toshibas High-Rage (50C) Li, scheduled for 2006 production [6]

See Also

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_electric_vehicle
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_vehicle

News

• 08-21-05 - mitsubishi-motors.com Mitsubishi Motors to drive forward development of next-generation EVs Images
  • treehugger.com Subaru Joins Electric Car Race with R1e
  • carpages.co.uk The Electric Mitsubishi Colt
  • worldchanging.com

• 08-20-05 - cbsnews.com MOVIE Hybrids Getting Amped Up
  • With gas prices soaring, even hybrid car owners are thinking of creative ways to cut on gas use. Bill Whitaker reports how they are suping-up their energy efficient cars with electricity.

• 08-19-05 - japantoday.com Fuji Heavy unveils electric car that uses lithium-ion battery

• 08-19-05 - edmunds.com The Electric Car's Not Dead; Asian Companies Strive for Breakthrough

• 08-12-05 - autoweek.com autoweek.com Experts say electric cars should be part of research plans for automakers
  • "That's the advice of a panel of technical experts representing the National Academy of Sciences. They say government and industry researchers should examine battery electric vehicles as an alternative to cars and trucks powered by hydrogen fuel cells." -

• 08-15-05 - ktla.trb.com Still Plugging Along The EV1 Waiting List, 5000 or 50?