Evatran’s Plugless Power System Gets An Upgrade, Looks More and More Attractive
One of the issues that is under constant discussion when talking about renewable energy use in cars is how they will be refueled or recharged. While there are gas stations virtually on every other corner in the country, there isn't a nationwide infrastructure for electrical vehicles (EVs) or hydrogen power vehicles. Part of this is due to the fact that no one form of renewable energy has beaten out all others definitively. Nobody wants to invest all of their money in creating charging or refueling stations for a technology that will be replaced in a year or two. It would be a living nightmare to try to switch the wires, plugs, adapters, and all the other little doodads and parts that the new technology would need. A recharging technology that doesn't have too many moving parts, is simple to use, and effective would be ideal, both in terms of catching on in the EV industry, and in terms of ease of replacement.
Enter Evatran, a company that has developed a system of recharging the batteries in electric vehicles without any physical contact like plugs or adapters. Evatran's Plugless Power charging system take advantage of inductive charging, a method of energy transfer that uses an electromagnetic field, without any physical contact of materials (as is necessary in conductive charging, which we all know and love).
The Plugless Power system uses a disc that is slightly smaller than an hubcap that is anchored to the ground and another plate that is fastened to the underside of your car. When you need to recharge your electric vehicle's battery, just drive over the disc on the ground, and the Plugless Power system will begin to transfer energy to the plate under your car, which in turn is connected to you EV's battery. The ground plate can be anchored just about anywhere there is adequate power, so it wouldn't be restricted to recharging station use - you could install it in your own garage! About a year ago, Evatran's ground-anchored disk was actually a rectangular mat that was about as long and wide as a car's underside, mustered only 80% efficiency, and required you to line up accurately if you wanted it to charge properly. Today, the mat is smaller than a tire, boasts 97% efficiency, and has a little bit of wiggle room in terms of aligning the plates up to charge.
Testing is beginning on Chevy Volts and will expand in January, but you can get your own car retrofitted and buy your own charging station for your home if you are willing to pay. An indoor charging station will run you $2,000, an outdoor station will cost $3,000, and retrofitting your car will cost an additional $2,000.
Source: Autobloggreen via Engadget
The Guantanamo Bay of Batteries
Peter Roth is a man whose job entails one thing and one thing only. Destroying batteries. The government pays him to figure out (in a laboratory) the multitudes of ways that batteries can sizzle, fizzle, leak, flame, and explode, so that measures can be taken to prevent them from happening when consumers like you and I use them in everyday life.
Roth's lair of destruction is in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the Sandia National Laboratories. It consists of a number of rooms behind a 2,000 pound door - just the type of thing you'd want between you and a malfunctioning lithium-ion battery spewing toxic fumes and flames. To put things in perspective, though, the explosions that Roth sets off pale in comparison to what could happen if any of the other (nuclear) research experiments in the building were to go awry.
In addition to putting batteries in situations that causes them to fail (such as high impact punctures, short circuits, submersion, etc.) Roth and his colleague, Chris Orendorff also test out what chemicals, when used in batteries, are more stable and safe than others. Their quest, which was noble enough to garner $4.2 million in funding from the Department of Energy, is to pass all of the information they gather to manufacturers, the military, and even NASA, who use the data to constantly improve. Recently, Roth and his work has gained more attention, with the advent of hybrid and electric vehicles that draw power from large lithium-ion batteries. With most if not all automotive companies coming out with such models, many questions are being raised about battery safety. What would happen to the lithium-ion battery pack of a Chevy Volt if it was punctured as it flew off a bridge into the salty depths of the ocean? Hopefully, Roth will figure that one out for us. And how to fix it too.
Source: Wall Street Journal via Gizmodo
Tesla IPO Appears Threatened by CEO, Production Problems
There seems to be some trouble ahead for anyone who was hoping to invest in Tesla Motors after their impending IPO. After filing the necessary paperwork for their initial public offering (with which they hope to raise $100 million to pour into their gapingly empty coffers) some concerning information has arisen regarding the company and its CEO, Elon Musk. Apparently, Musk "spends significant time with Tesla and is highly active in our management, [but] he does not devote his full time and attention to Tesla." This would be a problem for most companies, let alone a company that is trying to be the forerunner in an industry that is not yet fully established (i.e. that of the electric performance car). But there are a few interesting tidbits that make this even more disturbing news.
First off is the fact that Tesla just received a $465 million loan from the U.S. government (read: taxpayers pockets). You'd hope that a sum of that size would have the full attention of the CEO of the company spending it. Next is the fact that starting at the beginning of next year, Tesla will no longer be selling, well, anything. English auto company Lotus supplies Tesla with many of the parts they need to build their signature Roadster from a certain factory in Hethel, England. This factory is being retooled to build other parts for Lotus vehicles, basically leaving Tesla without a supplier for crucial Roadster parts until 2013 (at the earliest). Third, Tesla will not start production of its Model S family sedan until 2012. This is especially significant since the Model S will carry a much easier-to-swallow $50,000 price tag. Add to that the fact that the company has lost $236 million to date, and that they "expect significant increases in [their] costs and expenses to result in continuing losses for at least the foreseeable future" and you can start to imagine how potential (and current) investors might feel about the future of Tesla Motors.
Sources: Daily Finance via Engadget, Wired
Audi e-Tron v2.0 Surfaces at Detroit Auto Show
This year's North American International International Auto Show in Detroit features all of the biggest and best automobile companies in the world. But one of the most talked-about presences at the show is that of Bavarian car manufacturer Audi. To be more specific, Audi's e-Tron is the topic of conversation in many circles.
For those of you who haven't heard of it, the e-Tr
on is Audi's entry into the EV (electric vehicle) field. And quite frankly, it's beautiful. Would you expect anything less from Audi?
Although it has been featured at past auto shows, it has been positioned as more of a concept vehicle until now. The e-Tron on display now in Detroit is a scaled-down version of the original concept in terms of specifications. It's got about 100 less horsepower than the concept (down to 204 from 313) and is about a second slower in terms of 0-60 acceleration (5.9 seconds, up from an original 4.8). Since it is an electric car, the range of the e-Tron is another important aspect to consider. After fulling charging the 220 volt battery over 11 hours, Audi claims a range of 155 miles with the e-Tron.
On top of it all, the e-Tron has a new type of regenerative braking system that doesn't lose any energy from the "residual slip" you usually get from such systems. We're not sure what exactly that means, but it sounds awesome.
Source: Wired
Tesla Motors’ Impending IPO – Publicly-Owned EV Companies Have Never Been Sexier
Tesla Motors, the California-based makers of sleek, high-performance EVs such as the Tesla Roadster will be making an IPO very soon, reports Reuters. The move will follow their reported profits of $1 million on $20 million of revenue in July. Although they have remained privately held since their founding in 2003, this move could have been foreseen, as Tesla Motors chairman Elon Musk suggested an IPO possibility in late 2008 or 2009. However, the economic chaos late last year proved an enormous obstacle, even for a company that sells an electric car as gorgeous as the Tesla Roadster (left).
A few bits of info for those who aren't in the know: The Roadster boasts a top speed of 125 mph, goes 0-60 in 3.9 seconds, and runs on 100% electricity from lithium-ion battery packs - the same ones you use in your cell phone, laptop, and a myriad of other electronics equipment. Don't get too excited, though. Although it may be fuel and time efficient, it certainly isn't cash efficient. With a base price of $109,000, this is not a cheap thrill. And that doesn't even include floor mats, or cool options like "Tesla Paint Armor" and "Forged Tesla Wheels." Is it just me or does the addition of the word "Tesla" make even the most standard option sound incredibly awesome? Check out their galleries here, and don't forget a napkin for the drool.
Sources: Reuters, Tesla Motors