Tag Archives: electric cars

MINI E, Mitsubishi iMiev

i-MiEV vs. Mini E at the New York Auto Show

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Usually, at auto shows you will find abstract concepts of electric cars that are so far fetched, nobody takes them seriously.  This year at the New York Auto Show, companies like Mitsubishi, Mini, Think, and Amp Motorworks are changing the regular programming by providing press and public test drives of highway capable electric vehicles.  In the 2010 auto show, electric cars like the Mini E and the i-MiEV are already on the road, leased to select test markets and certain fleet and government patrons.

The electric vehicle test drive track is in the EV Pavilion at the back of the bottom floor, but it will surely be a crowd pleaser when the auto show opens up to the public April 2-11.  When I arrived, only 2 electric vehicles, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV and the Mini E, were circling the winding track.  I had to “sign my life away” on some contract that relieved them of any responsibility for any bodily harm I might inflict on myself while I played Dukes of Hazard with the EVs. They also made me swear not to go take it over 15 mph.  It was an indoor go kart track, after all.  Then I was ready to drive some electric powered machines.

Mini E

Ready for Action
Ready for Action

First up was the Mini E.  This mighty mouse has a good amount of power, 200 HP, and that is with a 100% torque electric motor, so it really picks up.  With an electronically regulated top speed of 95 mph, and a 150 mile range (told 100 by the spokeswoman, oddly, perhaps realistically), this car can get you anywhere you need to go, fast.

Here is what I didn’t like.  I sat in the driver’s seat, looked back, and saw this:

This is about neck high, right behind the drivers seat.  It is the battery pack.  Not only is this a two-seater, but it is a two-seater with the storage space of a Vespa.  I contemplated the Mini E’s practicality watching press groups load up the 5-passenger i MiEV.

Moment of truth.

I took the car out of park, following the instructions of the Mini spokeswoman in the passenger seat.  No lurch.  The car does not lurch forward in drive like your typical ICE vehicle.  Once you get moving, drives much like a car in first gear all the time, meaning it is very torque-ee.  You accelerate, let off the gas (electricity) and you rapidly decelerate because of the strong regenerative braking.  I had heard about this being an issue with the Mini E, so it was pretty much what I expected.  It makes me wonder if the big sacrifice in momentum is worth the electricity regained.

Anyway the car accelerated great on the miniature straightaway.  I would love to see what the Mini E could do on an interstate on-ramp instead of an indoor track.

Mitsubishi i-MiEV

Honestly, I am still uncomfortable pronouncing this one aloud (i Meeve or i Me-ehv).

But I am picking this one as the winner in this EV battle.  Here’s why:

Back Seats
Back Seats

Yes, this is a fully equipped, four door family EV.  The cabin was so spacious, I could not believe they fit a lithium ion battery in there, which is hidden flat under the car.

This will not compete with the Mini E on the track though.  It will get you 0-60 in 13 seconds, has a top speed of 80 mph, and has a 100 mile range.  But I could not even fit my backpack into the Mini E with another person in the car.  I could get married, have a couple kids, and take them all to soccer practice in the i-MiEV.  The i-MiEV makes such good use of the space it has, and is just smartly designed for what it is, a family commuter vehicle.

Not only is the i MiEV more spacious, but it rides more comfortably too.  The car creeps forward in drive like a traditional vehicle, and the regenerative braking is much more natural.  The car kind of coasts when you lift off of the accelerator.  The interior space and user friendly drive make the i-MiEV the winner in this EV showdown.

Anyone who happens to be in the area of New York City the next few days should definitely come to the Javits Center to get a first hand experience in these fascinating new electric vehicles that are becoming more and more real every day.  I’ll leave you with a rough video I took of some of the action on the track later in the day:

Amp, MINI E, Mitsubishi iMiev

On Electric Cars is at the 2010 New York Auto Show

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Stay tuned for upcoming articles detailing electric car test drives and press conferences from the 2010 New York Auto Show.

I just test drove the Mini E and the Mitsubishi iMiev, and I can honestly say I was impressed with both, but one was the clear favorite. A thorough review will be coming soon.

I will also write a full review of my test drive of the new Amp Motorworks Electric Equinox. A 100% electric SUV.

Thanks for reading!

Chevy Volt

GM’s 230 MPG Volt Campaign

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GM Volt 230

I watch YouTube more than I care to admit. Last week I noticed a mystifying advertisement before many of the videos: A green screen with a large number 230, with the 0 depicted as a winking standard electrical wall outlet, and a smaller date 8-11 underneath. Since I had no idea what the numbers meant, I Googled them to no avail. Eventually, I discovered that this was a GM marketing campaign for the Volt. But how did the number 230 come into play? Does is stand for 230 volt outlet required? The number of days before GM declares bankruptcy again?

Finally, GM revealed on August 11th, 2009, that 230 was the official MPG rating given by the EPA. The advertisements now link to Chevy’s Official Volt page. While I was disappointed in the general lack of content on the actual page, the bottom corner provided a real gem of a link: Chevy Volt’s Facebook page. Those who do not know much about Facebook should know that people, places, events, and even inanimate objects such as the Chevy Volt can have their own Facebook pages now. The Chevy Volt Facebook Wall actually has a death of information on the Volt. People are free to voice their concerns and a Chevy spokesman tries his darndest to answer them all. Here is the spokesperson’s explanation of where they got the number 230.

It’s based on draft EPA fuel economy methodology, which takes into account thousands of drive patterns over an extended period of time. For example, some people will never use a drop of gasoline as they will always stay within the 40 mile pure electric range, while others will use a combination of pure electricity and engine-generated electricity when driving, and still others may stay within the 40 miles and just drive innefficiently. The assumption is most Volt owners will plug-in daily, so there has to be some common ground to compare vehicles between nothing and infinity. To rationalize all these scenarios and situations, the EPA’s draft methodology calculates this via mpg and our estimates based on that methodology are at least 230 mpg in city driving. Just as important, we are expecting the Volt to get more than 100 mpg combined (city/hwy). Also, we have not announced the charge sustaining mode mpg yet because we’re still testing and validating that mode of operation. -Phil

Originally, I was very disappointed in this ad campaign. All this build up around an arbitrary number and it all leads to a very plain, uninspiring website with a bunch of arbitrary numbers being crunched to explain where 230 MPG comes from.

It is crucial to convey what exactly the car does, and how the car is capable of your daily commute without needing a single drop of gas. I’ve witnessed first hand that the general public does not fully understand how plug-in hybrids work. One of my colleagues at work, an educated twenty something year-old, said he wasn’t a fan of the Chevy Volt because he thought it just died after 40 miles of electric driving. This was disconcerting, especially because we worked for an environmental activism group. I would have expected him to know how a breakthrough hybrid vehicle such as the Volt switches on an electric generator, when the battery is low. But not everybody has researched this. Therefore, simplifying this plug-in hybrid system to an arbitrary number, 230 MPG, might actually be the best way to communicate to the masses how such an unfamiliar vehicle operates.

So my final summation on the campaign is that Chevy did a good job simplifying and minimizing the dangers of bringing something unfamiliar to the market. Next, I would suggest some good old fashioned car advertising. Show it driving up a hill or blasting past a Mazda.

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Wireless Electricity could open many doors for Electric Cars

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This is a neat video I came across today describing wireless electricity technology. The basic premise behind it is that you can start with an electricity conducting item that creates a magnetic field and transfers its power wirelessly to a charging item. So the speaker, Eric Giler, explains its potential applications: recharging cell phones and powering TVs without cords. About 6 minutes into the presentation he notes possible applications for electric vehicles.

Interesting. At around 6 minutes he describes mats in electric car owner garages that could charge the vehicles without the hassle of plugging them in. This example really does not do justice to what this technology could potentially do for electric vehicle infrastructure. A couple things I thought of off the top of my head:

-Charging mats at stop lights in gridlocked cities like New York. Electric taxis could potentially never need to be recharged or refueled. I’m sure a lot of cab drivers would really appreciate that.
-Solar powered parking lots that wirelessly power electric vehicles. Go to the cafe for the free wifi internet and electric power.

What ideas would you guys come up with? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.

Source: TED

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Obama announces grant for Purdue electric vehicle program

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Source: Purdue University
On August 5th, President Obama announced that Purdue University will receive a $6.1 million grant to develop degree and training programs for electric vehicles.

Purdue will partner with Notre Dame University, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Ivy Tech Community College, Purdue University Calumet and Indiana University Northwest to develop the program. The goal is to educate and train the work force needed to design, manufacture and maintain advanced electric vehicles and the associated infrastructure.

The Indiana Advanced Electric Vehicle Training and Education Consortium will develop certificate and associate degree programs for vehicle technicians, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs for electric vehicle design and manufacturing engineers, and a certificate program in electric vehicle safety for emergency responders. It also will develop an outreach program to secondary schools and a Web site to provide information on electric vehicles to the general public.

Obama announced the grant during a speech in Elkhart. The government is handing out a total of $2.4 billion in grants to 48 projects in 20 states. He said Indiana is the second largest recipient of grant funding.

-Hybrids-

Figure Hybrid Insurance Discounts into Overall Cost of Ownership

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Statistics compiled earlier in 2009 suggest that 62% of consumers contemplating a car purchase either consider or are committed to buying some kind of hybrid or alternative fuel vehicle. Confusion exists, however, on the question of the expenses involved in insuring a hybrid vehicle. In calculating the actual cost of choosing a hybrid, several factors come into play.

Insurance risk profiles have now been updated to recognize the fact that hybrid drivers are more environmentally conscious and tend to drive less. Therefore, the assumption is that they are safer drivers. On the other hand, there is the wisdom that hybrids require specialized parts and are more difficult and expensive to repair, thus making for more costly insurance settlements. There is truth to both perceptions, but regardless, Farmers Insurance Group of Companies took the lead in October 2005 when they began offering 5% discounts to hybrid drivers in California. Now, discounts of roughly 10% for hybrids are more or less industry standard, although consumers still may have to go after those savings proactively.

In negotiating coverage for a hybrid, all the conventional automotive insurance discounts can still be used, like those available for anti-theft devices or for an exceptionally clean driving record. But in considering the real cost of ownership, drivers should also consider available tax credits.

Between February 17, 2009 and January 1, 2010 new car buyers can deduct their state and local sales and excise taxes up to a $49,500 limit. The value of this deduction will, of course, vary from state to state, but buyers will still want to avail themselves of the deduction while it is available. Additionally, the “cash for clunkers” Car Allowance Rebate System discounts, ranging from $3,500 to $4,500 will be available through roughly November 1. Since hybrids are sure to meet the program’s mileage improvement requirements, this is another major potential savings. Finally, there is an actual Hybrid Vehicle Credit that can take as much as $3,000 off federal tax returns, and a $4,000 federal credit for plug-in hybrids.

Additionally, hybrid drivers are currently being rewarded by some hotel chains that offer lower room rates to customers who drive or rent a hybrid and in some parts of the country, hybrid drivers get free or discounted parking in city and county lots. So, given the current climate of dealer discounts, federal deductions and discounts available, and popular rewards for hybrid drivers, the accrued savings may take so much of the sting out of the initial purchase, that insurance coverage automatically becomes more affordable.

Drivers who play their cards right and go after all the traditional automotive insurance discounts in addition to the roughly standard 10% hybrid discount should find themselves well-placed for low premiums. The important points are to be prepared to negotiate, to comparison shop, and to figure insurance rates into the overall cost of driving the vehicle. In the case of hybrids, other savings and discounts will likely outweigh insurance costs in the first year to two years of driving.