I’m not an expert on drag racing jargon (“beat the dial handicap so he lost the competition”??) so here is the commentary from video submitter, jorgbrown:
On Nov 30th, the fastest production electric vehicles in the U.S. went head-to-head. While their first meeting had a number of issues, most notably the underfilled Tango battery pack, and the Tesla’s non-upgraded drivetrain, the 1/4 mile time is quite close and indicative of races to come.
In this race, the Tango got 92.15mph in 14.480 seconds, beating its 14.7 “dial” handicap and thus losing the competition; the Tesla got 101.23mph in 14.666 seconds, slower than its 14.5 “dial” handicap and allowing it to proceed to the next round. (Two rounds later, the Tango’s driver got behind the wheel of the Tesla and also beat its “dial” handicap… and thus lost!)
Looks like Better Place has added Hawaii to it’s list of states willing to build its electric vehicle infrastructure. Today, Better Place said that it will be partnering with Hawaii to make mass adoption of electric vehicles powered by renewable energy a reality in the state by 2012. Official press release is below.
PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday, 02 Dec 2008
Governor Lingle and Better Place Announce Partnership to Offer National Blueprint for Clean Energy in Transportation
Hawaiian Electric and Better Place Sign Agreement to Power Electric Vehicles with Renewable Energy
HONOLULU (Dec 02, 2008) — Today, Governor Linda Lingle and Shai Agassi, Founder and CEO of Better Place unveiled a plan to bring an electric-car network to Hawai‘i, creating a model for the adoption of electric cars in the U.S. The move – only the second of its kind announced in the nation – will help fuel Hawai‘i’s drive to lead the nation in renewable energy use, create jobs locally, while also helping to secure our energy future.
“Attracting investments into the state is a major component of our Five-Point Action Plan to help stimulate the economy”, said Governor Linda Lingle. “Today’s announcement is a significant move towards our state gaining independence from foreign oil. This public-private partnership is exactly the type of investment we have been working on as we continue to carry out our Hawai’i Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI), moving toward the goal of 70 percent clean energy for the State of Hawai‘i. It highlights the importance we place on finding innovative ways to attract investments in energy technology,” Governor Lingle added.
Better Place, the world’s leading mobility operator, plans to begin permitting for the network within the next year and begin introducing vehicles within 18 months, with mass-market availability of electric cars in 2012. Hawai‘i joins Israel, Denmark, Australia and California since Better Place was founded in October 2007, committed to deploying the world’s first electric car networks.
Hawai‘i spends up to $7 billion a year on oil imports and drivers pay some of the highest gasoline prices in the nation — accounting for nearly 20 percent of the state’s Green House Gases (GHG). Building the infrastructure for widespread adoption of electric vehicles will not only stimulate the local economy and reduce carbon emissions, but also provide a more affordable transportation option to Hawaii’s drivers.
“Hawai‘i, with its ready access to renewable energy resources like solar, wind, wave and geothermal, is the ideal location to serve as a blue print for the rest of the U.S. in terms of reducing our dependence on foreign oil, growing our renewable energy portfolio and creating an infrastructure that will stabilize our economy,” said Shai Agassi, Founder and CEO of Better Place. “Hawai‘i has made the commitment to breaking its dependence on foreign oil, and is leading the way in addressing the most important economic and energy issues facing us today.”
Hawaiian Electric Companies and Better Place Hawai‘i also signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on the infrastructure and energy needs to power Better Place’s unique network of public charging spots and battery swapping stations with renewable energy. The partnership capitalizes on Better Place’s innovative business model and Hawai‘i’s abundant renewable energy resources to deliver the large-scale deployment of electrical vehicles throughout the state.
“Hawaiian Electric is proud to be the first utility in the United States to sign an agreement with Better Place,” said Robbie Alm, Hawaiian Electric executive vice president. “It is clear that to reach the very progressive goals of the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative will take changes not just in the way we make and use electricity, but in the way we move around our islands.
“The Better Place plan will provide immediate benefits to consumers and encourage the addition of more renewable energy resources to our grid, an essential element of HCEI. Because Better Place will manage when vehicles are recharged, they can provide a market for renewable energy output in off-peak hours when it might otherwise not be needed,” Alm said.
The arrival of Better Place Hawai‘i furthers the progress of the Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI) signed in January – with the goal to meet the state’s energy needs from 70% clean energy by 2030, as well as fostering economic growth and building the workforce of the future. The state is well on its way to leading the nation to a new era of energy independence.
“While oil prices have recently come down from their historic highs, we believe this volatility highlights the urgency for a transformation to renewable energies,” said Ted Liu, director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. “As we begin to break our addiction to foreign oil, we will be a model for the rest of the nation and the world.”
About Better Place:
Better Place is a mobility operator that aims to reduce oil dependence by delivering personal transportation as a sustainable service. Launched in 2007 with $200 million of venture funding, the company builds electric-vehicle networks powered by renewable energy to give consumers an affordable, sustainable alternative for personal mobility. Better Place is working with partners to build its first standards-based networks in Israel, Denmark, Australia and California. Better Place will activate networks on a country-by-country basis with initial deployments beginning in 2010.
Wow, desperate times call for desperate measures. The main story on FOXnews.com today is
about how Ford Motor Co. CEO, Alan Mulally, says he’ll work for $1 per year if Ford takes any government loan money. The plan Ford is presenting to Congress this week also says it will cancel all management employees’ 2009 bonuses and will not pay any merit increases for its North American salaried employees next year. Mulally said in an interview Tuesday that Ford will emphasize its cost cutting efforts with the United Auto Workers union and will give much more detail to Congress than it did during a visit earlier this month. The company also will accelerate plans to roll out electric cars as part of the plan it will present to Congress this week.
Source: FOXNews.com
I also have the Ford Business Plan here, the one submitted to the Senate Banking Committee. I found the parts that involved their plans to implement hybrid and fully electric cars into their fleet and posted it below. Stuff I left out is mostly a bunch of puff about how they will build better quality cars, why they are in trouble, and how sorry they are. Their electric car plans remain quite vague and they insist they need a technological breakthrough in battery technology to implement them on a wide scale. They “cannot work alone.”
Ford Business Plan: Electrification Strategy Excerpt
Sustainability and Electrification Strategy
Ford’s sustainability plan will achieve continuous and substantial improvement in fuel economy and a corresponding reductionin CO2 through affordable technology in high volume. Ford’s plan is to make affordable fuel efficiency available to millions of consumers. They also plan to build smaller cars, and only touch on their commitment to continue ethanol and biofuels once.
Our three-phased approach with near-term, medium-term and long-term advanced technologies and products begins now with advanced internal combustion engine and transmission technologies, such as our EcoBoost engines going into production on several vehicles in 2009. The next major step in
Ford’s plan is to increase over time the volume of electrified vehicles, as battery costs improve
and as the transition from Hybrids to Plug-in Hybrids to Battery Electric Vehicles occurs.
Next month at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, we will
discuss in detail Ford’s accelerated vehicle electrification plan, which includes bringing
to market by 2012 a family of hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles. Our
work will include partnering with battery and powertrain systems suppliers to deliver a
full battery electric vehicle (BEV) in a van-type vehicle for commercial fleet use in 2010
and a BEV sedan in 2011. We will develop these vehicles in a manner that enables us
to reduce costs and ultimately makes battery electric powered vehicles more affordable
for consumers.
Our plan also includes building on our competence in hybrid vehicles, as
demonstrated by the industry-leading fuel economy of the Ford Escape and Ford Fusion
hybrids. We are now developing our next generation full hybrid technology, which
includes plug-in capability, for vehicles in 2012 and beyond. We are targeting a
substantial increase in hybrid volume through a greater than 30% reduction in cost,
installation of hybrid capability in global platforms and hybrid vehicles that are uniquely
styled.
Ford’s three-phased approach to sustainability provides immediate and significant improvements on a wide scale and accelerated electrification, including next generation hybrids and all-electric
vehicles.
We cannot, however, accomplish significant electrification by ourselves. The
2007 Energy Independence and Security Act requires American-developed breakthroughs in high-power energy batteries (e.g. lithium ion). In order to make significant progress in electrification, Ford supports establishing a U.S. public/private partnership to accelerate the development of this capability, including supporting infrastructure, within the United States.
Ford supports a public/private partnership to develop next generation battery technology
(Ford will) Continue to develop and deploy hybrids while reducing cost for expanded market applications. Ford was the first U.S. company to introduce a hybrid with the introduction of the Ford Escape Hybrid in 2004 and the Escape and Mariner Hybrids remain the fuel-economy leaders among all sport utilities. Full HEV nameplate offerings and volume will double in 2009 with introduction of Ford
Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrids, which best the Toyota Camry hybrid by at least six mpg.
Achieve annual fuel savings of 2.5 billion gallons by 2012 model year and 3.1 billion gallons by 2015 model year from new fuel efficient vehicle.
Electric cars require cooling systems. Not nearly to the extent that a combustion engine vehicle does, but lithium ion batteries get hot. Put your laptop on your lap for an hour and you might start cooking your own thighs. So you can imagine, thousands of lithium ion batteries will require a significant amount of cooling. There are 6,831 lithium-ion batteries in the Tesla Roadster, each about a third bigger than a typical AA battery. They’re linked together in a unique package that incorporates liquid cooling, safety fuses, and sensors that prevent the cells from experiencing what battery engineers like to call “thermal events.” The batteries feed 410 volts to the Roadster’s air-cooled AC induction motor. Here is the AC cooling system, for the cabin and battery pack:
Martin Eberhard, former CEO of Tesla Motors, is making the claim that the current cooling pump is working overtime, a lot of overtime. In, fact Eberhard stated that the pump for his Tesla Roadster seemed to be on all of the time, which is completely unnecessary after the car has been parked for an hour or so. Now the ESS cooling system is crucial to the life of the battery, but this is ridiculous. So, Martin Eberhard, being the electrical engineer that he is, installed one of those electric meters you see on the sides of houses ahead of his car’s charging station. Then he charged the car up fully, unplugged it for four days, then measured how much power it took to recharge the battery after the car sat, fully charged and cool, for four days. Doing some math, he found the car consumed 1,278 kWh per year, from just sitting there. That is enough to power two big refrigerators. Not only is this significant on your electrical bill, but this drastically reduces the lifespan of the pump. Eberhard explains in his blog post:
The second question is the life expectancy of the pump. I expect that Tesla used an automotive-grade pump from a good supplier. I am also sure that no other car leaves a pump running 24/7. Consider a typical car designed to run for 200,000 miles at an average speed of 30 mph. Such a car is designed to run for 200,000 / 30 = 6,666 hours. Let’s say the designers want some room for error, and design the water pump for that car to operate for 10,000 hours without failure. 10,000 hours life expectancy would be a good-quality automotive pump.
Now, let’s run that same pump 24/7 instead of the couple of hours per day it would run in our typical car. Running 24/7, that pump will pass 10,000 hours in only 13 months. That’s all – end of life. Just to make it through Tesla’s 3-year warranty, that pump would need to last 26,280 hours without failure. To last just 5 years, the pump would need to run 43,800 hours. Hopefully, Tesla installed a pump rated for at least 50,000 hours of operation without failure, implying an MTBF of at least 70,000 hours, assuming an exponential failure distribution. Does any automotive parts manufacturer even make such a pump?
Tesla also told Eberhard that the new Drivetrain 1.5, that they guarantee to retrofit all the purchased Tesla Roadsters with, will not make any changes to the pump. However, in a recent article from TIME, Elon Musk responded to Eberhard’s cooling pump complaints and also shed some light on the nature of their tumultuous business relationship:
Eberhard, the ousted cofounder, says Musk interfered with the design of the roadster, demanding changes that were costly and led to delays. These included installing electronic door latches, building a lightweight carbon-fiber body and lowering the doorsill by two inches. “It cost us $1.5 million to lower that doorsill,” Eberhard says. “We would have been better off to have a simpler car shipping a year earlier.” Musk says his design changes were not the cause of delays. Eberhard says that despite Tesla’s green-tech credentials, the roadster has a coolant pump that operates even when the car is parked, wasting as much electricity as two refrigerators. Musk says that will be fixed next month. Eberhard also gripes that Musk controls the board of directors, whose members include his brother Kimbal Musk. “I’m very unhappy about what’s happened to my company” under Elon, says Eberhard, who still owns about 3 percent of Tesla. “I think he’s a terrible CEO.” Elon Musk responds that “Martin is the worst individual I’ve ever had the displeasure of working with.” –TIME, An Electric Car Loses Its Juice
While Eberhard does have a legitimate complaint, keep in mind he probably takes some pleasure in publicly criticizing Elon Musk’s Roadster. But in the end, both sides just want to see the Roadster improved, and hopefully the issue can be fixed fairly easily and cheaply.
RTEV, the company behind Ruff and Tuff electric ATVs, and Shuanghuan Automobile Company have formed a partnership that will see the Wheego Whip arrive in the US by May of 2009. Wheego is the street division of the Atlanta-based company and is now headed by former Miles Electric Vehicles COO, Jeff Boyd. If you are looking at the picture above and thinking, “Dude, that’s a Smart Fortwo!”, you’d be wrong because this, my friends, is a Shuanghuan Noble upon which the Whip (E-Noble outside the US) will be based.
The Whip is said to be capable of 60 mph but will be restricted to Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) status in America until it can pass Department of Transportion muster. Able to travel 50 miles on a charge, the not–so–Smart car will be packing (AGM) batteries for now. The bodies will be built in China but will have their electronics and powertrain installed in the US. Get all the details in the press release after the break plus a bonus video of a Whip prototype getting checked out on an episode of Talking with Tami.
[Source: RTEV / YouTube]
PRESS RELEASE
RTEV and Shuanghuan Automobile Announce Electric Car Partnership
U.S. and Chinese Companies Combine Efforts to Produce and Market Electric Cars Internationally
Last update: 9:55 a.m. EST Nov. 19, 2008 ATLANTA and SHIJIAZHUANG CITY, China, Nov 19, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — RTEV (Ruff & Tuff Electric Vehicles) and Shuanghuan Automobile Company announced today that they have formed a partnership to produce and market affordable all-electric cars for sale around the world. The first automobile will be a two-seat compact car that will be launched in the United States in May 2009. It will be marketed exclusively by RTEV under the Wheego Whip name in North America and by Shuanghuan Automobile as the Electric Noble (E-Noble) in the rest of the world.
While the car is capable of speeds of 95 kHz (60 mph) it will be sold to different countries specifically designed to meet the safety requirements of the particular country. For example in the U.S. it will be launched as a Low Speed Vehicle (LSV- 25 mph max) or Medium Speed Vehicle (MSV- 35 mph max) depending on local state regulations, until it passes U.S. Department of Transportation safety crash requirements, which is expected sometime in early 2010.
The E-Noble will be manufactured by Shuanghuan at their factory in Shijiahuang. While the Wheego Whip will be based on the Noble platform, it will undergo final assembly, including the motor, drive train, controller, electronic components and be programmed in the U.S. The cars will feature environmentally friendly dry cell sealed (AGM) batteries, which require no maintenance and feature an on-board high tech charger. The car will travel 80 kilometers (50 miles) on a single charge-and plug in for a recharge on any standard household 110 or 220-volt electrical outlet.
“What has really impressed us with Shuanghuan is their attention to detail in providing a high-quality fit and finish and smooth ride to the car,” explained Mike McQuary, RTEV CEO. “Once we locked down the systems and components for a high quality electric drive system, we undertook a global search for a car manufacturer that would meet our expectations of a driving experience that was seamless when compared to its gasoline counterparts. While several car companies that we talked to had solid mechanical systems, it was Shuanghuan that emerged with a commitment to meet the quality standards that American drivers have come to expect in an automobile. Their production of the gas powered Noble gave them a great head start, in that it was more a matter of adaptation of a vehicle, rather than trying to develop something from scratch. They share our vision and see the important potential for the emergence of an electric car as an everyday part of consumer transportation.”
“When we were first approached by RTEV, it was their passion that first got our attention. There have been several companies that have approached us and bought one or two cars and tried to convert them to electric. But it was RTEV that quickly emerged as the technology leader for electric vehicles. Combine this with their successful track record as a management team in other ventures and we knew we had made the right choice for a partner,” said Shuanghuan General Manager Cheng Bing.
“There is a perfect storm of macro-events that are causing people around the world to take inventory of their personal habits and their effect on the environment across a wide spectrum which includes transportation, and RTEV is entering the marketplace at this pivotal time,” said McQuary, former president of internet service providers MindSpring and EarthLink. “The long-held assumption has been that electric vehicles are quirky and impractical for everyday use, and are of interest to only a small group of eco-friendly consumers. We believe that our vehicles appeal to a huge market segment and will fill a middle market demand gap at the right time, with the right vehicles, and a with national dealer network to provide service and support.”
Shuanghuan Automobile Company has been making cars since 1988. Its current car models include the SCEO SUV and the Noble. The company is focused on zero defect manufacturing processes and passed the ISO9000 quality control system certification in 2000, and gained 3C constraint products certification in 2003.
About RTEV
RTEV is an innovation-driven and environmentally-conscious manufacturer of Electric Vehicles (EVs). RTEV is comprised of two divisions, Ruff & Tuff and Wheego. The company currently features recreational vehicles under its Ruff & Tuff brand, and street legal cars under the Wheego brand. RTEV is led by an experienced management team that includes McQuary; President Bo Huff, who brings twenty-one years of experience in the electric vehicle industry; and Jeff Boyd a 25 year automotive industry veteran who was most recently the CEO of electric car company Miles Motors. Privately held, RTEV is based in Atlanta, GA with distribution points in Winnsboro, SC; Baton Rouge Louisiana; and Long Beach, CA.
Click above for high-res gallery of the Fisker Karma
Fisker Automotive has apparently decided that 260 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque should be plenty of power to recharge some batteries. Those 260 galloping ponies will come courtesy of the General in the form of its 2.0L direct injected and turbocharged Ecotec four banger, an engine that we’ve sampled ourselves plenty of times. We feel well qualified, therefore, to suggest that this is an excellent motor, but it really sounds like a major case of overkill for this particular application. Perhaps that’s better than “underkill” (if such a word actually existed) as that powerful engine ought to be able to recharge the Fisker Karma’s on-board lithium ion batteries at an extremely brisk pace. The faster the internal combustion engine can charge up the battery pack, the quicker the car can revert back to its native electric-only operation. Plus, that engine is a relatively light chunk of alloy, so the Karma’s motor shouldn’t be burdened by the gasoline-fed boat anchor too horribly under electric power.
We also find it a bit interesting that Fisker chose GM as its powertrain supplier, which means that the Karma and GM’s own Chevy Volt are now even closer cousins than before. Both vehicles will sport four doors, lithium ion batteries and an extended-range electric vehicle drivetrain; and with this announcement, both are now slated to share four cylinder engines from GM. This kinda makes ’em second-cousins through marriage, no?
Fisker Automotive Announces Intent to Source General Motors Components
IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 21 /PRNewswire/ — Fisker Automotive, Inc., a green American premium car company, today announced that General Motors has been selected to supply, through its on-highway integrator Powertrain Integration LLC, the gasoline engine that will be used in the Fisker Karma, Fisker Automotive’s new Extended Range Hybrid Electric Vehicle. GM’s Powertrain organization will supply the gasoline engine that generates electricity when the driver has exceeded the 50 mile electric-only range. The 2.0 direct injection, turbo-charged 4-cylinder Ecotec gasoline engine will deliver 260 horsepower. Fisker Automotive is also considering the purchase of several additional GM vehicle components to enhance the Karma.
“Given General Motors global leadership in the parts and accessories space, the fact that it is already engineering parts for extended range electric vehicles, and its commitment to helping the environment, it was clear that this was the right partner for us,” said Fisker Automotive, Inc. CEO Henrik Fisker. “We are confident that this is the beginning of an important partnership between GM and Fisker Automotive in developing the most desirable fuel efficient vehicles of the future.”
“GM is proud that Fisker Automotive has selected one of the world’s best powertrains for installation into the new Karma,” said Tom Stephens, Executive Vice President of GM Powertrain and Global Quality. “The advanced design of this engine offers a superior performance-to-weight ratio that makes it the right choice for the Fisker Hybrid Electric Vehicle. As a leader in the automotive industry in the development of fuel efficient and energy diverse powertrains, GM sees significant opportunity in working with Fisker Automotive, a visionary company developing products that embody both exciting vehicle design as well as technology friendly to our environment.”
Initial domestic deliveries of Fisker Automotive’s first car, the Karma, will commence in the 4th quarter of 2009 in North America with planned delivery to Europe in 2010. Fisker Automotive’s annual production is projected to reach 15,000 cars, with more than half of sales expected to be overseas.
Fisker Automotive, Inc.
Fisker Automotive is a privately owned car company with Henrik Fisker as the CEO. Fisker Coachbuild, LLC will be the exclusive design house for Fisker Automotive through the entire range of product development. The company has backing from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Palo Alto Investors and an affiliate of Qatar Investment Authority.
