The Future of the Electric Car Analyzed
Siemens electric prototype car.
The green revolution for cars is just around the corner. The electric car is part of the almost immediate future, although certainly challenges first have to be met, such as the availability of good supply and recharging networks, the development of more autonomous batteries, and the perfection of electric engines. These issues as well as many others were discussed at the I Cumbre Universitaria del Vehículo Eléctrico (1st Conference on the Electric Car) held at the Leganes campus of Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), where more than 100 experts in the field debated how to confront such issues and presented some major projects in this area.
The spark was ignited more than 10 years ago by the arrival of the first hybrid vehicle in the market, a vehicle which combines a traditional combustion engine with an electric one. But since then the panorama has changed and we now speak of “total electrification” of cars; some consultants say that within 10 years the percentage of electric cars could even reach 25%. In addition, this could result in very important savings in energy and environmental benefits, based on the data from the sector. And in the case of the electric car, 46% of the energy released by batteries is spent in propulsion, which indicates an efficiency level that is between 10% and 30% higher, with respect to the conventional combustion engine. (more…)
New Design Concepts Needed for Cars of the Future
This is the Fraunhofer wheel hub motor on the "Frecc0" demo vehicle. (Fraunhofer IFAM)
In order to make electric cars a part of everyday life, new vehicle designs and parts are needed. Take wheel hub motors, for instance. One of the advantages of wheel hub motors is that manufacturers can dispense with the conventional engine bay – the space under the »hood« or »bonnet« – since the motors are attached directly to the wheels of the vehicle. This opens up a wealth of opportunities for car designers when drafting the layout of the vehicle. Additional advantages: By dispensing with the transmission and differential, the mechanical transmission elements suffer no losses or wear and tear. Moreover, the direct drive on each individual wheel may improve the drive dynamic and drive safety.
Researchers are developing not only individual components, but the total system as well. They assemble the components on their concept car, known as the »Frecc0« or the “Fraunhofer E-Concept Car Type 0″ – a scientific test platform. Starting next year, automobile manufacturers and suppliers will also be able to use the »Frecc0« for testing new components. The basis of this demo model is an existing car: The new Artega GT manufactured by Artega Automobil GmbH. The establishment of this platform and the engineering of the wheel hub motor are just two projects among the panoply run by Fraunhofer System Research for Electromobility. (more…)
Australia Plugging into an Electric Vehicle Revolution
The road trial will monitor the travel patterns, battery capacity and performance of the plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
Over the next three months, staff from Victorian energy distributor SP AusNet will use the PHEVs for their daily drive to work and for leisure as part of CSIRO and SP AusNet trial.
CSIRO engineers have modified the PHEVs to carry a 30Ah NiMH battery which is capable of holding a 6kw charge, and a battery charger, to allow the cars to plug into and charge with electricity from the grid or from on-site renewable energy sources.
CSIRO Energy Transformed Flagship scientist Dr Phillip Paevere said the road trial is collecting extensive information on how the existing PHEV technology could be used for a new application: using the car as a large mobile battery which can be integrated and used in the home. (more…)
Engineering Students Turn Vintage MGB Into Electric Car
Roger Dougal took his 1972 MGB out of retirement and turned it over to electrical engineering students to convert it to an electric car.
The year was 1984. Roger Dougal, a newly minted Ph.D. in electrical engineering, was beginning his career in the University of South Carolina’s College of Engineering.
He was the new owner of a 1972 MGB – a red convertible, perfect for life in the Palmetto State, where he could zip along the highways and city streets with the car’s top down practically year-round. Lightweight with easy handling, the MGB was a snazzy roadster for a young professor on the go.
But that was, shall we say, soooo last century.
Fast forward about two dozen years. Now internationally recognized for his research on power sources and systems, Dougal still loves cars and has added a passion for sailboats. The MGB was collecting dust – and a few leaves – in his garage. But the professor’s ongoing curiosity about all things auto and electrical meant one thing: He had to find out if he could build an electric car. (more…)
New LifePO4 Battery Will Power European Electric Microcar
Dean MacNeil, a professor at the Université de Montréal’s Department of Chemistry and new NSERC-Phostech Lithium Industrial Research Chair in Energy Storage and Conversion, at wheel of battery-powered car with Süd-Chemie team.(Université de Montréal)
Thousands of small electric scooters, bicycles and wheelchairs throughout Europe and Asia are powered by LifePO4 –- a material used in advanced lithium-ion batteries developed by Université de Montréal researchers.
“It’s a revolutionary battery because it is made from non-toxic materials abundant in the Earth’s crust. Plus, it’s not expensive,’” says Michel Gauthier, an invited professor at the Université de Montréal Department of Chemistry and co-founder of Phostech Lithium, the company that makes the battery material. “This battery could eventually make the electric car very profitable.” (more…)
Greening Detroit by Building A Better Battery
During recent Congressional hearings concerning America’s troubled automotive industry, much of the criticism lodged against Detroit centered around the Motor City’s generations-long unwillingness to embrace fuel efficiency and environmentally sound practices. Attempting to redress that imbalance, President Obama’s economic stimulus and recovery package yokes the nation’s financial future to greener and more environmentally sound practices. Included in this landmark piece of $787 billion legislation is a $40 billion provision intended for energy efficient and renewable programs, including $2 billion earmarked for advanced battery systems. (more…)
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