Toyota Develops New Electric Car Battery
Toyota Motor has developed a secondary electric car battery that can
last up to 1,000 km per charge, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported
Monday. That is five times the energy storage capacity of existing
batteries.
Toyota came up with the prototype in collaboration with the Tokyo
Institute of Technology and the High Energy Accelerator Research
Organization. The new battery is based on a solid core and its
simplified structure means it does not require fire-retardant materials.
It eliminates the disadvantages of lithium-ion batteries, which are
based on an easily heatable and combustible liquid core.
Toyota plans to improve the battery and commercialize it sometime in
2015 to 2020, the daily added.
Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization
predicted it will be possible to cut the battery production cost to
one-fifth to one-tenth the current level by 2020.
Mazda has developed a new electrode material that can double battery
capacity, NEC a home lithium-ion battery that can last for about 20
years, and Nissan’s Leaf electric car can run 160 km per charge.
Having already formed strategic partnerships around the world, Renault
and Better Place will now be expanding their global relationship in
Australia.
Under the terms of a new agreement, Renault will import the first
electric car fitted with a switchable battery – the Renault Fluence ZE –
into the country with Better Place providing its electric car charging
network and services.
A joint marketing campaign will begin ahead of launch in 2012 with the
cars arriving by the middle of the year for customers in Canberra, and
general sales to begin later in the year. Customers that buy a Renault
Fluence ZE will sign up for a Better Place membership package tailored
for their needs.
The idea behind switchable battery technology is that it offsets the
range limitation of traditional electric vehicles as the depleted
battery can be exchanged for a fully charged one.
With Better Place membership, drivers will have unlimited access to
batteries, as well as the public charge spots and battery switch
stations. It also includes supply of 100 per cent renewable electricity,
personalised energy management and navigation services.
Better Place will begin the deployment of its infrastructure in
Canberra, the capital city, with a national rollout to follow. It is
hoped that by 2013, Australia will have the largest electric car charge
network in the world and will outpace current deployments in countries
such as the US and China.
Mitsubishi Chooses Super-Efficient Toshiba SCiB
Battery For EVs
Mitsubishi Motor Corporation (MMC) have selected Toshiba’s SCiB battery
for its -MiEV and Minicab-MiEV models. The battery uses Toshiba’s
proprietary lithium titanate oxide to make a long-life cell that can go
through 6000 charging cycles – about 2.5 times more than regular lithium
ion batteries. The battery pack can do a rapid 80% recharge in just 15
minutes, and is capable of operating in temperatures as low as minus 30
degrees Celcius.
more... Integrity
Exports - June 18, 2011
Toyota Teams Up With WiTricity for Wireless Car
Charging
Wireless charging is an appealing concept for many of us who loathe the
sight of messy power cords or the need to find outlets in public spaces.
Carmakers like the idea, too. Toyota announced Wednesday it has invested
in WiTricity and signed a technology development with the startup as
well.
... WiTricity’s technology delivers up to 3.3 KW of electricity, making
it comparable to the rate provided by wired Level 2 chargers today,
Schatz said. WiTricity’s equipment has been able to achieve 90-percent
efficiency in the lab, he added. That means a 10-percent loss between
when the electricity leaves the grid and arrives at the car battery
pack. more...
April 27, 2011
Zilla Controllers to make a comeback ...
Otmar Ebenhoech is to join forces with Rich Rudman of Manzanita
Micro to restart production and service of the Zilla motor controllers.
more... March 25, 2011
Electric Holden Commodore
... Another green car project was announced yesterday by a consortium of
five local companies.
The group has formed EV Engineering to build prototypes of Australia's
first modern large electric car using $3.5 million from the now-closed
Green Car Innovation Fund.
The consortium includes automotive suppliers Air International, Bosch,
Continental, Futuris and electric car infrastructure provider Better
Place Australia.
The $26 million project will use the Holden Commodore as the basis for
seven electric versions of Australia's number one selling passenger
vehicle, the Adelaide-built Holden Commodore.
EV Engineering chairman and former Mitsubishi Australia boss Robert McEniry said
electric vehicles would be an important part of the future of the
Australian car manufacturing industry.
more in The Age...
Stuart Martin - The Advertiser - February 19, 2011 Page 8
Cooking without gas for a change
"FUEL, sir?" Not unless you have a plug, a 30m lead and eight hours to
spare. Force of habit has taken me into a petrol station to pause,
stretch the legs and put the roof up. It's a blistering Sydney day and
top-down this Tesla Roadster is too hot for comfort.
Philip King from "The Australian" takes us on a ride in the Telsa
Roadster 2.5 Sport.
more...
Philip King - The Australian - February 5, 2011
New $10,000 electric ear on a charge
An Australian-designed electric car to be built in China plans to take
on the world with a sub-$10,000 price, an iPad like dash capable of
downloading apps and the promise of never needing fuel.
(Batteries not included in price.)
more... and
more...
Chris Harris - DRIVE - November 27, 2010
Eric Loveday - AUTOBLOGGREEN - November 30, 2010
South Australia's MTA Gets Plugged In...
The Motor Trade Association of South Australia has procured a Toyota
Prius which has been upfitted with an aftermarket plug-in conversion, as
part of its plans to develop hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric
vehicle training resources for automotive repair technicians throughout
the state of South Australia.
more...
EV World - July 24, 2010
Electric cars get a charge
The first public, on-street electric car charging station in Australia
has opened in Sydney(NSW).
The company spearheading the plan yesterday opened the station in Glebe
in the city's inner west.
The station can recharge a converted hybrid Toyota Prius in three hours.
ChargePoint Australia said the public station was expected to be the
first of many.
It was preparing to conduct charging station pilot programs in
Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth this year.
Until July 2010, access to all public ChargePoint Charging Stations
continues to be free. Stations may be accessed for free by calling the
toll-free number located on every charging station or by activating a
ChargePass RFID-based Smart Card.
Starting in July 2010 owners of ChargePoint Charging stations will have
the option to set a fee for accessing their stations.
more...
Adelaide Advertiser - May 25, 2010 Page 16
CBD plug for electric car recharge
Electric cars now have a charging point in a city car park.
Adelaide City Council says a city parking station now has spaces where
electric cars and powered wheelchairs can recharge.
That parking station was chosen because it has solar roof panels.
The idea was proposed by an electric car enthusiast, Bruce White, who
thinks it will be of great benefit.
more... ABC News - March 31, 2010
Electric Cars in Adelaide
Today we launched our first electric car charging station at the Grote
Street Car Park; keep an eye out on the news tonight on Channels 2 & 9.
It’s been a big week for the future of electric cars in Adelaide because
on Monday evening I got council to fund and prepare an Electric Vehicle
Strategy to fast track their implementation.
There are nearly 30 models of plug in electric car likely to be on the
market within 3 or 4 years and “Better Place”, a major electric car
infrastructure company, estimates that by 2020 around 20% of cars will
be electric.
more... Stephen Yarwood - Adelaide City Councillor - March 31, 2010
Electric Motorbike to Leave Tomago for World Record
Bid.
AN electric motorbike crew will swap its Tomago (NSW) test track for a
desert salt flat as it strains for the world record land speed.
Electronics store employee Jon Eggenhuizen built the Catavolt bike for
the electric vehicle record attempt at South Australia's Lake Gairdner.
It is based on the less powerful version he rides to work in Cardiff
every day.
After months of testing on a Tomago property, rider Kearon De Clouet
will try to push the bike beyond the record of 259kmh.
more... and
more...
by TIM CONNELL
The Herald - February 23, 2010
Tesla, Panasonic collaborate on EV batteries.
It seems that when Panasonic President Fumio Ohtsubo said in December
that his company would invest $1 billion in green technologies for the
home, he may already have had a deal in the works for the garage.
Panasonic will be collaborating with Tesla Motors to develop
next-generation nickel-based lithium ion battery cells for electric
vehicles, both companies announced Thursday.
more cnet
news - January 7, 2010
Electric Cars Are Put To The Test.
The first stage of a government-supported electric car trial has started
in the West Midlands.
A total of 340 vehicles will be tested across the UK, 110 of those will
be based in Birmingham and Coventry.
The aim of the project is to find out how the cars are used, and when
they need charging, to get a better idea of how practical electric cars
would be.
An initial 25 Mitsubishi i-MiEV cars have been given out to test drivers
in the region.
The remaining ones will be given to drivers, who were specially selected
for the trials by Coventry University researchers, throughout next year.
more and more
BBC & Cabled - December
13, 2009
Electric Vehicle Breaks Distance Record
An electric vehicle (EV) has traveled 555.6 kilometers from Tokyo to
Osaka, setting a new world record for the distance covered by an
electric car on a single charge.
The electric vehicles version of Daihatsu Motor's Mira compact car was
developed by the Japan Electric Vehicle Club, a Tokyo based citizens'
group promoting the widespread use of electric cars.
Powered by 360 kilograms (8,320 cells) of Sanyo Electric Co.'s lithium
ion batteries, the Mira EV, which departed Tokyo's Nihonbashi district
at 3 a.m. on Nov. 17, took two breaks on the way and crossed the finish
line at Osaka's Nipponbashi district at 4:26 p.m. the same day.
The achievement smashed the world record of 501 kilometers held by a
U.S. firm, and it will be listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
"I am so excited to complete the whole distance," said driver Tateuchi
Tadashi, an automotive critic and group representative.
more
evwind - December 5, 2009
Electrifying Auto Record
The managing director of Internode, Simon Hackett, achieved a world
record in the 2009 Global Green Challenge car race from Darwin to
Adelaide. (October 24 - 31, 2009)
Driving his Tesla sports car, Mr. Hackett and co-driver Emilis
Prelgauskas set a new record for distance - 501km - for a production
vehicle driven on a single charge.
He says he is "thrilled" by the record which included having the car's
charge port door security sealed during the run.
The Advertiser "Business Monthly" (insert), November 3, 2009 -
Page 16
Electric cars new hope for ailing motor industry
ABC 7:30 Report (Australian TV) - September 15, 2009
Video and photo available
...
more
Bid for electric car recharge stations (Adelaide, South Australia)
Lord mayor Michael Harbison is driving a push to install a network of
green-powered electric car recharge stations in CBD car parks.
...
more
Adelaide Advertiser September 14, 2009 - Page 21
Magnetic road strips could power electric cars
SOUTH Korea's top technology university has developed a plan to power electric cars through recharging strips embedded in roadways that use a technology to transfer energy found in some electric toothbrushes.
...
more
news.com.au May 18, 2009
Government give electric car green light
The (Australian) federal government has given an electric car the green
light to drive on Australian roads.
Designed and produced in Japan by Mitsubishi, the (iMiEV) plug-in
electric car can be driven 160km at speeds of up to 130km/h when fully
charged.
Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said the all-electric design brought
Australia a step closer to emissions-free driving. ...more
Brisbane Times April 8, 2009
Recharge Stations For Adelaide
LORD Mayor Michael Harbison will consider providing recharge stations
for electric cars across the city.
Stations could be offered in city car parks and on streets.
After test driving Mitsubishi's new electric iMiEV vehicle yesterday, Mr
Harbison said the city council was eager to stage a trial - with an eye
to wider application.
"The car was fantastic, it was really like driving a Mercedes-Benz. It's
so quiet, so powerful and comfortable," he said.
"I personally would buy one tomorrow if I could. I think it's a terrific
advance in personal transport, especially for a city like Adelaide
that's compact, that's flat. We would be ready to use cars like this . .
. as soon as they could be provided by the manufacturers. We would
definitely consider putting in electric gas stations if the cars were
adopted."
Mitsubishi Motors is on a tour visiting governments and businesses to
generate support ahead of the vehicle's release next year. The company
refuses to speculate on the price of the electric vehicles.
The cars have a range of about 80km, enabling commuters to live up to
70km from the city.
The Advertiser March 25, 2009 Page 16
Electric Cars Now!
This article is based on material presented in a seminar by Dr Andrew
Simpson. Dr Simpson specialises in technology and policy for
electric-drive vehicles. ...more
March 17, 2009
Battery breakthrough means rarely having to recharge
Current batteries made of lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) are good at
storing large amounts of electricity but stumble at releasing it. They
are better at dispensing the power in a steady flow than at discharging
it or gaining it in a sudden burst. As a result, electric cars perform
best when traveling along the motorway at a constant speed rather than
when they are accelerating, and their batteries take hours to recharge
when they run down.
Until now, the finger of blame has pointed at charged lithium atoms.
These ions, along with electrons, move too sluggishly through the
battery material before arriving at the terminal to deliver their charge
- or so it was thought.
But a pair of materials experts at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) say the problem lies not with the ions but rather at
how the ions gain access to nano-scale tunnels that riddle the material
and transport the electrons to their destination. ...more
Sydney Morning Herald March 12, 2009
Perth (Western Australia) Car Park with Vehicle Charging Facilities.
The Elder Street Car Park is being redeveloped and one of the facilities
to be included is charging stations for hybrid/electric cars...
more
January 2009
Plug-in Power, Peak Performer
The almost imperceptible hum of the electric motor and the cooling
whoosh of the wind are shattered by one comment from the car's driver.
"If we built this without the proper parts or the know-how in six
months, why is it taking car manufacturers so long?" asks Professor
Thomas Braunl, of the University of WA's (Western Australia's)
engineering facility. It's difficult to argue. Some university students
and their lecturers bought and transformed a 2008 Hyundai Getz from a
petrol fuelled hatchback to one running solely on plug-in power. It cost
$15,000 in materials... the bonus is that it costs 1.4c a kilometer to
run - about one-tenth of its petrol filled equivalent. "It will charge
in four to six hours and that's enough for 100km." Professor Thomas
Braunl says... The conversion required removing the conventional 70kW
petrol engine and its ancillaries - exhaust, fuel tank, cooling system
and clutch - while retaining the five-speed manual gearbox. Under the
bonnet went a 28kW electric motor and its controller, with a 144V
lithium-ion battery pack in a safety cage within the boot. Despite the
addition of the large battery pack and the electric motor, the Getz
weighs the same as its petrol donor...
The Advertiser (CarsGuide) February 28, 2009 Page 16
Dodge Plugs In
More car makers are plugging in to the modern electric car movement. The
Dodge Circuit EV is an example for driving enthusiasts. It boasts a
0-100km/h time of about five seconds, a 400m sprint in 13 seconds and a
maximum speed topping 190km/h. Dodge is part of the Chrysler group
which, after giving a glimpse of its developing technology in the U.S.,
is starting with this sporty EV and the Chrysler 200C EV four-door sedan
(series hybrid) being displayed at the Geneva Motor Show next month...
The Dodge Circuit EV (plug-in electric) has an electric motor rated at
200kW power and uses lithium-ion batteries... Dodge claims the driving
range of 250km to 330km.
The Advertiser (CarsGuide) February 28, 2009 Page 3
Electric Cars
The British Government has given a $2.4 billion boost to electric-car
development as the country bids to become the world leader in hybrid and
electric transport.
The UK plan includes encouraging carmakers to demonstrate the potential
of electric cars in major cities and towns, as well as creation of a
consortium to develop a hybrid-drive system which can be retrofitted to
delivery vans.
The Government believes its move to a low-carbon economy could create
10,000 jobs in the short term with up to one million "green" jobs in the
country by 2030.
The Advertiser (CarsGuide) February 7, 2009 Page 3
Plugging into driving industry
IT'S the $70,000 car that could save the environment and a city's
economy.
The New England city of Armidale is developing its own electric car
industry.
Local company Energetique is building a hi-tech electric car based on a
Mazda2 five-door hatch called the evMe....
more
Article from: The Daily Telegraph January 12, 2009
$20,000 electric car: Toyota FT-EV
Toyota has unveiled a budget priced electric car that can be driven up
to 80km without using a drop of petrol, reports Joshua Dowling in
Detroit...
more
TOYOTA - Solar Car Plan
Toyota is secretly developing a solar powered vehicle in an effort to
turnaround its struggling business, a top economic daily reported
yesterday. The Nikkei newspaper, however, said it would be years before the
planned vehicle was available on the market.
According to The Nikkei, the Toyota electric vehicle will get
some of its power from solar cells on the vehicle but could also be
recharged from solar panels on the roof of homes. Toyota later hopes to
develop a model totally powered by solar cells on the vehicle.
Fiat has developed an off-road concept vehicle that is kind to the
planet.
Some might view an environmentally friendly off-road vehicle as a
contradiction in terms, but as far as the Brazilian team that designed
the Fiat Bugster is concerned, it's all about guilt-free fun.
The Bugster, rolled out this week at the little-known Sao Paulo motor
show in Brazil, is a plug-in electric car powered by 93 lithium-ion
batteries built into the chassis.
...
more
Steve Colquhoun, The Age, November 1, 2008
GMH VOLT
General Motors Holden has unveiled that,
as part of its eco-friendly strategy, it will be importing and selling
the Chevrolet Volt extended range electric vehicle in Australia from
2012.
The Advertiser -
October 10, 2008 Page 5
Prologue Hybrid
Peugeot will unveil a
new-generation hybrid - the Prologue concept car. The Prologue, thought
to be a diesel-electric hybrid, has 147kW of power on offer with
significantly-reduced CO2 emissions - 109g/km or zero when running in
electric-only mode.
The company will release more details at the car's official unveiling at
next month's Paris motor show.
The Advertiser (CarsGuide) - September 27, 2008 Page 3
South African company - Optimal Energy - launches "Joule" electric car
September 11, 2008: Optimal Energy introduces an electric car which will
travel up to 100km before recharging is required. The company also
offers an option of 400Km range. ...
more
Electric Chryslers move up a gear
Chrysler says it
will put an electric car on sale in North America in 2010, revealing
that despite missing out on the buzz surrounding the Chevrolet Volt, it
is neck-and-neck with General Motors in the race to put a mass-produced
electric car on U.S.roads.
The firm showed off three electric protoypes: a Dodge sports car, a Jeep
Wrangler and a Chrysler minivan. Chrysler product development chief
Frank Klegon said the firm had not decided which one to roll out first.
The Dodge sports car is completely electric and based on Lotus Europa
underpinnings, but the Jeep Wrangler and Chrysler minivan models will be
extended range vehicles similar to the Volt, which GM has said will go
on sale in November, 2010.
Like the Volt, the Wrangler and minivan plug into a standard wall outlet
and can go 65Km on battery power alone, but then a small gasoline engine
kicks in to recharge the batteries. Chrysler said its vehicles would be
able to travel up to 640Km on 30 litres of petrol.
GM's Volt is expected to cost $US30,000 to $US40,000 initially, far more
expensive than conventional cars. Chrysler officials said they hoped to
drive down the cost as vehicles were sold.
Chrysler chief executive Bob Nardelli denied it had shown off electric
prototypes now; as Congress considered a $US25 billion loan program to
help car makers and suppliers modernise plants to make more
fuel-efficient vehicles.
The Advertiser - September
25, 2008 Page 63
Rebirth Of Electric Car To Power GM
More than a
decade after the EV1 was killed off, General Motors has turned to a new
generation electric vehicle as its saviour.
The Production version of its Volt petrol-electric car has been unveiled
as part of the company's centenary celebration.
The EV1 - listed by the company as one of its most significant vehicles
during the 100-year celebrations - was the subject of Who Killed The
Electric Car, which pinned guilt on oil companies, car companies
(including GM), the US government and consumers. GM chairman and CEO
Rick Wagoner said revealing the Volt production version was a great way
to open the company's second century.
"The Volt is symbolic of GM's strong commitment to the future... just
the kind of technology innovation that our industry needs to respond to
today's and tomorrow's energy and environmental challenges," he said.
There are no plans to introduce a Volt-like vehicle to Australia but GM
Asia-Pacific president Nick Reilly told The Advertiser in May
that the diesel and hybrid-powered Commodores could be introduced by
2010. The U.S. company - and its arch rival Ford - have both suffered
sales drops as fuel prices hit the American vehicle market hard.
Sales of the large cars, SUV's and sports trucks have been hit hard as
U.S. car buyers look for smaller alternatives.
GM says the Chevrolet Volt - which uses a bio-fuel compatible
internal-combustion engine to charge an electric powertrain - has a 64km
electric-only driving range.
Its electric drivetrain has more than 220 lithium-ion cells in a battery
pack and delivers around 112kW of power as well as 370Nm of instant
torque, which GM claims is enough for a 160km/h top speed. The Volt's
bio-fuel range-extending engine creates electricity on-board to extend
the range of the vehicle to well over 700km. GM said Volt can also be plugged into a standard house hold outlet
for charging, with recharging completed in as little as three hours.
GM Holden marked the start of the second century of its parent company
General Motors with a display of historic Australian-built GM vehicles
including Cadillacs, Oldsmobiles, Chevrolets, Holdens and Pontiacs in
Melbourne yesterday. GM Holden chairman and managing director Mark Reuss
said Holden and Australia had played a key part in the development of
General Motors.
The Advertiser - September 18, 2008 Page 7
The Lightning car company is proud to release one of the UK's first
electric sports cars for 2008.
Combining classic,
British sports car design with racing car technology and state of the
art NanoSafe™ battery power and Hi-Pa Drive™ electric motor innovation,
the Lightning has been developed with exhilarating performance front of
mind. Whilst its head-turning looks will appeal to the most discerning
of drivers, unlike other sports cars, the Lightning is also easy on the
conscience. With virtually no polluting emissions, this energy-efficient
car uses clean technology and will have the ultimate green rating.
Following production of several petrol Lightnings and with the electric
prototype build now well underway, the electric Lightning GT is now
available to pre-order.
U.S. auto manufacturers could receive up to $US6
billion in direct loans to modernise their assembly plants to build
petrol-electric hybrids and advanced vehicles under an agreement reached
by Senate leaders.
An additional $US300 million would develop advanced batteries critical
for plug-in hybrid vehicles, said Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan,
who had sought the funding.
The provisions will be included in a stimulus package to be considered
in September.
"This is about supporting our industries to retool..." Senator Stabenow
said.
The Advertiser
- August 1, 2008 - Page 85
Mini Also Plugs In
BMW's Mini also will be offered in electric
models in the U.S by the middle of next year.
Mini U.S. vice-president Jim McDowell said, reports that 500 electric
cars would be sold in California next year were premature because there
was no final plan. U.S. Mini sales are up 34 per cent so far this year.
The Advertiser - July 24, 2008
Lithium Packs a Punch
SAN JOSE, California. The
lithium-ion battery used in personal electronic devices will soon become
the battery of choice for vehicles, a U.S. conference heard yesterday.
Tien Duoung, of the U.S. Department of Energy, told the Plug-In 2008
conference lithium-ion batteries were already starting to displace the
nickel-metal-hydride batteries now used in many hybrid petrol-electric
vehicles. Lithium-Ion batteries are suited for rechargeable vehicles
because they have more storage capacity, are smaller and more reliable.
However, the Electric Power Research Institute's Haresh Kamath said
lithium-ion batteries to power even a small car now cost more than
$US10,000.
The Advertiser - July 23, 2008 - Page 58
Call to ban petrol cars
HOKKAIDO, JAPAN: Gordon
Brown wants to see petrol-driven cars off the roads within 12 years as
evidence that Britain can break its addiction to oil.
The British Prime Minister - hailing a climate change agreement by world
leaders at the G8 summit in Japan yesterday - insisted all new vehicles
could be powered by electric or hybrid engines by 2020.
The driving force to achieve that goal, he said, would be rising fuel
costs and road taxes.
The Advertiser - July 10, 2008 - Page 36
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