The Electric Car Revolution is on

[Concrete Stereo]

The Europe electricity network is one network these days - if Denmark has a peak in demand, trough Germany it buys electricity from the Netherlands. Apart from that, electric charging will mostly be done at night at home (it's most convenient and cheap), in the hours of low power demand, and can be programmed. I don't think the electricity production will be the bottle neck

[AltinD]

Of course it is a integrated net but still it can't support e sudden peak of demand in just a few years. And the time of re-charge is irrelevant when we're talking about the overall requirements from the net.

Keep in mind that the rush to introduce electric vehicles by the EU manufacturers is MOSTLY to meet the stringer (combined) fleet emission standarts to enter in force in 2012. Why do you think Aston Martin is planning to introduce it's version of the Toyota IQ?

[Concrete Stereo]

Introducing electric cars in 2011-2012 means years will pass before they'll be around in significant numbers - say 10%. Personally I don't think the European net will have any problems following the demand.

[The E.N.D]

South Africa's electric car,the Joule.

[VelesHomais]

I'm not too worried about electricity supplies, there's really no reason why new Nuclear Power Plants can't be built. In fact, Ukraine is building two new nuclear reactors right now, in addition to 15 existing ones. 22 more will be built by 2030, according to an adopted state program. Once again, there's no danger anymore, not more than other power plants, anyhow.

It's simple, everyone has to start building more Nuclear Power Plants and start investing heavily into Wind and Solar energy, which will compliment and ease the transition. Both Wind and Solar Energy can produce all the energy we will ever need, alone by each other. Advances in Solar Energy batteries are also now rising increasingly fast.

[Remolino]

Thing is will electric motors have the power to move autos or trucks up steep hills.

Found a UK. inventor who is trying to perfect a steam engine for autos. It is called the Barrett Steam Engine. It produces PSI of over 1500 at temperatures of over 900 F. They say Steam Engines are better then other types of engines or motors when it comes to power.


Video of the Barrett Steam Engine in an auto - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOsEYpIQomE&NR=1

Video of it the engine actually moving the auto - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aywIVjUyIFc&NR=1

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

That's actually very interesting. It's taking something from history and touching it up for the future. After all, there are cars from the start of the 20th Century that run on steam. Jay Leno has some in his massive car collection.

[Turknology]

Originally Posted by Get Smart

easier said than done, how will you get the electricity, fuel/gas/coal needs to be burned to get the power. solar electricity is not enough at the moment, neither is hydro electric to power all the cars.

Russkies have been contracted to build nuclear power plants in Turkey

[Turknology]

Originally Posted by Remolino

Thing is will electric motors have the power to move autos or trucks up steep hills.

Found a UK. inventor who is trying to perfect a steam engine for autos. It is called the Barrett Steam Engine. It produces PSI of over 1500 at temperatures of over 900 F. They say Steam Engines are better then other types of engines or motors when it comes to power.


Video of the Barrett Steam Engine in an auto - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOsEYpIQomE&NR=1

Video of it the engine actually moving the auto - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aywIVjUyIFc&NR=1

I don't see electrically powered motors to be used in commercial vehicles in the near future.

one step at a time.

[VelesHomais]

Electric trucks are coming out around 2012-2013

[Turknology]

will they be able to deal with the load?

[VelesHomais]

I assume so batteries from three years into the future are going to be far more efficient

[Turknology]

Originally Posted by VelesHomais

I assume so batteries from three years into the future are going to be far more efficient

I just can't see electric powered trucks pulling trailers full of tons of goods for now.

[VelesHomais]

Why not? About 10% of all trucks are going to be fully electric by 2020, if not more. The rest hybrids of various kinds. Even today electric trucks are starting to rapidly become a reality

[VelesHomais]

Freightliner Taps Tesla To Build an Electric Truck



The technology underpinning the sexy Tesla Roadster is showing up in the last place you’d expect to find it — a truck.

The Silicon Valley automaker is providing the batteries Freightliner Custom Chassis is putting in the electric trucks it will have on the road next year. Freightliner has offered CNG and hybrid electric trucks for years and it’s about to start selling a hydraulic hybrid. It says electrics are the logical next step.

“We’re trying to drive some of the revolution within the commercial sector,” says Jonathan Randall, director of sales and marketing. “The is one more arrow in our quiver to make sure we’re following the technology and providing what our customers want.”

We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating — fleets are a perfect application for electric vehicles. The vehicles follow set routes, so range isn’t a problem. They’re kept at centralized depots, making recharging a breeze. Yes, EVs cost more up front, but they’re cheaper to operate — Freightliner says its electric rig will save $15,000 a year in fuel and maintenance costs. Ford recognizes this as well, which is one reason it’s rolling out the light-duty Transit Connect Electric van at the end of the year.

Freightliner already builds a lot of the delivery trucks — called walk-in vans — you see trundling around town. It essentially took the chassis from one of those trucks, the MT-45, and swapped the engine and transmission for a motor and a really big battery.

Enova provided the motor, which produces 120 kilowatts peak power (about 160 horsepower) and 45 kilowatts (about 60 horsepower) continuous. The controller and charger also came from Enova. The juice comes from batteries made by Tesla Motors.

The pack is comprised of three 18.5 kilowatt-hour modules for a total of 55.5 kilowatt hours. That’s good for “somewhere north of 100 miles range,” says Mike Stark, who leads Freightliner’s alt fuel efforts. He says “somewhere north” because the truck is still being tested. Need more range? Add more modules to the pack. Stark says the truck can handle as many as five, which would provide a staggering 92.5 kilowatts.

“We can add and deduct packs to suit the customers needs and budget,” Stark said.

The battery is essentially the same as the Roadster’s 53 kilowatt-hour pack. Each module contains 2,000 cells and weighs 300 pounds. The cells are the same kind you’ll find in your laptop — 18650 lithium cobalt oxide. Plug the truck into a 220-volt line and it’s good to go in six to eight hours.

All of the components fit between the frame rails and what would be the engine compartment in a conventional truck, so there’s no loss in cargo space or capacity. The electric van will have a 2,500-pound payload. Although the battery pack weighs 900 pounds, Stark says the electric drivetrain is lighter than the engine and transmission it replaced.

Freightliner Custom Chassis is a subsidiary of Daimler, which bought a stake in Tesla Motors almost a year ago, so you might this was a sweetheart deal for Tesla. Not so, says Stark. Tesla’s pack ran the testing gauntlet alongside those of several other manfacturers and came out on top fair and square.

“We talked to Tesla because of the relationship with Daimler,” Stark said. “But we also found they offered the best energy density for the price and the packaging. We believe they provide the best product for our application.”

No one’s discussing terms of the deal — Tesla didn’t return a call seeking comment — but whatever they are, Tesla’s gotta be happy because it brings in additional revenue. The company also is providing the batteries Daimler is using in its electric Smart ForTwo.

Freightliner plans to wrap up testing soon and have the truck rolling off an assembly line by the middle of next year. No one’s saying how many it might build — “Whatever the market will bear” is all Randall would say. But, he said, Freightliner has already booked its first order.

Photo: Freightliner Custom Chassis

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/03...lectric-truck/

[Turknology]

I was thinking more in the line of

[VelesHomais]

I understand, but can we really judge the near-future potential of electric trucks by comparing the very first electric trucks at the very beginning of a true electric car revolution? No, we can only look at them as indicators that there's nothing that's impossible.

[Turknology]

Originally Posted by VelesHomais

I understand, but can we really judge the near-future potential of electric trucks by comparing the very first electric trucks at the very beginning of a true electric car revolution? No, we can only look at them as indicators that there's nothing that's impossible.

I'm just saying that electrically powered motors will be used in private vehicles and not commercial ones, commercial ones will continue to use petroleum based fuels, only after electrical motors are advanced enough will they replace conventional engines in commercial vehicles.

[VelesHomais]

Actually... we may be closer to that target than I thought

All-Electric Drayage Truck (Balqon)

The heavy-duty electric short-haul drayage truck -- the first of its kind at any port worldwide -- can pull a 60,000-pound cargo container.

Already operational in San-Francisco port.

[VelesHomais]

Originally Posted by Turknology

I'm just saying that electrically powered motors will be used in private vehicles and not commercial ones, commercial ones will continue to use petroleum based fuels, only after electrical motors are advanced enough will they replace conventional engines in commercial vehicles.

I'm not so sure about that, there are plenty of electric cars coming out now for exclusively commercial use.