CarBuyersNoteBook

Wheego Scheduled to Unveil Full-Speed Prototype

The Full-Speed Wheego Whip Life is scheduled to be in attendance at the Washington Auto Show today, christened as the first affordable electric car. The Full-Speed Wheego Whip Life runs on Lithium Ion Batteries and can reportedly run 100 miles on a single charge. It takes about 8 hours to recharge on a standard house outlet.

The target price for the Full-Speed Wheego Whip Life will be $32,000 but with a Federal Tax Credit of $7,500, the car will only go for $24,500. Features include remote keyless entry, air conditioning, and an MP3 stereo system. The Low-Speed version of the Wheego Whip will be available for test drives at the Washington Auto Show in the ride-and-drive area.

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Peugeot Unveils BB1 Electric Vehicle

Peugeot has unveiled a new emission-free electric car in the market coined the BB1. This new concept electric car can seat up to 4 adults and can go as far as 75 miles. It is easy to park and is fitted with two electric motors mounted at the rear wheel. It runs on two lithium-ion batteries and the passenger compartment ventilation keeps operating in daylight thanks to solar panels on the roof of the vehicle.

No word on whether this will become official nor numbers to support it. But maybe when everything is ironed out, we can get more specifics about this latest electric car from Peugeot.

Image Credits: Channel 4

(Source) Press

Posted in Alternative Energy, Cars, Concept Cars | 0 Comments

Panasonic Sponsors MIT Solar Team

Panasonic Corporation will be participating at the upcoming Global Green Challenge in October to be held in Australia, sponsoring the Solar Electric Vehicle Team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology by supplying high capacity lithium-ion batteries. In return, the MIT SEVT team will be placing the Panasonic logo on the body of the vehicle.

The Global Green Challenge is an offshoot of the World Solar Challenge which started out in 1987 in Australia. With the call for alternative power and fuel alternatives for better transportation, it looks like the attention has been on these solar powered transport alternatives. Mostly conceptualized by students, it would not be surprising to find a new vehicle coming out from these project cars as one of the sure observers will be the car manufacturers themselves who are soliciting ideas from such events.

Solar cars use motors which run on electricity generated by solar panels. Excess electricity is stored in their batteries. The batteries supply electricity to the motor when the electricity from the solar panel is insufficient, due to overcast skies or at night.

(Source) Press

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Ener1 and Nissan Team up for New Lithium Ion Batteries

With the projected demand for electric and hybrid vehicles expected to boom in the coming years, the need for lithium-ion batteries is expected to rise as well. And while many companies have come up with their various versions of lithium-ion batteries for their cars, Nissan and Ener1 have partnered to try and come up with a new generation of electrical conductive material intended to reduce cost and improve the performance of electric and hybrid vehicle batteries.

For sure, once electric transportation dominates the market, focus will be on the batteries for cars. We have seen a wide array of lithium-ion batteries in the market and for sure further enhancements will be coming out once they are used in the market.

Apparently, Nissan is not taking any chances. And with their affiliation with Ener1, Nissan is looking towards the future for broader options as far as batteries are concerned. It is practically imminent that lithium-ion batteries will be replacing fuel and be the next need that motorists will be cramming for.

(Source) Press

Posted in Alternative Energy, Nissan | 0 Comments

New Smith Newtons Arrive at Fortune 500 Companies

The turn for the best has just started for some of the biggest names in the Fortune 500 companies. Coca Cola, Staples, Frito-Lay, and AT&T are going electric as they receive their first batch of electric trucks that will certainly be key elements towards their daily operations.

The Newton, the first commercial all-electric truck to achieve new vehicle emissions certification in California, has also made its way to two new utility companies. Kansas City Power & Light (KCP&L) also received their keys to their all new Smith Newtons, signaling the start of their eco-friendly phase towards transport service needs.

Specs of the Smith Newton Truck:

• Motor – 120 kw Induction Motor
• Battery – Lithium-Ion Batteries Payload – 7,392 lbs to 16,280 lbs
• Gross Vehicle Weight – 16,535 lbs, 23,148 lbs or 26,455 lbs
• Range – In excess of 100 miles (one battery charge)
• Top Speed – 50 mph
• On-board Battery Charger
• Full Battery Recharge – 6 to 8 hours

(Source) Press

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More Mercedes-Benz S 400 hybrid details leak out

First revealed back in September of last year, Mercedes-Benz’s S 400 hybrid vehicle has been a much sought after vehicle. Today we are proud to announce that we have gotten our hands on some more details regarding the car.

We now know that the S 400 will feature a lithuim-ion battery that will power the car’s 15 kW electric motor. Don’t worry though as it will be paired with a 279HP 3.5-liter V6 engine for added power. Together, this combination is said to provide up to 385 Nm of torque and make for a top speed of 250 km/m. Furthermore, the S 400 is said to get around 30 mph which is none to bad for a car of this stature.

If reports back in February stay true, we shall see the Mercedes-Benz S 400 hybrid later this summer.

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Posted in 2009 Vehicles, 2010 Vehicles, Alternative Energy, Cars, Mercedes | 0 Comments

Hitachi Develops New Lithium Iron Battery

Hitachi has announced the release of a new lithium iron battery, aimed at the new breed of hybrid electric vehicles that are slowly increasing in the market. Boasting of a supposed high power density of 4,500 W/kg, 1.7 times the output of the company’s mass-produced, automotive lithium-ion batteries, this new battery is certain to be a welcome addition to the auto industry.

To reduce internal resistance, the battery employs a new manganese cathode and an original Hitachi battery structure, such as thinner electrodes, power collection method and effective configurations.

With the apparent rise of hybrid electric vehicles, companies are trying to get into the fray by developing battery options to help run these new technological vehicles. Apparently Hitachi has joined the mix, expanding the number of companies that are vying for the preferred lithium iron battery available in the market.

Sampling of the new battery by domestic and overseas car manufacturers will start in the fall.

(Source) Industry Week

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ExxonMobil Develops New Films for Safer Lithium-Ion Batteries

With the demand for lithium-ion batteries expected to increase, ExxonMobil takes the initiative in making sure that they distribute quality and efficient batteries once that happens. ExxonMobil Chemical continues to extend its technology leadership with the development of two new grades of V series co-extruded battery separator films. These new developmental grades will help make lithium-ion batteries (LIB) safer than ever before for hybrid and electric vehicles, power tools and electronic devices including laptop computers.

Featuring improved thermal stability and lower shutdown temperature for a higher safety margin, the developmental grades add to the company’s battery separator film portfolio that includes the award-winning V-series separator films introduced in 2007. Based on the same advanced co-extrusion technology platform and proprietary wet bi-orientation manufacturing process as V-series separator films, the developmental grades can help prevent thermal runaway in batteries while providing LIB designers more flexibility in selecting electrode systems and formats in battery designs to improve power and capacity density.

ExxonMobil Chemical currently manufactures battery separator films in Nasu, Japan, and is building a manufacturing facility in Gumi, Korea, to accommodate additional demand and serve global customers reliably and efficiently. The new manufacturing plant will be completed in 2010.

(Source) Press

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Nanoball Batteries Recharging in Only 5 Minutes

It looks like a new kind of technology aimed at the electric car industry is on the horizon and they come in the form of Nanoball batteries. Byoungwoo Kang and Gerbrand Ceder of MIT have improved the design of a “nanoball battery,” which has a cathode that is composed of nanosized balls of lithium iron phosphate. As the battery charges, the nanoballs release lithium ions that travel across an electrolyte to the anode. As the battery discharges, the opposite occurs, and the lithium ions are reabsorbed by the nanoballs in the cathode.

The key to the nanoball battery’s quick charge time is the speed at which the lithium iron phosphate nanoballs in the cathode can release and absorb lithium ions. In conventional lithium ion batteries, detaching the ions from the normal cathode takes a relatively long time. By coating each nanoball with a thin layer of lithium phosphate, Kang and Ceder showed that they could detach the lithium ions from the nanoballs even quicker than previous studies have found.

To demonstrate the technology, the researchers fabricated a small battery that could be fully charged or discharged in 10 to 20 seconds, which would otherwise have taken six minutes. The scientists’ tests showed that the new material degrades less than other battery materials after repeated charges and discharges. This means that the battery could be made with less material, which could possibly lead to smaller, lighter batteries.

(Source) Physorg

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Zero Electric City Car

With a design slightly smaller than a Mini Cooper, the Zero can run a range of 88 miles on a single full charge. The Zero will weigh just 1,200 pounds, an incredibly light figure for a car carrying 312 pounds worth of lithium ion batteries.

While the charging time leaves a lot to be desired (A full charge takes up to 9 hours!), an 80% charge can be done in 50 minutes. Quite a weird discrepancy if you ask me.

Amusingly, there’s no specified 0-60 time because the Zero can’t do it; its top speed is just 56 mph, although it can hit 30 mph in five seconds, putting it somewhat behind the average Vespa according to the report. So it’s not a performance car.

It sure looks great, though. Tazzari is targeting a rather high 20,000 Euro price point for the thing, and plans to sell the eco-friendly vehicle in Europe and in the Caribbean starting later this year.

(Source) AutoblogGreen

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