Skip to content

Tag Archives: battery

Chrysler’s Super Secret Electric Trio

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

After the big splash last week with GM’s Volt announcement, Chrysler has decided to release information on their previously secret electric car program. Chrysler announced plans today to introduce a full line of electric vehicles by late 2010, including cars, trucks and SUV’s.

Chrysler Chairman Robert Nardelli introduced three new cars; an extended-range electric Chrysler EV Minivan, an extended-range electric Jeep EV , and a fully electric sports car dubbed the Dodge EV. Like GM, Chrysler is dealing with a technology that isn’t quite ready for prime-time. Chrysler is currently working with “four or five” out of the dozen lithium-ion battery companies to have something ready by 2010. Chrysler is launching a new joint venture with General Electric (Chrysler CEO Nardelli former employer) aimed at developing even more advanced battery systems

Chrysler, which was acquired a year ago by private-equity group Cerberus Capital Management LP, has been searching for partners to help it keep in the race to launch high-tech cars that cut fuel consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions.

Dodge Electric Vehicle
The planned Dodge EV will be a rear-wheel-drive sports car that seats two and has a 268 horsepower electric motor that creates a stout 480 lb-ft of torque. Performance is zero to 60 in fewer than five seconds and a 13 second quarter mile time. All of this comes with a driving range of 150-200 miles on an eight hour charge. Do these numbers sound familiar? They should, the EV is built on a Lotus Europa platform, and sports almost the same technology as the Tesla Roadster.

Jeep Electric Vehicle
The Jeep Wrangler EV will have an engine capable of producing 268 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. The estimated range is 40 miles electric; 400 miles total with gasoline assist.

Chrysler Town & Country EV
“The Chrysler EV combines the electric-drive components of an Electric Vehicle with an integrated small-displacement engine and generator to produce additional electricity to power the electric-drive system when needed. This provides all of the positive attributes of an Electric Vehicle and extends the driving range to be equivalent to today’s gasoline-powered vehicles – without compromises.”

Turn Your Garmin Nuvi Into a Powerful Red Light Camera & Speed Trap Detector For Only $9.99 !

10435048

Filed in Cars, Chrysler, Electric Car | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (13)

Lotus Elise – Various Battery Options

Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Various Options

Odyssey PC925 – Requires Custom Mount

Optima Group 35 Red Top – Normal Terminal Option – Fits the stock hold down

Filed in DIY, Lotus | Also tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Who Killed the Electric Car

Sunday, July 20, 2008

EV1

EV1

We watched Who Killed the Electric Car last night on the Tivo.  I am surprised that I have not watched before, but I guess I figured it would just be a rant.  Surprisingly, I felt they had a very balanced message, rightfully placing the blame on pretty much everyone.

 

  • Consumers – wanting huge SUV’s instead of smaller efficient vehicles
  • Car Companies – Too addicted to ICE (Internal Combustion Engine)
  • Gas Companies – wanting to preserve current profits $$$
  • Government – Not mandating change
  • CARB – Switching from a mandate for electric to hydrogen at the last minute

The funny part is that if Toyota, GM, and Ford all had continued production of their EV’s, they would be selling like hot cakes today.  Toyota had a very usable RAV EV, GM had the EV1, and Ford had the Th!nk, which they have since sold to a European firm.  All of these cars were in production, and could be sold today.  And, with the advances in battery technology (imagine a EV1 with LiON batteries!), they would be even better, and cheaper.

Let’s hope the car companies can get their EV’s back into production, and start getting practical PHEV’s into production.


Filed in Cars, GM, Movie | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (14)

BMW – Mini to Produce Electric Cars in California

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

It looks like consumers in California will soon be seeing electric Mini’s on the street. The Mini’s are made in Oxford, England. These examples will be partially assembled alongside the normal cars, minus the engine, gearbox and fuel tank. Then they’ll go over to parent company BMW’s facility in Munich, Germany, to be fitted with all the necessary electric drivetrain components and batteries before heading west.

BMW sources told Automotive News Europe that 490 of the Minis will be leased to selected customers in California and 10 will be used as show cars.

The electric cars will have yellow roofs, and will allow BMW to meet California’s requirement that carmakers start selling zero-emission vehicles.

PML Mini QED

Too bad that they are not bring the bad-ass PML Mini QED. Those blokes created a Monster electric Mini that features four 160HP electric motors, one on each wheel.  The car has been designed to run for four hours of combined urban/extra urban driving, powered only by a battery and bank of ultra capacitors.  A claimed top speed of 150 mph, a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds, and a reported range of 932 miles when the ICE hybrid gas motor provides additional charge for the on-board batteries.  In this hybrid mode, fuel economies of up to 80mpg can be achieved.

 
Turn Your Garmin Nuvi Into a Powerful Red Light Camera & Speed Trap Detector For Only $9.99 !

10435048

Filed in BMW, Cars, Electric Car, Energy-Independence, Global Warming, Green | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (3)

Check out Lion Electric Vehicles

Friday, July 11, 2008

I recently stumbled across Lion Electric Vehicles.  These guys have some great new technology that enables you to hop-up your existing hybrid by swapping out your existing batteries with new batteries can greatly increase your range. 

 cells_shipping

And even more incredible is that they are selling Ford Escape Hybrids that have already been modified with their new technology.  Changes to the battery pack and the sensor program allow it to run on EV entirely within city speed ranges.  On the highway it operates as an ICE vehicle with electric boost.

ford-escape-hybrid_courtesy_photo_ford

These guys are based out of VA, but have facilities all over the world.  It is nice to see a US company developing new technology that will help power the new energy-independence economy.  I am hopeful that our current energy crisis well help pour capital into companies like Lion which will help develop the new technologies required to achieve our goal of energy independence.


Filed in Electric Car, Energy-Independence, Lion Electric Vehicles | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (1)