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EV WORLD EXCLUSIVE ARTICLE |
GM Impact electric car -- later renamed the EV1 -- developed in collaboration with Hughes and Aerovironment, This vehicle broke the electric car land speed record at better than 183 mph. The EV1 program was an outgrowth of the highly successful Sunraycer solar car project in 1987. Alec Brooks was the lead engineer on both these programs.
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Alec Brooks' presentation to California Air Resources Board ZEV Technology Conference
Open Access Article Originally Published: January 11, 2007
Alec Brooks has been helping pioneer electric drive technology for more than twenty years dating back to the original GM Sunraycer solar car that won the World Solar Challenge race from Darwin to Adelaide, Australia. He has been a vigorous and vocal advocate for electric vehicle technology, bringing a pragmatic approach to the challenges confronting EVs as well as the hydrogen pathway.
In this 25-minute presentation, entitled Energy and Greenhouse Gas Considerations for Various ZEV Alternatives, he gives background on Aerovironment's role in the history of the Sunraycer and the follow-on Impact, which ultimately became the highly-acclaimed GM EV1 electric car. In preparing his talk, he came across some video footage of then GM President Roger Smith introducing the EV1 in 1990. It makes for an interesting counterpoint to Rick Wagoner and Bob Lutz's own announcements this week regarding GM's next electric car program, the Chevy Volt.
In keeping with his view that hydrogen isn't the best way to power motor vehicles nor how to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, especially since most of it is currently steam-reformed from natural gas, Brooks goes to some lengths to demonstrate that using high value sources of energy like electricity to make hydrogen to put in the tank of motor vehicles can be more efficiently and effectively utilized elsewhere. Using the example of Honda's solar-powered hydrogen electrolyzer, he shows that the same amount of energy that it takes to make hydrogen for the car can be used to power a battery electric car the same distance and run most of the home's electric power needs, including air conditioning.
You can listen to Dr. Brooks presentation using either of the two MP3 players at the top of the page, or you may download it to your computer hard drive for transfer to your favorite MP3 device. This program will also be available through Apple iTune's podcast service. A copy of his PowerPoint presentation is available from the California ARB web site.
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10 comments so far...
13-Jan-2007
44835
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Here's a dilemma for you. Maybe Pro USA objects to the fact that there are no America-made EVs in the masthead: they're all 'foreign-built models'. True enough. I suppose I could have used the EV1 for the electric car and the Escape Hybrid for that category, but I didn't want to rub salt in GM's wound on the EV1, a car that no longer exits, and the Escape Hybrid looks like any other Escape SUV so that doesn't convey the message about what the category or EV World is all about.
Now, I am prefectly ready to use the Volt as a masthead 'button', but the problem is, do I make it an EV or a Plug-in EV? Hmmmm. I am leaning towards the plug-in. Any suggestions? Of course, the other issue is that all of the above cars actually exist as production models, while the Volt is still only a concept.
Posted by: Bill Moore
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18-Jan-2007
45380
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Fascinating lecture! The comments by GM on customer input at the Impact debut were very instructive, as they foreshadowed GM's decade-long efforts to minimize demand for its EV1. Even now, GM spokespeople say that only 800 were leased (without mentioning that that was 100% of the EV1s offered.)
Posted by: Hugh Webber
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13-Jan-2007
44909
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Hi Bill; regarding the masthead pictures… On your old web site, it seemed that a different picture loaded in the Electric Vehicles menu box each time I entered your home page. I don’t know if you’re trying to avoid the complexity, but you might be able to solve your dilemma by using the same tricks to cause different images to be loaded into the ‘buttons’ in the masthead each time the home page is downloaded. As for the Escape not being distinctly a hybrid, perhaps you can find a photo of the ‘Escape Hybrid’ emblem on the SUV. Same for the Camry Hybrid (made in USA too), Civic Hybrid, and Accord Hybrid. Then you could cycle images of all those cars through your ‘Hybrid’ button. Just a thought…
Posted by: Steve Ward
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11-Jan-2007
44634
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This shows talk is cheap. Toyota delivers. Each model is better and the 2008 with lithium ,if approved will get 94 mpg. That is just late this year.
GM may deliver and then we can see the results.
Posted by: jim stack
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11-Jan-2007
44664
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MANDATORY RENEWABLE ENERGY – THE ENERGY EVOLUTION –R6
In order to insure energy and economic independence as well as better economic growth without being blackmailed by foreign countries, our country, the United States of America’s Utilization of Energy sources must change.
"Energy drives our entire economy." We must protect it. "Let's face it, without energy the whole economy and economic society we have set up would come to a halt. So you want to have control over such an important resource that you need for your society and your economy." The American way of life is not negotiable.
Our continued dependence on fossil fuels could and will lead to catastrophic consequences.
The federal, state and local government should implement a mandatory renewable energy installation program for residential and commercial property on new construction and remodeling projects with the use of energy efficient material, mechanical systems, appliances, lighting, etc. The source of energy must by renewable energy such as Solar-Photovoltaic, Geothermal, Wind, Biofuels, etc. including utilizing water from lakes, rivers and oceans to circulate in cooling towers to produce air conditioning and the utilization of proper landscaping to reduce energy consumption.
The implementation of mandatory renewable energy could be done on a gradual scale over the next 10 years. At the end of the 10 year period all construction and energy use in the structures throughout the United States must be 100% powered by renewable energy.
In addition, the governments must impose laws, rules and regulations whereby the utility companies must comply with a fair “NET METERING” (the buying of excess generation from the consumer), including the promotion of research and production of “renewable energy technology” with various long term incentives and grants. The various foundations in existence should be used to contribute to this cause.
A mandatory time table should also be established for the automobile industry to gradually produce an automobile powered by renewable energy. The American automobile industry is surely capable of accomplishing this task.
This is a way to expedite our energy independence and economic growth. (This will also create a substantial amount of new jobs). It will take maximum effort and a relentless pursuit of the private, commercial and industrial government sectors commitment to renewable energy – energy generation (wind, solar, hydro, biofuels, geothermal, energy storage (fuel cells, advance batteries), energy infrastructure (management, transmission) and energy efficiency (lighting, sensors, automation, conservation) in order to achieve our energy independence.
Jay Draiman, Energy Consultant
Northridge, CA. 91325
1-11-2007
P.S. I have a very deep belief in America's capabilities. Within the next 10 years we can accomplish our energy independence, if we as a nation truly set our goals to accomplish this.
I happen to believe that we can do it. In another crisis--the one in 1942--President Franklin D. Roosevelt said this country would build 60,000 [50,000] military aircraft. By 1943, production in that program had reached 125,000 aircraft annually. They did it then. We can do it now.
The American people resilience and determination to retain the way of life is unconquerable and we as a nation will succeed in this endeavor of Energy Independence.
Solar energy is the source of all energy on the earth (excepting volcanic geothermal). Wind, wave and fossil fuels all get their energy from the sun. Fossil fuels are only a battery which will eventually run out. The sooner we can exploit all forms of Solar energy (cost effectively or not against dubiously cheap FFs) the better off we will all be. If the battery runs out first, the survivors will all be living like in the 18th century again.
Every new home built should come with a solar package. A 1.5 kW per bedroom is a good rule of thumb. The formula 1.5 X's 5 hrs per day X's 30 days will produce about 225 kWh per bedroom monthly. This peak production period will offset 17 to 24 cents per kWh with a potential of $160 per month or about $60,000 over the 30-year mortgage period for a three-bedroom home. It is economically feasible at the current energy price and the interest portion of the loan is deductible. Why not?
Title 24 has been mandated forcing developers to build energy efficient homes. Their bull-headedness put them in that position and now they see that Title 24 works with little added cost. Solar should also be mandated and if the developer designs a home that solar is impossible to do then they should pay an equivalent mitigation fee allowing others to put solar on in place of their negligence.
Installing renewable energy system on your home or business increases the value of the property and provides a marketing advantage.
Posted by: Jay Draiman
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12-Jan-2007
44724
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Jim,
A Prius that gets 94 mpg on what driver cycle? Certainly not the EPA city cycle. Lithium batteries are more energy and power dense for sure, but the drive cycle or style has the greatest impact of mpg. as an example. the 06 Prius gets 60 mpg on the EPA city, vs. 96 on the Japan 10-15 cycle. I read a report from Japan that says that Toyota's next Prius will get 100+ mpg, but people failed to see that the announcement was meant for Japan, and the Japanese driving 10-15 schedule.
Posted by: Larry Rose
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12-Jan-2007
44736
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Reality check? Well as my made in America Volt makes no arab oil and no japanese cars a reality, you can stew in your hate america juices.
Posted by: pro USA
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19-Jan-2007
45479
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I watched "Who killed the Electric Car" last night and it's clear that if the California government hadn't gotten involved we'd have EV1s on the road today.
GM had a little side project that they figured they'd try out and see if it caught on...California govt sees this and starts mandating that all auto makers have to start spitting these things out...even though they're untested in the market.
That's like McDonalds making a tofu burger and testing it out in a few health concious neighborhoods, then the government comes in and says 10% of all of all fast food burgers must be tofu burgers. If I were McDonalds I'd first do everything I could to get that law stopped, then do everything I could to make sure that the tofu burger subject never comes up again.
That's what happened to GM.
But EV supporters still look to the government as the solution. I hope Tesla is given free reign to sell their cars and the government doesn't try to "help".
Posted by: Bill Blake
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12-Jan-2007
44787
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Mr./Ms. Pro USA, your comment is a ‘straw man’. Nobody in this article, or in these comments, hates America. Highlighting the history of a car company does not equate to liking or disliking the home country of the car company.
Posted by: Steve Ward
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12-Jan-2007
44802
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This is a really interesting talk. Thanks very much for posting this here Bill.
Posted by: Steve Ward
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