Okay... so as to not confuse you any more than you might already be, Energy CS' plug-in Toyota Prius gets between 120-180 miles per gallon equivalvent for the first 50-60 miles of the day. After that, it drops back to the standard Prius 50 mpg average.
Simple. For the first 50-60 miles, it runs mainly on electricity stored in its brand new, 9kWh Valence U-Charge Lithium-ion Saphion battery pack. The gasoline engine runs so seldom that you would effectively get the equivalent of up to 120 mpg under normal driving conditions using a combination of
EV mode driving and electrically assisted gasoline engine driving. With less aggressive driving (and thus lighter use of the gasoline engine) gasoline consumption can be as low as 180mpg.
Of course, you can drive as far as you like in the normal Prius gasoline-electric hybrid mode, but then you drop back to the still very respectable 50 mpg.
In practical terms, since most people drive only about 25-40 miles a day, you'd use more electric power than the normal Prius. In effect, your energy would come from the power grid and you'd pay for your "fuel" through your electric power bill instead of to the oil company.
Starting to get the picture? See why environmentalists, electric utilities and all those national security wonks in Washington, D.C. are so excited about the plug-in hybrid concept? It's an idea whose time has come, though, as you might expect, carmakers are less than enthusiastic about it, arguing that its impractical and too expensive.
What can't be argued is that the technology now exists to make it happen and there are small research programs cropping up all over America. I happen to luck out while in Los Angeles in the end of February and got to see one of those projects just before the car was shipped to Europe for EVS 21, this one created by a small engineering shop located in the foothills, in the heart of Monrovia. That firm is Energy CS, headed by my old friend Greg Hanssen and his partner Peter Nortman. They've taken a stock 2004 Toyota Prius gasoline-electric hybrid, removed the 1.3kWh NiMH battery pack, installed a 9kWh Valence U-Charge pack powered by the Austin, Texas company's Saphion lithium-ion battery chemistry.
Editor's note: We recorded an extensive interview with Valence executives the week before travelling to LA. That interview will air in the near future.
In this "from-the-field" interview, Greg Hanssen and his partner Peter Nortman explain the origin of the project, whose spiritual 'godfather' is Felix Kramer with CalCars. Hanssen, who is, to my knowledge at least, the only person to drive a GM EV1 electric car across America twice (recharging at my house on one occasion), does most of the talking in this MP3 audio 'podcast'. Hanssen had just driven the car back from the California EPA office where it had been undergoing preliminary testing most of the day. Within hours, the Energy CS crew would be preparing the car for a cross-country trip to Jacksonville, Florida and a 'date' with a freighter bound for France.
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05-Nov-2008
64761
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WOW. Fastest hybrid. Its better to put good alternator to save more energy and get more MPG.
Posted by: Paul Hernandez
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08-Sep-2006
32422
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i want a "link" or more info on converting a prius to a 150 mpg vehicle.who knows where i can obtain the info needed to purchase the parts?
email: jshoress1@aol.com
Posted by: steve shores
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19-Jul-2006
28529
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An idea long overdue. I look forward to the great day when petroleum will be used only for plastics manufacture (and recycled at that) with the remainder turned into large oblate spheroids to be inserted in places "where the moon don't shine" on the bodies politic of nations and corporations who, in their avarice, wish to pollute and pauperize this planet and its inhabitants. When can I get one ?????????????
Posted by: Charles Harding
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03-Aug-2006
30049
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We should lobby our goverment for tax breaks on alterative energy sources,tax free on E85,biofuels and electric vehicles.We are funding both sides of the war on terror. Our economy would go through the roof if we keep all money in the U.S. that we send to the middle east.IE:Engineers,farmers,truck drivers,construction etc.We need goverment programs much like the manhattan project to put together the countrys best scientists,engineers,to get us off foreign oil.This would bankrupt our enemies and make the U.S. a safer place.150 MPG is a good start keep up the good work. Scott Texas
Posted by: Scott Carpenter
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03-Aug-2006
30050
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We should lobby our goverment for tax breaks on alterative energy sources,tax free on E85,biofuels and electric vehicles.We are funding both sides of the war on terror. Our economy would go through the roof if we keep all money in the U.S. that we send to the middle east.IE:Engineers,farmers,truck drivers,construction etc.We need goverment programs much like the manhattan project to put together the countrys best scientists,engineers,to get us off foreign oil.This would bankrupt our enemies and make the U.S. a safer place.150 MPG is a good start keep up the good work. Scott Texas
Posted by: Scott Carpenter
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24-Apr-2006
19435
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O.K., I’ve read enough “what if” and “how about this” ideas. Here in the greater Portland area the electric utilities will guarantee for a small surcharge that the electricity I buy comes from wind, solar, tidal, geo-thermal or some other sustainable source. I could be driving back and forth to work right now on wind power at 1/5th to 1/4th the cost of gasoline if I could just buy a PHEV. The technology is clearly here. We don’t need any exotic lipstick on this pig. The Prius + or CS will do just fine and are both exotic enough! Will someone please just manufacture these things! Just do-it!
Posted by: Nicholas Galaday
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20-Jul-2006
28673
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please keep me up to date on all the plug in development, and i would add, please encourage the 4 passenger prius type of platform to additionally encompass two seat convertible, small pick up truck, and SUV body styles.in other words a broader product line based on this single most promising plug in hybrid technology.
Posted by: don george
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24-Sep-2005
9776
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Great stuff I am reading in everyones excited comments and suggestions, now allow me to pose one that no one is talking about for us do it yourself mechanics with basic and limited knowledge of recent breaking technologies. Would you agree that I would be better off using the deep cycle heavyier lead acid batteries and electic motors offered by Seimens for instance, to convert a practical light weight car. The final results could be a cheap investment on an abandened kit conversion, batteries and electric motors that will get us back and forth to work each day ( twenty miles or so) and have our time and only five to eight thousand invested. I just want to plug in and charge at night and avoid the gas pump altogether. Darren stinespring.
Posted by: darren stinespring
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06-May-2006
20164
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I believe we are on the right track here but it seems that all the research and cars available are being evaluated in warm climates. Can someone quantify the performance of plug ins in a cold midwest climate. The biggest issues I see are longevity of the charge in 0 deg temps and what do we do about heating the cars interior for driver comfort
Posted by: Brett Cook
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16-Feb-2006
12942
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Looks good but I would not want to get rear ended!!!I like oveonics solid hydrogen car solid fuel acts as bumper!!! But for now I will driv my Twike
Posted by: Rene meldrum
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24-Mar-2006
15898
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Whatever happened to Valence? Are they still in business? Did their battery not work? This story seemed to imply that Valence had the battery to change the plug in world, and yet there is not much information about their progress. Any follow ups to this year old story?
Posted by: Steve Nope
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13-Nov-2005
10904
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Can you combine solar power with your plug-in hybrid technology to futher the range of the vehicle?
Posted by: David Ramirez
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05-May-2005
7477
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People in the Northeast can see the Valence Plug Charge Conversion next week at the 2005 Tour deSol '100 mpg Challenge' rally being held in Saratoga Springs, NY on May 13-14. There is $10,000 in Awards for the highest performing hybrids and biodiesels. See www.TourdeSol.org for details.
I am entering my Prius along with many other Prius'es and Insights. "
Posted by: Jim Dunn
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28-Dec-2005
11846
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Hi, I would like more information about getting a Prius plug-in or adapting one myself if that is possible. I have read the comments on this website and they are very interesting, but I haven't seen anything about where to get one or how to put one together. If anyone has any information for someone who has limited mechanical skills, please email me at scottsdca at cox dot net.
Thank you and Have a Happy New Year.
Posted by: Scott Tedford
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20-May-2006
21931
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Gentlemen: May 20th, 2005
Electric cars and battery swap stations are coming wether we opt into it or not other new developing nations will go that way. Its possible the hike in gas prices are for that reason to quietly raise cash for its infrastructure and have a head start on all other unrelated newcomers who wanted in such as GE, EXIDE, and many others in whose domain it would be. Also the global high speed maglev pipeline network and the global solar energy system.....It's all on the following web page.((( http://trillions.topcities.com ))) Log on .......... contact me if of interest."
Truly.... Jack Marchand
Posted by: Jack Marchand
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24-Aug-2005
9037
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Just saw the ABC News segment Over the Barrel (Wednesday, August 24, 2005) commenting on 150 MPG Plug-In Prius. Good work guys! If I may add a suggestion...has anyone thought of including a method of recharging batteries as the vehicle travels much like what already occurs in the current combustion engine vehicles using an alternator. A two battery system could be designed and while one system is being used...the other could be recharging off the motion of the vehicle. A computerized system could also be created to monitor the charging process and do all the logical switching between the two systems. Gas is used to start the vehicle...electric to provide the momentum...and with a two battery system...there you go and go, and go. Hey! That is a good idea...why didn't I think of that?
Posted by: Brian McLaughlin
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16-Sep-2005
9548
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The reason no one thought of the 2-battery system is that you're proposing a perpetual motion machine. It's easier to understand if you think of the similar idea of putting a windmill on a car to capture some of the wind-power rushing by. In each case, by definition, you can't make more energy from nothing. That's different than the idea people have of using exercise bikes to power TVs, or the one announced last week of using the up-and-down motion of a backpack to generate power to run small electronic devices. In both of those cases, it's also a net energy loss, but more significantly, it's using muscles as engines to convert food calories into electricity.
-- Felix Kramer, founder, California Cars Initiative/calcars.org
Posted by: Felix Kramer
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08-Mar-2005
6428
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Nicely done folks.
"
Posted by: David Navas
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08-Mar-2005
6429
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Where do I get in line for one of these babys."
Posted by: Kevin Kelly
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08-Mar-2005
6431
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When can I order one? What will the price be?
FYI: I'd be willing to pay a $5,000 premium over base vehicle cost in a heartbeat for primary-plugin hybrid (PPH) vehicle. I would consider a $10,000 premium. Of course I expect prototype costs much more than this currently :-). I have a 2001 Prius that I would be happy to do conversion on if there was a kit."
Posted by: zephan schroeder
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08-Mar-2005
6435
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Want a PRIUS+ someday?
We've started a Newsletter to keep people up-to-date on the progress of PRIUS+ (http://www.priusplus.org), CalCars (http://www.calcars.org), and what are called gas-optional or plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) in general. To subscribe, go to http://http://groups.yahoo.com/group/calcars-news/ .
Though we don't yet have any information about when conversion options will be available to individuals, when they do (from for-profit companies such as EnergyCS, not directly from The California Cars Initiative, which is nonprofit), we expect they will be installed kits, with some kind of warranty for the components, but we do expect the conversion will void some or part of your Toyota warranty.
We expect to be able to convert 2004-2005 Prius (not early generations). We think conversions will be possible for Toyota Highhlander and Lexus RX-400 hybrids, and probably for Ford Escape. Because of their different architecture, we are currently devoting no attention to conversions of Honda Insight, Civic or Accord hybrids. "
Posted by: Felix Kramer
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08-Mar-2005
6438
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I also drive a plug-in hybrid. I converted a Ford Ranger pickup to an electric vehicle than I drive on battery power for trips up to 40 miles. Battery charging from the electric grid is with "green power" from 100% wind generated energy. For longer trips, I tow a small trailer with a gasoline-powered generator to change the battery and extend the range. "
Posted by: Charles Freeman
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08-Mar-2005
6439
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Cool. Okay, what if I layer a nanotech solar PV skin as paint on the car (say 2sqm), that would produce about 2kwh/day. Could I then use that to get my first 15miles, and get an overall MPG around 80 out of the Prius??"
Posted by: Ron Lloyd
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08-Mar-2005
6442
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Neato! What's the price for those Li-ion battery packs? The tiny one for my notebook computer is $153.
Howzit get the same fuel economy in hybrid mode with the additional battery weight? How much of the trunk is used by the packs? If I rear-end someone does the battery pack decapitate me? "
Posted by: Marshall T
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08-Mar-2005
6443
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This is great and just think, fueling this car with E85 ethanol based fuel widely available in the midwest would cut the use of fossil fuel down to 15% of the "gasoline" the Prius needs. Then make that fuel from cellulous instead of corn as www.iogen.ca does and you triple the efficiency of the ethanol processes. America is not going to have an energy crisis.
"
Posted by: Bill Yerkes
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08-Mar-2005
6444
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Great! This is the first step towards a 500 mpg car that uses E85 and enhanced plug-in hybrid technology to get superior milage. These guys prove it can be done. Kudos! And, this is being done by a bunch of amature tinkerers. Think of what the engineers at the major auto cos could do! Just goes to show they aren't playing straight with us.
"
Posted by: Rock nj
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08-Mar-2005
6445
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Solar nano paint technology isn't really all that far off actually. Major strides are being made in nanotechnology that are affecting things such as solar power. If you live in a sunny climate, just paint your car with solar paint and drive around under charge of the sun."
Posted by: Rock nj
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08-Mar-2005
6449
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Valence battery pricing: http://www.visforvoltage.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=31&t=1644
Of course these are single quantity end user prices for batteries no more than a few months on the market.
I hope to see this Prius at the EVS21 in Monaco soon!
Regards, Jens"
Posted by: Jens Schacherl
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08-Mar-2005
6458
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If Bush and his oil/hydrogen cronies see this
they will do everything they can to squelch
it!"
Posted by: John Boyd
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08-Mar-2005
6461
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Re: Marshall T's Comments (as CalCars technical lead, I built a PRIUS+ last fall with temporary PbA batteries and some EnergyCS technology): What's the price for those Li-ion battery packs?
Around $11k retail plus special LiIon electronics. My CalCars PRIUS+ will soon have an NiMH battery pack costing around $7k; less EV range, but more proven technology. Howzit get the same fuel economy in hybrid mode with the additional battery weight? The lower internal resistance of the larger battery improves hybrid efficiency and makes up for the added weight. How much of the trunk is used by the packs? The batteries take up the "tool tray" under the hatchback floor. If I rear-end someone does the battery pack decapitate me? Though we haven't yet submitted plans to a structural engineer, we believe the battery pack can be designed as an integral part of the crush zone that helps cushion an impact.
Re: Ron Lloyd's question, a new thin film solar collector was announced today, but coating a car would add maybe 2 miles range per day. It is much more effective to put your panels on a home, business, or carport roof, especially for those of us that park inside or in the shade a lot."
Posted by: Ron Gremban
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09-Mar-2005
6462
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I agree that nanotech paint isn't far off, but it's only about 5% efficient, maybe going to 10%.
That's about 200W on the surface of a car, which is a little more than 1/4 of 1 horsepower. So, you'd need to store up a full day's worth to be able to drive around town for 10-15 miles."
Posted by: Ron Lloyd
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09-Mar-2005
6465
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Bell Labs and mPhase are working on nanotechnology
batteries that should have infinite shelf life
and rapid power up. What is also needed are
electrochemistry batteries that are charged
directly by the sun."
Posted by: John Boyd
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09-Mar-2005
6466
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Speaking of nano solar technology...about a month ago a professor at the Univ of Toronto found out a way to harness the infrared rays of the sun which effectively produces about 5 times the amount of energy of today's nano solar technology. It's still a ways off though.
http://www.axcessnews.com/technology_011505b.shtml
Back to plug in hybrids though. Isn't Chrysler coming out with a plug in utility van soon? Or at least is testing it out."
Posted by: Johann Joseph
|
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09-Mar-2005
6469
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I wonder what the mpg would have been driving down the Mass Pike yesterday during the storm. More importantly how comfortable were the driver and passengers going to be with a dinky 9Kw available on a limited basis for propulsion and heating!"
Posted by: Jerry Olson
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09-Mar-2005
6471
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Jerry Olson: 1) going downhill in an (PH)EV can give you 'negative' mpg because of energy fed back into the battery. Or was the storm so strong that it blew cars uphill? 2) You're confusing kW and kWh. 3) AFAIK the ICE usage is controlled by the standard EV mode button, so you could fire the ICE up any time if that lets you feel more comfortable.
Regards, Jens"
Posted by: Jens Schacherl
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09-Mar-2005
6472
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It's nice but I still want something with no
gas tank."
Posted by: John Boyd
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10-Mar-2005
6475
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Has anyone ever thought of pure electric and using battery swapping at "filling" stations.... The filling station will swap the easily removable battery and re-charge to swap with another car. The fee charged will be partly for charging the battery and partly for replacing the battery down the line. The battery would be designed to be easily removable and even if very heavy, equipment could be used to wheel it away and replace with another battery."
Posted by: Brian Gilder
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10-Mar-2005
6476
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re Brian Gilder's comment: Yes, I've thought of a system like that quite often...by using a universal battery size a situation like the one you describe wouldn't be that difficult to make reality. Larger vehicles would use more batteries, and the driver would pay by the cell. Solves the road tax issue caused by hybrids in the most straightforward way you could hope for."
Posted by: C Arnoldus
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10-Mar-2005
6477
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DaimlerChrysler's PHEV Sprinter/Battery Swaps
Johan Joseph asked, Isn't Chrysler coming out with a plug in utility van soon? Or at least is testing it out? Answer: yes, just a few, not a production vehicle, but very encouraging. For more details, see links at http://www.calcars.org/vehicles.html As for battery swap ideas, one of the big selling points of what people are now calling gas-optional hybrids is that the driver doesn't have to think much about it--if you remember to re-charge, you're better off, if you don't, you're driving a hybrid. We want to keep it simple. No worries about recharging at lunchtime, running out of power. The idea of swap stations makes more sense for pure EVs: future Li-Ion EVS with 200+ mile range would be a perfect application."
Posted by: Felix Kramer
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10-Mar-2005
6478
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FYI: the cost of a Valence pack (17 U1s) in my comment above was from a comment on an EVWorld article, at http://www.visforvoltage.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=31&t=1644 . I have had no contact with Valence and cannot vouch for accuracy. P.S. Something I have never liked about battery swapping is that at any time I might be swapping a great (even my brand new) pack for a tired used one. Even if the swapper handled all depreciation, I would never know what range the current pack would give me. "
Posted by: Ron Gremban
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10-Mar-2005
6479
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If future battery technology produces a fast
charging battery then a charging station should
be adequate. Swapping entails wear and tear on
critical battery connections which can lead
to corrosion."
Posted by: John Boyd
|
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10-Mar-2005
6485
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Great job guys!!
Hopefully Toyota will catch on and start producing these vehicles. They WILL make tons of money and GM will fade away! "
Posted by: R Sun
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10-Mar-2005
6487
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QUICK THOUGHT- Great Job... I still have a quick thought are we not supposed to consider the well to wheel efficiency by taking the gasoline equivalent. I hope that has been thought of .."
Posted by: Praveen M
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10-Mar-2005
6490
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Battery swapping idea goes back at least as far as Electric Vehicle Company taxis used in New York City 1897-1907 (some running until 1912). At their central station a lift was used to swap the heavy lead-acid battery packs.
Some references to Kirsch's EV history:
http://sloan.stanford.edu/EVonline/kirsch.htm
http://www.eh.net/lists/archives/eh.res/nov-1996/0024.php
"
Posted by: Ron Fischer
|
|
10-Mar-2005
6491
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This will have truly mass appeal. As a selling point, think of using the optional key system, where you can keep the key in your pocket. "Instead of plugging in the key, plug in the cord." It points out how easy it would be for most people to plug the car in. After all, how many complaints could there be about having to use physical keys? Plugging in the cord isn't much more effort than using a key.
Jerry Olsen, the heat to warm the cabin comes from the engine, not from electric resistance heating. The battery pack would run the fans and radio, and when the pack got low the engine would turn on to recharge. I rented a 2004 Prius and let it sit with the air conditioning running for about an hour while showing it off to co-workers. It wasn't a particularly hot day, but the engine came on for a few minutes after about 30 minutes of the AC running from the batteries.
As for fuel economy, all vehicles are less efficient in wind and cold. The Pruis+ would still have an advantage."
Posted by: Steve Erlsten
|
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11-Mar-2005
6497
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http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005/03/maxwell_gets_th.html
Along with Battery, Capacitor will also be used in future Hybrid Vehicles.
Capacitors will handle the vehicle's Pickup while Battery will handle the Cruise giving the best of both Worlds.
"
Posted by: M R
|
|
11-Mar-2005
6502
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MR -- Are you referring to a Tribrid?
Coupling Ucaps (ultracapacitors), which have a high power density, with Li-ionSuperpolymer batteries, which have a high energy density, will probably be the next big advance in EVs.
Toyota will probably be doing this -- when their competition (probably from China) forces them to."
Posted by: Arnold Larsen
|
|
12-Mar-2005
6505
| |
Yes Arnold
You can call it Tribrid or Hybrid-2.
Already there are vehicles in Brazil which can run on Gasoline, E85, CNG called as Tribrid.
Not necessary that they should face competition from China. Ford being another automaker with Full Hybrid can also force Toyota to take down this option.
Or even if Honda sells a lot of Civic-Hybrid (with MY-2006), Toyota may consider Tribrid to improve sales.
It will be better if some one can device nice terms so that people are not confused.
"
Posted by: M R
|
|
12-Mar-2005
6506
| |
IEA (International Energy Agency) which advices the developed World on energy issues has FINALLY said that World must turn away from OIL.
This is serious considering the fact, that this agency never said like this before.
Time for developed countries to promote (atleast give tax-breaks) Plug-in Hybrid vehicles.
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/f20cfb8a-920d-11d9-bca5-00000e2511c8.html
"
Posted by: M R
|
|
13-Mar-2005
6521
| |
Swapping batteries is a good idea to keep electric cars going on the road but, the real problem is not the technology, its the oil companies. You can't build cars that don't burn some amount of gas because that would make the oil industry very unhappy! Amatures can modify hybrid cars and make them outperform the stock versions. Just throw away the heavy gas motor and generator and replace that unecessary wieght with lithium ion batteries that can be charged with a plug-in cord. Now you have a real electric car for local driveing that does not use any gas! Too bad its all so expensive though! You can be certain that if it can be done, it won't be done in the USA for political reasons."
Posted by: Craig Moore
|
|
14-Mar-2005
6532
| |
As a 30 year electronics inventor, I can testify
to the fact that there has never been a suitable
method or technology for repetitive connect/disconnect of
an electrical connection. Battery swapping should
be avoided and should only be considered as a last
resort. The goal of EV development is to minimze
the constant maintenance problems that plague
the internal combustion engine car, not replace
one set of problems with another!"
Posted by: John Boyd
|
|
14-Mar-2005
6537
| |
FOR THE FUTURE OF LITHIUM ION BATTERIES GO TO WWW.ALTAIRNANO.COM, BATTERY DIVISION NEWS FEB. 10
3 TIMES THE POWER @ THE SAME COST. RECHARGE TIMES IN MINUTES RATHER THAN HOURS. REUSE 1000'S OF TIMES INSTEAD OF 100'S"
Posted by: R Men
|
|
14-Mar-2005
6538
| |
The whole objective of Hybrid mechanism is to extract as much energy from a given volume of fuel. Seems that only 1/3 of the energy from the fuel is utilised, with the other 2/3 wasted.
Whether we use battery or capacitor or both, its good as long as we can get the max. The increased volume / weight of these materials can be reduced by smaller fuel tank and also the engine components, cylinders, etc.
Oil has touched $ 55 today again before ending at $ 54.95. Something needs to be done.
"
Posted by: M R
|
|
14-Mar-2005
6543
| |
In 5 years time, we must be having a Plugin Hybrid with 20 miles from Battery.
In 10 years time, we must be having a Plugin Hybrid with 20 miles from Capacitor and another 100 miles from Battery.
This will help us get even more mile from a gallon of gas.
"
Posted by: M R
|
|
15-Mar-2005
6549
| |
Since your essentially on electric for the first 50-60 miles, no gasoline is used, so the MPG calculation with zero gas use yields an "actual" infinite miles per gal of gas. .. Fantastic job!!.. "
Posted by: Mike Breza
|
|
27-Feb-2008
60563
| |
I would love to convert a prius into Plug in...
Any progress on kits available yet?
Posted by: Flavio Zanetti
|
|
07-Apr-2008
61079
| |
This is an incredible idea and I'm all for it. That being said, miles per gallon is a bit deceiving because obviously electricity comes at a cost. Can someone break it down for me in terms of kilowatts per mile or kilowatt-hours per mile?
Posted by: Bruce Medhurst
|
|
19-Jun-2008
62272
| |
Once you have exhausted the battery charge and switch to gasoline mode, why can you not use some of that engine power to re-charge the battery pack?
Posted by: David Smith
|
|
10-Dec-2007
59516
| |
I would also like to convert my 2006 Prius to plug in. Has progress been made toward making kits available for sale??? I do not see recent comments from the original developers
Posted by: Miles Adam
|
|
23-Apr-2008
61313
| |
kWh per mile is under 0.1 for a motorcycle, between 0.1 and 0.5 (avg car gets 0.33 kWh per mile or 3 miles per kWh)
I do electric vehicle conversions on any car. i have extensive experience with lead-acid, nickelmetal hydride and especially lithium-ion as almost everyone goes with those. Cost is about $200-300 per mile of electric range you want. Costs just a little extra to add regenerative braking.
Based in south florida, costellosolar at gmail dot com
Posted by: sean costello
|
|
17-May-2008
61726
| |
I read some of the comments but I could not find what it would would cost to "plug in" your car. Electricity costs are also increasing becauce most of it is generated from fossil fuels and therefore, not "green" energy. So instead of polluting the air from our tailpipes we'll be polluting from smokestacks. Also what are the environmental consequences of disposing of these batteries? I think Lormero AG may have a short term answer. The small start up company produces two small turbodiesel vehicles. The 2 cylinder gets ~ 150 mpg and the 3 cylinder gets ~ 80 mpg. Granted the cars are small and probably only have room for two people. If you think about it how many of us commute alone or with more than two people? I'm going to take a serious look at these cars when they come out (scheduled for 2009) not only for the fuel economy but also the price between $13,000 - $18,000.
Gary Cargill
Posted by: Gary Cargill
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29-Nov-2007
59396
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I am interested in a kit to build an EV - not hybrid. Does anybody have sources for one that are available now? Not looking for expensive sports car, just a small 2-4 seat car for around town.
Next alternative would be for kits to convert a small car. Any recommended sources for those?
Posted by: Tim Johnson
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25-Sep-2007
58431
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Ok, Ok Ok. I want one, please. I'm sitting here driving my 2004 Prius Hybrid made by the Hybrid leader, Toyota Motors Co. and guess what, I want to plug it in NOW!!! Plug Please!
Posted by: Joseph Mercado
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03-Oct-2007
58586
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Help! I am on my second Prius, she now has 135,000 miles, and is running fine. My delima is do these things last well enough to be worth keeping, and modifying; or should I trade for something with less milage on it? Mine is a 2002 and I like the looks of it better than the newer body style
Posted by: robert soulages
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03-Oct-2007
58587
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Help! I currently am on my second Prius she now has 135000 miles on her, and is running perfectly. Sould I trade? Do these things last well enough to be worth keeping and modifying? Mine is 2002 and I like the looks of it better than the newer model. I would appreciate referral to parts supliers and Prius enthusiast organizations.
Posted by: robert soulages
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