This video shows how the Chevy Volt’s system charges, operates, and how the range extender kicks in to sustain the battery’s life for a few hundred more miles
While outdated behemoth automakers struggle to survive, cleantech businesses are becoming interested in their valuable assets. One example of this trend was in recent news when German solar cell manufacturer, SolarWorld, recently made a bid on Opel, GM’s European subsidiary. No news on how seriously GM considered the offer, but it is still a significant statement. Here is an excerpt of an interview with chairman of SolarWorld, Frank Asbeck, from an German publication. The rough translation makes it an interesting read:
Schulz: Do you see itself as a savior for Opel?
Asbeck: Yes, well. These are ambitions which I have not directly, but I see the need that in our industrial society gradually rebuilt. Just as it is in the field of alternative energy sources has already begun, must also be rebuilt automotive industry. That means we need to build vehicles of the future: electric motors, hybrid drives. That can not only Japanese manufacturers reserved. We must “Extended Range Vehicles” build, so cars with combined drives from conventional and electric drives. That is the future. This is also already in the minds of developers at Opel, but they must be released from the stranglehold of General Motors.
SolarWorld is hoping to provide electric cars that can be charged with garage mounted solar panels and possibly car roof mounted panels.
Electric cars require cooling systems. Not nearly to the extent that a combustion engine vehicle does, but lithium ion batteries get hot. Put your laptop on your lap for an hour and you might start cooking your own thighs. So you can imagine, thousands of lithium ion batteries will require a significant amount of cooling. There are 6,831 lithium-ion batteries in the Tesla Roadster, each about a third bigger than a typical AA battery. They’re linked together in a unique package that incorporates liquid cooling, safety fuses, and sensors that prevent the cells from experiencing what battery engineers like to call “thermal events.” The batteries feed 410 volts to the Roadster’s air-cooled AC induction motor. Here is the AC cooling system, for the cabin and battery pack:
Martin Eberhard, former CEO of Tesla Motors, is making the claim that the current cooling pump is working overtime, a lot of overtime. In, fact Eberhard stated that the pump for his Tesla Roadster seemed to be on all of the time, which is completely unnecessary after the car has been parked for an hour or so. Now the ESS cooling system is crucial to the life of the battery, but this is ridiculous. So, Martin Eberhard, being the electrical engineer that he is, installed one of those electric meters you see on the sides of houses ahead of his car’s charging station. Then he charged the car up fully, unplugged it for four days, then measured how much power it took to recharge the battery after the car sat, fully charged and cool, for four days. Doing some math, he found the car consumed 1,278 kWh per year, from just sitting there. That is enough to power two big refrigerators. Not only is this significant on your electrical bill, but this drastically reduces the lifespan of the pump. Eberhard explains in his blog post:
The second question is the life expectancy of the pump. I expect that Tesla used an automotive-grade pump from a good supplier. I am also sure that no other car leaves a pump running 24/7. Consider a typical car designed to run for 200,000 miles at an average speed of 30 mph. Such a car is designed to run for 200,000 / 30 = 6,666 hours. Let’s say the designers want some room for error, and design the water pump for that car to operate for 10,000 hours without failure. 10,000 hours life expectancy would be a good-quality automotive pump.
Now, let’s run that same pump 24/7 instead of the couple of hours per day it would run in our typical car. Running 24/7, that pump will pass 10,000 hours in only 13 months. That’s all – end of life. Just to make it through Tesla’s 3-year warranty, that pump would need to last 26,280 hours without failure. To last just 5 years, the pump would need to run 43,800 hours. Hopefully, Tesla installed a pump rated for at least 50,000 hours of operation without failure, implying an MTBF of at least 70,000 hours, assuming an exponential failure distribution. Does any automotive parts manufacturer even make such a pump?
Tesla also told Eberhard that the new Drivetrain 1.5, that they guarantee to retrofit all the purchased Tesla Roadsters with, will not make any changes to the pump. However, in a recent article from TIME, Elon Musk responded to Eberhard’s cooling pump complaints and also shed some light on the nature of their tumultuous business relationship:
Eberhard, the ousted cofounder, says Musk interfered with the design of the roadster, demanding changes that were costly and led to delays. These included installing electronic door latches, building a lightweight carbon-fiber body and lowering the doorsill by two inches. “It cost us $1.5 million to lower that doorsill,” Eberhard says. “We would have been better off to have a simpler car shipping a year earlier.” Musk says his design changes were not the cause of delays. Eberhard says that despite Tesla’s green-tech credentials, the roadster has a coolant pump that operates even when the car is parked, wasting as much electricity as two refrigerators. Musk says that will be fixed next month. Eberhard also gripes that Musk controls the board of directors, whose members include his brother Kimbal Musk. “I’m very unhappy about what’s happened to my company” under Elon, says Eberhard, who still owns about 3 percent of Tesla. “I think he’s a terrible CEO.” Elon Musk responds that “Martin is the worst individual I’ve ever had the displeasure of working with.” -TIME, An Electric Car Loses Its Juice
While Eberhard does have a legitimate complaint, keep in mind he probably takes some pleasure in publicly criticizing Elon Musk’s Roadster. But in the end, both sides just want to see the Roadster improved, and hopefully the issue can be fixed fairly easily and cheaply.
RTEV, the company behind Ruff and Tuff electric ATVs, and Shuanghuan Automobile Company have formed a partnership that will see the Wheego Whip arrive in the US by May of 2009. Wheego is the street division of the Atlanta-based company and is now headed by former Miles Electric Vehicles COO, Jeff Boyd. If you are looking at the picture above and thinking, “Dude, that’s a Smart Fortwo!”, you’d be wrong because this, my friends, is a Shuanghuan Noble upon which the Whip (E-Noble outside the US) will be based.
The Whip is said to be capable of 60 mph but will be restricted to Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) status in America until it can pass Department of Transportion muster. Able to travel 50 miles on a charge, the not-so-Smart car will be packing (AGM) batteries for now. The bodies will be built in China but will have their electronics and powertrain installed in the US. Get all the details in the press release after the break plus a bonus video of a Whip prototype getting checked out on an episode of Talking with Tami.
[Source: RTEV / YouTube]
PRESS RELEASE
RTEV and Shuanghuan Automobile Announce Electric Car Partnership
U.S. and Chinese Companies Combine Efforts to Produce and Market Electric Cars Internationally
Last update: 9:55 a.m. EST Nov. 19, 2008 ATLANTA and SHIJIAZHUANG CITY, China, Nov 19, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — RTEV (Ruff & Tuff Electric Vehicles) and Shuanghuan Automobile Company announced today that they have formed a partnership to produce and market affordable all-electric cars for sale around the world. The first automobile will be a two-seat compact car that will be launched in the United States in May 2009. It will be marketed exclusively by RTEV under the Wheego Whip name in North America and by Shuanghuan Automobile as the Electric Noble (E-Noble) in the rest of the world.
While the car is capable of speeds of 95 kHz (60 mph) it will be sold to different countries specifically designed to meet the safety requirements of the particular country. For example in the U.S. it will be launched as a Low Speed Vehicle (LSV- 25 mph max) or Medium Speed Vehicle (MSV- 35 mph max) depending on local state regulations, until it passes U.S. Department of Transportation safety crash requirements, which is expected sometime in early 2010.
The E-Noble will be manufactured by Shuanghuan at their factory in Shijiahuang. While the Wheego Whip will be based on the Noble platform, it will undergo final assembly, including the motor, drive train, controller, electronic components and be programmed in the U.S. The cars will feature environmentally friendly dry cell sealed (AGM) batteries, which require no maintenance and feature an on-board high tech charger. The car will travel 80 kilometers (50 miles) on a single charge-and plug in for a recharge on any standard household 110 or 220-volt electrical outlet.
“What has really impressed us with Shuanghuan is their attention to detail in providing a high-quality fit and finish and smooth ride to the car,” explained Mike McQuary, RTEV CEO. “Once we locked down the systems and components for a high quality electric drive system, we undertook a global search for a car manufacturer that would meet our expectations of a driving experience that was seamless when compared to its gasoline counterparts. While several car companies that we talked to had solid mechanical systems, it was Shuanghuan that emerged with a commitment to meet the quality standards that American drivers have come to expect in an automobile. Their production of the gas powered Noble gave them a great head start, in that it was more a matter of adaptation of a vehicle, rather than trying to develop something from scratch. They share our vision and see the important potential for the emergence of an electric car as an everyday part of consumer transportation.”
“When we were first approached by RTEV, it was their passion that first got our attention. There have been several companies that have approached us and bought one or two cars and tried to convert them to electric. But it was RTEV that quickly emerged as the technology leader for electric vehicles. Combine this with their successful track record as a management team in other ventures and we knew we had made the right choice for a partner,” said Shuanghuan General Manager Cheng Bing.
“There is a perfect storm of macro-events that are causing people around the world to take inventory of their personal habits and their effect on the environment across a wide spectrum which includes transportation, and RTEV is entering the marketplace at this pivotal time,” said McQuary, former president of internet service providers MindSpring and EarthLink. “The long-held assumption has been that electric vehicles are quirky and impractical for everyday use, and are of interest to only a small group of eco-friendly consumers. We believe that our vehicles appeal to a huge market segment and will fill a middle market demand gap at the right time, with the right vehicles, and a with national dealer network to provide service and support.”
Shuanghuan Automobile Company has been making cars since 1988. Its current car models include the SCEO SUV and the Noble. The company is focused on zero defect manufacturing processes and passed the ISO9000 quality control system certification in 2000, and gained 3C constraint products certification in 2003.
About RTEV
RTEV is an innovation-driven and environmentally-conscious manufacturer of Electric Vehicles (EVs). RTEV is comprised of two divisions, Ruff & Tuff and Wheego. The company currently features recreational vehicles under its Ruff & Tuff brand, and street legal cars under the Wheego brand. RTEV is led by an experienced management team that includes McQuary; President Bo Huff, who brings twenty-one years of experience in the electric vehicle industry; and Jeff Boyd a 25 year automotive industry veteran who was most recently the CEO of electric car company Miles Motors. Privately held, RTEV is based in Atlanta, GA with distribution points in Winnsboro, SC; Baton Rouge Louisiana; and Long Beach, CA.
Click above for high-res gallery of the Fisker Karma
Fisker Automotive has apparently decided that 260 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque should be plenty of power to recharge some batteries. Those 260 galloping ponies will come courtesy of the General in the form of its 2.0L direct injected and turbocharged Ecotec four banger, an engine that we’ve sampled ourselves plenty of times. We feel well qualified, therefore, to suggest that this is an excellent motor, but it really sounds like a major case of overkill for this particular application. Perhaps that’s better than “underkill” (if such a word actually existed) as that powerful engine ought to be able to recharge the Fisker Karma’s on-board lithium ion batteries at an extremely brisk pace. The faster the internal combustion engine can charge up the battery pack, the quicker the car can revert back to its native electric-only operation. Plus, that engine is a relatively light chunk of alloy, so the Karma’s motor shouldn’t be burdened by the gasoline-fed boat anchor too horribly under electric power.
We also find it a bit interesting that Fisker chose GM as its powertrain supplier, which means that the Karma and GM’s own Chevy Volt are now even closer cousins than before. Both vehicles will sport four doors, lithium ion batteries and an extended-range electric vehicle drivetrain; and with this announcement, both are now slated to share four cylinder engines from GM. This kinda makes ‘em second-cousins through marriage, no?
Fisker Automotive Announces Intent to Source General Motors Components
IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 21 /PRNewswire/ — Fisker Automotive, Inc., a green American premium car company, today announced that General Motors has been selected to supply, through its on-highway integrator Powertrain Integration LLC, the gasoline engine that will be used in the Fisker Karma, Fisker Automotive’s new Extended Range Hybrid Electric Vehicle. GM’s Powertrain organization will supply the gasoline engine that generates electricity when the driver has exceeded the 50 mile electric-only range. The 2.0 direct injection, turbo-charged 4-cylinder Ecotec gasoline engine will deliver 260 horsepower. Fisker Automotive is also considering the purchase of several additional GM vehicle components to enhance the Karma.
“Given General Motors global leadership in the parts and accessories space, the fact that it is already engineering parts for extended range electric vehicles, and its commitment to helping the environment, it was clear that this was the right partner for us,” said Fisker Automotive, Inc. CEO Henrik Fisker. “We are confident that this is the beginning of an important partnership between GM and Fisker Automotive in developing the most desirable fuel efficient vehicles of the future.”
“GM is proud that Fisker Automotive has selected one of the world’s best powertrains for installation into the new Karma,” said Tom Stephens, Executive Vice President of GM Powertrain and Global Quality. “The advanced design of this engine offers a superior performance-to-weight ratio that makes it the right choice for the Fisker Hybrid Electric Vehicle. As a leader in the automotive industry in the development of fuel efficient and energy diverse powertrains, GM sees significant opportunity in working with Fisker Automotive, a visionary company developing products that embody both exciting vehicle design as well as technology friendly to our environment.”
Initial domestic deliveries of Fisker Automotive’s first car, the Karma, will commence in the 4th quarter of 2009 in North America with planned delivery to Europe in 2010. Fisker Automotive’s annual production is projected to reach 15,000 cars, with more than half of sales expected to be overseas.
Fisker Automotive, Inc.
Fisker Automotive is a privately owned car company with Henrik Fisker as the CEO. Fisker Coachbuild, LLC will be the exclusive design house for Fisker Automotive through the entire range of product development. The company has backing from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Palo Alto Investors and an affiliate of Qatar Investment Authority.
In addition to changing the car’s name from the Miles XS500 to the Miles EV, Miles Electric Vehicles was apparently listening to me when a few months ago, I politely said this car needs a makeover. (I doubt it though) The new model? Well, the digital rendering definitely looks unique. It seems as though they lowered the fenders to give it a sportier look and gave it an aggressive looking snout in the middle of the hood. And, oh yeah, there is no more grill. A grill-less car looks awkward at first, but the change should definitely help the drag coefficient and also give it a distinction that makes it look different from your average Hyundai or Kia, which was my complaint. So, yeah, I’m satisfied.
The Miles EV will have a top speed of over 80 mph and a 120 mile range. The EV will be priced between $40,000 to $45,000 before government incentives. According to the Miles EV site, “With passage of legislation by the US congress in the fall of 2008, ‘Miles EV’ customers will recieve between a $5,000 to $7,500 tax credit for their purchase of the ‘Miles EV’” They still call it the Miles Highway Speed Vehicle on the site. There may also be state incentives. The Miles EV is targetted to hit US markets in early 2010.
