Electric Vehicles Now and In The Future

I've created this discussion to present ideas on the future of the transportation industry. For my part I want to tell you about what I believe is the future of transportation, and how our government can help to encourage car owners and manufacturers to make this change. We start from where we are now with many people switching from vehicles which depend only on gasoline to hybrid vehicles which also use stored electric power. The electric systems in the hybrid allow the vehicle to get vastly better gas mileage when driving at low speeds and short distances. The small block engine helps to charge the batteries, extending the hybrids range, and enabling the vehicle to operate at higher speeds. The hybrid represents the best of both the old and the new technologies in transportation. However it is at best a compromise, and with electric vehicle technology advancing we need to start thinking about completely replacing all internal combustion vehicles. Admittedly some vehicles will still be around due to nostalgia, and in their original configurations may remain show pieces, for exhibition only. Others will be converted so that while on the outside they reflect the styling of the old vehicles, their internal components will be more consistent with modern electric vehicles. The first step begins with auto manufactures giving consumers the ability to choose between ICE, hybrids, and fully electric vehicles. Previously it was said that there was not enough demand for EVs due to their short range, and lack of performance. However it has been shown that EVs can be designed to have performance equal, and in some cases superior, to similar ICE vehicles. Additionally the range of some electric vehicles can now exceed 300 miles due to developments in battery technology. However these technologies do not come cheap, and consumers need to have an affordable option. The good news is that an affordable EV can be produced with a range of between 100 and 200 miles, which is sufficient for use as a commuter vehicle. I beleive that if given the choice, consumers would choose an all electric vehicle for this reason, retaining their ICE or hybrid as a second car or long range vehicle to be used for long distance trips. Like Mr. Pickens, I beleive that having the right leadership will make all the difference. The only way we can have a change in energy policy is if we elect leaders who are committed towards those ends. Only then can legislation be passed to effect the kind of changes we need as a country. I beleive that once the Pickens Plan is enacted into law that legislation should be considered which would set a firm timeline for the conversion or replacement of all passenger ICE vehciles with Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (i.e.: EVs, Hybrids), and I beleive that this can be accomplished by the end of next decade. Just in time for todays new cars to be put out to pasture. Our government must encourage car manufacturers, and dealerships to give consumers a reasonable means of acquiring these new vehicles through the use of tax breaks and subsidies. These efforts should be aimed at reducing the cost of disposing of consumers trade-ins, and to reduce the marked price on new vehicles which consumers will have to pay. By the end of this period there should be enough new and used hybrids and EVs on the market that every driver should be able to afford to purchase one. So upon the end of the decade emissions standards can be increased to Ultra Low Emissions Levels. One area of concern with electric vehicles is the vehicle charging technologies. Other possibilities we can persue have to do with the EVs charging technology. While current technology is sufficient, the charging still take time, and it can only be done where a port is available to plug in. Newer hybrids and EVs should be capable of pluging into a standard 220V outlet. Another technology that should be considered is a technology which is used in electrical transformers. Using electromagnetic induction we can charge an electric vehicle by simply placing it near powerful electric current. Such and inducer can be buried beneath a residents driveway, or under specially marked parking spaces. A vehicles electric control system would measure the amount of time the car spends charging, shuting off once the batteries are full, and the cost of charging would be billed monthly to the owner. Such technology could charge the vehicles battery even while it is on the move. So imagine if you will an electric highway, a new type of interstate highway system. Each lane would have a high powered cable running beneath it which would turn the inducer and charge your batteries "as you drive". When you're not on the highway, your car would continue to run on battery power. A car could rely on its own batteries on short drives in town, and through the country. (i.e.: up to 300 miles) Upon merging onto the electric highway, the car being powered by EM induction field would make it possible for a vehicle to travel for thousands of miles, non-stop, without recharging. With cheap sustainable sources of alternative energy the cost of driving your car could be far cheaper than it is now. Increased demand will drive up prices over time, but I beleive that it would be more stable than gas prices are now.

Tags: EV, ULEV, electric, emissions, highway, hybrid, low, standards, ultra, vehicles

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by PeakOilishere on August 18, 2008 at 3:13pm

You'll be taking your chances, alright. Good luck to you. I suggest you read about peak oil and understand what it means for the planet.

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Permalink Reply by Kenneth Koch on August 18, 2008 at 3:28pm

I wasn't aware that oil was our only solution for transportation. There is progress being made on:

1. CNG
2. bio-fuels
3. syn-fuels
4. batteries
5. hydrogen

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Permalink Reply by Brandon on August 18, 2008 at 3:59pm

Peak oil is not here for the US. There is a reason we buy oil from other countries. Example our oil shale fields are being estimated to have an easily recoverable 800 bbl of oil and as high as 3 trillion total. There is a reason why even looking at geo-magnetic readings for oil in certain areas is prohibited.

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Permalink Reply by eddie rabon on October 12, 2008 at 5:33pm

go look at the algae biomass site and also look up valcent online. algae bio mass will be the cheap fuel of the future and it is coming soon.plastics are made from oil yes but if the same can be done with algae oil then cost of plastics will bottom out.there are already video's out where they have solar parking ports for people with ev's to recharge their vehicles in California and we need more of them across the u.s .

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Permalink Reply by eddie rabon on October 12, 2008 at 5:49pm

This is the idea I have in mind for a vehicle that is solely set up on battery power to try to keep it charged to a certain level while in transit.Mind you it is an idea.you've seen certain cars with body scoops flared out from the body to give it a more sporty look.i was thinking also of the type of solar panels that peel and stick to metal. why not take some of the peel and stick photovoltaic cells and make wide raceing stripes on the hood with it hook it to an inverter under the hood and also where the body scoops are where there flared out mount permanent magnetic motors with small squirrel cage fans mounted to them inside these scoops to turn and also go to the inverter to charge the batteries while in transit?this way they will stay hidden and not take away from the look of the car.also you could extend the peel and stick photovoltaic cells were extended to the top of said vehicle then it could also help in the charging process. this way one could possible have two ways to charge the batteries while it is in motion.
and also have a battery monitor that would cut off the flow if they were ever in danger of being over charged.
any idea's?

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Permalink Reply by Terrence Abrams on October 13, 2008 at 3:49pm

Don't forget about Solar Assists. Even Ford and GM have plans on the drawing board and some alpha and beta test models. Whether you use Hydrogen, direct electric, Bio-fuels, CNG, whatever as the main line fuel type, solar assist panels in the hood, trunk and roof are being seriously considered to keep charging a battery on sunny days to keep at least part of the vehicle's power sourcing renewable.

This will stretch any of these options to an even greater hybrid range ability. Car wrecks on the other hand, would cost more to repair. (smile!)

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Permalink Reply by Terrence Abrams on October 16, 2008 at 12:41pm

This is great, thanks Nancy, I'll go watch this. Be careful though, ol' Jesse Jackson, just yesterday, told news reporters that he has sources 'from the horse's mouth' that once elected, Obama is taking Israel off of the most-favored allies list.

Let's hope Israel survives to see the successful transition.

Le'ts hope Jesse's lyin' off his ass, but to be historically accurate, he usually does not say this stuff directly 'to' reporters unless he was told something by Obama staff.

CNN covered this story initally.

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Permalink Reply by Hugh Hemington on October 16, 2008 at 1:07am

Toyota is bringing out a hybrid using CNG! So you get the range of a hybrid and economy too!

Right now, today, you cannot buy a new "oem" EV! There aren't any. The Tesla doesn't count because you can't BUY one. They are all gone this year and they cost $100k next year.

The RAV4 EV was great, but Chevron bought the patent for the battery pack (NiMH) and locked it in their vault. There are some "golf cart" type vehicles coming out like the Mitsubishi -- the ones where you'll check your life insurance policy every time you get in the thing, but today, there are no conventional car EVs.

Don't get me wrong, although I have an NGV now, I want my next car to be an EV. I think electric is where we have to go. Natural gas is the "bridge", not the destination.

A lot of progress has been made with Lithium Ion, and work is being done to perfect Lithium Phosphorous too. Lead-acid still works but it's heavy. At the vehicle expo on Tuesday, there was a speaker on EVs. He said that the auto industry is working with the power companies to develop communication standards so that the "smart grid" could talk to the car while charging overnight so that large numbers of EVs could be charged without all starting at once. The car would know how "empty" it was and based on history, about what time in the morning it would be needed. The ones that were drained further and/or would be driven earlier would get priority in the recharge queue.

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Permalink Reply by Terrence Abrams on October 16, 2008 at 12:47pm

Personally, I'm waiting for the H-Cell/Biofuel hybrid, this version of a car can be a plug-in model for recharging backup, but can also employ the magnetic flywheel engine, that can. off of electricity or a biofuel lead, generate 100 mpg, CITY, in a full size automobile.

GM locked up the first flywheel engine back in 1986 too, so don't feel surprised. Ford currently has first rights to hydrolized water and gas-or-biofuel hybid design, that properly done, can get a mid-sized car to 40 and 48 mpg highway. Their early press releases say this vehicle will be out in early 2010.

Will either of them be alive then to produce the really viable and worth-purchasing vehicles then?? OR, will we be stuck with Honda's H-Cell electric car, that requires a CNG recharge to the H-Cell, EVERY 200 - 240 miles (roughly half the range of conventional gas cars today?)