Posts Tagged ‘EV’

Last night, as I was walking to a music venue on Main St. in Venice, I happened across this stunning futuristic piece of machinery. It is a converted plug-in hybrid Toyota Prius that runs on electricity and algae fuel.

It happens to be driven by Josh and Rebecca Tikell, who also directed the award-winning documentary, Fuel.  The couple drove the algae plug-in hybrid across the country last year to promote Fuel. They are also working on a new documentary at the moment called, “Spill,” which brings attention to this summer’s Gulf Oil Spill and its aftermath.

So, what’s the deal with the plug-in hybrid algae car? Well, for one, it uses no petroleum. The vehicle is either propelled by electrical energy only (stored in the onboard battery pack underneath the rear cargo space) or by a blend of electrical energy and algae fuel.

Rebecca told me that the car is capable of traveling 30 miles in all-electric mode. The blended mode kicks in after 30 miles, delivering an estimated 150 miles per gallon over those first 100 miles. After the first 100 miles, she says that the Prius still gets superb mpg. The most efficient driving mode is all-electric, of course, and you can plug the converted car into any standard 110-volt wall outlet and fully charge in just six hours.

While plug-in hybrid Prius conversions have been around for awhile now, this is the first one powered by algae fuel (others have used petroleum). Josh and Rebecca have algae fuel for their car provided by Sapphire Energy. The beauty of algae fuel is that it is one of the most sustainably produced fuels in the world. Find out how algae fuel is produced here.

I plan on following up with Josh and Rebecca to learn more about this technology and find out how close we are to actually getting cars like this on the market. Needless to say, it is an exciting time in automotive history and I am glad that we are using our ingenuity to solve one of the most critical issues of our day.

Dr. Shannon Arvizu loves driving clean, green machines. You can find out more at MissElectric.com.

General Motors today released pricing details for the hotly-anticipated Chevrolet Volt. The extended-range electric vehicle will go on sale with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $40,280 (before $720 destination charge). A federal tax incentive of $7,500 drops the price to $32,780.

The Volt comes well-equipped with a standard navigation system, Bluetooth hands-free phone system, Bose premium audio, and 5 years of complimentary OnStar coverage. The only options will be chrome wheels, three premium paint colors, a rear park assist feature, and heated leather seats.

But how does the Volt stack up against the Nissan Leaf, its closest rival in the zero emissions race?

Nissan made waves earlier this year when they announced that the all-electric Leaf would be priced at $32,780. Factor in the $7,500 federal tax incentive and the effective price plummets to a very reasonable $25,280, which Nissan points out is comparable to a well-equipped Toyota Prius hybrid.

Compare the Leaf to the Volt, however, and you’ll find that the Chevy commands a stunning $7,500 price premium over the Nissan.

GM’s new vice president of US marketing, Joel Ewanick is quick to point out that the Volt has something the all-electric Nissan doesn’t: an onboard generator that runs on gasoline and that can keep the car moving for an additional 300 miles after the initial 40-mile all-electric range is depleted. ”No other automaker offers an electrically driven vehicle that can be your everyday driver, to take you wherever, whenever.”

And while the Leaf’s driving range of 70-120 miles may not make it as road-trip-worthy as the Volt, the Leaf is eligible for an additional $5,000 state tax incentive for California residents. This expands the Nissan’s price advantage to $12,500 in what is sure to be a critical sales market for electrically-driven cars.

Consumers will ultimately decide if range anxiety – their fear of running out of electricity before they can find a charging station – is worth the extra $7,500 to $12,500. As some EV enthusiasts have already pointed out, the price difference would cover a lot of rental cars for those times when 70-120 miles just isn’t enough.

The next three years will be exciting for early adopters in the car industry. As mentioned in a previous post, automakers plan to release next-generation technology that will revolutionize the way we drive. They are part of a new wave of electric vehicles that are designed to reduce overall driving costs, clean our air, and create an interactive driving experience like no other.

But what is it really like to drive an electric car? This week, I interviewed Stefano Paris, who leased an all-electric MINI Cooper (the MINI E) this past year. He gives us the low-down on what it’s like to be one of the first to drive an advanced electric vehicle.

Keep in mind that Stefano has been one of the very early adopters for this technology. Those lucky enough to secure a Nissan Leaf, Chevy Volt, or Ford Focus Electric will benefit from a newly established charging infrastructure in one of ten regions across the country, as well as the opportunity to benefit from being able to actually purchase their vehicles. This is historically monumental.

Q: What excites you the most about driving an electric car?

Stefano: The sensation of driving a high performance electric car is one of seamless power, lightning quick acceleration, and effortless glide. The convenience and time saving of charging up at home also insures a fully “fueled” vehicle every morning.

Q: What motivated you to be an “early adopter” for new clean car technology?

Stefano:  Several years ago I installed a SunPower 4kW photovoltaic solar system on my roof that generates more energy than required by my house.  I saw a perfect marriage between solar power and electric cars, as I could do all my yearly driving on the excess solar energy and still have a $0 electrical bill.

Q: What is it about the MINI E that attracted you?

Stefano:  The MINI Cooper was already a very cute and adorable car.  Adding an electric drive system could only increase their appeal.  What is particularly pleasing and provides 50% of the fun of driving electric is the very efficient and aggressive regenerative braking of the legendary AC Propulsion drive systems.  As soon as I learned the MINI E was powered by AC Propulsion, I knew the MINI E was going to be fantastic, powerful, quick, and tremendous fun.

Q: How did you apply? Why do you think you were chosen?

Stefano: The application process was very selective and arduous.  Initially everyone that was interested added their email address to MINI’s database to be informed of future MINI E announcements.  On November 19^th, 2008 at the Los Angeles Auto Show, BMW officially announced their MINI E one year lease only program and opened up a website where one could apply to be a MINI E “test driver” after completing a very thorough 2 hour online questionnaire. I received notice in January that I had passed their initial MINI E applicant screening via the online questionnaire.  Selected applicants had to then pass insurance and garage inspection processes.

Q: What did you like the most about being an early adopter?

Stefano: I enjoy adopting early in order to help make the future happen today, within my lifetime.  We can wait around forever for the future to arrive or we can make conscious efforts to improve our living for a more sustainable world. Every single drive of my MINI E was always a smile inducing special experience.  Driving electric has yet to get mundane and continues to be a magical experience even after 20,000 electric miles.

Adopting early also requires you to be flexible and inventive.  Given the lack of compatible public charge stations, I quickly learned and built a significant “charging kit” of cables and adapters that allowed me to drive my MINI E anywhere I wanted.  I even drove my MINI E on a memorable weekend trip to Northern California to visit family.

Q: What did you like the least about your car?

Stefano: The MINI shape isn’t all that aerodynamic.  A more aerodynamic shape (like a Honda CRX or EV1) would have allowed for more range with a lower energy consumption rate.

Q: Would you sign up to be an early adopter again? Why or why not?

Stefano: I’ll continue to be early adopting of all types of technologies, including electric vehicles, but will choose the purchasing and ownership route only.

Dr. Shannon Arvizu is a clean-tech consultant and educator in the plug-in vehicle field. You can read more at MissElectric.com.

At a claimed 100 miles of driving range and a $25,280 price tag, the Nissan Leaf is one of the most attractive electric vehicle propositions out there.  It’s cheap to own and charge and is at the bleeding edge of zero emissions technology.

But would you still be interested in this electric wonder-car if the driving range were only 47 miles?

That’s exactly the problem Nissan faces as they try to manage expectations for the battery-powered future they so desperately want to lead.

Unlike gasoline-powered cars, the driving range of electric vehicles can vary dramatically with changes in the weather.  That’s mainly because the heating and air conditioning systems rapidly drain energy from the battery pack, trading miles of driving for a comfortable cabin.  Battery packs also have difficulty charging to a full 100% in cold weather when their chemical reactions are slowed by low temperatures.

The 100 miles of driving range that Nissan has quoted until now is based on the EPA’s “LA4″ testing cycle, which is designed to simulate urban traffic in Los Angeles.  Commute on any stretch of road other than the 405 freeway and your mileage will undoubtedly vary.

Forbes was at a press event in Japan last week when Nissan unveiled a detailed list of scenarios to help drivers outside the City of Angels know what to expect:

• Cruise around leisurely at 38 miles per hour on a comfortable, 68-degree day in San Francisco and the Leaf’s driving range jumps to an impressive 138 miles.
• Crawl along in dense traffic at 6 miles per hour on a hot, 86-degree day in San Diego with the air conditioner at full blast and the Leaf’s range wilts to a mere 47 miles.
• Jog among suburban traffic at an average speed of 24 miles per hour on a warm, 77-degree day in Orange County and you’ll make it for 105 miles, provided you don’t turn on the A/C.
• Suffer through a 95-degree heat wave in Nashville while traveling at 55 miles per hour with the A/C on and you can expect a range of about 70 miles.
• Skate around Manhattan on a 14-degree winter day at an average speed of 15 miles per hour and you’ll make it for about 62 miles.

Not all of these scenarios are flattering but Nissan is quick to remind that electric vehicles do have a few nifty tricks up their sleeves.  Leaf drivers, for example, can use Nissan’s iPhone app to pre-heat or pre-cool the car while it’s still plugged in to a charging station.  This makes the car more comfortable for the driver’s arrival and minimizes the need for air conditioning while on the road, preserving the battery’s charge for driving.

And don’t worry: Japan’s third-largest automaker assures that the radio and windshield wipers and other electronic features have a negligible impact to driving range.

New technologies often require new thinking and we think that Nissan was wise to be transparent and set expectations before the Leaf come to market this winter.  How has this new information affected your interest in the car?

Were you one of the first in line for the iPhone? Are you drooling all over your glossy new iPad? Do you have to have the latest and greatest gadgets before anyone else?

If so, I have good news for you because automakers will soon be releasing next-gen technology that will transform the way we drive.

It’s part of a coming wave of new cars that will (finally!) offer options beyond the dinosaur internal combustion technology that’s been around for the past 100 years.

Like many new technologies, however, these future cars will only be available on a limited basis at first.  Field trials of the all-electric Mini E and hydrogen fuel cell Honda FCX Clarity, for example, were limited to Southern California and the New York metropolitan region last year.

These prototype test cars were leased to early adopters for a specified time and then returned to the manufacturers for continued analysis.  Ideally, these trials are intended to help Mini and Honda create even better production cars for the rest of us to enjoy.

Three new cars, the Nissan Leaf, the Chevy Volt, and the Ford Focus Electric, are slated for production in the next year. In addition to cutting-edge technology under the hood, these cars will feature advanced dashboard, navigation, and wireless communication technology that you will not find in standard gas-guzzling machines. They will also come with their own SmartPhone applications for maximizing energy use and minimizing charge costs. For example, this video gives you a taste of the Chevy Volt Wireless App.

How do you get a “car of the future”? This time it won’t be just Californians and New Yorkers who get to show off their new toys: early adopters in several other regions across the country can look forward to getting in on the electric drive action.

Those regions include:

- Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, TN (for the Nissan Leaf)

- Los Angeles, CA (for the Chevy Volt and Ford Focus Electric)

- San Jose and San Francisco, CA (for the Chevy Volt and Ford Focus Electric)

- San Diego, CA (for the Nissan Leaf)

- New York, NY (for the Ford Focus Electric)

- Austin, TX (for the Ford Focus Electric)

- Phoenix and Tucson, AZ (for the Nissan Leaf)

- Portland, Eugene, and Corvallis, OR (for the Nissan Leaf)

- Seattle, WA (for the Nissan Leaf)

- Detroit, MI (for the Ford Focus Electric)

Early adopters in these regions can expect significant city and state purchase incentives (in addition to the well-publicized $7,500 federal tax credit). In many regions, these folks can also qualify to get a free charger installed in their home for juicing their new electrically-driven wheels. Officials in these cities are working with manufacturers to establish a new public charging infrastructure, as well.

But what is it like to be an early adopter for these future cars? How does one join this energy evolution? In the next few weeks, I hope to interview some first-movers in the electric car field for our Honk readers. Stay tuned for an inside perspective from those who are on the front line of next-gen mobility…

Dr. Shannon Arvizu is a clean-tech strategist and educator. You can read more at MissElectric.com