The B2B platform for full-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles: Industry News

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2009-07-29 18:05:30 - edgar loehr

Frank:
history is full of successfull big steps in technology. We didn`t use horse-drawn carriages with a small auxiliary engine, then with a little bit bigger auxiliary engine and so on to get the car. We made one big technological step.
But yes, the introduction of new technologies goes step by step. It`s all the more important to make big and elaborate steps in technology as early as possible.
the road map is: switch the switchblades, devellop high efficient new vehicle technologies and go step by step in the very right direction.
PHEV is a good technology in relation to the old car, but it is neither the global solution for city-traffic we need nor will it ever lead to sustainable mobility in time.

Edgar Loehr

2009-07-29 09:41:31 - andy frank

Edgard:
You are right but where is the road map to go from where we are to the ultimate that must happen?? it cannot happen in step changes. Look at every attempt at a step change they have all failed!! Look at the fool cell!!

We must begin small with concepts that can lead to major changes. That is what the PHEV is all about!! it represents a way to transition to the future but it provides the road map to get there in acceptable size steps. You won't change the world in one big step!!

Prof Frank

2009-07-29 08:00:10 - loehr edgar

Frank:

small incremental costs will generate small effects even in the longterm. If we won't pay for the future of our children they will have to pay for it twice. But there is a way to get affordable vehicles: make them small and light, optimized for city-traffic. Riding very old fassioned, oversized and luxury steel-horses is not the way to win. We just have to change our standards and archaic views.

Edgar Loehr

2009-07-28 10:05:52 - andy frank

Edgard:

You missed the point of the plug-In hybrid which splits the modes in one car at a small incremental cost. this is why it is the only thing that can work now.

Prof Frank

2009-07-28 09:53:18 - Anonymous

yes, the study shows the right way, but only if we split personal transport into short-range urban vehicles which are electric, lightweight and high efficient and long-range cars with combustion engine burning the rest of oil and more and more biofuels.
This is the only way to make big steps, otherwise we will drive hard against the wall.

Edgar Loehr

2009-07-27 21:05:34 - andy Frank

I think the basic flaws of this study are:

1. the assumption that BEV's can be equivalent to a conventional IC engine car in performance, convenience and cost.
2. the assumption that the costs will be removed from the public. The costs are simply hidden and spread to more innocent and perhaps greedy investors.
3. The assumption that the batteries are readily available and can be manufactured in the volume needed to fulfill the projected demand. The Current projections from knowledgeable baterry companies is that supplies of simply one product like the volt will fill up the current supply of battery capacity. Of course we can increase this but naot at the rate proposed. The major battery companies need to be consulted.

In conclusion: This paper ignores the the most important aspects of electricfication, which is a road map with realistic projections on manufacturing capability world wide to supply the quantity of material needed for an all electric society. I suspect a realistic view is that an electric society can be achieved in about 50 years just in time to ameliorate the effects on climate change if we plan and produce the correct products. The way to proceed is to increase battery pack size per car gradulally over a 20 to 30 year period. We should begin with the current hybrids at 1.5 kwhrs and go 3 kwhrs then to 6 kwhrs then to 12 and finally to 16. This way we can build the volume as we increase the use of electricity and decrease the use of gasoline and oil. The goal is to displace oil and not fuel economy. It seems people have lost the message and lost the distinction between fuel economy and displacement of oil by electricity.

Thus the proper vehicle configuration is the Plug-In
Hybrid Electric Vehicle or PHEV with a gradual increase in all electric range as time goes on. this seems to be the Toyota Plan. They were right before!!

Introducing the ability to use electricity for trasportation is the most important first step but at a reasonable price increment. This is the kind of road map needed and not these step changes proposed by too many late comers getting into the fray these days. I suppose the closing down of the hydrogen program is bringing people out of the woodwork!!


Prof Andy Frank

Displaying 6 comments.