EV Out of Juice?

One of the biggest issues facing today's current technology plug-in only vehicles is what to do when your charge runs out on the road. This article from Motorcrave.com suggests an interesting option... find an RV park. With nightly rentals running less than a tank of gas or a tow charge, and RV parks much more prevalent than you might expect, it would at least be an option.

It's not a great option because you will be cooling your heels for about four hours, but if you bought the EV car you understand there are going to be inconveniences. Until someone can design a battery with a much greater range, and a very long "limp home" mode, these are going to be issues. That is why I feel the hybrid option that uses gasoline to charge the batteries is a better choice at this time. At least if you "run out" with those vehicles someone can bring you some gas and get you back on the road.

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Ford Hybrid Concept

This article by @itskeithbarry at Autopia previews Ford's new concept vehicle, the EVOS, a plug-in hybrid. The design is beautiful, even giving the new Jaguar and Aston Martins a run for their money.

Although the article spends most of it's coverage on the great new technology behind the vehicle, I focused more on two simple items. The picture... it really is a stunning design (if they will keep it for production), and the rated 500 mile range for the combined drive train.

Either way, whether you see the high tech or the skin deep beauty, Ford should be proud of this design and if they were smart they would get it to the showroom floors at your local dealership as soon as possible.

Autopartstomorrow

How Does A Hybrid Auto Work?

I know it is strange, but I cringe when I hear someone say "What kind of motor is in that car?". For those of you who don't understand immediately, a "motor" is an electric propulsion device. If you want to know what runs that car down the road you need to know what kind of "engine" it has... That is until recently.

The automotive industry is going through a groundswell of change, and will probably continue for quite some time. While just a few years ago, Toyota released the first hybrid vehicle to the mass market. Now we have several different alternative types of vehicles (plug-in, hybrid, fuel cell, hydrogen, compressed Natural Gas, etc.) and the field continues to expand.

I thought it would be a good idea to at least explain one aspect of the industry to those who might be afraid to ask. Many people know that hybrid means part electric and part gas, but that is the end of their understanding. I found this article at AutoMD.com that does a very good job of graphically describing the technology involved in Hybrid cars. Thanks for the info !!

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Can New Technology Be Bad For The Auto Industry?

OK, so the headline seems counter-intuitive, I agree. New technology is being folded into our new vehicles so fast it is sometimes hard to keep up, and I am in the industry. We are finally at a point where competition is truly creating differences (more choices) that we can appreciate and use to make our decisions. I propose however that some of these diversions are just that, deflections of correct ideas into marketing niches that will in the long run create eddies in the advancement river, if not backwater dead ends.

One such trend that I am fearful of is new battery technology. Currently, Lithium Ion batteries are the rage, and everyone is trying to jump out front to become the dominant player. Our government is subsidizing production, China is trying to buy up all of the scarce raw materials needed for production, and many manufacturers are trying to tie up producers with long term very aggressive contracts. What I see is an industry that is building it's own blinders towards newer and better battery technology that may emerge at any moment, because it has become so heavily invested in Li-Ion. I am encouraged by this article by Matthew Deboard of BNET.com that shows at least Johnson Controls seems to be logical in it's approach. In reading between the lines I see a massive corporation that doesn't want to commit to an all-in investment in a technology that won't ever really be the end game. I believe some wise engineer has been listened to (and that doesn't happen a lot in corporate America), that has cautioned against this stop gap battery being "the next great thing".

If you have read my posts in the past you will remember many such articles about which battery, engine, hybrid or plug-in combination will become the chosen replacement for the internal combustion engine. I think everyone agrees we need it... I am just glad to see wise people in the industry recognize that we haven't actually seen it yet. Don't get so tied up in today's solution that you cannot embrace and dominate the right choice that appears tomorrow.

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