TV's EV Awakening ?
In January two more TV production companies (woah..that makes three in two months..)
contacted us here at EVUK seeking EV advice for a variety of vaguely EV-related new
programmes or series of a vaguely environmental nature that we're told are in the
pipeline. Confidentiality prevents us from being too specific at this point but these are
mainstream productions for the likes of the BBC and Channel 4.
We do have to say, though, that we never cease to be amazed at the level of media-reinforced
ignorance and misinformation-based hostility that still persists with respect to battery electric vehicles -
especially here in the UK - even amongst otherwise highly educated and enlightened individuals
such as engineers, academics, educators, politicians, environmental campaigners and, yes, TV
company researchers. Milk floats, golf-carts and the Sinclair C5 - it is certainly no
accident that, even now, in our judgement over 95% of the UK population still have not progressed
beyond these cherished prehistoric comedy stereotypes.(What they don't know they can't want,
right?)
Ha! Ha! Get a life! An hilariously funny, fast milk-float(yesterday). Photo: EV Guide
Milking the Joke...
However, we do feel fairly confident that we have succeeded in positively influencing one
future edition of a very popular TV show in particular which - you guessed it - is to revolve
around souped-up(duh!) milk-floats: we have - fingers crossed - persuaded the
producers to include at the top of the show a fast & furious whisk through
the..er...Crème de la Crème of record-breaking and/or stereotype-crushing EV's
such as the Ferrari-thrashing, Porsche-pasting TZero, the 315 mph Buckeye Bullet, the 106 mph
Venturi Fétish as well as(hopefully) Tom Hanks' favourite car the Toyota Rav4 EV. (All too
predictably, as far as we could tell, no-one at this particular TV production company had ever
heard of any of these EV's...)
Related links:
1) Calcars (San Francisco) - all-round plug-in hybrid
specialists/evangelists, quote: "creating the starting point for mass-produced gas-optional or
plug-in hybrids." Creators of the PRIUS+
plug-in prototype and Yahoo Discussion
Group.
2) Transport Design International(UK) Contact: Martin
Pemberton designstudio@tdi.uk.com Tel : (0)1789 490370
3)
Daimler Chrysler Sprinter - clever plug-in "Dual Drive" hybrid van. But the 30km/19 mile ZEV/electric mode is disappointing cf. Ford Explorer/Yosemite above.
January, 2005
Thunder Sky defends (temporary?) Li-ion price increases.
Steve Green's 200+ miles/charge Jester and Thunder Sky's Mpower 600W e-scooter
Steve Green, designer of the Thunder Sky-powered, UK range record-breaking Jester EV, has been in touch to alert us to the fact that
Thunder Sky have recently hiked the price of their high-performance, still relatively low-cost, Li-ion cells.
Steve is now developing (you heard it here first!) a 4-seater, state-of-the-art, in-wheel or hub motor-powered successor to the Jester(..and still looking for sponsors) and tells us he is more than a little concerned at TS's latest move:
"Thunder Sky have just quoted me prices for what I was hoping to order which are nearly 50% higher than they were a couple of months ago. That is a lot of extra money which I don't know if I can find and which also unfortunately plays havoc with commercial cases that we are trying to make. While I may be able to understand why the prices go up, when you're trying to work on a tight budget, it makes a very big difference."
So EVUK contacted Thunder Sky to express our own and Steve Green's concerns. Here's what they told us:
"We understand the customers' concerns very well. In fact, the cycle life of the battery has been increased with the latest technology and of course the performance will be perfect if a BMS(Battery Management System) is added.
Our battery performance will continue to get better and better due to the continuous development of manufacturing techniques.
However, it is due to the fact that the material prices for lithium battery in the world have been raised that we have had no choice but to adjust the unit price accordingly.
We hope the situation will return to normal soon and relieve the price pressure, and we will inform you promptly if there is a reduction in the cost of the raw materials. "
We also contacted Dennis Doerffel (REAPSystems UK) who, as well as being organiser of the annual Li-ion/Thunder Sky conferences and co-ordinator of the TS bulk purchase order scheme, also moderates the
Yahoo Thunder Sky Discussion Group. Here are his thoughts on the TS price increases:
"Firstly - market forces: obviously if there was anyone making batteries for similar low prices/high performance, Thunder Sky could not afford to increase prices, but unfortunately there(still) isn't ...
And why don't we in Britain get anything done ie. develop SOA Li-ion cells ourselves??
And where are our 17.5% VAT, plus other taxes all going? That, from my point of view, is what's really worth talking about and writing about before we start chasing Thunder Sky over the price increases.
Unfortunately the only people making a lot of money on our last bulk order is the UK government!
Secondly - real cost: The dollar went down a lot and Thunder Sky buys electrode material from Europe - hence their material cost went up, if measured in dollars. The cost did not go up too much if measured in pounds or Euros.
However, I do feel confident of being able to make Thunder Sky batteries available to enthusiasts in the UK for acceptable prices in future. But believe me - I have to offer TS something in return, because a few tens of thousands of pounds do not make small volume customers very interesting to them.
Thunder Sky cell prices went up slightly (in £ terms), but I think only for (very) small volume customers, and that's because Thunder Sky has now realised just how much time they have to spend discussing performance and prices with every single small customer ... time is money, even in China. In the end they are manufacturers and not a sales office.
What I offer them in return is a presence in the scientific world, which potentially delivers major customers to them."
(EVUK Ed: similarly, EVUK has over the last 3 years or so been the loudest and most enthusiastic - not to mention unpaid - cheerleader for Thunder Sky's low-cost, high-performance Li-ion batteries. Type keyword: Thunder in our Homepage Search Box to see what we've done on the company's behalf..)
Related Links:
MSNBC - Thunder Sky's US TV News breakthrough?
- It's no mean feat for any EV company to be mentioned by a mainstream media news outlet - let alone a Chinese enterprise. Many of you may have missed MSNBC's special report(Nov, 04) entitled "China Plugs into Electric Vehicles."
Here's a TS-related extract from that MSNBC report headed Home-grown company:
"Yoshida's experience was with Thunder Sky, a privately held company aggressively trying to market the technology at home and abroad.
CEO Lindo Ho told MSNBC.com that the battery-maker had also caught the attention of a French carmaker.
Lithium ion batteries, Ho added, break "the bottleneck" that had plagued electric vehicles, noting that Thunder Sky's bus has a range of 180 miles and a recharge time of just three hours.
The company has also developed an electric scooter with a 95-mile range, 60 mph top speed and a 90 minute recharge time, she said. Plans are to partner with a scooter maker and sell it for around $2,000.
She's even hopeful that within five years electric cars for families could be available, but achieving that, she says, requires government help to develop a charging infrastructure for the public. "
December, 2004
Saphion Gen II Li-ion - poised to charge into lead?
Hyundai Accents(Alternativ, Canada) to be upgraded from lead-acid to Saphion Li-ion. Click photos to enlarge
EVUK was recently contacted by Simon Sheldon of Amberjac Projects - a company appointed to represent Valence Technology Inc. here in the UK. Simon was particularly keen to tell us about Valence's Saphion's second generation(Gen II) Saphion EV/HEV li-ion battery.
- Here are some key extracts from our dialogue and correspondence:
Simon Sheldon(SS): I am operating as a consultant in the field of battery technology for use with EV's and HEV's etc.
I have read with interest a few of the articles on the EVUK website on lithium battery solutions for the EV market. I work closely with Valence Technology on their Saphion (Lithium Iron Phosphate) promoting them in various markets including EV/HEV. If you would like to arrange a discussion for an article I will be only too happy to participate. The feedback we are getting from the EV industry so far is very encouraging as this is a technology available now, not several years down the road.
EVUK: Good to hear from you. I wonder if you could give us your view as to why you think Saphion's Li-ion would be a better option than, let's say, Thunder Sky at this point - especially with respect to cost but also as regards reliability, energy density, performance etc. (Here by the way is a link to a basic description of the Thunder Sky "colloid Cr-F-Li" cells)
And perhaps you could also jog our memory as to who else in the UK or Europe is already testing or using Saphion Li-ion in EV's or prototypes?
SS: Saphion technology represents a major step forward in EV battery technology on several fronts. The full list of advantages are:
1) Safety. No thermal runaway issues when the battery cells are exposed to abuse conditions
such as over charge, penetration or crash damage
2) High energy density
3) Fast recharge times, 2C charge on regenerative breaking is no problem
4) High discharge rates of up to 5C, gen 2 Saphion much higher
5) Extremely long life expectancy, for example UPS applications can expect around 10+years in service - that is 3 times lead acid life expectancy (for that application).
6) High number of cycles: 2000 cycles to 80% initial capacity
7) Very tolerant to a wide range of charge voltages and regimes
8) Fast charge capability, for example 2C charge rates
9) Low self discharge
10) Fewer nasties, no heavy metals or toxic metallic materials
11) Excellent float charge characteristics
12) Wide operating temperature range -20 to +60 deg C
13) Very tolerant to a wide range of charge voltages and regimes
14) Good fit with recycling regulations, benign cathode chemistry
15) Good rate performance
Saphion cells use carbon anodes and Lithium-Iron-Phosphate cathodes doped with Magnesium to produce a battery system that is not only safe but also has very good rate capability. Our next generation cathode technology has been developed as a highly conductive system capable of cycling at high rate with good life characteristics. The Saphion cathode system does not decompose until 1000 deg Celsius at which point no Oxygen is released and there is no fire hazard.
EVI - trialling Saphion cells in its range of electric trucks, trams and shuttle buses
For a more traditional Lithium system (Lithium-Cobalt-Dioxide) the decomposition temperature is 160 deg Celsius, upon decomposition oxygen is released creating a serious fire issue called "thermal runaway".
Safety is a major concern in automotive EV applications, if a vehicle with a Cobalt-Dioxide system were to suffer a crash and the battery pack was damaged or shorted out there could be a serious fire problem. No such problem would exist with a Saphion EV system, only the normal hazard of lots of energy that you would have with any electrical storage system.
I am aware of the Thunder Sky cells but I do not know exactly what Thunder Sky currently use as anode, cathode and electrolyte and I cannot imagine, and would be very surprised, if they used the above combination. So I cannot comment on how effective their battery system is as far as safety, rate capability and cycle life is concerned.
Perhaps you could let me know the basic constituents of their system so that I can give you an opinion?
Systems that contain Coke anodes tend to suffer from low discharge rates and low energy density, when combined with a spinel cathode system the energy density takes a further hit. This is very cheap technology but considered of such poor performance that it is no longer used.
Lithium Perchlorate electrolytes have been extensively researched in the past, about 10 to 15 years ago, and the materials were rejected for use in smaller battery systems due to safety concerns. Lithium Perhchlorate when dry, and everything needs as little moisture as possible in a Lithium battery, is very sensitive to explosion upon shock and vibration and it was considered too hazardous to ship in a battery system, hence the reason it is no longer used by anyone. Large format batteries containing Lithium Perchlorate electrolytes would not be considered by virtually any battery system manufacturer for safety reasons. Just to reinforce this point, I was talking to a leading Lithium battery research scientist a little while ago who told me that he had to give up on researching Lithium Perchlorate as an electrolyte system for his PhD thesis because the explosions in his lab were becoming more expensive and dangerous as time went on.
UEV Electrum Spyder - set to be powered by Saphion?
Spinel cathodes (Lithium-Manganese-Oxide) were developed to overcome some of the thermal runaway issues of a Cobalt-Dioxide system, very few manufacturers have adopted spinel due to low energy density, although it has found some applications in mixed metal oxide cathodes to improve safety. Many manufacturers are talking of the improved safety of mixed metal oxide cathodes but the safety improvements are marginal.
Currently there are three live European Automotive EV applications where our cells will be going on trial and pricing levels have been set. I cannot name them due to me being under non-disclosure agreements with them. There are also five trials(*see 'Related links' below) under way in the USA including development work with the USABC on future battery technology for EV's.
Also we have just started talking to some more major EV/HEV players in Europe and the response we have had, especially from a safety viewpoint, has been tremendous.
Sorry I can't be more specific with company names, these are very big companies that take the secrecy and confidentiality of their projects very seriously and I have worked in the automotive industry long enough to know the ropes as far as leaked information is concerned.
My comments on Lithium Perchlorate electrolytes, and various anode and cathode materials, are facts gathered from the leading scientists in the battery world, properly researched.
If anyone is using a battery system that uses Lithium Perchlorate as an electrolyte (regardless of the manufacturer) they should very seriously consider the implications of doing so and ensure that any battery system carries the appropriate certification for transportation (UN DOT, UL, TUV) and never allow the transport of a cell using a Lithium Perchlorate electrolyte onboard an aircraft.
Battery education has been a major part of my activities over the last two years, ensuring that guidelines for the safe use of Lithium batteries are followed, I can count many multinational companies as my OEM clients as well as contact with several aviation authorities who are increasingly concerned about the transportation of Lithium cells/battery packs onboard aircraft. The incidence of Lithium batteries being transported without the correct testing being performed, without the proper labelling (DG Class 9) and in unsuitable packaging are alarming.
EVI - electric shuttle bus
EVUK: I'm guessing that Gen II Saphion may will include some form of nanotech enhancement? So can I ask what your views are or how much you're allowed to say - on the use of nanotechnology, nanomaterials, nanoparticles, nanofibers in EV/HEV Li-ion batteries?
(Note to readers: 1 nanometere = 1 billionth of a metre)
I realise that this is an especially hot/sensitive subject - but to many EV-watchers nanotechnology could truly open the doors to genuine ZEV viability.
We have been impressed for example by what Altair Nanotechnologies, Taiwan's ITRI(Industrial Technology Research Institute) , SRI International have so far achieved and announced on the subject.
So I wonder if, prior to our phone conversation, I could ask you to take a quick look at an especially interesting Small Times press release "Nanomaterials Enable Alternative Energy" and comments made there by SRI's energy cell specialist Subhash Narang.
I'd especially appreciate your comments on the following extract:
"By definition, says Narang, the smaller electrolyte particles that allow energy to move faster do not store as much energy as larger particles.
But Narang and other researchers have found ways to combine high energy density with high power using nanotechnology.
In SRI's case, the approach involves using high aspect ratio nanomaterials, or nanofibers. The nanofibers are minutely small in one dimension (about 20 nanometers) so energy flows rapidly across them. But because they are, relatively speaking, long in the other dimension (50 to 200 nanometers) they can store much more energy than nanoparticles with small dimensions all around.
The result, Narang maintains, is a battery that can deliver about eight times the power of a traditional battery while providing comparable energy. Plus, there's a bonus: The nanoscale dimensions that let energy move rapidly also allow the battery to recharge faster when the energy flow is reversed, a feature that's important for hybrid cars designed to harvest energy from braking and use it to recharge the batteries.
Other organizations are working on the same problem. Ener1, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is researching enhancements for electrolytes and cathodes, using nano-structured powders for electrolytes and nano-structured, iron-disulfide for cathodes.
The company says that by combining its nano-structured, iron-disulfide cathode with its polymer electrolyte it can provide high energy and a long cycle life. "
SS: I think that there is a lot of very valuable and interesting work going on in the area of nanotechnology.
The problem I have with this is that any development programme that has resulted in laboratory success is not indicative of scaled production of materials. Often the scaling up from lab to larger volume batch production is problematic and can cause many projects to simply fall over.
Nanotechnology may be valuable, but is it really the complete answer to the EV/HEV power problem? There are other issues that need to be addressed before Lithium technology can make the final step in to the larger format world, namely safety, recycling and cycle life issues of the basic chemistry. We can answer all three with existing Saphion technology that is available right now because we're singing from a completely different song sheet as far as basic chemistry is concerned.
Gen 2 Saphion does not strictly adhere to a nanotechnology route to achieve the higher power results we are seeing Small particle size from a special manufacturing process has, however, made the large scale commercial production of phosphates a reality for the first time at economic rates. The structure of Gen 2 Saphions is the factor that is making a real difference to rate capability, this development uses a 3D NASICON structure(see Valence pdf for Nasicon definition) with highly conductive paths made by allowing the lithium-ions to exist in close proximity to each other and aligned perfectly. The material is a complete departure from existing Lithium-Ion thinking in that the cathode chemistry has been developed as a highly conductive material from the ground up, rather than a modification of an existing chemistry to make it do something it was not originally intended to do.
The good news is that standard thinking in cell construction can be used and only minor modifications to electrolytes are needed to handle the likely power outputs, keeping the technology relatively inexpensive. Beefing up the internals is also sometimes required as the power handling limits of the existing cells can easily be reached.
Unfortunately you will have to wait until the Gen 2 material is commercialised for release officially by Valence Technology before we can start openly discussing the technology in detail or reporting on the development. The commercialisation of Gen 2 will happen *** Quarter of **** ****. This is to be kept quiet and confidential for the moment please.(EVUK Ed. Sorry EVUK'ers - we can only tell you that it will be sooner rather than later...)
Whatever is done to improve the performance of existing Lithium (Lithium-Cobalt-Dioxide) chemistry the fundamentals of safety in large formats will continue to plague the progress of Lithium batteries in EV/HEV applications, just a quote from the Small Times nanotech piece you quote:
"The ordinarily inverse relationship between energy and longevity is hardly the only problem plaguing the development of hybrid car batteries. According to Narang, there is a similarly inverse relationship between how much energy a battery can store and its inherent safety.
"The trend in the industry is to pack more and more energy into a smaller volume," he said. As a result, today "we’re making batteries that have more energy than TNT."
Safety concerns have compelled automakers to rely on less volatile but poorer performing materials for their hybrids. Honda and Toyota currently use nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries in hybrids, despite the fact that lithium-ion (Li-ion) is generally regarded as a better technology.
"Lithium-ion is dangerous in big form factors," said Alexei Andreev, a solid-state physicist at Draper Fisher Jurvetson. He negotiated the company’s investment in Solicore Inc., a Florida startup that makes a solid-state electrolyte for batteries. "
With the Saphion range of materials we have, for the first time, got a Lithium cell that does not in anyway suffer the same fire and thermal runaway problems of more traditional Cobalt based Lithium batteries. This enables us to build a battery pack as large as you want.....safely. We are also beyond current technology for load conditions and maximising regen power even with the Gen 1 materials. We can accept a 2C charge easily even at 90% SOC, no other commercially available cell can offer such an attractive range of performance characteristics.
I am going to point you to a link on the Valence website that provides a sneak preview of what Gen II Saphion is going to offer: http://www.valence.com/ISEPS_Valence_Saidi_FL-meeting_0304.pdf
This, by the way, is information generated by the research and development conducted by Dr Jerry Barker and Dr Yazid Saidi, probably two of the most forward-thinking scientists in the world in the field of Lithium technology, and two really nice guys for whom I have a lot of respect.
Related links:
1) Alternativ(Canada) - will use Saphion Li-ion in Hyundai Accent EV fleet in place of lead acid. See Auto Channel
press release.
2) Electric Vehicles International(EVI) - are evaluating Saphion cells. See Valence press release.
3) Segway Human Transporter range to be extended by Saphion Li-ion cells.
4) Universal Electric Vehicle(UEV) - looking to use Saphion li-ion in its range of EV's - including the Electrum Spyder. See EVUK report.
5) Valence Named As Top 100 Innovator.
6) Saphion & pricing/cost - quote from Valence June 14, 2004 press release: "The transition of manufacturing operations to Asia lowered product and fixed overhead costs and dramatically improved gross margins from year-ago levels."
7) Valence News Archives.
8) Valence(VLNC) Yahoo message board.
December, 2004
Spark - CNN's bright new tech/eco-tech show puts BBC TV to shame.
Just how much longer can BBC TV remain an alternative technology exclusion zone?
CNN 'Spark' presenter Kristie Lu Stout
Over the past 10 years or so the business world and our corporate media have succeeded, before and beyond the tech-boom, in narrowly redefining the word "technology", reducing and limiting its meaning to signify "anything related to PC's, mobile phones, consumer electronics, gadgets and games".
The BBC's flagship "technology" show Clickonline is a classic case in point: for whilst the various BBC websites and BBC Online generally do cover the whole technology gamut, BBC domestic television's King Canute-like, increasingly history-obsessed(see below) programme-planners still steadfastly refuse to provide viewers with any future-focused TV programme/show dedicated to innovation and new "technology" in the true broad Oxford English Dictionary(OED) sense of the word and, in particular, continue to demonstrate an overt and, in every sense, unsustainable aversion to green, alternative technologies.
Given that the Government's Chief Science Advisor Sir David King recently famously commented that: "Climate change poses a much greater threat than terrorism" (see BBC Global WarNing report and video) just why is the world's once most respected public service broadcaster still refusing to actively promote and advance green technologies and policies in its domestic public service TV schedules while Jeremy Clarkson's Top Gear is gifted two hours of BBC airtime each week?
In spark-ingly stark contrast, CNN's new - sadly only monthly - tech-show
Spark (spark@cnn.com Fridays 24.00 and Sundays 21.30 CET - 1hr earlier in UK) so far at least - appears to be attempting to re-appropriate the word "technology" and return it to that original, all-encompassing OED definition.
The latest edition of the programme, for example, features items about the 4-seater GEM electric NEV(well - it's a start!), various forms of renewable energy as well as, of course, the usual almost obligatory Toyota Prius feature.
Note of Caution:
- The few innovation & tech shows that have made it to the small screen in the past have almost always - rather in the manner of politicians seeking (re-)election - tended to set out with a strong environmental, alternative tech message only to dilute it or abandon it altogether once viewers/voters have taken the bait and been hooked or lured in.
Only time will tell if Spark keeps up the eco-zeal over the long haul....
Related links:
- Other recommended, broad definition(ie. non BBC TV-style!) Tech/Eco-Tech TV programmes/shows:
EuroNews 'High Tech' - some excellent multi-lingual video reports are also viewable from the website including museum footage of Camille Jenatzy's "Jamais Contente" which in 1899 set the first land speed record of 66 mph in a streamlined vehicle powered by two 12 volt motors.
A recent lengthy EuroNews EV/ZEV report also featured an interview in London with EBike Central's Neil Watts.
Contact EuroNews.
Tomorrow Today - Deutsche Welle TV's English version of their German language Projekt Zukunft tech show. Broadcast almost every day.
Contact: tomorrow@dw-world.de
(Oh dear BBC: Tomorrow Today...Project Future - this is what the planet urgently needs instead of your endless "All Our Yesterdays" productions...)
Nano - excellent long-running German innovation/tech TV programme already featured many times in EVUK. Broadcast six days a week.
Contact: nano@3sat.de
Note: All of the above mentioned tech/eco-tech shows are available free-to-air on the Astra satellite at 19.2 degrees east.
Finally, given that TV now has demonstrably more power to raise public awareness and stir up pressure for change than any political party on the planet, we strongly urge people to please:
- contact these tech shows, asking for more EV/ZEV coverage and for more reports on those eco-innovations that have not yet made it to market but which are still at the R&D/prototype stage and (probably urgently) in need of publicity and investment.
- let us know (editor@evuk.co.uk) about any other Spark-like tech/eco-tech shows anywhere else in the world - whatever the language - that we may have overlooked.
November, 2004
BatScap/Bolloré's low-cost, long-range li-ion VBE1 - an update
Sorry no pictures yet - but for all regular EVUK'ers out there who may be wondering, as we were, whether the long-range, low-cost BatScap/Bolloré "VBE1" li-ion prototype might - like countless other loudly-trumpeted EV projects - simply fizzle and fade away or face endless postponements(cf. the French MDI Air Car for instance)...we have good news of the 'so far so good variety'(well, it is better than no news!)...
Vincent Bolloré at the launch of the French Government's "Environmental Rendez-Vous" initiative
...Having spotted the 12 November '04 French Government press release "Electric Car: Myth or Reality?"(see below) featuring Vincent Bolloré, we decided it would be a good time to contact BatScap to confirm that the project was indeed going to plan and that the VBE1 was still on schedule to appear at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2005. We were also curious to know if the prototype would be making the short trip south to Monaco for next year's EVS21 in April.
The reply from BatScap was short and sweet but a little surprising with respect to EVS21:
"Whilst we are unable to provide further details regarding progress in the development of our EV, we can confirm it will be launched, as planned, at the Geneva Motor Show in March. However, we do not intend to take it to EVS21 in Monaco."
See French Government(and French language!) press release in which Vincent Bolloré's collaborator, Philippe Guédon(Renault Espace creator and former head of Matra Automobile Engineering - now a subsiduary of Pininfarina) comments, crucially, that:
"The aim is not to limit EV's to big commercial fleet operators but to make them appeal to "Mr & Mrs Everyman"("Monsieur et Madame Tout-le-Monde").
November, 2004
Back To The Future Now? Peter Lyon travels through time in the 250 mph Li-ion Eliica (Auto Express & Daily Mail)
It may be our imagination - or just plain wishful-wistful thinking - but this latest report by Peter Lyon (Auto Express & Daily Mail) seems a lot more bullish, urgent - even EV-angelical - than the usual token fare ie. as in: "Here's another great greenwash EV no-one wants you to have."
For more see Eliica homepage.
November, 2004
EV / ZEV Broken Promises: EVUK and The Daily Telegraph - Part I
(Part II "EVUK Exchange of Fire with Daily Telegraph" coming soon...)
"Mercedes electric A-Class(120 miles/charge, 77 mph) will not now go on sale until the end of 1999" (BBC Top Gear, 1998):
(Courtesy EV World)
...Mercedes F-Cell/Necar etc "market-ready by 2004"(Channel4 TV, 2001)
Well, it's EV Groundhog Day 2004. We've all heard the same old time-warp script - the promises, the excuses - a thousand times.
Enough already! We decided it was once again time to try and break the media silence before 2005 hits us. So we fired off the letter below to the Daily Telegraph (dtletters@telegraph.co.uk) to vent some spleen.
The next day the paper's motoring editor Peter Hall sent this short but intriguing response:
"Your timing is impeccable. Don't miss our cover story on Saturday".
Hmm...this sounded promising - but would they actually do what journalists never do ie. bite the hand that feeds them and roundly criticise the carmakers for repeatedly failing to deliver the zero-emission electric-drive alternatives to the energy-inefficient Infernal Combustion Engine they have so long promised.
And: would the 'cover story' yet again inform us that "Fuel cells are 'the' future" - rather than "fuel cells will be part of a diverse electric future" and that the "future" needs to happen the day before tomorrow - now in 2004 as promised - and not the day after..the day after...
As it turns out, the cover story's author Andrew English - one of two UK motoring journalists for whom we do have a certain respect(Jesse Crosse is the other..) breaks media ranks and delivers one of the most blistering indictments of the motor industry we've ever seen. At the end of the piece ('Feeding The Dragon', 30/10/04) he cuts to the chase and goes straight for the jugular with this final coup de grace:
"From where I stand, with a headache, in Shanghai, it has all turned out to be so much pie in the sky. Sometimes I really hate the car industry."
What a pity Andrew English doesn't extend his condemnation to the carmakers' mercenary accomplices and partners in crime - his fellow ICE-worshipping, loyal-to-oil hacks who, with few exceptions, continue to sing from the same sorry hymn-sheet of ICE-idolatry.
So - here is EVUK's missive to the main(ie. non-motoring section) Letters Pages of the Daily Telegraph:
Re: "Broken promises -electric and fuel cell cars"
Sir,
- Why I wonder do we so rarely, if ever, see letters-to-the-editor, or indeed TV/newspaper reports, taking carmakers to task and demanding to know why alternative-powered electric and fuel cell vehicles have failed to appear in car showrooms as once so confidently promised?
Towards the end of the 1990's I personally was looking forward to purchasing an advanced battery-powered, cheap-to-run Mercedes A-Class EV - as featured around that time on two separate editions of BBC's Top Gear.
However, following a "temporary" setback in 1998 when Jeremy Clarkson himself announced that Mercedes had postponed the launch of the 120 mile per charge, 77 mph car until the end of 1999, the electric Merc sadly failed to materialise at all and those of us relishing the prospect of greener, exhaust-free, energy-efficient, whisper-quiet motoring were left high and dry as Mercedes and the media scurried to bury the whole project.
The message(misleading as it turns out) put out by the world's major carmakers and their legions of loyal media messengers at that time was:
"Forget battery power - fuel cell-powered cars are far better - and they're just around the corner! Expect fuel cell cars in showrooms by 2004!"
But by mid-2002(or thereabouts) the promises abruptly and conspicuously dried up. With no apologies or reference to earlier pledges and predictions we were suddenly being told "not to expect fuel cell cars until 2010 or 2012" - or "not for another ten years at least".
The public, it seems, was simply expected to have completely forgotten that all those "fuel cell cars by 2004" predictions had ever been made by so many eminent automotive "experts".
So, however unpopular the question appears to be in most motoring, media and government circles, I again ask:
Why the broken promises? Why the media silence and apparent complicity?
And why is the British public - as environmentally-concerned and engaged as we purport to be - seemingly not moved to demand credible explanations from carmakers, politicians and, perhaps most importantly, from the media, for all of these broken promises and endless day-after-tomorrow delays?
(Note to editor: We have listed below a number of links to articles and press releases in which most of the major carmakers promise or predict "fuel cell cars market-ready by 2004" or thereabouts. Also included is a link to a detailed article about the battery-powered Mercedes A-Class as described above. Ironically, the Mercedes battery-powered A-Class would, with the technological advances that have occurred since 1997, undoubtedly offer better range, accceleration, reliability and overall performance than almost all current fuel cell vehicle prototypes.)
Yours sincerely,
(EVUK Editors) editor@EVUK.co.uk
Footnote links("Fuel Cells by 2004", Mercedes A-Class EV):
Mercedes battery-powered A-Class compared to Mercedes fuel cell:
http://www.evworld.com/library/carbdetour.pdf
Assorted articles & press releases promising fuel cell cars(FCV's) by 2004-6:
http://www.channel4.com/4car/feature/feature/fuelcellpower-395/fuelcellpower-395.html
CNN Ford Focus by 2004:
http://money.cnn.com/2002/01/08/autos/auto_tech
Various other "fuel cell cars by 2004" promises/pledges:
http://www.canadiandriver.com/previews/ford_fcv.htm
http://www.gsreport.com/articles/art000109.html
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/transportation/fuelcells.html
Hyundai fleet FCV's by 2004:
http://www.utcfuelcells.com/news/archive/2003-06-26.shtm
Thought for the Day:
"The mainstream media is now even more completely whored out to the car advertisers and to the "keep things as they are" ICE and oil lobbies - than ever it once was to the tobacco industry."
Who said it? We did! Now tell us it ain't so...
October, 2004
Exclusive: Volvo Science Officer Ichiro Sugioka tells us a little more about the 180 mile/charge, 85 mph Li-ion "3CC".
Volvo 3CC - single motor or twin hub motors? What kind of
Li-ion chemistry?
- We had read all the near-identical press releases about the Volvo 3CC but could find no answers to a few fundamental questions - so we contacted
Ichiro Sugioka Science Officer at Volvo's Monitoring and Concept Center" based in Camarillo, California.
Here's what he told us:
EVUK: Are you are at liberty to answer one or more of these supplementary questions?
Firstly: the 3CC is front-wheel drive - but is it powered by dual hub motors - which would surely enhance range/performance still further - or just by a single motor?
Secondly: the 3CC's lithium batteries - can you tell us if they are lithium polymer? Are you able to reveal anything more specific about the li-ion formulation or chemistry at all - for example is it lithium manganese or lithium sulphur?
Ichiro: The Volvo 3CC is driven by a single 80 kW AC induction motor.
The lithium-ion batteries in the Volvo 3CC were constructed using standard 18650 sized cells that are commonly used in notebook computers and camcorders.
(Corporate issues currently preclude me from revealing the source or the chemistry of the cells.)
The main challenge was to minimize the numbers of cells in order to minimize, or eliminate, the impact of the batteries on the vehicle interior and minimizing overall cost while still achieving adequate power and energy. This was done by making the vehicle smaller, lighter and more aerodynamic. Weight of the batteries alone is approximately 150 kg.
The Volvo 3CC is an exercise in future-proofed vehicle packaging so it can be adapted to accommodate various fuel and powertrain configurations, not just battery power. As a result, the 3CC was used to evaluate progress in battery development driven by the portable electronics market.
Please note that we made certain compromises to make the 3CC more attractive but it is still a highly environmental car. We feel that the world needs attractive environmental vehicles that will draw more people to do the right thing.
****
So - the GM AUTOnomy..The Ford Model U - and now the Volvo 3CC: so is this concept car deja vu all over again?
Volvo Car Corporation spokesman Dan Werbin, Director Volvo Cars North America says that:
"For Volvo, our participation is not about showing rhetorical concept cars, but to demonstrate do-able ideas about how to deliver sustainable mobility for future generations."
But when(oh-when..) we ask will the "future", the "cars of the future", the "car platforms of the future" ever actually arrive - ever be the cars of today?
When exactly will the future ever be now?
Related links:
1) Michelin Challenge Bibendum(aka 'Bibendum Challenge') - this year in Shanghai(Oct 12-14) where the Volvo 3CC was unveiled.
2) Volvo Cars email: customercare@volvocars.com - why not email Volvo Cars - not to mention your local and national media - and ask when exactly the cars of the future will become the cars of today?
October, 2004
Will Young and "Mr Kwik-Fit" back exhaust-free scooters - could Gwyneth Paltrow and Kevin Spacey be next? We talk to ScootElectric's Tony Cheverall.
Farmer's Choice - Sir Tom(centre) with ScootElectric's Trevor Dodwell and Malcolm Rash(right)
EVUK: We decided to take another look - and a closer look - at ScootElectric a few weeks ago after spotting a very brief report in Auto Express magazine describing millionaire Kwik-Fit founder(see "The Kwik-Fit Story") Sir Tom Farmer's involvement with the company - it's a report that rather ambiguously (mis-)describes the company's products as "small electric scooters".
Would you not agree that many, if not most, people would interpret this to mean small electric Go-ped-style scooters - as opposed to full-sized "e-Vespas". We have an ongoing problem just knowing what to call these scooters don't we?
Tony: Yes, what we really need is a generic name that conveys the
full-size nature of the product. All ideas from your readers gratefully
received! We use the term 'e-scooters' but that's still open to
misinterpretation - so we usually end up saying 'like Vespas with plugs'. In our advertising we always show images of the product to establish we're not in the 'pavement scooter' scene.
EVUK: Anyway, as I was saying, after reading about Sir Tom Farmer's involvement with ScootElectric we decided to investigate further and sent off for your Enterprise Investment Scheme prospectus - what a revelation - and what a contrast between the company's website - which is rather understated and jokey(especially the intro animation) - and this EIS prospectus.
Tony: Glad you liked the prospectus, which by necessity needs to contain a lot of 'heavy' information. I think we managed to present it in a clear and concise way. Of course, it helps that the central theme is so
compelling.
As for the website, I must take issue with your view that is 'jokey'. The inspiration was Honda's Power of Dreams campaign, taking big ideas and conveying them in a way that is informative, entertaining and easy to absorb. 
We receive a lot of positive comment about the animation at the start of our website, and Sam (left) the smart e-scooter rider will feature increasingly in our advertising. We never preach about the need to 'go green'. We merely present the practical and economic benefits of switching out of cars and into scooters and then highlight the quality of life advantages of 'e-riding': zero emissions, maximum fun.
EVUK: The company really does appear to be something of a clean, green EU-wide corporate heavyweight-in-the-making - in contrast to the many lean, cash-starved and largely idealism-powered one-man ebike/escooter bedroom start-ups out there.
- How many EV start-ups can boast a "Logistics Director", a "Marketing and Communications Director", a "Finance Director", an "Engineering Director" as well as a "Mobility Director"?
We are also very impressed by the company's clear commitment to next generation advanced batteries and and to other cutting-edge EV innovations such as high-efficiency, high-torque hub-motor technology.
Tony: Thanks. We strive to be professional in everything we do, and that's
one of the reasons Sir Tom Farmer came on board. We take a keen
interest in EV technology as we plan to be around for quite some time.
EVUK: When will the li-ion powered Raider 80 be available in the UK/Europe? And the Li-ion version of the Evader EV200?
Lithium-powered Raider 80 - 50 miles/charge, 50 mph...due end '04. (Exclusive photo!)
Tony: We hope to receive our first lithium-ion Raider prototype before the
end of 2004. We're still talking to Evader about representation in the
UK, so I can't comment on the EV200 other than to say it looks a great
machine.
EVUK: We were also pleasantly surprised to see that ScootElectric has close links with the battery development team at Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute(ITRI). As we reported last year ITRI are at the forefront of Li-ion nano-battery development - can you reveal anything to us on the that score - is the ITRI road-testing "nano-Li-ion" in electric bikes, scooters or EV's to your knowledge?
Tony: ITRI are currently testing five sample Li-ion e-scooters.
The tests began on September 1 and should be complete by the
end of November 30, by which time the scooters will have clocked up
12,500km of road testing between them. The samples have been submitted by one of our suppliers.
The test scooters are not equipped with nano-batteries but charge times should be significantly less than lead acid.
EVUK: When do you predict that the new improved hub motor from Raider mentioned in the prospectus (better acceleration and hill-climbing) will appear in that company's line of e-scooters?
Tony: Tests are going well but have uncovered 'spikes' in the torque curve. Although full torque is produced almost instantly, torque delivery is uneven which can result in jerky acceleration. However, this does not appear to be a major problem and the issue should be resolved by the end of 2004.
EVUK: On the question of pricing, you say, to quote the prospectus again:
"The Group's products currently compete in the 50cc class, where model prices start at £753 and rise to £2,199."
So given that Scootelectric's e-scooters range in price from £2,150 to £3,200 - in other words more or less double the cost of equivalent petrol scooters - the inevitable question arises(we're playing devil's advocate here of course - we're definitely on your side!) :
- Just how do you persuade prospective customers and shareholders to accept not only far higher retail prices but also to take on board the risk inherent in buying into an emerging technology developed and manufactured by relatively new, small fledgling companies?
To put it bluntly - just how do you persuade people not to say:
"Better the devil-you-know - ie. a low-cost 50cc fossil-fuelled scooter from an long-established, trusted company like, say, Peugeot - than a relatively high-priced, new-tech, green machine from a company with no real proven track-record that might possibly not be around in 3-4 years?"
Tony: Our full-size scooters are only twice the price of generally poorly
made Far Eastern imports. The premium over mainstream scooters is
actually not that great, and we can demonstrate lower whole-of-life costs: no petrol, no road tax and virtually no maintenance.
The Energy Saving Trust's £200 grant is also helpful, though we would like to see it at least doubled to really kick-start consumer interest.
The award-winning direct drive EVT 4000e - up to 45 miles/charge
Since the prospectus was published, we have taken on the concession for the Powershift-approved eGO Helio, which costs £1100 after the grant, and we have gone live with the EVT 4000e(Electric Vehicle Technologies), which we sell for £1,950. We are in the process of putting all our models through Powershift testing.
Some of the companies behind this new technology are indeed "fledgling" - but there are also some very well established producers, the likes of JI-EE Industry (Magic) whose core market is OE automotive equipment. As you know, our Taiwanese partners also benefit from the colossal development work done at ITRI, putting them at the cutting edge of battery and electric motor development.
As for the marketing challenge, we do not set out to conquest die-hard petrol-scooter riders, rather suburban and city commuters who can appreciate the simple pleasure of getting from A to B without a great deal of cost or stress. Given the mandate for local authorities to source 'green' vehicles for their fleets, we feel there is tremendous potential in that area, and considering the high retail price and limited performance of four-wheel mobility vehicles, there is certainly also an opportunity for us to sell Trikes to people with a partial disability or poor sense of balance.
Time will tell if we're still around in 3-4 years but I can tell you our business is geared to an AIM flotation within the next 18 months and we envisage dominating a market that is certain to grow.
EVUK: Until a few weeks ago one of your suppliers, Evader USA, were
showing their EV100 and EV150 scooters priced at remarkably low prices - just $999 and $1199 respectively. (Rather worryingly all price
details appear now to have been removed from the company's website - see footnote below).
Did ScootElectric ever consider stocking these ultra-low-cost, budget Evader models. And if not, why not?
Tony: We haven't yet concluded our conversations with Evader about
representation, so I don't really want to comment on their product and pricing strategy. All I will say is that we expect any road-going electric
scooter to have good all-round performance - acceleration, top speed, hill-climbing ability and range - and it's encouraging to see the work Evader is putting in on motors and controllers. Consumers are prepared to pay the going rate for an electric scooter that does the job.
EVUK: Again, according to the company prospectus, public awareness of the ScootElectric brand "has been achieved through exposure of the Group's products on television and radio, in a variety of national newspapers, in more than 100 regional newspapers and in a range of magazines and media events."
You would not agree with us then that only a tiny percentage - in our view probably less than 2-3% - of the population are even aware of the existence or concept of battery-powered Vespa-style scoooters?
We have never for example in the countless TV & radio reports, discussions, phone-ins etc on the hot topic of congestion, pollution and global warming heard electric scooters/e-Vespas so much as mentioned - the public and journalists still seem to believe they are thinking imaginatively and right out of the box when suggesting people switch(..or should that be "Swap"..?) to petrol-powered scooters!
So do you not agree that there is still a vast void of e-scooter awareness out there?
Tony: Yes, I share your sense of frustration about media coverage - but I
believe ScootElectric has done a tremendous amount of high-quality work in this area, and the signs are that we are slowly getting through.
Of course, there is still much to do and we have set aside a significant budget to continue our awareness programme. What would really help is more commitment from central and local government.
For a start, I would like to see the Energy Saving Trust be more vocal about its mission and start promoting some of the technology featured on its Powershift Register.
On a local level, we would like to see recharging points and concessions for EV users. The recent "In Town Without My Car" Day presented an excellent opportunity to really get behind the notion of 'smart commuting' but it received little coverage.
But in our own home town of Colchester, which participated in the event for the first time this year, life - and traffic - carried on pretty much as usual (ie. gridlocked) while we shunted into an off-street to demonstrate our solution to the problem!
EVUK: Do you know of any instance where e-scooters have featured or
even been mentioned on national TV?
Tony:Yes. We showed one of our scooters on ITV's "This Morning"
programme a while back. We've also been on some satellite channels,
including BBC News 24.
Part of our media plan for 2005 will involve greater focus on national TV exposure.
EVUK: Celebrity endorsement:
- Would ScootElectric consider engaging an A- or B-list celebrity to endorse ScootElectric's e-scooters and/or electric e-Vespas in general?
For example: UK-residing Gwyneth Paltrow is now pretty famous for riding around London on a petrol-powered scooter - this may be pure fantasy on our part but could Sir Tom perhaps not have a gentle word in Ms. Paltrow's ear?(I think you might enjoy this Sky News report about Gwyneth and her scooter).
And another London-residing anglophile - Kevin Spacey - who's a fan of electric Zappy scooters(see EVUK's Spacey/Zappy report) - might be another willing candidate!
- Will Young breathes easy again on new Oxygen
Tony: Yes. Did you know Pop Idol Will Young rides an Oxygen, supplied by one of our London dealers? He was pictured in "Heat" magazine taking it for a spin. We'd like Will to be to us what Jamie Oliver is to petrol
scooters.
I'll also follow up your suggestion about Gwyneth Paltrow and Kevin Spacey - though the latter may want an American Beauty. I know Evader have their eyes on someone special because I've put them in touch with his agent. Watch this space.
EVUK: Looking to the longer term challenge - when - and what will it take - do you believe before e-scooters become a genuinely affordable and attractive option for all those teenagers that currently tear around so many European - especially Mediterranean - towns and cities on their noisy, smelly petrol scooters?
Tony: If it's a challenge to convert tearaway teenagers to electric
scooters, then it's a challenge we happily decline.
But to address the central point you make, about affordability and desire, then I believe we are already on the road to achieving those virtues. One of the quickest ways to get people talking about (and buying) electric scooters is to make them so cool that they're a must-have, and we're encouraging our manufacturers to focus much more on design and technology.
There's no reason for an electric scooter to be a Cinderella item, and advances in batteries, motors and controllers will give designers more scope to distinguish our models from their petrol rivals.
With increased demand, production and competition, ex-factory prices will fall.
EVUK: And finally...in the even longer term: would you rule out any possibility that ScootlElectric might one day consider expanding its product range from two wheels to four - form e-scooters to four-wheeled EV's - for example electric ATV's and eventually, as the technology matures, even electric cars?
Tony: We never rule out anything! If we can fulfil our ambition to build
ScootElectric into a respected and trusted brand - something that
cannot happen overnight - then I believe we will have permission to move into other areas of the zero-emission personal transport market.
Related links/Footnotes:
1) Will Young's original electric scooter - as reported by The Sun newspaper - was stolen in Aug 04, but as mis-reported by The Sun and others, it was not an "Eco 909" but a ScootElectric "Oxygen". Tony Cheverall explains:
"It was replaced by another Oxygen. In fact, before he bought the Oxygen, he tried a Magic and loved it. On the way over to see a mate, he was spotted by fans and chased down the street. He pulled up outside his friend's and ran in the house, leaving the keys in the 'ignition'. Of course, they were taken as a souvenir, which meant we had to replace the barrel!"
(You can just see the word "Oxygen" behind Will's knee!)
2) ScootElectric has also forged close ties with the world renowned Community Carbon Reduction Project (CRed) based at University of East Anglia - as well as with Good Energy - a leading provider of renewable energy. ScootElectric also has a servicing agreement with NSN (National Service Network) - a nationwide chain of over 500 standards-based independent garages.
3) Kwik-Fit founder Sir Tom Farmer backs ScootElectric - read the full story
4) Petrol-scooter fan Gwyneth Paltrow talks to The Independent about the state of her planet. But shouldn't she now copy Tom Hanks' fine example and go that extra "Green Mile" - go the whole hog - and make the switch to clean, efficient, whisper-quiet electric power?
EVUK has been reliably informed(again - see our Tom Hanks report...) by a very highly-placed Hollywood actor/environmentalist/EV-pioneer and Simpsons guest-star...that "Gwyneth Paltrow and her mother, Blythe Danner, already have an electric RAV-4". Oh - and he should know - he helped her get hold of them!(See Environmental Media Assoc. Press Release.)
5) Click here to see House of Lords-a-leaping..onto ScootElectric gear! Your Electric Representatives - several MP's and Peers, led by EV-trailblazing Lord Palmer, now zip around Westminster on e-scooters purchased from ScootElectric.
6) Evader USA (Prices: EV100 -$999 ?? EV150 -$1199 ??) tell us that the price guidelines have not changed and that they have decided to remove prices from their website following requests from distributors - especially in Europe - asking for greater pricing "flexibility". (So don't be surprised if $999 becomes Euros 1500..?)
7) Reminder: the range record-breaking French "Scooler" e-scooter(Belfort to Dijon - an official 102 miles/charge...see press reports) - is still looking for investors and development partners.
September, 2004
UK Li-ion Conference(Aug 28, 04) Update
To all those seeking more information on this year's event - we suggest the following three options:
- See Dennis Doerffel's REAPsystems Conference webpages.
- Join Thunder Sky/Li-ion Yahoo Discussion Group.
- Purchase copy of Conference CD!(See Conference webpage link above)
August, 2004
Solarvan's Thunder Sky upgrade - creator Peter Perkins updates us one year on...
- plus 'Rays of Hope' and 'Olympic EV Challenges'...
Solarvan - solar flair plus Thunder Sky range
We couldn't help but notice how little publicity the Solarvan's Sept '03 lithium ion upgrade had attracted so we decided to
ask the talented and tenacious Peter Perkins(webmaster@solarvan.co.uk) to fill us in and shed some more light on his ever-evolving
Bedford Rascal SEV.
We began by asking how the Thunder Sky("TS") batteries had been performing since they were fitted 11 months ago...
Peter Perkins: Pretty Well. I rarely go below 50% state-of-charge. I try hard not to abuse them.
EVUK: Are there any signs yet of any degradation in power and range from the TS cells - and how many miles have the TS cells
taken you to date - ie. since 30th September 2003 ?
Peter: No problems so far with power or balancing. I've only done about 1,500 miles with the li-ion cells so far though. I
would estimate range at about 100 miles max at 30mph - pretty good given that the Rascal has the drag curve of a brick .
Range at more normal speeds would be a lot less. I built my van for low speed cruising and range, I rarely go above 40mph. I
would use something much more aerodynamic if I was aiming for 50-60mph cruising speeds.
EVUK: The Yahoo Thunder Sky discussion group talk about certain
recharging problems with the TS cells - what's your experience, your solution?
Peter: I've not had any particular problems except building my own Battery Management System. I use a Zivan Ng3 20A
charger so I charge gently - less than the TS recommended 60A charge.
EVUK: Did you purchase the Thunder Sky batteries through Dennis Doerffel's (REAPsystems UK) TS bulk purchase scheme?
Peter: Yes - and I will be attending the Thunder Sky li-ion conference with the van at the end of August.
EVUK: Are you also of the opinion that the constant trickle charge from the solar cells will actually help keep the TS cells
in tip-top condition and boost their life expectancy? That is, do you believe the TS cells(or any batteries) in fact benefit
from this continuous(daylight) trickle charge?
No - it's not a wind-up: the turbine is not attached when driving!
Peter: Well, I certainly hope so - but I have no real evidence to back this up at present. I implemented the
trickle-charging because I already had the cells on the vehicle. I needed to use the power or it would be wasted.
Trickle-charging is an issue though - Dennis (Doerffel) believes constant charging when cells are already full may be
harmful. In view of that I try to leave my van about 80% charged with some headroom to absorb the solar input without
overcharging them.
EVUK : Two questions on the Solara cells:
Firstly - is there any particular reason why you chose the Solara brand?
Peter: Not really. I chose them as they are thin(2mm), light and semi-flexible. They're bent to the slight curve of the
vehicle roof. Also the sizes available gave me most coverage of my vehicle roof.
EVUK: And secondly: you say that the 60 volt solar cells (quote) " would require only a small amount of work to upgrade to
120 volts". "Work" - yes - but what about cost?
Peter: The upgrade/work cost me nothing as I have 10x12volts panels. With lead-acid I used them in two parallel strings
of five cells giving 60V.
Now I use them all in series giving 120v. Just a small wiring change required. However, I only get half the current now of
course.
EVUK: Have you consulted closely with other UK lithium ion/Thunder Sky EV DIY'ers at all - such as Steve Green of Jester fame and the above-mentioned Dennis Doerffel? BTW: Steve Green recently returned from visiting Thunder Sky in China - see EVUK report). And are you signed up with the Yahoo Thunder Sky discussion group?
Peter: Yes - I am in frequent contact with Dennis and other Battery Vehicle Society members. I don't think I have spoken to Steve. Yes, I monitor many groups including the various Yahoo discussion groups.
EVUK : You say that the batteries could be hidden under the floor - if you were to do this AND keep another batch of
batteries above floor - do you think it would be relatively easy to get the range up to around 150 miles?
Peter: Yes. In fact with careful planning you could probably get enough batteries under the floor in my vehicle to give
150 mile range. 60x200ah cells would do that I'm sure.
EVUK: Regenerative braking - Steve Green has some kind of regen braking in his Thunder Sky li-ion Jester - so have you ever
considered tinkering with regen braking?
Peter: I have considered it, but I live in a very rural area I hardly ever use the brakes! It would be difficult to
implement with my series motor as well.
It's not worth my bothering. If I lived in the city/town then, yes, I would implement regen.
EVUK : Have you seen what the guys at FEVT (and others) have done by combining TS cells
with ultracapacitors(namely Maxwell Boostcap) ?
Peter: Yes, I exchange e-mails now and again with Viktor (Tikhonov) who has been installing some in his ACRX in US. It's very interesting - but I think if you get big enough cells then that might not be necessary! I recommend minimum 200ah cells for any EV system AC or DC. I am a bit worried about capacitors in an accident as well. Ultracaps might go off like a bomb if internally shorted. If li-ion fail, you might get a spectacular vehicle fire, but probably not instantly!
EVUK : Do you find yourself ever eyeing up other vehicles that have large roof areas and thinking what a great basis they too
would make for a solar electric conversion? Not just other commercial vans - how's about a solar-wind camper-van or a
solar-wind version of the famed Veggievan? Or a "Solar MPV" / People Carrier ?
Cars like the very popular Renault Espace, for example, would make great "Solar-MPV's", don't you think?
Peter: Possibly, but useful power from solar panels is low - especially here in the north of England. I might get a couple of miles a day from mine on a good day. They need to double in efficiency and half in price before that becomes a serious possibility.(We're not half as pessimistic - see "Rays of Hope" below.)
EVUK: What about the future? You say in the Sept 2002 Carkeys article(quote):
" I'm not interested in making cars for other people, unless someone comes along with a ludicrous amount of money,"
So have you had any interesting offers or imaginative suggestions at all recently that you might follow up?
Peter: I have had e-mails from people all over the world. Finland, India, South America offering to perhaps build my van.
I am not sure how serious these enquiries were. I am not in a position to exploit it yet. Technology needs more work.(Again - see "Rays of Hope" below.)
EVUK: Are you planning any more changes or upgrades at all for the Solarvan?
Peter: Yes - BMS version II ! More compact, completely solid state, able to be produced for others etc etc Improved
software.
Peter Perkins' next project? A li-ion "locost" Lotus 7 ?
Over the winter I am thinking of building a "locost" Li-Ion electric kit-car similar to a Lotus 7 but much cheaper and
lighter!! That should give excellent performance and range - though possibly not comfort!
EVUK: In your Solarvan video(watch Windows or Real Player version) you say that some people may regard you as an eccentric - don't you agree then that they'd soon change their tune if you were to go that extra distance and join forces with others and turn a one-off wonder into a mass-produced, cheap-to-run, planet-friendly and congestion-charge-beating best-seller?
Peter: Of course and especially if the world's oil problems get any worse..
EVUK: A question about video and media interest in the Solarvan: the video's extemely professional - who made it? I guess
from the references in the video to the upcoming "new batteries" that it was shot just before the TS cells were installed in
Sept 03?
Peter: Correct. A German film crew came over after seeing the vehicle website, and shot it for an international satellite
TV motoring program called Lynx? It's been seen around the world a few times, and generated loads of hits on the web
site.
EVUK: Have national or local TV ever broadcast a report about it? The BBC for instance(feel the sarcasm!)?
And is the Carkeys piece the highest profile report so far on the Solarvan?
Peter: No, it's had no coverage on "normal" TV. I've been in a few local/regional papers with it. There was a little survey on the Top Gear site at one time asking for viewers' votes on my vehicle in their "Buff it or bin it poll"
EVUK: Thanks Peter - a lot of questions I know - but we're very curious people here at EVUK!
- Rays of hope and the Real-World Solar Challenge -
Sunpower's low-cost, 21% efficient A-300 solar cells(available later this year) are already around a third more efficient than the Solarvan's Solara cells .
What's more the vehicle's PV
surface area could be further increased by adding a separate, perhaps folding and/or freestanding, PV array. A lightweight PV panel could easily double as a camper-van style sun canopy or awning whenever the vehicle is parked up in suitable locations. Let's also not forget that much of the developed and developing world is a whole lot sunnier and brighter than Peter Perkins' North Yorkshire!
And thinking beyond the Solarvan, the effectiveness - as opposed to the efficiency of the "EV-PV" cells - could be significantly enhanced by using a lightweight,
low-drag, aerodynamic base vehicle and by employing highly efficient dual hub motors. (Steve Green of Greener Energy tells us
he is now considering replacing the single Advanced DC motor in his 200 mile/charge, 71 mph Jester EV with the latest modular hub motors from UK/China-based company PML Flightlink: "An enormous improvement in overall drive efficiency" says Steve.)
A "Commuter Class" event is to be staged at next year's(2005) World Solar Challenge in Australia "to encourage practical cars that can be used for
commuting without polluting."
Not before time - for what ultimately is the point of years/decades of these
fun-in-the-sun wacky races they call "brain sport" if no real practical EV's - solar-assisted or not - ever appear in
car-showrooms? What a pity this real-world "commuting without polluting" event wasn't added to the Solar Challenge - and to
similar events - from the very beginning.
UNSA's Kestrel - more solar flair extraordinaire..
One very promising contender - one shining light - is the University of South Aus
Oh dear Richard...EVUK had 
"Easy EV" - à propos airline entrepreneurs.
