Toyota will provided four electric vehicles
Posted by admin | Toyota Prius hybrid car | Wednesday 24 September 2008 4:58 pm
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. Inc. on Wednesday said it will provided four electric vehicles for use in Portland as a shuttle from mass-transit stops.
The automaker, speaking at a Sustainable Mobility Seminar in Portland, said it would put four of its RAV4 electric vehicles into operation in Portland. Portland State University will develop a program to use the vehicles to shuttle people from transit terminals to downtown and suburban locations, Toyota said in a news release.
The news comes as Portland General Electric Co. continues to roll out a series of electric car-charging stations across the metro area where the cars can refuel.
“It’s obvious that the next several years will see a growing number of low-emission and no-emission vehicle options, particularly electric and hybrid vehicles,” George Beard of PSU’s Mark O. Hatfield School of Government, said in the news release. “Our region’s position in renewable energy and its leadership reputation in urban sustainability make this partnership a natural for all involved.”
Toyota also announced a series of other announcements at the event Wednesday, including its plans to display a Camry hybrid powered by compressed natural gas at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and that the company is studying the business case for remanufacturing hybrid vehicle batters in North America as a way of lowering replacement costs.
Toyota is taking a fresh look at compressed natural gas as a power source for U.S. automobiles, and plans to unveil a Camry Hybrid concept car powered by the fuel at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.
Toyota officials made the announcement Tuesday at a sustainability forum in Portland, where they said the abundance, pricing and clean-burning properties of natural gas could make it an attractive fuel in an era of tightening oil supplies and increased regulation of automotive emissions.
Irv Miller, a Toyota Motor Sales group vice president, said compressed natural gas could become a “prime energy source for the future.”
Back in 1999, Toyota marketed a CNG-powered four-cylinder Camry as a fleet vehicle to some California customers. But the program — at a time of much lower oil prices — did not catch on and was discontinued later.
The United States now has about 1,000 CNG refueling stations, with about half of them open to the public, according to Toyota officials.
The new concept car will mix the Toyota’s electric hybrid technology with the CNG technology, but no details of the range of the vehicle were released Tuesday.
In Portland, Toyota officials discussed other research efforts as well, including work to increase the efficiency of the electric-gasoline hybrids that propel the popular Prius and other models.
Toyota also is planning a limited rollout in 2009 of a plug-in Prius that would operate on a lithium ion battery rather than the nickel-metal hydride batteries used in the current Prius. The plug-in could operate for a limited distance solely on the battery, and then could be plugged in to an outlet to be recharged.
Toyota also is researching all-electric cars, and on Tuesday announced it would place four of these vehicles — a version of the RAV4 — in Portland. Those cars, with a range of about 80 miles between charges, are intended to help the city and Oregon develop an electric-charging infrastructure, and will be used by Portland State University to carry people from mass-transit terminals to downtown and suburban locations.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Chump Change
DIY Forum
I believe that's what "they" (most in congress) consider a person or corporation who would promote electric vehicles, a chump, whose interest would it serve to promote or even more absurdly mandate such a thing,? Where is the money to be made and who could they collect it from" Certainly not through a gasoline tax. If the electric vehicle industry took off it would in effect cripple if not decimate the existing business/tax platform enjoyed by auto makers and the federal government alike, why would they allow a change? These so called elected representatives of the people by the people, obviously through their inaction have failed miserably to promote and enact legislation that would revolutionalize the transportation industry as we know it. Infrastructures and transportation industry platforms must and will change, these corporate puppets know this they are not stupid people. Their actions and inactions have shown them to have been serving a different master and he or should I say they are not you and I. As for batteries I am waiting for A123 systems to provide a $5,000 battery not $10,000 to replace my current nine 8volt Enegizer golf cart batteries which provide a paltry 15 miles of range. I'll probably be waiting in vain to collect my social security benefits by the time that reality is recognized. I hope I'm wrong.
I believe that's what "they" (most in congress) consider a person or corporation who would promote electric vehicles, a chump, whose interest would it serve to promote or even more absurdly mandate such a thing,? Where is the money to be made and who could they collect it from" Certainly not through a gasoline tax. If the electric vehicle industry took off it would in effect cripple if not decimate the existing business/tax platform enjoyed by auto makers and the federal government alike, why would they allow a change? These so called elected representatives of the people by the people, obviously through their inaction have failed miserably to promote and enact legislation that would revolutionalize the transportation industry as we know it. Infrastructures and transportation industry platforms must and will change, these corporate puppets know this they are not stupid people. Their actions and inactions have shown them to have been serving a different master and he or should I say they are not you and I. As for batteries I am waiting for A123 systems to provide a $5,000 battery not $10,000 to replace my current nine 8volt Enegizer golf cart batteries which provide a paltry 15 miles of range. I'll probably be waiting in vain to collect my social security benefits by the time that reality is recognized. I hope I'm wrong.
The New Ebox
from DIY forum
The eBox is a new electric car from AC Propulsion. We designed it to meet the needs of urban and suburban drivers who want smooth, quiet, powerful, efficient, clean, convenient, and fun-to-drive transportation. The eBox will satisfy those drivers because it is powered by AC Propulsion’s patented drive system technology that delivers an unprecedented combination of both power, at freeway speeds, and efficiency, when the going gets slow. The eBox’s unique lithium ion battery, made from 5,088 small cells, stores more energy with less weight than other EV batteries so the eBox is light, responsive, and well-balanced even though the interior offers space for five comfortable people or for the many other items that people need to move around town. Well-built and fully-equipped, the eBox creates a serenity for its passengers, a serenity borne of the many virtues of electric transportation. At AC Propulsion, we can’t take credit for those virtues, but we can take credit for putting them on the road in the eBox. We are proud of the eBox. Since our founding in 1992, it is the best EV we’ve built.
We build the eBox by converting a Scion xB 5-speed to electric power. We chose the xB after looking at every small car on the market. The gasoline Scion xB costs less than $15,000 well-equipped and weighs less than 2400 pounds. The xB is huge inside so it meets the needs of a lot of people and it appeals to fleets. Scion is a Toyota brand and the Scion xB is built with Toyota quality. Not everyone likes the looks of the xB, but as the basis for a great EV conversion, the xB has the look of a winner.
Planning for what would become the eBox started in 2003 after the AC Propulsion tzero demonstrated the potential of Li Ion batteries by winning the 2003 Michelin Challenge Bibendum. In 2005, we made the decision to go into limited production. The eBox is built to order, starting with a customer-owned xB, and we are now starting to build the first cars for customers. We are also planning to display and demonstrate the eBox all around California as opportunities arise. Please watch this space for more information about the AC Propulsion eBox.
As a final note, in an unintended irony, the first eBox prototype was driven for the first time on June 24, 2006. That was the opening day for Chris Paine’s must-see documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?
The eBox is a new electric car from AC Propulsion. We designed it to meet the needs of urban and suburban drivers who want smooth, quiet, powerful, efficient, clean, convenient, and fun-to-drive transportation. The eBox will satisfy those drivers because it is powered by AC Propulsion’s patented drive system technology that delivers an unprecedented combination of both power, at freeway speeds, and efficiency, when the going gets slow. The eBox’s unique lithium ion battery, made from 5,088 small cells, stores more energy with less weight than other EV batteries so the eBox is light, responsive, and well-balanced even though the interior offers space for five comfortable people or for the many other items that people need to move around town. Well-built and fully-equipped, the eBox creates a serenity for its passengers, a serenity borne of the many virtues of electric transportation. At AC Propulsion, we can’t take credit for those virtues, but we can take credit for putting them on the road in the eBox. We are proud of the eBox. Since our founding in 1992, it is the best EV we’ve built.
We build the eBox by converting a Scion xB 5-speed to electric power. We chose the xB after looking at every small car on the market. The gasoline Scion xB costs less than $15,000 well-equipped and weighs less than 2400 pounds. The xB is huge inside so it meets the needs of a lot of people and it appeals to fleets. Scion is a Toyota brand and the Scion xB is built with Toyota quality. Not everyone likes the looks of the xB, but as the basis for a great EV conversion, the xB has the look of a winner.
Planning for what would become the eBox started in 2003 after the AC Propulsion tzero demonstrated the potential of Li Ion batteries by winning the 2003 Michelin Challenge Bibendum. In 2005, we made the decision to go into limited production. The eBox is built to order, starting with a customer-owned xB, and we are now starting to build the first cars for customers. We are also planning to display and demonstrate the eBox all around California as opportunities arise. Please watch this space for more information about the AC Propulsion eBox.
As a final note, in an unintended irony, the first eBox prototype was driven for the first time on June 24, 2006. That was the opening day for Chris Paine’s must-see documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?
Money
MONEY.
Auto makers say fuel cell cars are clean an environmentally friendly. But so are EVs, which are even cleaner, considering charging from solar, hydro or wind sources. Auto makers sure are pro environment, but as long as you keep buying fuel and keep servicing overly complex vehicles. Doesn't matter what type of fuel, as long as they are in control of your pocket, they're happy. Are you happy too? Not to mention who exactly gets the money for all that imported oil...
Have you questioned anyone how much energy is needed to produce a hydrogen you're going to pay for? You need electricity to run the equipment reforming hydrogen to the useable for FC form. And then, the hydrogen is going to be used to get back electricity to run a vehicle propulsion motor. What's wrong with this picture? Isn't it simpler, cheaper, more efficient and just plain makes more sense to just store initial electricity directly in a car's battery in the first place?
Hydrogen is an extremely clever scam. When you step back and ask, "Where will the hydrogen come from?" the house of cards falls apart. You will get hydrogen from fossil fuels. The most economic way to get hydrogen is to catalyze natural gas. When you do this, you throw away 50% of the fuel value. If you were to put that hydrogen into a fuel-cell car, it would only go 50% the distance (at best) that a hybrid car would, if fueled from the natural gas directly. The oil company loves it. They get to sell twice as much per mile driven. It is also twice as much CO2 per mile driven. (G.W. = Global Warming)
If you choose to make hydrogen for your fuel cell car from electricity, an EV using that electricity directly will go at least twice as far.
Many of the foaming advocates of hydrogen say, "But we can figure out a way to make hydrogen more efficiently if we hurl big research dollars at the problem." Unfortunately, there are only so many hydrogen atoms in each methane molecule. Also, until we unlock the secret of photosynthesis, there will be no efficient way to make hydrogen. Batteries will always be more efficient at storing electricity than hydrogen gas.
Think of all the money we have spent on fusion power and it will give you just a peek of how much we would have to spend on electrolysis to make it more efficient. There are many many other areas in alternative fuels that will reap greater rewards on a faster timetable for far less money. (Like biodiesel) Of course, the oil companies really wouldn't like that, would they.
Finally, please read this independed report to be better informed about reality.
Can an EV run far? Well, if an EV could run more than 340 miles on a single charge 10 years ago, you'd think that today technology can be only better, especially if part of the money going into FC research would be spent advancing EV batteries. Can it run fast? Is about 300 mph fast enough for you? Can it be quick? How does 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds sound? Can you own an electric car for every day use? Yes! If you're fed up with Big three, motivated enough and have a handy man skills or can get help, you can convert a conventional vehicle to an EV yourself. Or you can buy a conversion made by other EVers. Thousands have done it. You too can make a difference. If you are thinking about doing EV conversion yourself, I'll show you how I did it.
Startup Converting Ford F-150s Into 41 MPG Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Written by Clayton B. Cornell
Published on July 28th, 20085 CommentsPosted in Car hacks / Mods, Hybrid-electric EVs
Auto makers say fuel cell cars are clean an environmentally friendly. But so are EVs, which are even cleaner, considering charging from solar, hydro or wind sources. Auto makers sure are pro environment, but as long as you keep buying fuel and keep servicing overly complex vehicles. Doesn't matter what type of fuel, as long as they are in control of your pocket, they're happy. Are you happy too? Not to mention who exactly gets the money for all that imported oil...
Have you questioned anyone how much energy is needed to produce a hydrogen you're going to pay for? You need electricity to run the equipment reforming hydrogen to the useable for FC form. And then, the hydrogen is going to be used to get back electricity to run a vehicle propulsion motor. What's wrong with this picture? Isn't it simpler, cheaper, more efficient and just plain makes more sense to just store initial electricity directly in a car's battery in the first place?
Hydrogen is an extremely clever scam. When you step back and ask, "Where will the hydrogen come from?" the house of cards falls apart. You will get hydrogen from fossil fuels. The most economic way to get hydrogen is to catalyze natural gas. When you do this, you throw away 50% of the fuel value. If you were to put that hydrogen into a fuel-cell car, it would only go 50% the distance (at best) that a hybrid car would, if fueled from the natural gas directly. The oil company loves it. They get to sell twice as much per mile driven. It is also twice as much CO2 per mile driven. (G.W. = Global Warming)
If you choose to make hydrogen for your fuel cell car from electricity, an EV using that electricity directly will go at least twice as far.
Many of the foaming advocates of hydrogen say, "But we can figure out a way to make hydrogen more efficiently if we hurl big research dollars at the problem." Unfortunately, there are only so many hydrogen atoms in each methane molecule. Also, until we unlock the secret of photosynthesis, there will be no efficient way to make hydrogen. Batteries will always be more efficient at storing electricity than hydrogen gas.
Think of all the money we have spent on fusion power and it will give you just a peek of how much we would have to spend on electrolysis to make it more efficient. There are many many other areas in alternative fuels that will reap greater rewards on a faster timetable for far less money. (Like biodiesel) Of course, the oil companies really wouldn't like that, would they.
Finally, please read this independed report to be better informed about reality.
Can an EV run far? Well, if an EV could run more than 340 miles on a single charge 10 years ago, you'd think that today technology can be only better, especially if part of the money going into FC research would be spent advancing EV batteries. Can it run fast? Is about 300 mph fast enough for you? Can it be quick? How does 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds sound? Can you own an electric car for every day use? Yes! If you're fed up with Big three, motivated enough and have a handy man skills or can get help, you can convert a conventional vehicle to an EV yourself. Or you can buy a conversion made by other EVers. Thousands have done it. You too can make a difference. If you are thinking about doing EV conversion yourself, I'll show you how I did it.
Startup Converting Ford F-150s Into 41 MPG Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Written by Clayton B. Cornell
Published on July 28th, 20085 CommentsPosted in Car hacks / Mods, Hybrid-electric EVs
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