by jboullion | Aug 3, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Rick Barrett in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
An all-electric version of the Daimler-Benz Smart car has come to Milwaukee, with a limited number of vehicles available for lease starting in October.
The Smart Fortwo electric is the same size as the two-seater Smart car that’s powered by a gasoline engine.
With a standard 220-volt appliance line, you could charge the Smart electric’s lithium-ion batteries to full capacity in eight hours and drive about 80 miles before the battery pack had to be recharged.
Don’t expect neck-snapping performance. The top speed is 62 miles per hour, but the car has a “kick down” mode similar to a passing gear when you floor the gas pedal of a regular automobile.
The Smart electric uses a 30-kilowatt electric motor that generates the equivalent of about 42-horsepower, compared with a 70-horse power gasoline engine in a regular Smart car that uses premium gas and has a top speed of about 90 mph.
Made in France, the Smart electric will make its U.S. debut this fall. Only 250 vehicles will be available, nationwide, for a lease of $599 per month for 48 months. The price takes into account a $7,500 tax credit, which will go to Smart.
Starting in 2012, Daimler-Benz expects to mass produce Smart electrics for sale and lease. The vehicle’s price has not yet been determined, said Derek Kaufman, vice president of business development for Smart USA.
The initial lease program would be too expensive for many consumers. But some early-technology adopters want these cars, Kaufman said, and businesses are likely to lease them to make an eco-friendly statement.
The price will come down in 2012, according to Kaufman.
by jboullion | Sep 21, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Southeastern Wisconsin shouldn’t overlook its expertise in battery and energy research and development as it strives to become a center for water technologies, local lawmakers say.
With that in mind, state Rep. Jeff Stone (D-Milwaukee) and state Sen. Jeff Plale (D-South Milwaukee) on Monday will announce a series of proposals designed to make the region a hub for energy storage and plug-in electric vehicle research.
The proposal is linked to the region’s being home to the headquarters and R&D center for Johnson Controls Inc. as it develops next-generation hybrid batteries for cars and trucks, said Stone. But it’s also born of a desire to see plug-in vehicles on the road in larger numbers as a move to reduce air pollution.
Legislative proposals to be unveiled Monday, Stone said, would:
• Eliminate the sales tax for consumers who buy plug-in electric hybrid cars or all-electric cars.
• Scrap of the state’s emissions-testing program, with the funds now spent on that program reallocated to a fund for grants for firms or universities conducting research into electric technologies and energy storage.
• Create tax credits for equipment used in research and development.
• Exempt electric-vehicle charging stations from the personal property tax for companies that want to install the charging stations in their parking ramps.
by jboullion | Sep 11, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Mike Moore in the Stevens Point Journal:
RAYMOND — Car executives looking for the next electric car might just want to slip out of the board room and stop by Tom Leitschuh’s garage.
This year, Leitschuh converted his 1981 Chevrolet El Camino to run completely on electric power. And because the juice is created by the windmill and solar panels at his home on Highway K, he’s not paying for it.
“I get to drive for free,” he said. “I have energy independence even on the road now.”
Compared to the El Camino, the Toyota Prius sitting in his driveway with the “renewable energy is sexy” bumper sticker is a gas hog. Where El Camino’s engine once sat, 26 batteries now fill the space. Twenty more sit by a rear axle.
It’s a load, but removing the radiator, gas tank, muffler and other unnecessary baggage helped offset the weight. Leitschuh also skipped the regular car batteries and splurged on lighter lithium ferrite batteries.
“They’re the safest batteries in the world, and they’ll work down to zero degrees,” he said.
A charge could take him 200 miles if he manages his driving carefully, Leitschuh said, but typically the car has a range of about half that.
The project took about six weeks. Including the car, which he bought used on eBay, the project cost him about $30,000. He could have done a scaled-back conversion for $10,000, which he said should be feasible for some car owners. Not to mention big car companies, which are still developing plug-in models they plan to introduce over the next few years.
“I’m wondering, ‘Why aren’t they doing this?'” Leitschuh said. “If a guy in a garage in Racine can do this with a little bit of help … .”
by jboullion | Mar 20, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Scott Williams in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Dennis Erovick and his favorite toy might be arriving at the crossroad of phenomenon and fad.
The Cedarburg man purchased an electric car last year and persuaded city officials to allow the slow-moving, pint-sized vehicle on local roads.
But gasoline prices have since dropped from $4 a gallon to $2 a gallon, putting a damper on consumer demand for alternative modes of transportation.
Even the most ardent believers in electric cars are unsure whether this futuristic innovation has much of a future.
‘It’s very iffy right now,’ said dealer Tim Thompson, whose Green Autos business in Janesville has not sold a single electric car since October.
‘Do I think it’s coming? Yes,’ Thompson said. ‘It just isn’t there yet.’
But enthusiastic drivers such as Erovick remain enamored of their new cars, which are designed to protect the environment from emissions while reducing U.S. dependence on oil. A kindred spirit has emerged in President Barack Obama, who wants a million electric cars on American roads within six years.
Unlike hybrids, which combine electrical power with gasoline, the so-called neighborhood electric vehicle runs entirely on electricity. Once fully charged, it is generally good for about eight hours of driving.
by jboullion | Feb 3, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Glendale-based Johnson Controls Inc. plans to make batteries for a Ford Motor Co. plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that is to be introduced in 2012.
Ford has selected the hybrid battery joint venture between Johnson Controls, the world’s largest battery supplier, and French battery developer Saft to supply lithium-ion batteries for plug-in hybrids.
“This is a great day for the automotive industry in America,” Alex Molinaroli, president of Johnson Controls Power Solutions, said in a statement prepared for release at the Washington Auto Show, where the Ford partnership is to be announced today.
“Today, nearly all batteries for hybrid electric vehicles are manufactured offshore. As the United States works to build a manufacturing infrastructure and supply base for hybrid and electric vehicles, this contract signals significant progress for our industry here. . . .”
Cell design, engineering and testing will take place at the joint venture’s research hub, the 58,000-square-foot Battery Technology Center in Glendale, the company said.
