Nissan will steer clear of hybrid look for first EV

Nissan Motors wants a bold design for its upcoming electric vehicle--one that doesn't make it look like a hybrid.

The goal is a look that screams green but stands apart from the wedge-shaped silhouette that has come to signify environmentally friendly driving in the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight hybrids.

"We need some kind of difference so that when people see our car, they will realize this is an EV, not a hybrid," Nissan chief designer Shiro Nakamura told Automotive News.

Nissan has not released pictures of the car, which is scheduled to go on sale next year. But its new styling cues include:

• No grille, to underscore the electric drivetrain

• A low hood enabled by the lack of an engine

• A visible recharging plug at the nose of the car

• A profile that is flowing, instead of triangular

A concept version of the EV will be unveiled in August and will be a front-wheel-drive, five-seat hatchback, Nakamura said.

The working design has a drag coefficient of 0.30, he said. The third-generation Prius has 0.25 and the Insight 0.28. Nakamura expects to eke out further improvements in drag by tweaking the design and adding underbody fittings to smooth air flow.

In pursuing a design that stands out, Nakamura is taking a page from Toyota--which gambled on the Prius' wedge shape and scored a hit when the car became the benchmark for green styling.

Because EVs lack a bulky engine and gasoline tank, they open up new design possibilities. Nakamura said he couldn't maximize such flexibility because the EV uses an existing platform. He wouldn't be specific about the platform, but said the car will be comparable in size to the Cube or Versa.

"It is not designed completely from scratch," Nakamura said. "We will go step by step. Later on we will bring more advanced, tires-extreme designs. We want to be economical."

Source: Car Tech

Nissan's EV to have a 100-mile range but no advanced-tech price premium

Nissan has unveiled a few more details this week about the electric vehicle it will launch in only 18 months.

Mark Perry, director of Product Planning and Strategy for Nissan Americas, said the EV will be a "real car" offering real-world practicality. It will be a five-door hatchback with a 100-mile range on a single charge and will be "aggressively priced."

That means, he said, no EV technology premium, unlike current hybrids that sometimes sell for 20 percent more than comparably priced cars.

Furthermore, the Nissan EV will be eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit, he said, and there may be other state and local incentives to reduce the cost even more.

Perry discussed the upcoming EV with Green Car Advisor at a Southern California event introducing Nissan's electric drive system - although in a retrofitted Nissan Cube "mule" rather than in the car the company plans to put on sale.

The test car features the future EV's advanced lithium-ion battery pack and Perry said it provides enough power that that some journalists "lit up the tires" driving the test car on this nationwide tour being held to introduce the battery-electric powertrain.

On our tantalizingly short test-drive, the Cube test car was amazingly quiet and moved seamlessly - no whirring and of course, no shifting. The only apparent compromise is that the backseat of the Cube was raised to allow the installation of the battery pack beneath the floorboards.

Perry said the car could be recharged at three levels. Household current (110 volts) would require 14 hours for a full recharge while 220-volt power - available in most homes and businesses - would recharge it in four hours. At special 480 volt-recharging stations the car could be brought up to 80 percent of its capacity in about 20 minutes, which, he said, was the average amount of time Americans take when stopping at a fast food restaurant.

He pointed out that there are already 4,500 public and private recharging stations in California left from unsuccessful efforts in the 1990s to introduce a practical electric infrastructure.

Nissan's product planers determined the EV's 100-mile range to be both "rational and emotional" Perry said. An 88-mile range wouldn't impress people, but a triple-digit capability would be exciting. Besides that, he said, most Americans drive less than 40 miles a day and 98 percent drive less than 100 miles per day.

The car's range was measured on the "LA4 cycle" which mixes highway and city driving. Driver variations (lead or feather-footed drivers) would have a 10 to 15 percent impact on the 100-mile figure. The acceleration of the coming EV compares to that of a current compact car, Perry said.

While we were limited to the Cube, Perry said he has seen the actual EV that Nissan has designed and will introduce for sale in the fourth quarter next year in 12 to 15 U.S. markets.

"It is a dedicated all-new car, not the conversion of something we already offer," he said. He described the look of the car as "iconic" adding, "You need something that is different enough to let people know you are driving a special car."

It would cost about 90 cents to "fill the tank" on the EV - making the cost of its fuel less than a penny a mile.

Asked if America is ready for electric cars, Perry said that while not everyone is prepared to switch, "a significant number of people are eager to have a zero-emission car with a 100-mile range."

Source: Green Car Advisor

Mazda to offer hybrids and EVs by 2015, bring new engine tech to Tokyo Auto Show

Mazda declared it wouldn't offer alternative powertrains (earlier post) in order to meet its goal of reducing the fuel economy of its vehicles by 30% by 2015. Now, Mazda CEO Takashi Yamanouchi has announced the automaker will begin offering both hybrids and electric vehicles in the future, but would only say that the vehicles would be in the Mazda line-up come 2015.

However, Mazda's goal of creating more fuel efficient vehicles won't stop at hybrids and EVs. According to Yamanouchi, "Our new gasoline engines will achieve the same fuel economy as current diesel engines, and our diesel engines will achieve similar fuel economy as existing hybrids." This new engine tech will be unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show this October.

Yamanouchi said that Mazda "will be able to offer affordable eco-friendly vehicles to 90 percent of the car-buying public, not to just a limited segment of the market." This line of eco models will feature reduced weight, improved aerodynamics, start-stop engine technology and lower rolling resistances. Mazda hasn't decided to begin offering a diesel engine in the States, but it could be in the cards, and Yamanouchi made it clear that the new engines and their corresponding technology wouldn't be shared with Ford, although Mazda is open to selling the technology to the Blue Oval.

Source: Automotive News via Autoblog

Electric vehicles call for redefinition of automobiles

Metal-air battery drawing attention

Q: I'd like to ask about the batteries first.

Hirota: Fuel cell vehicles feature longer driving distances and were expected to be commercialized at an early date. However, the introduction of FC vehicles into the market has been substantially delayed due to some unsolved issues including their high costs.

Hybrid vehicles with nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries have already been commercialized, and electric vehicles incorporating lithium ion (Li-ion) secondary batteries are expected to debut within 2009. Driving distances of electric vehicles are short, though, because the energy density of the batteries is still low.

Li-ion secondary batteries with a higher energy density are being developed so as to improve driving distances of electric vehicles. At the same time, fuel cells and air batteries including metal-air batteries are under development.

NiMH batteries and Li-ion batteries, commonly-used high-performance batteries, use oxidizers for their cathodes and are similar to rocket engines. The batteries have a high instantaneous force (power density) while they are heavy because of the oxidizers and low in energy density. Though some improvements have been made, we are beginning to see technological limits.

On the other hand, metal-air batteries, which use zinc, magnesium, lithium, etc, as fuel, as well as hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells, which oxidize hydrogen and metals by using oxygen in the air, are similar to jet engines. These batteries do not need an oxidizer, one of the materials necessary for redox reaction in batteries, resulting in possible weight reduction.

Airplanes that fly in the atmosphere carry jet engines, not rocket engines. I think automotive engineers have big expectations for metal-air batteries similar to jet engines in this respect.

Based on these perspectives, electric vehicles with zinc-air batteries, etc, are being actively developed in the US, Europe and China.

For commercialization of metal-air batteries, we should utilize technologies for Li-ion batteries and zinc-air batteries as well as air electrode technologies advanced through the development of fuel cells. Japan will continue to lead the world in the development of batteries if we take advantage of our advanced atomic level observation technologies and elementary reaction analysis technologies and if the industry, government and academia join forces on projects, such as the one being promoted by NEDO.

Electronics/Electrochemistry Fusion Expected

Q: Is the development of automotive batteries progressing smoothly?

Hirota: A variety of research institutes and corporations in Japan have been developing batteries. However, to develop batteries appropriate for automotive use, it is necessary to enhance collaboration of battery developers and automobile developers who specialize in machines and electricity.

Though mechatronics, a synergetic combination of mechanical engineering and electronic engineering, has a history of more than 30 years, there were disputes arising from differences in thinking patterns and cultures between machine-oriented engineers and electronics-oriented engineers in development sites at an early stage of its history. Fortunately, as time went by, the two parties came to cooperate with each other.

Batteries are developed by "electrochemistry engineers." The key to open the electric vehicle era lies in "chemtronics," the fusion of electronics and electrochemistry, as well as mechatronics, but we have to wait some time for this fusion to occur.

For example, battery characteristics are provided from manufacturers in the form of charts rather than mathematical models or equivalent circuit models, making it difficult to design charge/discharge systems.

The Japanese battery industry is ranked number one in the world in terms of batteries themselves. So, I believe we have the capability to be the number one in system technologies including the use of batteries. The competitiveness of Japanese automotive manufacturers may decline if they don't see a vehicle and batteries as an integrated system.

Q: What can be done to solve that issues?

Hirota: The ideal way would be that engineers for electronic circuits learn about electrochemistry and those for electrochemistry learn about electronic circuits. But they will have a hard time understanding unfamiliar fields especially when they are busy with their own jobs.

When we look at actual job sites from the perspective of understanding unfamiliar fields, circuit designers don't always understand the principles of semiconductor engineering. But they can fully utilize, for example, power devices.

Semiconductor manufacturers provide equivalent circuit models of power devices, so it is possible to know operating margin, calorific value and changes in characteristics due to temperature increase of power devices by using a circuit simulator. Mechanical engineers can also fully utilize semiconductor devices by using the circuit simulator.

I think equivalent circuit models for batteries should also be created as soon as possible so that electronics engineers and mechanical engineers can handle batteries. Such models are needed not only for batteries but also for various other fields, and I believe they are essential for electric vehicle system integration.

Source: Tech-On!

Japan considering subsidies for hybrids and EVs

The Nikkei reports that the government of Japan is considering subsidies of up to ¥300,000 (US$2,992) for buyers of hybrids, electric vehicles, and certain gasoline- and diesel-engined cars that met emissions requirements.

Those who buy minicars meeting the criteria would receive 100,000 yen in subsidies, with the amount increasing to 200,000 yen for those purchasing larger qualifying vehicles. Furthermore, people who are upgrading to green new cars from cars that are at least 13 years old would receive an additional 100,000 yen or so in subsidies. The government is looking to introduce the new subsidies before summer and keep them until the end of fiscal 2009.

This latest effort to shore up demand for environmentally friendly cars comes as tax breaks on such vehicles took effect Wednesday. The automobile acquisition and weight taxes are waived for these cars, enabling a person buying a 2 million yen [US$20,000) hybrid weighing 1.3 tons to save 150,000 yen (US$1,496).

Source: Nikkei via Green Car Congress

Test-driving the Nissan EV-02 electric car

Nissan invited us out to take a spin in its EV-02 electric car prototype. While we were there, Mark Perry, director of product planning for Nissan North America, chatted us up about Nissan's plans to bring a zero tailpipe emissions electric vehicle to American roads as early as 2010.

Like all automakers, Nissan is under pressure from government regulators to reduce CO2 emissions by 90 percent by 2050. While Perry stated that Nissan does have plans of bringing a hybrid vehicle to the market soon (potentially a plug-in), he also made it clear that Nissan views electric vehicles as the only way to meet emissions requirements. This is where the EV-02 comes in. The key, according to Perry, to making the promise of EV-02 a reality lies in the battery tech and the recharging infrastructure.

EV-02 uses a laminated lithium ion battery tech that crams twice the power and twice the range of more conventional lithium ion batteries into a package that's half the size and half the weight. The battery was developed by Nissan in partnership with semiconductor manufacturer NEC. Nissan will most likely use this same battery tech in its upcoming hybrid.

The EV-02--and, by extension, the future electric vehicle it will inspire--features an SAE standard charging system that relocates the bulk of the recharging circuitry onboard to allow for simpler, universal charging stations. The charging station utilizes 220-volt power to recharge the EV from 0-100 percent in about 4 hours. The industry-standard charging station will need to be hard-wired to the grid, necessitating an electrician's installation. Nissan is working with the over 3,000 electric utilities providers nationwide to work out the details of how exactly in-home installations will work and at what cost to consumers.

According to Perry, electric vehicles are 60 percent cleaner than gasoline equivalents, even if the grid is 100 percent coal-fired. Since many grids are not completely coal-powered and will see more renewable power sources in the future, as government regulations put the green squeeze on utilities, that 60 percent will only get better.

The EV-02 can be charged at standard 110-volt outlets, but the charge time is considerably longer (about 14 hours) and Nissan sees this as a less-than-ideal emergency-only option. There is also a 480-volt rapid-charge option that can bring the battery up to 80 percent capacity in as little as 26 minutes. Nissan expects roadside service stations to adopt this more expensive--but much more convenient--offering, empowering drivers to take the EV-02 on longer trips. Home users are expected to stick with the 4-hour charging cycle, because of its low cost (about 90 cents per full charge) and low strain on the electrical grid.

Once fully charged, the EV-02 will run for an estimated 100 miles before depleting its battery. The EV-02 mule we tested was a retrofitted right-hand-drive Nissan Cube. The drivetrain was whisper quiet. Nissan tuned the mule for economy and restricted us to a closed course with a Nissan chaperone, so we weren't able shred the tires with instant-on torque. Still, we were quite impressed with the linear acceleration exhibited by the EV-02, and its willingness to move .

Nissan plans to offer a vehicle based on the technology present in the EV-02 within 18 months. The vehicle would be unique in design, compact, and 99-percent recyclable, including the batteries. Perry promised that the vehicle would come at no price premium (sitting somewhere in the $20 to 30,000 price range), seat five passengers, and be available with the full gamut of advanced safety features and premium amenities (including GPS, premium audio, cruise control, heated seats, etc.). The vehicle would be eligible for the $7,500 green car tax credit and, with an operating cost below $0.04 per mile, would be cheaper to run than a gasoline vehicle even if gas drops to $1.10 per gallon.

The sole compromise that Perry let slip is that the vehicles will be optimized for the climate in which they are sold, meaning EVs sold in cold climes will feature boosted heat and crippled air conditioning, with hot climates receiving the opposite treatment. This setup sounds a little weird, but we'll wait and see how it works out.

Nissan hopes a lower entry cost, lower operating cost, and immense green cred will create the perfect storm to push electric-vehicle adoption past that of hybrids and into the mainstream.

The vehicle will be available for purchase by the public in various U.S. markets as early as 2010, depending on the regional adoption of the charging infrastructure. Current partnerships include the State of Tennessee, the State of Oregon, parts of California (Sonoma County and the San Diego metro area) and the Tucson, Ariz. metro area.

Source: The Car Tech blog

Nissan may flip electric-vehicle switch early in U.S.

Nissan North America could launch U.S. retail sales of electric vehicles as early as 2010--two years sooner than expected.

For a year, the company has been saying it will start EV fleet sales to utilities and commercial users in 2010 and consumer retail sales through its dealer network two years later.

But Mark Perry, director of product planning and strategy for the automaker in Franklin, Tenn., says some U.S. markets probably will be ready for retail sales sooner than 2012. "We're keeping ourselves open to the possibility that if a market is ready for it, we'll go ahead earlier," Perry says.

Nissan plans to sell a line of new electric vehicles powered by a lithium ion battery created through a partnership with NEC of Japan. The automaker has requested a low-interest loan from the U.S. Department of Energy to build an EV battery manufacturing plant in Smyrna, Tenn.

Perry says Nissan will launch sales city by city as communities get their vehicle recharging infrastructure in place.

Separately, a person in Tokyo familiar with the EV project said Nissan is eyeing an electric vehicle with a range of 100 miles between charges. The vehicle will be a family car, based on a platform already in use.

The car will be a uniquely designed stand-alone model to make it distinct, much the way the Toyota Prius hybrid called attention to its green credentials with novel styling.

When volume is high enough, Nissan will consider building cars overseas, including the United States.

Source: Automotive News via The Car Tech blog

Sanyo unveils electric hybrid bike with self-charging function while moving (三洋電機 走りながら発電・充電できる電動ハイブリッド自転車を発売)

Japan's consumer electronics manufacturer Sanyo Electric Co. released on February 2009, the "eneloop bike", a new electric hybrid bicycle with a regenerative charging function to generate and charge itself while in use. The bike uses the assist motor as a generator during braking and downhill riding to generate electricity and charge the battery. Utilizing kinetic energy during movement, the eneloop bike, which is designed to conform to the newest standards, achieves a longer cruising distance than previous models.

The Road Traffic Law revised on December 1, 2008, by the Cabinet Office Ordinance, doubled the maximum assist ratio (ratio of motor drive force to human power) from the previous 1:1 to 1:2 for power-assisted bikes, which fall under the regular bicycle category in Japan

In line with new standards, the eneloop bike with higher power assist function detects various road conditions and automatically adjusts power assistance and regenerative charging accordingly. With its auxiliary charging while riding, the bike provides an increase of riding distance of up to 1.8 times compared to the non-recharge mode (based on Sanyo's standard running patterns). The system also decreases the number of times the battery needs to be charged with a dedicated charger.

Electric bicycles are drawing attention for being economical, emissions-free, and environmentally friendly. Domestic shipments almost doubled in 2007 with some 283,000 units more than in 2000, with cumulative shipments to date amounting to more than 2 million.

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Text in Japanese

三洋電機は、走りながら発電・充電できる回生充電機能がついた電動ハイブリッド自転車「eneloop bike（エネループバイク）」を2009年２月に発売した。走行中の運動エネルギーの取り込みに着目、下り坂や減速時にモーターを発電機に切り替え、発 電・充電、走行距離の延長を実現した。また、電動アシスト式自転車の新基準にも適合している。

道路交通法上、普通自転車として扱われる電動アシスト自転車は、人力に対するモーターの力の比率（アシスト比率）が、これまで最大が１：１だった。これが2008年12月1日付に施行された内閣府令により最大１：２に引き上げられた。

同製品は上り坂では新基準によりアシストをパワーアップし、下り坂などでは回生充電の最適化を自動的に行う。これにより１回の充電あたり、最大約1.8倍の走行距離（同社の標準走行パターンの場合）を実現。日常生活での充電回数も大幅に減る。

電動アシスト自転車は、CO2を排出せず環境に良く、経済的な乗り物として、注目されている。2007年の国内出荷台数は、約283千台と2000年対比ではほぼ倍増。国内の出荷台数は累積200万台を超えている。

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Source: Japan for Sustainability, Sanyo Electric

Nissan says its electric car will have 100-mile range

Nissan's new all-electric car to be sold starting late next year will have 100 miles of pure battery range, a Nissan North America planning director said.

Product planning and strategy director Mark Perry also told the Chattanooga Engineers Club that the company wants to eventually make the car that will run on a lithium ion battery pack and the batteries at its plant in Smyrna. The car will initially be made in Japan.

Perry told the engineers' group Monday that Tennessee is to be a launch market for the all-electric car after it arrives in late 2010, along with Oregon and Sonoma County, Calif.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported that Perry said the car will "seat five and be in the size range of a Sentra or Versa."

Nissan's North America headquarters is in Franklin.

Perry said the 100 miles of pure battery range is more than double the battery range of some competitors' electric cars.

Perry said that while the cost of a conventional vehicle of similar size may range from $28,000 to $30,000, the federal government is offering a tax credit of up to $7,500 on the electric car. He said annual maintenance costs will be $1,350 less for a pure electric vehicle than a conventional car. "The payback is immediate," Perry said. He estimated the cost to "fill the tank" in the Chattanooga area at about 90 cents, and said it will take about four to eight hours to do so at a residence.

Perry said plans are to reduce that time frame to four hours in 2012.

Nissan NA spokesman Fred Standish previously said the company submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Energy for a share of the government's $25-billion loan program intended to help automakers retool their plants to build more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Standish said the Smyrna plant, built in 1983, is the only one of Nissan's three plants in the U.S. that would meet the loan's criteria.

The Energy Department has received dozens of applications for the loan program, including requests from Detroit's automakers, Tesla Motors Inc., which builds an all-electric two-seat sports car, and several battery manufacturers.

Source: Detroit Free Press

Japan to provide tax breaks for Hybrid (ハイブリッド車) & Electric cars (電気自動車)

Under provisions of a fiscal 2009 tax reform bill, Japan will waive an automobile weight tax for people buying hybrid cars and electric vehicles.

Normally, people purchasing new cars pay the automobile acquisition tax, which is equivalent to roughly 5% of the car’s price, and three years’ worth of the weight tax. This means a person buying a 2 million yen [US$21,700] car that weighs 1.3 tons has to pay a total of 146,700 yen [US$1,600] in taxes.

If the car is a hybrid or an electric vehicle, the taxes will be waived completely starting in April if the bill takes effect as planned. Other types of environmentally friendly cars will also receive 50-75% tax reductions depending on their fuel economies and exhaust emissions.

Source: Nikkei via Green Car Congress

Energie Ouest Suisse and Renault-Nissan Alliance to build zero-emission future in Switzerland

Swiss electric utility company Energie Ouest Suisse (EOS) and the Renault-Nissan Alliance today announced they are working together to develop solutions for zero-emission mobility in Switzerland through the promotion of electric vehicles and the establishment of a battery-charging network.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed recently, the two parties will study ways of implementing and maintaining a battery-charging network throughout the country. The MOU also intends to define the terms and conditions for the supply by the Alliance of electric vehicles to EOS for use in its fleet.

EOS and the Alliance will also create and support educational activities to promote the use of electric vehicles.

EOS, which produces 85% of its electricity from hydropower, is the first company for the Alliance to tie up with in Switzerland - the headquarters of Nissan's European operations - for a zero-emissions program.

"For EOS, the introduction of electric vehicles brings a forward-looking response to Switzerland's energy and climate challenge," said Hans Schweickardt, CEO of EOS. Indeed, as the second-largest emitter of CO2 after heating (43%), transportation accounts for 33% (16 million tons) of the country's total green-house gas emissions. Replacing 15% of Switzerland's cars by 2020 with electric vehicles would reduce CO2 emissions in the transportation sector by 1.1 million tons per year, or a reduction of around 7%.

"We are delighted to be partnering with a clean energy specialist like EOS and look forward to working together to create the infrastructure and conditions for zero-emission mobility in Switzerland," said Carlos Tavares, executive vice president of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance has begun zero emission initiatives with Israel, Denmark, Portugal, the Principality of Monaco and the French utility company EDF, as well as the State of Tennessee, the State of Oregon and Sonoma County in northern California in the US. In Japan, the Alliance has partnered with the Prefecture of Kanagawa and the City of Yokohama.

Source: Nissan Global Website

Will SiC Inverters come in time for EVs?

An Article by Motohiko Hamada, Nikkei Automotive Technology

"I was beginning to become concerned while rushing around to cover SiC (silicon carbide) stories. Will it be ready in time for the era of electric vehicles if things continue like this?

SiC is a semiconductor used for an inverter that rotates the motors of electric and hybrid vehicles. Silicon (Si) is currently used for this purpose but will be replaced by SiC in the near future. However, the shift to SiC could end up in failure if if timing is wrong.

The energy loss with SiC is only half that with Si. Also, the heat generated by SiC is half that of Si, making it easier to release the heat and allowing its use in a high temperature. Si inverters are operable at 200°C, while SiC inverters can be operated at 300°C. And Rohm Co Ltd confirmed that its SiC inverter operated at 400°C, making heat release even easier.

Heat release becomes more effective with smaller heat generation, higher temperature, larger heat dissipation area and better thermal conductivity. If the heat generation is small enough and the temperature is high enough, the surface area and the thermal conductivity can be reduced. The reduction in thermal conductivity means, for example, replacing a water-cooled system with an air-cooled system.

The "Lexus LS600h," a hybrid vehicle manufactured by Toyota Motor Corp, has a cooling system that forcefully "water-cools electronics devices that should not get wet" in its inverter. We should not forget the fact that materials with a high thermal conductivity are high in electrical conductivity (low insulation properties) in many cases.

Toyota's technology is fantastic, but there is something wrong with it. If an air cooling system can be used, we will not have to resort to an unreasonable method like this.

When will SiC be commercialized, exactly?

Mitsubishi Electric Corp went further than other companies and expressed its plans to commercialize SiC converters. The company said, "We aim to commercialize it in fiscal 2010," when it made an announcement about its measures against global warming in November 2008. But other companies carefully interpret this announcement, saying "Mitsubishi has users in its group" and "the production volume is unclear."

Manufacturers other than Mitsubishi only said, "it will be in the 2010s," although I asked them several times. But I understand their attitudes because the progress in SiC technology is difficult to forecast and a number of manufacturers have already failed to predict it. If their previous predictions had been accurate, SiC inverters would have already been realized.

Also, the full-fledged electrification of automobiles is anticipated for the 2010s. For example, JP Morgan Securities Inc predicts that the market scale of gasoline hybrid vehicles will reach 9.62 million in 2018, twenty times the current number.

However, this prediction is subject to change, depending on crude oil prices and the progress in batteries. They can only say, "it will be in the 2010s," when asked, "When will the full-scale electrification start?"

This is not the answer we want. The point is "when in the 2010s?" Manufacturers want to use SiC inverters when they produce electric vehicles in full swing. Therefore, the gap between the timings of SiC inverter commercialization and the full-fledged manufacturing of electric vehicles could be a problem.

If the development of SiC inverters falls behind, manufacturers will have to use Si inverters. Automotive inverters are much larger than those for home electronics and home information appliances. Hybrid and electric vehicles will require a capacity of 15 to 40kw and 40 to 100kW, respectively, which are 10 to 100 times that of an air conditioner.

If electric vehicles start to dominate the market, huge volumes of semiconductors will be required. It is believed that the demands for semiconductors will remain low for the time being and the operating rates of semiconductor production facilities will drop. But the excess capacity will not be sufficient to meet the demands arising from the full-swing production of electric vehicles.

Nevertheless, manufacturers will not make substantial investments in the Si production equipment. This is because they know that Si production equipment will end up as excess facilities, being soon replaced by SiC. This situation could result in a delay in SiC development and a shortage and high price of Si, placing automobile manufacturers in a very serious situation.

We have a long way to go before seeing the era of electric vehicles."

Source: Tech-On

Better Place joins Subaru and other Japanese carmakers in Ministry of Environment EV project

Better Place, the world’s leading mobility operator, today announced that it is joining Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., maker of Subaru automobiles, and other Japanese carmakers in the first Ministry of Environment, electric-vehicle (EV) project in Japan. Better Place, the only foreign company participating, was invited by the Japanese Ministry of Environment to build a battery exchange station for EVs and showcase the technology in the world’s biggest auto-manufacturing nation.

As carmakers here focus on the future and developing next-generation vehicles, the government’s project supports the move to sustainable transportation and includes various electric-car models and EV infrastructure in multiple cities to demonstrate feasibility. The EV project is scheduled to begin in January 2009 and last three to six months, encompassing municipalities in Kanagawa, Aichi, Osaka, and Hyogo prefectures. Yokohama—a participating city in Kanagawa—will host the first location to demonstrate the ability to exchange a depleted EV battery for a fully charged one, a means of extending EV range under the Better Place model. Participation in the Japanese project is the latest example of the model’s growing acceptance around the world.

“Better Place is honored to participate in this ground-breaking program in a country with so much auto-manufacturing expertise and history,” said Shai Agassi, Founder and CEO of Better Place. “We look forward to joining Subaru and other auto manufacturers in the project and demonstrating the feasibility of electric cars with swappable batteries to the rest of the industry. Japan is moving one step closer to the next-generation Car 2.0 model of electric cars fueled by renewable energy.”

Better Place Japan will be led by Kiyotaka Fujii, the former president and CEO of retailer Louis Vuitton’s Japanese subsidiary and SAP Japan. Based in Tokyo, Fujii also will lead the company’s efforts in the Asia Pacific region.

“The Better Place model works across cultures and continents and no one is more qualified and better suited to ensure Japan moves forward in terms of sustainable transportation and energy than Fujii-san,” said Agassi. “When he led SAP Japan, business expanded threefold. He’s the type of leader we want spearheading our efforts in Asia Pacific.”

“While Japan has succeeded in building a robust economy, it should reduce its dependence on oil and lower its carbon footprint. Japan also should look to be a leader in support of electric vehicles by investing in electric charging infrastructure,” said Fujii. “I’m confident that the collaboration between the public and private sectors represented by the Ministry of Environment project will provide major impetus for the adoption of electric vehicles in Japan.”

Source: Better Place

Honda's Green Heritage

Honda's Green Heritage goes back in 1972 with the development of the CVCC engine. A new gallery has been added with all the significant milestones up to now.

Click here to visit the Honda's Green Heritage gallery (there is also a "Galleries" section on the sidebar.

Enjoy!

Source: Honda UK

Better Place to build Hawaiian electric car network

Silicon Valley startup Better Place on Tuesday announced a deal with Hawaii’s governor and the state’s biggest utility to build an electric car charging network throughout the islands.

The agreement comes less than two weeks after Better Place CEO Shai Agassi and the mayors of Northern California’s three largest cities unveiled a plan to build an electric car infrastructure for the San Francisco Bay Area. Better Place also has signed similar deals with governments in Australia, Denmark and Israel.

Agassi said the network of charging posts and battery swapping stations will be ready by 2012. That’s roughly the target date for Better Place’s other projects, which means the year-old startup will be simultaneously building electric car networks in four countries while raising billions of dollars in project finance.

Renault-Nissan will supply electric cars for the network. Better Place will own the car batteries and charge drivers for the miles (or kilometers) driven. By removing the battery from the purchase price of electric cars - the most expensive component - Better Place hopes to sell vehicles at prices competitive with their fossil-fueled counterparts.

Appearing with Agassi at a press conference at the capitol in Honolulu, Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle said the Better Place partnership offers the state the opportunity to slash the $7 billion it spends annually on imported oil and provide a market for renewable energy. Hawaiians pay some of the highest gasoline prices in the U.S. and the state has set a goal of obtaining 70% of its energy from solar, wind and other renewable sources by 2030.

“It’s not a simple goal - we’re looking to end our dependence on oil,” said Agassi, who shed his customary dark suit for a gray polo shirt and wore a lei. “Any form of renewable energy - wind, solar, geothermal - is here in Hawaii.”

“This will be the blueprint where six or seven million visitors will come and experience first-hand what it’s like to drive an electric car,” added Agassi, 40, a former top executive at business software giant SAP. “You couldn’t ask for a better advertisement.”

Utility Hawaiian Electric (HE), which supplies 95% of the state’s power, will generate renewable electricity equal to what the Better Place network consumes and work with the company on developing the charging infrastructure.

“The price of oil is irrelevant to us - we have to reach a clean and secure energy future,” Lingle said.

Better Place’s latest deal came on the same day that General Motors (GM) and Ford, which have asked for a multi billion-dollar bailout from Congress, (F) announced plans ramp up production of hybrid and electric cars.

“It’s a win-win-win - the only loser in the equation is oil and that’s ok,” said Hawaiian Electric executive vice president Robbie Alm. “Green cars will provide the market for renewable energy.”

Source: Green Wombat

Michelin to commercialize Electric Active Wheel technology

Michelin’s Active Wheel, an in-wheel system comprising a brake, 30 kW (40 hp) electric traction motor and electric suspension motor system, will be used in the Heuliez-produced WILL electric vehicle (battery or fuel cell), due to be available to fleet owners in 2010. The WILL grew out of a concept developed by Heuliez and Michelin and features networked services innovated by Orange.

Michelin has shown earlier versions of the Active Wheel in concepts before, such as the Michelin/PSI Concept HY-LIGHT Fuel Cell Vehicle shown at the 2004 Challenge Bibendum in Shanghai. The two-wheel motor WILL is its first application in a series production-intent vehicle. The partners showed the WILL at the Paris Motor show in October. Venturi Automobiles also showed an application of the Active Wheel in the premier of its four-wheel motor Volage.

The electrical suspension system in the Active Wheel features an extremely rapid response time—3/1000th of a second. All pitching and rolling motions are automatically corrected.

Source: Green Car Congress

China: 60,000 new-energy vehicles to trial-run in 11 cities

China has decided to put 60,000 new-energy vehicles on trial run in 11 cities in the next few years as part of the pilot project of developing its eco-friendly, fuel-efficient alternative-energy auto industry, said sina.com today.

Science and Technology Minister Wan Gang said earlier this week that China's auto industry now has the capability to develop and make alternative-energy vehicles to cut pollution and save fuel. In the coming three years, China will choose another 11 cities as pilot bases for the trial-run of 60,000 domestically made new-energy vehicles in public transportation, public services & facilities and postal services.

Currently, there are only small numbers of alternative-energy vehicles in trial service in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Wuhan, Zhuzhou and some other Chinese cities. During the Beijing 2008 Olympics in August, Changan, Chery, FAW-VW, Shanghai-VW, Dongfeng, and Foton provided nearly 600 new-energy vehicles to serve the global sports event. They include fuel-cell, all-electric and hybrid taxis, buses and other courtesy sedans that achieved zero-emission at and around the Olympic avenues.

China's EV (electric-vehicle)-oriented automakers, now only in a very small number, are required to reach the annual production of 500 new-energy vehicles by late 2009 and their total annual output should hit 10,000 units by 2010 for each of the designated cities to have enough EVs for trial operation. At the same time, the vehicle standards, quality and stability will be strictly observed to meet the new-energy vehicle requirements.

The Chinese government has invested at least 800 million yuan ($117.2 million) in developing the EV industry. The government will support auto makers' research in the area through financial assistance and preferential policies, and will also give subsidies and tax breaks to individual and corporate buyers of alternative-energy vehicles, said a finance ministry official recently.

Source: Gasgoo

Battery capacity reportedly the chief obstacle for Germany's electric car goal

Batteries with limited storage capacity are the main hurdle to Germany's goal of putting 5 million electric cars on its roads by 2030, the Bloomberg news service reported today, citing the country's transportation and environment ministers.

Europe's largest car market wants at least 1 million electric cars on the road by 2020 and 5 million a decade later, environment minister Sigmar Gabriel said today in Berlin. Germany currently has about 55 million cars operating nationwide.

Germany lost its leadership in battery technology half a century ago and "desperately" needs to regain that expertise for electric car demand to rise, said Gabriel, echoing comments by transport minister Wolfgang Tiefensee.

Vehicles require a range of 124 to 180 miles without a recharge before technology can meet the demands of drivers, they said.

"The challenges are enormous," Tiefensee said. "But we need electric vehicles to reduce our dependence on oil."

Road transportation accounts for almost a fifth of global carbon-dioxide emissions, which are blamed for contributing to rising temperatures, and carmakers are looking for ways to make driving less harmful to the planet.

Emissions from Germany's transportation sector have risen more than 4 percent since 1990 while the country's overall CO2 output has declined.

Source: Green Car Advisor

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Portugal and Renault-Nissan Alliance implement zero emission mobility for 2010

LISBON (Nov. 22, 2008)—The Government of Portugal and the Renault-Nissan Alliance today announced a comprehensive partnership to deliver zero emission mobility to Portugal from 2010. The plan will utilize electric vehicles supplied by the Alliance, and will leverage an extensive charging network that will be built across Portugal over the next three years.

In July, Portugal became the first European country to establish a partnership directly with the Renault-Nissan Alliance to explore zero emission mobility. The goal was to address concerns such as global warming, dependence on oil and sustainable mobility. After four months of discussion and analysis, Portugal today became the first European country to sign a final agreement with the Alliance for implementing a zero emission mobility program.

“We realized early on that zero-emission mobility goes far beyond the vehicle itself,” said Carlos Tavares, executive vice president of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. “It requires extensive collaboration with government and other partners to ensure success.”

The plan calls for 1,300 vehicle charging locations to be operational by the end of 2011, with 320 of those locations already in place in 2010.

Portugal will also offer incentives to electric vehicle purchasers, including an income tax credit for individuals and corporate tax reductions for fleet purchases of electric vehicles. The tax incentives, which begin in late 2010, will last at least five years.

The Government of Portugal is also mandating that 20% of public fleet vehicle purchases be zero-emission, starting in 2011.

Additional measures, such as reduced parking rates, preferential access and financing subsidies are being studied further. Public awareness and educational activities, including electric vehicle demonstrations, will begin in 2010.

The measures were announced at Portugal Tecnológico 2008 in Lisbon, one of the country’s most important technology exhibitions sponsored by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Innovation. Nissan’s Denki (Japanese for “electric”) Cube is on display at the six-day exhibition. This concept vehicle features the same lithium-ion battery technology that will power Nissan’s new electric vehicles.

“Portugal is a global leader in renewable energy. The next step is to make Portugal a pioneer in zero emission mobility. Electric vehicles offer major benefits to our society by reducing imports of fuel, improving energy security, reducing CO2 emissions and offering a reliable and secure alternative towards sustainable mobility,” said Portugal’s Prime Minister José Sócrates.

“We commend you on these efforts,” said Tavares. “You are strengthening Portugal’s position as an environmental model for Europe and the world.”

The Renault-Nissan Alliance, which aims to be the global leader in zero-emission mobility, will bring electric vehicles to Portugal in early 2011, making Portugal one of the first countries to be supplied with electric vehicles from the Alliance. In 2012, Nissan and Renault will mass-market electric vehicles globally.

The Alliance has announced similar direct zero-emission mobility partnerships with Kanagawa Prefecture and Yokohama City in Japan, the State of Tennessee, Monaco and the French utility giant EDF.

Source: Nissan News Bureau Europe

Monaco and Renault-Nissan Alliance to develop zero-emission future

The Government of Monaco and the Renault-Nissan Alliance are working together to promote the use of electric vehicles in the Principality.



Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed recently, the two parties will formulate ways of enhancing and expanding the existing battery-charging network throughout Monaco. The current incentive program will also be enhanced to attract residents and companies to participate in the Alliance’s zero emission mobility program by purchasing and utilizing EVs.



Monaco and the Alliance will also create and support educational activities to promote the use of electric vehicles and encourage the participation of local organizations.



The Alliance will also take advantage of Monaco facilities to organize EV marketing activities.



“The reality of zero emission mobility can only be achieved through credible products and the appropriate infrastructure. The Alliance will be mass marketing the product and we welcome forward thinking partners like the principality of Monaco to create the infrastructure and conditions for success,” said Carlos Ghosn, President and CEO of Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.



The agreement with Monaco is the latest in a series of similar announcements by the Alliance to promote zero emission mobility. Since July this year, the Alliance has announced partnerships with Portugal, the City of Yokohama in Japan, the State of Tennessee, the State of Oregon and French utility giant EDF.



Source: Nissan News Bureau Europe