Drive an Electric Vehicle and Never Buy Gas Again
(Page 5 of 9)
April/May 2006
By Bill Moore
NEC and Subaru are working on an electric car that uses a lithium-ion battery the companies say can be recharged in minutes instead of hours. Depending on the application, the battery pack can be as small as a briefcase. By 2010, Mitsubishi plans to commercially release its MIEV concept — a line of electric cars that will use 20-kilowatt motors and lithium-ion battery chemistry that will recharge in less than one hour.
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Numerous other lithium-polymer battery makers — both large and small — are joining the race to develop affordable, energy-dense packs for a wide range of portable electronic applications, including the next generation of power tools. That technology likely will find its way into both electric vehicles and gas/electric hybrids that increasingly rely on electricity instead of petrofuels for power.
Making Hybrid Cars More Efficient
As awareness of the benefits of electric transportation grows, some owners of the Toyota Prius, a gas/electric hybrid sedan, are adding an aftermarket button to manipulate the car’s computer, taking advantage of a latent EV mode. This modification causes a Prius to more fully utilize its electric motor by keeping the car in electric-only mode for longer distances than normal — for about one to two miles, or more specifically until the battery’s charge dips to a low level, your speed reaches 34 mph, the accelerator pedal is depressed more than three-fourths of the way down or you push the EV-mode button again.
Without the button, a Prius only travels very short distances before the gas engine takes over. You can install an EV-mode button yourself by ordering a kit from various Internet vendors such as www.coastaletech.com.
Taking the EV-mode one step further, several companies are working to offer a version of the Prius with a longer-range lithium-ion battery pack that can be recharged using a standard household power outlet. The result is a car that can be driven for 50 to 60 miles on electric power at residential speeds (less than 35 mph). On longer trips and at higher speeds, the engine reverts to its standard hybrid mode. (See Pay Less at the Pump: The Hybrid Revolution for more information.)
The Future is Battery-Powered
Small and light with room for up to four passengers, the electric vehicle of the future will move people efficiently over short distances between home and work at freeway speeds. Powered by lithium-ion batteries that can be recharged in just minutes, these nimble commuter cars might have a range of more than 180 miles, depending on the battery pack. In the future, manufacturers may also offer EVs at different costs for different ranges. For example, an electric vehicle with a range of 100 miles would cost less than one with a 200 mile range.
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