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The 100W PSU example is hardly adequate for a scooter application, given that eBikes typically have between 250-750W motors (higher for off-road applications). And that power supply unit looks too big to go on a scooter (the scale can only be guessed at from the plants in the background), even if its a prototype that could be shrunk to halve-size in a production unit.
Also their power density figure is for the paste itself and does not take into account the weight of the PEM fuel cell and the PSU to extract the H2 from the paste.
Per Davemart: "$2 for 1.6KWH". For the equivalent Li-ion battery the cost to charge would be 20 cents.
Fraunhofer suggests e-scooters as application for its magnesium hydride paste hydrogen storage technology
Researchers at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM in Dresden have developed an ultra-high-capacity hydrogen storage substance for PEM fuel cell applications based on solid magnesium hydride. Fraunhofer’s POWERPASTE releases hydrogen on contact...
Seems like we need to find a substitute antioxidant for tires and test for similar reactions into the roadway runoff from any replacement. Once found it will need regulatory pressure to have tire manufacturers switch to that and/or find other ways to mitigate the environmental harm.
Researchers discover that a ubiquitous tire rubber–derived chemical is killing coho salmon in urban waterways: 6PPD-quinone
A team led by researchers at the University of Washington Tacoma, UW and Washington State University Puyallup have found that a highly toxic oxidation product of tire rubber particles turns streams toxic and may be responsible for the annual die-offs observed among migrating adult salmon across...
The article doesn't mention how long the vehicle is owned, and that is the single biggest factor that determine the total cost of ownership, as keeping a car for 5 or 6 years will dilute the extra purchase price with lower daily running costs compared to a 3 year term. Insurance is still much higher, and that is totally inexplicable and probably just because the insurance industry shortsightedly treats EVs as a niche market.
Analysis finds annual running cost of EVs less than ICE; but with purchase price factored in, it flips
Self Financial, a fintech company, has compared the running costs of electric and non-electric vehicles in each state. Across the US the average annual cost of running an electric vehicle is $2,721.96, while gasoline vehicles cost an average of $3,355.90 per year to run—a difference of $633.94 ...
What is the point of this comparison. They're incompatible energy sources. AFAIK I can't drink gasoline, and can't use milk as a energy source for any non-living machine. The number of BTUs spent writing and posting this crap can never be recovered.
Milk and gasoline: the cost of the energy they provide to fuel our bodies and automobiles
by Michael Sivak, Sivak Applied Research. This brief analysis examines the relative cost of the energy from milk and gasoline. The unifying approach involves the use of a common measure of energy—British thermal units (Btu). A cup of whole milk contains 150 Calories of energy. Thus, there a...
I think I saw something similar on HBO's Westworld.
Hyundai Motor Group forms New Horizons Studio to develop Ultimate Mobility Vehicles (UMVs); “transformer-class vehicles”
Hyundai Motor Group has formed New Horizons Studio, a new unit focused on the development of Ultimate Mobility Vehicles (UMVs), including the concept Hyundai Elevate walking car introduced at CES 2019 (earlier post). Hyundai Elevate does not rely solely on wheels and is expected to address ch...
It’s a hybrid, and a very “mild” one. What a waste of space this announcement is. Lame.
Nissan, Mitsubishi opt for Toshiba SCiB rechargeable battery for hybrid kei cars
Toshiba Corporation announced that Nissan Motor Corporation has selected its innovative SCiB lithium-ion rechargeable battery for the latest generation of its ROOX and ROOX Highway STAR cars and that Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has selected the SCiB battery for the latest generation of its eK...
Nice, except that the battery at 14kWh is too small to allow anyone to expect to be able to drive anything but the shortest daily commute-trips in all electric mode. A Nissan LEAF with that battery size would be able to travel about 50 miles only (80km). Given the bulk of this vehicle (having to carry around an idle engine etc.) compared to that, less than 35 miles (55km) electric range is more likely.
And if you dare turn on the heating or the air-conditioning, I bet the engine starts up immediately.
Volkswagen introduces Touareg R plug-in hybrid model
Volkswagen’s top-of-the-range model Touareg now also features a plug-in hybrid drive. The Touareg R—the first R-Line model to be available as a hybrid—delivers total power output of 340 kW (462 PS) and 700 N·m of torque. The Touareg R can be driven at up to 140 km/h using electric power; above ...
There's a much easier solution. Way cheaper. Benefits everyone. Get rid of the traffic lights. Replace them with traffic circles (roundabouts). These minimise the wait time for everyone. They work well and led to near-no-wait times outside of peak hours if designed right. Drivers have been shown to have some confusion about them at first but quickly adapt, and within a year the flow improvements are dramatic. You need fewer approach lanes (no separating left-turn, straight ahead, right-turning traffic at the intersection).
I've seen so many intersections across America that I know would benefit from a simple circle of concrete, some lane markings and signage (arrows).
ORNL researchers use stop-light cameras to reduce fuel consumption of less-efficient vehicles via traffic management
Approximately 6 billion gallons of fuel are wasted in the US each year as vehicles wait at stop lights or sit in dense traffic with engines idling, according to US Department of Energy estimates. The least efficient of these vehicles are the large, heavy trucks used for hauling goods—they burn m...
This is fantastic as in a total fantasy. If it sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is. I’m surprised it doesn’t mention unicorn power. Ridiculous concept for a (unannounced but obviously sky-high) ridiculous price. Just start with something normal, build experience making it and forget “paper concept vehicles”. We’ll never see this as advertised, even for a million dollars or a million years. Click bait or maybe investment hype for persons who don’t know the market.
Nikola announces Nikola Badger pickup; FCEV/BEV powertrain to support 600-mile range
Nikola Corporation announced the product launch of the Nikola Badger electric pickup truck with an estimated range of 600 miles. The advanced electric pickup will feature a hydrogen fuel-cell and battery powertrain. The Badger is engineered to deliver 980 lb-ft (1,330 N·m) of torque, 906 p...
Depends what they mean by “highly stable”. No mention of solving or improving the significant hurdle to commercialization with Li-S batteries is the expanse of the sulfur/sulphur cathode.
New doped graphene cathode with MoS2 loading enables highly stable Li-sulfur battery
A team at the University of Manchester (UK) has developed a doped graphene cathode for highly stable lithium-sulfur batteries. In an open access paper in the Nature journal Communications Chemistry, they report 100% charge capacity of Li-S batteries using the cathode material with 500 charge/dis...
It’s a hybrid. Using the term “EV” is deliberately confusing, they’re just trying to get on the bandwagon with this marketing ploy. 100% of the energy comes from gasoline. Total greenwashing.
INFINITI says new gasoline-generated EV system (Nissan e-POWER) central to electrification strategy
INFINITI’s future models will offer drivers a choice of electrified powertrains as the brand embraces new technology to propel its vehicles. (Earlier post.) These include fully-electric systems, as well as a gasoline-generated EV system (known as e-POWER at Nissan, earlier post) in which a gaso...
So these batteries have the Lithium ions chemically react with the S/Se, which deposits around the carbon granules as Li2S or Li2Se. Current Li-ion battery doesn't have a chemical reaction just transport of ions. It looks like this is designed to overcome the massive expansion of Sulphur , but I can't tell if the gap above the liquid S/Se at the top of the diagram A is for that purpose. Why the choice of S or Se? Sulphur seems better and cheaper. Is there an inherent problem with it, other than expansion?
For static storage solution improvements in density are good, but cost is the most import consideration. This seems to be 1/6th the cost of Li-ion per kWh (why have they written kWh-1 in the quote? "Kilowatts per hour", not "Kilowatt-hours"?). But that for a convention Li-S battery and material costs only, not this new configuration.
The high temperature needed for the battery to work makes use in a mobile application difficult, because of the need for instant available power at power-up. (would you really want to keep those batteries that hot 24x7 even within an insulated package?) This brings up the question of what happens if you let these batteries cool to room temperature and re-heat them again. Is that even feasible?
You could have a hybrid solution where a small Li-ion battery is used to get you going for the first 5 miles or so, while simultaneously heating the first Li-S pack. Once it is up to temperature, it is used for locomotion, and warming the next pack up, plus recharging the Li-ion so that should the vehicle stop and park right at that moment, there is enough charge in the Li-ion battery to repeat the start-up process.
The doubling of the power density (if that really pans out when commercialized) might bring electric light aircraft into viability. Again, a small Li-ion battery pack would allow taxi and warm-up operations, take-off and cruise would need the Li/S battery to be fully operational, with the Li-ion battery as an emergency reserve.
Also no info on the cost of making that LLTZO sleeve. Lanthanum and Zirconium are abundant but Tantalum is considered a conflict resource, despite having reserves in places like Australia and Canada (where it is marginally economic or not depending on demand).
Solid-electrolyte-based liquid Li-S and Li-Se batteries can deliver up to 500 Wh/kg
Researchers at Zhengzhou University, Tsinghua University and Stanford University have developed a solid-electrolyte-based liquid Li-S and Li-Se (SELL-S and SELL-Se, respectively) battery system with the potential to deliver energy densities exceeding 500 Wh kg-1 and and 1,000 Wh L-1, together wi...
Good grief! At that price ($116k for the lower performing model, no price given for the one they quote performance specs for) you could buy 2 Teslas that perform better in every respect listed above AND get it within a month, not sometime next year!
Porsche introduces entry-level electric Taycan 4S; two battery sizes
Shortly following on the global debut of the electric Taycan in September, Porsche is presenting the third version of the electric sports car: the Taycan 4S. The new model is available with two battery sizes: the Performance battery (79.2 kWh) models with up to 390 kW (530 PS) or the Performance...
Actually Antimony has an abundance of 3 to 7 times that of Silver, so not so bad. Cost has doubled in a couple of years to around $8500 per ton in 2017. China has 90% of world production.
NEC to use Ambri Liquid Metal Batteries in energy storage systems
NEC Energy Solutions (NEC) and Ambri signed a joint development agreement (JDA) under which NEC will design and develop an energy storage system based on Ambri’s Liquid Metal Battery technology (earlier post). NEC will employ its proprietary AEROS energy storage operating system and controls ...
“You cannae change the laws of physics, cap’n.” - Montgomery Scott.
Bloom Energy and Samsung Heavy Industries team up to build ships powered by solid oxide fuel cells running on natural gas
Bloom Energy and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), a part of Samsung Group, today are collaborating to design and develop ships powered by Bloom Energy’s solid oxide fuel cell technology. Bloom Energy is the world’s leading provider of stationary fuel cells and SHI is one of the world’s largest s...
Tesla is switching to using an NMC based Li-ion battery supplied by the local LG Chem factory in Tesla's Gigafactory 3 in China that is about to start production of Model 3s.
LG Chem partners with Umicore for the supply of NMC cathode materials
Umicore and LG Chem have concluded a multi-year strategic supply agreement for NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) cathode materials to serve LG Chem’s needs out of Umicore plants in Poland, Korea and China. The supply agreement takes effect in 2020 and covers a total volume of 125,000 metric tonne...
They’re talking about 200 feet of water. Just deep enough to allow divers build the anchoring system. I can’t imagine the size of the anchoring chains/cables that would be needed to hold one of these turbine towers in place while rock and rolling in a hurricane.
I hope they also incorporate HVDC technology (High Voltage Direct Current) for transmission to land. That allows for smaller or longer electrical cables over AC systems to open larger potential areas to these devices. Also if it comes ashore as HVDC it can go straight into an HVDC transmission grid to distribute power far inland with little losses. That allows for regional weather differences to fill in for lulls in renewables that occur onshore and reduce the need for energy storage.
ARPA-E announces $26M for 13 projects to develop novel technologies for floating offshore wind
ARPA-E announced $26 million in funding for 13 projects as part of the Aerodynamic Turbines, Lighter and Afloat, with Nautical Technologies and Integrated Servo-control (ATLANTIS) program. These teams will develop new technologies for floating, offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) using the disciplin...
Where do they get the hydrogen from? That will determine whether it's non-polluting or not. Not the fact that it makes only electricity and water vapor on site. "Fueled by hydrogen emitted both during the production process for FC system components, as well as during evaluation and testing processes" makes no sense to me, or at least is not sustainable. What H2 is emitted during production?
But kudos to them for this pilot system for developing and verifying a stationary power solution in a container.
Toyota installs stationary fuel cell generator based on Mirai FC system at Honsha plant
Toyota Motor Corporation has developed a stationary fuel cell generator (FC generator) that makes use of the fuel cell system (FC system) equipped in the Mirai Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV). The FC generator has been installed within the Honsha plant grounds in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture,...
It seems unlikely that this will get resolved in the courts before Jan 2021, but even if it does and the CARB states lose, they just have to make it clear to the auto industry that there will be a set of you-pollute-you-pay policies in place designed to dramatically curtail sales, registration and even operating such vehicles within the CARB states.
A $10,000 initial registration fee with ongoing $1000 annual renewal fee should do it. Plus no HOV access. These fees must be detailed in any bill of sale or invoice with the name “you-pollute-you-pay fee”.
All fees raised go to funds designed to encourage cleaner cars (EVs and good hybrids) including reduced registration fees, home charger subsidies, even workplace and public charging station subsidies. Also renewables and grid storage.
After all, it’s all about state’s rights. Wasn’t that the GOP mantra 4 years ago?
EPA, NHTSA issue One National Program Rule; EPA withdraws CA waiver for GHG and fuel economy
The US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final action entitled the “One National Program Rule,” which will enable the federal government to provide nationwide uniform fuel economy and g...
That's 8% faster than a Tesla Model 3 Long Range on a v3 Supercharger. Not bad :-P for a vehicle that costs twice as much and has 80% of the range.
How many of the currently deployed EA chargers are 350kW-capable? I know we haven't really seen any v3 Superchargers outside of SoCal yet (and one in Vegas).
Electrify America network first to charge 800V EV battery at 270 kW
Electrify America, LLC and Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA) celebrated the first time the Electrify America DC fast charging network was used nearly to its full potential. On 4 September, the day of the global launch event, a Porsche Taycan, with its 800-volt architecture, charged at Ele...
Wow. When Fiat merged with Chrysler, the Fiat styling and brand had some cachet that got them some new sales in North America, albeit as niche player. They will be destroying that brand by dropping their line-up to nothing more than a couple of even-tinier-niche vehicles with no EV and no future. Arrivederci Fiat!
So FCA really doesn't have an EV roadmap (no pun intended) to offer in North America at all. They must be relying even more heavily on their billion $ emissions pooling deal with Tesla to meet fleet emissions standards for all Chrysler brands since Fiat sales will be ~0. I assume the 500X is a Mini knock-off for those who don't want to buy German (not really an issue in NA). And the one 500L owner I know is just counting the months until the payments are made so she can move on.
Does the 500E continue to be available in Europe or RoW?
FIAT discontinuing production of Fiat 500 and 500e EV in North America
FIAT will discontinue production of the current-generation Fiat 500 and 500e in North America. Current inventory of the 2019 Fiat 500 and 500e will last into 2020. In North America, FIAT will continue to offer the new Italian-designed, fun-to-drive Fiat 500X all-wheel-drive compact crossove...
Why? Fun and nostalgia. Who wouldn’t want to go on an adventure in a bug that actually accelerates in seconds rather than minutes!
It wouldn’t be your everyday car, just for special excursions and trips.
Volkswagen Group Components supplies complete electric drive for the classic Beetle; based on new e-up!
Volkswagen Group Components, with its partner eClassics, is presenting a holistic concept for the subsequent electrification of the historic Volkswagen Beetle. The conversion exclusively uses new parts they have mutually agreed on from the series production of Volkswagen Group Components. ...
So not that big a gain then (3.6% over a mass-produced vehicle)? That sample battery weighs about twice the typical fuel load of a typical light aircraft.
An electric plane doesn’t need a surge of power like a hypercar would, it needs sustained “full” power for climbing and then about 60-75% power for cruise at a higher airspeed than the climb. So I don’t see any advantage to this hybrid battery application in aircraft.
Williams Advanced Engineering showcases Adaptive Multi-Chem battery technology; 223 lightweighting
Williams Advanced Engineering showcased its latest low-carbon vehicle technologies at Cenex LCV2019 in the UK this week. The main focus of its stand was an innovative battery pack showcasing its Adaptive Multi-Chem technology, which brings together the company’s knowledge from a wide variety of...
16GWhr? 2024? That doesn’t seems big enough or soon enough if VW Audi Group was seriously trying to transition to EVs. After all Tesla is producing 24GWh of batteries annually now at GF1 and is producing about 7000 vehicles per week with them (plus other projects)
So how many electric vehicles can VAG produce with only 16GWh? How many ICE Golfs do they currently make per week? I hope they have other battery contracts out there or we’ll never get the transition done before I die!
Volkswagen and Northvolt form joint venture for Li-ion battery production in Germany; 16 GWh initially
Volkswagen AG and Northvolt AB have created a 50/50 joint venture to build a factory for lithium-ion batteries. Construction of the production facility is scheduled to start in Salzgitter (Lower Saxony) in 2020. Start of production is planned for the end of 2023/beginning of 2024. The initial a...
It says "largest aircraft flying without any fossil fuel support". 2 rebuttals of that, firstly that is unlikely to happen for this aircraft in the real-world. Operators will probably use a natural gas reformer to obtain the hydrogen on-site at the airport. just like hydrogen-fuelled city busses do. Anything coming in a tanker truck will similarly be derived from natural gas. It is not fossil-fuel-free just like my Tesla is not. It's certainly better, but fuel-cells are not dinofuel-free. They *could* be, but they're not.
Secondly put suitable biofuel in any Jet-A burning aircraft and it is fossil-fuel-free. That has been done already for many much larger aircraft. It's also cheaper to run, because it doesn't have the million dollar fuel cell cost.
ZeroAvia unveils hydrogen fuel cell powertrain for aviation
In the latest effort to make aviation sustainable and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, ZeroAvia announced advancements in developing a hydrogen-fueled electric powertrain. The solution aims to deliver the same performance as a conventional aircraft engine, and much lower operating costs. Zero...
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