Green Options

“Our city is progressive and aggressive in implementing sustainable solutions to environmental and economic challenges.”

–David Robinson, director of Facilities and Fleet, City of Hillsboro, Oregon

Hillsboro, Oregon, the 5th largest city in the state and known as “Silicon Forest” is joining the growing electric community with the announcement that it will be the first in the state to install public ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations for both plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles. The city will install 16 charging stations downtown, one as part of its “green” intermodal transit facility due to be constructed this year.

It’s not surprising that this announcement comes from the environmentally progressive Northwest. Robinson noted that the community has a, “large forward-thinking population ready to embrace electric vehicle technology,” and that the City is committed to providing the facilities that its community needs.

“To my knowledge, at this point, ExxonMobil has no interest in putting charging stations at retailer locations,” said Pat Brant, Chief Polymer Scientist with ExxonMobil Chemical Company. I just had to ascertain if ExxonMobil was really in the car business after they announced their partnership in launching the Maya 300 and it appears that the answer is no. However, ExxonMobil Chemical Company, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil that was built from scratch 18 years ago, is is in the business of developing technologies to improve technologies with battery applications.

So here is how the partnership works. ExxonMobil Chemical Company developed the pioneering lithium ion battery separation technology. They then partnered with Electrovaya, to integrate the technology into their batteries and then manufacture the batteries. The batteries are then given to Electrovaya subsidiary Maya, who then manufactures the Maya 300. So there, ExxonMobil is not in the car business.

Speaking of the car business, one of the burning questions is how is the Maya 300 different than other electric vehicles. There are three main reasons.

1. The Maya 300 is powered by a Lithium-Ion SuperPolymer® battery (made by Electrovaya). The lithium-ion polymer technology platform enables lithium to be moved faster and more efficiently, allowing more energy to be stored in a smaller space. Most other hybrid and electric vehicles are using nickel-metal-hybrid batteries that take up more space and are heavier.
2. Smaller battery. Smaller space. A conventional lead acid battery pack on average takes over five times the space and weight of the Electrovaya battery pack.
3. Style. The Maya 300 looks like a traditional four-door car with a hatchback. On the road, aesthetically speaking, you’d be hard pressed to tell it was an electric vehicle.

Steven Chu this morning finally puts the nail in the coffin of the congressional No We Can’t contingent’s stance.  For the last 8 years they’ve been saying that “government can’t pick winners and losers”, by which they simply meant keep all the current lavish oil subsidies in place and don’t make any changes in energy policy that might develop a competitor.

This is what the electric version of a Ford Mustang looks like.

The Big Three have fallen behind in the alternative-fuels race, and with two of the three bankrupt and barely clinging to life, we shouldn’t expect too much from them anytime soon. But that hasn’t stopped independant innovators from stepping away from the herd and offering their own versions of alternatively-powered production cars.

Take for example Kurt Neutgens and Travis Winkelman; while Kurt is a former Managing Engineer for the F-150 (America’s top-selling vehicle for many, many years), Travis worked for the ROUSH NASCAR team. Together, these two men took America’s iconic pony car, the Mustang, and gave it an all-new, electric heart.

Nissan has announced plans to launch the large-scale production of electric cars and batteries in the United States, with a massive 50 billion Yen ($516 million) facility in Smyrna, Tennessee.

The site will be capable of knocking-out an impressive 50,000 to 100,000 EVs by 2012, with investment possibly DOUBLING to 100 billion Yen (more than $1 Billion).

Swedish supercar manufacturer Koenigsegg acquired a controlling interest in Saab so that it could get its hands on the company’s electric car production facilities.

The claim, made on Swedish language website realtid, cites unnamed sources in saying that the move is likely to bring the cutting-edge solar-powered Quant EV concept car (pictured) a step closer to production reality.

Sources also suggest that low volume production of the ZEV Quant (video) is expected to begin in a couple of years. The car was designed by Swedish outfit NLV Solar AG, a world-leader in photovoltaics and electrical-power technology.

Renault has announced plans to showcase a trio of electric cars at this September’s Frankfurt motor show, including all-electric versions of the Megane saloon and the Kangoo (on sale 2011), as well as an all-new concept EV.

At this stage, Renault is keeping tight-lipped about the details of its concept car, revealing only that it will be a four-metre, five-door hatchback that will go on sale in 2012.

According to Renault C-Segment Development Chief Christian Steyer, all of the company’s new EV offerings will feature noticeable styling, but nothing too radical. He told reporters, “We want a real signature for our electric range, so when people see one in the street they will know it is a Renault electric car. The key is to do this without frightening customers away. Customers must be tempted, and not rushed too fast.”

Editor’s Note: This is a 4-part series covering my trip to Michigan to test-drive the Chevy Volt. See post 1. LiveBlogging from the opening of GM’s New Battery Lab, and 2. Chevy Volt Test Drive: How GM’s Electric Car Works. Disclaimer: GM flew me out for this event. This post is in no way affiliated with the GM ads that appear at the margins.

The real reason we were in Warren, MI wasn’t to test-drive the Volt, but to be on hand for the grand opening of GM’s new battery testing facility. The $25 million Global Battery Systems lab is now the largest battery testing facility in the United States, and is four times larger than the company’s old lab.

GM made a strategic decision to keep battery development in-house, because it will likely be a key competitive advantage in the race to commercialize electric vehicles. The lab already employs 1,000 engineers who work on advanced battery systems like the one found the the Chevy Volt.

Earlier this week, London launched Britain’s first ever electric car hire scheme.  The initiative, run by Streetcar, the country’s largest pay-as-you-go car-sharing club, will offer members a specially adapted Toyota Prius at rates starting from £5.95 (just under $10) an hour.

If the trial proves a hit with club members, Streetcar plans to roll out extra electric cars throughout the capital to meet rising demand.

Subaru has become the latest in a long line of car manufacturers to start producing electric cars.  The Japanese company plans to start selling a compact all-electric plug-in number called the Stella EV in Japan over the coming weeks.

Unusual for such a compact EV, the Stella boasts four seats and a top speed of 60 mph, which is likely to prove just about bearable to drivers using it as a second car for city use (photo gallery after the jump).

Editor’s Note: This is a 4-part series covering my trip to Michigan to test-drive the Chevy Volt. See also: 1. LiveBlogging from the opening of GM’s New Battery Lab and 3. Tour of GM’s New Battery Lab. Disclaimer: GM flew me out for this event.

June 8, 2009- It was pouring rain when I arrived at GM’s Testing facility in Warren, Michigan. A crowd had already gathered inside the Alternative Energy Center which, among other things, is home to GM’s first electric car—the original model EV1 (#1).

The ghost of the EV1—a car designed and built 13 years ago—still haunts GM, though it’s both a symbol of lost opportunity and tangible proof that the company could pull off the same kind of engineering feat again. The billion-dollar Volt project is a major component of the company’s reinvention strategy, and it’s clear they aren’t pulling any punches this time.