On Saturday, I spent four hours in the blistering August heat of Palo Alto, California exploring the world of electric cars at the 37th Annual Electric Car Rally and Show. Sponsored by the Electric Automobile Association, Silicon Valley Chapter, the event offered a wide variety of vehicles, people and philosophies. I also enjoyed a remarkably tasty spicy chicken taco and two enormous icees.

With all the excitement over the $109,000 Tesla sports car and news of the upcoming Nissan Leaf, a four-door sedan for more regular folks, you might wonder what you can do today, without breaking the bank. The answer is, folks have been thinking about electric cars for a long time and converting them to 100 percent battery power.

Read more of this story »

The first of many roadside electric charging stations in Brazil is set to be installed in the Barra de Tijuca neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, and it’ll be solar-powered.

The neighborhood was chosen because it has the highest number of electric motorcycles certainly in circulation. The battery charging point will serve a mainly symbolic purpose at first, “awakening environmental awareness by showing people that it is possible to use energy without harming the environment,” said spokesperson Edimar Machado.

• » See also: Online Quotes for Solar Energy in Sonoma County allow you to apply for financing with no home visit
• » Get EcoWorldly by RSS or sign up by email.

Brazil has been a worldwide leader in reducing the impact of the transportation sector on the environment, with 90% of new cars sold in the country being flex-fuel– capable of running on ethanol or gasoline in any proportion. Now the hope is that they can also lead the world in infrastructure for electric vehicles. Once they become more financially viable, Machado hopes to have an electric charging station positioned every 30km across the country.

That could soon allow every electric motorcyclist the capability to travel the entire length of Brazil’s major roadways if they wanted, even if their battery length is only around 40km, like most of the bikes currently in circulation there. Machado also suggested that used batteries could be exchanged for already-charged ones at the stations for the same price as a full charge, in case roadsters can’t wait around for the standard 4 hours it takes to charge the batteries. That would make the time it takes to “fill up” your electric vehicle no longer than it would take to fill up a gas tank.

Even better, the charging stations will generate their electricity from solar energy. The charging point captures solar energy by means of an array of 28 photovoltaic panels that generate 184 volts of direct current, which is transformed into triphasic alternating current. Output is at 110 or 220 volts [1]. And on days when there isn’t much sunlight, or at night, the stations could still derive electricity from the grid system.

The Brazilian Electric Vehicle Association says the market for electric vehicles is already growing by about 50 percent a year, and with new charging stations located conveniently around town that number is expected to increase dramatically. They also project that electric vehicles will consume barely three to five percent of the country’s total energy in 2030, meaning as the system expands it shouldn’t be a significant strain on the country’s electricity. Meanwhile, car fuel consumption will be reduced by 10 percent.

Although that nationwide system of stations is still far from practical, the implementation of this first station is symbolic of what can be envisioned with the right political will and incentive.

Source: IPS News

Image Credit: Diego_3336 on Flickr under a Creative Commons License

As with every electric vehicle, battery issues—type, range, weight, and charging time, not to mention cost—are slowing down development, but enthusiasts and entrepreneurial companies are working to come up with the best solution. Perhaps it’s a three-wheeled vehicle, such as the Triac from Green Vehicles. Looking a little like a wingless helicopter, with two wheels up front and one in the back, it is much more like a car than a motorcycle, and at $25,000, is priced like one. The folks at Green Vehicles offer a cute little minivan called the Moose and a little three-wheeled trucklet called the Buckshot as well.

Some manufacturers have electric cars out now, in the testing stages. Two MINI E’s were represented, although they’re not for sale (yet). The shockingly narrow Tango looked like you could push it over (you can’t). Two lovely Teslas were in evidence while I was there.

A few Toyota RAV4 small SUVs were on display. These cars were available 10 years ago, until Toyota stopped selling them. However, unlike in GM’s EV1 program, the cars belonged to the owners and were not crushed.

They’re still humming along.

One of the most unusual vehicles was a replica of the 1904 curved dash Oldsmobile, this one electrically powered and steered with its tiller by Bill Palmer. Bill is one of the founders of the Electric Automobile Association, which formed in 1967. He claims that his replica Olds is based on a six-inch plastic model. The 1904 original was not an electric vehicle. Bill enjoyed taking children—and some adults—on short rides around the grounds.

You can pay experts to convert your car for you or do it yourself. Electro Automotive of Felton California had a booth featuring friendly folks and plenty of information to take along. One handout announced an event to follow the next day. One sheet showed that Electro Automotive’s kits range from $6,425 to $12,545, depending on the donor vehicle. Another handout gave lists of books to read to learn more.

Or, you can do it as a family project. Steve and Eric Schmidt stood proudly next to their bright orange MG Midget. Much of the conversion was done by this father and son team. Both admitted that they had no experience when they started. As they pulled away in their silent cruiser, you know they had learned a lot in the process.

A pair of Toyota Priuses joined the party. These were plug-in conversions, which operate in full electric mode but can run on gasoline when the batteries become discharged. This method eases concerns about becoming stranded. The world is waiting for batteries to become more efficient—along with quick charging and widespread availability to it—so that electricity can take over.

A zero emissions street legal Electric Motorcycle for light commuters and motorcycle enthusiast alike, the new GPR-S is an Electric Motorcycle with a 14.2 kilowatt electric drive system. “How about power,” you ask? The Lithium batteries allow this light weight electric motorcycle to briskly accelerate to freeway speeds.

Read more of this story »