JFE to conduct field trials of super-rapid charger by year’s end

Early last month, we broke a story regarding a super-rapid charging system that could take an electric vehicle (EV) from empty to 50 percent charged up in as little as three minutes. The super-rapid charging system, developed by JFE Engineering, could potentially change the EV industry forever. Just imagine, an EV could be charged in about the same amount of time that it takes to fuel up a traditional car. This could certainly put to rest some of thegripes regarding long charging times that are often associated with EVs.

JFE Engineering has apparently made significant progress on its super-rapid charging system and claims that it will be ready for field tests before the end of the year. In addition, the company claims that it will be ready for production as soon as EVs supporting the rapid charging standard become available. The system utilizes 500-600 amps of current, significantly more than the CHAdeMO systems, which of course means that the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i-MiEV are not currently compatible with the super-rapid standard. Of course, there’s stillconcern over battery degradation from the rapid charging system, but JFE remains confident that batteries can be designed to withstand the additional strain. We’ll update you again as soon as the super-rapid charging system swings into action. Hat tip to Larz!

AutoblogGreen

=> JFE to conduct field trials of super-rapid charger by year’s end.

European Auto Manufacturers Agree on First Phase of Specifications to Connect Plug-ins to the Grid

The European automobile manufacturers have agreed to a first phase of joint specifications to connect electrically chargeable vehicles to the electricity grid in a safe and user-friendly way.

The agreement covers at current stage widely-used and ready-to-use infrastructure both on the side of the car and on the side of public and private infrastructures. This first phase of specifications only covers 1 and 3-phase AC charging in the short- and medium-term, and reflects the needs of passenger cars and light-commercial vehicles. Further agreements will follow for long-term, DC charging (quick charging) and heavy-duty vehicles.

Phase 2 suggests a uniform EU solution that reduces the variety of solutions in the market, and on the other hand, maintains maximum flexibility for consumers and predictability for producers. Harmonized rules for phase 2 will apply for new vehicle types starting 2017, so to provide the industry with enough lead time to implement these new solutions in their vehicle development programs and to make necessary adaptation in the infrastructure.

Phase 1 agreements include:

• Vehicle inlet. No restrictions on type of vehicle inlet as vehicles with different types are already on the market or in a late development phase. Manufactures will provide at least one cable with Type 2 plug (Mode 3) or standard domestic plug (Mode 2) to connect to infrastructure.
• Public charging (infrastructure side). Type 2 (Mode 3). Industrial sockets (IEC 60309-2 – Mode 2) should be allowed for this transitional period. As vehicles from Phase 1 product launches will be equipped with different kinds of vehicle inlets, it is important that all public charge spots which use attached cables have an additional Type 2 infrastructure socket outlet. If the vehicle inlet is of a different type than the connector on the fixed cable, the customer must be able to use its own cable delivered with the vehicle. (Any adaptors on the vehicle side are forbidden by IEC 61851 due to safety concerns).
• Home charging (infrastructure side). Type 2 (Mode 3), standard home socket outlet (Mode 2) or industrial socket (IEC 60309-2 – Mode 2). Standard home sockets are widely available and well known to customers making them easy to use; therefore they should remain a valid solution for the market uptake. However, a third party certification of the household electricity grid should be conducted before the electrically chargeable vehicle is first charged.

Current Phase 2 agreements include:

• Vehicle inlet. Harmonized solution, using Mode 3 charging, will apply for new types starting 2017.
• Public charging (infrastructure side). Mode 3 uniform EU solution (Type plugs specifications to be finalized by the end of 2010 in conjunction with the CEN/CENELEC activities, having in mind global context).
• Home charging (infrastructure side). Mode 3 uniform EU solution (Type plugs specifications to be finalized by the end of 2010 in conjunction with the CEN/CENELEC activities, having in mind global context). Standard domestic sockets or industrial sockets (Mode 2) should still be allowed on condition of third party certification of the household electricity grid to be conducted before the electrically chargeable vehicle is first charged.

Currently different connectors are proposed for electric vehicle charging in Europe (IEC 62196-2 Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3). Only Type 2 and Type 3 connectors can be used for single- and three-phase charging, which is essential for a region with three-phase distribution grids and household service connections which can be single- or three-phase such as Europe.

Countries such as Japan and the USA, where three-phase is not as readily available as in Europe, have decided to use a pure single-phase connector (IEC 62196-2 Type 1). China has similar distribution grids as Europe and therefore includes in the new standard the IEC 62196-2 Type 2 connector for the vehicle and the infrastructure.

The main differences between the two universal 1 and 3 phase connectors are maximum current and the use of shutters.

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) notes that the current joint position and recommendation is based on best knowledge of the current situation and state of technical development. Certain technical solutions may still need to be validated in detail, it cautions, as the technical specifications have not yet been finalized in the different International Standardization Groups.

This agreement provides the firm willingness of automotive manufacturers to come ultimately to one standardized solution for the charging of electric vehicles. It provides from today’s perspective long-term guidance. Of course, it might be revised if the validation of current solutions is negative and/or if better technical solutions are developed in the coming years.

In this context, we strongly support the European Commission’s upcoming electro-mobility demonstration project (FP7 – Green Cars Initiative) which will test and validate the different technical solutions and standards. The learnings and outcomes of such a demonstration project could eventually result in a set of different recommendations.

—ACEA position on recommendations for charging

The industry recommendations will enable the relevant EU standardization bodies to make rapid progress with defining a common interface between the electricity infrastructure and vehicles throughout Europe. The recommendations also provide decisive guidance to public authorities that are planning investments in public charging spots.

This is an important step towards the successful deployment of electrically chargeable vehicles in Europe. A uniform and user-friendly charging infrastructure is a prerequisite to build a market. We want to avoid a situation where customers have to carry a multitude of charging cables to use their vehicles in different cities, regions and countries, just as we see today with items like mobile phones.

—Ivan Hodac, Secretary-General of ACEA, the automobile industry’s trade association in Brussels

The European specifications could form the basis for a global standard, the automakers suggest. Japanese and South Korean manufacturers have been closely involved in developing the joint industry recommendations for the European market.

The ACEA members are BMW Group, DAF Trucks, Daimler, FIAT Group, Ford of Europe, General Motors Europe, Jaguar Land Rover, MAN Nutzfahrzeuge, Porsche, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Renault, Scania, Toyota Motor Europe, Volkswagen and Volvo.

Green Car Congress

=> European Auto Manufacturers Agree on First Phase of Specifications to Connect Plug-ins to the Grid.

Battery Researcher Suggests Achieving Next-Generation Battery Technology Will Require Interdisciplinary Approaches; A Doubling of Li-ion Capacity Over Next 30 Years

In a review of the challenges facing Li-ion battery development published in an open access paper in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A, materials scientist Dr. Jean-Marie Tarascon of the Laboratoire réactivité et chimie des solides (LRCS) at Université de Picardie Jules Verne, CNRS proposes a two-fold increase in energy density over the next 30 years, most likely coming from the Li–air system.

For applications from which cost and materials resources are crucial, organic Li-ion and Na-ion will play an important role in the years to come, he also projects. These predictions, he cautions, do not take into account “complete out-of-the box solutions to electrochemically store electricity, but some of the concepts related to the latter are hopefully maturing in a few laboratories.”

Although currently at Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Tarascon spent most of his career in the US, including at Bell Laboratory and Bellcore up to 1994. At the beginning of the 90s, Bellcore asked him to create a new group on energy storage, which was rapidly prolific with, in particular, the optimization of new organic electrolytes for high voltage electrodes thus allowing the achievement of the LiMn₂O₄/C Li-ion battery or the discovery of the plastic Li-ion battery (PLiON), which is now commercialized.

Dr. Tarascon says that the most important results to which he contributed are the stabilization of the LiMn₂O₄-electrolyte interface; the design of an electrochromic system resting only on the presence of electrochemically active species in solution; the pioneering role of the LRCS in the contribution of mechanical grinding to the performances optimization of the electrode materials for Li-ion batteries; and the discovery of a new reversible Li reaction mechanism in highly divided mediums.

In the paper, Tarascon notes that:

…we should be aware that a colossal task is awaiting us if we really want to compete with gasoline, as an increase by a factor of 15 is needed for the energy delivered by a battery (180 Wh kg^-1) to match the one of a litre of gasoline (3000 Wh l^-1; taking into account corrections from Carnot’s principle). Knowing that the energy density of batteries has only increased by a factor of five over the last two centuries, our chances to have a 10-fold increase over the next few years are very slim, with the exception of unexpected research breakthroughs.

Nevertheless, he writes, “there is room for optimism as long as we pursue paradigm shifts while keeping in mind the concept of materials sustainability”, such as new ways to prepare electrode materials via eco-efficient processes or the use of organic rather than inorganic materials or new chemistries. Achieving these concepts will require the inputs of multiple disciplines, Tarascon emphasizes.

The chances of drastically improving current Li-ion cell energy density are mainly rooted in cathode materials that could either display greater redox potentials (e.g. highly oxidizing) or larger capacity (materials capable of reversibly inserting more than one electron per 3d metal).

In the long term, improving the Li-ion technology while preserving its sustainable aspect will require out-of-the-box solutions. Metal–air systems (Zn–air, Al–air and more so Li–air) have long been recognized as great candidates for achieving staggering energy-density increases. However, despite the efforts that went into these technologies, very little progress has been made regarding their reversibility so that they rapidly fell into oblivion.

Using the most attractive Li–air system as a reversible battery must at least clear three scientific/technological hurdles: (i) designing efficient oxygen electrodes knowing that confectioning such electrodes has been a nightmare for fuel cells, (ii) ensuring the development of electrode formulations that are capable of solvating oxygen and are stable with respect to the superoxide anions, and (iii) mastering the Li–electrolyte interface that we could not solve for the last 25 years within the field of Li batteries, the reason why the presently successful Li-ion battery technology has surfaced in the first place. Solving all of these at once is a colossal task that will require several years of cooperative research.

Despite that, Tarascon notes, there is reason for optimism given the increasing number of groups becoming involved with the Li–air system. Tarascon also cited Li-Sulfur (Li-S) as a promising system. Overall, Li–air and Li–S technologies beneficially share the same problems, he writes, as any advance in Li–air can be directly implemented in Li–S and vice versa. Their penetration into the market is a few years ahead, with Li-S most likely being the first one, he predicts.

The implementation of electrodes, enlisting raw abundant elements made via eco-efficient processes or obeying the renewable concept with zero carbon footprint, together with recent advances in sustainable and green Li–air systems, is shaping a bright future for electrochemical storage over the years to come…Regardless of the fact that future predictions are very hard, it is a certainty that sustainable and greener Li-based storage technologies will no longer be science fiction in the years to come. Achieving such a next generation of storage technologies will eagerly require interdisciplinary approaches, and our success will depend on how good we are in setting cross-fertilization between these different disciplines.

Addressing energy-related issues is a worldwide problem shared by many countries. Nevertheless, while targeting similar objectives and having similar road maps, various countries have tendencies to favour national over worldwide programmes. Time is limited, and it is urgent for our politics to find means/infrastructures to enhance the cross sharing of information between national programmes dealing with energy-related matters, both at the European and international levels. Concrete actions must be rapidly taken if we want to secure a bright future for the generations to come and to our planet as a whole.

Green Car Congress

=> Battery Researcher Suggests Achieving Next-Generation Battery Technology Will Require Interdisciplinary Approaches; A Doubling of Li-ion Capacity Over Next 30 Years.

Event: Hybrid and Electric Vehicles: Powertrain Development, Technology and Trends 14th July 2010

Hybrid and electric vehicles have continued to transform the future sustainability of the automotive sector. Recent initiatives and engineering developments throughout the industry have increased the eco-capability of these vehicles. Major manufacturers have invested heavily in research, development and strategic collaborations in order to expand the capabilities of hybrid and electric vehicles as governments and global society push for further emissions reduction. Continued innovation in technology and powertrain development will play a vital role in optimizing vehicle energy efficiency and reducing costs, resulting in hybrid and electric vehicles that are viable solutions for the future of personal mobility. In a rapidly evolving sector, it is imperative to have a key understanding of innovation and development trends in Hybrid and EV powertrains.

This one-day conference will provide an ideal setting for delegates to expand their business network and identify solutions to future challenges in order to create advanced, ultra-efficient powertrains. Participants will explore current industry trends in drivetrain electrification as well as analyse key areas for development, technology and market growth. In addition, this session will provide an invaluable opportunity for business representatives, OEMs, investors and engineers from around the world to share their own experiences and exchange ideas to further understand the evolution of electrified powertrains as they continue to transform the automotive landscape. Through a series of presentations from leading figures in the hybrid and EV industry, as well as informational discussions, participants will have the opportunity to enhance their understanding of key powertrain topics.

Event details: http://awbriefing.com/events/10-07-14.php

Study: EU could cut emissions 89% in 40 years by ditching ICEs, adopting EVs, reducing speeds…

According to a 15-month long study conducted in part by the European Commission, Europe’s transportation sector could feasibly cut its greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by a resounding 89 percent by 2050. While the study concludes that the EU could cut emissions by nearly 90 percent, it’s almost impossible that thiswill actually happen. It’s not that the study is inaccurate, it’s just that many of the targets cited are far from obtainable without drastic changes to transportation as we now know it.

For example, the study shows that technical advancements such as doubling the efficiency of biofuels, replacing virtually all gasoline-powered vehicles with models that run on electric power and modifying the existing gas engines that remain in use would only lead to an emissions reduction of 36 percent over levels recorded in 1990. Getting that additional 53 percent reduction would require lowering speed limits, a thorough reworking of the layout of cities to focus on better vehicle flow, removing any subsidies for highly polluting fuels and possibly even eliminating shipping and aviation in the area. Obviously, this is not going to happen soon, but the EU Commission warns that failure to act upon its recommendation will result in emissions ballooning by 2050 to 25 percent over today’s levels and 74 percent above the marks set in 1990. Just something to think about as we seek additional ways to ward off ever-increasing emissions worldwide.

AutoblogGreen

=> Study: EU could cut emissions 89% in 40 years by ditching ICEs, adopting EVs, reducing speeds….

Report: Mitsubishi Planning 2M US$22K EV by FY 2012

The Nikkei reports that Mitsubishi Motors Corp. plans to bring the price of its electric vehicles down some 30% to around ¥2 million (US$22,000) by fiscal 2012.

Unveiled last July, the i-MiEV electric car can now be purchased in Japan, including government subsidies, for ¥2.84 million (US$31,300).

But Mitsubishi Motors sees the need for further price cuts considering the growing popularity of hybrids priced around 2 million yen. Factoring in subsidies, the i-MiEV will effectively sell for around 2 million yen.

Volume production of lithium ion batteries, the most expensive component in an electric vehicle, will lower costs sharply. A battery plant coming online in April 2012 will churn out 70,000 units a year, with the mass production cutting battery costs to under 1 million yen per vehicle, down from 2.5 million yen. Mitsubishi Motors will also work with the suppliers of motors, rechargers and other parts to reduce component numbers, making volume production easier.

Mitsubishi is also targeting an increase in automated manufacturing processes for EVs to about 10% of total assembly—on par with gasoline-fueled vehicles—from the current 2%.

Green Car Congress

=> Report: Mitsubishi Planning 2M US$22K EV by FY 2012.

Consortium Developing New Flexible DC-DC Power Electronics System for Next Generation Hybrid and Electric Vehicles

UK-based motorsport and automotive technology company Prodrive is leading a consortium of companies to develop a flexible DC-DC converter for electric and electric hybrid vehicles that will reduce the weight and space taken by the electrical power system.

The three-year project to develop the new power electronics technology is supported by investment from the government-backed Technology Strategy Board. (Earlier post.) Prodrive is joined by the University of Manchester, Raytheon Systems Ltd, SciSys, International Transformers and Tata Motors European Technical Centre.

The first year of the project will be devoted to fundamental research, followed by two years of application and development, leading to a driveable demonstration car by the end of year three; market introduction is said to be 5-7 years away.

Current practice is to integrate DC-DC converters into the power management system to step down or step up the battery voltage to meet the needs of different devices such as traction motors, cabin electrical systems, fuel cell stacks or supercapacitors. In complex architectures this requires several converters. A single, flexible converter will save cost, weight and package space, enabling vehicle manufacturers to move more easily to the next generation of sophisticated plug-in and range-extended hybrids.

Existing hybrids, such as the Toyota Prius, need one DC-DC converter for the traction motor and another for the vehicle’s 12 volt system. In future, there will be further voltage steps for supercapacitors or fuel cells; it isn’t viable to keep adding extra converters for every additional voltage. Having worked hard to reduce the cost, weight and size of battery packs and motors on hybrid vehicles, manufacturers are clearly unwilling to see those gains swallowed up by growth in the power management hardware.

—Pete James, Prodrive technical specialist

Solving this problem will require the development of fundamentally new technology; the flexible converter will have to be capable of handling multiple voltages simultaneously on both the input and output sides, while achieving conversion efficiencies equal to the best single-range converters currently available.

DC-DC converters. DC-DC converters convert a source of direct current (DC) from one voltage level to another. This is particularly important in hybrid and electric vehicles because the battery cell voltage varies with state of charge which would cause vehicle performance to vary with battery state of charge without a DC-DC converter to maintain the voltage level. Conversely, generator charging voltage varies with speed and would, without a converter, present a variable charging voltage to the battery that would affect battery life and limit the practical speed range in which regenerative charging was possible.

Switched DC to DC converters convert one DC voltage level to another by storing the input energy temporarily in inductors and capacitors and then releasing that energy to the output at a different voltage. Physically small inductors and capacitors can be used by operating at high switching frequencies, and high efficiencies are possible when using high power, high frequency devices such as insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs). A switched DC to DC converter regulates the output voltage, presenting a constant voltage to the output device (e.g. a traction motor drive).

While most DC-DC converters work in one direction only, hybrid and electric vehicles require bi-directional control to recover energy from regenerative braking. Bi-directional DC-DC conversion provides a constant supply voltage to the traction system, stepping up the battery voltage during motoring operation, and providing a controlled charging current to the battery during regenerative braking.

Green Car Congress

=> Consortium Developing New Flexible DC-DC Power Electronics System for Next Generation Hybrid and Electric Vehicles.

Report: Tesla IPO to happen week of June 28

Tesla Model S – Click above for high-res image

It looks like Tesla Motors will finally be going public the week of June 28, if a report in the Wall Street Journal is correct. The long-anticipated stock offering was originally planned for the fall of 2008, but the global financial melt-down made that impossible. Tesla is hoping to sell 11.1 million shares at a price of $14 to $16 a share for a total take of up to $178 million.

The share offering must happen sometime this year under the terms of the recent agreement between Tesla andToyota if the Japanese automaker is to proceed with its plan to invest $50 million in the electric car maker. At $15 per share, Toyota would get about 3.3 percent of the company or about one-third of what Daimler got last year for a similar investment.

Aside from a single month in July 2009, Tesla has never turned a profit in its seven-year existence and is unlikely to do so until after the Model S goes on sale, now expected to happen in 2012. As of March 31, 2010, Tesla sold 1,063 Roadsters and there is no longer a waiting list for the electric sports car. Tesla officials have declined comment on the IPO report.

AutoblogGreen

=> Report: Tesla IPO to happen week of June 28.

Report: Renault shoots for annual target of 200,000 EVs by 2016

Renault Zoe Z.E. concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

We already know that Nissan is really bullish when its comes to discussing the future of electric cars; it turns out partner Renault has similar sentiments. As the French paper La Tribune reports, sources within Renault state that the company is shooting for the optimistic goal of producing 200,000 electric vehicles (EVs) per year by 2016. Though some estimates suggest that EVs will make up no more than five percent of a company’s overall production by 2016, La Tribune reports that Renault plans to easily eclipse that threshold.

The report goes into further detail about specific production numbers for Renault. The Renault Zoe will account for at least 150,000 of the company’s 200,000 annual EVs. Renault’s other electric vehicles - Fluence, Kangoo andTwizy – will presumably account for the rest of the sales volume. Critics would suggest that both Renault andNissan are overly optimistic about EVs, but we think that the bullish approach will likely push both companies up to the front of the pack, leaving others scrambling to catch up.

AutoblogGreen

=> Report: Renault shoots for annual target of 200,000 EVs by 2016.

Elektromobiilne Eesti: Elektriauto valdkonna arendamisse tuleb panustada

Kokku 9 liikmeline delegatsioon Eesti ettevõtjaid lõpetas eile kolme päevase visiidi Skandinaavia riikidesse, mille käigus tutvuti Rootsi, Taani ja Norra ettevalmistustega elektriautode ulatuslikumaks kasutuselevõtuks.

“Eestil on väga palju õppida Skandinaavia kogemusest keskkonnasõbralike ja energiaefektiivsete sõidukite, eriti elektriautode kasutamise soodustamisel, näitas Elektromobiilse Eesti korraldatud õppereis Rootsi, Taanisse ja Norrasse,” ütles MTÜ Elektromobiilne Eesti juhataja Eero Elenurm.

Elenurme sõnul oli üks oluline õppetund Eesti ettevõtjate jaoks see, kuivõrd erinevad on põhjused, mis mõjutavad elektriautode kasutusele võtmist. Nii näiteks on Taanis väga tugevaks argumendiks tuule energia tasakaalustamine elektrisõidukite akude abil, Norras jällegi väga tugev tarbijateadlikkus ning kodumaised elektriautotootjad Think ja Buddy. Rootsi seevastu on avaliku sektori eestvedamisel elektriautode kasutuselevõtmist propageerinud juba 1994.a. mil avaliku sektori institutsioonid soetasid mitmesajast sõidukist koosneva elektriautopargi.

Elenurme sõnul on energia tasakaalustamise vajadus üha enam tuuleenergiasse panustava Eesti jaoks samuti väga päevakajaline küsimus.

“Peamiselt räägib elektriautode kasutuselevõtu kasuks Eestis aga energiajulgeoleku aspekt. Pikaajaliselt ei ole jätkusuutlik olukord, kus me elektrienergiat eksportiva riigina kulutame ometi mastaapseid riigieelarvelisi ressursse mootorikütuse impordile,” lausus Elenurm.

“Õppereis lõi meile senisest praktilisema tunnetuse kahes osas. Esiteks on meil nüüd selgem, milliseid samme võiks riik ja omavalitsused astuda elektriautode soodustamiseks. Teiseks saime praktiliste näidete varal inspiratsiooni selles osas, milliste ärimudelite kaudu võiks elektriauto valdkonna arendamist Eestis korraldada ” kommenteeris MTÜ Elektromobiilne Eesti juhataja Eero Elenurm ettevõetud reisi eesmärki.

Elenurme sõnul saaks riik juba täna teha Skandinaavia riikide eeskujul konkreetseid samme, mis keskkonnasõbraliku ja efektiivse transpordi kasutuselevõttu soosiks.

“Üks konkreetne idee oleks elektriautodele, motorolleritele ja mootorratastele võimaluse andmine ühistranspordirajal liiklemiseks. Mõistlik oleks kindlasti ka ettevõtete kasutuses olevate elektriautode erisoodustusmaksu kaotamine,” lisas Elenurm.

MTÜ Elektrobiilne Eesti poolt korraldatud õppereisi käigus kohtuti Stockholmi linna keskkonasõbralike autode programmi Miljöbilar ja Uppsala Energihuset esindajaga, Kopenhaagenis globaalse elektriautode võrguoperaatori Better Place’i ning akutehnoloogiate arendusettevõtte Lithium Balance’i ning autode ühiskasutusettevõtte MoveAbout’iga ning Oslos sealse e-autode omanike liidu Norstart, valitsus- ja ettevõtjate liidu loodud e-autode organisatsiooni Grönbil ning sealse kliimaagentuuri Zero esindajatega.

Lisainfo:
Eero Elenurm
MTÜ Elektromobiilne Eesti juhataja
51 78 667

Electric Two-wheelers Gaining Worldwide Acceptance, Reports Pike Research

BOULDER, Colo. — Increasingly accepted as capable, even appealing, forms of transportation, particularly in densely populated urban areas, electric two-wheel vehicles, a category that includes electric bicycles, motorcycles, and scooters, will spread rapidly over the next several years. According to a recent report from Pike Research, worldwide sales of electric two-wheel vehicles (E2WVs) are expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.4% through 2016.

“While electric two-wheel vehicles tend to be a lifestyle choice in North America and much of Western Europe, in the developing world they’re used more as primary means of transportation,” says industry analyst Dave Hurst. “Rising incomes and increased urbanization are driving the need for, and the ability to purchase, reliable transportation, and electric two-wheel vehicles fill a growing niche.” Battery improvements that extend the range and speed of the vehicles, Hurst adds, will also hasten adoption of e-motorcycles and e-scooters.

While countries in the Asia Pacific region, particularly China, will continue to account for the vast majority of E2WV sales in the next several years, the fastest growth will occur in the Middle East (54% CAGR), Latin America (30%), and North America (24%). Issues of perception and of infrastructure, however, could combine to slow that growth. While government-funded incentives for E2WVs are becoming more common, the infrastructure required for safe low-speed electric vehicles, such as separate lanes, is often an afterthought for government officials, particularly in developing countries. And in many regions, people view e-bikes and e-scooters as “old” technology that lacks the prestige of automobiles.

EVWorldwire

=> Electric Two-wheelers Gaining Worldwide Acceptance, Reports Pike Research.

MIT Lithium-Air Battery Achieves New Record Efficiency

A catalyst developed by researchers at MIT makes rechargeable lithium-air batteries significantly more efficient–a step toward making these high-energy-density batteries practical for use in electric vehicles and elsewhere.

Air catalyst: Gold and platinum alloy nanoparticles (the dark areas) sit on top of a carbon black substrate (the lighter patterns); together, these materials improve the efficiency of lithium-air batteries. Credit: Yi-Chun Lu

The catalyst consists of nanoparticles of a gold and platinum alloy; in testing it was able to return 77 percent of the energy used to charge the battery as electricity when discharged. That’s up from the previously published record of about 70 percent, the researchers say. The work, which was reported online this week in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, suggests a new approach to lithium-air battery catalysts that could lead to the even higher efficiencies of 85 to 90 percent needed for commercial batteries.

EVWorldwire

=> MIT Lithium-Air Battery Achieves New Record Efficiency.

California Study to Explore Repurposing EV Batteries for Household Energy Storage

The California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) will lead a joint research study of how the useful lifespan of electric vehicle batteries could be extended by repurposing them as household electric storage devices with a $992,000 grant from the University of California.

The grant was awarded by the Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Research Center, a division of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis. Partnering with CCSE in the one-year study are San Diego Gas and Electric; AeroVironment Inc. of Monrovia, Calif.; Flux Power of Vista, Calif.; and the Transportation Sustainability Research Center at UC Berkeley.

Plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), whether full-battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hold significant potential for reducing petroleum consumption and decreasing or even eliminating smog-forming and greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector, according to Mike Ferry, CCSE’s transportation program manager and principal investigator for the study.

However, the high cost of advanced automotive lithium battery packs utilized by PEVs constitutes a major obstacle to the wide-scale adoption of these vehicles.

The new study will establish viable applications for PEV batteries beyond their use in vehicles and quantify the value of the batteries in these secondary applications.

Even after the end of usable battery life in the vehicle, the batteries will retain 70 to 80 percent of their residual capacity and be highly valued for stationary energy usage and other smart grid applications. A viable secondary market for advanced automotive batteries could cut initial battery costs by spreading those costs over their entire useful lifetime.

—Mike Ferry

The study will evaluate three different lithium battery types at test sites that will allow SDG&E to remotely charge and discharge them in response to simulated and real grid conditions. The study will also determine if a specific battery chemistry or a particular battery management system is superior for overall lifetime battery value.

CCSE administers the statewide Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, a program funded by the California Air Resources Board to provide rebates for battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric and fuel cell vehicles. A total of $3.7 million is currently appropriated for vehicle rebates and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Green Car Congress

=> California Study to Explore Repurposing EV Batteries for Household Energy Storage.