Setanhotep

mood: optimistic

I was browsing some articles on the net, looking for news on the latest from the Electric Vehicle (EV) front. There are plenty of skeptics out there, but all the news speaks in favor of a viable consumer EV market in about 10 years. As I type this, there are about a dozen auto manufacturers producing next-gen prototype EVs. These aren't your momma's EVs either, these are cars using some of the latest technologies (such as nano-titanite batteries) to push the envelope of performance, safety, and reliability beyond what petrol-powered cars are even remotely capable of.

No more exhaust systems, transmissions, large piston engines, or fuel systems; just an electric motor in the wheel-well driven by a computer system. Weight comes down dramatically which translates into more torque per wheel that can be driven independently and thereby allowing for more control over how the car handles.

Right now, two cars, the bay-area Tesla Roaster and the British Lightning GTS, can compete with the fastest production roadsters on the road with their range about to be pushed to +500 miles in the next year or two.

The question is, how did we get here? Well, big-oil continues to rape the people for profit, churning out billions of dollars in revenues, while spending 10's-of-millions lobbying congress to prevent environmental legislations that will hurt their industry (and thus help the environment). This has caused a disenfranchisement of the public about the production of oil and has allowed some innovators to step in and create a new market for EVs. This was attempted in the early 90s by Chevy and Ford which nearly resulted in bankruptcy for Chevy. That was because they under-estimated the demand for powerful vehicles which the technology in EVs couldn't duplicate.

That has changed. The new motors can push horsepower to the wheels at nearly 700bhp, due to the fact the electric motors turns the wheels directly, instead of using complex drive-trains. The Lightning GTS has a top speed of more than 145mph and can go from 0-60 in 4.2 seconds, just a bit slower than the Porsche 911 GT3. The Lightning GTS will be sold as a production vehicle at the end of this year.

Right now, the EV market is mostly for the wealthy or businesses, with realistically performing EVs costing well above 50k, and most being above 100k (the Telsa, loaded, runs about $108k, and requires a $50k down-payment; the Lightning costs about $200k and requires a $75k down-payment...kinda like buying a house).

The important fact here is that the technology is available now to produce a realistic electric vehicle that could REPLACE a gas-powered one...even a diesel-powered semi-truck...the only thing remains is for the demand to increase to where the changes to productions lines offsets the revenues produced by gas-powered vehicles. Which is why it will take about ten years for that to become viable...in the mean time, Big Oil will continue to shoot itself in the foot with its greed and environmental irresponsibility.

well, that's MY opinion, anyway ;)

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_6790522

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.jhtml?xml=/motoring/2007/09/01/nosplit/mflight01.xml

http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/33664/113/

http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695206731,00.html

http://www.switched.com/2007/09/04/nissans-all-electric-concept-car/