Motor Authority - blog Tag: lithium-ion

We can't even count the number of performance-car owners and drivers who sneer at electric cars. Usually the phrase "golf carts" comes up.

Well, we guarantee that if you put each of them behind the wheel of a 2009 Tesla Roadster, they would emerge with their priorities radically re-sorted, starting to figure out where they can mount the recharging box in their garages. It's that kind of car.

Miracle torque

What causes this miraculous transformation? In a word, torque. Pure, seamless, unstoppable, rocket-to-the-moon torque.

No rev bands, no shift points, no heel-and-toeing. Just smooth and seemingly limitless power thrusting you forward,...

We can't even count the number of performance-car owners and drivers who sneer at electric cars. Usually the phrase "golf carts" comes up. Well, we guarantee that if you put each of them behind the wheel of a 2009 Tesla Roadster, they would emerge with their priorities radically re-sorted, starting to figure out where they can mount the recharging box in their garages. It's that kind of car. Miracle torque What causes this miraculous transformation? In a word, torque. Pure, seamless, unstoppable, rocket-to-the-moon torque. No rev bands, no shift points, no heel-and-toeing. Just smooth and seemingly limitless power thrusting you forward, again and again and again. Electric motors, remember, develop peak torque from 0 rpm. And the Tesla doesn't have a gearbox; the motor spins from 0 to 14,000 rpm to take the Roadster to its maximum speed of slightly above 100 miles per hour. All about acceleration And performance is really the whole point of the Tesla Roadster. Did we mention the 0-to-60-mph time of under 4 seconds? Even if the company doesn't survive, the 900 Roadsters they've delivered to date will stand as proof that electric power can not only be practical but also amazingly, wonderfully, laugh-out-loud fun to drive. (And, by the way, if you happen to live in Colorado, you can get a $42,000 tax credit against the Roadster's price of $109,000 if you complete the purchase before December 31 of this year. Shop now!) Pros and cons Acceleration, in fact, tops our list of things we like in TheCarConnection.com's review of the 2009 Tesla Roadster. The positives include: Acceleration that shames many so-called supercars Smooth and continuous rush of power at any speed Excellent roadholding Green credibility and awareness factor On the downside, the 2009 Roadster has more than a handful of issues: Range of much less than 200 miles if driven hard Amenities just as primitive as the Lotus, at twice the price Cockpit has essentially zero storage Deeply annoying: Recharge cord costs $600 to $3,000 extra Range: It depends The factory quotes a range of 240 miles, but the almost universal consensus is that if the car is driven to take advantage of that power, that number drops substantially. Earlier this year, we covered 58 road miles in three hours of hard driving up the twisty, hilly roads above Silicon Valley. The small information display, just above the driver's left knee, showed an indicated range that dropped from 202 miles to 110, so those 58 road miles used "92 miles" of projected range. Unlearning old habits Driving a Roadster most effectively requires unlearning some old habits. The first one is expecting engine noise: Switching on a 2009 Tesla—more accurately, powering up the car—lights up the instruments, silently. You know it's ready to roll when you hear a "bong" tone. The second is braking. Tesla's engineers have made the regenerative braking so natural that within about 10 minutes, you'll find you can drive it almost entirely on one pedal, modulating your liftoff to slow the car at greater or lesser rates. The Brembo brakes are only needed below 5 mph, when the (electronically simulated) "idle creep" kicks in. Point and squirt Finally, like any high-performance car, you need to make sure it's pointed just where you intend to go before you floor it. Otherwise, the Roadster straightens abruptly and accelerates right through the outside of your curve. It's that powerful. Contrary to popular wisdom, the car isn't silent. Behind the driver, the battery cooling system whirs. On acceleration, the motor hums like a "Star Wars" flying scooter. Wind noise drowns out those sounds above 30 mph, although stopped in traffic, you'll be amazed how loud the vehicles around you seem. It's NOT a Lotus! The Tesla communications folks get upset when journalists write that the Roadster is based on a Lotus Elise. While Lotus Engineering helped with the development, they prefer to say that the two cars may have a few items in common, but the Roadster has a larger cockpit (true) and performs better (true). It's also heavier, by the way, since the battery pack that houses 6,831 lithium-ion cell-phone batteries weighs 900 pounds all by itself. The Roadster is also at least partially assembled in the U.S., with the company adding U.S.-built lithium-ion battery packs to the non-running "gliders" it receives from the Lotus works in Hethel, England. Holding its own Tesla Motors sometimes seems to get as much press for management turmoil and startup drama as it does for its car, or rather car: The company now builds the Roadster, and a slightly hotter version, the Roadster Sport. And it has quite a ways to go before it can roll out its promised Model S midsize sports luxury sedan, currently slated for 2012. But the focus on the company's dramas is a shame, because the Roadster is fully capable of holding its own in performance with many far pricier two-seat sports cars from far more established brands. Just drive one. You'll see what we mean. Read More

One of the most exciting cars from January’s Detroit Auto Show was the Cadillac Converj concept car, which General Motors used to showcase its plug-in hybrid technology in a luxury platform. Despite the concept featuring one of the most striking designs we’ve seen in a while, GM's then vice chairman Bob Lutz said it was designed so that any eventual production version would look “exactly like” the show car, hinting that we may eventually see such a car in showrooms.

The company’s financial state, however, says the opposite, but there remains a chance the Converj may make it out of the economic storm. One of the biggest opponents to the car...

One of the most exciting cars from January’s Detroit Auto Show was the Cadillac Converj concept car, which General Motors used to showcase its plug-in hybrid technology in a luxury platform. Despite the concept featuring one of the most striking designs we’ve seen in a while, GM's then vice chairman Bob Lutz said it was designed so that any eventual production version would look “exactly like” the show car, hinting that we may eventually see such a car in showrooms. The company’s financial state, however, says the opposite, but there remains a chance the Converj may make it out of the economic storm. One of the biggest opponents to the car was the U.S. Treasury Dept.'s auto task force, which questioned the economics of such an expensive model. However, a group within GM, led by new marketing chief Bob Lutz, is reportedly trying to find a way to get the car engineered and funded. It could potentially serve as a technology halo for the Cadillac brand although it wouldn’t go on sale until around 2014 if given the green light. According to previous reports, the car would be based on the same Delta platform as the upcoming Chevrolet Volt, and power would also come from the same Voltec plug-in hybrid system. Inside sources have also previously revealed that a seven-seater MPV plug-in hybrid was in the pipeline--already previewed by the 2008 Chevrolet Orlando concept. The Cadillac plug-in hybrid would feature extra batteries to power a higher-output electric motor than the one in the Volt. The styling of the vehicle would also be slightly different to the Converj concept as much of internal structure, such as the firewall, would need to be sourced from the taller Volt. GM has consistently stated that its Voltec plug-in hybrid system would be used in other models to spread the investment costs as much as possible, and reports of a Cadillac plug-in hybrid date back as far as August, 2008. [BusinessWeek] Read More

When General Motors sells Saturn later this year it will lose more than a quarter of its sales of hybrid vehicles. Saturn, with no V8 models, full-size SUVs or pickups, is GM’s most fuel-efficient brand and is second only to Chevrolet for overall hybrid sales with its Vue and Aura mild-hybrid models. One of those models, the Vue crossover, was destined to spawn an advanced plug-in hybrid variant, and at a recent GM event, it had been teased for sale under the Buick brand. News breaking today reveals that the vehicle is already canceled due to negative public, media and dealer feedback.

The yet-unnamed Buick plug-in hybrid crossover was...

When General Motors sells Saturn later this year it will lose more than a quarter of its sales of hybrid vehicles. Saturn, with no V8 models, full-size SUVs or pickups, is GM’s most fuel-efficient brand and is second only to Chevrolet for overall hybrid sales with its Vue and Aura mild-hybrid models. One of those models, the Vue crossover, was destined to spawn an advanced plug-in hybrid variant, and at a recent GM event, it had been teased for sale under the Buick brand. News breaking today reveals that the vehicle is already canceled due to negative public, media and dealer feedback. The yet-unnamed Buick plug-in hybrid crossover was essentially nothing more than a Saturn Vue plug-in with a  Buick-style waterfall grille, and that rubbed consumers, dealers and many in the media the wrong way - especially after Fritz Henderson's pledge to avoid all badge engineering. The bottom line at Buick, according to GM Vice Chairmain Tom Stephens, is that the re-branded Vue just didn't mesh with the Buick image. "Last Friday, reaction to the Buick crossover was discussed at the meeting of our Executive Committee, the newly formed group that steers product decisions, and it was decided that if it didn’t belong, it didn’t belong. Buick crossover canceled," wrote Stephens on GM's Fastlane Blog. "And we decided that the important plug-in hybrid technology would be applied to another vehicle, at no delay, that we’ll discuss in the very near future." The idea for a plug-in Buick hybrid isn't dead, however. Instead, the powertrain will be tucked into a new Buick body. That means that most of the key facts and figures on the proposed 'Vuick' hybrid will still hold. The replacement will still be set to arrive in 2011, and will meet the other design criteria, such as being able to seat five adults. It is also still expected to be the first commercially available plug-in hybrid crossover produced by a major automaker. According to GM, the plug-in technology underpinning the Vue and the forthcoming Buick model has the potential to achieve double the fuel economy of comparably-sized SUVs and crossovers on short trips. This is because of the significant boost in economy achieved by combining a modified version of the automaker's 2-Mode Hybrid system with lithium-ion battery cells and charging technology developed for the Voltec system, which will debut in the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid late next year. In fact, the Buick plug-in hybrid will use the same manganese-spinel based chemistry and polymer battery cells as the Volt. The 8 kWh battery - containing half the energy of the Volt battery pack - will be packaged in a rectangular-shaped box under the cargo floor. The lithium-ion battery can be fully recharged in four to five hours by simply connecting the vehicle to any standard 110V household electrical outlet. In early testing, the plug-in hybrid is capable of electric-only propulsion for more than 10 miles at low speeds. On the road, GM's 2-Mode plug-in hybrid system can use any combination of electric or gasoline engine power to move the vehicle, depending on the driving conditions. Importantly, this differs from GM's Voltec technology, which provides the Volt with up to 40 miles of emissions and gasoline-free electric-only propulsion, and an overall range of more than 300 miles when using its internal combustion engine. In addition to the lithium-ion battery pack, the Buick plug-in hybrid's powertrain features two powerful electric motors, sophisticated electronic controls and battery management systems and an efficient direct-injected 3.6-liter V-6 flex-fuel capable engine. [GM Fastlane Blog] 2011 Buick plug-in hybrid crossover Read More

It seems these days that a new electric sports car concept is announced almost every month but it's not often that we get to see the actual concept in the metal, so to speak, or in the case of the new E-Rod, in the carbon-fiber composite. The E-Rod electric roadster is the latest creation of German design firm Mileworks and it's a preview of the upcoming production version due next year.

Set to go on sale in the spring of 2010, the new E-Rod combines an advanced electric powertrain with a retro-styled roadster body and ends up as something very unique. Like the recently revealed Lampo from Swiss design firm Protoscar, the E-Rod features a... It seems these days that a new electric sports car concept is announced almost every month but it's not often that we get to see the actual concept in the metal, so to speak, or in the case of the new E-Rod, in the carbon-fiber composite. The E-Rod electric roadster is the latest creation of German design firm Mileworks and it's a preview of the upcoming production version due next year. Set to go on sale in the spring of 2010, the new E-Rod combines an advanced electric powertrain with a retro-styled roadster body and ends up as something very unique. Like the recently revealed Lampo from Swiss design firm Protoscar, the E-Rod features a twin motor design with each powerplant churning out more than 115hp and a monstrous 1,050Nm of torque. That's a combined output of 230hp and 2,100Nm of torque. The twin motor design allows one motor to power each axle, which provides four-wheel-drive capability. A 32kWh battery gives the vehicle a claimed range of over 120mi (200km) and using a typical 240V and a 10-16amp European household power outlet, charge times should take no longer than 12 hours. This may be a little too long for practical use but the E-Rod also features an intelligent charging system that lets the user select the key criteria for performance: shortest charging time, maximum charge yield, and the desired total level of charge to be attained in a given time period. In this way, the batteries can be charged very quickly but the driving range will be shortened significantly. Designed to seat two, the E-Rod will accelerate from 0-100km/h in five seconds flat and reach a top speed of 200km/h. It relies on lithium-ion batteries to draw its power, and under its carbon-fiber composite bodywork is a full tubular steel chassis that helps the car weigh in at just 1,000 pounds. While full production details are yet to be confirmed, Mileworks hopes to build up to 1,500 examples of the E-Rod next year and price it below $84,000. Read More

A brand new electric car company has been established and plans to start selling its cars in the U.S. by the second half of next year. The new company is Coda Automotive, the latest brainchild of electric car entrepreneur Miles Rubin and based in Southern California. Coda’s first model will be a basic four-door midsized sedan packed with lithium-ion batteries and an electric motor driving the front wheels.

Scheduled for delivery in the fall of 2010 in California, the five-seater Coda sedan will be available for $45,000 (mid-$30,000s after including a $7,500 Federal tax credit and additional state incentives).

Powered by a 333V... A brand new electric car company has been established and plans to start selling its cars in the U.S. by the second half of next year. The new company is Coda Automotive, the latest brainchild of electric car entrepreneur Miles Rubin and based in Southern California. Coda’s first model will be a basic four-door midsized sedan packed with lithium-ion batteries and an electric motor driving the front wheels. Scheduled for delivery in the fall of 2010 in California, the five-seater Coda sedan will be available for $45,000 (mid-$30,000s after including a $7,500 Federal tax credit and additional state incentives). Powered by a 333V lithium-ion battery with a real-world range of 90 to 120 miles depending on individual driving habits, the Coda sedan travels far enough between charges to satisfy 94% of daily driving routines, according to its makers. The onboard charger plugs into any 110 or 220V standard outlet and completes a full charge in less than six hours at a 220V service. Charging the battery for a 40-mile commute can be completed in two hours. The battery system is the chief enabling technology for electric cars and Coda has established its strategic position in the development and commercialization of automotive grade battery systems through the joint venture with China’s Lishen. Lishen is one of the world's largest manufacturers of lithium-ion cells and a key supplier to Apple, Motorola, Samsung and Vodafone, among others. Together with Lishen, Coda eventually hopes to eventually start producing the advanced batteries in the U.S. as well. Featuring a fraction of the moving parts of a gas-powered vehicle, the Coda sedan is less susceptible to wear-and-tear and never requires an oil change. The company estimates that it will cost less than $3, on average, to drive 100 miles. A comparable petrol-powered sedan that gets 20mpg costs about $17 per 100 miles. Driving a Coda equates to over $2,000 in operation and maintenance savings per year at normal driving rates, which equates to $20,000 in savings over a ten year period. Currently, Coda has only announced sale plans for the Californian market but if successful expect to see the new sedan plus future models sold across the country.Coda Automotive electric sedan Read More

Electric cars may be all the rage these days but making the technology cheap enough for mass-market will take some time. One of the leaders in this field is Ford, which is expected to have one of the first mass-produced all-electric cars on the market with its battery-powered Focus.

Arriving in 2011, the electric Focus is expected to be powered by a lithium-ion battery pack with a range of close to 100 miles. It won’t be cheap, however, as pricing will be set higher than a comparable petrol model, Ford’s president of the Americas, Mark Fields, revealed to Automotive News. This will "limit its appeal at least initially" but... Electric cars may be all the rage these days but making the technology cheap enough for mass-market will take some time. One of the leaders in this field is Ford, which is expected to have one of the first mass-produced all-electric cars on the market with its battery-powered Focus. Arriving in 2011, the electric Focus is expected to be powered by a lithium-ion battery pack with a range of close to 100 miles. It won’t be cheap, however, as pricing will be set higher than a comparable petrol model, Ford’s president of the Americas, Mark Fields, revealed to Automotive News. This will "limit its appeal at least initially" but engineers are working to make the car "as affordable" as possible, he said. Despite the high price tag the electric Focus is destined to bear, as well as the limited infrastructure for recharging, Ford hopes to entice around 5,000 to 10,000 customers a year. This figure is expected to rise as battery technology improves and production becomes cheaper, but for the first few years Ford will be chasing those numbers. Ford is spending close to half-a-billion dollars to retool its Michigan SUV plant to build the global Focus. To help streamline costs for the electric Focus and remain up to date with new electric technology, the company is also part of a four-way ‘Eco-Partnership’ with organizations both in the U.S. and China. Ford, Changan Auto Group and the cities of Chongqing, China, and Denver, Colorado, are exploring ways to develop projects to help further energy security and promote economic and environmental sustainability. Areas of focus could include developing electrified vehicle technologies, green city planning, efficient urban transportation and grid integration.2011 Ford Focus rendering2011 Ford Focus spy shots Read More