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When this car zips passed you on the interstate, you're probably not going to be thinking that it's an environmentally sensitive vehicle. But Hybrid Technologies, a small company in North Carolina, says that when they finish building the first prototype later this year, it will get around 220 miles per gallon.
Several other companies seem to be following this peculiar path to eco-friendliness, most notably Tesla Motors. The thought is that, since these cars are going to be expensive anyway, we might as well make them appeal to people who buy expensive cars.
In theory, I like the idea. It creates a market for these new technologies. As prices drop, they can be adopted for more mainstream vehicles. In reality, however, I'm kinda tired of seeing mid-life-crisis machines all over EcoGeek's pages. Sometimes I feel like it's more indicative of the rising age of dot-com billionaires than actual need for these vehicles.
Hybrid Technologies has been featured on EcoGeek before. They make most of their money by converting current vehicles (from the Toyota Yaris to the Mini Cooper) into full electric vehicles. It costs a ton, but they seem to be making pretty good money doing it. But now they're spending some time and money on a creation of their own.
There will be an all-electric version of the car with a range of up to 180 miles, and the lithium ion hybrid version. They're aiming for a production date of 2009 to early 2010, which, with the problems Tesla has been having, seems pretty optimistic.
More info at Popular Mechanics
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written by EV, May 28, 2008
But power under the hood will have to trump a cushy ride: Hybrid Technologies is aiming for a 150- to 180-mi. range per charge from the all-electric model, while the lithium-ion-meets-gas hybrid needs to hit 220 mpg—minimum.
I'm curious how this 220mpg is calculated. I'm pretty sure it isn't for just 1 gallon of gas.
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written by O'Malley, May 28, 2008
Hank,check out AMP Motorworks http://www.ampmotorworks.com/
...another version of how to propel someone with electrons rather than carbons. If they can get this "upgrade" kit down to $10K, the major car companies might start to take some notice. This saves GM from embarrasing failure if the AMP experiment doesn't work...plus it sells more GM cars. At 150 miles per charge, it comes close to Tesla without the 2X price.
...another version of how to propel someone with electrons rather than carbons. If they can get this "upgrade" kit down to $10K, the major car companies might start to take some notice. This saves GM from embarrasing failure if the AMP experiment doesn't work...plus it sells more GM cars. At 150 miles per charge, it comes close to Tesla without the 2X price.
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written by g.r.raab, May 29, 2008
electro-man, you may be missing the most important part of that company. They are geared all around saturns. If tesla comes on a bit stronger, I am guessing that GM will approach amp and try to buy them. In fact, I would be shocked if they have not signed up for one of the first 20 cars. GM could take the idea, test it for the feds, and then take the exact work back to Saturn and start selling compliant electric saturns by end of 2009. Imagine the entire Saturn line being offered for say 5K more than gas with electrical set-up. Then have the feds offer 5K for electrical cars and another 5K if made in America. It lowers the price below gas. Saturn would not be able to keep up with order. The one thing that Saturn would be smart to do, is provide for a plug-in on the back bumper so that it can carry a generator. That add-on would then be able to be added only when the customer is going long-distance. If done right, this would be add-ons that other companies could compete at. Hydrogen might come out, etc. But GM would have their hit over ALL OTHER COMPANIES. And they would be the first large company to market.
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written by Virgil, May 29, 2008
Roll on over to AutoBlogGreen for some interesting takes on Hybrid Technologies. It's not actually clear that they've sold any real vehicles to real people (other than a couple of promo models to famous Hollywood types), and at the prices they're asking it is no surprise. Until these guys deliver some cars in sizeable numbers, they're consigned to the vaporware bin along with ZAP IMHO.
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written by Ivan Hajnal, May 29, 2008
As of midlife crisis cars...
I'd like to make the same point as with the more "fuel-efficient" ferrari...
peopla AREN'T rational... so making eco-friendlyness sexy can go a long way for getting the technologies to the market...
I'd like to make the same point as with the more "fuel-efficient" ferrari...
peopla AREN'T rational... so making eco-friendlyness sexy can go a long way for getting the technologies to the market...
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written by Frederick Kurtz, May 29, 2008
If performance is not the highest priority, then the sewage powered commuter vehicle looks very promising.
In a time of increasing population, the supply of sewage is one commodity which always keeps up with growth.
A Patterson Cycle Fecal Reactor system would produce sufficient methane to propel the average American automobile for up to a week. The system can be topped up daily or fuel can be at participating municipal sewage plants.
In a time of increasing population, the supply of sewage is one commodity which always keeps up with growth.
A Patterson Cycle Fecal Reactor system would produce sufficient methane to propel the average American automobile for up to a week. The system can be topped up daily or fuel can be at participating municipal sewage plants.
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written by O'Malley, May 29, 2008
g.r.raab, Good points. Electron tech will eventually surpass the i.c. engine for cost per mile, distance, weight, etc. no matter who subsidizes what. If the nanotube battery folks get to market, cars could get 2000 miles per charge. Electro distribution is much more efficient than oil and gives many generation options vs. ye ole' oil rig. I just hope the electro startups hold out long enough to gain mass market appeal before the bigs come with THE green. Oh and it appears that hydrogen may not make it to the mass market. Not cause it doesn't work or isn't low pollution, it's because they haven't gotten a good distribution plan figured out yet. I heard it is caustic to transport containers and takes a lot of electro to make. Going from electro to hydrogen to electro to motor to wheel is not as efficient as electro to battery to motor to wheel.
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written by Hunter, May 29, 2008
@g.r.raab: Why would GM bother buying AMP? What do they have that GM doesn't? You don't think GM could grab a Sky off the line and throw a couple motors and some LiFePO4 in it? They've got the whole EV1 drivetrain sitting around gathering dust, not to mention the new stuff they're working on for the Volt. If they wanted to electrify Skys, they could...but not for any $5k. Or $10k for that matter Electro-man. The batteries alone will cost that much. In fact there's much speculation around the EV blogs concerning whether AMP is legit...mostly because their price sounds too low. Well, that and the fact that they're taking $10k deposits without showing any details or working prototypes. But whatever, the point is that with current batteries EVs are inherently expensive. And O'Malley, I don't know where you got this 2000 mile fantasy. That would take at least 1000 Whr/kg...current state of the art is a quarter that. I've been reading every piece of battery tech development for a couple years now and nobody (not even eestor) is even *acting* like that's feasible in the next 10 years.
That's OK though. We don't need to go 2000 miles on a charge. We need to go 120 miles on a charge cheaply. And with the new Li chemistries bringing costs down and cycle lives up, that seems very reachable in the near term.
That's OK though. We don't need to go 2000 miles on a charge. We need to go 120 miles on a charge cheaply. And with the new Li chemistries bringing costs down and cycle lives up, that seems very reachable in the near term.
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written by EV, May 29, 2008
Hunter, If I'm driving down the interstate, I don't want to have to recharge after two hours of driving. Start with a 400 mile charge at 65mph minimum. Additionally, it will require a less than 20 minute recharge. THAT is what we need to replace existing automobiles.
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written by Mark, June 03, 2008
EV. In the past year, I've had exactly three days that I've needed more than 80 miles range. If I need to get on the interstate, I (like nearly every licensed, vehicle owning driver on the planet) have a fossil fuel powered one I can drive. Why kick the guys in the head when they are going to deliver more than 100 miles of range, unless you have a reason to want them to fail. Beyond that, with gas prices rising so much faster than my ability to buy it, long trips are no longer on my radar screen. When our country gets kicks the dead dinosaur habit for all of our local transportation needs, think about how much will be left for not only you, but both of the rich guys who will own the new Hemi Challenger.
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written by Tanner, June 30, 2008
But if we start drilling on our own soil (considering we have one of the largest supplies) it will greatly impact our society. But alas, Al gore put a stop to that and now look at the gas prices. By the way Global warming isn't real! The CO2 levels rise as a result of higher temperature. And even if it does warm the hypothesized 10 degrees, the outer layer of the polar ice caps are at -20 degrees celsius so its gonna take a lot more to cool them. Its a world wide scam. Check out http://www.globalwarminghoax.com/news.php
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While you might be tired of the mid-life crisis machines covering your pages. Please remember until Ford came along with the assembly line all previous cars were expensive and not for the regular Joe. Unfortunately we are in a similar transition period that we had back in the early 1900's.
we are seeing the same thing with these new technologies. I only hope we will see a progressive parabolic curve in the electric cars technology like we have with the computer chip progress. If thats the case we'll be looking good. in 15-20 years. My only question is which one of the major auto manufacturers will be the first to shut down because they refused to change and be resolved to go the way of the horse buggy and whip manufacturer? I can tell you who it won't be, Toyota or Honda.
But in the mean time I like Boone Pickens Idea for natural gas as a stop gap measure to keep us from exporting $600 billion to foreigners for their oil.
If I were only King of the world.....