 Cartoon Ford Fusion
Aerodynamics50% of an average cars energy use is pushing air out of the way at 55 MPH
In aerodynamics, the word drag defines air’s natural tendency to slow things down. It steals your vehicles energy and decreases your fuel economy.
To be more efficient, reduce drag by becoming more aerodynamic. This is like a bird gliding through the wind.
We can learn from nature and apply those lessons to create forms that work with wind, rather than work against it.
Weight
Weight is the measure of gravity acting on an object. The more weight you carry, the more difficult it is and the more energy it takes to get moving.
 Grant's Gazelles (Nanger granti) Serengeti, Tanzania
Reduce weight To be more efficient, to be more nimble, much like a gazelle.
Links
Green Car Site
Green Car Site, About Green Cars
Early American Automobiles
Electric Vehicles
EV History and Early Auto SalesEvery car made before 1912 had to hand cranked or pushed to start. EV's were great for everyone, for getting around town and frequent stops.
 Electric Car Robert Anderson, 1830's
The first EV was built in Scotland some time between 1834 and 1837. It was built before the development of the rechargeable battery, which was invented by Gastonia Plante of France in 1859.
The EV range was further increased when Gaston Plante invented a more efficient storage battery in 1865.
In 1876 Nikolaus August Otto (14 June 1832, Holzhausen an der Haide, Nassau - 26 January 1891, Cologne) Patented the four-stroke engine in Germany. The engine was made to run by his engineer Gottlieb Daimler.
In 1881 Camille Alphonse Faure (1840 - 1898) further improved the battery. Faure's improvements greatly increased the capacity of such batteries, which gave cars a greater range, and led directly to their manufacture on an industrial scale.
America started building EV's in 1895 when a six passenger wagon was built by William Morrison. In the same year A. L. Ryker built an electric tricycle.
The Electrobat was designed and built in 1894 by mechanical engineer Henry G. Morris and chemist Pedro G. Salom in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Both had backgrounds in battery streetcars and, as the battery streetcar business was fading, they teamed up to make battery road vehicles. Their effort was patented on August 31, 1894. Built like a small version of a battery streetcar, it was a slow, heavy, impractical vehicle with steel tires to support the immense weight of its large lead battery. It entered production in 1895. In 1896, Morris and Salom founded the Morris & Salom Electric Carriage and Wagon Company.
Subsequent Electrobat versions were lighter and had pneumatic tires, with bodies built at the Caffery Carriage Company in Camden, New Jersey. These cars steered by their rear wheels and had two 1.5-horsepower (1.1 kW) motors that propelled them 25 miles (40 km) per charge at 20 mph (32 km/h). Morris and Salom went on to build about a dozen Hansom cabs based on this vehicle, to compete with the horse-drawn cabs then in service in New York City; they operated in New York, Boston, and elsewhere.
 Wood's Electric Phaeton 1902
Towards the end of the nineteenth century, several manufacturers in several countries began selling EVs. One of the longer lasting auto manufacturers of the time, the Clinton Edgar Woods or C. E. Woods Company, began selling a line of electric cars and trucks. The Phaeton had a range of 18 miles, a top speed of 14 mph and cost $2,000. Woods was still around in 1916 and produced a hybrid car that had both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor.
In 1891 Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) became an engineer with the Edison Illuminating Company, and after his promotion to Chief Engineer in 1893, he had enough time and money to devote attention to his personal experiments on gasoline engines. These experiments culminated in 1896 with the completion of his own self-propelled vehicle named the Ford Quadricycle, which he test-drove on June 4. After various test-drives, Ford brainstormed ways to improve the Quadricycle.
The Waverley Company, formed from a merger of the American Electric and Indiana Bicycle Companies began selling electric cars in 1896. Between 1903 and 1907 their cars were sold as the Pope Waverley. From 1908 until production ceased in 1914 they were known as the Waverley Company.
Edward Riker began selling a line of cars in 1897 and in that same year, the Pope Manufacturing Company maker of Columbia bicycles also began selling an electric car. At this time, Pope was the only automobile manufacturer that was building cars in big enough volume to be classified as a "major producer".
Camille Jenatzy on April 29, 1899 in his rocket-like EV named La Jamais Contente. It reached a top speed of 105.88 km/h or 65.79 mph.
By the end of the 19th Century, EVs competed directly with both steam and the internal combustion engine. An EV held the land speed record and these vehicles, being clean and not requiring a hand crank to start them, were a favorite with the lady motorists.
In 1900, 4,192 cars were produced in the United States 1,681 (40.1%) were steam, 1,575 (37.6%) electric and 936 (22.3%) gasoline.
In 1907, the most successful of the early EV manufacturers, Detroit Electric was founded. Detroit Electric produced a variety of electric cars over the years but specialized in producing luxury cars for wealth ladies. It reached its peak in 1915 but competition from the internal combustion engine was forcing the EV manufacturers out of business. Nevertheless, Detroit Electric kept producing cars through the 1920s and produced their last EV in 1935.
On October 1, 1908, the Model T was introduced. It had the steering wheel on the left, which every other auto company soon copied. The entire engine and transmission were enclosed; the four cylinders were cast in a solid block; the suspension used two semi-elliptic springs. The car was simple to drive, and easy to repair and sold for $825.
 GMC produced 173 electric trucks, or almost 40% of GMC's sales in the 1913 model year.
 1910 Waverley Electric Coupe
The 1910 Waverley Coupe was a luxury car that was one of the premier electric cars of the early 1900’s. It seated 4, and was quite easy to customize, available in different colors, tops, batteries, and even tires. It sold for $2,250, almost $300 less than the popular Detroit Electric. The Waverley Company closed in 1916.
 Baker Electric Model 46 Roadster
The 1914 Baker Electric Model 46 Roadster had a 48 Volt electric motor and cost approximately $2,500. This car was built by the Anderson Electric Car Company of Detroit Michigan.
In the early years of the century, the wealthy families would own an EV that would be driven by the lady of the house. Both Mina Edison and Clara Ford drove EVs.
The EV reached its peak sometime between 1912 and 1913. At its peak, more than twenty seven companies were building EVs. However, several things happened that ended the EV. Ford's model T's price was dropping every year, and was cheaper than the EV. The introduction of the starter motor was available on all 1913 model Cadillacs. Another was the general availability of gas stations, including Standard Oil of California (now Chevron) and Texaco (now Chevron). Another factor was the Tourism growth and interest in long road trips. The EVs were heavy, most had lead-acid batteries, and they tended to get bogged down when the unpaved roads of the day turned to mud after a rain. In addition the short range at the time the EVs needed to be charged often. However, in the early part of the century there was no standard for electricity. Some companies were using the DC systems preferred by Edison, while others used AC systems by Tessler and Westinghouse. Some companies were using 110 volt, others used 220. As a result, getting your vehicle charged was often difficult. Another problem was that many homes did not yet have electricity which prohibited charging EV's at home.
By 1916 the number of companies producing electric cars had dropped to nineteen. Argo, Brock and Borland had merged to form the American Electric Car Company. Baker had joined with Rauch and lang and begun to sell electric trucks under the name Baker-Raulang. The Waverley Company which sold cars under the Pope Waverley brand ceased operation in 1914 and Woods closed it doors in 1919. In the 1920s, orders from a loyal band of electric car owners, mostly wealthy women, allowed companies like Baker, Milburn and Detroit electric to limp along. Other companies like Studebaker switched to production of gasoline powered vehicles. By the 1930s, electric cars were only being made to special order and when Detroit Electric built it's last car in 1935, the first EV era came to a close.
In 1919 Ford made an electric starter an option on the closed cars.
In October 1924, Ford's model T sells new for $260. According to Ford, this was the lowest price ever.
In May 1927, Ford, after producing more than 15 million Model T’s, shut down the assembly line. Five months later, on October 27, the first Model A was produced.
In the 1970s, the oil crisis created a renewed interest in EVs. The most popular of this new breed of vehicle was the Citicar built by Sebring in Florida.
Designed by Bob Beaumont, at least 2200 of these vehicles were sold and many of them are still in use today. But as the oil crisis receded, production of the Citi Car ended. The company was sold and an improved version, called the Comutercar was released with little success.
Several other vehicles were also built and sold during the seventies. This included the Elcar from Italy and the Free-Way, a three wheeler that could be bought in either ICE or electric versions.
In January 1990 GM chairman Roger Smith demonstrated the Impact, an electric concept car, at the 1990 Los Angeles Auto Show.
 GM Impact The car had been developed by electric vehicle company AeroVironment, using design knowledge gained from GM's participation in the 1987 World Solar Challenge, a trans-Australia race for solar vehicles, with the Sunraycer, which went on to win the competition. Alan Cocconi of AC Propulsion designed and built the original drive controller electronics for the Impact, and the design was later refined by Hughes Electronics. On April 18, 1990, Smith announced that the Impact would become a production vehicle.
In 1996, GM's EV1 was the first mass-produced and designed electric vehicle for decades from a major automaker, was made available through lease-only agreements, initially to residents of the cities of Los Angeles, California and Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. Inspired partly by the Impact's perceived potential for success, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) subsequently passed a mandate that made the production and sale of zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) a requirement for the seven major automakers selling cars in the United States, for them to continue to market their vehicles in California. An alliance of the major automakers litigated the CARB regulation in court, resulting in a slackening of the ZEV stipulation, permitting the companies to produce super-low-emissions vehicles, natural gas vehicles, and hybrid cars in place of pure electrics. The EV1 program was subsequently discontinued in 2002, and all cars on the road were repossessed. Lessees were not given the option to purchase their cars from GM, which cited parts, service, and liability regulations.
 General Motors EV1 electric car inside Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan
GM EV1 Specs:
Propulsion/Electronics
Configuration: Transverse-mounted, front-wheel drive
Motor Type: Three-phase, alternating current (AC) induction, electric
Power Rating: 102 kilowatts (137 horsepower) @ 7,000 rpm
Motor Torque: 150 Nm (110 lb-ft) @ 0-7,000 rpm
Transaxle Type: Single-speed with dual reduction gears
Drive Ratio: 10:946:1
Power Management System: Insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) power inverter
Battery Packs:
Standard: 26 valve-regulated high-capacity lead-acid modules
Optional: 26 valve-regulated nickel-metal hydride modules
1 underhood accessory module
Rated Maximum Battery Pack Storage Capacity:
Standard: High-capacity lead-acid battery pack - 18.7 kW hours/60 amp hours (312 volts)
Optional: Nickel-metal hydride battery pack - 26.4 kW hours/77 amp hours (343 volts)
Battery Pack Weight:
Standard: High-capacity lead-acid battery pack - 1310 pounds
Optional: Nickel-metal hydride battery pack - 1147 pounds
Chargers and Charge Port: Listed by Underwriters Laboratories Inc.
Battery Pack, Charging System and Vehicle: Classified by Underwriters Laboratories for indoor charging (see complete marking on product)
Body/Chassis
2-passenger coupe
Body Type: Aluminum alloy structure joined with welds, rivets and structural adhesive
Dent/Corrosion-Resistant Composite Exterior Panels: Hood, doors, roof and trunklid (Sheet Molding Compound [SMC]); front fenders, rear quarter panels, rocker panels, rear-wheel skirts, aerodynamic bellypan (Reinforced Reaction Injection Molding [RRIM] polyurethane)
Body panels are 100% recyclable and very lightweight
Suspension
Front Suspension: Aluminum short/long arm with coil spring over shock absorber with stabilizer bar
Rear Suspension: Multi-link aluminum beam with Panhard rod; enhanced rear suspension geometry for 1999
Steering
Steering Type: Electro-hydraulic, power rack-and-pinion (speed-sensitive, variable-effort)
Steering Ratio: 16.5:1
Turning Diameter: 32.5 ft (9.9 m)
Steering Wheel Turns: 3.0 (lock-to-lock)
Braking System
Braking System: Electro-hydraulic, power-assisted front and electric rear with blended regenerative and anti-lock features.
-Front: 9.65 in. (245 mm) solid discs with aluminum calipers
-Rear: 8.9 in. (225 mm) metal-matrix composite drums with electric actuation
Parking Brake: Electric actuation with gear selector, or push button
Wheels
Wheels: 14-in. aluminum alloy
Tires: P175/65R14 Michelin® Proxima; all-season radial with self-sealing, puncture-resistant feature
Safety Features
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
Traction control
Check tire pressure system
Air bags* and three-point shoulder/lap seatbelts
Projector lowbeam/reflector optic highbeam headlights
Daytime running lamps (DRL)
Electronic keypad entry/vehicle activation system with programmable personal identification number
Electric windshield defogger/deicer
Electric rear window defogger with automatic shutoff
*A special note about children and airbags: Never carry an infant in an EV1. If a forward-facing child restraint is suitable for your child, move the passenger seat as far back as it will go. See the owner's manual for more safety information.
Comfort/Convenience Features
Power windows, door locks and dual outside mirrors
Cruise control with downgrade and upgrade speed regulation
Premium AM/FM stereo with cassette and CD player, four speakers and digital clock
Computer-controlled "heat pump" climate control system with preconditioning feature and CFC-free air conditioning refrigerant; new electric heater
Center-mounted vacuum fluorescent instrumentation
Interior courtesy lights with delayed shutoff feature
Solar reflective/absorptive glass
Intermittent windshield wipers with washer system
Remote hood and trunklid releases
Four-way adjustable bucket seats with lightweight alloy frames
Carpeted floor mats
Carpeted cargo area with cargo net
Performance
0-60 mph acceleration in less than 9 seconds
Electronically regulated top speed of 80 mph (129 km/h)
0.19 aerodynamic drag coefficient (25% lower than any other production car)
Estimated Range*:
Standard: High-capacity lead-acid battery pack - 55 to 95 miles per charge*
Optional: Nickel-metal hydride battery pack - 75 to 130 miles per charge*
Estimated Energy Consumption Information (kW/hr per 100 miles):
Standard: High-capacity lead-acid battery pack - 26 city/26 highway
Optional: Nickel-metal hydride battery pack - 34 city/30 highway
Estimated Time from Zero to Complete State of Charge at 70 degrees with normal humidity:
Standard: High-capacity lead-acid battery pack - 5.5 to 6 hours using the 220-volt (6.6kW) charger;
22 to 24 hours using the 110-volt (1.2kW) convenience charger
Optional: Nickel-metal hydride battery pack - 6 to 8 hours using the 220-volt (6.6kW) charger
60-0 mph braking distance of 160 feet (49 m)
In 1997 Toyota unveiled the Prius in Japan, the world's first commercially mass-produced and marketed hybrid car. Nearly 18,000 cars were sold during the first year.
In 2003 Allison Transmission, Inc., used Panasonic Nickel Metal Hydride batteries in the ESS (Energy Storage System) production that started this year.
In 2006 Tesla Motors unveiled the Tesla Roadster at the San Francisco International Auto Show in November. The first production Roadsters will be sold in 2008 with a base price of $98,950.
Also in 2006, The Smith Newton trucks are powered by the latest Lithium-Ion batteries and a 120kw electric motor, the trucks have a top speed of about 50mph or 80km and a range in excess of 100 miles or 160km on a full charge.
It can be recharged in six hours. Newton was launched in the UK by Smith Electric Vehicles. It is produced in North America by Smith Electric Vehicles US Corporation, in Kansas City, Missouri. They build their all-electric delivery vans by adding battery packs and electric motors to truck frames and cabs imported from the Czech Republic. Smith Electric plans to build assembly plants in as many as 20 key cities.
In 2007 more than 400 GM-Allison hybrid-powered buses were produced, with 360 units delivered to 36 cities – the highest annual totals since deliveries began. hybrid technology is licensed by General Motors to Allison Transmission, which assembles and sells the hybrid transmission to bus manufacturers.
In August 2009 Nissan announced its new electric car, called the LEAF ("Leading, Environmentally Friendly, Affordable, Family Car").
The LEAF is capable of a maximum speed of more than 90 mph, can travel 100 miles on a full charge, and has a battery that can be recharged to 80% of its capacity in 30 minutes. Nissan plans to work with the Japanese government and private companies to set up charging station networks across several countries. The first production LEAFs are scheduled to go on sale in Japan, Europe, and the US in the fall of 2010. See LEAF
In December 2009, Allison Transmission, Inc., in their advanced hybrid technology, announced the 2010 Allison Hybrid EP System for buses and coaches that feature new and improved components for greater reliability, durability and performance. The ESS2 (Energy Storage System 2) utilizes the latest Nickel Metal Hydride battery cell technology from Panasonic. Over 2,600 buses and coaches equipped with the Allison Hybrid EP System are in operation around the world. The hybrid technology is licensed by General Motors to Allison Transmission.
In 2010 Ford Motor Company's small commercial van, the Transit Connect Electric, will go on sale later this year. To make the Transit Connect Electric, Ford will deliver Turkish-built Transit Connects -- minus engine, transmission and gas tank -- to Azure Dynamics, a Michigan-based company that produces electric and hybrid commercial vehicles. Azure will add the electric drivetrain and appropriate instrumentation. The finished truck will have a range of about 80 miles in city driving and a top speed of 75 mph.
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On September 9, 2010 Hyundai Motor Company unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show an all-new electric vehicle, the Atos EV, based on the company's new mini-car, the Atos.
The Atos EV is a development vehicle which showcases the Korean auto company's advanced research in electric vehicles. The Atos EV weights just
2,585 pounds, including the battery pack, which holds 24 nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries.
The Atos EV can travel more than 120 miles in stop and go city driving and
can reach a top speed of 80 miles an hour. The vehicle has several unique
features which help achieve its excellent range.
The Hyundai Intelligent Diagnostic System (HIDS) constantly monitors all
of the vehicle's electrical subsystems and fine tunes the operation for
maximum efficiency. An innovative battery management program maximizes the
battery life span and energy utilization. A regenerative braking system also
helps to extend the driving range.
For heavy traffic, which can put significant demands on an electrical
vehicle, the Atos EV uses the "creeper" mode which uses the minimum amount of
power necessary to "creep" along with slow moving traffic. The vehicle's
motor enters this mode automatically when it detects very slow vehicle motion.
Based on the Hyundai Atos, which was also introduced at the Frankfurt
Motor Show, the EV can carry up to five people in comfort. Its interior
dimensions and suspension design are similar to the gasoline-powered Atos.
Some changes have been made to maximize driving range while ensuring passenger
comfort, such as the use of a heat pump-type air conditioner.
The central powerplant is a 50 Kw AC induction motor which is connected to
a single speed transmission. Power comes from the latest generation of nickel
metal hydride batteries which feature high energy density.
The electrical systems have been integrated into a highly compact single
module which includes the DC-AC inverter, charger, air conditioning and power
steering controls. An on-board 6.6 Kw conductive charger can fully recharge
the Ni-MH batteries in seven hours.
January 18, 2011 - As a way to circumvent a short supply of rare-earth metals that are required to build electric motors for hybrid and electric cars, Toyota announced that it is developing an alternative motor that doesn’t need rare-earth minerals.
Bloomberg reports, “The motor could help cut Toyota’s dependence on rare-earth materials from China, which controls more than 90 percent of the global market for the metals. China’s government cut export quotas for the first half of 2011 by 35 percent last month. That follows a 72 percent reduction in the second half of 2010, causing the price of some of the metals to more than double.”
These “induction motors” will also be lighter and more efficient than the magnet-type motor now used in hybrid cars, like the Toyota Prius.
“It’s a long-term approach,” John Hanson, the company’s spokesperson said. “When you’re looking at a geopolitical issue like rare-earth supply, that can lead to developments that create very good solutions.”
Currently the Nissan LEAF, Chevy Volt, Honda Insight and the Toyota Prius all use rare-earth minerals such as neodymium and dysprosium in their electric motors.
Although Toyota’s 2012 battery-powered RAV4 (separate from Toyota’s next-generation electric motor project), which will use a Tesla battery, will not use rare-earth minerals. Tesla’s Roadster and future Model S sedan use motors without rare-earth materials also.
Considering hybrids and electric cars serve to reduce our dependence on oil, the move avoids the shift in dependence onto other depleting commodities. It also avoids China being able to control the price of batteries in EVs and hybrids, which are currently the most expensive parts of the car.
January 31, 2011 - GM says it will launch the Chevrolet Volt in all 50 states by the end of the year.
Panamera S Hybrid from Porsche April 2011 Porsche’s Panamera S Hybrid next to the bigger Semper Vivus.
Porsche showed up at the New York Auto Show with an old Semper Vivus, a meticulous $750,000 reproduction of the series hybrid Ferdinand Porsche built in 1900. The car provided a nice contrast to the $95,000 Panamera S Hybrid making its North American debut at the show.
Semper Vivus, Latin for “always alive,” works a lot like the Chevrolet Volt. Batteries provide power to the hub-mounted motors, and a pair of tiny single-cylinder engines step in to drive two 2.5-kilowatt generators that keep electricity flowing when the batteries go kaput.
The specs are impressive, even by today’s standards. The batteries have a range of 25 miles or 40 kilometers. Once the 3.5-horsepower engines fire up, Semper Vivus can go another 100 miles or 160 kilometers. Top speed is 35 mph, quite quick for its day. One cool bit: the tires were chiseled from solid blocks of rubber, the only way to support the weight of the car. Semper Vivus weighs 3,700 pounds.
Ferdinand Porsche, who had a background in electrical engineering, was fascinated by EVs and developed the original car with Viennese coachbuilder Ludwig Lohner. The car Porsche is showing in New York was meticulously recreated from the scant information squirreled away in the company’s archives. Almost every part was fabricated from scratch, although the engines are the real deal. One was found in England, the other in France.
“The Porsche museum decided to rebuild this car in 2007. It represented a big challenge because nothing was in existence anymore,” said Alchim Steiskal, director of the Porsche museum in Stuttgart. “All we has was one sketch and one drawing to go by.”
Porsche’s eager to carve out a piece of the hybrid market, and it’s even taken gas-electrics racing. The Cayenne Hybrid S represents 18 percent of all Cayenne sales, and the Panamera Hybrid S is the most fuel-efficient car Porsche ever. By wheeling out a bit of its past, the company hopes people will look ahead to its future.
June 9, 2011 - Ford said it intends to triple its production capacity for hybrid and electric cars in North America so that it could build more than 100,000 of them annually by 2013. The increase will add 220 jobs in Michigan, Ford said.
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Contact:Email: Tim at proworld.us
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