First Fully Integrated Electric Car Network?

Week of May 22, 2011

Better Place implements electric car network in Israel to ease "Range Anxiety" and Houston hosts Electric Vehicle Event

Mark my words, 2011 will go down as the year of the electric car.  The Nissan Leaf, the Chevy Volt, a plug-in Prius, and many other entries by major manufacturers are entering the market.  At the end of May, the Clean Economy Network of Houston, Texas is hosting an event called “The Evolution of Vehicles: Electric Vehicles and Houston” where these and other new electric vehicles will be demonstrated with a discussion to follow.

Just last week, Better Place, a manufacturer of electric cars and infrastructure announced it was rolling out a network to ease the “range anxiety” associated with electric cars.  The company plans to keep Electric Vehicles moving for distances beyond their stated battery life, making longer distance trips possible.

The concept ‘Better Place’ is pushing is focuses on interchangeable batteries.  Better Place is taking Renault Fluence Z.E. sedans and at their stations, users will have the ability to swap out batteries in as little as five minutes.  In addition, when parked at shopping centers, Better Place hopes to have charging posts available to put a little bit of charge back into cars.

The Renault Fluence cars would be bought minus the cost of the battery.  The battery would be bought through Better Place with a subscription that allows access to their charging network across the country.  Rates would be dependent on driving characteristics.

Better Place is also setting up a network in Denmark, where rates have been established from about $300 per month for 6,200 miles (10,000 km) to about $600 for unlimited miles.  There is also an initial subscription fee of $2,000, but in both Israel and Denmark, gasoline is pushing $10 per gallon.

In the United States, the Clean Economy Network of Houston is promoting Houston as a leader in electric vehicle technology for Texas.  Nissan rolled out the Volt for Texas in Houston, and hosted the Chevy Volt launch here as well.  Most recently, Houston also achieved designation as an ‘Electric Vehicle Readiness city’ and could be one of the first cities in the nation to host an elaborate electric vehicle network system. One Stop Green commends the work of the Clean Economy Network of Houston and their commitment to supporting the advancement of Electric Vehicles in the state of Texas. 

One Stop Green is looking towards a ‘greener’ future, sharing the latest and greatest ideas in green living and green technology with you through our staff written blogs. Going 'green' is no longer a choice, it's our responsibility, that's why it's so important to try and do the small things that can help change the outlook of the planet - and this is essentially the purpose of One Stop Green. We believe even the little things like recycling or using less water helps the environment out in a big way, and that's why our various solutions seek to nurture and edify your home or business in an eco-friendly manner. 

Visit our website at www.onestopgreen.com or download the mobile app at http://fwd4.me/01gP

Charge 'er Up! Electric Vehicle News

Week of May 8, 2011

New Announcements and Updates on Electric Cars

In the news earlier this year was the new Volkswagen Bulli, whose concept introduced at the Geneva Auto Show.  Like many new autos, the new Bulli, or “Microbus” as it is known stateside, will be powered by an electric motor.  This led me to wonder about all the other up and coming electric vehicles that are about to hit the market and advances in technology to keep them running.

Electric cars substitute an electric battery powering a motor for an internal combustion engine.  Periodically, they need to be recharged and the most common method for that is to plug into an electrical outlet.  The cars have zero emissions from the tailpipe and significantly cut emissions overall.  This decrease in pollutants from the vehicle and end to gasoline use is the main draws to electric cars.

Like every new piece of technology, there are downsides to these new electric cars.  The biggest downside is price.  The average consumer doesn’t want to spend more for an electric car than a gasoline version despite all the subsidies many governments offer.  The Nissan Leaf is one of the most affordable electric cars, however still costs over $30,000.  A US rebate drops that $7,500 and states may have their own subsidies as well (such as California’s $5,000 subsidy) that drop the car price significantly.

Another drawback is the reduced range.  “Range anxiety” stems from the concern that batteries will lose charge on a trip far from anywhere able to recharge them.  And even if there is a charging station nearby, a recharge can take several hours out of a trip.  One of the top cars range wise is the Tesla Roadster, at 245 miles.  That is significantly less than many internal combustion cars, and in a state like Texas, won’t get me out of the state.  However, most electric cars are marketed as “daily drivers” that are geared towards the average 40 mile per day commute.  Also, cars can be built with battery switch technology.  This gives them the ability to be swapped out (like propane fuel grill tanks), however the costs are high despite the fact that it can take as little as one minute.  The US has fast charging stations being developed and should be blanketing the country by 2013 that will build an 80% charge in 30 minutes.

There are around 20 highway capable, large vehicles currently under development or in production.  Their popularity will almost certainly grow as gas prices rise and resources become harder to acquire.  Despite these drawbacks, electric cars seem to be the way of the future, and the kinks will be worked out, just like every other piece of technology.

One Stop Green is looking towards a ‘greener’ future, sharing the latest and greatest ideas in green living and green technology with you through our staff written blogs. Going 'green' is no longer a choice, it's our responsibility, that's why it's so important to try and do the small things that can help change the outlook of the planet - and this is essentially the purpose of One Stop Green. We believe even the little things like recycling or using less water helps the environment out in a big way, and that's why our various solutions seek to nurture and edify your home or business in an eco-friendly manner.

You can visit their website at www.onestopgreen.com and download their mobile app at http://fwd4.me/01gP