April 2008 Archives

This weeks news includes a major new hire for Aptera, some details on the phase-in of CAFE standards, a non-popular mechanics story on the Cornell AXP Team, a couple of Earth day round-up posts from Autoblog Green, a story on designing electric cars, and some updates on other stories we have been following.

Episode 11 of the X Prize Cars podcast is live! (13 minutes; download MP3). It contains an interview with Jim Stansbury of Physics Lab of Lake Havatsu (AXP blurb), conducted on March 21st, 2008 at the New York Auto Show.

Notes from the interview:

- he is an anesthesiologist from Arizona, with a life long interest in automotive technologies
- many affiliated people/teams from around town
- batteries will go under the vehicle, which is lifted so there is room
- dune buggy suspension team which hopes to scavenge energy
- carbon fiber wing on the roof - look like a roof rack, but houses solar PV system and provides lift to the vehicle
- he read about the Automotive X Prize in a magazine, compares it to an Olympics for creative engineers and scientists
- thinking about a solar thermal / steam system, but steam turbine is very very heavy
- also a small internal combustion engine
- thinks that interest in funding and help for the team will pick up now that the prize is real - a legitimate contest
- call for sponsors, with a shout out to some favorite rock stars

See also a good interview by Autoblog Green, which was conducted at the Detroit Auto Show in January. (19 minutes; download MP3)

(image from 1989geometro.com) A couple of good articles this week, with news from Belloso Motor Company & Red Light Racing. Also, lots of studies on the PHEV were released, comparing the various tradeoffs in design and range. Finally, check out that 75 MPG Geo Metro!

There exists widespread confusion about the units used to describe electric cars, batteries, power plants, and so on. This is because many of the units, while looking quite similar, are describing very different things. Typos are common. I hope that in this article, you will learn how to properly describe the power and energy of a battery. And, how the energy of a battery relates to the energy of other things, like a gallon of gasoline, or a food Calorie.

There are basically three things to think about for a battery: power, energy, and voltage. I'm going to start by introducing an analogy, and then we will move on to talking about these important attributes.

Episode 10 of the X Prize Cars Podcast is live! (40 minutes, download MP3).

I conducted this interview with Wolf Herf, of Herf Duo, on March 21st, 2008 at the New York Auto Show. We spoke of a wide variety of things, including:

- his team, his background
- his car has an electric drive train, with a highly efficient ICE (>50%, but he doesn't say how)
- energy storage is not batteries - they are easy, but pricey and heavy (see Tesla)
- he has a better solution, but again won't say what it is, although it does use capacitors for rapid power release (e.g. acceleration). It's not hydraulics, compressed air, flywheels, or even spring energy, but he claims it's so "obvious" we will all groan when we learn what it is.
- "key is cooling of engine" - if we can reduce the need for that, efficiency will automatically improve
- Amory Lovins concept is weight reduction
- Herf's idea is a "different issue": energy management.
- He's been working on this idea for 20 years, and even shut it down last February, only to restart it when he heard of the AXP.
- Plans both a mainstream and an alternative class entry
- Mainstream: normal vehicle, probably an SUV retrofit, to prove that it doesn't have to be a special vehicle. Maybe Audi A4, or perhaps BMW Highland. They are building prototypes of the engine and energy storage devices.
- Alternative: Designs are finished. Body construction underway, but he's not tipping his hand.
- fuel vapor and water cooling / steam cycle discussion: but how do you put all that into one device. Also, burning natural gas, hydrogen in the same engine.
- plans to use active suspension to maintain comfort and handling
- the AXP has allowed him to get investors interested again, and even to access the marketing budgets of sponsors for technology investments
- wants $20/gallon gas in the US, to match the $3/litre in Europe
- steel stamping discussion (why do we build cars of solid materials?)
- regulation - still make fly/drive by wire illegal, require glass in rear view mirrors, etc.

Apparently Tesla hired Fisker to do the styling of their "white star" sedan, paid $800,000, but didn't like the results. Then, less than a year later, Fisker shows up at the Detroit Auto Show with a car sounding suspiciously like the White Star - a stylish 4-door sedan electric vehicle with a range-extending ICE.

Now, Tesla wants their money back. AND, unspecified damages. AND, for Fisker to stop using any Tesla drawings or design information he may still retain. Tesla even suspects that Fisker sabotaged his work for Tesla in order to slow them down - deliberately didn't make his best effort, as it were. If true, that's pretty evil.

You can read all about it at Wired Autopia and Autoblog Green. Or read on for a few more of my thoughts.

Episode 9 of the X Prize Cars Podcast is live! (14 minutes; download MP3).

I conducted an interview with Neal Anderson, Senior Director of the Automotive X Prize, at the New York Auto Show, March 21st, 2008. We spoke of many things, including:
- who they talked to to educate themselves and develop the rules
- why is the auto industry "stuck"
- Partnership for Next Generation Vehicle (PNGV) - what did you learn from that?
- Alternative Class - why is it necessary?
- Project Better Place - AXP relationship with them?
- Roane Tri-track question - "existing infrastructure" question
- Progressive Insurance
- his personal involvement with this project has been a dream come true

Lots of news this week, including a couple of articles about the Automotive X Prize, an update from the Cornell Auto X Prize Squad, a car-sales "idea futures" stock market, Tesla launching European sales, Loremo to be showcased at a Museum, and a great interview with Daryl Siry of Tesla. The image is from the Shell Ecomarathon, which was recently won with a 2,843 MPG vehicle. Not a practical vehicle of course. The X Prize is better (not just different) because it requires practical vehicle. Also, a pointer to the Plug-in 2008 conference and expo.

Episode 8 of the X Prize Cars Podcast is Live! (27 minutes; download MP3).

I interviewed Greg Belloso, of Belloso Motors Company, on March 21st, 2008 at the New York Auto Show. Dr. Belloso (a surgeon with a life-long fascination for mechanical things) described his unique engine patents, a patent on composite anchoring technology, details of his team, and his plans to build two vehicles, one mainstream and one alternative class.

Episode 7 of the X Prize Cars Podcast is live! (15 minutes; download MP3).

At the New York Auto Show, March 21st, 2008, I interviewed John Robitaille of Psycho-Active, an Automotive X Prize "letter of intent" team. We talked about his team, technology, business plan, and the Automotive X Prize.

There were several interesting stories this week about building fuel-efficient cars - one from the LA Times on building EVs (among others it talks about the Fisker Karma, pictured at the Detroit Auto Show) and anther from Wired which focuses on the Chevy Volt. Also, a story about the Linc Volt, some other overview stories, and some information about the solar powered Venturi Astrolab.

Episode 6 of the X Prize Cars Podcast is out! (30 minutes; download MP3)

At the New York International Auto Show, on March 21st, I interviewed John Shore, senior director of the Automotive X Prize. We had a rather long discussion in multiple parts, which I have edited together here for your listening pleasure. Briefly, here are the things we discussed:

- what he does for the team
- alternate rules they considered
    - sales race
    - "cradle to cradle" contest
- major automakers joining the prize
- progressive and other potential sponsors
- they are seeking more money for the prize - where would they put it?
- production intent category to reward vehicles which will be produced
- alternative class and two wheel vehicles
- towable trailers / roof racks with generators