EVcast Featured Interviews

Interview with Malcolm Bricklin (Visionary Vehicles)
- setting up dealer network for components, financing
- setting up dealerships which will sell EV and electric-hybrid vehicles, and take trade-ins, etc. To start they will have Bricklin vehicles
- first cars in middle-end of 2010
- electric cars problem: the day after you forget to plug it in is the first day you are seriously unhappy with your car! E-REV solves this.
- thinks batteries tech will start moving really fast once E-REVs are on the road (2010)
- they have batteries with 2x the energy density of A123 batteries (e.g. as used by GM Volt)
- electrovaya

Interview with Ulrik Poulsen (Alpha-Core / Poulsen Hybrid)
- in development since 2007 (patents filed in March 2007)
- prototypes and test runs have worked well
- AXP gave them premature press (they were not ready)
- product ready in 2-3 months
- prototypes have been labor intensive
- they are developing machines to it faster and less labor intensively
- more than 100 individuals, dealerships, etc have expressed interest
- international manufacturers want to sign licenses for their markets
- working in pilot series of 250 kits for Sept 1 - to be used as trial units in US and overseas
- consider DOT approval a minor problem, because system does not affect safety systems in the car. Similar safety agencies in other countries must also be addressed
- both federal and individual state laws must be addressed, but US is fairly liberal about after-market modifications, other countries may be stricter
- lead-acid for now, li-ion as an option
- 7HP for each motor = 14 HP total maximum assist
- building larger units for end of 2008, beginning of 2009
- convert 30 MPG car into 60 MPG car during the electric commute range
- 4.5 kWh is good for 20 miles
- 100-200 motors per DAY by end of 2008
- 10-15 "certified installer" requests from california, 5-10 in florida, etc.
- open to partnership with Ford, etc. - they already have dealers interested in doing them with new cars at their dealership ("dealer option"), but there are warranty issues to be worked through
- waiting list: they are building a database chronologically. Some have offered up to the full price in advance, but Poulsen Hybrid has not accepted. They will (sooner or later) establish an actual waiting list, once they sort out location/availability issues.

Interview with Ehab Youssef from Green Vehicles (not an AXP team - but they could be!)
- greenvehicles.com was registered 25-oct-2001, so they have been at this for a long while!
- awesome interview, well worth listening to!
- Triac 3-wheel EV for sale in 30 days, $20k
- saw a lot of vaporware, cars not what they are stated to be, etc.
- initially planed to distribute vehicles which were already available
- but those deals all fell through (he is not naming names)
- then he hired professionals to make cars
- 3 big categories of vehicles
- freeway speed vehicle: Triac, 80 MPH, 2 passengers, EV, 100 mile range ("commuter vehicle")
- Buckshot: pickup truck, serve muni or small business, 100 miles range, 2200 lbs payload
- low speed vehicles: for errands. microcar: Microwatt, can climb hills well. Minivan version: Moose, hatchback.
- speed limitation is intentional and fixable if laws change
- Triac expected in California first week of Aug - that's now!!
- prototypes out for over a year!
- http://www.greenvehicles.com/specs/deliver.html
- they have orders booked through Oct delivery
- Triac is a stick-shift 5 speed ?!? - this is how they climb steep grades
- but you can leave the vehicle in 3rd gear at a stop (not even holding in the clutch), but at high speeds you need to shift up
- 1 year warranty, extended warranty on drive train to 2 years
- batteries are branded "Green Vehicles", private label job, and they developed the management system. Lithium-ion-phosphate, large format
- LED screen inside vehicle shows battery status
- they also own and manufacture the motors (overseas)
- hydraulic powered brakes
- very low center of mass
- they plan on rolling out dealerships across the states to service cars in places other than San Jose, California
- option for integrated iPod holder
- cost is still MSPR $19,995 (base model)

Interview with Chelsea Sexton ("Who Killed the Electric Car")
- talks about the GM Volt
- who killed the electric car discussion (innocent and guilty)
- encourages all the "little" guys (Tesla, Fisker, etc.)
- discussion of CARB, major auto makers, the market for EVs
- thinks CARB is no longer relevant - the cars are coming anyway (and, CARB gutted their requirements again a few months ago)
- hydrogen as political tool to "do nothing right now"
- Volt best in PHEV space, SMART best in EV space, Nissan committed to EVs, touts Project Better Place
- no discussion of the AXP, despite reference in bio :-(