The case for battery-powered electric vehicles is perfectly clear. It only takes a little foresight-something entirely missing from Neil Winton's column ("Battery-only cars make no sense," Detroit News, February 10).
In the near future, EVs will indeed provide an important part of a comprehensive mobility portfolio helping to address national energy security and global environmental concerns. Yes, technologies to improve the fuel efficiency of gas- and diesel-powered vehicles, hybrid-electrics and alternative fuels like cellulosic ethanol will each play important roles in meeting customer needs while reducing oil dependency and greenhouse gases. So too will EVs, with the additional benefit of producing no tailpipe emissions at all.
Each of Winton's arguments against EVs breaks down upon knowledgeable scrutiny:
• Batteries are too expensive, he says, at least until economies of scale and technological advancements in the battery industry bring anticipated cost reductions. (Remember how expensive DVD players were when they first came out? Have you priced one lately? And didn't Bill Gates once suggest that 640K ought to be enough memory for anyone?) EV battery costs are expected to fall by at least 50 percent in the next three years through a combination of battery design advancements and manufacturing efficiencies, along with improvements in the energy efficiency of EVs that will lead to a down-sizing of the battery pack.
• But the battery packs required for HEVs today are much smaller and therefore less expensive than the packs required to power an EV, Winton says. True, but EVs have an obvious efficiency over HEVs that won't go away as technology advances-they need only an electric motor as opposed to the electric motor-internal combustion engine combo in an HEV. The added weight, complexity and expense of a redundant propulsion system gets harder to justify as battery prices fall, especially in smaller urban commuting vehicles. Not to mention the maintenance requirements and oil changes for combustion engine vehicles and hybrids. EVs have far fewer moving parts and no regular routine maintenance requirements at expensive dealerships.
• Won't range anxiety among potential customers doom the EV as a mainstream vehicle choice? No. A THINK City electric car, being sold in Europe right now and coming to the U.S. later this year, has a range of more than 100 miles per charge. That's well within the daily commute plus lunch-time errand use of millions of potential American customers. They can easily recharge their cars overnight using household current-at a cost that will amount to as little as 2 cents a mile.
• For those still nervous about getting stranded, an infrastructure of quick charge stations will emerge, beginning in the cities where corporate and municipal fleets first embrace EVs. Winton contends that the technology behind quick charging is questionable. But THINK and AeroVironment last month announced at the Washington Auto Show that ultra-fast charging-zero charge to 80 percent charged in just 15 minutes-will soon be here. In fact, THINK and its battery supplier, Indianapolis-based EnerDel have been fast-charging a THINK City daily for months now. THINK City and its advanced lithium ion battery have been specifically designed for the rigors of ultra-fast charging. We'd be pleased to demonstrate it to Mr. Winton or another writer from the Detroit News. We'll just need 15 minutes of your time.
• The electric grid is hopelessly inefficient, Winton contends. Yes, it is inefficient. But not hopelessly, and the sensible deployment of smart EVs like the 3-G connected THINK City can make it stronger. It is, in fact, the emergence of hundreds of thousands, and then millions, of EVs that will help provide the load management and energy storage that is missing today, bridging the gap between expensive periods of peak demand and relatively inexpensive off-peak times. The owner of an EV will have an energy-storage device that will interact with the energy grid as a money-making proposition, offsetting some of the owner's energy costs while helping to reduce energy disruptions from a periodically over-taxed grid. A growing network of plug-in EVs will complement the increasing proportion of renewable but volatile wind and solar energy coming into the grid. When's the last time your car earned money for you sitting in your garage? Or provided back-up power after a storm?
• In fact, even after the battery in an EV has completed its useful life of eight to ten years, it will still retain about 60 percent of its energy density. It will be a useful asset contributing to energy storage needs in offices and municipal buildings, utilities, etc. where the relative weight and size inefficiencies (compared with a new battery) will not be important. Again, the owners of EVs will have a valuable asset, and a market will develop to pay them for these assets, further reducing their overall cost of ownership. The battery electric car is starting to look like a stronger proposition now, isn't it?
Winton also contends that the case for man-made global warming is weak. Space limitations prevent me from taking that one on. But let me just say that even if one denies the science demonstrating the destructive qualities of man-made carbon dioxide in the upper atmosphere, he'd have to admit that a technology that helps reduce dependence on imported oil while contributing absolutely no tailpipe emissions ought to be given strong consideration in an improved portfolio of personal transportation choices.
Richard Canny,
CEO, THINK
Showing posts with label THINK. Show all posts
Showing posts with label THINK. Show all posts
Feb 18, 2010
Jan 29, 2010
THINK RELEASES U.S. EV-READY CITIES INDEX
oday, pioneering electric vehicle company THINK released its first U.S. EV-Ready Cities Index. The top four cities included first-ranked Los Angeles and second-ranked San Francisco with Chicago and New York tied for third. The THINK EV-Ready Cities Index was presented by THINK CEO Richard Canny at the Electric Drive Transportation Association Annual Conference and Meeting at the Washington Auto Show. The company recently announced plans to manufacture the THINK City electric car in Elkhart, Ind. with U.S. production slated to begin early next year.
San Diego, Portland and Sacramento were rated fifth, sixth and seventh putting four cities in California in the top-15 index. Rounding out the top ten were Newark, Seattle and Atlanta. The remaining cities included Denver, Boston, Washington, DC, Philadelphia and Phoenix.
THINK developed the EV-Ready Cities Index to measure which markets are most likely to begin and benefit from the transition to electric vehicles, providing an objective comparison of the EV purchase and usage incentives as well as the market fit for EVs.
"We expect that the roll-out of EV's to the U.S. market will be quite focused in the early stages. Some cities are more likely to be early adopters of EV technology, and the EV-Ready Cities Index will be a helpful tool to guide and prioritize the development of those markets. It reflects the available government support, consumer acceptance, and the opportunity for EVs to provide the maximum benefits possible from electric drive," Canny said. "Since EVs are a unique solution for congested urban environments, we are taking a city-by-city approach rather than a national or state-by-state approach."
The THINK EV-Ready Cities Index takes into account purchase and usage incentives – such as HOV lane access and infrastructure support – for electric vehicles as well as market fit, which includes factors such as hybrid sales, traffic congestion, EPA non-attainment zone status (air quality), and potential lower-carbon energy sources for vehicle recharging. The index was compiled for THINK by ASG Renaissance, a market research and business services firm located in Dearborn, Mich.
The U.S. EV-ready index mirrors one THINK developed for targeting markets in Europe, which recognized Oslo, Copenhagen and Amsterdam as the top-three markets. The company plans to continue to monitor EV-ready factors and periodically update and release its index.
"Ideally, we would like the THINK City to be available throughout the U.S. next year, but in our early commercialization phase, it is important that we first establish a strong concentration of sales in key, highly attractive markets, which support early adoption of sustainable, zero emissions transport solutions," Canny said.
THINK plans to begin selling the THINK City, which will have a top speed of more than 70 miles per hour and a range of more than 100 miles per full charge, in target U.S. cities beginning this year.
THINK is a pioneer in electric vehicles and a leader in electric vehicle technology, developed and proven over 19 years. It is one of the few companies that are currently producing highway-ready, fully electric vehicles for sale – the THINK City. THINK is also a leader in electric drive-system technology, and was the first to offer a modular and flexible EV drive-train solution in the business-to-business sector. With its Scandinavian origins and sustainability mindset, THINK is one of the most carbon efficient car companies in the world.
THINK has established a U.S. subsidiary – THINK North America, a stand-alone business that will include manufacturing, product development, sales and distribution. More information about THINK is available at www.thinkev.com.
San Diego, Portland and Sacramento were rated fifth, sixth and seventh putting four cities in California in the top-15 index. Rounding out the top ten were Newark, Seattle and Atlanta. The remaining cities included Denver, Boston, Washington, DC, Philadelphia and Phoenix.
THINK developed the EV-Ready Cities Index to measure which markets are most likely to begin and benefit from the transition to electric vehicles, providing an objective comparison of the EV purchase and usage incentives as well as the market fit for EVs.
"We expect that the roll-out of EV's to the U.S. market will be quite focused in the early stages. Some cities are more likely to be early adopters of EV technology, and the EV-Ready Cities Index will be a helpful tool to guide and prioritize the development of those markets. It reflects the available government support, consumer acceptance, and the opportunity for EVs to provide the maximum benefits possible from electric drive," Canny said. "Since EVs are a unique solution for congested urban environments, we are taking a city-by-city approach rather than a national or state-by-state approach."
The THINK EV-Ready Cities Index takes into account purchase and usage incentives – such as HOV lane access and infrastructure support – for electric vehicles as well as market fit, which includes factors such as hybrid sales, traffic congestion, EPA non-attainment zone status (air quality), and potential lower-carbon energy sources for vehicle recharging. The index was compiled for THINK by ASG Renaissance, a market research and business services firm located in Dearborn, Mich.
The U.S. EV-ready index mirrors one THINK developed for targeting markets in Europe, which recognized Oslo, Copenhagen and Amsterdam as the top-three markets. The company plans to continue to monitor EV-ready factors and periodically update and release its index.
"Ideally, we would like the THINK City to be available throughout the U.S. next year, but in our early commercialization phase, it is important that we first establish a strong concentration of sales in key, highly attractive markets, which support early adoption of sustainable, zero emissions transport solutions," Canny said.
THINK plans to begin selling the THINK City, which will have a top speed of more than 70 miles per hour and a range of more than 100 miles per full charge, in target U.S. cities beginning this year.
THINK is a pioneer in electric vehicles and a leader in electric vehicle technology, developed and proven over 19 years. It is one of the few companies that are currently producing highway-ready, fully electric vehicles for sale – the THINK City. THINK is also a leader in electric drive-system technology, and was the first to offer a modular and flexible EV drive-train solution in the business-to-business sector. With its Scandinavian origins and sustainability mindset, THINK is one of the most carbon efficient car companies in the world.
THINK has established a U.S. subsidiary – THINK North America, a stand-alone business that will include manufacturing, product development, sales and distribution. More information about THINK is available at www.thinkev.com.
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