The Future of Transportation - Part 1

[skookerasbil]

You think Im exagerating about the level of misery these environmental nutters live in......wanting to change everybody else. They will not rest until everybody is as miserable and fucked up as them............

Behold the typical driver of these little gay cars and teh hate they hold for those who dont drive what they do................listen to this fucking nut.........this is indeed your typical environmentalist k00k-ass nutter.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVdMySWfAIQ&feature=player_embedded]You got to see this, Getting yelled at for the diesel truck I drive - YouTube[/ame]


These fucked up people do not believe in freedom and choice and loath you for not trying to be like them.

 

[ABikerSailor]

Make no mistake............the wet dream of every single environmentalist nut job is that by 2020, we are all driving one of these.................

and IM not even kidding............

Yo.......Skooter the Ass Gerbil.....what do YOU drive?

I'm guessing feet, as you're too stupid to work anything else.

 

[RollingThunder]

Advances in battery technology are popping up everywhere these days. That's because the intelligent people in science and finance could see some time ago that improved energy storage technology would be one of the key elements in creating our swiftly approaching future post-fossil fuels world. Here's word of another new development that promises to both increase the driving range of electrical vehicles and reduce the cost.

Envia Claims ‘Breakthrough’ in Lithium-Ion Battery Cost and Energy Density
The New York Times
February 26, 2012
(excerpts)
Envia Systems, a battery maker based in California, announced on Monday what it called a “major breakthrough” in lithium-ion cell technology that would result in a significant increase in the energy density — and a sharp reduction in the cost — of lithium-ion battery packs. Envia is financed by the Energy Department and G.M. Ventures, the venture-capital arm of General Motors, as well as other investors. “We will be able to make smaller automotive packs that are also less heavy and much cheaper,” Atul Kapadia, chairman and chief executive of Envia, said in a telephone interview. “The cost of cells will be less than half — perhaps 45 percent — of cells today, and the energy density will be almost three times greater than conventional automotive cells. What we have are not demonstrations, not experiments, but actual products. We could be in automotive production in a year and a half.”

Envia’s announcement said that its packs would deliver cell energy of 400 watt-hours per kilogram at a cost of $150 per kilowatt-hour. Though it doesn’t disclose a cost breakdown, Tesla Motors rates the energy density of its Roadster’s pack at 121 watt-hours per kilogram. Envia said its energy-density performance was verified in testing of prototype cells at the Naval Service Warfare Center’s Crane evaluation division.


***

 

[ScienceRocks]

Advances in battery technology are popping up everywhere these days. That's because the intelligent people in science and finance could see some time ago that improved energy storage technology would be one of the key elements in creating our swiftly approaching future post-fossil fuels world. Here's word of another new development that promises to both increase the driving range of electrical vehicles and reduce the cost.

Envia Claims ‘Breakthrough’ in Lithium-Ion Battery Cost and Energy Density
The New York Times
February 26, 2012
(excerpts)
Envia Systems, a battery maker based in California, announced on Monday what it called a “major breakthrough” in lithium-ion cell technology that would result in a significant increase in the energy density — and a sharp reduction in the cost — of lithium-ion battery packs. Envia is financed by the Energy Department and G.M. Ventures, the venture-capital arm of General Motors, as well as other investors. “We will be able to make smaller automotive packs that are also less heavy and much cheaper,” Atul Kapadia, chairman and chief executive of Envia, said in a telephone interview. “The cost of cells will be less than half — perhaps 45 percent — of cells today, and the energy density will be almost three times greater than conventional automotive cells. What we have are not demonstrations, not experiments, but actual products. We could be in automotive production in a year and a half.”

Envia’s announcement said that its packs would deliver cell energy of 400 watt-hours per kilogram at a cost of $150 per kilowatt-hour. Though it doesn’t disclose a cost breakdown, Tesla Motors rates the energy density of its Roadster’s pack at 121 watt-hours per kilogram. Envia said its energy-density performance was verified in testing of prototype cells at the Naval Service Warfare Center’s Crane evaluation division.


***

The question is will cutting the cost in half and increasing fuel density by 3 going to make it economical? No question such will help electric cars!

 

[whitehall]

Anybody want to take their next trip in a plane fueled by "woody biomass"? Wait a minute, I think Woody Biomass is a stand up comedian.

 

[bripat9643]

A battery at 1000 wh/kg costing 50% of current batteries of the same weight, and you won't be able to make them fast enough. With $5+ gasoline, those batteries will sell both EVs and solar panels.

With a 115 kwh battery pack in an automobile, you also have a backup battery system for your home in case of major long term electrical outage. Combined with the rapidly decreasing prices in photovoltaics, the development of a cheap large capacity battery will be a win-win for all. And if Detroit develops it, and markets it first in high quality vehicles, we can take back the world market in vehicles.

How are you going to charge up your electric car when Obama is shutting down all the power stations?

 

[ScienceRocks]

A battery at 1000 wh/kg costing 50% of current batteries of the same weight, and you won't be able to make them fast enough. With $5+ gasoline, those batteries will sell both EVs and solar panels.

With a 115 kwh battery pack in an automobile, you also have a backup battery system for your home in case of major long term electrical outage. Combined with the rapidly decreasing prices in photovoltaics, the development of a cheap large capacity battery will be a win-win for all. And if Detroit develops it, and markets it first in high quality vehicles, we can take back the world market in vehicles.

How are you going to charge up your electric car when Obama is shutting down all the power stations?

I think Obama's idea is to build lots and lots of solar and wind farms.

 

[skookerasbil]

Make no mistake............the wet dream of every single environmentalist nut job is that by 2020, we are all driving one of these.................

and IM not even kidding............

Yo.......Skooter the Ass Gerbil.....what do YOU drive?

I'm guessing feet, as you're too stupid to work anything else.

lmao........looks like I hurt the feelings of one of the fucking miserable types that drive an uber gay 4 banger hybrid pos deathtrap!!!


Have fun s0n...........lots of folks laughing their balls off when you pull up to the stop light........but hey.........the world needs laughter!!!!!

 

[RollingThunder]

A battery at 1000 wh/kg costing 50% of current batteries of the same weight, and you won't be able to make them fast enough. With $5+ gasoline, those batteries will sell both EVs and solar panels.

With a 115 kwh battery pack in an automobile, you also have a backup battery system for your home in case of major long term electrical outage. Combined with the rapidly decreasing prices in photovoltaics, the development of a cheap large capacity battery will be a win-win for all. And if Detroit develops it, and markets it first in high quality vehicles, we can take back the world market in vehicles.

How are you going to charge up your electric car when Obama is shutting down all the power stations?

That's a problem only for the retards like you who live in an insane little rightwingnut fantasy world. In the real world, there is no problem because that idiotic nonsense of yours just ain't happening, britbrat.

 

[RollingThunder]

I was just thinking that a thread about the future of transportation wouldn't be really complete without a look at some of the current 'visions of the future' that auto designers have come up with. All electric vehicles, of course. Without the need for a big engine, cooling system, transmission, etc., the designs for the new electric vehicles are bound to be somewhat different from current IC engine cars. Designers are just starting to play with the possibilities. It may be that none of these designs here will ever go into production but even if they don't, some of design innovations pictured here will probably wind up being used in some way. Some of them are pretty cool looking at any rate.

Renault’s Juicy Concept: Super-Quick-Charging Electric Car
(excerpts)

French auto manufacturer Renault will soon unveil an electric car that will take less time to charge than your mobile phone (with the right kind of outlet) and get you to work and back several times over before needing a charge. The DeZir design is set to be introduced at the Paris Motor Show in October, and from the teaser images Renault has released, it’ll be a beauty. The DeZir will charge in just 20 minutes with a 400V outlet, or eight hours with a standard household outlet. It will go from zero to 62MPH in just five seconds and will be able to reach a top speed of 112MPH. But of course, one of the most striking aspects of the design is the beautiful body. The interior boasts a “cocoon-like” atmosphere, and the gull wing doors add a bit more futurism to an already-impressive design.

**********

Eccentric Electric: Cute, Nimble All-Electric Peugeot City Car
(excerpts)

With the electric car revolution has come a slew of beautiful new vehicles…and some that are more odd than anything. But this concept from Portuguese designer Tiago Alves might be the most unusually-shaped electric car ever. It’s called the Peugeot 1001, and despite looking a bit like some kind of office equipment it’s slated to be an efficient, agile commuter car. The 1001 isn’t meant for cross-country road trips; rather, it’s geared toward the commuter who doesn’t travel very far every day but doesn’t want to ride a bicycle to work. The car has eight electric motors that operate four agile “wheels,” which are actually spheres that offer the vehicle unparalleled driving flexibility. It’s these spherical, magnetically-controlled wheels that allow the car to spin around in circles effortlessly…if you enjoy that sort of thing.

***********

Smartest Car of All? MIT’s CityCar Makes Real-World Debut
(excerpts)

They’ve been talking about it for years, but now MIT has finally done it: they have unveiled their tiny, folding city car. Previously referred to simply as “CityCar,” the automobile was introduced as “Hiriko” to the European Union Commission chief in Brussels in mid-January, 2012. The name means “from the city” in Basque, and it’s clear that this tiny electric automobile is definitely meant for city streets. Hiriko has a 60-mile range and does away with the centralized motor; instead, each wheel has its own drive motor. It also does away with doors, instead offering entrance and egress through its upward-opening windshield. When you park the car, its rear wheels scoot up a bit toward the front wheels, folding the car into a much smaller size so that three of them can fit into a standard parking space.

***********

Real-Life Transformer? Car Folds in Half to Fit Parking Spots
(excerpts)

Two of the problems facing the cities of the future will be overcrowding and pollution. In fact, the cities of today are already starting to experience these issues. British designer Daniel Bailey wants to cut down on those problems with an eco-friendly sports car that takes up far less parking space than the typical car. The BRB Evolution car would look just like a normal sports car when it’s driving down the street, but the spectacular part comes in when the car is parked. After all of the passengers are out of the car, the front end folds down and the rear wheels tuck underneath the car. The middle section of the car raises up a bit and in the end, the car takes up half the space it did before. The car will run on electricity or hydrogen, cutting down on its environmental impact. But unlike other “green” cars, this one will look sleek, sexy and “mean.”

***********

The Tiny Electric Car that Drives Like a Real-Life VideoGame
(excerpts)

Electric cars are becoming a bigger concern for car companies every year...Toyota decided to more or less reinvent the layout of a car. Their four-person FT-EV II was first unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Show in 2009, then brought to the US for the North American International Auto Show. Its exterior is pretty typical of what we’ve come to expect of electric car concepts, but the interior is just mind-boggling. It does away with a traditional steering wheel, gas pedal and brake pedal; in their place is a crazy futuristic joystick system that bears more than a passing resemblance to spaceship controls.

*********

Nissan Pivo 2
(excerpts)

This interesting little bubble is the Nissan Pivo 2 concept: a battery-powered two-passenger commuter car that can have conversations with its occupants in Japanese or English. The cabin rotates 360 degrees, making a reverse gear obsolete, and the wheels rotate 90 degrees for getting into and out of tight parking spaces.

************

Peugeot concept - The Moovie
(excerpts)

We’ve seen at least one excitingly futuristic (if not entirely official) Peugeot concept before, but this one may be even more far-reaching. The Moovie was the winning entry in a design competition held by the car company for cars they might produce in the year 2020. Portuguese designer Andre Costa came up with the Moovie, an agile electric car with styling so futuristic it’s almost alien. A non-working prototype was built for the 2005 Frankfurt Auto Show.

************

The Chinese Tan Hua line
(excerpts)

If the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile, Dr. Seuss’ crazy vehicles, and those weird cars from Babes in Toyland all got together and had babies, they would look like the Chinese Tan Hua line. The electric “neighborhood cars” made an appearance at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, drawing chuckles and amused stares from attendees. But what drew even more laughter was a note on one of the cars suggesting that “renowned environmentalists” George W. Bush buy one for his Texas ranch.

***********

Lighten Up: Ultra-Light Car Is a Commuter Compromise
(excerpts)

Automobile design is definitely leaning toward electric vehicle design these days, so it makes sense that designers would start thinking about refining and changing the typical EV design. The Ultra Light Electric Vehicle concept from designer Chris Daisy would weigh a mere 600 pounds – or about one-quarter of the weight of small gas-powered cars. The reduced weight is intended to extend the range of the vehicle, making it cheaper to operate. There are a number of surprising design features that could set the ULEV apart from every other electric car on the market. The car can be driven from either side thanks to a central joystick that sits between the two seats. Buttons on the joystick are programmable and can be operated by voice, encouraging the driver to keep his or her attention on the road at all times. Each of the wheels features its own individual motor and internal disc brake. Every component is made of lightweight carbon fiber to cut down on the overall weight of the vehicle. When the weather is nice, the removable doors can be easily stored behind the seats to allow the driver and passenger a bicycle-like drive. In the passenger compartment, futuristic entertainment features will make the twice-daily commute fun rather than a chore.

(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)

 

[FireFly]

More Battery Breakthrough

Reinventing the battery: Donald Sadoway at TED2012

Realizing the critical importance of the humble battery as a way to help with the energy crisis — and that, nonetheless, there is simply “no battery technology capable of meeting the demanding performance requirements of the grid,” Sadoway started to think differently. “We need to abandon the paradigm of chasing the coolest chemistry to chase down the cost curve by making lots of products,” he says. Instead, he wanted to invent to the pricepoint of the electricity market. ”If you want to make something dirt-cheap, make it out of dirt. Preferably dirt that’s locally sourced.” He also decided to be seemingly perverse in his hunt for potential electricity storage, looking at a source that neither generates nor stores electricity but in fact consumes huge amounts of it: aluminum production.

And that’s how and why he discovered a way to sandwich necessary salts with both high- and low-density metals to harness the potential of aluminum smelting in the name of creating an electricity storage device. He didn’t necessarily think it would work — nor did any of his students, those he gathered to share in his “passion for science in the service of society, not science in service of career building.” Cutely, he paraphrases JFK at Rice University in 1962: “we choose to work on gridlevel storage not because it is easy but because it is hard.”

Yet, to date they have enjoyed some serious success, and have already developed various liquid batteries, from the “shotglass” up to the 16-inch “pizza”, which produces one kilowatt-hour of energy. The 36-inch-wide “Bistro Table” is not yet ready for prime time, but a future variant is designed to produce the daily electrical needs of 200 American households with a battery that is “silent, emissions free, has no moving parts, is remotely controlled, and is designed to the market price point, without subsidy.”

NPR: Liquid Metal Battery Could Budget Sun's Energy and Wind Energy.

MIT: Magnesium−Antimony Liquid Metal Battery for Stationary Energy Storage

 

[KissMy]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGeC1_Je5KA"]Liquid Metal Battery Renewable Energy's Missing Link[/ame]

 

[Old Rocks]

Very interesting. I hope this works. Definately put the renewables at the forefront.

 

[flacaltenn]

Here's another article about the Kolibri battery that has some additional details.

Cost-effective EV battery passes German tests, recharges in minutes

by Jeff Cobb
GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site
Apr 12, 2011
(excerpts)

We’re talking potential for reasonably priced electric cars that could travel 300-400 miles on a charge, and be replenished in minutes. If reports we were given prove true, this would mean the future is practically now – not years from now – with safe and durable batteries threatening to relegate petrol cars to merely optional status. According to DBM Energy’s Chief Operating Officer, Markus Röser, a 98.8-kWh version of its battery can be fully recharged inside of six minutes, although he would not divulge how this was accomplished. ...consider the battery’s range potential. One version with over seven times the energy capacity of the Volt’s battery, and 4.75 times power of the LEAF’s battery, had enough juice to propel a converted Audi A2 test mule for more than 400 miles at highway speeds on a single charge. ...last month Germany’s federal agency for materials research and testing – BAM – independently certified DBM’s KOLIBRI battery after a series of eight tests. These were reportedly done according to the UN Test Handbook protocol for lithium batteries, and the battery came out with flying colors. The BAM’s chief investigator, Prof. Volkmar Schroeder, reportedly said the battery cells met “all essential safety tests very well” and were characterized “by a high degree of technical safety.”

After those tests, an Audi A2 powered by the 63-kWh version of the battery being tested was put through four days of driving on a chassis dyno in eastern Germany at the DEKRA test center at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz. The DEKRA test protocol showed the DBM electric Audi A2 went 284.3 miles (454.82 km). This battery had about 45 percent less energy than the initial “supposed” A2 record-setting car last fall, and now the German government has essentially verified its credibility. Actually, DBM estimated the first A2 could have gone 450 miles (721 km) on a single charge. And as for durability, DBM said the KOLIBRI battery’s lifespan should be 10 years, or 5,000 charge cycles. Recharge time for a version like the one that went 284.3 miles might be only four minutes or so. But what would it cost? An estimated price for a (larger) 98.8-kWh version was a paltry $1,100-$1,400 (€800-€1,000).

Apologizing for his English, Röser told GM-Volt the battery is already being used in warehouse equipment, and has other applications pending. “The KOLIBRI technology has run in forklifts for two years – very efficient,” Röser said, “We already delivered 15 batteries for forklifts in 2010/ 2011 and further orders are already placed. The companies we are working with are large logistical companies running warehouses like Papstar, a subsidiary company of Swarowski.” Röser said DBM’s chemistry is indeed superior to that of EV batteries commonly in use today. “The KOLIBRI technology is based on Lithium Metal Polymer basis, the battery on solid matter basis. Through a special battery packaging we reach more efficiency and higher effectiveness, smaller packaging, lower weight and lower prices,” Röser said, “The Li-Ion battery reach about 60-80 percent effectiveness, the KOLIBRI technology about 97 percent. With a 300 kg battery pack of 98 kWh we reach a distance of 600 kilometers without a stop and without a gas engine or range extender.”


(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)

Let's talk peer review here. Just the princess and me.. Only the truly stupid post crap that doesn't pass 2nd grade math.

98KWhr battery charging in 6 minutes.. What kind of power source do you need TinkerBelle? Can you do the math? Extra credit --- give the wire gauge of a charging cable for that that drops less than 5% of the voltage...

According to DBM Energy’s Chief Operating Officer, Markus Röser, a 98.8-kWh version of its battery can be fully recharged inside of six minutes, although he would not divulge how this was accomplished. ...

.... The UN handbook on Lithium Batteries???? ROFLING now ---- bub-bye....


You WERE right about hydrogen and should have stopped there. Because fuel cells are gonna make these rolling toxic waste repositories look absolutely Neanderthal..

You done with math yet?? Go get an electrician to install you a 220V 5000 AMP breaker...

This is why you gotta start the OP whining about how the oil companies and wrong-thinking engineers like me are killing the credibility for "alternatives" and your upscale golfcarts..

 

[zakdavis]

I have no problem with electric cars or alternative fuels, I have a problem with them looking like a bag of ass.

 

[Abishai100]

Subway Honey

This is good advertising for public transportation.

Which American city do you think has a more impressive subway system, Boston (Massachusetts) or San Diego (California)?

The upkeep of these systems represents real social investments in public fuel use efficiency.





New York City Subway - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

 

[mamooth]

.... The UN handbook on Lithium Batteries???? ROFLING now ---- bub-bye...

So you're handwaving away engineering based solely on politics. Meanwhile, the battery manufacturers all pay attention to those standards. You might want to drop them a line and give them your expert opinion about how they're wasting their time.

http://www.batterybob.com/Watch-Battery-Reference-Charts/Maxell_UN_T-Testing_Information.pdf

You done with math yet?? Go get an electrician to install you a 220V 5000 AMP breaker...

Nobody said that people would be recharging in 6 minutes at home tomorrow. So, that was a fine demolition of a strawman.

Most households are limited to 200 amps. That's not going to change any time soon. If they could use 100 amps for charging, it's five-hours for a full charge. Still pretty good.

However, no need to assume static technology in charging. Look to the future. Think supercapacitors. Charge those slowly when power is available, and then the supercap can zap in a superfast charge to the car.

 

[ABikerSailor]

There is an enormous amount of misinformation going around about clean energy, renewables, non-polluting fuels, etc.. This may be part of a propaganda campaign that the fossil fuel industry has mounted to protect their market dominance and profits. In any case, solar, wind, ocean and other alternatives gets routinely attacked with bogus, spun-up, twisted pseudo-science and lies. One of the myths that gets pushed is that there are no viable alternatives to petroleum that have a sufficiently high energy density for their use in transportation, particularly in aviation. Of course, that is nonsense right off the top, because high-energy-density non-petro bio-fuels have already been developed and tested and will be coming into increasing use in just the next few years. Additionally, liquid hydrogen has an energy density as high as petroleum based fuels, so high, in fact, that it has even been used as a rocket fuel.

The Future of Aviation Biofuels
20 February 2012
(excerpt)
In New York, Bloomberg New Energy Finance said that jatropha-based fuels were the near-term candidate as sustainable aviation fuels available at prices competitive with conventional jet fuel. The BNEF research unit said that it expected jatropha-based jet fuel to be available at $0.86-a-litre ($3.25 per gallon) by 2018. Following the emergence of jatropha-based fuels, BNEF said that aviation fuel made from pyrolysis of woody biomass represented the next most affordable category of aviation biofuels, projecting that jet fuel from this source could be available at $0.90 per litre ($3.40 per gallon) by 2018.

Pure regular alcohol bio-fuel has an energy density a bit lower than gasoline but it is still quite useful for most transportation purposes. Some of the other aliphatic alcohols (methanol, ethanol, propanol, and butanol) that can be produced biologically have both energy densities similar to gasoline and over 25% higher octane ratings.

Biofuels, while technically carbon neutral, still emit CO2 and have other complications associated with them and their production so, other than as an example of an already existing high-energy-density fuel for transportation, let's leave biofuels aside for a later debate and consider some of the other viable high density non-petroleum energy sources for transportation that will almost certainly come to dominate the transport sector in the next decade or so and should eventually replace petroleum fuels altogether.

There are several main viable prospects for powering both surface vehicles and aircraft without the use of fossil fuels of any kind (or any other kind of CO2 emitting fuel, for that matter, even bio-fuels).

Two of the main categories would be electric energy storage and hydrogen storage. Both of these are still in their initial, fast developing stages, with new advances eclipsing earlier developments regularly.

Let's first consider the actual cutting edge of electric energy storage methods. There are two main avenues of research - battery storage and supercapacitors. Some of these advances have been recently developed and are already moving from the 'research and development; stage into the initial, preliminary 'development for production' stages. I’ll get to those after first looking at one new and radical development in battery technology that is already in production and that has already proven itself in limited use.

Objections to electric storage for vehicular travel have generally centered on the cost of the batteries, the weight of the batteries, the length of time to recharge the batteries, and, perhaps primarily, the limited amount of energy that the current generation of production battery technology can pack into a battery of reasonable size and weight. That inability of the current batteries to power a car for much more than a hundred miles or so has been, in addition to the first generation high prices, the main sticking point for consumers.

An enormous amount of research has been directed at overcoming these limitations and great strides have been made along a number of different lines of research, some very recently. Here's a sampling of some of those developments that will, in the fairly near future, dramatically extent the range of electric vehicles, reduce the charge time of the batteries enormously, and significantly reduce the size, cost and weight of the batteries.

First let’s look at a radical new technology just coming on the market that may change the electrical vehicle market much faster than anyone anticipated.

This Breakthrough Will Soon Slash EV Prices Drastically
Wall Street Daily
Justin Fritz
Published Tue, Aug 30th, 2011
(excerpts)
The “Holy Grail” Of Cutting EV Costs
You see, the biggest culprit behind inflated EV prices is the battery. It adds $10,000 or so to an EVs manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP). What’s worse, owners need to replace the lithium-ion battery every 10 years. So the cost of ownership is a huge deterrent. But DBM Energy’s new advanced battery – Kolibri – is constructed with a special lithium metal polymer. Early reports suggest this battery will cost 89% less than existing batteries and will only need to be replaced approximately every 20 years. Plus, it trounces existing batteries in three other important ways…

~ Weight: A Kolibri is reportedly 29% lighter than the battery pack in a Tesla Roadster.
~ Efficiency: A Kolibri has enough power to keep an Audi (ETR: NSU) A2 cruising for an astonishing 400 miles on a single charge.
~ Charging: You can fully charge a Kolibri battery in just six minutes. The Leaf takes closer to six hours.​

The potential for this new technology seems very promising and the company’s already in talks with major automakers worldwide. It foresees a mainstream rollout of its superior Kolibri battery not too far off. Once this happens, it’s reasonable to assume that you’ll be able to buy a Nissan LEAF for around $26,300. Or $18,800 after factoring in the government tax credit.


DBM Energy's KOLIBRI technology passes safety and performance tests with flying colors
DBM Energy's KOLIBRI Press Release - Free to Reprint

- LMP lithium-metal-polymer battery cells (KOLIBRI) pass comprehensive safety tests

- Independent range test confirms performance and range of KOLIBRI batteries

- Full-scale field trial scheduled for 2011

Berlin, Germany – 1. April 2011 – For over a year the KOLIBRI battery cells developed by DBM Energy have been performing reliably in electrically powered logistics vehicles. In October 2010, as part of a demonstration project, this innovative battery technology powered a conventional passenger car converted to electrical power over a distance exceeding 600 km, setting a worldwide record. 5,000 charging cycles document the range and longevity of the KOLIBRI LMP lithium-metal-polymer battery technology. Independent studies now also confirm the safety and performance of the KOLIBRI technology.

Safety
On 17 January 2011, the German Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM - Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und –prüfung) initiated a comprehensive test program to evaluate the safety aspects of the innovative LMP lithium-metal-polymer battery technology (KOLIBRI) developed by DBM Energy GmbH. The recently completed tests on individual battery cells confirm that the KOLIBRI technology used on the world record-setting drive on 26 October 2010 meets the required safety standards for use in stationary applications as well as in passenger and commercial vehicles.

The safety tests were conducted in accordance with the protocols established in the 5th edition of the UN Transport Test Manual for the Transport of Dangerous Goods published in 2009. The recommended testing methods for lithium batteries serve as an international standard. In eight exhaustive tests series, the KOLIBRI technology was examined to establish its safety when subjected to extreme climate and pressure variations, electrical short-circuiting, overload or inversed polarity as well as strong mechanical forces such as vibrations, show and heavy impact.DMB's LMP cells easily passed the entire range of tests.

"The LMP cells we tested stand out by their high degree of technical safety," said Prof. Schröder in explaining the results of the tests, which had been repeated a number of times. The LMP lithium-metal-polymer battery systems met all the standards set in the UN test series. The cells exhibited no leaks, did not generate heat exceeding 170 degrees Celsius, did not decompose or ignite, and maintained in excess of 90% of electrical tension.

In addition to the UN tests, the battery cells were also tested for fire risks. The LMP cells proved absolutely fire and explosion proof when exposed to direct fire. The BAM's Prof. Schröder concludes: "Overall it can be stated that the KOLIBRI cells completely fulfill all safety requirements for this type of technology."

Performance
Besides BAM's safety tests, the KOLIBRI technology was subjected to an independent range test by German certification institute DEKRA at its test center at the Lausitz EuroSpeedway racetrack in Klettwitz, Germany. The range of the LMP battery system on the Audi A2 test vehicle platform was determined following the procedures set down in the currently applicable ECE-R 101 directive for measuring the range of vehicles equipped with an electric drive. The tests were conducted in facilities and with equipment that fully complied with testing protocol requirements.

At the time of determining testing parameters prior to commencing the test, the vehicle weight – empty weight not including driver – was measured below the approved total mass of 1,500 kilograms. The maximum energy delivered by the LMP battery was measured at 62.928 kWh. By comparison, the battery capacity registered at the time of the world record in October 2010 was 98 kWh. The lower capacity, however, proved sufficient for the range tests as per ECE-R 101, which require that a distance of at least 300 km be covered.

All test results of the KOLIBRI technology were subsequently verified and validated by DEKRA. This includes the initial battery charge after handing over the vehicle, recharging the battery over charging period of 12 hours, discharging the battery over a distance of 100 km at a constant speed of 70 km/h as well as determining the vehicle's driving resistance. The peak speed measurement during the 30-minute maximum speed segment was 100 km/h. The required condition of covering a distance of 300 km within 7 days was met in one session on a roller dynamometer, indicating a range of 454.83 kilometers with the 62,928 kWh LMP battery. Adjusted for the battery capacity of 98 kWh at the time of the worldwide range record, the range would have been 714 km. The efficiency of the LMP battery was determined to be at 97%.

The test vehicle equipped with the KOLIBRI battery technology will be on
display on the BMWi (Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology)
stand in Hall 2 at the Hannover Messe Industrie trade fair and expo from 4
to 8 April 2011.

About DBM Energy
DBM Energy GmbH , founded in 2009 and based in Berlin, Germany, manufactures high-performance energy storage systems. DBM Energy has developed an innovative battery technology: KOLIBRI. This lithium-based intelligent energy storage system is monitored, controlled and optimized via integrated controllers to ensure optimum efficiency. The KOLIBRI technology finds universal application as an energy storage system for stationary equipment, electric passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles in the logistics and manufacturing industries. As part of a demonstration project, an everyday vehicle modified for electric power and equipped with the KOLIBRI technology covered a distance exceeding 600 km with a single charge in October 2010, setting a worldwide record.



Converted Audi A2 claims new electric vehicle distance record: 372 miles
Oct 27th 2010
(excerpts)
Berlin energy supplier Lekker Energie and battery company DBM Energy have teamed up to electrify an Audi A2 and take it on an attention-getting 605 km (379.9 mile) journey from Munich to Berlin, Germany. The run, conducted at night, was such a success that the team is claiming an electric vehicle world record of sorts. While the Japan EV Club managed to squeeze 1,003 km (623 miles) from their Mira on a track driving a steady 40km/h (25 miles per hour), this latest feat was performed on public roads at an average speed of 55 miles per hour. The Germans even had 18 percent of the pack's 115 kWh left at the end.

While the length and speed of the trip are all very nice, the real story here seems to be the batteries that made it possible. Developed sans government investment, the lithium metal polymer (LMP) cells, which Lekker and DBM refer to as Kolibri AlphaPolymer Technology, are said to be lighter and more powerful than traditional cells and operate with an efficiency of 97 percent. They were also compact enough to be integrated into the car without giving up passenger seating or trunk space. Want more amazing? Apparently, when connected to a generous enough power supply, the batteries can recharge in just six minutes. Also, when asked when production could start, DBM Energy CEO Mirko Hannemann answered, "now." Does it all just sound too good to be true? Maybe, but we expect we'll get more information – and confirmation from other sources one way or the other – real soon.



(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)

Yup.........ahhhhhh ( takes toke on ciggy in classic Denis Leary fashion)

You mean the electric cars that you cant turn on the a/c or run the lights if you want your battery to last more than 5 mintues!!


We're all real sure Americans will be chomping at the bit to buy geeky little gay cars with batteries that blow up in the garage and burn down the house!!!


Gotta hand it to the k00ks though..........they do have creative minds!!!

Apparently, you've never heard of a Tesla.

They have 4 door models which are capable of going up to 265 miles on a single charge and can accelerate from 0 to 60 in 3.2 seconds.

 

[Old Rocks]

I have no problem with electric cars or alternative fuels, I have a problem with them looking like a bag of ass.

Really?

Model S Specs Tesla Motors

Model X Tesla Motors

2015 Tesla Model R Concept Images Pictures and Videos

Tesla unveals AWD 691hp Model S P85D with autopilot and new driver assist systems

 

[Billy_Bob]

Here's another article about the Kolibri battery that has some additional details.

Cost-effective EV battery passes German tests, recharges in minutes

by Jeff Cobb
GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site
Apr 12, 2011
(excerpts)

We’re talking potential for reasonably priced electric cars that could travel 300-400 miles on a charge, and be replenished in minutes. If reports we were given prove true, this would mean the future is practically now – not years from now – with safe and durable batteries threatening to relegate petrol cars to merely optional status. According to DBM Energy’s Chief Operating Officer, Markus Röser, a 98.8-kWh version of its battery can be fully recharged inside of six minutes, although he would not divulge how this was accomplished. ...consider the battery’s range potential. One version with over seven times the energy capacity of the Volt’s battery, and 4.75 times power of the LEAF’s battery, had enough juice to propel a converted Audi A2 test mule for more than 400 miles at highway speeds on a single charge. ...last month Germany’s federal agency for materials research and testing – BAM – independently certified DBM’s KOLIBRI battery after a series of eight tests. These were reportedly done according to the UN Test Handbook protocol for lithium batteries, and the battery came out with flying colors. The BAM’s chief investigator, Prof. Volkmar Schroeder, reportedly said the battery cells met “all essential safety tests very well” and were characterized “by a high degree of technical safety.”

After those tests, an Audi A2 powered by the 63-kWh version of the battery being tested was put through four days of driving on a chassis dyno in eastern Germany at the DEKRA test center at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz. The DEKRA test protocol showed the DBM electric Audi A2 went 284.3 miles (454.82 km). This battery had about 45 percent less energy than the initial “supposed” A2 record-setting car last fall, and now the German government has essentially verified its credibility. Actually, DBM estimated the first A2 could have gone 450 miles (721 km) on a single charge. And as for durability, DBM said the KOLIBRI battery’s lifespan should be 10 years, or 5,000 charge cycles. Recharge time for a version like the one that went 284.3 miles might be only four minutes or so. But what would it cost? An estimated price for a (larger) 98.8-kWh version was a paltry $1,100-$1,400 (€800-€1,000).

Apologizing for his English, Röser told GM-Volt the battery is already being used in warehouse equipment, and has other applications pending. “The KOLIBRI technology has run in forklifts for two years – very efficient,” Röser said, “We already delivered 15 batteries for forklifts in 2010/ 2011 and further orders are already placed. The companies we are working with are large logistical companies running warehouses like Papstar, a subsidiary company of Swarowski.” Röser said DBM’s chemistry is indeed superior to that of EV batteries commonly in use today. “The KOLIBRI technology is based on Lithium Metal Polymer basis, the battery on solid matter basis. Through a special battery packaging we reach more efficiency and higher effectiveness, smaller packaging, lower weight and lower prices,” Röser said, “The Li-Ion battery reach about 60-80 percent effectiveness, the KOLIBRI technology about 97 percent. With a 300 kg battery pack of 98 kWh we reach a distance of 600 kilometers without a stop and without a gas engine or range extender.”


(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)

Let's talk peer review here. Just the princess and me.. Only the truly stupid post crap that doesn't pass 2nd grade math.

98KWhr battery charging in 6 minutes.. What kind of power source do you need TinkerBelle? Can you do the math? Extra credit --- give the wire gauge of a charging cable for that that drops less than 5% of the voltage...

According to DBM Energy’s Chief Operating Officer, Markus Röser, a 98.8-kWh version of its battery can be fully recharged inside of six minutes, although he would not divulge how this was accomplished. ...

.... The UN handbook on Lithium Batteries???? ROFLING now ---- bub-bye....


You WERE right about hydrogen and should have stopped there. Because fuel cells are gonna make these rolling toxic waste repositories look absolutely Neanderthal..

You done with math yet?? Go get an electrician to install you a 220V 5000 AMP breaker...

This is why you gotta start the OP whining about how the oil companies and wrong-thinking engineers like me are killing the credibility for "alternatives" and your upscale golfcarts..

And they haven't a clue what kind of strain that would put on the grid. The amps necessary for quick charge is about three times that of what the average household uses each week.