The market was the topic of a Hollywood movie and a federal investigation this year -- what says "made it" better than that?
Maybe we're still looking for the idea that will make EVs really take off. I've put together a few of the best ideas around electric cars that we've received on Planet Forward that could help transform EVs in 2012. Check out some of the ideas below and tell me your idea!
One of the ways to increase vehicle efficiency is to reduce the car's weight. Research from the National Bureau of Economic Research has shown that the average car is roughly 530 pounds -- that is 20 percent heavier -- than the average car on the road twenty years earlier. BMW's carbon-reinforced fiber that will help reduce the weight of the car, while still maintaining the safety and durability standards.
Anyone who drives in the city knows that there are a lot of cars on the road, especially when you're trying to find parking. MIT's electric CityCar puts all its engine parts in the wheels, making it extremely maneuverable and compact -- you can park 3-4 of these cars into one traditional parking spot.
What if you could drive straight across the country without ever having to refuel? That's the dream behind this idea -- using magnetic bars in roadways and pick-up coils in bottoms of cars so that your EV charges while you drive. "No need to stop at recharging stations" says Ira Sorkin, the member who submitted the idea. Researchers in Utah are starting to look into the idea, but say it may not happen for 10 or 20 years.
This is an idea that will work for electric cars, hybrids and gas-guzzlers: make parts interchangeable. Both Dale Bowen and Al Smithsubmitted this idea and they see a number of advantages:
Featured in our April Special, Project Get Ready comes from Planet Forward member Al Dahlberg in Rhode Island. He's bringing together a determined coalition of interests to begin building an electronic vehicle infrastructure. Dahlberg's goal is to get 10,000 cars to be plug-ins in the next five years.
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Quick example: Both the Leaf and Volt lease for $350/month. If you drive an average 1300 miles/month, that would cost about $190 in a conventional gas car (24 MPG car, $3.50/gallon.)
At an average 11 cents per KWH in a 4 miles-per-KWH electric car, the same mileage costs just $36.
That's a savings of $154 per month. So you have the same total cash outlay as someone leasing a gas car for $196 per month.
That is very affordable. This doesn't just work with the leasing prices either. Look at the spreadsheet on this page:
http://www.squidoo.com/a-free-calculator-for-economy-hybrid-and-electric-cars
As for surcharging gasoline, instead, let's just kill all the petroleum industry's subsidies. EVs will compete just fine against realistically priced gasoline.
I'm curious why the EV needs to have a "payback". What is the payback your car? Did you consider its payback when you bought it? Of course not, you bought a car that provided the attributes you wanted in a car and that was also in your price range.
Why then does an EV have to earn its payback?
The truth is, it doesn't. This is a made up term that EV haters like to trot out to dampen demand for EVs.
I bought my EVs because they have things I value in a car. In addition to the amazing acceleration, great stereo, bluetooth, navigation system and 5 star safety rating, my car has these attributes:
My EV doesn't pollute anyone's air. My car runs on energy I generate from sunlight falling on my roof. My car uses energy over which we have never fought a war. No dead soldiers associated with my car. I value these things highly, and the price I paid was less than I was willing to pay to get such a great car.
So, empress trudy, please explain to us what you drive and what its "economic break even point" is. Also please tell us if you value any of the things I mentioned that EVs have that your car does not have. If you value them, please tell us how much per gallon you think they are worth.
What if there was another application that created huge demand for batteries? What if that application was home electric backup modules?
In a world where extreme weather has become the norm, the big box stores blow through trailer loads of portable electric generators every time a nasty storm rolls into town.
What if we followed the Boy Scout motto? Why not "be prepared" with a modest solar cell array on the roof and a home battery backup system in the garage?
Like "load-leveling" for utilities, perhaps?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle-to-grid
Mitsubishi just started selling a lower cost EV that retails for just under $30K before incentives. There is a federal $7,500 tax credit, and various states also have rebates and tax credits. Here is CA, the Mitsubishi is less than $20K after incentives. That's affordable by millions of people. Especially when you take into account the very low cost of operation.
FF.
Would love to hear about more like this...the best ideas that get submitted to Planet Forward will be featured in our TV show in the spring.