Archive for Leisure Travel
Wireless charger set to make electric vehicles even more user friendly
Posted by: | CommentsSlowly but surely every obstacle faced by electric vehicles is being overcome, from increased range to better availability and pricing through to more recharging stations being implemented in towns both large and small. While the playing field with the internal combustion engine still isn’t completely level the environmental benefits coupled with continued esalation if the price of gasoline is seeing demand continue to grow and some manufacturers needing to increase production of hybrid and electric vehicles.
Today’s story adds another level of convenience to owning an electric vehicle in addition to being a very cool concept. Not for the first time science baffles me so if you can explain this better than me please do so as I’m stunned that it works. One of the smaller complaints about electric vehicles is the need to remember to plug it in to recharge when you got home each evening but a new invention will take care of that.
This clever new technology is called “plugless power” and was created by Evatran. Personally I don’t think having to plug in your car at night is a particularly arduous task but I can see the appeal to some people as it involves simply driving your car over the wireless charger and being able to step out without another thought to be given. I think it could be a hugely popular concept at the workplace, restaurants or shopping centres for example. The technology which has been demonstrated in Japan is now looking to be mainstreamed so that wireless car charging will eventually be an option at both commercial and residential places where typically you would need to plug in. According to the manufacturer the wireless charger will also be able to recharge a vehicle in the same time it would take to plug into the wall.
The manufacturer anticipates that the product will be fully compatible with existing best selling electric vehicles on the market in addition to those scheduled for release in the next year. Ultimately Evatran are looking to partner with vehicle manufactures themselves so that the wireless recharging packs are built into the vehicles as an optional extra or perhaps even a standard on certain models. I know from experience that people will put a huge premium on convenience so inventions like this can only help further the progress and adoption rates of vehicles there are more environmentally friendly.
The video below shows the wireless charger in action, very appealing as it simply involves driving the front of a car over/alongside the charging station. Learn more about ‘plugless power’ by Evatran by visiting their official site.
Evatran wireless charging system
Hyundai’s new electric vehicle shows that fuel cell range is improving
Posted by: | CommentsAs gasoline prices continue to increase further the interest in alternate fuel vehicles. This summer looks set to be the most expensive ever in most countries to fill up a traditional gas tank while simultaneously the demand for electric and hybrid vehicles is generally outstripping supply. As I’ve written before one of the consistent arguments against electric vehicles to date has been the lack of range offered by most options currently on the market, at least at the more affordable end of the market. There is very good news however coming from Hyundai Motor Company that could signal a major change to help overcome this not insignificant obstacle. I’m still trying to find official word on just how soon these vehicles might be ready for the commercial market.
To date most electric vehicles have offered a range per charge in the vicinity of 110-130 miles (177-209km ) which doesn’t fare well when compared with a normal gasoline powered sedan. The new Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) from Hyundai have just completed road tests which provided results of 211 miles (340 km) from a single charge. Still not quite on par with a 2.0 liter sedan powered by gas but almost double where the reluctantly accepted industry norm resides. For commuters it takes an electric vehicle away from the range of inconvenient to being far more practical. You could have a 15 mile each way commute starting with a fully charged car on Monday morning and still have battery power to burn on the way home Friday night. While this doesn’t resolve the issue with long range city to city journeys it does begin to level the playing field. Even a fuel efficient gasoline powered car needs to fill up from time to time with a long highway journey (typically after completing 275-375 miles).
Hyundai are offering two of their prototype 1x35FCEV electric vehicles for test conditions throughout northern Europe this summer as part of a campaign designed to make major inroads in the European market for electric vehicles, seen by automakers as the most responsive to the new technology. A season of public events has been booked to help market the vehicle and show consumers that the forthcoming electric vehicles are not only eco-friendly but also competitive.
Adding range to electric vehicles could make Hyundai a market leader in the field
The Hyundai ix35 FCEV only emits water vapour and offers very comparable stats to a similarly sized vehicle with an internal combustion engine. In addition to the great improvement in vehicle range it offers a maximum speed of 99 mph / 160 km/h and reasonable zero-to-60mph acceleration time of 12.6 seconds.
Final specifications, pricing and release schedule are still to follow but this should provide confidence that the issue of vehicle range for electric cars can and will be addressed.
Planet Forward transport special – the Ovo Electric Scooter
Posted by: | CommentsWhile we all are fully aware of the CO2 emissions caused by cars, trucks and vans and the frustratingly slow transition to vehicles that are powered by green energy is still in its infancy, did you realise the most popular form of transport on earth remains the bicycle. While that’s currently true I’m not sure it will remain so into the near future as every year the cars in use per capita keeps growing globally. Thus it concerns me that gradual inroads made my electric vehicles and hybrids could be offset by the simple acceleration of the number of overall cars in use.
I think there may be two possible remedies to stem an over reliance on the automobile in the years to come and both will need increased funding, advertising and consumer confidence. One is public transport infrastructure – particularly in urban areas but also the continued growth in regional high speed rail. If public tranport investment grows and the options and flexibility of mass transit are more appealing the reliance on cars could be reduced significantly. The other option for those who need transport that can take them anywhere in a metropolitan area could be the scooter. The scooter if marketed properly and designed with the user in mind could eliminate a large percentage of car journeys, especially the billions made every week where the car has only one passenger.
Two complaints against conventional scooters are the lack of protection from the elements and insufficient storage space. A new design called the Ovo Electric Scooter solves both of these concerns to a significant extent and also incorporates and eco-friendly approach in every other sense. Most existing scooters leave you at the mercy of precipitation but the Ovo offers a retractable canvas canopy which will protect the rider from sun, rain, sleet or snow. I think scooters offer an excellent solution for city commuting but arriving at worked soaked through from a rainy morning has always been a detriment.
Many people use their cars to just pick up a few bags of groceries or a trip to a bookshop and most scooters may offer one small compartment for belongings. The Ovo doesn’t allow you to transport 14 bags of goodies from a shopping trip but it does offer two luggage compartments which give the scooter added attraction. I think a scooter could also provide a viable solution to the numerous two and three car households. How about one car and a pair of scooters instead? Lower costs, lower overheads and insurance and far more environmentally friendly.
The Ovo will offer two charging options for its electric motor. If a power supply isn’t accessible the scooter also offers a booster battery that can be carried within the luggage compartment. The standard power will be provided by two internal lithium-ion batteries which offer a range for the machine of about 60km / 37 miles. The construction of the scooter uses eco-friendly materials wherever possible and even the windshield is made from recycled polycarbonate. It’s a great looking machine, full of creative ideas by designer Robin Matthews but sadly remains in design/experimental stage. If an intelligent automaker or motorcycle manufacturer was paying attention they’d get behind such technology and support the development of such an idea. They could maintain or improve market share plus foster a forward thinking approach to transport solutions in the years to come.
