Electric cars won't spread even with rapid chargers -Toyota engineer

[eloo]

"Battery-powered electric vehicles don't have a practical future as a long-range alternative to conventional cars even if technological breakthroughs allow them to be charged quickly, a top engineer at Toyota Motor Corp said on Thursday.

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[exLeaf]

Re: Electric cars won't spread even with rapid chargers -Toyota engineer

Right now, I do not see FCEV as candidate for next big thing in transportation. We straggle so much with infrastructure that compresses ng to 3,600 psi, FCEV require 10,000 so I expect H2 compressors are much more expensive and maintenance costs are also much higher. H2 is another subject.

[siai47]

Re: Electric cars won't spread even with rapid chargers -Toyota engineer

The top engineer at Toyota must be wearing blinders. If technological breakthroughs to allow BEV's to charge (more) quickly became reality, it would be a game changer. Even at this point for home refueling, my FM2Q-36 fills my car at a slower rate then my wall charger for my electric car which cost 10X less to buy and install. On the commercial front (where I am located in central Florida) it is far faster to charge my BEV then it is to fill my CNG vehicles as the closest CNG station is 25 miles farther from my home then the nearest quick charger. If I bought a FCEV, the nearest fueling station is thousands of miles away. While Toyota throws cash at FCEV's, the conventional BEV charging infrastructure will build right by them---There's never, ever going to be a home refueling alternative for Hydrogen and no real need for a car that runs on it.

[Lakewood90712]

Re: Electric cars won't spread even with rapid chargers -Toyota engineer

For the home market (Japan) BEV's in any great number are indeed impractical. Japan is woefully short of generating capacity , even off-peak, after the Fukashima station destruction and voluntary shutdown of other nuke generating stations. IMO, all of the un-damaged plants will re-start within the next 2 years.

The US power grid characteristics vary a lot. We have summer peak areas and winter peak areas. A lot of so called " Smart Grid" strategies would be needed for widespread BEV usage.

Plug in Hybrids are the sweet spot for 75% of passenger cars in the US IMO.

Fuel Cell H2 ? Maybe a hundred or so running around in so cal with 5 or 6 stations, among millions of gasoline and diesel cars. Find an economical source of H2 ? don't think so in my lifetime, but I am a lot closer to the grave then the average US population age.

[whisperingshadow]

Re: Electric cars won't spread even with rapid chargers -Toyota engineer

They are just jealous of Tesla

[cowboy]

Re: Electric cars won't spread even with rapid chargers -Toyota engineer

yep tesla's pierce arrow ran on electricity from the gathered from planet earth no battery needed no charging required.

[ajgiorgi]

Re: Electric cars won't spread even with rapid chargers -Toyota engineer

Then says hydrogen is way of future. Lol. Ok Toyota guy

[Mingus108]

Re: Electric cars won't spread even with rapid chargers -Toyota engineer

Tesla is about to make a very big announcement of their battery that will allow home owners to cut the power cord of power companies.

[300mileclub]

The egg-shaped creation of Finnish-American startup Tanktwo doesn't look like an ordinary electric-car battery. It doesn't work like one either.

The Tanktwo battery is meant to replace permanent battery packs in electric cars. The idea is for a driver to fill a container with a series of the unusually-shaped modules, which fall randomly into place like fruit in a basket.

Charging can either be done the conventional way, by plugging in, or by simply swapping out the battery modules for fully-charged ones. Swapping only takes about three minutes, according to Tanktwo, making it a lot more convenient than conventional charging.

http://www.thedrive.com/tech/9025/ta...t-for-swapping

[300mileclub]

The electric Ford Transit (Connect) Lightning Electric model is available with a 109 mile range, weighs 10,360 lb (Civic GX range 225 miles weighs 3500 lb). California is offering vouchers of up to $65,000 to buy the Ford Transit - somewhat indicates they must cost over 3X what the new Civic GX sold for:

https://ngtnews.com/lightning-system...News+Headlines

[Lakewood90712]

The electric Ford Transit (Connect) Lightning Electric model is available with a 109 mile range, weighs 10,360 lb (Civic GX range 225 miles weighs 3500 lb). California is offering vouchers of up to $65,000 to buy the Ford Transit - somewhat indicates they must cost over 3X what the new Civic GX sold for:

https://ngtnews.com/lightning-system...News+Headlines

The Ford Transit 350HD is a full size van, approx 3500 # payload and approx 10,500 # gvw for all versions, gasoline, electric and diesel. Not really comparable to the Civic GX Nice $ voucher, I might try and get one if it is close to free w/ voucher. I question just where is the $65 k voucher money coming from ? maybe the VW dieselgate settlement ?

[300mileclub]

Summary from Columbia-Willamette (OR/WA) Clean Cities: The United States Congress passed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill in early November, which was signed into law last week.

The bill includes $7.5 billion for electric vehicle infrastructure, $6 billion for furthering battery storage, and another $6 billion for improving the battery manufacturing process and supply chain.

Washington will receive $71 million for expanding the state's electric vehicle charging network

Oregon will receive $52 million for expanding it’s electric vehicle charging stations