Comments on: 10 Minute Charge for Student-Built Electric Car

By: Paul Dickinson

Paul Dickinson — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:14:11 +0000

I absolutely love the idea of green cars!

By: Steve H

Steve H — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 01:05:05 +0000

Hey, I’m an automobile mechanic with 30 years experience, EV’s are coming ,although slowly, but they’re coming. They’re going to change my industry , they’re going to change a lot of things. It’s going to take a lot of upgrading of our “grid” to accommodate the demand of “mass” usage of EV’s. But for now I believe that the people who are pursuing these vehicles understand the draw backs and make concessions around them. I.e. charging the batteries over-night when there is less demand on the “grid” and the power plants have to keep running anyway. It’s good that more people are getting involved and sharing ideas and opinions,that’s going to make the whole thing a lot better when development really gets going. but if the “carbon” footprint is way less than fossil-fueled vehicles it’s worth going forward. We’ve been looking into building a couple EV’s at my job as well. It’s an interesting time to be in right now, wonder how it’s going to be a few years?

By: Richard Matthews

Richard Matthews — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:02:36 +0000

Environmental concerns are fueling interest in electric vehicles (EVs). The world’s auto companies are racing to make affordable EVs that go farther on a single charge while decreasing the time it takes to recharge batteries.

By: Pete

Pete — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 00:36:23 +0000

You are still charging this with coal fired plants. If you take the battery and line loss the efficiency is about the same as a gas or diesel motor. You now have to contend with the manufacture and disposal of these batteries which will pollute the environment. What is the rush to electric cars? Al Gore wanted to use Lead Acid batteries, can you imagine what a fiasco that would have been. Just make lighter more efficient cars that run on oil or natural gas. This will solve the problem until technology catches up.

By: Jan-Henk Welink

Jan-Henk Welink — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 10:50:43 +0000

Nice Project!!

On the other side of the pond were into the same thing, check my mate Tim de Lange his work on http://www.innosysengineering.com/innocar.htm

Best regards,

Jan-Henk Welink
TU Delft
Netherlands

By: Boneheaded1

Boneheaded1 — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:27:02 +0000

Monkey, i think you are underestimating the power EV’s use. Covering the car with even the most efficient solar panels and parking them outside on the sunniest day would still take more than a day or two get a full charge. BUT, I still think it’s worth doing and can be done without adding to much cost/weight (if thin film was used, although it’s not the most efficient). What we need is infrastructure for the plug ins. Should be easy. Give companies/malls incentives to build “plug-in only” parking spaces that have a parking meter style charging station, charge for the electricity used in recharging. Everyone benefits.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:18:13 +0000

I could see a charging station like a car wash, send the car through and it comes out charge on the other side. This could safely apply the capacity needed to charge the sytem.

By: russ

russ — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:05:26 +0000

@Steve – Wow! now only a few technical details to work out remain! Like how many days to recharge.

Of course you can – just like you can fill your gas (petrol) tank using an eye dropper.

By: fireofenergy

fireofenergy — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 06:31:19 +0000

The energy could come not only from vast desert mirrors, but from THORIUM fission in molten salt reactors which are about ~1,000 safer than the pressurized reactors of today

By: MonkeyPower

MonkeyPower — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:42:59 +0000

While it is true that EV cars can be mass produced with ease, the infrastructure must be there to accommodate them. From all the different renewable energy technologies being developed out there, I look forward to the day when they could all be incorporated into one single vehicle. For example, existing hybrids like the Toyota Camry uses kinetic energy to recharge the battery and new polymers that can absorb solar power are being developed so they can be mixed into car paints. If cars continue to recharge themselves, we may never need to plug them in – ever. Although I would still like the option.

By: pdq1966

pdq1966 — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 03:59:31 +0000

Can someone please inform me as to how an electric car produces less GHG’s than an ICE? I believe that the majority of the electricity produced in the US is from Coal (~80%) (of course this varies depending upon location). Unless the user has a non grid tied (yes, grid tied energy is owned by the utility) renewable energy installation, then I don’t see how emissions are reduced. It is also well know that transmission losses make electricity generated very inefficient. This is essentially shifting emissions from being direct to indirect for most users unless they purchase wind or solar energy from their utility provider.

I am a fan of cellulose biofuels and maintaining the internal combustion engine along with electrical generation (hybrid). It is a proven technology. I am not opposed to electric cars, but I believe that more renewable energy needs to be installed prior to it being a viable solution for climate change issues. Although more efficient than ICE’s for moving a vehicle, it still will not surpass GHG emissions of biofuels until it is the energy transmission and portfolio issues are solved.

Also – how much research has been performed for the LCA of batteries, inverters, electric motors, etc. that go into the car? I would be interested is seeing this. I realize that the operation of the car typically accounts for the majority of the emissions, but I still would like to see how it compares to a typical ICE.

Great work! I really think that this technology does have some merit for those that have installed solar or wind turbines. For the majority of us this technology will be unsuccessful until the larger energy issues are solved.

By: Steve Sweetman

Steve Sweetman — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:40:39 +0000

I have devised a method to provide clean a/c power from 12v source without power converter. Solar/wind combination to maintain batteries and provide power to operate a/c generator.Would love to have access to shop lab to make prototype. I think this would complement your fast charge system also.