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History of the Electric Car

Cuong Huynh — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:03:28 +0000

Amidst all this excitement about bailout money, new clean diesel, hybrid and electric cars announcements, joint ventures and collaborations, and battery development progress, I though we’d take a brief look at the history of the electric car. We may learn something from it.

An electric car is a vehicle that uses electric motors for propulsion. It needs electricity to operate instead of an internal combustion engine, or ICE, that runs on fossil fuel such as diesel or gasoline. Despite its long history, electric cars never took off in popularity. Fossil fuels have always been cheap enough so there was no reason to look at alternatives. While the electric car (or its concept) has always been a part of the transportation landscape all along, recent momentum for more efficient energy use and better environmental impact has allow the electric car to quickly become prominent as the search for alternative fuel vehicles plays a more dominant role in the car industry.

Electricity that powers an electric car comes mainly from onboard sources such as a rechargeable energy storage system or battery packs. The energy storage system

can be charged externally by plugging the vehicle into a power source when not in operation, or
it can be charged while the car is in operation via a small engine.

The former is thus called the electric car, or plug-in electric car (among other variations,) and the latter is what we know today as the gasoline-hybrid, diesel-hybrid, or fuel-cell hybrid depending on the fuel source of the ICE. Collectively they are just called hybrid cars or hybrids for convenience.

Electric Cars – the Early Years

Electric cars have been around since the 1830s, dating back to a time even before diesel and gasoline engines were created. Although the exact year is not known, records show that the first electric carriage was created between 1832 and 1839 by Robert Anderson, a Scottish businessman. In 1835, the first electric car was created by Professor Sibrandus Stratingh from the Netherlands. When the 1840s rolled along, two significant contributors, Thomas Davenport and Robert Davidson, invented more advanced electric vehicles using non-rechargeable electric cells.

It took quite some time for this development to be followed. It was only in 1865 that Frenchman Gaston Plante came up with a better storage technology for electric energy. The technology that Plante pioneered made a significant contribution to the flourishing of electric cars. By 1867, a two-wheel cycle created by Franz Kravogl from Austria that used this specific technology was displayed at a Paris World Exhibition showcase. This technology was later on refined by another Frenchman, Camille Faure, several years later in 1881.

In the same year, Gustave Trouve, a French inventor, also revealed a three-wheeled car that ran on electricity at the International Exhibition of Electricity in Paris. Thanks to the support of France and Great Britain, widespread development of electric cars became possible. It was only later on, around 1891, that the Americans paid attention to the electric cars following the creation of an electric wagon that can hold six people by William Morrison and A. L. Ryker.

The Growth of Electric Cars

During their heyday, electric cars performed rather well in terms of speed, distance, and overall performance. In fact, in 1899, Camille Jenatzy was able to go up to 62 miles per hour (mph) or 100 km/h in an electric car called Jamais Contente, which can even go as fast as 66 mph (105.88 km/h) at maximum speed. Due to the great potential of electric cars in the market, the vehicles increased in number steadily through the early 1900s. By 1897, electric taxis were roaming the New York City streets.

Even with the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles in the picture, the electric cars progressed continuously. For a time, the electric cars sold more than the gas-based cars. The electric cars were warmly embraced by the upper class market and mostly in urban areas where light city driving is the norm. The easy to use nature of these vehicles also made them highly ideal for women drivers. However, due to the various limitations of the early electric cars, especially the limited speed, the electric cars could not prove its usefulness as driver demands continued.

Overall, the automotive industry was very much alive, and soon there came steam- and gasoline-powered vehicles in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Electric cars were found to be greatly advantageous over the other types of vehicles in the market because they produced no vibration, no noise, and no smell. They were also easy to use and to maintain unlike gas-powered cars that required gear shifting and steam cars that required longer start-up time and had less range. But since the electric cars were mostly sold to the upper classes, some of the vehicles featured luxurious and ornate carriages and very extravagant materials. All the way until the 1920s, the electric cars enjoyed great popularity.

Early 20th Century Decline of Electric Cars

The electric cars soon met their downfall, brought about by several factors. As more roads were developed, long distance travel became widespread, and the electric cars, which had limited range, could not match up to the needs of the new age. At around the same time, the Texas crude oil was discovered, and gasoline prices significantly fell, making gas-powered vehicles easily within reach of regular consumers. The gas-powered vehicles also received several various improvements (including the invention of the electric starter for automobile by Charles Kettering in 1912) that made them almost as easy to use as the electric cars. Gone were the days of hand-cranking the engine just to be able to drive somewhere.

Soon enough, the demand for ICE, or internal combustion engine, vehicles rose at such a rate that car companies started mass-producing the vehicles to answer to this growing demand. Led by Henry Ford, consumers welcomed several ICE vehicles into the market, and these vehicles were just more affordable and practical than the electric cars.

Despite its fate, the electric cars did not fade into oblivion. They were still used in special cases where the range is expectedly limited. However, when the 1930s came, the electric cars have all but disappeared and cease to be a viable commercial product.

Modern Revival of Electric Cars

It wasn’t until 1966 that U.S. Congress introduced a bill recommending electric cars as solutions to reduce air pollution What followed were a period of hits and misses that included various congressional laws and mandates, car industry attempts at making electric cars viable for consumers, and fleet operators trying out several electric car options in test programs. None proved successful enough as electric cars struggled against yet-ready electric drive technologies, fossil-fuel conglomerates including fuel producers and unwilling car manufacturers, and the general political environment that did not see strong values in electric cars.

In the early 1990s, California passed its Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate that required two percent of the state’s vehicles to have no emissions by 1998 and 10 percent by 2003. But the law did not hold its mandate and became weaker over the years with lower and lower number of ZEVs it required.

During this time frame, a few thousand electric cars were made available from various manufacturers. There were the Chrysler TEVan, the GM EV1, the GM S10 EV, the Honda EV Plus hatchback car, the Ford Ranger EV, the Toyota Rav4 EV, and the Nissan Altra EV. The Toyota Prius sold nearly 18,000 units during its first production year in 1997. Despite this, the car makers did not strongly market the electric cars. The mandate was eventually revoked, faced by the protests of major oil companies, and most electric cars released were recalled and destroyed except for some Toyota Rav4 EV models that still circulated in the used market.

This brings us to the present day.

The Prius is now in its third generation after 12 years on the market; undeniably a great achievement! The Prius now has a true and serious competitor in the Honda Insight 2010. Other hybrid, electric and clean diesel cars by both new and existing carmakers have been announced to hit the market in the next several years. We may now have the perfect environmental, financial, political and technical conditions to truly foster an explosive growth of electric cars.

Sources:

PBS.org “NOW”: Timeline: Life & Death of the Electric Car
Wikipedia “Electric car“
About.com: Inventors “The History of Electric Vehicles“

History of the Electric Car is a post from: CleanCarTalk

smart fortwo cdi: 21 Percent More Power, Still the CO2 Champion

Cuong Huynh — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 19:55:29 +0000

Though there’s still no progress on the availability of the smart fortwo diesel CDI in the U.S., I’m still keeping my faith. Until then though, here’s the latest news on smart fortwo cdi diesel cars.

For model year 2010 the smart fortwo cdi has been given a clear power boost, yet it remains just as economical and environmentally friendly as before. In future the state-of-the-art three-cylinder diesel engine will produce 21 percent more power and deliver approximately 18 percent more maximum torque. Although this extra power makes the popular two-seater car noticeably livelier, it does not affect its exemplary fuel consumption.

As before, it achieves 69 mpg (3.4 litres of diesel per 100 kilometers – NEDC, New European Driving Cycle.) Furthermore, with CO2 emissions of 88 g/km it continues to assert its leading position as the CO2 champion. In addition, from model year 2010 all versions of the smart fortwo including the BRABUS variants will comply with the strict emission limits of the EU5 standard.

The smart fortwo enjoys the worldwide reputation of a car that is perfect for the times we live in. Thanks to its unique concept it takes up minimum road and parking space, boasts low fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions and combines mobility, ecology and joie de vivre in a unique way. For the new model year smart is uncompromisingly continuing its philosophy and making the smart fortwo even more environmentally friendly and attractive.

The most important change: the smart fortwo cdi with a length of 8.8 feet (2.69 meters) is redefining economy and driving fun. Its reengineered diesel engine now has an output of 40 kW/54 hp – seven kW or 21 percent more than its predecessor. Moreover, the new three-cylinder engine delivers maximum torque of 130 Newton meters (an increase of 18 percent). This makes the car that is brimming with lifestyle appeal even more agile and fun to drive. Thanks to the power boost it now sprints from 0 – 62 mph (0 – 100 km/h) in just 16.8 seconds. However, the increased performance does not affect the outstanding fuel consumption and emission figures of the trendy two-seater car. The combined fuel consumption still stands at 69 mpg and the extremely low CO2 emissions of just 88 g/km mean that the smart fortwo cdi is still the CO2 world champion among all production cars with combustion engines.

The 21 percent power increase is primarily realised through modified pistons in conjunction with adjusted injection and charge pressure parameters. Furthermore, thanks to the increased torque it was also possible to lengthen the gear ratios of the third and fourth gears by ten and eleven percent respectively, and to lower the shifting points in the automatic program. This reduces the rpm level in speed ranges used particularly frequently – with benefits in terms of fuel consumption and noise level. The smart fortwo cdi is equipped with a closed diesel particulate filter and emissions are below the limit values laid down in the EU5 standard.

Thanks to optimized engine and transmission management the gasoline models of the popular two-seater car also comply with the demanding EU5 exhaust gas standard. Not only does this help the environment – in many countries it entails clear tax advantages.

New contrast components in shiny pearl black, which further upgrade the interior of the smart fortwo, and a new folding armrest available as an option, provide for increased comfort.

Further optional equipment includes the smart hands-free system with a color display and extensive multimedia functions. It features the sassy design typical of the brand, a Bluetooth® interface, voice control and optional iPod® connection and is perfectly integrated in the vehicle electronics and the audio system. It is simple and safe to operate via a wireless controller on the center console.

All updated smart fortwo variants can be ordered now (except for U.S. I guess.) The prices for the gasoline models are unchanged. In future the 40 kW/54 hp smart fortwo cdi will cost US$ 16,749 (€11 790, May 2009 exchange) as a coupé in the pure equipment line (German price incl. VAT).

smart fortwo cdi: 21 Percent More Power, Still the CO2 Champion is a post from: CleanCarTalk

New Hybrid and Electric Car Choices Can Fail the Car Industry

Cuong Huynh — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:07:51 +0000

Choices are good. For consumers, the more choices and competition the better. It is the foundation that keeps the economy healthy, while fostering better and improved products for consumers at the same time. It is the engine that propels hybrid, electric and clean diesel car technology development to the next level, with tangible benefits for all to enjoy.

However in the current state of development of the low/no emission and high miles-per-gallon (mpg) automobile industry, more technology and choices can cause adverse effects and reaction. The industry is still in development, but companies are announcing products way too early in their development cycle. Too many choices together with new, unfamiliar technologies can lead to greater confusion.

So car manufacturers should approach customers with a smarter and better marketing. More noise and louder noise won’t do the trick, but education and clear value proposition will make a difference. Otherwise, facing a barrage of marketing pitches with no clear standards and benefits, consumers will just ignore your messages.

What are your views on the many technologies to come out in the next 2-3 years for hybrid, electric and clean diesel cars? Are you having a tough time understand new offerings from car manufacturers? Would you pay a premium for these hi-tech cars when gas prices stay below $4? Share your comments with us.

New Hybrid and Electric Car Choices Can Fail the Car Industry is a post from: CleanCarTalk

Sin Taxes: Cleaner Cars, Improved MPG and Lower Global Warming Risk?

Cuong Huynh — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 22:46:27 +0000

There are many ways to help solve the current high prices at the gas pumps, improve passenger car miles per gallon (mpg), and curve global warming trends. Just look at your favorite news outlets and you’ll find debates and ideas abound on how to solve this problem. One of them includes implementing sin taxes.

Sin taxes to help the development of hybrid cars, electric cars, plug-in cars and clean diesel cars? Let take a look.

Sin taxes refer to new types of “creative” taxes borne out of cash-strapped states and cities that governors, legislatures and mayors are proposing. Think plastic bag tax, obesity tax (soft drink), junk food tax and gas guzzler tax. Expanding a step further on the gas guzzler tax, what if we give it a more positive twist. Something like “green tax”?

But seriously, whatever we call it, we’ll all have to recognize the importance behind a “green tax “and think about it carefully before dismissing it as just another tax. We all have a choice in what we choose to drive. The key thing here is the reason behind our choices. Other than people who need certain types of vehicles to make a living, many of us have a simple need in a vehicle: to get us to and from work reliably every day and the occasional pleasure trips. The problem is we, collectively as a nation/group/people, have our behaviors to blame for not making good and educated choices.

Education and behavioral change will help get us out of the oil dependency and global warming bind. Instead of leaving it up to the mass to continue and make bad choices, we’ll need help with our education and behaviors to begin heading in the right direction. Just like many other laws already in force and doing good, a “green tax” can help us achieve good things. Whatever we decide to do, consumer behaviors must be at the top of the list of things to change.

This is because there is no reason for the mass to buy hybrid cars, electric cars, plug-in cars or even clean diesel cars. This is especially true when gas prices are below $3-4 per gallon. The “green tax”, if done right, can help stabilize gas prices, and together with other tax incentives, will be strong reasons to buy cleaner cars.

So no one likes taxes. But with the oil dependency and global warming crises, shifting people’s behaviors will be essential. Sin taxes, and more specifically “green taxes”, are one way for us to make progress. And when the consumers make good, sensible choices, car manufacturers will have to meet such demands. This means better, cleaner cars.

Would you support a “green tax”, knowing you’ll help developing cleaner cars and lowering global warming risks in the long run? Is this a worthy investment? Please share your thoughts and opinions.

Sin Taxes: Cleaner Cars, Improved MPG and Lower Global Warming Risk? is a post from: CleanCarTalk

Clean Diesel Cars Compendium

Cuong Huynh — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 03:27:31 +0000

Updated 06-08-09. Diesel cars have always been able to get high mpg, or miles per gallon. With a combination of new technologies and regulations comes a new breed of clean diesel cars. This Diesel Cars Compendium aims to track diesel cars that are clean and efficient, achieving at least 30 mpg in any driving condition. For now the list will only list cars available beginning in early 2009 and beyond. The compendium will be updated regularly as new information becomes available. For suggestion or correction please use the contact form following the table.

Click on a column heading to sort.

Make and Model	Country of Origin	Model Year	EPA mpg (city/hwy)	MSRP (USD)	Notes
Audi A3 2.0 TDI	Germany	2010	45	$26,920 - $36,975(?)	2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine yields 140 horsepower and 236, pound-feet of torque; 6-speed automatic transmission
BMW 116d	Germany	2009	64.2 combined (non EPA)	$26,303 (3-dr)-$27,095(5-dr)	Not available in US. Available as either a three- or five-door hatch, the BMW 116d is powered by a somewhat detuned 2.0L turbo-diesel engine producing 116 HP and 191 Ft-Lbs of torque; 0 to 60 time: approximately 10 seconds; top speed: 125 mph.
BMW 335d	Germany	2009	33	$44,725	155 mph, 0 to 62 mph in 6.0 seconds and 428 lb.-ft. of torque;
VW Jetta TDI	Germany	2009	30 city/41 hw	22,270	First 50-state legal diesel car; real world driving has achieved 50+ combined mpg; four cylinder 2.0-liter engine produces 140 hp and 236 lb.-ft. of torque.

Please use the form on our Contact page to send your suggestion or correction regarding the information in Diesel Cars Compendium.

Clean Diesel Cars Compendium is a post from: CleanCarTalk

A collection of YouTube videos of smart fortwo cdi cars

Cuong Huynh — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 01:11:36 +0000

This is a collection of interesting smart fortwo cdi diesel cars on YouTube. New videos will be added as I find them.

E-Mobility Brings Electric Cars to Berlin. (2:33)
Sept 08 -- With e-mobility Berlin, Daimler AG and RWE AG launched the worlds largest joint project for environmentally friendly electric cars.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyYn9qH_Nd0

Very cold start Smart CDI turbodiesel. (2:18)
3 January 2008, -26°c. The car is stop in the yard since 2 days. CDI diesel technologie is so “Smart”!!!

1000 Km in the Smart fortwo CDI. (4:14)
The Smart fortwo needs only 33 liter in 1000 Km. Driving 15000 km a year, the Smart driver only has to visit the pumps 15 times.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VAXWrNojlw

SMART ForTwo CDI -- Auto Video. (1:57)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9Wb14jnBYY

200 000 km. (2:29)
Reflecting on the first few years of owning a smart fortwo cdi, just before rolling over 200 000 km. Amazing machine.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MBFdHiQeMQ

A collection of YouTube videos of smart fortwo cdi cars is a post from: CleanCarTalk