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Hybrid Vehicles Electric Vehicles Which Automaker will have the first EV in the USA?
60 messages, Last post on Aug 27, 2009 at 5:59 PM
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Nissan Motor Co. unveiled a new prototype electric vehicle Wednesday with batteries twice as powerful as conventional technology, aiming to take a lead in zero-emission cars. Japan's third-largest automaker said the front-wheel drive, boxy-shaped car has a newly developed 80 kilowatt motor with advanced lithium-ion batteries installed under the vehicle's floor to avoid taking up space. The laminated batteries, jointly developed with electronics giant NEC Corp., pack twice the electric power of conventional nickel-metal hydride batteries currently used in hybrid and electric cars, it said. Nissan aims to start selling an electric car in the United States and Japan in 2010 and the rest of the world in 2012. It will have a new "unique bodystyle" that is not based on any existing model, the company said.  http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080806085901.thpknii3&show_article=1&ima- ge=large |
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this was already a done deal, and that Tesla got the prize? Admittedly, they won't have a volume offering at the current $109,000 asking price, but that's another story!  I would love to see all the Big 6 get involved and offer small electric vehicles that are full-duty (highway-capable), not like these little GEM cars we already have. The first one to offer such a car for prices comparable to (if not quite as low) same-size gas-powered cars will have a huge hit on their hands, I would think. But what about supply bottlenecks on batteries? Is Nissan going to run into the same problems with supply that Toyota has with the Prius? |
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Replying to: nippononly (Aug 06, 2008 12:18 pm) I think that Mitsubishi is close to delivering an EV also. I agree it will have to be priced right. If it is basic transportation it needs to be under $20k. I like the box design. Always seemed the most practical for everyday use. The first xB was cool. If they had not tried to rape me I would have bought one for a runabout. They are not worth $20k as the dealer thought.
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Replying to: gagrice (Aug 06, 2008 12:27 pm) I would love to see Nissan produce an electric version of the Cube. They are bringing over the gas version next year (which may just put the final nail in Scion's coffin) and it would be such a practical car for their first electric model. Seats four adults comfortably, lots of cargo space, gas version only costs $15K. I would bet they could deliver the electric version for an asking price under $20K. iluvmysephia has been going on for quite some time about the Mitsubishi MIEV (is that the right name?), which is not too far off, from what I have gathered with only limitied interest. Funny that Honda, with working NG and fuel cell cars, not to mention hybrids, has made no mention of plans to develop an electric vehicle based just on household/roadside recharging.
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Replying to: nippononly (Aug 06, 2008 12:33 pm) Tesla must be alive and well. Says they are on track to deliver 560 cars this year. They have hired a high powered designer. We have obtained exclusive information about Franz von Holzhausen's next career move. On Thursday of last week, von Holzhausen resigned from Mazda, where he was Director of Design at the R&D Design Center in Irvine CA, to become the Design Director at Tesla Motors. "It's going to be an exciting adventure," von Holzhausen told us in an exclusive interview. "I'm looking forward to working at a new startup company that doesn't have the confines of a large OEM." Tesla will be looking to produce a range of new cars according to the famed designer. While the Tesla Roadster was designed by Lotus, Tesla founder and Chairman Elon Musk is "looking to produce electric vehicles for the masses and wanted to bring design in house." According to insiders, von Holzhausen was 'cherry picked' for that task. A graduate from Art Center College of Design, von Holzhausen began his career as Assistant Chief Designer in VW's Design Center California and was involved in various projects from the Concept One to the Microbus. He has also served as Design Manager at General Motors where he was responsible for designing and managing the concept and production design process for the Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky, Chevy SS, and various other GM programs. |
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Replying to: nippononly (Aug 06, 2008 12:18 pm) I think Toyota's battery supply problems are due to them keeping battery production in house and underestimating the demand. They are currently working on doubling their capacity but it will take a couple of years.
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I suppose I should have named this thread "Who Will make the First Practical EV for the USA". There are a lot of EVs in our history. A couple came real close. Such as the RAV4 EV and the EV-1. |
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Replying to: tpe (Aug 06, 2008 4:00 pm) 2010 is not that far off. We should see a lot of interesting technology by then. |
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Replying to: gagrice (Aug 06, 2008 4:02 pm) 78 mph top speed, 117 mile range, using NiMH batteries, drove just like their gas counterparts except for the lower top speed, and offered the same interior utility. Sticker, of course, was $42K, but tax credits at the time brought the real-world price down below $30K. They mainly leased them but they did sell a few. The EV1 was pretty fab too, but unlike Toyota GM chose not to sell any and to pull them all off the road at lease end and crush them. I still see a RAV4 EV every once in a while. I think their owners loved them, and they must be REALLY loving them now! The RAV4 EV was pretty practical. You may think that at $30K they were not a good value, but they had practicality in spades. I can't wait until Nissan brings out the first one that is affordable to all.
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Replying to: nippononly (Aug 06, 2008 9:29 pm)
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