Our Next Big Thing is testing grounds: first in the fleets and then mass production will come. Economics and driving range are already here:
" The Maya 300 is a compact sedan with a range of 60 miles from the 12 kilowatt-hour battery. An optional 27 kilowatt-hour pack doubles the range. The battery recharges in 6 to 8 hours when plugged into a 110-volt line and needs half that time when plugged into a 220. Electrovaya says driving 50 miles will cost a dollar."
Technology must be tested and cost to come down with mass production cycle. From recent news we can say that East is more aggressive in its move into Electric Cars rim, with west still lacking technology in its mass market applications.
"Electrovaya (TSX:EFL) is a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of its proprietary Lithium Ion SuperPolymer® battery systems. Electrovaya's mission is to accelerate clean transportation as a commercial reality with its advanced power systems for all classes of zero-emission electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Electrovaya also offers battery-related consumer products primarily focused on the healthcare market."
Baltimore has rolled out an electric car sharing program featuring 10 small city cars that deliver as much as 120 miles per charge, and the people behind the program hope to see it catch on in other cities.
Battery maker Electrovaya is providing its Maya 300 for rent through the Maryland Science Center in the city’s Inner Harbor district. City residents and tourists can tool around in four-door hatchbacks available online at AltCar.org for as little as $7.50 an hour. Although Electrovaya isn’t tryting to squeeze into ZipCar’s market, the head of the science center said there’s no reason the program couldn’t be launched elsewhere.
“Baltimore is first, but this is a model other cities could copy,” Vin Reiner, president and CEO of the science center, said Wednesday. “There are several cities that would benefit from an electric car share program.”
The Maya 300 is powered by a lithium-ion polymer battery built by Electrovaya with help from a company that might surprise you.
ExxonMobil developed the battery separator film used in the battery pack. The company says the film increases the power, stability and safety of lithium ion batteries. ExxonMobil also contributed $500,000 to launch the car share program.
The Maya 300 is a compact sedan with a range of 60 miles from the 12 kilowatt-hour battery. An optional 27 kilowatt-hour pack doubles the range. The battery recharges in 6 to 8 hours when plugged into a 110-volt line and needs half that time when plugged into a 220. Electrovaya says driving 50 miles will cost a dollar.
Sankar Das Gupta, CEO of Electrovaya, said the Maya 300 features the amenities you’d expect in a conventional car. It weighs about 2,000 pounds, has a 15 kilowatt (20 horsepower) permanent magnet motor and is limited to a top speed of 35 mph because it is classified as a neighborhood electric car. That isn’t much, but Reiner said it’s sufficient for city driving.
“It’s not possible to go much more than 35 mph in Baltimore,” he said.
Electrovaya and the science center announced the program Tuesday, but the cars won’t be available to the public until Aug. 1. Signing up requires a $25 application fee to pay for the background check and a $50 membership fee.
Gupta said the Maya 300 is perfect for city dwellers and the car share program is a great way to expose people to a “game-changer” in urban transportation. Although most of the major automakers are developing electric cars using lithium-ion batteries, he said the Maya 300 “is a normal lithium-ion car you can buy today.”
Well, sort of. The car is available only to fleets. Gupta said fleet use is a great proving ground for the technology and can lead to further improvements, and selling to fleets provides the volume needed to bring costs down. Electrovaya is working on a vehicle capable of freeway speeds. Gupta said it will be based on the Maya 300 and “I would really like to have it out this calendar year.”
That car also will be available only to fleets, and there are no immediate plans to make any of the vehicles available to the public."
Battery maker Electrovaya is providing its Maya 300 for rent through the Maryland Science Center in the city’s Inner Harbor district. City residents and tourists can tool around in four-door hatchbacks available online at AltCar.org for as little as $7.50 an hour. Although Electrovaya isn’t tryting to squeeze into ZipCar’s market, the head of the science center said there’s no reason the program couldn’t be launched elsewhere.
“Baltimore is first, but this is a model other cities could copy,” Vin Reiner, president and CEO of the science center, said Wednesday. “There are several cities that would benefit from an electric car share program.”
The Maya 300 is powered by a lithium-ion polymer battery built by Electrovaya with help from a company that might surprise you.
ExxonMobil developed the battery separator film used in the battery pack. The company says the film increases the power, stability and safety of lithium ion batteries. ExxonMobil also contributed $500,000 to launch the car share program.
The Maya 300 is a compact sedan with a range of 60 miles from the 12 kilowatt-hour battery. An optional 27 kilowatt-hour pack doubles the range. The battery recharges in 6 to 8 hours when plugged into a 110-volt line and needs half that time when plugged into a 220. Electrovaya says driving 50 miles will cost a dollar.
Sankar Das Gupta, CEO of Electrovaya, said the Maya 300 features the amenities you’d expect in a conventional car. It weighs about 2,000 pounds, has a 15 kilowatt (20 horsepower) permanent magnet motor and is limited to a top speed of 35 mph because it is classified as a neighborhood electric car. That isn’t much, but Reiner said it’s sufficient for city driving.
“It’s not possible to go much more than 35 mph in Baltimore,” he said.
Electrovaya and the science center announced the program Tuesday, but the cars won’t be available to the public until Aug. 1. Signing up requires a $25 application fee to pay for the background check and a $50 membership fee.
Gupta said the Maya 300 is perfect for city dwellers and the car share program is a great way to expose people to a “game-changer” in urban transportation. Although most of the major automakers are developing electric cars using lithium-ion batteries, he said the Maya 300 “is a normal lithium-ion car you can buy today.”
Well, sort of. The car is available only to fleets. Gupta said fleet use is a great proving ground for the technology and can lead to further improvements, and selling to fleets provides the volume needed to bring costs down. Electrovaya is working on a vehicle capable of freeway speeds. Gupta said it will be based on the Maya 300 and “I would really like to have it out this calendar year.”
That car also will be available only to fleets, and there are no immediate plans to make any of the vehicles available to the public."
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