Showing posts with label Fast Charging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fast Charging. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Lithium Jolt: Nissan Leaf electric car coming to Europe in 2012 ilc.v, tnr.v, czx.v, rm.v, lmr.v, abn.v, asm.v, btt.v, bva.v, bvg.v, epz.v, fst.v, gbn.v, hao.v, jnn.v, ks.v, ktn.v, kxm.v, mgn, mxr.v, rvm.to, svb, ura.v, nup.ax, srz.ax, usa.ax



  Nissan Europe: "Our mid-term plan is to have 10s of thousand Quick Chargers by the middle of this decade" - it can be another game changer for electric cars. Charging technology is improving fast as well - new Quick Chargers are coming significantly cheaper and half the size. Industry wide standardisation will be the key to the wide spread electric mobility. Lithium batteries are promised to be better and cheaper as well - we have all ingredients in place for the Energy transition to start happening for real now.



Lithium Drive: The Nissan LEAF proves slick in wintry test drives in northern Japan

  "Electric Cars are not toys any more and Nissan Leaf has already proved its durability after tsunami in Japan last year. Technology will improve further, but already today we have the solution for the Energy Transition from Oil to more sustainable  renewable sources."


Lithium Drive: 10,000 sold! Nissan's Leaf makes electric vehicle history 


01/20/12 Despite falling a few hundred units short of its 10,000 unit target for the year, Nissan finally broke that barrier last week. Therefore becoming the first brand to ever reach the 10,000 unit mark in sales for a mainstream, mass-produced electric car.





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Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Lithium Charge: Beijing to Build 42,000 Electric Car Charging Posts Within 5 Years ilc.v, tnr.v, czx.v, rm.v, lmr.v, abn.v, asm.v, btt.v, bva.v, bvg.v, epz.v, fst.v, gbn.v, hao.v, jnn.v, ks.v, ktn.v, kxm.v, mgn, mxr.v, rvm.to, svb, ura.v, nup.ax, srz.ax, usa.ax

    

  China is moving fast into the Electric space despite all the gloom and doom in the markets these days. Not everything will be smooth, but technology and underlining demand to get rid of Oil dependence will drive this process forward.


 We have very interesting report on development of Lithium industry in China as part of the strategic  New-Energy Automobile Industries in China's 12th Five Year Plan. Lithium batteries and materials industry is at the heart of this transition to the electric cars and is growing very rapidly in China now. Report expects the fast growth in this sector in China, when security of Lithium supply will be crucial for further developments.
  We are following here International Lithium Corp. - Canadian junior Lithium developer with strategic partner from China - Ganfeng Lithium, which is mentioned in the report as well. Company has announced the extensive exploration program in Canada and will start its work on Mariana Lithium brine  project in Argentina this Fall."


InventorSpot:



by China.new

China's drivers have accepted electric cars wholeheartedly but as unit sales rise, so have worries about the infrastructure required to support a fossil-fuel-free driving lifestyle. City planners estimate the number of electric vehicles registered in Beijing will hit 100,000 by 2015. That's a lot of plugs looking for outlets!

Currently electric car drivers can choose from 19 existing charging stations, with a further 39 due to be completed by the end of 2011. Plans are in the works to vastly increase the availability of charging points, however, with a set goal of 256 charging stations, 210 distribution stations and 42,000 charging posts to be established within the next 5 years.

“Many consumers buy a car not only to commute but also to meet other needs,” explained a representative from the State Grid Corporation of China's Beijing office who pointed out that these needs – worry-free commuting, for example – “are hard for the electric car to satisfy at this time. Authorities have to improve services to promote it.”

And they DO want to promote it. Statistics provided by the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development & Reform underline the importance of electric vehicles when it comes to saving fuel and reducing air pollution: having 100,000 electric vehicles on Beijing's streets could save an estimated one million tons of gasoline annually.

It's taken several decades for oil companies to build enough service stations to meet the expectations of Beijing drivers so matching the penetration rate of gas stations in only half a decade is a lofty, though attainable, goal.

Success won't be judged just by numbers, however, but by the pleasure felt by electric vehicle drivers who no longer need to worry about running out of juice between charging points. By the looks of it, their cars will be pleased as well. (via Want China Times, images via AsiaBizz, China Development Gateway, and Cestar)
Steve Levenstein
CHINA.new
InventorSpot.com"
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Sunday, July 24, 2011

Lithium Charge On The Go: How to find Charging Stations for Electric Cars ilc.v, tnr.v, czx.v, cgp.v, alk.ax, lmr.v, rm.v, nup.ax, srz.ax, usa.ax, jnn.v, abn.v, ura.v, mxr.v, tsla, res, mcp, avl.to, quc.v, cee.v, sqm, fmc, roc, li.v, wlc.v, clq.v, lit, nsany, byddf, gm, dai, rno.pa, hev, aone, vlnc



  We have a very good article on development of Charging Infrastructure in U.S. and how to find the Charging Station on the roads. We will provide few more links for our readers.



 "Lithium Charge: Ikea to Host ECOtality’s Charging Stations. It is the very important development. Charging infrastructure is coming on now and partnerships between DOE, private capital and places like Ikea, Walmart, Restaurant chains, Starbucks etc. will be the necessary catalyst to spread the EV adoption very fast. Electricity is everywhere already, we just need to build the "last mile" to consumer - it will be even faster than with Internet."

"Lithium Charge: Bottled Lightning: Superbatteries, Electric Cars, and the New Lithium Economy. Finally, we have the first book about the Lithium economy and Electric Cars - this Bull is still in its infancy now, just look around - how many Electric Cars can you see. For us it is like Gold and Silver in 2003 when nobody cared about it. This mega trend - Peak Oil multiplied by Inflation - will be even more powerful. Ugly Truth about diminishing Oil supply with constantly increasing demandwill make its way to the headlines again with higher Gas prices. Be prepared and tell the others - this time is coming and we can be ready for it. Time to act is now."


Car Stations.com: http://carstations.com/






HeraldNet:




New charging stations will soon give electric cars freedom to roam
By Bill Sheets, Herald Writer


BRIER -- Mark Schnell and his wife, Renee, love their new, all-electric Nissan Leaf but they leave it at home on road trips.

The Brier couple charge their Leaf with a unit built into their garage and use their Volvo when venturing out of town.

While more than 50 charging stations are available to the public in the Seattle-Tacoma area, only a handful are up and running in areas north. Four are located in Snohomish County and two on Whidbey Island.

One of the biggest obstacles to the use of electric cars has been a lack of public places for drivers to charge their batteries.

That's beginning to change. The number of charging stations is poised to make a surge.

Fueled by millions in grant money first approved as part of the federal economic stimulus package, state, local governments and businesses are working at an accelerated pace to set up charging stations.

By the end of the year, the Schnells or anyone else with a chargeable vehicle will be able to drive an "electric highway" to Canada, Oregon or across Stevens Pass without having to worry about running out of juice.

The state, with a $1.3 million federal grant, is planning nine new stations on I-5 and U.S. 2. Earlier this month, the state awarded a contract to AeroVironment of Monrovia, Calif., for the work.

The stations will be installed north of Everett on I-5; between Everett and Leavenworth on U.S. 2 and south of Olympia on I-5. Most of the specific locations have yet to be determined.

The state's new stations will be located 40 to 60 miles apart. The average range for a fully charged Leaf -- the first mass produced, all-electric car introduced in the Puget Sound market -- is about 100 miles.

With these stations, and the public stations available in the Seattle-Tacoma area, two major highways in Western Washington will be electric-car friendly.

The coming jump in charging stations is coinciding with an increase in the number of electric vehicles available, such as the Leaf and the Chevy Volt. Both cars became available in the area late last year.

The federal, state and local governments and businesses are working together to expand the network of charging stations, and in turn the number of vehicles that can use them, said Tonia Buell, a state Department of Transportation spokeswoman. Similar efforts are being undertaken in other parts of the country, especially the West Coast, she said.

For example, the state is coordinating with a San Francisco-based charging-station manufacturer, ECOtality, that is working with $20 million in grant money to build stations in the central Puget Sound area. ECOtality is focusing its efforts between Everett and Olympia while the state is concentrating outside the greater Seattle area, Buell said.

ECOtality also has an agreement with Nissan and Chevrolet to install charging stations in the homes of people who buy the cars -- such as the Schnells. The Schnells' station came free of charge under the condition they agreed to supply information to ECOtality, such details about their driving habits, for the first year, Mark Schnell said.

ECOtality has built more than 400 charging stations so far in people's homes in the central Puget Sound area, in addition to the 50-plus public outlets, said Rich Feldman, Pacific Northwest regional manager for ECOtality.

The cost of installing the stations varies greatly, Buell said. Low- and mid-voltage outlets can be put in for under $3,000, but the fastest chargers can cost $80,000 to $110,000, she said. Also, public stations need to be sturdier than the versions installed in garages, she said.

The stations installed along I-5 and U.S. 2 will charge some type of fee to help cover the cost of the fast-charge outlets, Buell said. Each of the state's "electric highway" stations will include a fast-charging, "level-three," 440-volt outlet that can power up an electric car from zero to fully charged in less than 30 minutes. Each station also will include a level-two, 220-volt outlet, which will cost less for users and take up to four to six hours for a full charge.

Most of the stations will be located at private retail locations such as shopping malls, where users sometimes may shop, eat or have coffee while charging up, Buell said.

Charging stations currently available to the public in Snohomish and Island counties are located at Magic Nissan in Everett and Campbell-Nelson Nissan in Edmonds; the Public Safety Complex in Edmonds; the Stevens Pass ski area; at Whidbey Telecom, a phone and Internet provider, in Freeland on Whidbey Island; and at China City restaurant in Oak Harbor.

Restaurant owner Jack Ng also has installed a station at his restaurant of the same name in Freeland, which will be up and running when the electricity is hooked up, he said.

Almost all of the public stations operating now are free of charge. Of the approximately 200 total stations in the Pacific Northwest, less than 10 actually charge a fee, according to James Billmaier of Woodinville, author of "Jolt! The Impending Dominance of the Electric Car."

Eventually, most stations will probably charge a fee of 50 cents to $1, said Billmaier, an investor and adviser to ChargePoint, a California company that has built many of the local stations.

For now, though, "there is so much benefit to having drivers come to your place of business," he said.

In addition to the state's and ECOtality's plans, Snohomish County is installing public charging stations in its downtown Everett parking garage and in some major parks, public works director Steve Thomsen said. They're expected to be ready by the end of the year. The city of Edmonds, which already has the one public station available, plans to install six more by November.

By then, there will likely be more customers to use them.

Campbell-Nelson Nissan in Edmonds has sold 125 Leafs and has filled orders for about another 70, said Ray Ishak, who does Internet sales at the dealership.

Magic Nissan in Everett has sold more than 40 Leafs with about 15 more on order, said Bob Hansen, who works in sales for the Leaf at the dealership.

The Chevy Volt became available in some parts of the country late last year.

Roy Robinson Chevrolet in Marysville has been taking orders and the cars are expected to be available in September, dealership president Gordy Bjorg said.

The Volt can run either on plug-in electricity or conventional fuel. The all-electric range is about 35 miles, after which its gasoline engine powers a generator that in turn powers the electric battery. Its total range is 375 miles. This differs from hybrid-electic cars, such as the Toyota Prius, which do not have plug-in capability.

The Volt retails for around $40,000, the Leaf around $33,000. Each comes with a $7,500 federal tax credit and exemption from state sales and motor-vehicle excise taxes.

The Leaf actually recharges itself when idling or coasting, making it the opposite of a gasoline-powered engine -- it gets better mileage in the city than on the highway, Ishak said. It can go anywhere from 70 to 130 miles on a full charge, he said.

Also, use of air conditioning and heat draw from the battery, meaning that the Leaf runs most efficiently in temperatures between 35 and 90 degrees.

"Seattle is ideal," Ishak said.

Schnell said he and Renee have driven the Leaf about 1,400 miles so far -- for a total charging cost of about $37.

"It is great around town," Schnell said. "It is fantastic, it is absolutely wonderful."

Soon, the couple will be able to take it on the road as well.



How to find charging stations

At least four websites help drivers find public charging stations:

The U.S. Department of Energy: http://tinyurl.com/3kjzcrm




For more information on financial incentives for purchasing an electric vehicle or charging station, visit GoElectricDrive at http://tinyurl.com/3bymodf.



Charging speeds

Three main types of chargers are used for electric vehicles.

Fastest: Level three, approximately 440 volts, 30 minutes.

Next fastest: Level two, approximately 220 volts, four to six hours.

Slowest: Level one, 110 volts, eight to 10 hours.

Most home chargers are levels one and two, while most public chargers so far are level two. The state plans to install level two and level three chargers on I-5 and U.S. 2 later this year."
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Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Lithium Charge: Proposed: 4,000 electric car charging stations across West Michigan ilc.v, tnr.v, czx.v, cgp.v, alk.ax, lmr.v, rm.v, nup.ax, srz.ax, usa.ax, jnn.v, abn.v, ura.v, mxr.v, tsla, res, mcp, avl.to, quc.v, cee.v, sqm, fmc, roc, li.v, wlc.v, clq.v, lit, nsany, byddf, gm, dai, rno.pa, hev, aone, vlnc

  

  Charging infrastructure is crucial to the roll out of Electric Cars and it is coming online all across the world now. China is in the lead with its 12th Five Year plan which is making the Electric Cars one of the strategic industries, but West is standing up to the challenge and we have another very encouraging news today.

"Peak Oil: Getting Off Oil - A 50-State Roadmap for Curbing Our Dependence on Petroleum. Can Warren Buffett be right again, this time with his call Electric Cars? It is happening, it is happening now. "Lithium Drive: Warren Buffett: "In not many years, you are going to see a clear change towards Electric Cars"    Warren Buffett first pronounced in November 2009: "In 20 years, all cars on the road will be electric" Now we can hear his call on Electric Cars from the Master himself. He has invested in BYD - Chinese auto maker and Lithium battery company, which promise to bring its Electric Cars to U.S. BYD has made later investment in Lithium producer in China. We are in a very good company with our Lithium Dreamz."

Mlive.com:




Published: Tuesday, July 12, 2011, 7:36 PM     Updated: Wednesday, July 13, 2011, 10:07 AM
Greg Chandler | The Grand Rapids Press 




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Monday, June 06, 2011

Lithium Drive: On demand EV motorcycle charging stations with iphone app ilc.v tnr.v, czx.v, cgp.v, alk.ax, lmr.v, rm.v, nup.ax, srz.ax, usa.ax, jnn.v, abn.v, ura.v, mxr.v, tsla, res, mcp, avl.to, quc.v, cee.v, sqm, fmc, roc, li.v, wlc.v, clq.v, lit, nsany, byddf, gm, dai, rno.pa, hev, aone, vlnc


  Europe takes electrification of its transportation very seriously. Prices for gas are more than double the US level in places like UK. E-bikes will be the rapidly growing sector in Europe and Asia.

"Lithium Charge: Germany to pay bln euro subsidy for electric cars. Finally, we have a decisive move by the German government to support the roll out of Electric Cars. We hope that from now on German automakers will follow. 
  We have a very strange feeling that German automakers were taken by surprise by the real shift towards Electric Cars and Lithium based technology. Billions were burnt on Hydrogen and "Clean" diesel. Problem with both that they are still in need of fossil fuels, which are running out according to the estimates of German military analysts."
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Sunday, June 05, 2011

Lithium Drive: Electric car fast-chargers coming to I-5 in Ore. ilc.v tnr.v, czx.v, cgp.v, alk.ax, lmr.v, rm.v, nup.ax, srz.ax, usa.ax, jnn.v, abn.v, ura.v, mxr.v, tsla, res, mcp, avl.to, quc.v, cee.v, sqm, fmc, roc, li.v, wlc.v, clq.v, lit, nsany, byddf, gm, dai, rno.pa, hev, aone, vlnc


  Here comes Fast Charging infrastructure - at least in Oregon now and Washington state has announced similar plans along I5 before.  AeroViromet was selected to build the first phase of I5 Green Highway.

"Lithium Drive: Nissan Leaf made 800 miles trip in 24 hours with Fast Charging. Infrastructure will be very important for the Electric Cars, Fast Charging provides the reasonable solution even now, when actual Fast Charging points are few and far between. In order to endorse the transition to the Electric Cars infrastructure needs to be built and this process is ongoing now. Like with Internet - fiber optic networks built in 90s provide us now with Google, Facebook and Twitters. 
"Lithium Drive: Warren Buffett: "In not many years, you are going to see a clear change towards Electric Cars" Warren Buffett first pronounced in November 2009: "In 20 years, all cars on the road will be electric" Now we can hear his call on Electric Cars from the Master himself. He has invested in BYD - Chinese auto maker and Lithium battery company, which promise to bring its Electric Cars to U.S. BYD has made later investment in Lithium producer in China. We are in a very good company with our Lithium Dreamz."





Bloomberg:

Electric car fast-chargers coming to I-5 in Ore.


By JEFF BARNARD


GRANTS PASS, ORE.

A series of fast-charging stations for electric cars will be installed this year along Interstate 5 in Southern Oregon to become one of the first links in a Green Highway stretching down the West Coast from Canada to Mexico.

The Oregon Department of Transportation announced Wednesday that AeroVironment has been chosen to build eight level-3 DC fast-charging stations between Eugene and the California border under a $700,000 federal stimulus grant. The Monrovia, Calif.-based company manufactures unmanned aircraft and industrial charging stations for electric forklifts and aircraft tenders.

AeroVironment Vice President Kristen Helsel said the company hopes to start building by the end of summer and have the charging stations up and running before the end of December.

Though fewer than 50 electric cars are driving around Oregon, the installation of fast-charging stations will build acceptance for electric vehicles by making it possible for people to take trips beyond the typical range of 100 miles, said John MacArthur, a project manager at Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium in Portland.

"It's pretty exciting," he said. "We're in this kind of leading edge of electrification."

The AeroVironment fast-charging stations are separate from the EV Project, a partnership between the federal government and ECOtality of San Francisco, which is working on installing 14,000 charging stations in six states and the District of Columbia, including Oregon, Washington and California.

Level 1 car chargers use 110 volts, like a regular home outlet, and will charge a vehicle overnight. Level 2 uses 240 volts, like a home dryer or range, and will charge a car in three or four hours. Level 3 uses 480 volts and can take a Nissan Leaf's 45 kilowatt battery from a 20 percent charge to 80 percent in less than 30 minutes, the company said.

It uses a universal connection on a cable that plugs into the car. The cost of using one of the chargers has not been set yet, said Helsel.

The fast-charging stations will be spaced 30 miles apart and located within a quarter mile of the interstate in places such as convenience stores and gas stations, still to be chosen, where a driver can find a rest room and other amenities, said project director Art James of ODOT.

The governors of Oregon, Washington and California signed an agreement last year to create a Green Highway corridor so people with electric cars could eventually drive from Vancouver, British Columbia, to San Diego, James said.

The nation's first publicly accessible level 3 fast-charging station is in Oregon, said MacArthur. Installed by Portland General Electric, it is located in the basement of the World Trade Center in Portland.

The EV Project is installing about 1,000 level 2 charges chargers and a few fast-chargers in the Willamette Valley between Eugene and Portland, said MacArthur. By 2012, fast-chargers should start showing up on the Oregon Coast, in the Cascades and along Interstate 84, he said."
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Friday, June 03, 2011

Lithium Drive: Nissan Leaf made 800 miles trip in 24 hours with Fast Charging ilc.v tnr.v, czx.v, cgp.v, alk.ax, lmr.v, rm.v, nup.ax, srz.ax, usa.ax, jnn.v, abn.v, ura.v, mxr.v, tsla, res, mcp, avl.to, quc.v, cee.v, sqm, fmc, roc, li.v, wlc.v, clq.v, lit, nsany, byddf, gm, dai, rno.pa, hev, aone, vlnc


  Infrastructure will be very important for the Electric Cars, Fast Charging provides the reasonable solution even now, when actual Fast Charging points are few and far between. In order to endorse the transition to the Electric Cars infrastructure needs to be built and this process is ongoing now. Like with Internet - fiber optic networks built in 90s provide us now with Google, Facebook and Twitters. 

"Lithium Drive: Warren Buffett: "In not many years, you are going to see a clear change towards Electric Cars" Warren Buffett first pronounced in November 2009: "In 20 years, all cars on the road will be electric" Now we can hear his call on Electric Cars from the Master himself. He has invested in BYD - Chinese auto maker and Lithium battery company, which promise to bring its Electric Cars to U.S. BYD has made later investment in Lithium producer in China. We are in a very good company with our Lithium Dreamz."

  AutoBlogGreen:

Video: Dutch duo drives Nissan Leaf 779.2 miles in... 24 hours

Nissan Leaf 24-hour road trip
Nissa Leaf 24-hour road trip – Click above to watch video after the jump

Some say that electric vehicles aren't suitable for long-distance journeys. Some doubt that advanced lithium-ion battery packs can withstand the torture of several Level 3 charges within a single day.

Here's why those naysayers are wrong: a Dutch duo has driven a Nissan Leaf exactly 1,254 kilometers (779.19 miles) in just 24 hours. The team recharged the electric hatch numerous (our guess is at least 10) times using quick-charge stations during the so-called "24 Hour Electric Vehicle Road Trip." The Leaf didn't falter. No overheating battery. No tow trucks needed.

Want to see for yourself? Hit the jump to catch a video of the pair driving the electric Leaf nearly 800 miles in one single day.

[Source: YouTube via All Cars Electric]


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