Sens4Miles

Electric cars are the future, says Nissan

Never mind hybrid cars - and forget hydrogen power - because the future of the automobile is electric, Nissan says.

The company's best engineering brains said last week the quest for environmentally sustainable private transportation in the coming decade will be plug-in, rechargeable electric cars.

Nissan is backing this thinking with a firm pledge: it will have an electric car in showrooms in the US and Japan in 2010, with a view to selling the cars globally in 2012.

Nissan's partner Renault (they share Carlos Ghosn as their chief executive and hold stocks in one another) announced in January that electric cars - badged as Renaults but using the Nissan-developed battery drivetrain - would be sold in Israel by 2011.

Acutely aware of consumers' and environmentalists' concerns over carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and its implication in global warming and climate change, Nissan engineers think cars that run on electricity are the key to lowering greenhouse gas emissions, reducing pollution and easing the reliance for personal mobility on finite petroleum reserves.

What offers the best potential, the engineers say, is a pure electric car, one that owners can plug in and recharge from their domestic electricity supply, just like a big mobile phone on wheels.

Electric cars have appeal because they generate no emissions (they don't have an exhaust pipe because they don't burn fuel) and are as clean to run as the way a nation's electricity supply is generated.

In Portugal last week, Nissan assembled about 60 models to demonstrate the breadth of its global portfolio - from quirky Japanese domestic microcars to its dinosaur Titan, a 5.6-litre, V8, petrol-guzzling (19.6 L/100 km, city) pick-up truck.

But the company also used the car-fest, called Nissan 360, to show two concept cars that offer a tantalising window to the future.

One is the Mixim concept which was first revealed at the Frankfurt motor show last year. It's an all-electric, rechargeable car.

The other concept, the EA2, showcases the latest step in the company's thinking - drive-by-wire technology.

Nissan calls the drive-by-wire technology X-by-Wire, denoting wholly electrical operation of typically mechanical connection for essentials such as steering and brakes.

X-by-Wire electronics rid the car of mechanical linkages, such as steering columns, making the apparatus more compact, liberating cabin space and using less energy.

And while the EA2 is closer to showroom reality than the futuristic Mixim concept, the as-yet-unnamed 2010 production electric car is expected to draw on both concept car technologies.

The production car is expected take about six hours on 100-volt electricity to recharge, offering a 160 km driving range. Plugged in to 200 volts, it will have a "rapid charge" feature that sees the recharge time drop to 30 minutes, says Nissan's general manager of technology planning Toshihiro Ninomiya.

The latest-generation laminated lithium-ion batteries, located like pavers under a car's sandwich floor, are 20 per cent lighter than a conventional petrol engine, he says. About 80 per cent of their storage capacity remains after five years of use.

The batteries, in the Mixim concept at least, power two super motors - one for the front wheels, the other for the rear wheels, with computers taking care of the co-ordination of torque between the four wheels individually.

They're now working on lighter electric motors housed in each wheel assembly, Mr Ninomiya says.

Where the rear numberplate normally would go is a flap that hides the car's socket, where it would be plugged in at home, work or even potentially at electricity meters on streets.

"The total CO2 created by the manufacturing and usage (of electric cars) is dramatically reduced compared to internal combustion engines," says Masanori Ueda, the deputy general manager of Nissan's global environmental planning department.

"The number of the parts that can be reused (recycled) compared to an internal combustion engine is not so complicated - just a motor, inverter and battery," he says. "Even the electricity can be provided by renewable energy."

Of course, the fact that some countries' electricity supply is generated by nuclear reactors or dirty coal-fired plants remains a matter for concern. But the increasing development of wind, solar, tidal or geothermal electricity could offer a win-win situation: no CO2 emissions in generating the electricity and none in its use powering cars.

"We are now collaborating with an energy company to generate electricity through a renewable source, like the wind or solar. That is one of the scopes we are now studying," Mr Ueda says.

He says the power company is set to supply a Japanese city's entire electricity needs in a pilot project.

"It's not our direct responsibility but we now are studying with them. We will have a test in Japan in a city. That electricity can be supplied by renewable energy. That is the model case."

Which city?

"Please don't ask; it is a secret," he replies with a smile. "The mayor is ready to make an announcement. Before the announcement, I cannot say.

"We will try to expand this pilot project all over the world."

Nissan has already taken the plunge with a hybrid petrol-electric car for US customers. The mid-sized Altima HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) uses a Toyota-supplied petrol-electric system. Basically, it uses Toyota's Prius-style electronics and battery allied to a Nissan 2.5-litre, four-cylinder, petrol engine. But Mr Ninomiya believes it's only an intermediate step.

The car was developed at a time when Nissan was in a financial nosedive and couldn't muster the resources to develop its own hybrid system. The company took the simpler route of accessing Toyota's hybrid technology, and is now looking at making its own hybrid system.

We drove the Altima HEV (above) around Portugal's coastal Cascais region and came away strangely nonplussed.

Yes, it's odd that when you turn on the car, apart from the dashboard lighting up with a 0-150-kilowatt meter (where the tacho would be), there's nothing physical to alert you that the car is running. But pop the automatic shift into drive and ease on the accelerator and there's a detectable driveline ****** as the petrol motor fires into life.

When coasting, the petrol engine shuts off, with the car running solely on electricity (topped up partly by regenerative brakes) that's stored in a lithium-ion battery in the engine bay. But it's not the sci-fi silent ride one might expect. Without its combustion engine purring, there's plenty of road, tyre and wind noise to fill the void.

When accelerating, the engine fires back to life for added power, but again there's a detectable shunt.

After a half-hour loop on a mixture of flowing roads and stop-start streets, the onboard computer read 8.5 L/100 km. That's reasonable for a Camry-sized car, but hardly revolutionary. After driving the car, I didn't feel like I'd saved the planet.

There's also the lingering questions of the longevity of hybrid systems (their complexity, weight, battery life and possible replacement cost in the future) and end-of-life recycling.

If hybrids are but a stepping stone in a quest to reduce emissions, what about hydrogen cars?

Hydrogen-powered cars either burn hydrogen in an internal combustion engine (such as BMW's Hydrogen 7 limousine and Mazda's hydrogen RX-8) or use fuel cells to chemically generate electricity from the hydrogen.

Either way, they don't produce greenhouse gas emissions as you drive.

Nissan's general manager of powertrain engineering Yo Usuba argues that hydrogen cars aren't the ultimate answer. That's because hydrogen is difficult to store onboard under pressure and, at ultra-low temperatures, is difficult to manage on its path from tank to engine. And there's only a handful of hydrogen refilling stations on the planet.

"To use hydrogen in a combustion engine is still technically difficult,"

Mr Usuba says. "If we try to use hydrogen fuel, it is better to transform it into electricity. A fuel-cell vehicle is more reasonable."

Going against fuel cells, though, is the expense, he says. "That's why the solution comes to the electric vehicle. We need to use electricity in the vehicle - (for) air-conditioning and (to) operate the audio - to enjoy the vehicle. So electricity is the easy way to cover all the requirements."

If Mr Usuba and his colleagues are right, motorists and the entire planet might just thank them for it.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4561976a30.html

tfz_hebe89

iTrader: (1)

cant wait to see pure and affordable electric cars running around on the road

ninous26

As much as I hate hybrids and anything that doesn't run off gasoline.. I hope this goes through and electric cars become a huge hit just so everyone can **** in the mouths of the oil companies.

ArmyofOne

**** YOU OPEC!!!!

cpone

Really 6 HOURS to recharge and that is good with you guys? REALLY!?
Lord help us all.
You think people getting stranded on the side of the road from running out of gas is a problem, you wait and see with this thing.
Tow truck drivers are going to make a FORTUNE!


You want to know what is a REAL solution for electric cars?
A system where you can swap out the batteries on the car quickly at a local "recharge station" for another battery and keep it mov'n. THAT is a better solution!

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

hi, 10 chars

Jujharoo

haha no doubt, but I think they are simply going to start using fuel to generate electricity.
Not to mention the demand of oil worldwide is HUGE, if we drop it someone else will pick it up.
I'm afraid we are going to have to keep feeding these pigs for next two decades or so.

gengar

100 mile range.....? I drove 500 miles in 3 days last week. -_-

Sens4Miles

Do they make a fortune now when people notice (and ignore) that they are running out of gas? I find it a little funny that you think people are going to be so naive as to drive this vehicle when the charge is close to empty. If you're going to own an EV, you're probably going to drive less than 100 miles per day (about 95% of us do) and realize that like a cell phone, you will need to charge your car up if you plan on using it.

Sens4Miles

Do you not sleep at least 6 hours a night? If you don't, then this car probably isn't for you. However, if you do sleep normally like most everyone else, you can charge it overnight or as stated in the article, you can use the rapid charger and do it in 30 minutes. You know, maybe while you're eating lunch or dinner or something. But driving 500 miles in 3 days is definitely not the norm. For 95% of the population, 100 mile range per day is more than enough.

cpone

You make it sound like people don't drive cars now close to empty.
I did this morning on my matrix. Forgot over the weekend to fill up, and figured I would fill up on the way. If I had an EV, I would be ****ED cause I could not then get to work.

Brilliant right?

However a cell phone I can charge in my car when I GET THERE or hell IN THE CAR, and can use it while I charge it, A car I can't just plug into my wall socket with a really long wire and go to work.

How funny is that, my cell phone is dying and I am going to plug it into my car that takes electricity to charge my phone! Loosing more mpc (miles per charge) LOL...


Also that 100MpC is best scenario estimates.
Nothing else in the car but you.

I also like the way you always says that EV's won't be the 100% solution but always like to point out the 95% solution. So by your logic it will be the 100% solution for 95% of the population right? Logically making it the 95% solution for everything.

And why do you need a car, you live in the greatest Metro area in the world.
With more connections to different forms of transportation than any other city I can think of.
You can go from Brooklyn to the BX and never use a car.

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

current EV technology would be ideal for people who dont have too big of commutes, like me, my commute is 9-10 miles to work. If a new battery came out that was lighter, deeper charge that doubled or tripled the range, then it would be a huge breakthrough. Depending how fast they charge however they might not be good for road trips.

LexFather

This is the same company that dismissed hybrids just 5 years ago, I have no confidence in their decision making abilities outside of sharing parts and make some profit. GT-R is a beast though!

100 miles probably means in PERFECT conditions, with on person with no luggage let alone a modded car.

This might work in dense cities but in most of America, it will fail.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

Forgetting to charge is a concern, but really ones self problem. I can live with the fact that some or a lot of people will forget to charge just like how they actually run out of gas. You might do it once or twice, but after a while you have to learn to just charge the the car every night

The accessory power draining the main battery power and lowering cruise range would actually be my main concern until I start understanding how the will address this type of problem. I know for a fact I'll have a couple of monitors installed for the kids, a DVD player or whatever new media playback there will be in the future. My cell phone will also be charging many times. As it is today, with all my aftermarket A/V gear, I tax the electrical system quite heavily. I just wonder how that load will affect an all electric car, and how many miles I might be loosing.

Another concern U would have is how much more electric power will be drained going up and over a mountain vs flat road. Soon I'll be moving back to the country where I grew up. That means I'll be living on the other side of the mountain and have to travel back into town over the mountains through the tunnels. It is only about 25 miles each way for a 50 mile round trip, but I wonder how much less cruising range I'd get climbing up those constant hills. No place to charge at work so the car would have to make a complete round trip on one charge in traffic hour in those conditions.

All said though for most people an electric car can work. I just don't want it to look like a Yaris. I rather it look like a Corvette or something

Sens4Miles

Look, the primary benefit to getting an EV over an ICE vehicle is that you will be saving hundreds of dollars per month on gas. Remembering to charge your car up every night is a small sacrifice to make in order to save that money (and let's not forget the green impact as well). It's in our minds that we can drive pretty much anywhere within a mile radius and fill up on gasoline, so at times we can conveniently forget to fill up and drive around virtually on empty and it's OK. However, if you own an EV, you will get into the habit of charging it up every night. It would only take one time to forget for it to never happen again. We are creatures of habit and honestly, remembering to plug in your car before you retire for the night is not a difficult thing to remember. It would become as routine as brushing your teeth, taking a shower, drinking your daily cup of coffee, etc etc.

Well, I actually live in a suburban area about 20 minutes outside of New York City, but I spend much of my time in NYC and consider it my home. Everything I need, everywhere I need to be is no more than 20 miles from me, so an EV would be perfect for someone like myself. Statistically speaking, 95% of the population drive less than a 100 miles per day (most drive 40 or less). I've mentioned this before and I will mention it again - SUVs are not for everyone. Diesels are not for everyone. AWD vehicles are not for everyone. Coupes are not for everyone. Roadsters are not for everyone. Hybrids are not for everyone. Pickup trucks are not for everyone. But at least 100% of the population has the CHOICE to choose any one of those vehicles that are right for them. You can drive a Hummer for the rest of your life for all I care. But I, and others like myself, want the choice to purchase an EV or a PHEV, just like we have the choice to purchase a truck, or an SUV, or coupe, or an AWD sedan, etc etc etc.

The implication that there is no demand for EVs or that EVs can "only" satisfy 95% of the population's needs and yet that's still "not good enough" is utterly ridiculous. What about the percentage of other vehicles being suitable for everyone else? Do coupes satisfy the needs of at least 95% of the population? Do Hummers satisfy the needs of at least 95% of the population? Do compact sedans satisfy the needs of at least 95% of the population? Do pickup trucks satisfy the needs of at least 95% of the population? The answer to all of these questions is no, they do not. Yet 100% of the population still have the choice to choose which of those vehicles is right for them. That is the point here. Electric cars are the future. Will they 100% replace ICE vehicles? Maybe one day, but for now, at least give the people the choice to buy them if they want them.