Post No. 11, What I want in an EV.
We don't always get what we want. But we get very little unless we ask.
And, hey, an auto-manufacturer exec or two just might read this.
We don't always get what we want. But we get very little unless we ask.
And, hey, an auto-manufacturer exec or two just might read this.
batterie
I want a plug-in all-electric travel van with seats for 7 or 8 that I can remove/replace quickly and easily. Unless I was hauling nieces/nephews to the mountains or coast, it might be empty, to haul cargo, or it might contain my minimalist camping gear.
It’s no use to me unless it is 4 WD, and can creep up very rough and very, very steep. Raised or variable suspension, please. A motor on each wheel might be the easiest way to do 4x4, and would improve steering and traction, as well.
I do not want it with unsustainable lithium-ion batteries. Better batteries, like solid state, are supposed to be right around the corner; but Brisbane, Australia company Graphene Manufacturing Group claims that their graphene-aluminum-ion-aluminum-chloride coin cells can fully recharge in less than ten seconds, should last through three times as many charge-discharge cycles as lithium-ion batteries, and hold three times the charge. Their proprietary plasma graphene (made from natural gas; biomethane should work) manufacturing technique, they say, gives their batteries three times the energy density of the next-best cell, the Al-ion being developed at Stanford University. Their coin cells using this tech went to market in 2021; they expect to be making automotive cells by 2024. Those would do. And as aluminum is 8 percent of Earth’s crust, Al-ion batteries should be much less expensive; lithium is 0.002–0.006 percent, much harder to find and mine, and takes several times as much energy to process as aluminum. And we recycle aluminum. No one is recycling lithium batteries, yet.
I’d like at least 400 miles plug-in range, so I have at least 300, for a while, as the batteries fade. With Al-ions, that shouldn’t be a problem; they should weigh 1/3 as much for the same energy.
I want it quiet. My sister’s Toyota Camry hybrid is ridiculous with the road noise.
I want something of a crush section in front of my tender old body. Under the hood is where the Aluminum-air range extender battery goes. When there isn’t an Al-air in place, it could be a good place to haul groceries, luggage … . I want Al-airs with the oil-flood feature developed at MIT, which prevents the battery discharging between uses, please. Unless Al-ions give me 900 miles plug-in range, in which case I won’t need the range extender.
All right. 600 miles.
If it were on a skateboard frame, you could attach a variety of roll cages and bodies to one frame. Access batteries through the top of the floor; keep individual batteries small and light enough to lift in and out without back injury, and plug them in to a central bus-bar. If 60 or 80 miles range is enough for an around-town delivery van, sell it with one or two batteries. Sell a customer who wants to travel in it 10 or 12, or rent extra batteries for travel.
A tailgate extends the cargo bed, and is all the camp kitchen I need. A lift gate over that is a roof, if I’m cooking in a drizzle. Close lift gate and stand on the tailgate to reach the very sturdy roof rack I need, over the 5-foot ceiling. Cover roof, hood, and one side with photocells, and it might pick up enough charge sitting in the sun all week for the minimal running around town I do, or for your short commute, if you gotta commute. Yeah, it would look funny. I don't care.
I need it to tow two tons, or enough power to maintain 65 mph up a 6 percent grade. I don’t need 600 BHP, or 550 foot pounds of torque, Canoo.
I’d like it built of carbon-free steel, being developed right now by Boston Metal, and carbon-free aluminum, being developed by Alcoa, Rio Tinto, and Canada. Unfortunately those aren’t on line yet, and I might be too old to enjoy the thing by the time they are. Get busy, Guyz!
So that’s what I want. What might do? Maybe a Canoo, if they get away from 600 BHP and 550 foot pounds of torque. The Canoo comes with either one 300 HP rear-wheel drive motor, or two 300-HP motors, one up front, too. I need 4 WD, but not 600 HP. Canoo needs some smaller motors.
A small electric motor working near capacity is more efficient that a bigger motor that's loafing. Cruising down level freeway at 65 or 70--wind resistance starts to get serious beyond about 70 mph--only takes a small fraction of the power needed to accelerate or climb hills. If the rear were powered by two motors, each say 20 percent of the vehicle's total power, only one would be pushing, when one was enough. Any time you needed both, both would automatically be energized.
Flip a switch on the dash, from rear wheel drive to front wheel drive, and now you have 60 percent of the vehicle's total power, and the traction characteristics of front wheel drive. Flip the switch to 4 WD, or punch the accelerator past a hesitation point, and now you have all of the vehicle's power available, and the traction and steering benefits of four wheel drive.
It would steer a little better if the front wheels each had their own motor, too. But three motors would do. Two will be less efficient, less efficient robs you of range, and at 200 miles (600 HP two motor version) the Canoo doesn't have enough range for me. Give it (approximately) 100 HP at the rear "axle," and 200 HP up front, and let me choose when to drive for economy, or for power, or for traction.
And I will be--literally--a happy camper.
I want a plug-in all-electric travel van with seats for 7 or 8 that I can remove/replace quickly and easily. Unless I was hauling nieces/nephews to the mountains or coast, it might be empty, to haul cargo, or it might contain my minimalist camping gear.
It’s no use to me unless it is 4 WD, and can creep up very rough and very, very steep. Raised or variable suspension, please. A motor on each wheel might be the easiest way to do 4x4, and would improve steering and traction, as well.
I do not want it with unsustainable lithium-ion batteries. Better batteries, like solid state, are supposed to be right around the corner; but Brisbane, Australia company Graphene Manufacturing Group claims that their graphene-aluminum-ion-aluminum-chloride coin cells can fully recharge in less than ten seconds, should last through three times as many charge-discharge cycles as lithium-ion batteries, and hold three times the charge. Their proprietary plasma graphene (made from natural gas; biomethane should work) manufacturing technique, they say, gives their batteries three times the energy density of the next-best cell, the Al-ion being developed at Stanford University. Their coin cells using this tech went to market in 2021; they expect to be making automotive cells by 2024. Those would do. And as aluminum is 8 percent of Earth’s crust, Al-ion batteries should be much less expensive; lithium is 0.002–0.006 percent, much harder to find and mine, and takes several times as much energy to process as aluminum. And we recycle aluminum. No one is recycling lithium batteries, yet.
I’d like at least 400 miles plug-in range, so I have at least 300, for a while, as the batteries fade. With Al-ions, that shouldn’t be a problem; they should weigh 1/3 as much for the same energy.
I want it quiet. My sister’s Toyota Camry hybrid is ridiculous with the road noise.
I want something of a crush section in front of my tender old body. Under the hood is where the Aluminum-air range extender battery goes. When there isn’t an Al-air in place, it could be a good place to haul groceries, luggage … . I want Al-airs with the oil-flood feature developed at MIT, which prevents the battery discharging between uses, please. Unless Al-ions give me 900 miles plug-in range, in which case I won’t need the range extender.
All right. 600 miles.
If it were on a skateboard frame, you could attach a variety of roll cages and bodies to one frame. Access batteries through the top of the floor; keep individual batteries small and light enough to lift in and out without back injury, and plug them in to a central bus-bar. If 60 or 80 miles range is enough for an around-town delivery van, sell it with one or two batteries. Sell a customer who wants to travel in it 10 or 12, or rent extra batteries for travel.
A tailgate extends the cargo bed, and is all the camp kitchen I need. A lift gate over that is a roof, if I’m cooking in a drizzle. Close lift gate and stand on the tailgate to reach the very sturdy roof rack I need, over the 5-foot ceiling. Cover roof, hood, and one side with photocells, and it might pick up enough charge sitting in the sun all week for the minimal running around town I do, or for your short commute, if you gotta commute. Yeah, it would look funny. I don't care.
I need it to tow two tons, or enough power to maintain 65 mph up a 6 percent grade. I don’t need 600 BHP, or 550 foot pounds of torque, Canoo.
I’d like it built of carbon-free steel, being developed right now by Boston Metal, and carbon-free aluminum, being developed by Alcoa, Rio Tinto, and Canada. Unfortunately those aren’t on line yet, and I might be too old to enjoy the thing by the time they are. Get busy, Guyz!
So that’s what I want. What might do? Maybe a Canoo, if they get away from 600 BHP and 550 foot pounds of torque. The Canoo comes with either one 300 HP rear-wheel drive motor, or two 300-HP motors, one up front, too. I need 4 WD, but not 600 HP. Canoo needs some smaller motors.
A small electric motor working near capacity is more efficient that a bigger motor that's loafing. Cruising down level freeway at 65 or 70--wind resistance starts to get serious beyond about 70 mph--only takes a small fraction of the power needed to accelerate or climb hills. If the rear were powered by two motors, each say 20 percent of the vehicle's total power, only one would be pushing, when one was enough. Any time you needed both, both would automatically be energized.
Flip a switch on the dash, from rear wheel drive to front wheel drive, and now you have 60 percent of the vehicle's total power, and the traction characteristics of front wheel drive. Flip the switch to 4 WD, or punch the accelerator past a hesitation point, and now you have all of the vehicle's power available, and the traction and steering benefits of four wheel drive.
It would steer a little better if the front wheels each had their own motor, too. But three motors would do. Two will be less efficient, less efficient robs you of range, and at 200 miles (600 HP two motor version) the Canoo doesn't have enough range for me. Give it (approximately) 100 HP at the rear "axle," and 200 HP up front, and let me choose when to drive for economy, or for power, or for traction.
And I will be--literally--a happy camper.
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