Some thoughts on electric car tech and marketability

               The largest hindrance to electric vehicles is convenience.  The mass market is so used to how petroleum vehicles operate that they expect the same or better from the next generation.  The ability to pull up and pump in fuel less than 5 minutes is the largest obstacle electric vehicles have to overcome.  The other large market requirement is range.  Most electric vehicles have a very limited range to just around where a person lives.  The Nissan Leaf (http://www.nissanusa.com/electric-cars/leaf/) is a prime example of a limited range and practicality of a fully electric vehicle.

               There have been several solutions proposed by manufacturers over the last few years.  Tesla (http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger) is proposing building "Supercharger" stations across the country.  This building of a national infrastructure is highly ambitious.  But the recharge time is still 30 minutes under optimal conditions.  This is well short of what consumers expect.  Fisker (http://www.fiskercb.com/) attempted to build a hybrid electric vehicle to resolve the distance and convenience issues.  Other companies like Toyota, Hyundai, General Motors, Ford and several others have chosen the hybrid electric solution.

               Hybrid electric vehicles combine electric drive trains with various power generation methods.  The power generation can come from several sources such as gasoline engines, diesel engines, hydrogen fuel cells, propane fuel cells and at this time natural gas fuel cells.  Of these our current national infrastructure only supports one on a consumer mass market level, the gas/electric version.

               Toyota (includes Lexus), General Motors and Ford are the leading manufacturers of gas/electric hybrids in the USA.  The Toyota Prius is the most recognized in this group.  In the last 2 years General Motors released the Chevrolet Volt.  The Volt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Volt) however uses a new type of battery that has a faster recharge rate than previous generations.  However this still keeps the vehicle on a petroleum based fuel.  The one benefit is it just uses less of it.  Unfortunately at over $40,000 it is not affordable to those of lesser means.  As a stop gap measure and bridge to non-petroleum this works. 

               If you remember your history under President Bush there was a push for hydrogen fuel cell technology in the USA.  In response to this there were many people who stated that we did not have the infrastructure to support vehicles powered in this way.  Well in response to this Hyundai corporation conducted a hydrogen fuel cell/electric car test in 2011 (http://www.greenfleetmagazine.com/news/50615/hyundai-fights-cancer-while-also-promoting-fuel-cell-evs).  The proved that using our existing gas suppliers you could drive across the USA in a hydrogen fuel cell/electric car.  Their point was "if there is a Will there is a Way."  Since hydrogen can be created from water then it is a viable resource to replace petroleum as a fuel source.  The vehicle though is aimed at the middle to upper income markets due to its cost.  It does though pass the time to refuel and distance requirements the mass market looks for.

               One type that has been used for decades in the railroad industry is diesel/electric.  Large locomotives run diesel engines to drive generators that power the electric motors used to move the train (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel-electric_transmission).  In new news Volkswagen is testing a version of this technology (http://www.wired.com/autopia/2013/05/volkswagen-xl1-driven/) that has a claimed 263 MPG on petro-diesel.  This will be an ever greater benefit if it is switched to Bio or WVO diesel fuels.  This addresses both the refuel time and distance needs of the mass market.  However, it still seems aimed at the upper end income market.

               So, at this point none of the major vehicle manufactures have a product that meets the convenience needs and cost point required to be accepted and used by lower income persons.

               The solution I believe is in combining existing technologies in a way never done before.  While I cannot go into the manufacturing processes and detailed designs at this time due to legal and patent concern, I can cover the basics.  Weight, materials cost, logistics and overhead are the main obstacles that add cost to the end product. 

               To attack the weight and manufacturing costs a three part main chassis construction of carbon fiber, Kevlar and steel are used.  The carbon fiber could be made in regions where coal is mined.  This creates jobs, new industry and helps to balance out the reduced use of coal as an energy source.  In most regions there is already a solid rail infrastructure for logistics purposes.  Using simple pressing technologies the outer composite structure can be manufactured near or at the same location where the carbon fiber is produced.  The steel inner "safety" egg can be produced in any market where steel is produced and stamped.  These and the support systems can be transported to a assembly facility anywhere there is a rail or shipping line.  Due to their materials they do not weigh much so the logistics cost can be greatly reduced.  The reduced weight of the vehicle requires less energy to propel it making it more efficient. 

               Another area of weight in a vehicle using electric motors is the weight of energy storage.  A great video pointing this out is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3x_kYq3mHM .  The use of capacitors can greatly reduce weight and resolve the "refueling" time.  The issue is reducing energy loss during non-use times.  There are strides being made in this area (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121205083826.htm).  Unfortunately at this time it only works at -273C.  Another area of progress are Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superconducting_magnetic_energy_storage).  These are super cooled magnetic fields used to store energy.  Once again though due to the cooling needs and cost of materials are not ready for use in the mass market at this time.  However, the Chevrolet Volt is an example of how progress is being made over the initial offerings of the Toyota Prius.  The Volts battery is far superior to the Prius's in terms of zero state to full state charge time.  This is the area I will be focusing my greatest attention.  Once this hurdle is cleared there will be no reason a vehicle for lower income markets cannot be produced.

               The last area of focus is what fuel cell to use.  Bloom Energy has a solution that I have been watching.  Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (http://www.bloomenergy.com/fuel-cell/solid-oxide/) are made of sand.  These can be produced in any location that has sand such as beaches, deserts and river beds.  The simplicity of the fuel cell is its greatest strength.  It has no moving parts.  You pass a "fuel" through the cell and energy is created (http://www.bloomenergy.com/fuel-cell/solid-oxide-fuel-cell-animation).  Per Bloom, the cell can be created to run off of natural or propane gases, hydrogen or even bio-diesel.  Remember, Hyundai already proved this technology in 2011.  You then use that energy to power just about anything. 

               The technologies required to make my dream a reality are not fiction but fact.  With the exception of the energy storage, the fuel cell, fuel type and vehicle construction materials can be sourced all over the world.  The manufacturing can occur in multiple geographies.  The materials can be sourced and produced in those geographies.  This reduces the logistical cost 10 fold.  Improved marketing will remove the middle layer thus further reducing the cost by at least 20%.  What is now a $40,000 USD vehicle should come in around $18,000 to $25,000.  If a lower cost market can produce the vehicle and ship it for less to other markets that can even be a bonus.  But since most markets have import levies on vehicles not manufactured in their jurisdictions it may well be cheaper just to manufacture them in that location.  In the end I can see my dream coming true.