EVcast #173: Top EV Innovations of All Time

 The one of the first hybrid was the 1916 Owen Magnetic.

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It was and is all about the BATTERY !
lithium is the best material we could ever dream of, it powerful, non toxic, long lasting and light weight. When made properly it is very safe.

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 Also the Woods Motor Vehicle company had a hybrid out in 1916

Woods Motor Vehicle Company was a manufacturer of electric automobiles in Chicago, Illinois between 1899[1] and 1916. In 1915 they produced the Dual Power with both electric and internal combustion engines and this continued until 1918.

The 1904 Woods Stanhope was a stanhope model. It could seat 2 passengers and sold for US$1800. Twin electric motors, situated at the rear of the car, produced 2.5 hp (1.9 kW) each. The car weighed 2650 lb (1202 kg) with a 40 cell battery.

The 1904 Woods Victoria was a carriage-styled model. It could seat 2 passengers and sold for US$1900. The same twin electric motors as the Stanhope were used, though a 4-speed transmission was fitted. The car weighed 2700 lb (1225 kg). 40 batteries were also used, with an 18 mph (29 km.h) top speed.

The Dual Power of 1915 had a 4 cylinder internal combustion engine as well as electric power. Below 15 mph (25 km/h) the car was electric powered and above it the conventional engine took over to take the vehicle to a maximum of around 35 mph (55km/h).

 Renault and  Purchased by Eugene, Oregon's local electric utility 42 were made.

Document Number: 680429

Date Published: February 1968

Author(s):
Robert R. Aronson - Electric Fuel Propulsion Inc.

Abstract:
The Mars II electric car has a maximum speed of 60 mph, a driving range of 70-120 miles on a charge, and can be recharged to 80% of capacity in 46 min. The tripolar, lead-cobalt battery and the regenerative braking system are described in detail. The average city or suburban resident could utilize such a vehicle for most of his driving requirements up to 70 miles a day, or under certain conditions, up to 230 miles a day.

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GM's Hywire technology.

Swappable body's 

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1. Most interesting Battery chemistries are the nickel-Zinc and Silver-Zinc they are going to give Lithium a run for their money

2. Even though EEstor keeps disappointing Lithium-ultra capacitors are now claiming the same energy density of lead acid batteries which is a huge step up.

3. Improvements in the Lead acid batteries- Firefly technology which replaces the lead with lead foam and graphite, claims are

• Significantly lower volumes and weights (by up to ~50%) relative to comparable lead-acid products in terms of energy output; greater differences may accrue in high-power applications such as engine start, UPS and HEV
• Lower plate mass results in a high level of vibration resistance. 
• Can be constructed in either flooded or VRLA configurations
• Extremely rapid recharge capability
• Superior discharge performance
• Longer cycle life compared to existing lead-acid products, particularly in PSoC-type applications
• Longer float lifetimes, particularly in high-temperature usage

-  silicone battery replacing the acid electrolyte of a lead acid battery with a silicate salt electrolyte, claims are Enhanced capacity, extended lifespan, high current discharge superiority, rapid recharge time, and superior low temperature performances.

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Standard line voltage in the United States is generally 120 Vac. Because utility voltage is not completely stable, it fluctuates between 115 Vac - 124 Vac. Outlet voltage will change at various times, throughout seasons or at night. Almost any appliance will have a list or label. Voltage listed on said label is the "minumum" recommended operating voltage for that device to give "maximum" life. I saw 125 Vac on my hair dryer. It is recommended that you stay within plus or minus 10 volts. As a side note, its important to be careful when plugging something in that exceeds 100 ' in length. Voltage drop starts coming into play, like if you use an electric mower. If for instance a 100 foot extension cord is plugged into your wall socket, that is actually 200 feet of wire, upstream and back. Just something to soak in. Love Evcast. Keep it up!

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Good history lesson, William- enjoyed it!

It will be interesting to see how the battery chemistries make improvements, including the innovations in the older lead-acid technology (Firely, Axion and CSIRO), the Li-Ion contenders, and the more, unknown contenders, including the silver-zinc batteries.  One of the companies that is developing this, Zpower, has claimed some big improvements in this type of battery.  They are at:  http://www.zpowerbattery.com/

I know some don't always like it, but Wikipedia also has a good summary of the Silver Zinc chemistry here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver-oxide_battery

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Regarding the origin of the series-hybrid:

The concept of a series hybrid has been used in trains for a long time.  A diesel-electric locomotive uses a diesel engine to run an electricity generator and the electricity from the generator powers a big electric engine that drives the train.  The reason trains were designed this way is because electric motors have huge torque at 0 RPM.  Thus, those big electric engines are good for getting a big long train moving. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel-electric

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Superb Show!  Lots of interesting facts.

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