Electricnick, The EV Revolution

Mainstream car manufacturers can be puzzling with the messages they send.  First, they incite people to buy their products, then try to them down.  Such is the case with the least obvious of them all, Toyota.

The gist, if any company comes to mind when the word “hybrid”, HEV is mentioned, it would have to be Toyota with its Prius winner.  Yet, Toyota’s enthusiasm on HEVs is dimming even though the wait line for their Prius grows.  And there is little to no mentioning of pure electric vehicles, EV in the works when others are already working on them, such as Renault-Nissan, Mitsubishi and even Chrysler.

So why is Popular Mechanics asking: “…with lithium-ion technology finally advanced enough for the world to resurrect the electric car by late 2009, why is the world’s No. 1 automaker suddenly questioning its viability?”  Indeed, why now?

After touting the bright and promising future of HEVs, Bill Reinert, national manager of Toyota’s Advanced Technology Group believes we should have reasonable expectations.  With the new and improved Prius due out 2010 which will be a plug-in hybrid, PHEV, meaning you will be able to plug it in at home, the range will only be of about 10 miles.  The lithium-ion models, NiHM up until now, will start testing its fleets in North American.  Strangely enough, while Honda is bringing a CNG HEV, Compressed Natural Gas hybrid with obvious benefits, mainly that CNG pollutes less then petroleum and natural based gas,  Toyota and other alternative-energy experts are trying to taper down the excitement for PHEVs.  Why?  It always comes down to battery life, versus costs and replacement.

Considering the weight of batteries, their relative expense and their varying efficiency versus temperatures, the message now is changing to actual miles driven will vary according to weather conditions.

It seems we could sit here and argue the benefits and cost comparison of almost any new technology until we are blue in the face but we must be careful to take into consideration the bigger picture while keeping the reality of things.

First, true, most consumers won’t want to buy a new technology that consumes close to no gas at a premium if the premium makes sense only after years.  But this could easily be addressed through better education (Hey, that’s what we are doing here!)  Or do what many governments are doing, as in Asia and Europe who have given car companies and early adopters tax breaks when buying HEVs or pure electric vehicles, EVs.  All in all, we have to consider that the environment will not get better if we don’t massively lower our waste and start living according to our means.  Second, buying petroleum from countries with ties to disruptive groups is a vicious circle if we are also fighting wars on terrorism.  Third, with 70% of U.S. drivers driving less than 40 miles a day, most EV would do the trick quite well and at a bargain.  Fourth, with continued investments into alternative and renewable clean energy, we not only strive towards a safer environment for our children tomorrow but a certain energy independence.  And fifth, lest we forget, man has the amazing capacity to adapt, to breakthrough against all odds from most obstacle previously thought of as insurmountable.

So let’s get on with it.  Battery technology will get better and better.  After all, the gas engine started out with pitiful efficiency, far below that of the electric engines back then.  And if you don’t believe us, watch Star Trek. You know that show that influenced so many things we use in our every day life?