Tuesday, December 10, 2013

{The electric car, future is in price, and accessories}



What limits electric cars now?
 - Technology, nope, electric cars is simpler then gasoline one
 - Practicality, nope, Tesla based on California, is practical, but
 - Price, jap, electric ones cost about 2x then gasoline one

But why, the main cost of electric car is battery. For mainstreem electric car, battery must be as small as possible. Hmm, what is possible minimum?

More astonishingly, around 98 percent of all single-trip journeys were under 50 miles in length, with trips over 70 miles in length accounting for just one percent of all single-trip journeys. 
Answer is 50 miles, thats about 80km.

What we have, for example Nisan Leaf: 106 km by one max charging , its 1,4X 80km.

These are facts, lets go to reality.
There are 3 types of people (from my perspective)
1) Car ir in daily usage (more then 80km/day), they still need gasoline car
2) "Housewives", typically 3-4 trips per day <80km totally
3) Working people, typically 1h in way to work (max one way trip about 80 km.. or little more), they need charging station @work.

Ok then why people not buy electric cars, yes price. Then make optimal battery size, with "accessories" for extreme cases.

My vision about optimal electric car is:
 - 4 seated car + 2 child seats like in Tesla
 - max speed 100km/h (range about 50km, due to aerodynamics)
 - range 80 by included battery pack.

And here comes accessories
 - Battery packs +20-30km stored in luggage (-2 child seats)
 - Trailer with motor+generator for longer trips (with additional storage place)
What the point? For example if I buy electric car, and I am worried about cars range then these 2 accessories help me:
 - battery pack, I can bay one and store it in my car, or if I have short term electric range problems, I can rent battery in gasoline station like places. Rental can be short term, or with empty to full charge battery changing options.
 - Trailer with motor+generator for longer trips, or as optional rental object. This one, helps with car adaption.

One more thing, where to put charging port? Because of trailer option, the best place is in rear luggage, behind the doors, to be able lock charging point securely.