When I am on my cross-country road trip, will I have to reserve charged buggies ahead of time at anticipated intervals, or just hope that there will be some available when the one I have runs low?
Is this really a solution to "range anxiety"? Sounds like it just adds to it. Plus now I have to schlep a trailer, which itself reduces efficiency, and then worry that the one I'll need to continue my trip will be there for me when I get there. Oh, and since it's not economically possible for these exchanges to be everywhere, I'll have to plan in time to drive out-of-the-way for the diversion and exchange. Perhaps fun if you enjoy the adventure of being an eco-pioneer, but not so much if you are merely travelling cross country. You'd be much better off just renting a conventional car.
EV proponents are not doing the EV cause any good by promoting these kludgy solutions. They need to embrace the limited range of EVs, and advocate them for what they are really good at; regular short-range commutes. "Cash strapped consumers" are not going to be buying these cars anyway, even as primary autos. So stop trying to appeal to them.
credit: General Motors
“The Morning Briefing” is SmartPlanet’s daily roundup of must-reads from the web. This morning we’re reading about electric vehicle battery technology.
1.) Are battery buggies the answer to electric vehicle range anxiety? Plenty of thought has gone into developing the current crop of electric vehicles, from the Tesla Model S to the Chevrolet Spark EV. Now, it’s time to concentrate more on the power infrastructure and on realistic needs of likely EV owners.
2.) GM to open China research center to focus on “new energy”. General Motors Co is opening its latest global research center in China on Thursday, taking advantage of the country’s vast supply of engineering graduates to drive its development of a new generation of electric vehicles.
3.) Toyota plugs away at the next-gen electric-car battery. Magnesium-ion batteries promise to be cheaper and more energy-dense than lithium-ion ones.
4.) Second life for old electric-car batteries: Guardians of the electric grid. Imagine a future in which old electric-car batteries are deployed in neighborhoods as energy-storage systems that guard against power outages, while paving the way for wind and solar power—and more electric cars.
5.) Mr. Green Car: Recycling electric vehicle batteries. As we move ever closer to going mainstream with electric vehicles (EV), there are already concerns arising over what becomes of the batteries when the time comes to replace them.
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