Re: The future of hybrid cars

From: Eunometic (eunometic_at_yahoo.com.au)
Date: 10/12/04 

Date: 11 Oct 2004 19:21:30 -0700

alexterrell@yahoo.com (Alex Terrell) wrote in message news:<d81e59c9.0410101303.1d0284e3@posting.google.com>...
> Hybrid cars seem a good start for hybrid cars, and is selling well
> enough to get economies of scale on key components. The next steps
> seem to be:
>
> - Increased battery storage to enable 1 hr, or about 30 miles of
> running

Quite, but this is somewhat dependent upon battery or hopefully
hyper-capacitor evolution. Deeper discharge while maintaining battery
life is one area.

Hypercpaticitors that do not require expensive metals (mass production
can do nothing about cheapening materials such as nickel).

> - Improved primary generator (diesel, or later, fuel cell rather than
> petrol)

The action at the momment is in turbo-diesel direct injection engines
which seem to be evolving with new technolgies such as Nitrous Oxide
Traps, Selective Catalytic Reduction and new types of piezio electric
injectors.

In the Prius lean burn engines are used with NOX trap catalystic
converters. (a source of a substantial protion of its savings) and of
course stratified charge lean burn engines.

The biggest promise is the HCCI engine (Homogenous Charge Compression
Ingnition) Engine which may excede 30% savings over petrol engines and
challenges fuel cells.

> - Plug-in capability - to recharge the batteries from a domestic power
> supply.
>
> I estimate that 10 kWhrs should be enough to run a mid-sized car for
> an hour, or 30 miles. Most cars, most of the time, do less than this
> in a day. So owners would charge the car at night, on cheap
> electricity, and do all day's runs on electric power only. Only for
> long journey's would they use the high efficiency generator.

Your estimate is about right. Typical energy consumption of an all
electric is 10Kw.Hr per 100km per ton of car. A Prius weighs 1.3 ton.

Problem is that for a 4 seater car of 1 ton perhaps only 330kg of lead
acid batteries can be carried and this limits range at 50% disharge to
about 80km. This is at modest performance. (max speed 120km/hr or
70mph)
Longer ranges or higher speeds lead to an exponential growth in car
mass so you can end up with a two ton car for a 120km range.

>
> At night time rates, 10 KWhrs costs 25p or 40c. This would replace a
> gallon of petrol (~£4 in the UK, $2? in the USA). This would make it
> very attractive for consumers.
>
> As most charging would be done at night, there would no need
> (initially at least) for extra distribution or genration capacity. In
> time, unused cars could even become standby generators to sell
> electricity at high rates back to the grid.

The plugable hybird in which a percentage of the cars travel can come
from a simple domestic charge has potential as it won't tax the
electricity network or require heavy duty wiring, plugs and sockets.

(note 1.5 sq meter of solar cell will provide about 1.1kw.hr of
energy: enough for up to 11km of driving) Some people will be able to
drive to work on an electric charge and drive home on a solar charge.

I also think that parking meters can be made power outlets as well.

>
> Comments?

A key aspect I thnk will be the replacement of the rare earth
permanent magnet motor with a switched reluctance type. There don't
require expensive materials but are still efficient, light and
powerfull. Harder to control though.

I don't believe a solution which involves expensive raw materials such
as platinum, nickel, neodynium etc will succede.

I also think that the 'light hybrid' in which an enlarged combined
starter alternator can allow engine stoping and starting at lights and
a small amount of regenerative braking combined with lean burn or HCCI
technology is more likely to succede than more conventional 'heavy'
hybirds as it is affordable.

For istance a HCCI engine with a 'light hybird' may achieve a 40%
saving at a much lower price than the Prius.

>
> Also, is electricity currently wasted at night? I think some
> generators (gas, hydro) can turn off to reduce supply. Lower prices
> can encourage demand. Pumped storage can store energy. Is this enough?
> What is the CO2 impact of increasing night time electricity load.

Load levelling is always usefull however in some cases it is already
levelled!

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