August 27, 2008 1:43 PM
Electric cars blast through gridlock
Just when downtown Denver traffic - foot traffic and cars - locked up this afternoon, a tiny all electric vehicle pulled up. The ride was free, quiet, and fast. The driver hit 40 miles per hour on Wazee just as a lane opened up.AC Propulsion, of San Dimas, CA, has about 10 cars on the road this week. This Toyota Scion XB has an electric motor that plugs in anywhere, really.
"We're just here to raise awareness," says Owen Emry, an engineer with AC who's graciously driving people around town. The car will travel about 120 miles before it needs recharging. And that 40 mph is nothing compared to the 102 it will hit on the open road, Emry said.
September 3, 2008
5:33 PM
Marie writes:
Having lived in the Gulf Coast and experienced
both hurricanes and tornadoes, I thought of electric
cars when I watched the evacuation of New Orleans
last week on television. Can you imagine life in
an area where power outages are so frequent that
you electric car could be a real problem. We
experienced so many storms in Houston, Texas and
our electricity was out for 5 to 10 days at a time. How will electric cars fare in areas like
these? Fortunately all the cars on the roads
leading out of New Orleans did not have to worry
about cars running out of charge on the frantic
drive out. This could be a problem. Please
discuss
May 12, 2009
12:18 AM
s10 parts writes:
Many feel that the serial hybrids will be superior to parallel hybrids, since they will be much simpler and even more efficient. It seems like the technology is available to make it viable today, but GM is waiting on a large supply of better batteries.
October 12, 2010
8:48 AM
car rental writes:
Battery might be a little low when you return, but should charge up ok if it was a good battery to begin with. Good idea to disconnect one terminal while car is sitting, --as radio clock and computer "memory" use a very small amount of power, and eventeually wil run battery down! Whether it will run completely "flat" in 3 months is questionable!Or ou can buy a "solar cell" and plug it in, and it will keep battery charged up anyway, -- you just need a reasonable amount of sunlight avaiabale (such as putting in window of garage if stored inside)! If storing ouitside (with cover)-, just put "solar charger" out where it is out from under cover!, -- Solar cells run around $20, - if you look around a little, -- but really you shouldn't need one,--- if cable off!.... There is also a very light duty battery charger that is supposed ot put in a "maintainace charge" (just enough to keep battery up)! Works on 110vac, and plugs into cigarette lighter! Cost around $20 on this also!As for replaceing after it is flat! I just picked up a Honda that has set outside since sometime in early 2006 -or late 2005! Battery was absolutely stone dead!! Lisc. ran out 7th month of 06', - transmission went out sometime before that! Anyway, I took batterey out and charged up, (hoping that it would at least hold enough power so that the alterenator would work when I jumped it)! To my surprise,- when I turned the key it cranked, -- so I tried it and after about a couple minutes of cranking,- about 20 seconds at a time, - it starterd up the car! Have started it and moved several times in last week, and it is still fine! This battery is about 5 or 6 years old too !! The transmission still works some, so it can be moved a little!