Big changes coming.

[Brett]

I'd lke to see the power feed embedded into the road, so that vehicles can draw electricity from it, similar to buses.

Cool idea, but logistical nightmare. Also does not allow users too much flexibility..think about a drive out into the country? Would work for main public transport around town though.

[Big Dave]

Bwahaah - sorry mate I didn't see you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA5Mt...mbedded#t=158s

[Motu]

You'll pull into a 'battery station' and change power packs, not recharge on the road.

That would be the way to go,but it requires a Government to put in the infrastructure...like back in the CNG and LPG days when you could fill up anywhere.Then the oil companies took over.The Mitsi electric car has a powerpack that needs special equipment to pull out....although a 2 or 4 post hoist and some sort of sturdy dolly would do the job.Until a standard is applied,the manufacturers will just go their own way.

[george formby]

[QUOTE=Brett;1130040588]This is what I have heard about, not recharging a single battery fixed into the vehicle, but slotting in a new battery at some sort of battery charging stop. I think it is a great idea. I am excited about these advancements...but now to figure out how to capitalise on them....???[/QUOTE]

Set up a franchise model now, get the investment & set up territory's for drive in nationwide battery exchanges.

Base them at petrol stations, tire fitters, wof stations, Mcdonalds, the Warehouse etc etc etc. The distribution network alone would be worth a fortune.

[Latte]

That would be the way to go,but it requires a Government to put in the infrastructure...like back in the CNG and LPG days when you could fill up anywhere.Then the oil companies took over.The Mitsi electric car has a powerpack that needs special equipment to pull out....although a 2 or 4 post hoist and some sort of sturdy dolly would do the job.Until a standard is applied,the manufacturers will just go their own way.

This is true. What will happen is manufacturers will Team up to create an industry standard (well, 2 or 3 competing industry standards) and the eventual loser(s) will be lost to history, like HD-DVD and Beta. Will really suck to be an early adopter in this case.

[bogan]

The problem with infrastructure investment is also it's solution, the speed at which this technology is evolving is pretty phenomenal. Nobody wants to invest in such things if they will be superceded by something that requires very little infrastructure, like supercapacitors would do away with the need for battery swapping stations. But supercaps would solve the distance problem

[Usarka]

This is what I have heard about, not recharging a single battery fixed into the vehicle, but slotting in a new battery at some sort of battery charging stop. I think it is a great idea. I am excited about these advancements...but now to figure out how to capitalise on them....???

There would have to be some sort of test done on them each time their refilled then. It'd suck to get given a dud that someone's just clocked up 5000 hours on.

[bogan]

There would have to be some sort of test done on them each time their refilled then. It'd suck to get given a dud that someone's just clocked up 5000 hours on.

Or put one in a less than certified homemade vehicle Easy to do a capacity test as they are charged though. Swap batteries would have to have some fandangled connectors, as I know one electric bike maker claimed that a spanner dropped in the wrong place would be vaporised, and a hand cut in half

[scissorhands]

This is what I have heard about, not recharging a single battery fixed into the vehicle, but slotting in a new battery at some sort of battery charging stop. I think it is a great idea. I am excited about these advancements...but now to figure out how to capitalise on them....???

Without the drama of swapping battery's, charging stations could be a farmer on a ridge with a wind turbine and shed to connect at, no staff, electronic payment, surplus production is sold into the grid. Same with a dammed stream for mini hydro electric.

Still the 1/2 hour wait for a quick charge, would need to have a tea break at the recharge outlet.

Compressed air powered vehicles are easy to service and low cost replacement parts. Not as efficient as electric I think, but they make an inexpensive hybrid

We still have so much CNG in NZ.....

[bogan]

Compressed air powered vehicles are easy to service and low cost replacement parts. Not as efficient as electric I think, but they make an inexpensive hybrid

there is a guy at massey who made one of those, 30bucks worth of dive tank refill gets him about 3km I think hopefully others have done better?

Pedal electric fully faired bicycles are probably the most efficient transportation out there, not very safe or practical unfortunately.

[scissorhands]

there is a guy at massey who made one of those, 30bucks worth of dive tank refill gets him about 3km I think hopefully others have done better?

Its enough in a simple hybrid, 2 tanks in a 600kg Daihatsu should get you ten kilometers then. Braking regeneration and a small diesel would make a cheap running hybrid thats cheap to make, reliable and easy to service. Plus no environmental issues from batterys

[bogan]

Its enough in a simple hybrid, 2 tanks in a 600kg Daihatsu should get you ten kilometers then. Braking regeneration and a small diesel would make a cheap running hybrid thats cheap to make, reliable and easy to service. Plus no environmental issues from batterys

Air compression efficiency is inherently shit, as a lot of the work goes to heat generation, in that case the only gains would be the regen braking, unless you used all the waste heat to run a steam engine

[Spearfish]

at least 10 characters.

[CookMySock]

There would have to be some sort of test done on them each time their refilled then. It'd suck to get given a dud that someone's just clocked up 5000 hours on.

Unless the batteries were leased to you or included as part of the price of the car - so you get a guaranteed battery for xx,000 km's and after that you pay another battery lease or park it up.

[bogan]

If you have some time check out this site

http://www.kiwiev.com/

I know its 4 wheels but the cost of doing a decent conversion is a major commitment of funds.

We live in interesting times.

this one should interest you as well. I reckon electric motorcycles will be where it's at, cos you save so much in batteries etc by using a smaller vehicle, then save again in running costs. I would guess around 5k worth of components for a bike with similar performance, plus donor frame and time/know-how to put it together, so not too expensive imo.