Understanding is the Essence of Intelligence

Jean Vincent

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Electric Cars

October 18, 2008

Typ-1 Aptera - All Electric and 300 mpg Plug-In Hybrid



The Aptera Typ-1 has a low drag body approach to electric vehicles and tons of other innovations. Exists in all-electric zero emissions (Typ-1e) and plug-in hybrid versions (Type-1h).
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September 23, 2008

2010 Will be Remembered for the Rise of Electric Cars.

Detroit may finally have learned a lesson from the success of Toyota Hybrid Vehicles. After the Chevrolet Volt last week, Chrysler announced this morning three new Electric Vehicle to hit showrooms in 2010.


Last week I was also discussing with Jean-Hugues, the design of electric Trial Motorbikes which requires high torque at low (zero) RPM and would therefore be a perfect match for and electric engine. Here are a few ideas that came to my mind:
- Replace Shock Absorbers by Electric Linear Motors much like those found in loudspeakers drivers for jumps and shock-absorption-energy reuse. Jumps / shock-absorption could be controlled by the release of the no-longer necessary clutch handle, a button, or biker-pumping.
- Wheel-embedded electric engines for forward propulsion and electromagnetic braking / energy reuse.
- Ultra-capacitors for instant delivery of enormous power for jumps and store of energy from braking and shock-absorption.
- The smallest Li-Ion battery (to reduce weight) good enough for the duration of a competition. The battery should be easily replaced (with only a theft-prevention lock).
- No transmission, no gear box.

Jean-Hugues proposed to make it Hybrid with a low-power gas-powered generator but I believe this would be heavier than the batteries required for the short duration of typical modern competitions of less than 10 miles. The generator if optional could be used for road-use or longer competitions.

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August 24, 2008

Electric Cars are Slowwww, Yeah right!



Ouch!

This is the future for Formula-1 racing.

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August 24, 2008

2009 Honda FCX Clarity Hydrogen Fuel Car



This car is not really available for everyone, yet it shows where we're heading. By 2020, this type of car will represent a significant share of the market as internal combustion engines will move to history.

Until then, the automobile industry will be transitioning from hybrids that we can purchase now, to plug-in hybrids soon to be available, to battery-only electric vehicles, to hydrogen fuel cells like this one.
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July 08, 2008

Just replace the battery pack!

About 30 years ago, my brother Pierre, who was then a teenager, came-up with this simple idea for charging electric car batteries as quickly as filling-up a gas tank: just replace the battery pack!

I don't know if he was the first in the world to think about this but this vision is becoming a reality thanks to Project Better Place.



There is also this amazing innovation that promises to never ever stop your electric car: Inductive Charging. After this becomes a reality there will definitely be no return to the internal combustion engine.
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