Hasta La Gadget!

The last time we heard of lithium titanate battery technology was when learning about the £120,000 Lightning GT, and while we’ve no way to confirm, we’re definitely hoping that the latest development from Toshiba ensures that we’re talking about it far more frequently than once per year. According to a report over at Nikkei’s Tech-On, said outfit has crafted a cell of a Li-ion secondary battery (aimed at electric vehicles, mainly) that sports an energy density as high as 100Wh/kg. Needless to say, the invention relies on lithium titanate for its negative electrode, and considering that Tosh is currently producing a 4.2Ah cell with an energy density of around 67Wh/kg for electric bicycles, it’s easy to see what kind of improvement we’re staring at. Now, if only this stuff could be applied to AA cells, our power-gulping camera flash would be forever grateful…

Filed under: Peripherals

Toshiba dramatically increases energy density of Li-ion battery originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Apr 2009 10:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If one drives the Roadster “as it was intended to be driven,” you’ll probably only get around 125 miles out of it before things slowly grind to a halt. If you toss on your economy shoes and take things a bit easier, it’s apparently possible to get well over 200 miles on a single charge. As the story goes, Tesla’s first all-electric whip managed to cruise 241 miles in a Monte Carlo e-rally, running from the town of Valance in France to the Principality of Monaco. Better still, the vehicle’s battery meter showed 36 miles left on the “tank” when it crossed the finish line, giving it a theoretical range of around 280 miles. If all these figures hold up under critical scrutiny, Tesla will set the world record for the longest distance traveled by a production EV on a single charge. Now, if only it could set the world record for most EVs actually produced by an EV company, we’d really feel the need to celebrate.

[Via Slashdot]

Filed under: Transportation

Tesla’s Roadster rolls 241 miles on single charge, annoys petrol pumps originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 02:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It isn’t exactly providing a whole lot of details just yet, but Mitsubishi has confirmed at the New York Auto Show today that its i-MiEV electric vehicle will indeed be making its way to the U.S., and sometime “before 2012.” Interestingly, according to AutoblogGreen, that delay apparently isn’t due to any hang-ups with the vehicle itself (it’s hitting roads in Japan this summer), but rather whether battery-maker GS Yuasa can scrounge up enough lithium-ion batteries to keep up with demand. It also looks like the car that eventually hits the U.S. won’t be exactly the same as the model bound for Japan and Europe, with the i-MiEV name likely the first thing to go. Of course, there’s no official word on a U.S. price just yet, but the car, which boasts a range of around 100 miles on a single charge, should be selling for the rough local equivalent of $30,000 when it hits Europe and Japan.

Filed under: Transportation

Mitsubishi’s i-MiEV electric vehicle officially headed to the US originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Optimal Energy’s handsomely-named Joule electric vehicle hasn’t grabbed all that many headlines since it’s debut at the Paris Motor Show last year, but it looks like the company now has a bit more to brag about, with it announcing an influx of funding and an actual launch date (or launch year, at least). Apparently, the first few Joules will roll out in South Africa sometime next year, after which they will head into mass production (or about 50,000 units a year) in 2012, with the majority of those vehicles intended for export outside of South Africa. The car itself will apparently be available in both front-wheel and four-wheel drive models, with each able to sit six with some degree of comfort, and provide a range of somewhere around 250 miles on a single charge. No official word on a price just yet, but the company has previously tossed around €25,000 (or roughly $33,500) as a target.

[Via AutoblogGreen]

Filed under: Transportation

Optimal’s Joule electric vehicle seats six, on track for launch next year originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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After a brief period of unofficial officialness this morning, Tesla has rolled out the Model S to a sea of eager photographers. The company’s also revealed specs for the EV: this seven-seater can go from 0 to 60 MPH in 5.6 seconds, boasts a top speed of 120 MPH, features a dashboard display and a 17-inch main touchscreen monitor. It’s fully 3G capable, sports HD and satellite radio, uses LED and neon exterior lights, smart-key power, and push button gear selector. While that $49,900 base price will get you a battery that’s good for 160 miles per charge, 230-mile and 300-mile range packs will be available. On a 220V outlet, the company says it’ll charge in four hours with a 45 minute “QuickCharge” option, and you should be able to swap batteries if necessary in under 8 minutes. Excited? Find a way to control yourself, this baby isn’t going into production in Q3 2011. Check out a brief glimpse of the interior after the break.

Continue reading Tesla Model S now official

Filed under: Transportation

Tesla Model S now official originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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