EV1 Electric Car On Display At The Smithsonian (image: Jeff Tinsley, Smithsonian Institution)

Bet you didn’t know that an electric car was the nation’s best-selling vehicle back in ’04.  1904, that is.  If you think the late 1990′s were the dawn of this technology, think again – electric vehicles have been around for over a century.  A new display at the Smithsonian Museum of American History, part of their “America On The Move” exhibit, showcases the evolution of electric transportation.

Riker Electric Automobile, c.1900 (image: Smithsonian Institution)

In the early 1900′s a car buyer could choose among automobiles powered by steam, gasoline, and electricity.  Many wealthier customers (especially those living in urban areas) opted for electric cars because they were relatively simple to operate.  But interestingly, by the 1920′s, gasoline had become the most popular choice for an all-too-familiar reason:  electric cars had limited range, and gas stations were much more common than electrical power stations.

EV1 Electric Car On Display At The Smithsonian (image: Jeff Tinsley, Smithsonian Institution)

Fast forward a century to today’s automobile showrooms, and the electric vehicle has made a serious comeback.  Shifting market forces like pollution control measures, in combination with advances in hybrid motors and battery technology, have combined to make electric cars a practical option once again.  And today’s gasoline-free cars aren’t high-priced prototype novelties like the options from just a few years ago – they’re exceptionally efficient vehicles available to the general public.

Columbia Mark LX Electric Car, c.1906 (image: Smithsonian Institution)

Stop by the Smithsonian Museum of American History to check out the exhibit if you’re in Washington, or visit the Smithsonian website for more info.

Plugless Power EV Charging Station

Plugless Power, an innovative EV charging station that uses hands-free, wireless inductive charging, has been installed at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California. Developed by Evatran, the charging stations are built into parking spaces to automatically charge the electric vehicle while it’s parked. This is the first public trial of the system. Google utilizes a variety of EVs to get around their campus and also provides them in their employee car sharing program.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The obvious benefit of inductive charging is the convenience, but it is also safer as there is no risk of electric shock. However, a certain amount of efficiency is lost when transferring energy inductively. In general, this technology has an efficiency rate of 90% and according to Plugless Power, their system is expected to run at the same rate. An adapter that has been specifically designed for each EV model is retrofitted onto the vehicle. With Plugless Power, Evatran wants to play a part in  developing an infrastructure of convenient EV charging stations which they believe is the key to widespread acceptance of electric vehicles.

EV Charging Stations Map

Meanwhile, Google will do it’s part in aiding electrified motorists by adding EV charging stations to Google Maps. The feature is a more user-friendly way of getting finding the locations of over 600 EV charging stations across the country.  The information will be continuously be updated via the U.S. Department of Energy.

2012 Ford Focus Electric

Since the release of our 2011 electric car review, Ford has unveiled the new 2012 Focus Electric, first at the recent 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show, and currently at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Though showing up a little late to the electric vehicle party, Ford is flaunting the new Focus’ ability to recharge the 23 kwh lithium-ion battery in as little as 3-4 hours, half the time as that of the Nissan Leaf, by using a faster 6.6 kilowatt on-board charger plugged into an optional 240 volt charging station that can be installed in the home.

Ford Focus Electric Lithium-Ion Battery

The advanced battery system uses an active liquid cooling and heating system to keep the battery at a steady temperature in order to maximize mileage during fluctuations in driving conditions. Ford is also offering up an electric vehicle app for Smartphones which would allow the user to keep track of the charge level, map out the nearest charging stations, and estimate CO2 emissions and money saved based on driving habits to help maximize efficiency.

Ford Charging Station Sold at Best Buy

Ford has joined forces with Best Buy to sell and install the 240 volt charging stations to Focus Electric customers in their homes. The cost for this is set to run around $1,499, which is about $700 less than the charging station Nissan is offering through their car dealers. Another benefit to Ford’s charging station, manufactured by Leviton, is that it’s portable, since it’s not being permanently hard-wired into the home electrical system. Though there have been some questions raised about the feasibility of a non-permanent unit meeting electrical codes, Ford doesn’t seem to be concerned and Geek Squad technicians from Best Buy will perform an electrical audit as well as take care of all the red tape with the electric company. Best Buy is also set to provide charging stations for Mitsubishi’s new EV, the Mitsubishi i. See PlugInCars for more information on these charging stations.

Ford Focus Electric Illuminated Charge Port

Ford has yet to announce a list price for the new 2012 Ford Focus which is set to hit the market in late 2011, but insiders predict that Ford will continue on the competitive streak by selling the Focus below the Leaf’s MSRP of $32,780. The Focus has traditionally been Ford’s entry as an affordable car for the younger crowd and with the Honda Fit EV and the Mitsubishi i set to come in under $30,000, Ford could continue to make news in the electric vehicle sector.

Electric Cars Making A Comeback in 2011

2011 is being heralded by auto industry insiders as the “year of the electric car”. Though we here at Metaefficient endorse a life free of dependency upon cars, 100% electric vehicles are certainly more fuel efficient than internal combustion vehicles and may be on their way to becoming user-friendly as well.

For 2011 consumers interested in electric vehicles will have an array of options to choose from.Currently, the biggest news makers are Nissan with its’ 100% electric powered Leaf and Chevrolet with the Volt, while other major car companies have electric vehicles in development. Since sales of hybrid cars have increased while new car sales overall has decreased, manufacturers are confident that people are ready to embrace electric vehicles. Forecast predictions are optimistic. Executive Vice President of Nissan, Carlos Tavares, anticipates that “electric vehicles will account for 10 percent of all cars sold globally by 2020″. Though with the cost of an electric car still hovering above the $30,000 mark, other industry experts disagree. Here’s an overview of what’s available and what to look for in the coming year.

2011 Nissan Leaf

2011 Nissan Leaf

The 2011 Nissan Leaf launches the official beginning to mass market production of a 100% electric powered vehicle. Powered by an 80 kilowatt electric motor using a 24 kWh lithium-ion battery, the Nissan Leaf boasts swift acceleration with an ultra-quiet cabin and speeds up to 90 mph. On a full charge, the Leaf has a range of 62-138 miles depending upon driving conditions. The EPA rating on the Leaf is 106 mpg city, 92 mpg highway, and 99 mpg combined with an estimated driving range of 73 miles. Recharging the battery at home will take around 4-8 hours. A commercial charge station can charge it in 30 minutes. The standard navigation system will display charging stations available along your route. Nissan says the average life of the battery is 5-10 years depending on usage. With the $7,500 federal tax savings applied, the cost of the Nissan Leaf comes down from the MSRP price of $32,780 to $25,280.

2011 Chevrolet Volt

2011 Chevrolet Volt

Though technically a hybrid, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt is being included in the electric vehicle category because it is able to operate in an electric-only mode. After traveling about 40 miles on a 111 kilowatt, 149 horsepower electric motor, the onboard gasoline powered generator kicks in to supply the electricity needed to travel another 300 miles. The most advance hybrid vehicle, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt has been named by Motor Trend magazine as the car of the year. Edmunds states it may be the most fuel efficient car on the market. The EPA rating on the Volt is 93 mpg equivalent using the all electric mode and 37 mpg when the gas is on. What you save in fuel economy though will be paid for at the dealership. The MSRP on the 2011 Chevy Volt is $40,280. Apply the federal tax credit and you’ll still be looking at a sticker price of at least $33,000. Also, the lithium-ion battery can only be charged at home.

2011 Tesla Roadster

2011 Tesla Roadster

So maybe you don’t have an extra 100k lying around and probably you’re name isn’t George Clooney, but there’s no denying the fact the 2011 Tesla Roadster sends a lightning bolt of sexy into owning an electric vehicle. With 288 horsepower, the carbon fiber Roadster reaches 60 mph in 3.7 seconds with a top speed of 125 mph. It can go for 245 miles on a full charge. A 2011 Tesla Roadster will set you back $109,000. But as Tesla boasts unrivaled performance and the industry’s best battery, we can only hope that the advanced engineering of Tesla will trickle down to other car companies.

Still to Come in 2011

Ford Focus eV

Ford is set to unveil its’ electric version of the Ford Focus at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show. The car pictured has been featured on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno’s “Green Car Challenge”. Ford is set to release an estimated 5,000 lithium-ion battery-powered vehicles over the next couple years with an estimated range of 100 miles. BYD Auto has a line of electric vehicles manufactured in China and backed by investor, Warren Buffet. They are set to debut an all electric crossover and a plug-in hybrid SUV at the 2011 Detroit Auto show, though they may face obstacles breaking through the made in China label with U.S. consumers.

Toyota is set to release a plug-in hybrid version of the Prius in 2012. It will work similarly to the Chevy Volt, but is anticipated to cost as much as $10,000 less at a cost of $29,900 before tax incentives. Mitsubishi could beat Toyota to the under $30,000 price point though as it plans to start selling the 2012 Mitsubishi i in the U.S. beginning fall 2011. The Mitsubishi i is currently the best selling electric car in Japan and the U.S. version will be more powerful with an average 85 mile range. Honda will enter the green car price war with the electric version of the Honda Fit in 2012, also expected, perhaps optimistically, to be priced under $30,000.

Bottom line: the electric vehicle industry is knocking on the door to tomorrow, but to gain entry the cost to consumers may need to come down by developing even more efficient battery technology or by embracing the battery switching ingenuity of Better Place to appeal to a larger market. Should be interesting to watch as the auto industry battles for the electric vehicle customer. In the meantime, if you’re not ready to take the EV plunge, then you can always take the train.

Better Place Shows Electric Taxis Working in the Real World

Shai Agassi, founder and CEO of Better Place, has a vision — a vision for a world free of oil dependency. Mr. Agassi, who is well on his way to making this vision a reality, has what he believes is the solution for making electric vehicles efficient and affordable. He theorizes that the only way to take electric vehicles into mainstream society is to eliminate the inconvenience factor, in this case, the battery. Enter Better Place, which is already underway in Israel and Denmark. The Better Place plan is to build an infrastructure of battery charging and switch stations. What if, instead of having to plug in your car for a lengthy amount of time, you could pull into a battery exchange station and have a fully charged battery placed in your vehicle in the tenth of the time that it takes to fill up at the gas station, and without even getting out of the car?

Electric Taxis In Action

In much the same way that a cell phone company provides minutes, Better Place would sell miles to their customers. A Better Place consumer would purchase a monthly mileage package that would include charging and use of the battery switching stations. Shai Agassi tells us that this system would bring the cost of an electric vehicle down from the hard to grasp $30,000 mark to the more reasonable $15,000 price point, thus reaching a larger market and moving us closer to an oil-free lifestyle.

2011 Renault Fluence Z.E.

By partnering with Renault-Nissan, Better Place has already put the system to the test with the successful Tokyo Electric Taxi Project. Over 3,000 passengers have used the electric taxis traveling over 40,000 kilometers. Project data states that the taxi drivers went through the battery switching stations 2,122 times with the average switch time lasting 59.1 seconds. Later this year, Better Place will be delivering 115,000 Renault Fluence Z.E. electric sedans to customers in Israel and Denmark with plans to build over 100,000 EV charging stations and 100 (to start) battery exchange stations for each country.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Better Place is also working with leading battery manufacturers to provide the most reliable and up-to-date Lithium-ion batteries to place in their EVs. Shai Agassi points out that battery technology has made leaps and bounds over the past few years with considerably more storage capacity and twice the power capability, which improves the range and performance of EVs. Better Place is committed to environmentally safe practices by using recyclable batteries and renewable energy sources to power their charging stations. It will still be some time before residents in North America can pull into their local Better Place service station, but some will get the opportunity soon. Over the next 3 years, the Electric Taxi Project will unfold in the San Francisco Bay area with 4 battery exchange stations to support the electric taxi fleet. Hawaii is also on the list to begin building a foundation of Better Place charge stations starting in early 2011.

I’m an advocate for car-free cities (on this note, see the newly published Carfree Design Manual by J. H. Crawford). But 100% electric cars are certainly preferable to gasoline-powered cars. Therefore I found this recent presentation by Shai Agassi of Better Place to be of inspiring. He argues that hybrids won’t work, and ethnol isn’t feasible. He says cars need to be run on 100% electric power derived from clean energy sources (i.e. wind, solar).

A carport that can generate power from the sun is debuting at the Electric Vehicle Symposium 23 (EVS-23) this week in Anaheim, California. Created by a company called Envision, the Lifeport can generate power for the home, or it can used to recharge electric vehicles directly. A 22 square foot carport incorporates 24 solar panels, and is rated at 4.8 kilowatts. It delivers and average of 16.4 kilowatt hours per day. The carport can be scaled up to a grid tied 6.4 kilowatt system.

The Envision solar carport is made of recycled light gauge steel framework that can be assembled via instruction manual and videos.

You can find sample pricing and rebate information on this page.