Aston-Martin V-12 Vantage, not a Gay car.
Posted on 07/14/2012 4:16:18 PM PDT by rawhide
•QBEAK concept vehicle uses bio-methanol to boost its battery life.
Green, they may be. But electric cars have struggled to overcome one of the main shortfalls that put buyers off - an inferior range to their petrol-powered rivals.
That may be about to change after a new electric car was unveiled that promises to go 500 miles (800km) before the battery needs recharging.
This would be far more than one of the current leaders in the field, the battery/ gasoline Chevrolet Volt, which can do around 375 miles (600km) on one charge-up.
The Modular Energy Carrier concept (MECc), created by three Danish companies, uses bio-methanol to bolster its battery life.
Mogens Lokke, CEO of ECOmove, designers of the innovative 'QBEAK' car said bio-methanol was far better than diesel or gasoline because it produces substantially less carbon dioxide.
'In combination with the way we built the car, which is really lightweight (425 kilograms), we can get the 500-mile range,' he told CNN.
A bio-methanol/ water is converted by the fuel cell to create electricity, while waste heat from the process powers the car's heating and cooling system.
It also benefits from a innovative chassis design which has really pushed the technology forward.
'Instead of putting in a fixed battery, we have built in (six) modules that can be fitted inside the chassis. We can use battery power in the modules or any other kind of energy source,' Lokke said.
The award-winning QBEAK also uses patented in-wheel electric motors to deliver a top speed of 75mph (120kph).
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
My daily driver is a Nissan Cube, so this would look awesome sitting next to it in the driveway.
A fuel cell can achieve +60% conversion efficiency of the energy contained in a pound of fuel vs. 30% max for an IC engine. Coupled with an AC motor and drive, you could easily achieve +50% system efficiency for the system in its crudest form. A fuel cell is basically a battery with a externally supplied consumable electrode, with hydrogen being supplied by a chemical compound (in this case methanol), and oxygen supplied by the atmosphere. With a methanol fuel cell, you could use the existing fuel transportation and distribution network, and reutilize existing refineries. Most methanol is made by catylizing natural gas, and it can also be made from the destructive distillation of wood and celluose (byproduct of charcoal making). This isn’t new technology, the original concepts were discovered around the 1830’s.
You have to be rich to be green.
You will never see the poor buying solar panels, electric cars, windmills, or anything else. Even the electric bicycles are out of reach to the poor.
Interesting details. Thanks.
Stuffed full of enough batteries, sure.
Can it also match the gasoline car’s 10 minute refuel time for the next 500 miles?
and with 3-inch wide tires, I’m sure the handling is particularly “crisp”...
Two weeks ago DC had a 48 hour blackout.
Sigh...I knew that at one time. I was to busy knowing it wasn’t water to give it a second look. My turn to be embarrassed I suppose.
You got that right. :-)
Guess they forgot to add that little tidbit. Carrying water for Government Motors in the UK...interesting.
Will it fit in one of Bloombergs new 300 sq ft apts, for recharging
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