Quote:
Originally Posted by Xist
Shai Agassi founded Better Place in 2009 and went through more than $850 million in investments before going bankrupt in 2013.
The business plan "relied on the notion of a standardized battery pack that could be swapped out rather than recharged onboard," but Agassi excelled in offending other automakers, who he needed to build the batteries.Some day I may remember what I was trying to find.  |
Let's suppose a similar approach could be economically viable, and EV makers were not so focused on proving them to fare better performance-wise than an ICE-powered car. Also considering safety, chemical stability and recyclability to be priorities, leading to the usage of "outdated" lead-acid battery packs, most likely the best testbeds for such setup could be those Japanese forward-control vans, as they require some under-floor clearance for a transmission, driveshaft and suspension travel when fitted with a solid rear axle. There would be plenty of space to add enough batteries to provide a range suitable to the needs of an average Joe or Sally, and maybe even allowing some streamlining to improve efficiency.