EV goes 375 miles @ 55MPG -- and charges in 6 minutes!

[roflwaffle]

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

Uh, it has a 5 speed transmission, and the original engine was 100 kg. The transmission automatically freewheels when you let off the accelerator so P&G is easy, but it is also illegal in many places in the US.

Coasting in neutral can be illegal, but what states prohibit freewheeling transmissions?

[RobertSmalls]

Coasting in neutral may be illegal, but some Honda and Toyota hybrids leave the factory programmed to do so. It's not an issue.

Crash tests are run at a few hundred lbs above curb weight, and cars become less safe as you add more, but they're not going to instantly disintegrate in a crash above GVWR. Stock brakes and handling can be assumed to be safe only up to the car's GVWR. It's a problem for low-budget EV conversions, but not so much for commercial BEV's like the Leaf.

This article shouldn't have lead with 375mi@55mph. That's a record I could break with $30k. They should have lead with "three times the energy density of LiFePO4's". That's amazing, and if they can work out the kinks (cost!), then it'll make future EV's more viable.

Also, I still want to know:

2500 cycles to what percent capacity? And don't say 100%, that's BS. What charge and discharge rate are required to achieve that figure?

And isn't LMP one of those chemistries that is capable of thermal runaway?

[roflwaffle]

Aren't most most Li chemistries capable of thermal runaway? In terms of lifespan the A2 still had ~20% of the initial charge left on the 350+ mile run, so I imagine the lifecycle figure refers to the number of cycles to 80% capacity.

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

They are also saying the batter is 97% efficient, which a bit better than current batteries (which are ~94% as I understand it?).

Aren't most Li batteries are in the high nineties in terms of efficiency? The only exceptions I can think of are cells w/ higher internal resistance and even then that's only at higher discharge rates.

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

50k@2500 cycles (battery cost-depreciation).
$20 per full cycle (every 375 miles under perfect conditions).
not including the electricity cost.
18.75 cents per mile in battery depreciation.
say 25 cents a mile in electricity and battery depreciation (at least).
they have a very long way to go.

regards
Mech

The lifecycle was supposedly ~300k miles, not 50k miles. Where are you getting the cost of the batteries from?

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Tweety

So yeah, to keep the weight limits you have to either pack light (10 Kg for four people) or choose passengers or cargo...

And this is a problem how, exactly? I can't even remember the last time I had another human in the car with me (and the dog's only about 60 lbs), most of the cars I see on the roads have just one or two passengers...

If you need to carry more, buy a minivan.

[NeilBlanchard]

Best article on this with the most information and nuanced discussion, so far:

Claiming Battery Breakthrough, Electric Audi Drives 375 Miles at 55 MPH Without Recharging | PluginCars.com

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by roflwaffle

Coasting in neutral can be illegal, but what states prohibit freewheeling transmissions?

How do I drive a MT car in these states? It isn't possible for me to stop without the transmission being in neutral and clutch in is no different than neutral, I just damage the throw out bearing faster.

[roflwaffle]

It's a regulation that was meant for large trucks back in the day, and practically speaking it refers to coasting in N at higher speeds, and even then it's pretty much impossible to regulate, but if you tell a cop that you were doing it they might ticket you.

[DJBecker]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

They should have lead with "three times the energy density of LiFePO4's". That's amazing, and if they can work out the kinks (cost!), then it'll make future EV's more viable.

Three times the energy density is more than amazing, it's incredible. There are limits with the difference in energy states for the battery chemistry that makes this... unlikely.

To do 3x by volume or weight, you need to switch to a fundamentally different energy storage approach e.g. ultracapacitors or an oxidizing battery.

[HPEV]

The 6 minute time for such a huge pack does sound VERY fishy indeed. The largest real rapid charger that I can think of off the top of my head is Aerovironment makes a 250kW model.

[NeilBlanchard]

This is a translated link of an article on Mirko Hannemann the inverntor, and the DBM Energy "Hummingbird" battery:

Power Pack With Great Perseverance

Awesome stuff!