BMW i3 Proves More Popular Outside Of Urban Areas

   In launching and marketing the BMW i3, executives commonly referred to the electric vehicle as an urban mobility vehicle meant for transporting city folk to and from their destinations within the 82-mile driving range. However, the inclusion of a gas-powered range-extender that effectively doubles that i3’s driving range has made it a big hit outside of cities, reports Automotive News.

  Unsurprisingly, California is the largest market for the BMW i3, and two BMW dealers have even opened standalone i-dealerships solely for selling the i3 and its in-demand sibling, the i8. But Texas and South Florida have also proven popular hotspots for the i3. But the typically-liberal Northeast, specifically places like New York City, have apparently turned up their nose at the electric Bimmer. According to Ludwig Willisch, CEO of BMW of North America, New Yorkers apparently don’t put the same priority on electric vehicles as other parts of the country.

  It actually makes sense for the i3 to be more popular with EV enthusiasts who live outside of major metro areas. Sales of the i3 are already approaching 1,000 units a month, and at 20,000 units sold the i3 starts to make money for BMW. The optional range-extender turns the i3 into an extended-range electric car with a 150 mile range and the option to quickly refill the two-gallon gas tank. While all-electric range drops by about 10 miles per charge, the extra range from the gas generator means you can take the i3 all the way to its battery limitations, and still have a couple of hours of range left.

Makes sense to me, and for BMW the i3 is quickly becoming a popular alternative to traditional combustion vehicles for both country and city folk.

The Electric Vehicle Conversion Handbook HP1568

Book Description

Release Date: June 7, 2011

A guide on how to convert any gas- or diesel-powered vehicle to electric power. Includes ownership advantages, basic EV operation, subsystems, components, basic EV operation, project vehicles, and conversion kits.

  About the Author

"Mark Warner is a professionally licensed mechanical engineer, a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers, and a life-long automobile expert and builder. He has written five best selling books on automotive technology, hundreds of magazine articles, dozens of peer reviewed technical papers, and holds ten engineering patents. He lives in Tucson, Arizona. When he's not writing, he can usually be found wrenching on a project car in his shop."

Converting a car to electric drive is no small task. It is by no means impossible, but if you're going to do it, you need to be well armed with the right information to help keep mistakes to a minimum, keep costs low and assure success. This book has a very methodical approach to conversions that I think most would find very useful.

It begins by explaining what electric cars are along with the advantages and disadvantages they offer. The author doesn't pull any punches, explaining their shortcomings but is clearly enthusiastic about their benefits. From there he moves into helping you determine if an EV is right for you, posing multiple questions and offering different scenarios to help you come to a good decision.

After that, he moves into explaining how one would select a chassis, or car to convert. It might sound like a simple task, but there is a lot to think about here and he's done a nice job addressing the different factors that need to be considered.

Next he moves into discussing each of the different components and the theory behind them. I found this particularly useful and the real strength of the book. We all know you need an electric motor to drive an electric car, but how do you choose which one to buy. The same holds true with the other components: the controller, the charger and of course the batteries. What the author has done is to talk about the theory behind each component, why they're necessary, how they work, and the various categories of each (for instance, lead acid batteries vs. lithium). It leaves you with an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of each so you are in a better place to make an informed decision about your conversion.

Lastly, he presents 9 different projects from different builders. They include a wide variety of vehicles, including a bicycle, a motor cycle, a truck, a van and even a couple sports cars. More than anything, these serve as an example of what can be accomplished with careful planning and execution.

The book doesn't offer a step by step guide for converting a car. That would be impossible considering the number of different cars there are to choose from and the multitude of components that are available. Instead, it aims to teach you how to make informed decisions about all of the various aspects involved through the entire process of the conversion. All in all I think it is a very useful book to anyone considering their own conversion.

                                 

                            Only 9 left in stock (more on the way).                               
                                   The Electric Vehicle Conversion Handbook HP1568

Modern Electric, Hybrid Electric, and Fuel Cell Vehicles: Fundamentals, Theory, and Design, Second Edition (Power Electronics and Applications Series)

Air pollution, global warming, and the steady decrease in petroleum resources continue to stimulate interest in the development of safe, clean, and highly efficient transportation. Building on the foundation of the bestselling first edition, Modern Electric, Hybrid Electric, and Fuel Cell Vehicles: Fundamentals, Theory, and Design, Second Edition updates and expands its detailed coverage of the vehicle technologies that offer the most promising solutions to these issues affecting the automotive industry.

Proven as a useful in-depth resource and comprehensive reference for modern automotive systems engineers, students, and researchers, this book speaks from the perspective of the overall drive train system and not just its individual components

New to the second edition:

• A case study appendix that breaks down the Toyota Prius hybrid system
• Corrections and updates of the material in the first edition
• Three new chapters on drive train design methodology and control principles
• A completely rewritten chapter on Fundamentals of Regenerative Braking

Employing sufficient mathematical rigor, the authors comprehensively cover vehicle performance characteristics, EV and HEV configurations, control strategies, modeling, and simulations for modern vehicles.

They also cover topics including:

• Drive train architecture analysis and design methodologies
• Internal Combustion Engine (ICE)-based drive trains
• Electric propulsion systems
• Energy storage systems
• Regenerative braking
• Fuel cell applications in vehicles
• Hybrid-electric drive train design 

The first edition of this book gave practicing engineers and students a systematic reference to fully understand the essentials of this new technology. This edition introduces newer topics and offers deeper treatments than those included in the first. Revised many times over many years, it will greatly aid engineers, students, researchers, and other professionals who are working in automotive-related industries, as well as those in government and academia.

Only 13 left in stock (more on the way).

                                    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

  Modern Electric, Hybrid Electric, and Fuel Cell Vehicles: Fundamentals, Theory, and Design, Second Edition (Power Electronics and Applications Series)

Electric and Hybrid Vehicles Made ​​In Delphi Will Be Produced

Collaborating to Create More for Your Customers

Hybrid and electric vehicles are popular because they appeal to a wide range of consumers. The environmentally conscious can appreciate the ultra-low to zero emissions and amazing fuel economy, while the economically minded can appreciate the low vehicle depreciation and savings in costs at the gas pump. At Delphi, we recognize the importance of vehicle manufacturers offering more comfort, more efficiency, more fuel economy and more environmentally friendly cars and trucks accessible to more consumers. We believe in working together to create the most value for our customers. Our systems knowledge, innovative automotive component design and integration skills extend through our entire organization. This helps us reduce costs, provide peak performance and offer a robust portfolio of hybrid and electric vehicle components and systems including:

• Charging Systems 
• Energy Storage Systems 
• Thermal Systems
• Connection Systems 
• Power Electronics 
• Service Solutions
• Electrical Centers 
• Powertrain Systems 
• Wiring Assemblies

Delphi Products:

A - Vehicle Supervisory Controllers 

B - Battery Management Systems

C - Energy Storage Systems 

D - Battery Chargers

E - DC/DC Converters 

F - DC/AC Inverters and Motor
      Controllers

G - Power Distribution Center 

H - Thermal Cooling Systems

I - Charge Port Coupler 

J - Evaporative Emissions Canister Module

Delphi, a Leader in Powertrain Electrification

Delphi continues its legacy of more than 100 years of creating innovations that advance the automotive industry. As a pioneer in the development of electric and hybrid electric vehicles, we provide vehicle manufacturers with more than 20 years of experience in architecting electric and hybrid electric vehicle propulsion systems. We are aggressively lowering the cost of powertrain electrification through system

design and architecture, component design and development, controls and algorithm development and manufacturability.

Delphi – A Global, Integrated Hybrid Competence

Cust omers can l everage Delphi’s gl obal st rengt hs and in-market capabilities to speed the development and availability of state-of-the-art systems without compromising quality or system optimization. Our

dedicated, global engineering team is available to work with you, side-by-side, collaborating to create solutions for your issues and value for your customers. We can provide complete component modeling, analysis and test capability. Our teams are leading the industry in vehicle systems integration, with computer-aided engineering, vehicle modeling and simulation, and system dynamometers. Our Velocity™ suite of design, analysis and simulation tools can optimize your entire vehicle electrical/electronic architecture. We also invested in technologically advanced development, simulation and validation test capabilities for our

products for hybrid and electric vehicles. We accelerate real world conditions by imparting extreme environmental conditions to make sure we deliver robust designs. Some include:

• High Pressure Spray 
• Salt Spray 
• Temperature Humidity
• Mechanical Shock 
• Thermal Age 
• Thermal Shock
• Salt Fog 
• Thermal Cycling 
• Vibration

And our value extends past the vehicle assembly line. We deliver safe, reliable solutions for your customers on and off the road. Our complete systems expertise understands electro-magnetic interference (EMI) issues

to ensure your vehicles operate as intended. We provide special environmental sealing to high-voltage interlock systems that can help prevent potential thermal incidents or injury.

Established Global Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Technical Capabilities

Delphi is ideally situated to help automakers navigate the requirements of next-generation hybrids and new electric vehicles. With major technical centers, manufacturing sites and customer support facilities in 30 countries, we can leverage the advanced design and manufacturing facilities around the world to provide our customers efficient electrified powertrain solutions.

Beyond component design, our mature engineering capabilities in the market both understand local dynamics as well as offer personalized support. Our localized, global presence gives a fresh perspective to our research and development, and added value to our products. Therefore, our understanding of market challenges can be more thorough, and collaboration with our customers can be easy and frequent.

Our team is currently developing and executing numerous production programs for global vehicle manufacturers. These OEMs are leveraging our global footprint to accelerate technology development and create more value for their customers – consumers.

Manufacturing Close to Our Customers

Our team is dedicated to this goal: “Be recognized by our customers as their best supplier.” Not only do we design, simulate, test and validate the components and systems with a proven process for manufacturabilty, our local expertise in highvolume manufacturing gives our customers an advantage of having a high-quality, responsive supply at a cost-effective value. And, an experienced production t eam can exceed your expectations with on-time delivery and superior service.

A Robust Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Product Portfolio to Address Unique Challenges

Hybrid and electric vehicles require an expertise in optimized solutions to daunting, new challenges. Delphi offers a robust portfolio of products and systems to address these unique challenges. 

Fuel Economy and Performance With more than 100 years of automotive innovation, Delphi provides power electronics for hybrid and electric vehicles that are high-value and extremely reliable while offering peak performance. A strong technological foundation helps Delphi offer customers the products they need to succeed in the fast-growing hybrid and electric vehicle market. Key products include inverters, converters, battery management controllers, battery pack systems, and battery chargers. 

Safety, Shielding and Sealing Hybrid and electric vehicles present unique challenges when it comes to E/E architecture. They have rigorous power requirements and demand robust component performance and additional safety features due to the challenging environment in which they operate. Delphi is developing specific architecture technologies for batterypowered transportation, including harness protection systems such as bent aluminum tubes or molded channels, battery monitoring devices, charge port coupler,

plug-in and wireless battery charging solutions and a new series of connection systems that incorporates the shielding, sealing, and high-voltage safety interconnects required for high-voltage/highpower applications.

Delphi gasoline and diesel products and management systems are capable of being seamlessly integrated with hybrid vehicles architectures. Delphi has developed software that caters specifically to integration of the internal combustion engine with the additional propulsion and regenerative braking of a hybrid electric

vehicle. Products like Delphi’s variable valve timing, variable valve lift, energy efficient air conditioning including compressors and electronic powertrain cooling play a powerful role in helping reduce fuel consumption.

Reducing Emissions At Delphi, we are working closely with manufacturers to produce hybrid and electric vehicles that will help reduce CO2 emissions significantly. But even before those vehicles are commonplace,

we are offering our customers products that can also improve emissions control for conventional vehicles. In addition to power electronics, these advanced products include Delphi’s direct acting diesel common rail system, gasoline direct injection, active scrubber technology, brushless fuel pumps, solid oxide fuel cell

auxiliary power units, and alt ernative refrigerant HVAC technology.

Mass Although hybrid systems help increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions by reducing reliance on combustion engi nes, they also add weight with increased system content and larger heavier gage cables required to handle the higher current. Delphi can help minimize this increase in vehicle mass by providing solutions to optimize both the traditional and hybrid E/E systems through custom electrical center designs that reduce system complexity, and the integration of new small gage cable technologies, insulation materials and lighter weight alternatives to copper such as aluminum or our special proprietary alloys.

Recyclability Delphi is quickly progressing the development of technology that helps keep products out of landfills or incinerators at the end of their lives. Recyclability has become an important part of our product development. Two examples of environmentally friendly Delphi products are ultra-thin wall halogen-free cable that can be recycled or incinerated unlike PVC or XLPE cable and a micro channel condenser that not only helps residential and commercial air conditioning manu facturers meet mandated energy efficiency ratings with less refrigerant but is also easily recycled.

Value Solutions to these challenges will advance automotive innovation for all vehicles. Delphi is ready to collaborate with you in creating more value for your customers, in not only your hybrid and electric vehicles, but all your cars and trucks.

Nanotechnology Applications In Energy Resources Development

Nano technology provides the potential for significant improvements to the development of two conventional energy sources (fossil fuels and nuclear) and renewable energy sources such as geothermal, solar, wind, hydro, tidal or biomass. Nano-coated wear resistant drill probes, eg for optimization performs age and efficiency of the system for the development of oil and natural gas deposits or geothermal energy, thus it will save costs. For more examples, the task of nanomaterials for propeller lighter while in power quite heavy wind and waves, and therefore must be included corrosion protection coating for pressure mechanical components (bearings, gear boxes, etc.).

Nano technology will play an important role especially in the intensive use of solar energy through photovoltaic systems. In the case of conventional crystalline silicon solar cells, for example, to increase the efficiency achieved by an antireflection coating that produces a higher light. This will be the further development of alternative cell types, such as thin-layer solar cells (eg from silicon or other material systems such as copper / indium / selenium), dye solar cells or polymer solar cells, most of which will benefit from nanotechnologies . Polymer solar cells are said to have high potential, especially regarding the supply of portable electronic devices, because the material is quite expensive and production methods, and design flexibility.

Medium-term target of development is about 10% efficiency and lifetime of several years. here can be exemplified, nanotechnologies can contribute to the optimization of the design and the morphology of the mixed layer in the structure of organic semiconductor components. in the long term, the use of nanostructures, such as quantum dots and wires, could allow for solar cell efficiency over 60%.
ACC: Dr. And Prof. Alois Rhiel. Dr. Jurgen Schmid