« Friends Of The Earth And Ethanol | Home | Soros Says Ethanol Investments Hurt By Governments »
The Volt: An Electric Car That Could Change Everything
By Mr Ethanol | June 5, 2007
This electric car could cause a significant shift in the paradigm of green transportation. If it moves from concept to reality.
Mother Earth News:
General Motors unveiled the Chevrolet Volt concept car in early 2007, electrifying the automotive world and exciting those clamoring for revolutionary progress in sustainable transportation. A stylish and sleek coupe with room for four, the Volt also happens to be a plug-in electric vehicle with fuel economy up to 150 miles per gallon. If GM builds it — and that’s still a big if — the Volt could usher in a new era of practical electric cars for the masses and go a long way toward helping America end its much-lamented but ever-growing addiction to oil.
What makes the Volt tick is General Motor’s new E-Flex system, which uses an electric generator, an electric motor, an advanced lithium-ion battery pack and a three-cylinder internal combustion engine. The keystone of the E-Flex system is the battery pack, which consists of hundreds of individual lithium-ion cells and the software that manages them. The batteries can be fully recharged by plugging the car into a standard electrical outlet for about six hours. The small gas engine powers the electric generator, which has two functions: recharge the battery pack when needed and provide extra juice to propel the car at freeway speeds.
The “flex” in E-Flex is twofold: the gas engine is flex-fuel, meaning it can burn gasoline or E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline); and the E-Flex drive is flexible such that it can use a diesel engine or a hydrogen-powered fuel cell instead of a gas engine.
Topics: Cars, Industry, News |
Related Posts
- What Holds Back Electric Cars? Car Dealers, Says VC
- Detroit Auto Show Parades Environmental Future
- Silicon Valley Emerging As The Detroit Of Electric Cars
- Earth Talk
- Car Makers Go Green At New York Auto Show
- Electric Cars: Are They Getting Another Jolt?
- Many Roads Lead To Cleaner Cars, GM And Toyota Say
- Eco Friendly Vehicles: A Case Of Misplaced Emphasis?
- Ethanol Blend Fuels May Or May Not Affect Your Car
- Challenging Gasoline: Diesel, Ethanol, Hydrogen
New Way Of Making Easy Money Online
June 28th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
I am encourage that GM is finally investing time and money in alternative transportation, I am 33 years old and would love a opportunity to buy the volt as soon as possible. My next vehicule will be a electric car, and I will buy this vehicule from whatever company has one on the market first. It’s time to change the way we think about transportation.