Zero-Emission Vehicles discontinued?

[muckle]

Don't think anybody posted this, but here's a link to an extremely interesting article that suggests the large auto makers don't want non-gas powered vehicles to succeed:

http://archive.salon.com/tech/feature/2002/09/04/woe_to_ev1/index.html

Interesting stuff!

[yop]

Haven't they learned? It sounds like the same old thing. Remember this? "American consumers don't want small cars." Result: Toyota, Honda, etc.

[don c.]

Battery electric vehicles such as the EV1 and Th!nk were probably doomed to failure from the start because of the limitations of existing battery technology. If flywheel batteries become advanced enough, or nickle metal hydride batteries are produced cheaply enough, ZEV's may return.

In the meantime however, virtually all of the the major auto companies, GM included (http://www.gm.com/company/gmability/environment/gm_and_the_env/releases/paradigm_hev_010401.html), have hybrids in the market or under serious development.

[n/a]

quote:Battery electric vehicles such as the EV1 and Th!nk were probably doomed to failure from the start because of the limitations of existing battery technology. If flywheel batteries become advanced enough, or nickle metal hydride batteries are produced cheaply enough, ZEV's may return.

In the mean time, we might see Kamen introduce his stirling based battery charger.

[muckle]

>> Battery electric vehicles such as the EV1 and Th!nk were probably doomed to failure from the start <<

Not according to the folks that own them! (apparently)

[ftropea]

Where is the real incentive for auto-makers to produce non-gas vehicles? Aside from the wishy-washy legislative initiatives, there is no profit motive behind moving away from gas.

If there was more money to be made doing it, they would of done it by now. Perhaps a "disruptive" technological alternative - such as the Stirling - would help create some initiative.

- Frank

[Seeker]

Here's a link that relates to 'non hydrogen fuel cells'. So these are fuel cells which could work on fuels such as diesel, rather than hydrogen.

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/scitech/DyeHard/dyehard010927.html

I could see some benefits in automakers going this route, because the infrastructure would be there to support such vehicle. These cars would use currently available fuel, but in a different way.

The first automaker to pursue such a market might be able to get ahead on the rest of the pack, who would join in later.

Seeker