The status quo of EV: better batteries, same range

[EdmondLeaf]

Electric motors and batteries have improved substantially over the past one hundred years, but today's much hyped electric cars have a range that is - at best - comparable to that of their predecessors at the beginning of the 20th century

http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2010...lectric-cars-better-batteries-same-range.html

 

[KJD]

You left out one minor little detail.

The maximum speed of the Fritchle was 40 km/h (25 mph), the Nissan does 140 km/h (87 mph) and the i-MiEV is not far behind (130 km/h or 81 mph).

 

[EricBayArea]

You left out one minor little detail.

The maximum speed of the Fritchle was 40 km/h (25 mph), the Nissan does 140 km/h (87 mph) and the i-MiEV is not far behind (130 km/h or 81 mph).

+1

If you drove the LEAF at a max of 25mph then it would go much further than 100 miles

 

[Nubo]

The article makes some valid points about range vs. battery capacity vs. performance vs. weight, etc...

However the conclusion isn't very helpful. Just like in 1920, there just isn't much of a market for EVs with a top speed of 25 mph. EVs have to achieve a form of parity with ICE vehicles. That they are as close as they are now is tremendous progress. I'm not sure if the author is missing the forest... or the trees.

 

[davewill]

What people are really missing is that the 100 mile range exists because that's what the marketing people decided to sell. Until the tech goes mainstream, and manufacturing really ramps up, batteries are going to be expensive. As long as they are expensive, manufacturers are going to produce cars that have the range they must have, not the range everybody wants.