GridPoint has just invested around $120 million in accumulated funds to purchase the V2Green electric car charging facilities and software. The company, GridPoint, specialises in the distribution of software that helps to power multiple generating units, in this case, electric car charging outlets. The software is used to control the distribution of electricity from port to car, and eliminates any risk to the car.

The reason for this purchase was to eliminate electricity grid ‘taxing’, which means that in peak times the number of electric cars that are plugged in to recharge would create a demand for too much electricity, so eventually more electric power plants would need to be built. The V2Green software is designed to assist the already present power grid to cope with all this extra energy that is needed.

It is thought that this kind of high demand on the power grid is not going to become much of an issue until late 2010 or early 2011, which is when most of the new electric cars go into wide distribution. The hype over the poor condition of the O-zone layer and other environmental concerns is thought to push electric car sales to an all time high, making the V2Green a necessity, mainly in the U.S. and China.

The current electric and hybrid car batteries, whilst they are fit for purpose, they do not last as long as they should. It is thought that a Lithium-Ion Battery would last twice as long. No figures have been released as of yet, but plans are being pursued to manufacture electronic chips that may serve to help these new batteries work for longer.

Linear’s LTC6802 is it’s name, and it will be able to accurately monitor the power output of up to 12 individual Lithium-Ion battery cells when installed in electric and hybrid cars. The production of the chips is going to be expensive, however work has already commenced, with prototypes nearing completion.

The system has already been purchased by Toyota, to use with it’s third generation hybrid cars which are going to run on Lithium-Ion batteries. More and more companies are placing bids each week, but no other information has been released as of yet. Lithium-Ion batteries are prone to ‘catastrophic failure’, as stated by the company that produces these new technologies. The new chips will eliminate over charging and over discharging damage, making the driving safer and keeping the car in good ‘health’ for longer.

It is widely thought that a stereotypical electric or hybrid car owner is one of two kinds of people. The first is an elderly male who is either too old, or afraid to drive too fast and thinks that they will be safer in a car that runs on little or no gas. The second is a rich man or woman who feels high and mighty and almost better than everyone else in the knowledge that they are doing their bit for the environment, with little effort.

This need not be the case. Electric cars are ideal for almost anyone. Given a few more years, manufacturers could even have produced 4×4s run on batteries and then everybody will be happy. The EV world has come a long way since it’s begginning, costs are coming down and vehicles are easy to get hold of. With the environmental concieousness rising, everyone is looking for some way to help keep the world ‘ticking’ for a few more years, and driving a battery powered car is a good way to start.

The prices of electric cars are still very high, but soon they will start falling. Think about an electric vehicle when you decide to upgrade or replace your current car. By 2010, there will be so many choices available that everybody will be spoilt for choice.

Chrysler, whilst the company has recently revealed it’s electric car production plans, as previously stated in one of my other posts, the plans have been pushed forward! It is apparent that Chrysler is now going to exhibit a line of prototype electric cars as soon as next week.

The company is focusing more on their business strategies in their show to dealers of Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler. The exhibition will take place via videoconference across over 100 movie theaters all around the U.S.A. This will pull Chrysler to the front in the run up to 2010, when most of the new electric cars are released from all of the biggest companies, and some of the older ‘pioneers’ of the electric car.

This new line of electric cars has been hailed as the new generation of electric cars. As they are just some more plug-in hybrids, they are not the most environmentally friendly cars, although they are very technologically advanced…watch this space!!!

Everyone is hearing the buzz around the new Chevrolet Volt. Countless news articles have been written about it, it is mentioned in dozens of blogs etc, but how good is it? Nobody seems to want to make any comments on how good the fuel economy is.

Stepping back slightly, for those who don’t know, the Chevrolet Volt is the newest offering from the motoring industry giants, GM. The Volt is powered by a Lithium-Ion battery combined with an internal combustion engine. Whilst the car is a plug-in hybrid, the combustion engine does still charge the battery.

It is always good news when a motor company embarks on an electric venture, but companies cannot seem to move out of the hybrid shadow. Each year companies reveal plans for new hybrids. Hybrids, hybrids hybrids, when are we going to hear the news of a fully electric powered Volt that can reach speeds of up to 150mph and only needs recharging every 100 miles. Well, for the time being, the technology has not yet been adapted.

Coming back to the Volt, set to arrive in 2010, the combustion engine does have a reasonable fuel economy, although the Toyota alternative, which has been available for some time now, has a better fuel economy. It just seems like GM are having some troubles trying to move away from their usual muscle cars, so they need a more powerful engine, with a less than amazing fuel economy rating.

 Daimler AG, the German car manufacturers and development section has released news that they have already begun creating lithium powered cars with the car giants Mercedes. This news was welcomed by German natives as well as the industry on a more international scale. The news was shortly followed by some even better news.

The company has joined up with it’s research and development section ‘RWE AG’ in the hope of developing and planting over five hundred electric car recharging points across Berlin. This means that anybody that owns a fully electric car could potentially recharge their car anywhere. The access points are going to be planted at private housing areas, public car parks, alongside gas stations and around heavy tourist areas.

This new initiative means that Berlin is going to be the first major city to follow in the footsteps of Tokyo, Japan, whos government has already kick-started plans to have the city filled with electric car charging ports by late 2009. In Berlin, the work is likely to be completely finished, and all ports will be fully operational by the year 2010, if everything goes to plan.

The financial side of things is looking good also, as the German government has stated that they will try to help in any way they can.

I have posted previously on the topic of the electric car plant to be constructed by ZAP in association with Integrity Manufacturing. It has emerged now, that the construction could begin within a matter of days.

The CEO of Integrity Manufacturing has let it slip that the plant could be completely up and running within a year. So, whilst construction may begin quickly, the work is going to take rather a long time.

Now, people just think that the benefit of electric cars is to the environment. NO. I am going to focus, instead of always droning on about the O-zone and the environment, I am going to break away from the norm and mention UNEMPLOYMENT. That is a word that nobody likes to hear, but a huge percentage of people all over the world are unemployed.

There are no machines available at the moment to do all of the work at an electric car plant. This means that the new plant is going to generate somewhere in the region of 4,000 jobs in the specific area (unconfirmed).

So, if you thought that the environment was the only thing that an electric car could potentially heal, think again.

Tokyo gets one step closer to popularising the common use of electric vehicles. As we know, electric cars in Tokyo out number electric vehicles across the rest of the world. Now some manufacturers in Tokyo are developing stations where people can recharge their electric cars, making them run up to 25 miles on just a five minute battery charge.

The company involved (TEPCO) has denied that they are going to set these stations up any time soon within the city, although they have completed trail projects, and the rsults look very promising. This could mean that Tokyo may eventually become the world’s first city to completely switch to the electric motor, exciting news for any environmentalist. It is thought, however, that the actual commisioning of such stations could take years, if not decades.

Car manufacturers that are currently stocking vehicles manufactured by Fuji Heavy Industries have agreed to have these stations available at their stores, just as soon as the plans get the all clear. These will be located amongst the new electric vehicles to be manufactured and released by Mitsubishi, Subaru and Nissan.

This news comes as a breath of fresh air to almost everyone that is just a little bit caring of the environment. Is it a good idea? It’s a great idea, and good luck to them!

This is my first blog and I have worked out what the approximate cost of parts of a internal combustion in an automobile compared to a electric plug in vehicle.

Automobile: 1. radiator $ 300- 2. Hoses $ 50- 3. gas tank $150- 4. gas line filter $ 25 -5. fuel pump $100- 6. emission system $60-7.air filters $20-8. pcv $60-9. exhaust system $150-10. I.C. engine $1,500-11. carburetor $ 90- 12. starter $100- 13. guages $60- 14. caps radiator/Gas $ 20- 15. transmission $ 500- clutch $ 75

TOTAL: $ 3,260.00

1. remove I.C. engine $ 700- 2. gages $ 100-3. electric motor $ 1,200- 4. batteries $ 2 400- 5. conversion cost $ 1,600- 6. miscllaneous $ 500-7. charger $ 450

COST TO OPERATE GAS CAR 6 YEARS:$ 12,210.00 based on $ 4.00 per gallon and not counting rising gas price.

COST TO OPERATE AN ELECTRIC PLUG IN 6 YEARS: $ 2,016.00