Nissan has developed a revolutionary plug-free technology that it claims will make charging electric cars easier and faster. The wireless charging system is based on the concept of inductive charging, the same electromagnetic field technology used to charge an electric toothbrush. Nissan has scaled it up for use in their Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) electric car, which can charge in a compatible parking bay without the need for wires. Today's electric car owners, in contrast, have to carry a mains plug in their car to recharge.
David Bott, director of innovation programmes at the government-funded Technology Strategy Board, said: "If you look at handheld gadgets, inductive charging is a proven technology - the fundamental science says that it will work. I suspect you'll end up plugging electric cars in at night for efficiency, and by day using inductive for on-the-go recharging."
Nissan hopes to scale the technology up even further as a series of plates laid into the surface of designated electric vehicle lanes on roads and motorways, theoretically enabling motorists to charge as they drive. However, Nissan admits that it still has no idea how much it would cost, how long the designated lane would have to be, or how fast the battery could be recharged.
Bott was sceptical that such charging lanes would be practical: "It's scientifically feasible, but it's whether it's scalable and feasible is another matter."
Nissan's consumer research showed that 61% of potential electric car customers were most worried about the inconvenience of recharging. As well as inductive charging, its solutions include developing fast-charging facilities, which they hope to see in shopping centre car parks and service stations. "So while you're shopping, or having a cup of tea, the battery will refill to 80% of its capacity, in about 25 minutes," explained Larry Haddad, general manager of product strategy and planning at Nissan Europe.
Nissan claims that the ZEV will be the first "dedicated" electric car on the market, arguing that most of its rivals have been rehashes of existing models.
It is a five-seater family-sized car with a top speed of 90mph and a battery range of around 100 miles. Redmer van der Meer, Nissan's European electric vehicle product manager, said he was confident the range will be significantly extended in the next few years, and that cars will be built so new, improved batteries can be retro-fitted. He said the ZEV is deliberately conventional in style: "We don't want to make a shock in the market, an egg-shaped car or something. We want to make a transition. You could do mad things but we really don't want to."
It will go on sale in the US and Japan next year, and in Europe by 2012. Pricing is yet to be announced.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire