Thursday, September 4, 2008

Affordable, Powerful Electric Scooters Coming Soon

Here's a story (source) from Ariel Schwartz at CleanTechnica.com:
PowerGenix has developed a nickel zinc (NiZn) battery that has 35 percent higher power and energy density than a nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery (used in hybrid vehicles), but is half the cost of a lithium-ion battery.

This is great news for scooter fanatics, who right now are forced to choose between cheap scooters with lead-acid batteries and expensive scooters with powerful lithium-ion batteries.

A bike or scooter using the PowerGenix’ NiZn battery has enough energy to run errands or commute to work— but comes with a cheaper price tag than the lithium-ion powered Vectrix and Zero motorbikes

PowerGenix recently inked a deal with Houston based Veloteq to produce scooters using their NiZn battery. Look for the scooters to be marketed initially in Europe and the US next year.

The first Veloteq product will be unveiled later this month, at the Las Vegas Interbike convention Booth #5981. PowerGenix is based in San Diego, Calif.
I believe this is the first of MANY new battery tech developments you can expect to see over the next couple of years. No word on whether or not Veloteq went through the trouble of hiring talented designers to build a scooter with visual appeal and advanced handling or just settled for cramming the batteries into tired old Chinese gas-scooter bodies like so many others. I guess we'll find out in 20 days. Oh wait...

They settled. Zero and Vectrix might have expensive scooters, but at least the look good and handel well.

9 comments:

Magdyno.com said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Magdyno.com said...

Poor LEV/EV performance is slowing consumer adoption due to following Customer Problems:
 Limited range between charges
 Expensive battery only lasts one year
 Limited warranty due to power train problems
 Slow acceleration from stop
 Slow acceleration from cruising speed
 Can't climb steep hills
 High torque output produces heat in the motor windings that must be removed to avoid motor damage
Important issues for LEV/EV consumers in rough order of importance are:
 Cost (Battery life is a major cost component)
 Range (how far on a single charge)
 Noise
 Torque (acceleration from stop and hill climbing)
 Reliability
 Weight
 Efficiency
Different customers are with different priorities
 Military and Police – silence, range, speed
 Industrial – range, reliability
 Some EU markets – reliability
Opportunities for future
Many designs use conventional motors, however, market needs better reliable, high performance and cost effective EPS suppliers
 Smaller size
 More efficient
 Cost effective
 Better torque characteristics
 More durable
 Better controller characteristics
 Better controller reliability

It is NOT just an issue with battery!!!

please contact : magdyno@gmail.com for more information

James Hubbard said...

first off, Vectrix is NiMH not lithium powered. Second magdyno's views are as old fashioned as his / her name. As an eV owner I enjoy:
55 miles between charges.
A 10 year battery life.
A 2 year warrenty
No power train, the motor is in the wheel, so no powertrain problems
Very fast acceleration from stop very fast acceleration from cruising speed
Can climb a 1 in 3 no problem
No problems with heat in the motor windings
Torque that is fantastic, from zero rpm
Reliability no parts to service other than tyres and brakes, oh and the battery after 10 years, The motor doesn't even have brushes to replace

James Hubbard said...

I suggest that magdyno should carry out better research before making such daft assertions. You WILL see electric cars going mass market within 3 years. Stick to vintage motorbikes mate - until there's no more petrol!

Magdyno.com said...

Guys,

I have studied and investigated electric drive train systems for EV/LEV , even HEV for 7 years.

Basically the EV/LEV or even HEV can be powered with different motors!

with regard to "A 10 year battery life " , please specify what is the lifecycle ? 10 years?? HOw many times?

motor is in the wheel: please specify if your vehicle is 2 wheels, 3or 4 wheels?

How many motors are powering your vehicle ?

Before doing your homework, had better not make some improper assumptions - "magdyno should carry out better research before making such daft assertions".

Thanks,

Magdyno.com said...

If it is 2 wheels e-scooter, if you drive it every day , it implied the battery must be charged every day, I bet the battery can not be used for 10 years !

James Hubbard said...

I can see you have been researching for a long time magdyno, but what I said was that you should carry out BETTER research. Like getting the details of what type of battery powers the Vectrix. 30 second on the web would give you that. Sorry but I just don't like it when people claim to be experts but can't get their facts right

Magdyno.com said...

I did not claim I am an expert in that, but as I knew the revolutionary technologies in motor and controlling systems for LEV/EV and even HEV are developed and being tested.


The following lists its advantages:

Simplified power-train system structure

Stable, smooth and high reliability

Significantly reduce torque fluctuations

More efficient material usage and high power output
Makes LEV easy to operate and control

The straight potential simplifies battery rectification and filtration

Makes it easy to control and restrain the operational behavior of LEV/EV

Solve the critical heat issue produced in high torque output

Magdyno.com said...

The following configurations are used for most of e-scooters in different countries. Please list more if would
==================================

China (brushed and brushless)
150 - 250 watt hub motors, gear reduction and direct drive, most common in China.

Low cost, not consistent in quality or performance, more than 70 makers, “good enough” for the China market and low price export market.
250 – 750 watt gear reduction hub brushed/brushless motors. Quite good, not cheap.

====================================
Japan (brushed)


250 watt bottom bracket drive used in Japan.

250 watt, designed for Japanese regulations – proportional drive PAS paradigm.

Some hub motors are used, including an American designed model for Sanyo

============================
EU (brushed)
250 to 600 watt motors in a variety of configurations used in EU.

=============================
USA (brushed)
250 – 1,500 watt motors in a variety of configurations used in USA.