John Peterson writes in Alt Energy Stocks:

It’s no secret that I think plug-in electric vehicles are unconscionable waste and pollution masquerading as conservation. To support my opinions, I’ve published an easy to follow Excel spreadsheet that shows why plug-ins are 5x to 6x less effective than HEVs when it comes to reducing national gasoline consumption and 9x to 12x less effective than HEVs when it comes to reducing national CO2 emissions. To date, the only challenges to my analysis have come from die-hard EV fanatics who seem to believe battery factories grow on trees and raw material supply chains sprout like flowers in an alpine meadow.

In early February, Joann Muller of Forbes warned of a coming Electric Car Battery Glut based on published estimates that global lithium-ion battery manufacturing capacity would reach 36 million kWh by 2016. Just this week, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants released a study that forecasts a lithium-ion battery supply bubble between 2015 and 2017 and predicts an industry-wide consolidation where “only six to eight global battery manufacturers will survive in the next five to seven years.”

Read the complete article at:
Why I Don’t Expect A Lithium-Ion Battery Glut

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

London, United Kingdom — On October 8, the Cycle 2009 Show at Earls Court opened. There, the first frame e-bike in the UK was unveiled. (Sanyo has one in Japan.)

The Wisper is a technological marvel. An on-board computer with liquid crystal display provides diagnostic information on speed, performance, and power left in the battery. There are six power-assist modes. A front LED light – with automatic light sensor – runs through the battery system.

The Wisper 906xc Tourer retails at £2,399.

For complete details, see the article at Bike Biz.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

London, England – Karbon Kinetics Limited (KKL) displayed their Gocycle(R) BlackR model weighing 12.9kg at the Cycle Show in London on October 13, 2009. It is the lightest electric bicycle ever produced by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM).

The Gocycle BlackR uses KKL’s breakthrough Magflow(R) technology, sharing the same frameset, PitstopWheel(R), patented three-speed Cleandrive(R), and motor/control system currently available on the GBP1,198 MSRP Gocycle, which weighs 16.2kg. The Gocycle BlackR saves approximately 3kg by employing a lighter saddle, pedal crank assembly, handlebar stem assembly and lithium battery.

Gocycle is the first injection-moulded magnesium bicycle in history.

“The Gocycle BlackR demonstrates continued optimisation and development of Magflow – our groundbreaking magnesium production process for bicycles,” said Richard Thorpe, KKL’s founder and Gocycle’s design engineer.

The majority of electric bicycle manufacturers and developers design and produce single components only, such as frames or wheels, motors or batteries. KKL is different and operates as a true OEM-designing, testing and manufacturing all key components of the Gocycle, from the frameset and the drive train, to the electronics and the motor.

Continued Thorpe, “Typically what you find in the electric bicycle industry is a ‘pick-and-mix’ approach to design and manufacturing. Batteries are now standardised to clip onto the bike frame or rear luggage rack, and a wide variety of motors are available to fit standard bike wheels. So it is relatively easy for new players to enter the e-bike market, but with little product differentiation, competition is fierce. Making a true breakthrough and delivering innovation into the marketplace requires different DNA. Gocycle and the 12.9kg BlackR represent clean-sheet designs employing OEM component integration.”

About Karbon Kinetics Limited and Gocycle

Based in London, Karbon Kinetics Limited (KKL) was founded in 2002 by Richard Thorpe with the aim of developing and commercialising light electric vehicles. Developed and manufactured in the United Kingdom by KKL, Gocycle is specifically designed to operate in a city environment. Gocycle received the GOLD Award at the 2009 EUROBIKE show in the electric bicycle category. Gocycle meets EN 14764, BS 6102 North American Bicycle Standards and has CE certification on electric components.

Gocycle is available for purchase through a Gocycle Certified Dealer or directly online at http://www.gocycle.com with delivery throughout the European Union. MSRP GBP1,198. Visit http://www.gocycle.com.

Source:
Press release: Karbon Kinetics Displays 12.9kg Electric Gocycle(R) at London Cycle Show

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

NEW YORK–(Business Wire)–Reportlinker.com announced that a new market research report is available in its catalogue.

http://www.reportlinker.com/p0109982/Analysis-of-China-Rechargeable-Battery-Market-2008-2009.html

By developing commercialized applications, the rechargeable battery industry has undergone two main development periods: lead-acid batteries and nickel-cadmium batteries; presently the development of rechargeable batteries mainly focuses on the nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery and lithium-ion battery. Moreover, fuel cells and solar cell will be the direction of future development of rechargeable battery.

China has 1500 Lead-acid battery manufacturers and in recent years, the average annual growth rate of output is 20%. China’s output of lead-acid batteries contributes 1/3 of the world’s total output.

The car starting battery is the major consumption of lead-acid batteries, accounting for about 37% of the total. Although the development of Ni-MH and lithium-ion batteries have been in a rapid period, but because of price and other reasons, they can not replace the Lead-acid battery’s position in the Automobile market for many years.

According to the data of China Industrial Association of Power Sources, the Ni-MH battery used in HEV has reached 118 million all over the world in 2008. With the development of new energy vehicles, the Ni-MH power battery will continue to maintain a certain growth in the auto battery market.

The Lithium-ion battery has a wide range of applications, such as mobile phones, laptops, power tools, digital cameras, audio devices and games. Mobile phones and laptops are the main markets for lithium-ion battery and will still dominate for a while; but, in the long term, after the promotion of new energy vehicles, the lithium-ion power battery will has a high-speed growth in the auto battery market, therefore, the pattern of the lithium-ion battery market may will be changed.

Since the lithium-ion battery’s industrialization, the world’s total output of lithium-ion batteries has been grown yearly, but its growth rate in the last three-year has been slow down. Affected by the global economy downturn, the growth rate of the global lithium-ion battery might be under 20% in 2008.

China’s output of lithium-ion batteries had been an outbreak period previously, now it is entering the stage of steady growth. China’s product of lithium-ion battery is mainly for cell phone. Affected by the financial crisis, it is estimated that the growth rate of the lithium-ion battery in China might drop to around 11% in 2008.

See the full report at http://www.reportlinker.com/p0109982/Analysis-of-China-Rechargeable-Battery-Market-2008-2009.html

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Santa Barbara, CA — Trikke Tech, Inc., the world leader in 3-point carving vehicles for all seasons, announced the “Tribred Pon-e”, an addition to its line of light electric carving vehicles. “We anticipate that Tribred will be embraced as a breakthrough product line because it can be used for commuter transportation, exercise, and just having a blast,” said John Simpson, CEO of Trikke Tech. “Thanks to the Pon-e, it feels like I’m downhill skiing to and from work these days. And, more importantly, it’s one less car on the road.”

Built on top of the popular and proven T8Air chassis, the Tribred Pon-e differs from the earlier Free Rein Model primarily in that it has a lighter, more powerful Lithium Ion Battery, compared to the Free Rein’s Lead-Acid battery. Both models will remain in production to provide consumers with choices in price points and battery capacity options.

The Tribred Pon-e is capable of reaching 18 MPH on flat ground and traveling up to 20 miles on a single charge. The average cost of a full battery charge during the test period was $0.07, which works out to literally fractions of a cent per mile. The entire unit only weights 40 lbs and quickly folds down for ease of transport and storage. In addition to the LI battery, the Pon-e also has dual rear disc brakes. Plus, a rider can optionally go faster and further by “carving”, that fluid motion that generates energy to propel the vehicle forward, and feels much like downhill skiing.

New Trikke Tribred Electric: Save money, save gas and have fun – while you help save the planet J .

About Trikke Tech, Inc.

Trikke Tech, Inc. is the world leader in 3-point carving vehicles for recreation, exercise and personal transportation. In business since 2000, Trikke Tech has sold hundreds of thousands of vehicles to enthusiasts worldwide with its patented technology. The product line includes the new Tribred electric vehicles, human powered vehicles and the Skki – a downhill snow vehicle. Trikke Tech is based in Santa Barbara County, California.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Summit County, Colorado — Bill Hebb, a native of Tyler, Texas who lives part-time in Summit Cove, started Hebb E-Bikes just a little over a year ago.

There are many reasons why people would want to own an electric bike. “When the wind’s blowing hard, the e-bike comes in handy,” pointed out Hebb. There are also just a few hills in Summit County that are a lot easier to ascend with an e-bike – for example Swan Mountain Road or Boreas Pass.

His e-bike uses a lithium-ion battery to power the front wheel motor and are inexpensive to operate. They produce no emissions, unlike gasoline powered scooters. And of course, cyclists can pedal without using the motor, if they so choose.

The motor produces about 350 watts of power — or about 0.5 horsepower. The bikes Hebb sells have a solid aluminum construction frame, an internal gear shifter, and a rear carrier, speedometer and odometer. The bike weighs 60 pounds.

The e-bike is built for comfort rather than speed. These bikes are designed for commuters looking for alternative transportation, baby boomers, and those people who want to bike up and down hills but aren’t in good enough shape yet to do it.

Hebb’s bikes are on sale at Alpine Sports in Breckenridge as well as Christy Sports in Frisco, Vail and Avon for $2,000 a piece. The bikes are also for sale in parts of California, Texas and the East Coast.

Find out more about Hebb’s e-bikes at www.hebbebikes.com

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Ithaca, New York — Ithaca has a lot of hills. Lots of hills.

Currie Technologies IZIP hybrid-electric bicycle would seem to be an ideal solution to tackle Ithaca’s terrain.

The IZIP is an electric-assist bike — you can’t ever stop pedaling, it just gives you a little extra oomph to help you get up those steep hills.

The IZIP is heavy – it weighs 50lbs — so that electric assist is definitely needed on steep climbs.

The bike has a bike light in the front and room for a basket behind. It comes equipped with front and back disc brakes. Its power source is a 24V10a Lithium-ion Battery Pack. The battery pack is built into the frame – the battery pack panniered over the rear wheel that gives the game away is a thing of the past with the IZIP. (Well, until they see the instrument panel!)

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

San Francisco, California — David Chiu, president of California’s Board of Supervisors, doesn’t have a car, but rather used to use a normal bike to make it to his meetings on time.

“I have anywhere from 8 to 15 events every day, sometimes more than that, and to get to different places is incredibly difficult. My district also has some of the most intense hills. So I’ve got Nob Hill, Telegraph Hill, Russian Hill, and to hit the hills with the suit that I’m usually in is extremely difficult.”

Bicycling pioneer Gary Fisher brought two of Trek’s new electric bikes to City Hall (they are not yet available in the U.S.), which he is loaning to Chiu and Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi.

The 45-pound bikes run on a lithium-ion battery, and can climb San Francisco’s steepest hills at 14 miles an hour.

According to Gary Fisher: “It uses the pedalic system from Panasonic and they’ve had that for over 20 years. It’s a really great, intuitive system for an electric bike because you still have to ride it. You know, you don’t get any energy out of it unless you put energy into the pedals, which is sort of a beautiful thing. In addition, the motor on this has the capability of developing energy too so it turns into a generator when you want it to.”

Fisher points out that electric bikes are more reliable now, with a lighter weight set-up, that battery technology has improved and the motors have a lot more low-end torque.

Trek intends to introduce the e-bikes for sale sometime in August.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Cambridge, England — The Ultramotor A2B electric bicycle is a comfortable ride, with a large saddle, wide tyres, shock absorbing front and rear suspension, and Avid BB5 disc brakes. One drawback is the bike weighs 31 kg, and you have to be pedaling before you can start the motor.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Germany – Two German engineers, without any external technological help or financial support, have developed an electric bike. The Elmoto is powered by a 2KW engine and has a driving range of up to 65km with a single battery charge (which costs around $1).

The frame is aluminum, so the bike weighs just 45kg, and drivers can go as fast as 45km/h. The lithium-ion battery-powered Elmoto is being marketed as a “green” vehicle since it doesn’t emit carbon dioxide. German customers don’t even need to have a driver’s license to use it, but this may be different in other countries in the EU.

The developers of the Elmoto hope to ship 100 units by the end of this year and then significantly boost sales in 2010. The e-bike costs $5,700.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites