Electric Transportation — What’s Truly Needed?

Here are a few thoughts on the migration to electric transportation, submitted by a reader.  I understand his dilemma, and note that he’s certainly not alone. In fact, I can’t think of an EV visionary who doesn’t share his frustration. But a great deal of private capital, in the US at least, is sitting on the sidelines — and it’s also not moving out of banks. A tax on banks’ cash reserves is in order.  He writes:

The trouble I’m having is getting people with the resources to get it done fired up enough to invest. There is only one way to do this and make money. Go Big! Conversions, Kit cars and Gliders all suffer from the same inherent problem…low volume production.

“Total Cost Involved” manufactures, chassis and parts for the Hot Rod industry, as one of the oldest in the business they recently bragged on having produced their 1000th 1929 T-Bucket body.

I have worked for a Hot Rod shop, and 4 to 5 bodies a week was an exceptional week, usually only one or two…..and they don’t have to be made to pass FMVSS. It has never been a good model.

Aircraft composites are usually autoclaved which means part production times are measured in hours. These methods simply won’t get you where you need to be.

Pultrusion, bladder compression molding, thermoplastic stamping: these exemplify the methods we need. Selecting the right processes and the right materials to balance costs with physical properties.

http://www.compositesworld.com/articles/advanced-pultrusion-takes-off-in-commercial-aircraft-structures

http://c2i.com/technology/bladder-inflation/

http://www.jeccomposites.com/news/composites-news/thermoplastic-composites-mass-transit-applications

Carbon Fiber can be produced for less than $5 lb, the old stumbling blocks to advanced materials are falling. Combining carbon fibers with others in the structure can yield composites with the necessary strength at lower cost and even less weight.

http://www.innegrity.com/products.php

Quit chasing holy grails. The 5 passenger family sedan (Taurus) can’t be made for $5000, the cost of components simply won’t allow it. Go upscale a bit where the margins are better.  Instead of making electric ford escorts, make electric Porsche, Audi TT’s and Mazda Rx8’s.

Avoid the flavor of the week…UQM Makes a great EV motor, but at $25k you’ll never find enough margin to justify it. Go with Parker Haneffin, go with Remy, Go with Siemens, ABB, etc..

Right materials, right processes, right people……add money and stir!