E-Bikes
Benjamin Consulting, representing the Light Electric Vehicle Association (LEVA, promoting the use of electric bikes, scooters and three-wheelers around the world), and 3rd Millennium gave insight into the growth of the largest market for EVs. According to Ed Benjamin, about 24 million LEVs were built in 2009 representing a value of approximately US$11 Billion. The China Bicycle Association says 27 million have been built in 2010 and predictions are bringing the forecasted number to 31 million by 2014.
Source: Benjamin Consulting
China: a country electrified
Source: 3rd Millennium, Tianjin Polytechnic University
On top of its leading position in the LEV sector, China's planning further growth in the automotive sector: With more than 200 "sizable" manufacturers/universities/research institutes, more than 30,000 scientific and technical personnel and about 1,800 patents and 48 models of electric cars and hybrids by 2009 (BYD, Chery, Chang'anare leading the change to full electric cars), China is not going to be lagging behind for much longer. City and company-wide plans are being implemented in order to achieve this as can be seen from the table below, with an overall plan to achieve a target 50% of all cars being electric by the year 2030.
Source: 3rd Millennium, Tianjin Polytechnic University
Taking to the skies, Michael Dudley from the NASA Ames Research Centre talked about electric aircraft engine and storage challenges that need to be met in order to make electric aircraft possible. He focused a part of his presentation on the SUGAR Volt project, a concept electric aircraft, developed in collaboration with Boeing under the NASA N+3 Advanced Vehicle design Study, that's using a hybrid engine from GE.
The use of hybrid technology for the engine allows for ad hoc ratio of fuel and battery weight, depending on the length of the mission the craft would be used for (e.g. long ranges flown mostly on jet fuel, short ranges flown mostly on electric power).
Source: NASA
Michael commented that the assumed energy density for the SUGAR Volt is at 750 Wh/kg, an assumption that would require a 7-8% increase in performance every year, if the target density is to be met by 2030-2035.
An interesting goal to be reached by battery technology developers.
For more attend: Future of Electric Vehicles Europe 2011
