Dear Editor and Mr. Smith:
Steven Cole Smith attempted to correct me by name publicly in his
recent article, Electric vibes for a car that can't be built. He has
his facts wrong, again.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/lifestyle/columnists/orl-
scscol2007jan20,0,3689926.column?coll=orl-lifestyle-col
Mr. Smith parrots the automaker/oil line that adequate batteries
do not yet exist to build the Chevrolet Volt concept just unveiled in
Detroit (or other electric vehicles.)
Unfortunately for Mr. Smith, he quotes from the General Motors
executives responsible for crushing the EV1, unnamed experts and an
anonymous auto executive. GMs own top automotive engineer was
recently quoted in MITs Technology Review stating the opposite:
General Motors (GM) recently announced that it is developing two
types of plug-in hybrid vehicles, cars designed to run exclusively or
almost exclusively on electricity for daily commutes. (See "GM's New
Electric Vehicle" and "GM's Plug-In Hybrid.") But the announcements
came with this caveat: the battery technology isn't ready, and
production will have to wait. In reality, the battery technology is
actually quite close to being ready.
Indeed, GM's vehicle chief engineer, Nick Zelenski, says that
individual batteries are already good enough. "We've got enough data
at the cell level to feel that the technology is there," he says.
http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/18054/
Mr. Zelenski is joined by many battery experts, most scientists
and several auto makers in his opinion.
Over 300 Tesla Roadster electric vehicles (EVs) have been sold,
using batteries that Mr. Smith apparently doesnt know exist. He is
out of his depth with current automotive electric propulsion
technology, and has made me the butt of his dismissive remarks in
public. I would appreciate some study by Mr. Smith, followed by an
apology from him and a retraction by the Sentinel.
Mr. Smiths ignorant and condescending rebuttal of my wishful
thinking in the Orlando Sentinel was reprinted by EVWorld.com,
http://www.evworld.com/view.cfm?page=news&newsid=14042
where other readers made these comments:
The technology does exist for the battery pack.
Mr. Smith is flat out wrong. We can only hope he is not KNOWINGLY
misinforming the public. Large lithium batteries are in production
today, although expensive. Current hybrids work just fine with older
battery chemistry. New lower cost, higher energy density variations
will be in production long before GM could get the Volt into
production. It really sad to hear such rubbish jeopardizing the
public's acceptance of/demand for a MUCH needed vehicle.
A technological breakthrough is required to make this concept a
reality? Please! Correct me if I am wrong... but the Tesla Roadster
uses a 900lbs battery pack made up of some 6,800 tiny (the size of AA
batteries) lithium-ion batteries. So why is a 400lbs battery pack such
a problem for a huge company like GM? Altarnano's lithium-ion
batteries can take an SUV by Phoenix Motorcars over 100 miles per
charge! For GM to claim that the battery technology won't be here
until 2010-2012 is a clear stall tactic.
Please take this excuse of an article down from EVWorld. There are
just way too many people who want a change to happen. All this does is
spread doubt about there being a problem with the carbon spewing
garbage we drive today...
I would appreciate better reporting from the Orlando Sentinel
regarding zero-emission, oil-free electric vehicles. They will free us
from foreign oil addiction and reduce our air pollution by up to 40%,
if the truth about EVs is finally correctly publicised.
Breathe free,
Hugh E Webber
Florida Electric Auto Association
Electric Vehicles: zero emissions and energy independence.
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