Ultracapacitors: the future of electric cars or the 'cold fusion' of autovation?

Christian Science Monitor ^ | April 16, 2008 | Mark Clayton

[Dane]

Ultracapacitors: the future of electric cars or the 'cold fusion' of autovation? ZENN Motors says its electric car will cruise for 250 miles on a single five-minute charge. Skeptics cry shenanigans. By Mark Clayton | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

Reporter Mark Clayton discusses the prospect of a new type of electric vehicle from Toronto-based firm ZENN Motors.

Ian Clifford wants to start a global revolution by building a practical, everyday car with no gasoline engine, no batteries, and no emissions.

While big Detroit automakers ponder a future plug-in car that goes 40 miles on a battery charge before its gas engine kicks in, Mr. Clifford's tiny ZENN Motor, a Toronto maker of low-speed electric cars, announced in March that it will build a new highway-speed (80 m.p.h.) model that goes 250 miles on a charge – and can recharge in just five minutes.

Having no batteries, the new "cityZENN" model will use a breakthrough version of a common electrical storage device called an ultracapacitor to store power from a wall socket, the company says. Fuel costs to operate it would be about one-tenth of today's gas-powered vehicle.

[ClearCase_guy]

The next generation Destroyer (Zumwalt class) is currently being designed with a pair of reasonably traditional guns. However, the ship’s innovative power system is intended to be able to handle a railgun. Lots of work being done in that area, and when the substantial technical problems are solved, the railgun will have a platform ready for it.

[skinkinthegrass]

Their car actually exists...neat.... no exotic mat'l. ?

[marktwain]

“Yeah...and all that capacity would drive a cool rail gun.....better than a gas powered spud gun.”

---

Not just rail guns...tactical lasers as well.

[bleach]

“considering it takes 20 hores power “ Eliot Spitzer must really be charged up.

[skinkinthegrass]

(WARNING !! DON'T TOUCH THE CAPACITORS - CAN BE LETHAL ) they mean it.
A peaceful ZOT! :)

[Prophet in the wilderness]

The problem is ? didn’t we hear a report a few weeks ago about a Chinese spy who was here in the USA spied on the US and maybe or may have gave the Chinese secrets to our ships ?

[Straight Vermonter]

the amount of energy transfer that would happen in those 5 minutes would likely overload most home elect. service capacity.

Why would it be done at home? No one fuels up at home now.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

You mean ......... ZAP !!!!!!!

[Incorrigible]

It would be a great prank to reverse the polarity of the power input connection on your pesky neighbor!

[Hiddigeigei]

DON'T TOUCH THE CAPACITORS

I would hate to be near any accident that crushed the capacitor. Gasolene burns. The capacitor would discharge all its energy in one huge spark.

[JRandomFreeper]

You are absolutely correct. There is no free lunch. Except for kitchen staff. Being a chef, I'm an expert in that field.

I've been out of engineering for a while, and didn't realize that you could get a 5000F cap in a package 16.5 cm x 6cm x 7.2cm commercially, right now (Part # ESHSP-5000CO-002R7). That would make quit a zap, for the jokes we avionics geeks pulled at tech school. I'd probably still be in federal prison.

/johnny

[Bernard Marx]

Ummmmmm...where will all that abundant electricity for recharging come from? The libs won’t allow nukes so it’ll be from coal, gas or oil. Borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. Nothing really changes.

[skinkinthegrass]

You mean ......... ZAP!....same result...death. :)

[JRandomFreeper]

The capacitor would discharge all its energy in one huge spark.

I think Niven and Pournelle had a kzin use that as a weapon in one of the Ringworld books.

/johnny

[rawhide]

Battery vs. Ultracapacitor

An electric vehicle needs a source of electricity that’s as light and powerful as possible. A lithium-ion battery, the emerging state-of-the-art battery for electrics and hybrids, has a “specific energy” (electricity per unit of mass) of 120 watt-hours per kilogram. EEStor says its light ceramic ultracapacitors have a specific energy more than twice that: 280 watt-hours per kg. By contrast, a lead-acid gel battery used in golf carts is rated at 32 watt-hours.

EEStor says its ultracapacitors recharge in five minutes, while a plug-in Toyota Prius hybrid needs hours to recharge. ZENN Motor has not announced a price for its ultracapacitor cityZENN, due in fall 2009. Its lead-acid battery ZENN car costs around $14,500.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

( DON'T TOUCH THE CAPACITORS )

" I would hate to be near any accident that crushed the capacitor. Gasolene burns. The capacitor would discharge all its energy in one huge spark."

I guess they would have to make the capacitor cases out of the same material as those black boxes ( really orange in color ) that are on jet airliners for additional $ 2,500 option.

[skinkinthegrass]

The capacitor would discharge all its energy in one huge spark....

hehe...don't go near the water/wear rubber-soled shoes. :)

[wrench]

Eyesight is always the first to go. I kinda like the new unit of energy I came up with. Fits right in with our current crop of politicos.

BTW, can you imagine a nasty wreck with one of these spark boxes? It would be all over in a brilliant flash of light.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

They would have to weld the capacitor cases shut for stupid people who would dare try to touch those capacitors.
I guess those warning labels for those cars would not be enough.

[Myrddin]

I rescued lots of Sprague "orange drop" capacitors from old TV sets as a source of junk box parts for projects. You could put quite a charge on them with a Model T spark coil. The discharge came in one big snap. Easily enough to leave black burns in your palm if you were careless.