xcel
04-01-2007, 09:05 PM
Plug-in battery vehicles discussed at workshop. (http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=584704)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/EnergyCS_Prius_PHEV.jpgThomas Content - Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel - Mar. 30, 2007
PHEV’s like this EnegryCS converted Prius II can answer a lot of questions wrt oil dependence and GHG emissions. The Green Vehicles Workshop at Milwaukee’s Area Technical College focused on energy efficient vehicles like the Prius II PHEV shown.
A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with a Johnson Controls battery could be on the road within three to four years, a General Motors alternative fuels expert said Friday.
General Motors Corp. introduced a concept car, the Chevrolet Volt, at the North American International Auto Show in January and is moving forward with plans to do full-scale engineering of the vehicle to mass produce it, said Rich Gunther, fleet account executive for municipal and alternative fuels at General Motors Corp.
He spoke at the fourth annual Green Vehicles Workshop at Milwaukee Area Technical College.
Depending on the popularity of the vehicle, that could mean big business for Glendale-based Johnson Controls Inc. The company's hybrid battery joint venture with Saft of Bordeaux, France, is looking to develop the battery system that car owners would charge every night from a home electrical outlet.
"The battery technology is the key challenge we have to deal with in moving this forward," Gunther said.
Johnson Controls-Saft and Cobasys are both vying to become suppliers to General Motors and other automakers who may build plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
Gunther said he thinks GM may end up needing both suppliers - Johnson Controls and Cobasys - to sell battery systems to GM for its plug-in vehicles. GM also plans to sell a plug-in version of its hybrid sport utility vehicle, the Saturn Vue, within a few years, he said.
Plug-in vehicles were touted by President Bush during a visit to Johnson Controls here last year and again during a visit with auto industry leaders in Michigan last week. As envisioned, plug-ins would let the driver operate the first 40 miles of a trip - enough for a round-trip daily commute for many drivers - without using any gasoline.
The vehicles are seen as a key technology in reducing gasoline consumption and addressing tailpipe emissions of carbon dioxide, a leading greenhouse gas.
"We're in a race to commercialize" the technology, said Mike Iverson, manager of applications engineering at Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Power Solutions.
Johnson Controls opened a lithium-ion battery laboratory in Glendale 18 months ago, and early last year announced its joint venture with Saft, a battery maker that has experience with lithium-ion chemistry.
Hybrid-electric vehicles on the road today, such as the Toyota Prius or Ford Escape, use nickel-metal-hydride batteries. But lithium-ion is lighter, which helps make it more efficient.
Hybrids were among a variety of alternative-fuel topics discussed at the workshop, which also addressed the expansion of ethanol, biodiesel and compressed natural gas vehicles.
Conference moderator George Stone, an instructor of natural science, said the conference is being held every year because the nation is in the midst of a rapid energy transition.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/EnergyCS_Prius_PHEV.jpgThomas Content - Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel - Mar. 30, 2007
PHEV’s like this EnegryCS converted Prius II can answer a lot of questions wrt oil dependence and GHG emissions. The Green Vehicles Workshop at Milwaukee’s Area Technical College focused on energy efficient vehicles like the Prius II PHEV shown.
A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with a Johnson Controls battery could be on the road within three to four years, a General Motors alternative fuels expert said Friday.
General Motors Corp. introduced a concept car, the Chevrolet Volt, at the North American International Auto Show in January and is moving forward with plans to do full-scale engineering of the vehicle to mass produce it, said Rich Gunther, fleet account executive for municipal and alternative fuels at General Motors Corp.
He spoke at the fourth annual Green Vehicles Workshop at Milwaukee Area Technical College.
Depending on the popularity of the vehicle, that could mean big business for Glendale-based Johnson Controls Inc. The company's hybrid battery joint venture with Saft of Bordeaux, France, is looking to develop the battery system that car owners would charge every night from a home electrical outlet.
"The battery technology is the key challenge we have to deal with in moving this forward," Gunther said.
Johnson Controls-Saft and Cobasys are both vying to become suppliers to General Motors and other automakers who may build plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
Gunther said he thinks GM may end up needing both suppliers - Johnson Controls and Cobasys - to sell battery systems to GM for its plug-in vehicles. GM also plans to sell a plug-in version of its hybrid sport utility vehicle, the Saturn Vue, within a few years, he said.
Plug-in vehicles were touted by President Bush during a visit to Johnson Controls here last year and again during a visit with auto industry leaders in Michigan last week. As envisioned, plug-ins would let the driver operate the first 40 miles of a trip - enough for a round-trip daily commute for many drivers - without using any gasoline.
The vehicles are seen as a key technology in reducing gasoline consumption and addressing tailpipe emissions of carbon dioxide, a leading greenhouse gas.
"We're in a race to commercialize" the technology, said Mike Iverson, manager of applications engineering at Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Power Solutions.
Johnson Controls opened a lithium-ion battery laboratory in Glendale 18 months ago, and early last year announced its joint venture with Saft, a battery maker that has experience with lithium-ion chemistry.
Hybrid-electric vehicles on the road today, such as the Toyota Prius or Ford Escape, use nickel-metal-hydride batteries. But lithium-ion is lighter, which helps make it more efficient.
Hybrids were among a variety of alternative-fuel topics discussed at the workshop, which also addressed the expansion of ethanol, biodiesel and compressed natural gas vehicles.
Conference moderator George Stone, an instructor of natural science, said the conference is being held every year because the nation is in the midst of a rapid energy transition.