In the article, Zero Emissions, Autoweek reports that Mitsubishi has plans to sell a small electric car in the U.S. The car will be powered by lithium-ion batteries, has four doors, all-wheel drive and a 1.1-liter gasoline engine. Each wheel has an electric motor built into the wheel assembly, a MIEV--Mitsubishi In-wheel Electric Vehicle. The four electric motors provide awd without a traditional transmission and its additional weight. With electric motors powering the wheels, it is always driven by the electric motors, the engine being only used to recharge the batteries. This is very similar to the car described in a previous post. Whether the car can be plugged in for recharging was not stated. Reasons for producing the car include:
- Electric cars have zero emissions
- Fuel cell technology is still off in the future
- Diesels are big in Europe but not in Japan and the U.S.
Timing and sales volume targets were not disclosed. A detailed announcement about the car is expected shortly. The production version might be based on the next-generation Colt, which is due before the end of the decade.
A Dec. 2005 article in the Chicago Tribune stated that the estimated recharging time for the lithium-ion batteries would be only 10 minutes, not stating where the electricity was coming from and the car would be available in 2009. The car is only zero emissions while running -- which does not count the emissions created while making the electricity for charging, which is advantage when driving the car in an urban environment and since central power lants can run more efficdintly than on-vehicle electrical production. The small ICE allows for charging of the vehicle fairly efficiently, in case the batteries are discharged unexpectedly, assuming the batteries are normally charged by connecting them to the grid. This would reduce the fear of being stranded, while not having the complexity and cost of a plug-in hybrid. Cars using motors built into the wheels are becoming a popular concept.
Great update. Thanks Jim.
Posted by: Jesse Jenkins | October 10, 2006 at 03:46 AM
"The small ICE allows for charging of the vehicle fairly efficiently, in case the batteries are discharged unexpectedly, assuming the batteries are normally charged by connecting them to the grid. This would reduce the fear of being stranded, while not having the complexity and cost of a plug-in hybrid."
If it's charged from the grid, isn't it a plug-in hybrid??
Posted by: Nick | October 10, 2006 at 02:23 PM
Actually, the AutoWeek article was talking about the Concept-CT MIEV when it mentioned the 1.1 liter gasoline gen-set, not the production EV that will eventually be released (and about which little details are known).
The Concept-CT is in fact a series/parallel hybrid, not a plug-in or EV. The small gasoline gen-set recharges the batteries which provide the majority of the traction power for the vehicle (the series part). At constant speed, however, the Concept-CT can add engine-powered rear-wheel drive for extra driveability (the parallel-hybrid aspect).
The MIEV architecture can be applied to any electric-drivetrain vehicle platform, including electric-dominant hybrids and plug-in hybrids, electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles. Mitsubishi has tested the MIEV architecture in four vehicles - first in an all-electric two-wheel drive Colt, then in an electric all-wheel drive Lancer testbed, in the series/parallel hybrid Concept-CT, and most recently in an all-electric compact mono-box concept car, the Concept-EZ MIEV.
It sounds like the upcoming production MIEV will be either a full electric vehicle, or an elecric-dominant plug-in hybrid featuring a small gen-set as a range extender, but details have yet to be released. Stay tuned, here, at Green Car Congress, and at my blog. There's more on the MIEV and it's developments here.
Posted by: Jesse Jenkins | October 10, 2006 at 03:35 PM
An electric-dominant vehicle may or may not be a plug-in. It depends on the size of the on-board battery pack or ESD. Locomotives are electric-dominant hybrids but a long way from being PHEVs.
One good thing about electric-dominant vehicles is that they could easily become PHEVs by adding high perfomance quick charge batteries whenever available. At the current development rate, that should be soon or by 2010-2012.
Posted by: Harvey D. | October 10, 2006 at 04:04 PM
The actual car to be imported has been reported as not possesing in-wheel electric motors, they being too expensive a development for a car of this niche status. The idea of motor per wheel is an attractive one, since it makes not only AWD posible, but also makes traction control much more effective and, of course, provides emergency limp home capability in the event of motor failure.
The transmission would be lost, but at what cost for power efficiency? The little weight lost by avoiding the tiny trans in this car would be more than made up by the fact that
there are three more motors than are actually needed. One also wonders about the durability of an electric motor that has to take the punishment that a wheel must endure when traversing bumps and potholes. One needs to see the economics and motor reliability stats in order to decide on
the appropriate powertrain configuration.
Posted by: kent beuchert | November 09, 2006 at 07:18 AM
Taking a leaf from Trevor Bayliss, what about a pedalo/rowing machine generator in the passenger footwell? Should be good for a mile or two, which is probably all you need to limp to some power socket. The pedals are normally stowed away under the glovebox, probably like hoover accessories.
For the lazy people, the RAC should include a couple of call-outs a year for running out of petrol or electricity.
Posted by: Frederick Kuan | September 23, 2007 at 08:58 PM