Automakers say electric-vehicle battery technology progressing, but not ready for ''prime time''.LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 11, 1995--Battery technology is the critical factor in developing electric vehicles that can meet the needs of a broad consumer market, said electric vehicle experts from Chrysler Corp., Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp. and the American Automobile Manufacturers Association (AAMA AAMA American Association of Medical Assistants. ), at briefings in Sacramento, Calif., and Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. this week. ``We have made a lot of progress in advanced batteries, but still have some major obstacles in terms of cost and making it practical in real driving situations,'' said John Wallace John Wallace may refer to:
Officials from each of the American automakers and AAMA, the trade association whose members are Chrysler, Ford and General Motors, delivered a status report at a media briefing in Sacramento Tuesday and in testimony Wednesday at a California Air Resources Board California Air Resources Board (CARB) is the "clean air agency" of the state of California in the United States. Established originally in 1967, it is a part of the California Environmental Protection Agency, an organization which reports directly to the California (CARB) workshop in Los Angeles. A preliminary report from a battery audit team appointed by Gov. Pete Wilson For others named Pete Wilson, see . Peter Barton Wilson (born August 23, 1933) is an American Republican politician from California. Wilson served as the thirty-sixth Governor of California (1991–1999), the culmination of more than three decades in the public arena that and CARB Chairman John Dunlap John Dunlap (1747 – November 27, 1812) was the printer of the first copies of the Declaration of Independence. He was born in Strabane, Northern Ireland in 1747, and died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 27, 1812. was expected to be released at the workshop. ``What General Motors is trying to do is make a business out of electric vehicles,'' said Frank Schweibold, GM's director of electric vehicles. ``These batteries are good, but they're not great. ``This technology with its associated low vehicle range and high life cycle cost will only satisfy a limited number of EV purchasers, and will not come close to satisfying a 2 percent industry requirement.'' In 1990, CARB created a mandate that requires 2 percent of the cars offered for sale in California in 1998 to be zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). To date, only electric vehicles meet this requirement. The mandate increases to 5 percent ZEVs in 2001, and 10 percent ZEVs in 2003 and subsequent years. ``Chrysler has been in the market for batteries for more than a year,'' said Bob Davis, executive engineer, electric vehicle external affairs, vehicle engineering, Chrysler. ``Despite the optimistic claims we hear to the contrary on the availability of advanced batteries, when it comes down to signing a purchase order that specifies quantities, delivery deadlines and prices, the only manufacturers willing to sign deals for 1998 are offering lead-acid technology.'' The auto industry has undertaken enormous EV research and developmental programs, but the battery remains a major obstacle to development of a commercially viable EV. Automakers, together with battery manufacturers and the U.S. government, are working to develop a battery with longer life, better range and lower cost. Current-technology batteries require replacement every two to three years and cost up to $6,000 each. ``It's becoming more clear all the time that the ZEV ZEV Zero Emission Vehicle mandate doesn't make sense. You can't mandate a technological breakthrough,'' said Dr. Richard Klimisch, vice president of engineering, for the American Automobile Manufacturers Association. ``We're less than 2 years away from start of production and there's no chance of a battery breakthrough in '98.'' Joint research conducted by the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC USABC United States Advanced Battery Consortium ) is being pursued by Chrysler, Ford and GM, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Electric Power Research Institute. While lead-acid batteries will be used in the first EVs, USABC views nickel metal hydride (NiMH) A rechargeable battery technology that has approximately 30-50% more charge per pound than nickel cadmium. Introduced in the early 1990s, it uses nickel and metal hydride plates with potassium hydroxide as the electrolyte. batteries as the most promising for meeting mid-term goals and lithium-based batteries for long-term goals Long-term goals Financial goals expected to be accomplished in five years or longer. . CONTACT: Cerrell Associates Kathleen Ashby/John Cuneo, 213/466-3445 |
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