I was wondering how long it would be before a company came along that could build a safe, normal-looking car and innovate around the electronics - where the real gains are available. When laptops were introduced a shorter lag time resulted, where the PSUs were way too large relative to the fine electronics they powered, energy efficency in conversion was terrible, and batteries were weak and heavy. Now we have Li Ion and 88% efficient small PSUs - and there's still a way to go.

Tesla's approach is to take the laptop battery as is and innovate in ways to tap and pack it. This approach is intriguing because it gives the company an edge (no one else has batteries this well-suited for an EV) or a sales opportunity, but it also required them to make research investment and progress while Tesla can sit still and useever-improving laptop batteries.

Good to see this article, thanks for passing it on. If this company plays it right they could be the main provider of EV batteries just as the market explodes.

Anyone know enough to say whether the manufacture and disposal of these batteries is as safe as LiIon?

 

If you towed a tiny generator behind a SUVEV, you would essentially have a crude Series Hybrid.

 

 

WOW!

I only hope that they can REALLY produce this batteries at the quantity, quality and price range required for the mass market. If so, this could be a major paradigm shift, and the all-EV could have a second lease on life.

 

I don't want to be too cynical -- yes it's good to hear about another EV possibility. There are many great designs out there (my favorite:http://www.teslamotors.com/index.php?js_enabled=1)

I have yet to see someone make one I can afford. When they do, I'll be the first in line. I'd like to move from "yeah we can make one" to "yeah we can make one you can afford and buy now". Big difference.

 

Over here in Europe, some of the cheapest vehicles we have are electric vehicles. (The Reva G-Wiz is a city car, at £6,999 - only 38% the cost of a Prius).

However the problem is they still rely on lead-acid batteries, so are slow with short range.

When lithium batteries comes down in price (as they are every day), there will be electric vehicles at reasonable prices.

 

Nanosafe seems like a poor choice for a name. It implies a very small amount (1 x 10^-9) of safe. A better name would be gigasafe.

 

Hehe yes - I found the name a little funny too. I associate the trendy push to nanotechnology with the inherent danger in nanoparticles to the human body, lungs especially. The name seemed a little bit like, "Big Green Cloud... of Safety." But I don't know how many people really view nanotechnology as trouble, so it does sound trendy and high tech yet, thinking with you in mind at the same time... not a bad name overall.

 

This is a car for which I'd be willing to pay "a little" more, especially a convertible!Also check the Lexus GS450h. Definately aimed at performance more than fuel efficiency (my MMH gets better FE). $55K is a bit beyond my financial tolerance.

It seems the performance car market sees the benefit of instance torque.