Micro-hybrids, which employ stop-start systems, are another easy, quick fix that increases gas mileage 6-10% by eliminating idling. The engine shuts off when you stop at a light and starts up again when the light turns green. The technology, which only requires a premium lead acid battery (standard in hybrids), is being adopted industry-wide and only costs about $600.
Mild hybrids like the Honda Insight incorporate stop-start, recuperative braking and acceleration boost, which improves gas mileage by 20% as compared with full hybrids like the Prius, which save 40% by also having electric-only launch. Mild HEVs cost a few thousand dollars less than full HEVs.
Even though production of PHEVs and EVs will likely be limited in the coming years, it's exciting that they are finally being introduced in the consumer marketplace. For the first time, a new vehicle class will compete with the combustion engine.
An example of the innovation we can expect in the near term, Ford Motor Co. and Microsoft announced a collaboration to integrate PHEVs and EVs with home energy management. Microsoft's Hohm energy management system helps people determine when and how to most efficiently and affordably recharge these vehicles. It's also expected to help utilities manage the added demands of EVs on the electrical grid. Ford is incorporating the system into its Focus EV, due out next year.
Ford plans to introduce five EVs in North America and Europe by 2013: Transit Connect Electric later this year, Focus Electric in 2011, a PHEV and two next-generation hybrids in 2012. In fact, people attending this year's Geneva Motor Show called it the "electric car show" because every major auto manufacturer showed off new hybrids and/or new EVs.
Charging infrastructure is critical for vehicle electrification to succeed. Last week, the groundbreaking EV Project, funded through a $100 million grant from the DOE, was announced. 4700 Nissan Leaf EVs and 11,210 charging systems will be deployed in five cities as a test run for rolling out electric transportation across the U.S.
New iterations of Li batteries with new chemistries and materials are already being included - we should expect rapid improvement as long as there's consumer demand. Whether it can eventually replace the 800 million vehicles on the road today worldwide is a question mark, which means that new battery chemistries, biofuels, fuel cells, and alternative e-mobility business models will also play important roles in the future.
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DOE 2009 Progress Report on Energy Storage R&D
This article is reprinted from the April issue of our green investing newsletter, Progressive Investor. To learn about which energy storage stocks to invest in, and to read the rest of the issue, subscribe or just purchase this issue.
