We spent 2.4 billion tax dollars on developing technologies for the electric car. The technology for the electric car is here — it doesn’t need developing it needs implementing. The technology for the electric car has been here since 1900. What we needed is good batteries, but wait they are here now too. I don’t want to be rude or insult anyone that may be inclined to hire me, but if an electric car technology company is founded by an investment banker I find it hard to believe they are wanting to manufacture anything but money. If anyone has means and likes to gamble, bet on people who have built electric cars like us, better yet us. We aren’t slick but we get results. As I see it all we need to do is make the electric drive train as safe and reliable as a gasoline powered one. What do we need to do this? I would say it the electricity from drive system needs to meet the criteria that the gasoline in a car does, then the electricity is as safe as a gasoline powered car.
If a gasoline powered car is in an accident and gasoline spills it can start a fire, an electric car gets in an accident it can start a fire. How they do this is different: gasoline burns and gasoline vapor explodes. Electric car batteries can short and get hot enough to burn something. Oh wait a second, your car battery in your car now could short and start a fire also; that is one of the reasons emergency responders cut the battery cables. I see the current crop of electric vehicles being developed killing the electric car industry for years, and it will happen for no reason. Lithium polymer batteries should not be used where they are not needed they can catch themselves on fire. There is going to be a fire in one of these cars, it is going to happen. The car is going to melt down and I can see the headline “Are Electric Cars Safe?” If the industry just uses different battery chemistry Lithium Iron Phosphate, this would not be an issue. I ask you anytime you plug something to a wall outlet at home do you think wonder if it is safe? Every home I have been in has electricity running through its walls, and we never give it a second thought.
The electric car has the potential to be as reliable as any other appliance in your house, How many cars did you go through before you replaced your washing machine, TV, DVD player, ceiling fan, refrigerator, hairdryer… and when you replaced that appliance was it not working or did you just want a new one? There is nothing wrong with gasoline powered cars; they are perfect for what they do. Transport people and possessions hundreds of miles efficiently at speeds of 0-80 mph. I drive my car 99% of the time 0-60 miles at speeds between 0-65 mph. I am going to build my own electric car with technology sitting on the shelf at suppliers right now. I understand not everyone can do it themselves, but I can’t sing either. You can hire me to build you an electric car and then you would need to buy gas only when renting a car for summer vacation. It will not be cheap so pick a car you like because it will be with you for a long time. I am talking $15,000.00 to convert a car to electric.
One Response
We dropped out the XPRIZE even before shake down but I have been following you guys trough shake down and knock out phase. Very sorry that you didn’t make it, already fantastic what you achieved in a short time.
Here in the Netherlands there are some companies making good money by transferring excisting cars to full electric, a Volkswagen Golf will cost 80.000 euros to transfer (= 100.000 us dollars), and they do over hundred cars per year. So it’s a good idea to use your experience of the XPRIZE to set up a business in that direction.
Well, the highest respect of what you guys achieved over there. Keep up the good work.
Kind Regards,
Bert de Gooijer
Gomecsys Team
The Netherlands