26. October 2008 by Mykel Pereira.

US
541 Jefferson Ave. Suite 100
Redwood City, CA  94063, USA
Tel: +1 650 206 2323

Eastern Europe
21, Lobanovskoho Str, block 6,
Chaiki, Kiev-Svyatoshin District, Kyiv Region, 08130, Ukraine
Tel: +(380)44 569 5678
Fax: +(380)44 569 5679

About

APowerCap Technologies, LLC (APCT) is a company backed by a pioneering Ukrainian venture capital firm TechInvest. Incorporated in the U.S. in 2006, APCT has R&D and production facilities in Kyiv, Ukraine. APCT develops breakthrough ultracapacitor-based power modules for wide range of applications.

APCT technologies will bring new level of efficiency to dozens of verticals, including vehicles (hybrid, PHEV, electro), consumer electronics, telecommunications, energy generation, quality power supply and others.

APowerCap development team has been conducting research in the field of ultracapacitors for more than 17 years. R&D on ultracapacitors began within the framework of a special project of the Ministry of Electronics of the former Soviet Union. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, members of the R&D team established a company, which offered contract R&D services for international clients in ultracapacitor technology. Among its clients were Skeleton Technologies (former SuperFarad), Idaho National Laboratory, Ener1, Inc.

In 2005, ultracapacitor technology project became a finalist of Ukrainian High-Tech Competition, and successfully presented the technology to international VC investors at SVOD Technology conference in Silicon Valley. In 2006, APowerCap Technologies was established and received seed investment from TechInvest.

APCT R&D team has a number of Ukrainian and Russian patents on ultracapacitors technology and ultracapacitor parts, which were transferred to APCT. Based on the know-how accumulated by the R&D team, APCT has filed two US patents.

Ultracapacitor prototypes, developed by APCT, have been tested by leading industry experts, including:

• ABB Research Center (Sweden, 1996-1997)
• INEEL (1997-1998)
• ITS, Davis, CA (1997-2006)

Test results of APCT ultracapacitor prototypes of 55 F, were highly appreciated by participants of the 16th International Seminar on Double Layer Capacitors & Hybrid Energy Storage Devices in 2006. According to Dr. Burke, a recognized expert in ultracapacitors and relative technologies, APCT ultracapacitors have superior performance comparing with other developers. «The RC time constant of the APowerCap cell is significantly lower and its peak power is considerably higher than any ultracapacitor previously tested from other developers», said Andrew Burke.

Tests have demonstrated that APCT has achieved the best results in the world in ultracapacitor performance and is able to achieve best cost advantage.

Technology

Key Features:

• novel organic electrolytes based on alkylamino phosphonium or alkylammonium salts and polar aprotic solvents
• low-cost porous carbons as electrode materials and technology for purification of these carbons
• special technique for electrode/electrolyte preparation together with some peculiarity of SC assembling and pre-starting (aging) procedure
• novel methods to significantly reduce ultracap inner resistance

Over the past decade or two ultracapacitors force their way to the market through the strong competition from advanced batteries. Today NiMH and in particular Li-ion batteries demonstrate the power density as high as 0.6-1 kW/kg (though at the expense of lower energy density, shorter cycle life and overheating). Therefore, to become competitive, ultracapacitors must demonstrate the power density much higher than 1 kW/kg providing at the same time the long cycle life. The best of our competitors and ultracapacitor manufacturers demonstrate 1-3 kW/kg at 95% efficiency, while our prototypes demonstrate 5-6 kW/kg.

Fig. 1  Comparison of APCT ultracapacitor power and energy density with major competitors:

Fig. 2  Ragone plot based on ITS test results presented at the Advanced Capacitor World Summit, San Diego in July 2008:

Fig. 3  Ragone plot (normalized) based on ITS test results presented at the Advanced Capacitor World Summit, San Diego in July 2008:

Another obstacle for ultracapacitors on the path to the market is cost of carbon. Nanoporous carbon, which is used as electrode material in supercapacitors, is rather expensive, and it typically contributes about 35% to the total cost. APCT has utilized carbon, which is 4 times cheaper than that used by its major competitors.

APCT middle and large devices can demonstrate the same performance being 2 or 3 times smaller (due to much higher power density), this means that APCT uses 2-3 times less material than competitors.
Currently, APCT research team is focused on achieving the following:

• to reduce ESR, in particular, to reduce the contact resistance at C/Al interface due to modification of Al current collector
• to modify some of the natural carbonaceous materials in order to produce low-cost nanoporous carbon electrodes
• to best match the electrode nanoporous texture with ion size in organic electrolytes
• to optimize the ratio between nanopores and ion transport channels in the electrode texture
• to optimize the electrode thickness
• to protect the Al current collector from anode corrosion
• to develop special fire retardant agents to assure safety

Products

APowerCap offers ultracapacitors that have been designed using our proprietary breakthrough ultracapacitor technology. This unique technology allowed us to reach values of specific power that exceed 5 kW/kg at a 95% efficiency that corresponds to more than 20 kW/kg at a 50%, keeping the energy density within 1.5-4.5 Wh/kg despite the use of low-cost nanoporous carbon.

Our major goal is to satisfy global market requirements for ultracapacitors in both performance and price. We offer products for prices that at least 20% lower, compared to products with similar voltage/capacitance rates already available on the market.

APowerCap has designed ultracapacitors with outstanding performance that have been recognized by the leading industry experts to be the best in the world in terms of power density. APowerCap ultracapacitors can be used for a wide range of applications, including consumer electronics, power quality systems, automotive industry and many others. Feel free to contact us to discuss usage of our ultracapacitors in your application.

APCT products consists of two major categories:

Pic.1 Single ultracapacitor cells in hard Al enclosure in the range of 480F to 550F, 2.7V

Pic.2 Single ultracapacitor cells in soft Al enclosure in the range of 4F to 550F, 2.7V

On the basis of these single ultracapacitor elements, APCT may develop and produce wide product range of high quality modules, with different voltages and capacitance values. Our best modules are made with this type of cell. They are the most efficient, perform the best in most conditions, and last the longest.

APCT’s R&D team may also produce preproduction pilot samples as a single element or modules;

We pride ourselves on a unique combination of high quality, competitive technology innovation, excellent technical knowledge and outstanding customer service.

Quality to us is paramount! We only deal with quality assured manufacturers of the raw materials and our quality commitment permeates our working practices at every level.

Posted in Ukraine, Energy Storage Techs, California, Automotive Techs | 1 Comment »

26. October 2008 by Mykel Pereira.

EnerDel, INC. - Lithium Power Systems

8740 Hague Rd
Indianapolis, IN
United States of America
46256
+1-317-585-3456
+1-317-585-3444

About

EnerDel is developing Lithium-ion battery (LIB) solutions for automotive manufacturers that will improve the performance, fuel-efficiency and cost of HEVs. EnerDel’s new, highly reliable and safe batteries are designed to be lighter in weight, occupy less space, provide more power, more energy and have a longer life than the nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries found in today’s HEVs.

EnerDel will manufacture its batteries in Indiana utilizing a unique, highly automated manufacturing process. EnerDel expects to succeed as being the first company to cost-competitively mass-produce a Li-ion battery in the United States. By serving as a local supplier of advanced performance batteries, EnerDel is able to contribute to the success of the automotive companies who manufacture hybrid electric vehicles in North America.

EnerDel’s lithium ion batteries (LIBs) offer advantages beyond the automotive sector. EnerDel’s HEV battery technology can also be used for specialty battery applications such as military and aerospace, asset tracking, medical and other select markets.

Products

EnerDel currently develops lithium ion cells for a variety of applications. They also provide integrated systems consisting of cells, management controls, and mechanical packaging.

Li-ion Cells

 EnerDel has developed advanced lithium-ion battery technologies for use in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (“HEV”), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (“PHEV”) and Electric Vehicle (“EV”) applications. EnerDel is developing the core lithium titanate battery technology for HEVs and PHEVs under awards from the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (“USABC”). USABC is a consortium of three major U.S. auto manufacturers (Ford, General Motors and Chrysler) with funding provided by the Department of Energy. In addition, EnerDel has developed an EV lithium-ion battery designed to achieve the higher energy density required for EVs, such as for the Th!nk City EV.EnerDel believes that their batteries and technology offer significant competitive advantages because of their safety, power, energy and other performance characteristics. Additionally, their battery packs are designed to accommodate all of the complex electronic and design features of automotive applications.EnerDel’s technology stems from initial developments with Argonne National Laboratory, combined with industry know-how and expertise from the lithium-ion industry in Japan, as well as systems expertise from the automotive industry, including from Delphi Corporation. Controls Management

EnerDel can offer smart electronics to manage the following system functions:

• Charge / Discharge
• Thermal Management
• Cell Balancing
• State of Charge (SOC) / State of Health

For ease of integration software is also developed by EnerDel to allow for external monitoring of battery status.

Posted in Indiana, Energy Storage Techs, Automotive Techs, USA | No Comments »

1. July 2008 by Mykel Pereira.

EPYON B.V.

Delftweg 65
2289 BA Rijswijk
The Netherlands

Tel.: +31(0)15 285 53 33
Fax: +31(0)15 256 89 00

www.epyon.nl
info@epyon.nl

Epyon provides advanced ultra-fast charging solutions for electric vehicles which are used in critical business processes such as material handling, delivery of goods and transportation of people. Our fast charging solutions based on advanced lithium-ion battery technology enable electric vehicles to run 24 hours per day with an occasional recharge in 15 minutes during mandatory lunch- or coffee brakes. Epyon products are engineered to allow electric vehicle manufacturers the possibility to integrate fast charging into their product portfolio in an easy and plug-n-play manner.

History

Inspired by research on advanced energy storage media Epyon was founded in 2005 as a spin-off company from the Delft University of Technology. The company has its office in Delft, the Netherlands where it conducts it’s research and development and small scale production of chargers. Larger scale production is done together with partners in Europe and Asia.

Their management team consists of a mix of ambitious entrepreneurs and experienced business veterans. The Epyon organization is built on ambitious engineers and leading experts in the field of power conversion, energy storage and intelligent systems. Due to great effort of the whole team we have been able to grow rapidly to become a leader in our field.

Mission

Epyon wants to become a leader in providing ultra fast charging solutions for electric vehicles used in critical business processes to enable clean and reliable electric transportation in a 24-7 economy.

Technology

Epyon’s technology platforms provide the ability for super-fast charging: charging in minutes instead of hours.
Their technology is based on nano-technology lithium-ion energy storage media, state-of-the-art power conversion techniques and intelligent control systems which enable excellent battery life.

The technology advantages:

• Charge in minutes instead of hours!
• Battery cycle life enhancement through intelligent charge control
• Built on years of battery test data
• Small size chargers through advanced power conversion technology
• Maximum safety

Advanced energy storage and power conversion systems provide new possibilities for many industries. Epyon is an expert in the field of industrial and automotive class lithium-ion energy storage systems.

Epyon engineered solutions:

• Advanced energy storage systems
• Power conversion
• Energy management and control

Epyon’s fields of expertise:

• Hybrid and electric drive trains
• Industrial power systems
• Buffering & peak shaving
• UPS solutions
• Energy management systems

Posted in The Netherlands, Energy Storage Techs, Automotive Techs | No Comments »

19. June 2008 by Mykel Pereira.

Myers Motors

Myers Motors LLC
180 South Ave.
Tallmadge, Ohio 44278

Phone (toll-free) 866-693-7778
Phone (local) 330-630-3768.

About

Vision

Myers Motors began with desire and vision. A desire to be passionate about something bigger than themselves. A vision to positively impact people and the world. A desire to be more than just another business in a market. A vision to develop innovative products that are functional. A desire to be inspired. A vision to be a part of a movement. A desire to transform minds. A vision to transform the world.

Mission

Myers Motors is dedicated to providing creative, innovative, functional, responsible and fun alternative forms of transportation to meet the desires of our customers, and the needs of our world.

Product

Reduce your impact on global warming:
Americans travel over 7 billion miles daily and burn through nearly 420 million gallons of gasoline7, spewing approximately 10.5 billion pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the air that we breathe8. Several other countries are beginning to catch up with those figures. Many scientists believe this additional CO2 contributes to climate change. They believe this may be the reason we have seen the temperature extremes, droughts, unusually severe rains, increasingly fierce storms, and melting glaciers of the last few years. Experts warn that we need to stop dumping extra carbon into the air before it’s too late to stop the damage.

Posted in Ohio, Automotive Techs, USA | No Comments »

18. June 2008 by Mykel Pereira.

LUMENEO
Daniel MOULENE an engineer as well as President and founder of LUMENEO, has worked in the business environment for more than 30 years. In order to create the LUMENEO Company, Daniel left his job in the Environment SA group (A company of 200 employees, one of the world leaders in the environment business, was placed on the French Euronext stock market in January 2006). He was Vice President of the group since 2002. Between 1998 and 2002 he was Chairman and Managing Director of the company SFI, Société Française d’Ingénérie. From 1990 to 1997 he was Chairman and Managing Director of the company Emission SA.

Thierry MOULENE, Technical Director and co-founder of LUMENEO, worked for a French subsidiary company of PININFARINA. During his time there, he took part in the realization of three concept cars: NISSAN Terranaut, RENAULT Egeus and RENAULT ZOE. Prior to that, he was also involved in the development of the Peugeot 907, inside the Peugeot Style Center.

The LUMENEO company is based on the complementaries of the two founders, Thierry MOULENE and Daniel MOULENE. One offers great skills in the high-end automotive design, and the other has strong experience in the management of fast growing companies but also in the production and marketing of innovative products.

The team is currently made of engineers and technicians specialized in cars and electronics. The company team will be made of 20 people by the end of 2008 and a growth of more than 50 % per year is planed.

The Car

The heart of SMERA is a central electronic system. It manages the whole information of the vehicle, starting from the signals provided by an integrated inertial system.

The optimal tilting angle is determined by the dynamic parameters of the car, the turning curves, the selected driving mode and the road quality.

It has a servo-motor with D.C. current controlled by the calculator which fulfils this function automatically by moving the cabin and the 4 wheels. The driver does not have to worry about the balance of the vehicle. SMERA offers easy and intuitive handling, and an amazing driving experience.

DIMENSIONS Doors / Seats 2 / 1+1   Length / width / height 2380 / 800 / 1450 (8 /2.6/4.8) mm /feet Wheelbase 1700 / 5.7 mm /feet Track 655 / 2.1 mm /feet Steering diameter 7 / 23.3 m /feet Maximum tilting angle 25 ° Boot volume 70 / 150 liters Weight (with batteries) 350 / 770 kg / lbs Pneumatic dimensions 145/70 R14         MOTORISATION Technology Brushless electric motors with permanent magnets   Max Power 30 / 40 kW / Hp Max Torque on wheels 1 000 Nm Max Voltage 144 V Technology Lithium   Capacity 10 kWh Battery weight ~80 / 180 kg / lbs       PERFORMANCES Max speed 130 / 80 kph / mph 0-100 kph / 0 – 60 mph 8.0 s       RANGE 150 / 90 km / miles

Posted in France, Automotive Techs | No Comments »

5. June 2008 by Mykel Pereira.

Artemis Intelligent Power Ltd

Unit 3 Edgefield Industrial Estate
Loanhead
Midlothian EH20 9TB

Tel : +44 131 516 8606
Fax : +44 131 440 0005

About
Artemis Intelligent Power is based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The perform research, development, and technology licensing associated with development and applications of Digital Displacement® hydraulic power technology, and other innovations in the control and transmission of fluid power.

Spun out of fluid power research at the University of Edinburgh in 1994, Artemis has grown steadily through its long term development projects with market-leading industrial partners. These partners’ varied needs and applications continue to drive Digital Displacement® technology forward. Artemis is a diverse, multidisciplinary team of engineers and technicians with an international flavor.

Artemis has developed four major partnerships, with a large oil company, with two Tier One automotive suppliers and with a leading manufacturer of off-road mobile hydraulics to apply the Artemis core technology in their sectors. In the course of this it has built component and technology demonstrators for both small and very large applications.

Technology

Posted in Scotland, United Kingdom, Automotive Techs | No Comments »

31. May 2008 by Mykel Pereira.

Poulsen Hybrid, Inc.

Address

6 Waterview Drive
Shelton, Connecticut 06484

Email: poulsenhybrid@bridgeportmagnetics.com
Phone Number: (203) 954-0050
Fax Number: (203) 954-0051

About
Poulsen Hybrid® Power Assist System

Creates a PHEV by retro-fitting electric motors, DC motor controllers, storage batteries and an on-board charger to a conventional new or used automobile.

The development is based on the observation that only 10-15 horsepower is required to propel a compact or mid-size automobile along a level road at a steady 60-70 mph. leading to the conclusion that this relatively small amount of electric power would be able to cope with 70-85% of normal driving, only aided by the combustion engine during start up and when extra energy is required for acceleration and hill climbing.

The patented system incorporates powerful electric motors mounted externally onto 2 wheels of a conventional car. The motors are normally applied to the rear wheels, in the process converting a front wheel driven car to all wheel drive. The system works equally well with rear- and all wheel drive vehicles, gasoline or diesel fueled.

Poulsen Hybrid system utilizes Permanent Magnet, Axial Field PMAF motors. This style motor came into being with the development of extremely high-energy, rare earth permanent magnets and has found use in aerospace and advanced vehicles including the “Sunraycer” record winning solar powered racecar. They feature high power and torque within a compact, lightweight disk shape architecture and are ideally suited for direct drive road vehicle applications.

The PMAF motors specially developed by Alpha-Core, Inc. for Poulsen Hybrid are rated 5kW or 7 horsepower each at 1000 rpm app. 60 mph.

1. Axle pinion
2. Ball bearings
3. Retaining nut
4. Brake drum
5. Wheel structure
6. Tire
7. Rear fender
8. PMAF motor
9. Adaptor plate
10. Lug nut
11. Hubcap
12. Torque bar
13. Power and control cables
14. Valve extension

The disk shaped on-wheel motors are installed onto the original wheels by means of adapter plates, which are bolted onto the back of special wheel lug nuts. The stator is prevented from turning by means of a torque bar, which extends from the outside center of the motor to connection fixture situated directly behind the rear wheel and attached to the fender or rear quarter panel. Power supply takes place via power cables extending through a channel in the bar/conduit to the motor controllers and batteries located in the trunk. Addition of the Poulsen Hybrid system does not touch existing brake, steering and suspension systems. The system will be available in kit form and can be owner installed in 3-4 hours. Conversions will also be offered through dealerships and a planned network of authorized installers.

Specifications:

On-Wheel motors: Brushless DC construction. Dimensions 14″ diameter x 2″. Weight 35 lb. Rated power: 10KW = 13.5 HP motors on two wheels.
Adapter plates: 4 and 5 bolt patterns, available with 100, 108,114.3mm4 1/2″ and 120mm bolt circle diameters fitting app. 95% of cars.
Motor controllers 2 pc 72VDC max 120A one per motor.
Batteries: 6 pc. 12V 120 Amp hours lead/acid deep cycle, or 4 KWh Lithium-ion battery pack Expected available from several sources by mid 2008.
On board charger: 72 Volts/10 Amp.
Total Weight: App. 300 lb with lead acid batteries, 200 lb with Lithium Ion batteries.
Added un-sprung weight, 38 lb per wheel.

Posted in Connecticut, Automotive Techs, USA | No Comments »

16. May 2008 by Mykel Pereira.

Reva Electric Car Company

REVA REVAlation Point
# 38, Maini Sadan, 7th cross, Lavelle Road, Bangalore-560001
Phones: +91 - 080 - 22271146, 22271151

REVA Electric Car Company
122 E Bommasandra Industrial Area, Hosur Road,
Bangalore-562158
Phones: +91-080-27831996/9
Fax : +91-080-27834436

About REVA Electric Car Company Private Ltd (RECC)

The vision of RECC is to establish a tradition of excellence and leadership in environment friendly urban transportation by offering the best value and highest quality electric vehicles for city mobility.

About the REVA
The REVA is India’s first electric vehicle and was launched on May 11, 2001 after seven years of R&D and hailed as the most innovative and high technology product of the year. Over 1000 parts were designed using Pro/Engineer and the entire development was digitally executed in-house making the REVA 95% indigenous. RECC received ISO 9001:2000 Certification by the Det Norske Veritas (DNV) in August 2002.

REVA requires extremely low maintenance because of the minimum number of moving parts and the latest on-board diagnostic tools that store three years data and enable prompt service. This enhances efficiency, performance and high degree of reliability. Two on-board computers are provided for Energy Management and Data Acquisition for quick diagnostics and extend range by 15 % and battery life by 25%. RECC incorporates the latest in EV technology and cost effective manufacturing processes making REVA commercially viable at an offer price significantly less than that of EVs globally. REVA’s current models offer a top speed of 65 kmph and a range of 80 Km, thus ideally suited for today’s city mobility. REVA is easy to drive and most ideal for “stop-start” traffic conditions without a clutch and gear. It has a small turning radius making it easy to maneuver and park. 

Posted in India, Automotive Techs | No Comments »

3. May 2008 by Mykel Pereira.

Wrightspeed Inc.

At the dawn of the energy age, there is increasing interest in minimizing the amount of oil used for personal transportation.

With recent and ongoing advances in battery technology, the electric car is making a comeback. With 3 times the energy efficiency of the best hybrids (4 times better than fuel-cell vehicles), and the ability to use energy from any source via the existing grid, electric cars probably are the long-term solution.

But oil is still relatively cheap, and batteries are still expensive. When the rising curve of oil price crosses the falling curve of battery price, there will be a mass market for electric vehicles.

In advance of that market, Wrightspeed is developing an advanced electric drivesystem technology, and making use of an interesting property of electric drivesystems: there’s no tradeoff between performance and efficiency.

Internal combustion engine (ICE) cars have an intrinsic conflict: if they are built for performance, they are thirsty; if they are built for efficiency, they are slow.

This is not the case for electric cars. The Wrightspeed X1 prototype is faster than anything available except the Bugatti Veyron, yet it returns 170mpg equivalent in city driving. If we reduced the power to one quarter of the current power, the car would be correspondingly slower – but it would be no more efficient.

This means Wrightspeed can design and build and sell very interesting cars – extremely fast cars – without compromising energy efficiency. The drivesystem technology they develop can be applied to other vehicles in the future, as economics permit.

If reduction in fuel consumption is the goal, it would be better to replace 10mpg cars with 20mpg cars, than to replace 50 mpg cars with 100mpg cars. 5 times better.

Counter-intuitive? Here’s the arithmetic. The 10mpg car uses 10 gallons to go 100 miles. The 20 mpg car uses 5: a saving of 5 gallons. The 50 mpg car uses only 2 gallons for 100 miles, so replacing it with a 100mpg car only saves one gallon.

The fuel consumption problem is not that the current hybrid cars only get 50 mpg. That’s not where the fuel is going. Look around you on the freeway, and count the 10-15mpg cars. That’s where the fuel is going. If we can replace a 10mpg car with an electric car, at roughly 100mpg well-wheels equivalent, we save 9 times as much fuel per mile than if we replace the 50mpg hybrid commuter car.

At Wrightspeed, they will do exactly that, starting with extreme performance supercars.
And the improvements we are making in electric drivesystems raise the performance driving experience to a new level. Faster, more fun, and safer. We expect that some of these enhancements will eventually find their way into all cars.

Product

The X1 prototype is a concept car, and a test platform. It is not a production car, and never will be. It’s a proof-of-concept vehicle that will lead to a production car in the future.

To build it as a prototype, we looked for the best of the best, in today’s technology. We chose the AC Propulsion (www.acpropulsion.com) 3-phase AC induction motor and inverter – the highest power/weight ratio system available; brilliantly engineered, and with about a decade of durability testing to date. For the chassis, we turned to Ariel, in Somerset. (www.arielmotor.co.uk). Simon Saunders, the designer of the Atom and the founder and CEO of Ariel, has created in our view one of the world’s most beautiful cars, as well as the quickest, lightest chassis on the road. To drive it is a revelation. Simon’s background is in automotive design, notably for Aston Martin and Porsche. The Atom chassis was substantially modified for the electric drivetrain, but retains the original styling.

The X1 prototype is just the beginning. It meets its design specs of 0-60 in 3 seconds, 170 mpg equivalent; and at 1536 lbs, is only 36 lbs over the design target of 1500. It really does raise the performance driving experience to a new level, even for racing drivers. No clutch, no shifting, precise and immediate control of torque in drive and braking, perfect traction control…first gear takes you to 112mph…

In recent track testing, on street tires, it achieved the following performance:
0-30 mph: 1.35 sec
0-60 mph: 3.07 sec in 117 ft
0-100 mph: 6.87 sec
0-100-0 mph 11.2 sec
Lateral g: 1.3
Braking g: 1.2

The X1 production car will be better… much better.

Posted in California, Automotive Techs, USA | No Comments »

18. April 2008 by Mykel Pereira.

Tesla Motors

Tesla Motors
1050 Bing Street
San Carlos, California 94070
(650) 413-4000

About Tesla Motors

One Thing We Can Agree On

Whether you‘re more concerned about global warming or about national security, there’s one thing we can probably agree on: our dependence on oil is dangerous and costly.

Right now 58 percent of our oil comes from other countries, so it’s practically inevitable our foreign policy principles will be held ransom by our need to maintain domestic economic stability. When you consider that 68 percent of our oil is used for transportation, Tesla Motors believes gasoline-free cars are an ideal solution to these issues. Even a hybrid car, which still burns gasoline and emits carbon dioxide, doesn‘t solve our oil-related problems, it just postpones them. If you look hard at the numbers, it’s clear that an electric car is the cleanest and most efficient kind of car in existence. We have done exhaustive “well to wheel” energy and emissions analyses, and the numbers are undeniable.

Electric “Punishment Cars”

Historically, it seemed to Tesla Motors that electric cars had been designed by people who thought we really shouldn’t be driving at all - but if we must, we should suffer every minute of it. Electric cars have had terrible range and embarrassing styling. To those who say electric cars have been tried and failed Tesla Motors says, of course electric cars won‘t catch on if no one actually wants to drive them.

Changing Perceptions

We needed to change perceptions of electric vehicles in a big way. To make electric cars a viable alternative, Tesla Motors set out to build one that was gorgeous and thrilling to drive.

Their first car, the Tesla Roadster, isn’t a pipedream or a plan; this car exists now. It’s a no-compromise driver‘s car that does 0 to 60 mph in less than 4 second and will hit a top speed of nearly twice what the law permits. With a range of about 220 miles on a single charge, you can use it all day long and not worry you’ll run out of juice. Just plug it in at night the same way you drop your cell phone into its charger, and sleep well, without guilt.

Just the Beginning

While the Tesla Roadster’s sticker price is in a league with other high-performance sports cars with similar specs, Tesle Motors recognizes it’s out of reach for a lot of people. They consciously chose to develop a high-end sports car as our first car in order to develop the “performance DNA” from which we could create other electric vehicles. Their next model will leverage the Tesla Roadster‘s technology, resulting in a less expensive sports sedan that they can sell at higher volume.

The Mission

Tesla Motors designs and sells high-performance, highly efficient electric sports cars — with no compromises. Tesla Motors cars combine style, acceleration, and handling with advanced technologies that make them among the quickest and the most energy-efficient cars on the road.

	Ze’ev Drori President & CEO Ze’ev Drori is a successful high-tech entrepreneur and an experienced chief executive with the proven ability to create and manage companies with innovative products in both the high-tech and automotive sectors. He has more than 30 years of continual success and has demonstrated the ability to lead a company from conception to profitability and public offering. The first company he founded was Monolithic Memories, a Silicon Valley semiconductor firm that pioneered fundamental advances in memory and logic technology, before being acquired by Advanced Micro Devices in 1987. Under his leadership, Monolithic introduced programmable read-only memory (PROM) and programmable array logic (PAL), which revolutionized many aspects of computer and electronic systems technology. As CEO through 1981, Ze’ev was responsible for R&D, manufacturing, marketing, finance, worldwide sales and overseas operations for product assembly. Ze’ev served as chairman of the board from 1981 through 1987. After the sale of Monolithic Memories, Ze’ev purchased a controlling interest in Clifford Electronics, then a small start-up in auto security systems and the perfect combination of his twin passions for technology and automobiles. As chairman and CEO, he rapidly developed Clifford into the world’s leading automobile security company through significant innovations, such as remote control alarms and distribution relationships with domestic and international car manufacturers as well as a network of thousands of retail dealers. In 1999, Ze’ev sold Clifford Electronics to Allstate Insurance. Competitive and focused, Ze’ev has taken up racing Formula cars, pitting his skills against young drivers aspiring to become professional racers. In his every pursuit, Ze’ev brings his passion and commitment, with an eye on the finish line, and translates that focus into a winning formula for technology companies.
	JB Straubel Chief Technical Officer The story of JB Straubel’s career started at a junkyard in Wisconsin, where, at the age of 14, he discovered a discarded electric golf cart and decided to rebuild it. Thus began a lifelong fascination with energy work and electric vehicles. At Tesla Motors, JB oversees the technical and engineering design of the vehicles, focusing on the battery, motor, power electronics, and high-level software sub-systems. Additionally, he evaluates new technology, manages vehicle systems testing, and handles technical interface with key vendors. Prior to Tesla Motors, JB was the CTO and co-founder of the aerospace firm, Volacom, which designed a specialized high-altitude electric aircraft platform using a novel power plant. At Volacom, JB invented and patented a new long-endurance hybrid electric propulsion concept that was later licensed to Boeing. Before Volacom, JB worked at Rosen Motors as a propulsion engineer developing a new hybrid electric vehicle drivetrain based on a micro turbine and a high-speed flywheel. JB was also part of the early team at Pentadyne, where he designed and built a first-generation 150kW power inverter, motor-generator controls, and magnetic bearing systems. Armed with a bachelor’s in energy systems engineering and an master’s in energy engineering from Stanford University, JB left the cold winters of Wisconsin for good. He now lives in Menlo Park, Calif., where he continues to indulge his passion for electric transportation: he built an electric Porsche 944 that held a world EV racing record, a custom electric bicycle, and a pioneering hybrid trailer system. JB is also an accomplished pilot.
	Malcolm Powell Vice President, Vehicle Integration Throughout his career, Malcolm Powell has had the opportunity to drive some of the world’s most amazing cars – and what he found is that beauty and acceleration are no match for balance and responsiveness. Bringing with him the desire to make the driving experience more physically interactive and less remote, Malcolm oversees the integration of all constituent parts of a Tesla Motors vehicle, including packaging, testing, and legal approvals. After graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Sheffield in the U.K., Malcolm’s first job landed him in the research department of Westland Helicopters, developing a remotely piloted surveillance helicopter. He then moved on to Ford of Europe, where he worked in the Special Vehicle Engineering division on “fun” cars (think small cars, big engines, all-wheel drive). Prior to joining Tesla Motors, Malcolm established an automotive design consultancy and then completed a 17-year stint at Group Lotus PLC, where he managed development of the North American version of the Lotus Elise. Leaving three adult children behind in the U.K., Malcolm and his wife now live in San Carlos, where they spend weekends hiking and cycling to explore their new environment. That is, once they’ve finished videoconferencing with the kids back home.
	Darryl Siry Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and Service Darryl Siry oversees sales, marketing/communications, and service for Tesla Motors. Prior to joining the company, Darryl was Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company, a property and casualty insurance company with $6 billion in revenues. At Fireman’s Fund, Darryl revitalized the Fireman’s Fund brand through innovative, non-traditional approaches, earning broad recognition within the industry and marketing and communications professions. Prior to Fireman’s Fund, Darryl was with Mercer Management Consulting, where he advised clients in the consumer products and financial services industries. Darryl earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Brown University. In his spare time, Darryl works on his cars in his workshop in Occidental, Calif., often chronicling his adventures as an amateur mechanic in his blog, Horseless Age. He also maintains a blog on the rapidly evolving landscape of marketing, entitled Marketing 2.0. Darryl lives with his wife Keri, and two Vizslas, Samson and Honey Bee. Darryl and Keri had their first child of the human sort – daughter Gemma – in May 2007.
	Mike Taylor Vice President of Finance Mike Taylor joined Tesla Motors as Vice President of Finance in September 2007. Mike brings 17 years of financial expertise to the company. Mike began his career at Goldman Sachs & Co., where he helped clients worldwide raise over $2 billion in structured debt financing. He then worked for McKinsey and Company and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where he helped several companies through IPOs and acquisitions. In 1994, Mike caught the technology bug and has since helped game-changing companies raise more than $250 million in public and private financings. His first foray into high tech was with Scopus Technology, for which he managed the public offering process prior to that company’s acquisition by Siebel Systems. Mike also served as Vice President of Finance for network management software pioneer Micromuse, where he coordinated the IPO and several financing rounds and managed all financial planning and investor relations activities. Mike then served as Chief Financial Officer for Benchmark Capital and Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Tropos Networks, where he helped raise more than $80 million in venture financing. Along the way, Mike found time to earn a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley and JD/MBA from Stanford University. Mike is married and has two children. He serves on the board for the Center for the Early Intervention on Deafness.
	Craig Harding General Counsel Craig Harding is responsible for legal affairs at Tesla Motors, including corporate work, supplier agreements, and intellectual property. Craig has worked at Sun Microsystems as a staff attorney, and also served as General Counsel of Kaleida Labs (a joint venture of Apple and IBM) and Actra (a joint venture of Netscape and General Electric). In his spare time, Craig likes to run marathons and ultramarathons, and he is most proud of a 12:17 in the Miwok 100K. Craig has a degree in math from Duke University and a law degree from Vanderbilt University.

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