Hybrid Cars ~ Volvo goes Green
The Volvo 3CC concept car, a rocket-shaped three-seater, can accommodate the full range of power systems, from traditional gasoline and bio-fuel, to hybrid and all electric. In essence, Volvo is hedging its bets on which system will be in use when the car hits the market. “It might be in your garage in eight to ten years,” said Dan Werbin, director of Volvo Cars of North America.
Electric power is provided by three thousand lithium-ion batteries, just like those used in laptop computers, giving the equivalent of 105 horsepower. Ichiro Sugioka, chief science officer on the project, told MSNBC.com that the lithium ion batteries could be the breakthrough needed to revive electric vehicles, which had hit a wall with lead acid and nickel metal hydride batteries. “The price is coming down so fast,” he said of lithium ion, noting that while one cell costs about $3.50 today, projections are just 30 cents by 2015. Read the rest of this entry »
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