Comments on: Magna’s Plug-and-Play Electric Vehicle

By: Nick

Nick — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:42:33 +0000

What will happen when Magna buys Opal & Vauxall tomorrow? Can we look forward to an Opal EV any time soon. Will anyone get it outside of Europe/Asia? How will Ford feel about partnering with Magna after they become a competitor?

By: Dave07

Dave07 — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 19:23:45 +0000

The problem with Magna is they do not return phone calls and treat their paying customers like second class citizens. Our company tried working with them and it was a horrific 3 month experience and we pulled out and went a different direction with much better results. Magna is to big and they trip over their own egos. If it were not for Magna employees patting each other on the back their backs would be lonely.

By: Robert Dela

Robert Dela — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:46:30 +0000

They also need to look at what others are doing. As I pointed out in another article on the electric cars, the Chinese already have a car out that beats the volt in every catagory except the troublesome safety which we don’t have data on. Even that will be corrected to meet our standards, and this car is being sold now… not to mention it’s selling at $20,000 which is far below what the volt will sell for and by the time volt is out this will be in it’s third iteration. We need to step up or they will wind up crushing us with these cheap cars made with competent yet cheap labor and superior batteries.

By: Sam Roy

Sam Roy — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 12:28:18 +0000

I don’t understand why these car makers are spending so much time and resources making these concept cars and not the real thing. They are all planning to produce these cars many years down the road but we need these cars now. The demand might actually go down over time particularly if Arabs manage to lower the gas price.

By: Sam Roy

Sam Roy — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 12:26:12 +0000

By: Lost Prius to wife

Lost Prius to wife — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 06:58:52 +0000

ex-EV1 driver, you are correct. Given enough battery power and a large enough electric motor or motors, electric cars are capable of matching gas cars and surpassing gas cars in torque since the torque is almost instantaneous. Again, you are right that most of these cars carry the title “concept” at this time. Hopefully, because of companies and business plans like the above mention companies, we will be receiving real electric cars, not just concept cars, than we can all own and would even want to own.

By: ex-EV1 driver

ex-EV1 driver — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 01:42:14 +0000

Anonymous,
You're confused. The Tesla Roadster does not have a transmission. They originally tried to develop a 2-speed transmission, then realized that transmissions have trouble handling the torque from an electric motor so.
Instead, they went with a fixed reduction gear and a motor and Power Electronics Module that can output more torque directly.

Lost Prius to Wife,
You are correct about the Prius but not all electric cars. Electric cars can easily go very fast. My EV1 would easily go 80 mph (they electronically governed it at 80) and the Tesla supposedly goes 125 mph before they govern it although I don't know of anyone actually going that fast in a Tesla yet.

Personally, I'm getting tired of all these electric concepts. We need cars, not sculptures. The Tesla beats any of these things and it is real.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:53:29 +0000

Tesla has a transmission (which has been part of their technical problems) as do all of the NEVs out there. Ford’s new BEV Transit Connect has a transmission. Transmissions are needed to step down the power and apply it to the drive wheels.

By: Lost Prius to wife

Lost Prius to wife — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 17:45:09 +0000

My associate, that converts older cars to all electric vehicles and has a Prius, has indicated that even a Prius on all electric power cannot go much faster than 53 mph. It would take a transmission, and probably flat or down hill conditions, for a Prius to get into the 60+ mph speed on all electric. The Prius gets to the 60+ mph (up to 130 mph) now by kicking in the gas engine and thereby bypassing the need for a transmission. Remember, the Prius is a power split hybrid and does not have a true transmission as found in other cars.

By: 38mpg

38mpg — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 17:08:25 +0000

EVs do not need a transmission with capability to change gear ratios. But they need gears to connect the electric motor to the wheels, unless the motor is directly integrated in the wheel.