Comments on: Will CalCars Start a Company?

By: Janet Newman

Janet Newman — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 02:18:20 +0000

If you were to sale these cars, what would the cost be? When will some be ready for sale?

Go for it. If your price is right, you could outsell all the other car manufactureers. And with the cost of new cars these days, it would be a welcome relief.

By: John Acheson

John Acheson — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 10:53:48 +0000

I just spent an hour or so on Google Patent Search using hybrid as a search term along with typing in several automaker names. I was suprised by the range. From zero for many, to a couple for vehicle design to hundreds for Toyota.

Does anyone know a website or source for that keeps track of the patent score on hybrids and plug-ins?

Toyota's winning the hybrid patent war with over 600 on the Prius I heard. Ford in 2nd with 400 or so on the Escape.

So who's winning the plug-in patent war? What about Lithium patents? How about transmission patents etc?

Does Silicon Valley have any auto industry patents???

Unfortunately, my search yielded nothing in terms of patents for Tesla, that was strange?

By: Joseph M.

Joseph M. — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:19:41 +0000

I would like to see Big Silicon Valley get on this ship. The Automobile industry needs to be revitalized, old philosophies of intentional technological stagnation, those days are over. The computer industry is the best philosophy to apply to the automobile needed today. We must always use the latest technology available for the cars of today. not have self vested interest buying up the better technology and then hiding it away forever. That is just bullshit, and it happens all to often. The automobile industry of yesterday behaved as if they were owned by BIG OLD OIL. But now know one wants to use old stinky oil. One Gallon of Burned Gasoline creates 19 Pounds of CO2. We need companies that truly want to “continuously improve” the automobile technology, not just how it looks and how many air bags it has and how safe it is. The damn things are polluting like crazy. even the newest cars sold today create out the tail pipe a poisonous gas no human can breathe and live through(and there are Two Million New Vehicles Sold In California Alone, Each Year). so why are all the cars sold in California still burning gasoline only. we don’t even have a choice to buy a new car that runs on alternative fuel today. and none of the car dealerships are selling electric vehicles, and when I ask them why, they say ” you wouldn’t want to drive one of those ”, and I always say, yes I do!. Come on Silicon Valley, start up several Car companies and put old Automobile and Big Oil out of business forever. Amen.

By: Dave Wiederrich

Dave Wiederrich — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:18:59 +0000

There was one post that struck a chord regarding wanting to support financially, but couldn’t affort 6 figures. I invested in limited partnerships years ago. Fixed investments as little as $2500. No payment streams, but tax benefits from depreciation each year. After 5-7 years, excellent payout. Hey, you could sweeten it and include one conversion for each $25k investment. This could be the easiest source of capital since CalCars has thousands of followers. I’m just one person, but I’d be in for $5 – 10k; maybe more. If this ever happens, send me an email! Get ‘em, boys!

By: Frank Chen

Frank Chen — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:18:32 +0000

I quickly read through most of the posts here and I couldn't help but chime in and put in my thoughts. Standard hybrids conversions to PHEV is undoubtable going to be a profitable business model. There are currently over half a million Priuses on the road worldwide. That's a huge market that is continuing to expand, thanks to tax incentives from the IRS, (Perhaps they should bring back the $3,150 credit?) word of mouth (Toyota Prius owners love to brag about our cars) and rising fuel costs.

So, let me get to the point...
I think the best analogy here that I can relate Toyota's Prius with is the Apple Ipod.

Apple's had such an overwhelming success was marketing "Ipod" that there are new companies that have emerged which cater *only* to selling accessories for Ipod owners.

With that said, I think there are more than enough *new* companies, that can form, who know how to do the hybrid conversion to perform an installation. It'll probably start off with Calcars first teaching others *certifiable* engineers across the U.S. to do the conversions. Who knows?

Next step, getting the funding? That's probably the easiest part. Auction off a PHEV on Ebay; that will most certainly get the news out quick!!

Did you know a Toyota EV RAV4 auctioned off on Ebay for $67,300?

http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.htm?programID=06-P13-00020&segmentID=4

Personally, I own a 2006 Prius and I love the car. I am getting 58.6miles/gallon without any modification. I drive it pretty gently and am easy on the gas pedal. I can't wait to get my Prius modified into a PHEV when Calcars goes commercial.

Thanks.

By: pcope11

pcope11 — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:18:01 +0000

I have been watching the developements of the PHEV's for some time now. I attended the Maker Faire and watched the conversion of Ryan's car. By observing the hands on conversion it gave me confidence in hacking into my Classic Prius. After experimenting with various strategies that are different from the 2004 and later conversions, I am now converting my Classic to a PHEV and I think I have even discovered a way to run it in electric only without having to spoof the electronics. After watching "Who Killed the Electric Car" it would appear a strategy of working at the grassroots level by committed individuals is the only way we can move the PHEV technology to a new level. Felix you have already shown us how to move mountains. I think there is a lot of pent up desire for a PHEV kit. I like the idea of converting as many of the Priuses now on the road as possible. It is a small step in a way yet the rewards for the environment could ultimately be quite large if they demonstrated to the car manufacturers how much demand there really is for PHEV's.

"After watching Who Killed the Electric Car"

By: guscastanedaimm

guscastanedaimm — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:17:04 +0000

We live in such a forward thinking society but when we look back at technolgy, well, it’s a joke. Color television was invented in the 40′s, but it wasn’t until the 60′s that it became the norm and mass produced. The robotic vacum cleaner came out in 1964 but wasn’t mass produced until 3 years ago.
The same for cell phones, computers, etc… And now we are in the same predicament with the hybrid and car companies planning until 2010 to start producing more of them? Give me a break, technology, what a joke! The car companies have to be in cohoots with the oil refineries to keep squeezing us at the pump is my viewpoint, so there!

By: Guest

Guest — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:16:37 +0000

EFFPOWER of sweden and Atraverda of england as well as firefly in the US and a past european research consortium have all done considerable work to make a cell-conectorless bipolar lightweigt lead acid battery. Calcars has already proved that non optimised lead acid batteries can be usefully used. Ron Gremban of Calcars has tested leaving the original battery in place sucessfully with a simple circuit for charging it from the extra battery, and this puts less of a highpower demand on the extra so it can be cheaper and higher capacity and longer lived. MES-DEA is converting a few hundred cars to electric for sale in Switzerland with its highly tested long life Zebra Battery. And there are indications that the next TH!NK City will have an ethanol series hybrid option. Plug in Partners has commitments for thousands of cars, and NEW YORK state is allocating money for conversions.

By: Guest

Guest — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:16:06 +0000

I recently read about the PML Mini QED and immediately wondered if the best way for your new company to have vehicles get to market was to make deals with some of the major auto manufacturers to convert one or more of their vehicles using technology similar to that embodied in the PML Mini QED and let the manufacturers offer these vehicles as optional electic conversions and sold as new vehicles.

It seemed to me that adopting the idea of a very small gas/biofuel engine with sufficient batteries to operate at least a 100 mile range, would allow the price to remain affordable until such time as the battery technology is cheap enough to provide extended range needed for market acceptance of an all electric vechicle.

By: ray.whalley2

ray.whalley2 — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:15:41 +0000

Being a mark 2 Prius owner for 2 years and 6 months I am also pretty desperate to convert to PHEV and squeeze out max. potential to reduce emmissions and ongoing running costs.
I have been waiting more than a year for the guys at Amberjack projects in Grantham to come up with the conversion promised.
I have driven 30K miles in the Prius and would never wish to own another vehicle unless it has the features that allow:
a) engine cut off when in traffic queues.
b) continuously variable transmission.
c) 60mpg imperial combined cycle - hopefully more when converted.(95 Octane unleaded in the UK is £1Sterling - litre).
e) 106 gms/kilometer CO2 emmissions - ideally lower.
f) the performance delivered by the Prius.

In conclusion, the Prius should be voted car of the Century and hopefully Toyota (with a little help from CalCars) will continue to develop the concept and improve the features mentioned.

Ray.
in the UK, Sept. 13, 2006 at 21.00 gmt.