Interestingly, residential chargers are where many of Coulomb’s competitors have started out — just look at General Electric’s recent launch of its WattStation charger, capable of juicing up a battery in four to six hours. It looks like Coulomb wants to be able to claim market share on all tiers of this emerging market.

[Source & read more: GreenBeat]

Check out the video interview here.

[Source & read more: CNN]

1. There is a lot of talk going on about EVs. Do you think it is all hype or are we really ready for electric cars?

EVs are now a reality and gaining more and more ground every day as technologies are improving and adoption around the world is increasing.

With the unpredictable global crude oil prices and depletion of fossil fuels, alternate energy efficient transportation technology is the need of the hour. Alternate energy vehicles are gaining more and more ground as countries around the world are including it in their National Policies on future of Transportation.

The EVs are gaining more and more acceptance with the consumers due to the constant improvement in reliability, performance and charging infrastructure.

As a mass means of personalised transportation, Electric Two wheelers are already gaining ground, with China the leader and India emerging as a nation with huge potential. Electric cars are also gaining acceptability but they have an inherent problem of limited range with the current battery systems available. This is bound to change with mainstream auto companies announcing very aggressive plans of launching Electric Cars in the near future which would ensure mass acceptability of EVs.

2. What kind of future do you see for EVs? How successful will they be? In 10 years? 50 years?

There is no doubt that the Future of Transportation lies with Electric which currently is in its initial stages of a Product life cycle.  Stakeholders have already been promoting the usage and adoption of EVs.

With a continuous advancement in EV technology, there would be a major shift towards EV in next 5 years globally and by 2020 EVs would certainly be mass produced commercially.

3. What role does the government play?

The Government is a key stakeholder in adoption of EVs in any country. The government plays an important role in:

• Promoting and creating awareness about EVs.
• Providing subsidies, tax rebates to customers for mass acceptance of EVs which reduce dependency on fossil fuel, is affordable/economical and is environment friendly.
• Provide incentives to Manufacturers for their contribution to the environment, economy, providing employment, etc.
• Development of Charging Infrastructure for convenient and easy charging.
• Contributing to R&D by funding research project for Manufacturers, etc.

The benefit that the country derives by the government support is the following:

• Low dependency on fossil fuels thereby reducing the import bills.
• Control on air pollution in congested and already highly polluted cities.
• Balancing out the load on the grid since most of the EVs are Plug-in EV which gets charged at night time when the electricity load requirements are the least.

4. What battery solutions will survive in the long term for EVs?

Without doubt Lithium–Ion technology is the long term solution at this point of time. This technology will certainly improve and costs will drop to more affordable levels as adoption increases.

5. In your opinion, what are some of the weaknesses and strengths of li-ion batteries? Will the cost of lithium make some other less efficient batteries more lucrative in the long term?

WEAKNESSES

• Costly as compared to Lead Acid batteries
• Not able to perform as efficiently in extreme temperatures and conditions.
• Needs protection circuit to maintain safe operation.
• Subject to aging, whether used or not.

STRENGTHS

• Most promising battery chemistry – High density and light weight
• Low on maintenance
• Less self-discharge as compared to other like- Lead, NiCd, NiMH, etc
• Longer life

In the existing scenario, the less efficient batteries Lead Acid are the only alternatives since the cost of Li-Ion battery is too high. But as a long term option Li-Ion makes far more sense compared to the less efficient batteries.

6. What is the future for recycling (cars and batteries)?

Battery recycling is critical to any Battery Management process. Rechargeable batteries can be re-used which helps reduce the impact that disposable batteries have on the environment. Batteries contain a range of metals which can be re-used as a secondary raw material. Recycling batteries keeps heavy metals out of landfills and the air. Recycling saves resources as recovered plastic and metals can be used to make new batteries. In most cases, making products from recycled materials creates less air pollution and water pollution than making products from virgin materials.

The recycling industry and the associated processes create far more jobs than landfill sites or waste incinerators, and recycling is frequently the least expensive waste management option for cities and towns.

7. What will it take/what is needed to make the prices of batteries go down, and by how much?

Manufacturers need to look at ways to reduce the input/manufacturing cost. R&D costs should be considered over a long term period and not burdened on short term volumes.

Governments need to provide subsidies/rebates on Li-Ion batteries for the initial push.

Currently Li-Ion batteries are 4-5 times costlier as compared to Lead Acid batteries. Since the future of technology lies with Li-Ion, for mass consumption the cost should come down to around 2 times that of lead acid battery.

8. What kind of partnerships do you see building between car, battery and mining companies?

Not heard of any of this kind of partnership, these are all different business and require a completely different skill sets. It would be very difficult for any one company to be present in the whole supply chain from Mining to Manufacturing of the finished vehicles.

There would however, be tie-ups and long term contracts etc., to source the best possible technologies to ensure leadership in each company’s area of operation.

9. What markets/countries are more likely to adapt EVs? Why have EVs not caught on in India as much as they should have, considering they solve the pollution problems?

European and North American markets are already adapting EVs and the governments are consciously pushing for the adaption of these technologies.

South American and Asian countries will be the emerging markets for EVs.

India is a price sensitive country and for any new technology for mass adoption will take time, hence Government has a key role to play. The government has to also assist in the creation of infrastructure to ensure the success of EVs in India. Since the personalized transportation is dominated by two-wheelers, Electric 2-wheelers make tremendous sense and are emerging as the next growth sector for the Indian Economy.

10. You have 1 minute on TV to move the masses to use/buy EVs, what would you say to motivate them?

Drive Electric, Cure for Oil addiction and for a Greener world.

ADVANTAG-E-LECTRIC – Easy, Economical and Eco-Friendly.

Let’s present the future generations with a Greener and Cleaner World.

1. There is a lot of talk going on about EVs and what the future is going to be like. Do you think it is all hype or are we really ready for electric cars?

Since the 1970s, there has been a growing awareness about the lack of sustainability of petroleum based consumption, with rising concerns over the impact of carbon emissions on the environment, increased pressure on finding alternative energy technologies that can eventually reduce our overall dependence on oil and recent technological advances bringing new energy solutions back into the spotlight. We are entering an era where the interest and investment is there, and technological development capacities are being trained on the right target.

Whether we are at the point in time where marketplace acceptance is possible is a different issue. The biggest challenge to new energy technologies is the availability of alternative and the proven economics of the internal combustion engine (ICE) which has had a 100 year run. Anything that is that well developed and proven a technology will certainly prove a strong incumbent.

It is safe to say that the 21^st century will see the emergence of an alternative form of propulsion and the pathway may not be clear today on how the market will ultimately turn. But gradually we are starting to see the early signs that it is starting to turn. More importantly, consumer attitudes towards alternatives are becoming more and more favourable, particularly in places like China and India which are economies which are growing rapidly and are placing even heavier demands on current energy sources. So it is becoming inevitable that the tipping point may be in some of these new emerging economies.

2. What kind of future do you see for EVs? How successful will they be? In 10 years? 50 years?

You cannot view it from purely a market perspective or isolate consumer acceptance to say when it will become an advantage for alternative technology based on an overall cost of ownership. That is only part of the problem. The other part of the problem is the entire ecosystem that surrounds the alternative technologies, such as the availability of low cost sources of supply, service and infrastructure. People are not going to adopt a technology if the service and recharging infrastructure is not there.

Also, unless the electrical grid is powered by sources other than coal burning electricity generation, it doesn’t do much to just put a battery in a car. You have to power the whole infrastructure with clean energy sources.

3. What role does the government play?

There are several roles. It is going to take a combination of business and government working together to make a revolutionary change possible and transition from a 100 year old ICE to an alternative propulsion technology.

The whole paradigm of how humans are transported is being revolutionised. Prior to the automobile, the predominant form of transportation for people was the horse-drawn carriage. The automobile essentially automated the role of the horse, by replacing it with a gasoline-powered engine.  Now we need to electrify it.  In order for that to happen, it requires more than to just place the challenge to the automobile companies to invent the new technologies, because that technology has touch points into so many different systems.

We have a global trend, a clear understanding that with the oil consumption increases that have been seen, the economic development of several of the emerging economies, particularly China and India, are not going to be sustainable unless alternatives become available. China has a national agenda and vision to transition to something other than the combustion engine. With the proper amount of government support and intervention, you can begin to lay together a cooperative effort. It is apparent that China may not have all the pieces of the puzzle but they do have an idea of what the entire picture looks like. You need that first before you start moving in a particular direction.

4. What battery solutions will survive in the long term for EVs?

Li-ion is proving to be the strongest, in terms of energy density and its ability to be engineered in a safe, reliable and cost-effective way. The cost curve is the first challenge. It is possible to scale up the production, so that wide application drives the cost down to a level where it achieves marketplace acceptance.

The solution which BYD has not only helps to drive the cost curve more aggressively by delivering a plug-in technology at an unrivalled price but also provides a more holistic approach to solving the automotive transportation problem as an integrated whole. They are not trying to build a battery that they can sell to a car company; instead they are trying to build a battery powered car.  With so many players involved, there needs to be a cooperative model between the various players.

Several hybrid applications are also available such as mild hybrid and range-extended, which mix old and new technologies. It is heartening to see that in many places, hybrids are becoming mainstream and that if they are not too expensive, consumers will choose to go for a greener solution.

5. In your opinion, what are some of the weaknesses and strengths of Li-ion batteries? Will the cost of lithium make some other less efficient batteries more lucrative in the long term?

Cost and safety are the 2 key considerations for batteries. Consumers have to believe that the solution they are using is safe and reliable. One of the notable problems witnessed are with li-ion batteries used in Sony laptop computers. These batteries should be able to work in a variety of conditions which you don’t necessarily have control over such as temperature and weather. This track record has not been demonstrated yet for li-ion batteries.

Also, where you recharge and the recharging service need to be managed. These technologies get obsolete very quickly. Buying a car is a big investment and in 3 years’ time, the car should be upgradeable to the latest technology. It is also expected to retain its value in 5 years time when you resell the car.

An advantage which lithium has is that it already has widespread application in batteries in electronics. So there is a cost benefit over its predecessor chemistries.

6. What is the future for recycling?

Lithium is a renewable resource. Some people have wondered if we are just replacing one scarce source with another. However, unlike other fuels like petroleum and chemicals used in batteries, lithium doesn’t get used and thrown away. The battery has a high recovery potential.

7. What will it take/what is needed to make the prices of batteries go down, and by how much?

The concept of urban transport is changing to mean shorter distances travelled at lower speeds in congested environments. We no longer need to deliver the same amount of energy in the electric world as we did in the petroleum world, so we can reduce the weight that we are moving around from several 1000 to several 100 pounds (which is basically the weight of the driver).

As part of what determines the number of battery packs is that you are trying to deliver the same level of energy, once we make the cars smaller and easier to move around, the number of cells will also decrease.

Also, with technological development, energy density of the battery will increase and this solution will become more cost effective. As more projects are implemented and the production of these batteries is scaled up, it will drive costs down.

Today we ask consumers to own the car and everything that comes with it, including the expensive batteries. If we make them leasable, which is the solution being provided by Better Place, then the ownership costs are spread out over the entire ecosystem involving the electric grid and the utility companies.

8. What kind of partnerships do you see building between car, battery and mining companies?

Consumers need a balance of cost performance and infrastructure. The entire value chain needs to coordinate in such a way as to deliver to consumers such a solution.

There are 2 types of innovation. First, there is the technology innovation, which is obviously essential to engineer power range etc. at appropriate prices. The other part of the solution is business model innovation, where you meet the needs of consumers while providing benefits to all stakeholders. This includes companies which develop batteries, which assemble the automobile, which power the batteries, which service these vehicles, as well as the backing of government support through policies that encourage consumers to adopt these new technology vehicles by providing the appropriate incentives and assistance to create the much needed technology and infrastructure.

9. What markets/countries are more likely to adapt EVs?

It is no coincidence that innovation occurs in countries with the biggest and fastest growing markets. China and India are now becoming the biggest auto markets. Everyone wants to compete in these markets, so no matter where a technology is invented, these countries will have access to it as the technology will eventually be sold in there.

Innovation occurs where consumers will buy and the companies will profit, making these 2 countries the growth engines of the world economy.

In China, there is a national recognition for the need for this process. Policies that guide this change are in place as the government recognises its role as the grand marshal of the parade to coordinate this group of stakeholders.

It is hard to draw comparisons between China and India as they each have their idiosyncrasies. In India, frugally engineered car are more popular as they aim to get people off 2 or 3 wheelers to something more modern. However, this does not solve the social problem of pollution. But there are upgradeable ICE models available which are more fuel efficient and provide greener alternatives, while at the same time being of a lower price compared to hybrid vehicles.

Thus, while India lacks a national vision on how to migrate from a 20^th to 21^st century propulsion paradigm, China at least knows that they have a problem.

10. You have 1 minute on TV to move the masses to use/buy EVs, what would you say to motivate them?

Electric vehicles are a wave of the future. This is not one of those – wait till my neighbour buys, I’ll try if they try – things. These technologies are very viable alternatives. Wouldn’t you want to be leading this revolution? If not pure electric cars, you can certainly go for hybrid cars. In the interest of everybody on this planet, each one of us needs to contribute and play our part.

Electric Vehicles (EVs) should be promoted from the perspective of energy issues. There is only so much pollution the world can take. Many of us may still be in denial, but global warming and its effects have become a very tangible reality. As American Honda’s Executive Sales VP John Mendel puts it, the race for a cleaner and more sustainable future is a marathon, not a sprint. We must ultimately replace petroleum as the fuel that powers personal transportation. Solving this problem is inevitable.

With an economy growing at a sustained rate of 10 percent a year and millions of Chinese with growing disposable income now abandoning their bicycles in favour of family cars, China’s auto market is emerging as the global leader. However, consumer acceptance of environmentally-friendly vehicles is still a long way off. According to a survey by Fourin, Inc., average monthly sales of the hybrid Toyota Prius in 2008 were 40 units and just 10 units monthly for the Civic Hybrid.

But in light of the increasingly serious air pollution and the predicament of future demand for petroleum fuels, hybrid and electric vehicles are a reality that must be dealt with.

What Chinese consumers are looking for in a car is affordability, convenience and attractive features. Automakers are convinced that given time, they will be able to bring down prices. However, one of the sure-shot ways to do so is to go into mass production. It’s like going in circles – consumers won’t buy the car unless it’s cheaper and the car cannot be cheaper till more people buy it.

But there are other ways to overcome these problems. Better Place has a splendid idea: a station where you can switch out your depleted lithium-ion battery for a fully-charged unit and continue on your way. As it stands, batteries contribute greatly to both the weight and the price of most plug-in cars, while simultaneously reducing their range and speed. Using the Better Place model will allow carmakers to make smaller, lighter, cheaper li-ion batteries, and provide electric car owners a seamless, simple experience, explaining why venture capitalists like VantagePoint have invested in them.

As for convenience, the governments in the countries with the biggest auto markets, USA and China, are revving up to provide infrastructural support in the form of charging stations, tax rebates and grants for R&D. There are also solutions available for faster recharging such as Altairnano’s NanoSafe batteries which can be recharged in several minutes.

Several choices are available right now for customers such as REVAi, Tesla Roadster, Nissan LEAF, Chevrolet Volt, GM EV1, Toyota Prius, BMW Mini-E and Mitsubishi i MiEV and even more will become available over the next 2-3 years including hybrids, plug-ins and pure electric vehicles.

From the perspective of a car manufacturer, the ability to develop advanced environmental technologies is no longer just a means to gain competitive advantage. The truth is that any manufacturer without these technologies will not survive for long. The numerous mergers and joint technology ventures in the industry over the past year are a proof of this new reality. Automakers are scrambling to partner with mining firms to secure a steady lithium supply, as li-ion batteries seem the most promising for electric vehicles.

Whatever the pundits say, this will boil down to what you, the consumer, want. Ask yourself, if EVs become competitively priced with the conventional ICE cars in 10 years, wouldn’t you want to play your part in reducing carbon emissions and create a future so green you made grass jealous?