Green Car Congress: Phoenix Motorcars Places Order for 10 Enova Hybrid Drive Systems

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Phoenix Motorcars Places Order for 10 Enova Hybrid Drive Systems

7 August 2006

A Phoenix EV demonstrator, unveiled in March.

Phoenix Motorcars, the California-based developer of an all-electric sport utility pickup truck (SUT) has placed an order with Enova Systems for the integration of ten of the company’s 90kW Electric Drive Systems in Phoenix SUTs.

Phoenix had worked with Enova on the prototypes, and is continuing to evaluate other drive systems options as well. (Earlier post.)

The award for the ten 90kW systems follows closely behind Enova’s participation with IC Corporation to build 19 hybrid school buses. (Earlier post.) The hybrid school bus uses an 80kW drive system.

Partnering with Phoenix Motorcars helps further establish our penetration into important sectors of the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Market. We believe these Sport Utility Trucks will have a significant impact on the market and are pleased to be part of Phoenix Motorcar’s supply team.
—Mike Staran, Enova Vice President of Marketing

Phoenix also recently placed an order with Altair Nanotechnologies for lithium-ion batteries for the electric trucks. (Earlier post.)

August 7, 2006 in Electric (Battery) | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

Comments

Phoenix Motorcars' site has some pictures of the planned SUT and SUV:

http://66.218.37.153/cars.htm

Posted by: Jameson | August 07, 2006 at 09:07 AM

Looks like a cross between a Subaru Baja, and a Chrysler Pacifica. Maybe with a Lexus RX for an uncle.

Posted by: Bike Commuter Dude | August 07, 2006 at 11:24 AM

That SUT looks stylish.

Posted by: aa2 | August 07, 2006 at 07:56 PM

Hello, Its about time that the powers that be have finally realized that cleaner energy is the best way to go.Your article about the new Phoenix Cars about to be made public mentions about Altair Technologies & their Lithium Batteries. That is incorrect, a correct description is as follows:The Altairnano NanoSafe(TM) Battery

Using an innovative approach to rechargeable battery chemistry Altairnano uses a patented nano-titanate material as the negative electrode in its NanoSafe batteries. By making this novel change to traditional battery design it has achieved a high powered battery that is thermally stable, and therefore can not exhibit thermal runaway. By removing the highly reactive graphite from the battery design, and instead using nano-titanate materials as the negative electrode material, no interaction takes place with the electrolyte in the Altairnano batteries. This results in an inherently safe battery.

This key feature of the Altairnano NanoSafe battery means that it is well suited for hostile environments where physical movement, corrosion, high and/or low temperature extremes, electrical circuit complexity could cause shorting or battery malfunction resulting in thermal runaway of traditional lithium ion batteries. Such environments can be found in electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles.

Altairnano is delivering its first NanoSafe battery in September to Phoenix Motorcars for incorporation into an electric sedan. Phoenix Motorcars, based in Ojai, California, is an early leader in the effort to mass produce full function, freeway ready electric automobiles.