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Taiwan’s Pihsiang Entering Electric Car Market
9 July 2008
CENS. Taiwan-based Pihsiang Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd., a leading manufacturer of electric scooters for the handicapped, has developed three electric car models, which it will debut at major global auto shows in the second half of the year and begin selling in Europe in the fourth quarter. Sales in the US are also planned.
Pihsiang uses lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) cells from its subsidiary, Pihsiang Energy Technology Co. Ltd. (PHET). The new electric cars will use battery packs comprising 2,000 18650 LiFePO4 cells. PHET LiFePO4 cells have a rate capacity of 1100 mAh and nominal voltage of 3.2V.
The electric car weighs 500 kg, and has a range of more than 220 km (136 miles). Average recharging of a standard model takes 3.5 hours.
According to Donald Wu, chairman of Pihsiang, the new EVs were developed in partnership with a French company, which provide the vehicle body while Pihsiang has developed and made all the propulsion system.
Pihsiang may build the electric cars in-house to sell in mainland China and Southeast Asia in the future, Wu said. If everything goes smoothly, he added, Pihsiang might contract a local automaker to contract supply the vehicle bodies.
PHET’s LiFePO4 battery is patented and has been purchased by customers globally, including Smith Electric Vehicles, according to Wu.
(A hat-tip to Rick!)
July 9, 2008 in Brief | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
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Comments
1100mah cells?, those are small... about the size of an AA cell, very odd choice.
If you want to experiment with similar LifePO cells but from A123 get a Black and Decker battery pack for the VPX series power tools.. inexpensive and easy to get the 2 cells out. Tough cells, can be recharged in 10 minutes.
http://www.vpxsystem.com/
Cant believe they made an electric car with 2000 of these cells.
Posted by: Herm | Jul 9, 2008 1:23:36 AM
Apparently similar battery pack design to that in Tesla roadster. Same cell size, but with fewer cells than in Tesla.
Sort of surprisingly long range (220 km) with only 7 kWh battery pack (? How did they measure it).
The car is light (500 kg), but in a light car driver's weight can significantly increase total weight, percent-wise, and shorten the range therefore (this may act as an incentive for some in the future to lose weight).
No word on cycle life or price.
Posted by: MG | Jul 9, 2008 3:06:18 AM
