Electrovaya Launches Maya-300 Low-Speed Electric Vehicle; Using ExxonMobil Separator in Batteries
23 January 2008
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| Electrovaya’s Maya-300 will be a zero-emission passenger car with a range of up to 120 miles per charge. |
Electrovaya is launching the Maya-300, a zero-emission, low-speed, all-electric vehicle. It will have an extended range of up to 120 miles on a single charge, powered by Electrovaya’s Lithium-Ion SuperPolymer battery technology with integrated iBMS (intelligent battery management system).
The Maya-300 will use Electrovaya’s lithiated manganese oxide MN-Series batteries with a balanced energy and power density optimization. (Earlier post.) The MN-Series is Electrovaya’s preferred chemistry for transportation because it offers up to 40-60% higher energy density with comparable safety characteristics to its Phosphate-Series offerings.
The Maya-300’s battery system incorporates battery separator films from ExxonMobil. (Earlier post.) The advanced performance separators exhibit enhanced permeability, higher meltdown temperature and melt integrity without compromising the shutdown temperature and mechanical strength. The higher meltdown temperature significantly increases the film’s thermal safety margin.
Electrovaya recently introduced its upgraded version-3 iBMS for transportation applications. The iBMS has been designed for 15V and 48V modules which may be integrated to form intelligent Battery Systems from 48V to 710V.
The iBMS is an integrated, CAN-bus solution with fail-safe capabilities. It optimizes the battery system for optimal performance at a cell and module-level, protects the system and provides system-level interface communications to optimize the battery system together with other elements such as motor, controller and charger.
The iBMS consists of both distributed and system control intelligence integrated in the battery system design.
Top speed of the Maya-300 is electronically regulated to either 25 or 35 mph, as per state regulations. The on-board battery charger allows for convenient recharging with standard 110V outlets.
This announcement complements several other Electrovaya clean transportation applications, including the Maya 100 EV (earlier post) and conversions of Ford Escape Hybrids to plug-in hybrids (earlier post).
For a launch announcement, this is very patchy info. First off, whose platform is this based on? It rather looks like a third world knock-off of the smart fortwo, quite possibly with inferior crash safety features. Even if this is officially classified as NEV and therefore technically exempt from regular automotive safety requirements, 35mph is still quite fast enough to get yourself killed in a head-on collision.
Second, only by inference does it become clear this is targeted at the US market, home to fairly enormous SUVs and pick-up trucks with which it will share urban and suburban roads.
Third, it's unclear through which channel this vehicle is to be sold and at what price. EV technology for its own sake does not make a difference to the transportation sector. It has to be practical and affordable.
Posted by: Rafael Seidl | 23 January 2008 at 08:20 AM
There's no need for 120 mile range in a NEV that must be limited to 35 mph! It's much more sensible for a low speed, low range NEV to be powered by something cheap like lead-acid (eg Reva G-Wiz). Why Electrovaya didn't introduce the MN series in a highway capable vehicle is beyond me??
Posted by: clett | 23 January 2008 at 08:22 AM
@ Clett -
Electrovaya wants to showcase its batteries and associated control systems. The company has neither the expertise nor any interest in developing highway-capable cars on its own nickel, with all the crash testing that involves.
As for the battery technology as such, 120 miles is indeed more than any NEV needs. In a rational world, Electrovaya would probably have optimized the cell design for greater power to ensure adequate acceleration performance to that regulated top speed. Unfortunately, California's ZEV mandate is heavily biased toward high all-electric range.
Posted by: Rafael Seidl | 23 January 2008 at 09:03 AM
Is there any chance we can get an EV that'll go faster than this? I mean seriously, even for city driving, you need to be able to get up to at least 40 mph. 25-30 is practically useless. If I could get one that'll give me 40 mph, with a range of at least 30 miles, and for 10k or less--sign me up. As well as a boatload of other people.
Posted by: Joseph | 23 January 2008 at 09:27 AM
Yes, I would agree that 35 mph is too slow. In my city, the regular car speed is 40 mph on the local roads. This could set up an unsafe situation as all cars coming up behind it would have to pass around the slower car.
Posted by: Lulu | 23 January 2008 at 09:40 AM
Wasn't the Maya 100 a highway capable SUV?
Posted by: clett | 23 January 2008 at 09:42 AM
Lead acid batteries could also be useful for the Project Better Place sheme in Israel. Sell the idea using lithium ion batteries but also offer cheaper lead batteries with lesser range.
Posted by: DavidJ | 23 January 2008 at 09:43 AM
@ Joseph -
the 25 / 35mph figures are the legal limits for four-wheeled vehicles that do not need to pass rigorous crash tests (cp. motorcycles). Beyond these speeds, R&D and production both become seriously expensive, on top of the high cost of the electric drivetrain components.
A better answer might be to combine a conventional car with a foldable electric bicycle featuring a modern battery. The bike's battery would have a two-way connection to the car's electrical system while the bike is stored in the trunk. For example, it could support basic engine stop/start functionality. Separately, the bike's battery could also be recharged off the grid. In essence, this idea is just a more practical variation on the Segways that Opel/Saturn installed in their Flextreme PHEV concept.
Keep in mind that you can reduce the fuel consumption / CO2 emissions of a car by improving its efficiency or, by reducing the number of miles driven annually - e.g. during the summer driving season. Reducing mileage is by far the cheaper option, a little lateral thinking would really go a long way here. You simply don't always need four wheels under your gluteus maximus.
Posted by: Rafael Seidl | 23 January 2008 at 09:44 AM
I am guessing that the Electovaya battery is good for laptops, where you draw a nice steady current and you can take a while to recharge. The surge high current draws and quick high current recharges in EVs may be another matter.
Posted by: sjc | 23 January 2008 at 10:15 AM
There is the constant refrain that these cars are too small,slow,and they might get crunched by larger, faster cars. That is why we need to ban larger cars from cities and set up a rental network with primarily small EVs only. Park outside the city. If you need to drive, rent one of these and eliminate the unsafe competition.
Posted by: Tom Street | 23 January 2008 at 11:05 AM
while I am all for demonstrator cars, too many toy cars like this make a mockery of the market. There is more than enough technology in existence now to to make more realistic prototypes not unique headline grabbers.I recall the Honda 600 way back when, barely a car, but they recovered quickly. Lets see them demo this in the northern states that are under a blanket of snow right now!
Posted by: fred | 23 January 2008 at 12:27 PM
I find the idea of the Zip rental car interesting. In the city, you go up and pass your credit card through a reader on the outside of the car, get authorized, use the car and then leave it in a designated lot. If people at train stations had a fleet of these, they would come in handy. Of course, the taxi people might not like it much.
Posted by: sjc | 23 January 2008 at 01:01 PM
In many parts of the US driving BELOW a speed limit will earn you a moving violation. There are not many roads in North America where a bunch of slow moving four wheeled vehicles would not garner road rage potential impatience.
But 120 mpcharge is great on a closed track.
Posted by: gr | 23 January 2008 at 02:33 PM
120 mile range is proabably the BEST range that is possible. I wonder how much the range will drop in cold weather (the lead acid folks say range decreases 50% at 40 degrees and keeps on dropping the colder it gets)? How much range will be eaten by AC/Heaters?
I bet the real world range is 50-60 miles, which would work nicely for a NEV where one needs to do more than just drive to/from a grocery, post office, school.
Posted by: Eddie | 23 January 2008 at 04:03 PM
NEVs are NOT highway vehicles and should only be driven in city areas where monsters are restricted or not allowed.
NEVs and Monters should not share the same road.
The Combo Ultra-Battery (Super-Caps + Lead battery) may be an affordable solution for first generation and lower cost PHEVs.
At 30% of the lithum cost and with an expected life of 7000+ cycles, this Combo ESSU should not cost much more than $4K for a PHEV-40.
Using Firefly units, as the Lead battery component, could improve performance & duration and possibly reduce size and cost.
There's a lot to be said for lower cost Combo ESSUs as an alternative to expensive lithium based batteries.
Posted by: Harvey D | 23 January 2008 at 04:47 PM
>That is why we need to ban larger cars from cities...
I live in a major US city.
I see lots of large vehicles on the streets. I see busses, I see trolleys, I see cable cars, I see delivery vans, I see senior/disabled transit vans, I see ambulances, I see Beach Patrol vans and SUVs, I see Firetrucks, I see Postal vans, I see trash collectors, I see city owned service vans and trucks, I see commercial vans and trucks...
What are you going to do about all of those things?
Any one of them will crush you just as dead as the privately owned vans/trucks/SUVs and they ain't going away.
Posted by: | 23 January 2008 at 07:47 PM
@ Harvey D
What Lead battery or battery combo have "an expected life of 7000+ cycles" ?
Could you show a link to that great info ?
Piotrek
Posted by: Piotrek | 24 January 2008 at 01:12 AM
@ HarveyD:
ESSU?
ESSU Electric Shaver Supply Unit
ESSU English Smallbore Shooting Union
ESSU Explorer Sea Scout Unit
Maybe you meant EESU (electrical energy storage unit).
^_^
Posted by: domenick | 24 January 2008 at 03:49 AM
@Piotrek:
I believe HarveyD was referring to these....
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/01/csiro-ultrabatt.html
Posted by: domenick | 24 January 2008 at 03:52 AM
What happened to highway capable battery-electric Smart: Electrovaya Maya-200???
http://www.autoauditorium.com/TdS_Reports_2006/index.html#Report25
Emissions None
Transmission Direct Drive
Battery 30 kWh SuperPolymer
Curb Weight 800 kg
Range up to 250 - 300 km
Operating Costs 85% less than an internal combustion engine
Top Speed up to 120 km/h
Motor DC with 400 Nm
Posted by: The Inconvenient Treehugger | 24 January 2008 at 04:31 AM
After the ZENN, here's another Canadian company making an EV that cannot be purchased or used in Canada. It really sucks.
Posted by: manny | 24 January 2008 at 08:21 AM
@ domenick
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/01/csiro-ultrabatt.html
I've read it and i still don't see 7000+ cycles claims - nowhere.
"Previous tests show the UltraBattery has a life cycle that is at least four times longer and ..."
4 times longer mean 800-1200 deep cycles if we assume 200-300 deep cycles for average lead acid battery.
Posted by: | 24 January 2008 at 08:53 AM
NEVs are a great way to get to the closest personal maglev station. Leave the SUVs on the roads and let people move quickly on overhead guideways at high speed.
Posted by: Realist | 24 January 2008 at 10:50 AM
its still an oversized golf cart. didnt chrysler try selling similar suicide machines a few years ago?
Posted by: fred | 24 January 2008 at 12:15 PM
Wasn't the Toyota Rav4 EV a normal car? And didn't it have decent range, acceleration, and speed? And after almost 10 years it is still on the road and loved by its owners? Can someone explain to me why this is the case, yet we public peons are still offered only these toys as electric car options? Lithium ion batteries have now been developed for automotive use (eg, Tesla Roadster, lionev.com) so the inaccessability of Chevron's NiMH patent shouldn't be holding this back anymore. Seriously, I don't understand why these cars are not available. Are the conspiracy theorists correct, that we are being purposely withheld this technology by the major auto makers so that only tiny, incapable companies can play around with electric cars? Or am I just not understanding something?
Posted by: MarkMC | 24 January 2008 at 12:46 PM