As Koenigsegg NLV, electro-solar who wants to advance technology

A bold gamble

I met Christian Koenigsegg (the left against) for the first time at the Paris salon in October 2000. This was before the first version of his car, and I asked him with a certain nonchalance if he wanted to compete with Ferrari. He answered me simply that it was not his goal, he wanted to do much better. Faster and more powerful. Coming from a stranger who did not 30 years old, I did not give much value to these words. Some years later however, I would travel to the obvious. The Koenigsegg is a unique car, more powerful than any Ferrari or Lamborghini. So if this man decides to make an electric car ...

Surprise, however, Mr. Koenigsegg was not alone in Geneva to give the press conference presentation of this new electric car. He was accompanied by a man named Nunzio La Vecchia (the right against), and he is responsible for this car. Totally unrelated to the automotive industry, Mr. La Vecchia leads a high-tech SMEs (NLV Solar AG, located in the suburbs of Munich) has developed an ultra-efficient solar cell, the Pyradian and several technologies, in particular, in storage of electricity. He thought that a car in high performance would be a good showcase for its products and has taken the initiative to propose a partnership with Mr. Koenigsegg.

The result is below the car against which currently is not even one. It was a scale model which was 1 exposed to Geneva, but the technical architecture and design are fixed. It's a sedan about the size of an Audi A6, just a little wider, but with only 2 doors. These are large butterfly doors, and they allow easy access to both front and seats. Called As this is a self propulsion driven by 2 electric motors with a combined 512 hp with 715 Nm of torque. The car is expected to reach 275 km / h and accelerate from 0 to 100 km / h in 5.2 s.

But alongside this, As 2 has unique characteristics. The first is to have a photovoltaic body. Whole body photovoltaic effect is! This is not the painting, but a film placed on the body. Transparent, it could put a limit on the windows. The company said Mr La Vecchia be reached conversion efficiencies of 40% in the laboratory (the conversion efficiency of solar energy into usable electrical energy), but the As, the yield would be between 15 and 20%, which is already excellent, since silicon cell moncristallin quality is 16%.

Side storage of electricity then, Mr. La Vecchia retained supercapacitors, more resistant to wear than any battery. It can load and unload thousands of times without any decrease in their performance, they also agree very easily very high load or discharge. But all that we already knew, the surprise is in their mass density. Mr. La Vecchia told us the exceptional value of 160 Wh / kg which is higher than 20% of the best Lithium-Ion. Clearly, the store As more power in less weight than if it had the best batteries on the market!

In 2 words: it promises. Widely in carbon fiber, with great finesse aerodynamics (Cd of 0.27) and a reduced frontal area (about 2 square meters), the NLV Koenigsegg will offer the best technology in almost all areas, although of course recovered energy in its body will be insufficient to power never alone. The manufacturer provides a mass of 1780 kg, and there are 285 mm tire width at the rear, as we believe that the body will generate probably never more than 500 watts ... NLV As the Koenigsegg is nevertheless a fantastic project, and it is one of very few cars that can say it is advancing knowledge and industry. The concept is daring, but we do not recommend betting against Christian Koenigsegg.

The Yellow Peril, the first jet.

Two new electric car made in one go! The small British company NICE Car Company (No Internal Combustion Engine) is strong, very strong, because it is not about concepts. Cars are visible in the month of July show in London, and may be ordered on the stand, they are priced, approved and guaranteed 2 years. But first, pompously named MyCar is not really a car. It is a cart, strict 2-seater. Its performance also leaves no doubt about the subject. 64 km / h, and announced independence 64 km urban route, this is not a vehicle with which to go on vacation.

On a tubular chassis with body parts in fiberglass, the motor is direct current (DC, not AC), and batteries are to lead. This means that it is not modern ... Design against the east, it is also signed Giugiaro, the great Italian designer. So the highlight of the car, with its price of £ 8995, approximately € 11,400. Almost the same price as a Smart gasoline, but from a manufacturer that is far from the R & D budget of Daimler (the German group which owns Smart). The finish is less good, more chiche equipment, and generally less sophisticated design, and the trunk is much smaller.

However, for those who only short-haul urban MyCar this is a solution not to be ignored. With vivid colors, the car has a certain sympathy. Made in Hong Kong, the first deliveries are expected this fall, and the manufacturer has already taken the time to establish a list of options. Alloy rims 15 inches, leather, glass roof, heated seats ... But nothing is yet planned for the distribution of this model on the continent for the Ze-0 rather than (at least officially). Second model, the Ze-0 is not a novelty in itself, we had already seen several years ago.

In contrast to the MyCar which is a 100% original car, the Ze-0 (against this) is a Changhe. A car available in China with a gasoline engine, and there is also marketed under the name Suzuki Ideal, then it is sold under the name of Effa M100 in Brazil. The novelty is that gasoline engines were dropped, the Changhe sold in the United Kingdom is available with electric engines, and under the strange name of Ze-0. Funny name, funny car, as we are not accustomed to see as it is taller than wide.

Compared with a Peugeot in 1007, only European with a somewhat physical approach, the Ze-0 is 17 cm shorter, narrower 8 cm and 5 cm high. Proportions that were dictated by the desire to have a very handy car in town, but still habitable. The car is quite successful in the genre, it also bears also the signature of a great designer Italian Bertone. But mechanical, is not there a little exciting, the Ze-0 uses lead acid batteries. AGM of lead-gel, about what is best in lead batteries, but ... This remains the lead!
Autonomy is limited to 100 km and the speed is advertised at 88 km / h. This will be difficult to leave the city. Like MyCar, the first deliveries of the Ze-0 is scheduled for September, and its price is £ 13,995, which is € 17,730. It had long been talk of a Chinese invasion of small electrical appliances. The idea took a lot of fantasy, but these 2 small cars prove that it is not impossible. This is not for now. It is unfortunate, for quidam who runs the show in London without thinking, to see that the 2 cars that have the worst interior finishing is these electrical 2. These cars were unsaleable 10 years ago. But today, with gasoline prices, environmental concerns much more now, and a tax incentive (bonus-malus), these small cars, although not taking the car comparison with any essence of the same rate, have certainly a market. A small market but that will only grow.

Urban Riversimple Car: A means of transport rather than a nice car

As expected, the British company Riversimple presented yesterday at London's small hydrogen car, yet named Urban car. It has not yet intended to be marketed directly to individuals, but formal lease at a rate of 200 pounds per month, or about 235 euros.
The model Riversimple is a small two-seater that might seem out of an animated film for children. Lightweight (about 350 kilograms), it uses a fuel cell to 6 kilowatts finally allowing a range of nearly 400 miles to 1 kilogram of hydrogen. It also uses the braking energy recovered during phases of acceleration.

"In town, the car of the future will be electric. A fuel cell fuel supply electricity. It will be available for rent. "From when this prediction? From the 1960s ... The Egg electrical, Paul Arzens famous creator (the term designer did not yet exist), was the forerunner and rolled ... in 1942. 

This is word for word the leitmotiv of the British company Riversimple, just to show the Urban Car, a tiny city car which offers only two seats. Its weight is 350 kg and the electric motor is provided by four engines installed in each wheel. This architecture differs completely from that of a car engine powered with its impressive powertrain under the hood, its gearbox and transmission mechanism of the movement to two or four wheels. But it is ideally suited to an electric vehicle and is often adopted in the current studies, such as french Forewheel project, supported by the ADEME.

Electricity is not provided by batteries but by a fuel cell that uses fuel as liquid hydrogen (and the oxygen of the air as oxidizer). The exhaust pipe, therefore the water and not carbon dioxide. Often mentioned, the principle of hydrogen-powered electric motor raises the question of production of that gas to be produced (eg with water) using a source of energy, eg oil or a nuclear fuel. The advantage of hydrogen is to establish an energy more easily stored as electricity itself.

Car in the Urban, it is temporarily stored in super-capacity, ie large capacitors that can provide great powers during a time short, what can not do a battery, but not can not long retain the electricity that a battery is very good. 

With a tank of hydrogen only a liter and a battery providing a power of 6 kilowatts (about 8.2 horses Din), the machine has an autonomy of 390 km and provide a speed of 80 km / h. Acceleration is quite honorable (as on all electric cars) and the Urban Car goes from 0 to 50 km / h in under six seconds.

As futurists imagined the 1960s, the electric car is not for sale. It will take the rent and it should cost 230 euros per month, a rate sufficient deterrent but incorporates all maintenance and fuel. The vehicle was introduced in the streets of London and its developers expect to raise enough funds to make a dozen prototypes to be tested in several British cities before marketing in 2013. 

Around Spowers Hugo, the team includes Sebastian Piech, a former Porsche and rear-grand-son of the founder, Ferdinand Porsche. The young entrepreneur also cites his grandfather, who wanted him as "a means of personal transportation affordable.
Interestingly, the design of the vehicle was carried out under open-source license. other manufacturers can follow to create their own version of the Urban as hydrogen.

Pilot project by Japan to develop the next generation electric car batteries

The biggest brier for electric car industries at preset the suitable long mileage energy supply through batteries, in other words the unavailability of high capacity batteries. In this circumstances, Five carmakers, including Toyota and Nissan, seven manufacturers of electric car batteries and ten universities and research institutes [1] will engage in joint development of next generation electric car batteries. It is a seven-year project funded by METI through NEDO, with a total budget of approximately 21 billion yen (about 155 million euros). This project for electric car batteries aims to triple the autonomy of the electric car by 2020. On the international market for electric car battery, competition is becoming stronger as a result of increasing demands for action against global warming. Given this situation, the Government wishes to strengthen the competitiveness of Japanese electric car companies by inviting them to participate in this project. In the research center will be established within the University of Kyoto, about fifty people from the participating agencies, will work full time to develop basic technologies needed for their common goal for next generation electric car batteries.

Autonomy current electric cars equipped with lithium-ion batteries is 100 km for vehicles of average size and 150 km for vehicles of small size, which is significantly lower than that of petrol vehicles whose autonomy is over 500 km. This project will aim to develop technologies for electric car that are expected to accumulate three times more electricity per kilogram of battery. More specifically, it will study the mechanisms of degradation of materials using the analytical facilities of the most advanced in Japan as "Spring-8", large synchrotron located in Hyogo, and observe in real time the movement of ions lithium.

Such basic research requires a significant research budget and R & D, long time. Participating companies, which are currently R & D each for their part, felt that participation in the project would be a more efficient and cheaper to reach their goal.

Using data from the research, the best materials will be designed and used to produce a prototype lithium-ion battery small before 2015. In parallel, research on another type of battery should achieve an autonomy of 500 km after 2020. The technologies developed will be applied to other products, such as an accumulator of electricity installed in the houses.

[1] Participants in the project:
- 5 car manufacturers: Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, Honda R & D, Toyota Central R & D Labs
- 7 organizations related to the battery: GS Yuasa Corporation, Sanyo, Panasonic, Hitachi Maxell, Shin-Kobe Electric Machinery, Mitsubishi Heavy Industry, Hitachi
- 10 universities and research institutions: Kyoto University, Tohoku University, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Waseda University, Kyushu University, Ritsumeikan University, AIST, KEK, etc..

The Pixy, or when Suzuki shows us how to reinvent the urban transport

We look forward to the changes in customs and practices are only a few years. Not long ago, it was a lot of telephone booths in public spaces, because nobody had a mobile phone. Today, pay phones are disappearing because everyone has his personal phone with him. It is a shift towards more individuality, but at the same time, good thinkers trying to make us believe that we should make a reverse turn as far as our means of travel. 


We must abandon the car to take the transport! They are ecologically and economically. They are a place of social mixing. This is an opportunity for citizens to meet, discover, people he does not know. Especially when the person who came to sit next to you tells his entire day to his mobile phone. Transit is an opportunity, joy, the crossing of people from different backgrounds, different cultures, people who have a definition of health as distinct from the standard definition. The wonderful smell of sweat! And this pleasure of all these bodies tight against each other at rush hour! 

But the enjoyment of all the senses, a rebellious Japanese would have us deny. Malotrus What is this? Suzuki. The Hayabusa motorcycle manufacturer. Gear death. Machines boil radar. And then not content to produce these infamies the civilized world for the road, he is daring to design a vehicle for individual urban areas. It is a machine with 4 wheels, 4 very small wheels, and it is a car. Neither passenger nor luggage. 


The Pixy is very small, on the station anywhere, exactly the place of departure and precisely to its destination. It robs us of the joy of seeing if the windows of shops to which we pass every day, between the end point of the transit and the destination have changed. And as if that were not enough, the electric Pixy us the affront to reduce our travel time, for the deprivation of the joys of intermodality. And what fun to run in the rain out of the subway station, so to quickly catch the bus? But what constitutes a real massacre, is that the Pixy is perfectly silent. 

How will pedestrians to avoid being crushed, and transformed into salami, if we did not even hear you come, Pixy demonic, with its electric motor? And all this to carry one small person! Is it not true that we become deaf, if you ride alone in his vehicle? How can we not prefer the heat of public transport, with its many similar meeting in the right mood, loneliness petty quiet to listen to the music of his choice, lulled by the air conditioning? Under the great bubble of his windshield, the driver of the Pixy can not even realize that it does not pollute. 


Zero pollution and individual, the Pixy can possibly fit into the Suzuki Sharing Coach (SSC) which, alone or in pairs, it turns into a real electric car. The manufacturer has also planned a sport where the declination Pixy one this time, slightly tilted, and bubble in the garage, just form a roadster. And we shall dream of solar panels to help recharge its free Pixy home. So much for the urban environment. And if it accompanied a Hayabusa modified to work with ethanol for the road? Of ethanol to be produced from organic farming, of course. 

But a Hayabusa to ethanol, it would be even more powerful, what a nightmare! And a large sedan with hydrogen to travel with family, hydrogen would be the product of a giant solar power plant, located in the middle of the Sahara. Better to take the TGV powered by nuclear electricity. How? There are those who chipotent for radioactive waste? So many spoilers! They just take the bike. Ah, belive, the pleasure of knowing that every day, the saddle on which arises hosted 10 other buttocks! This is the Tokyo Motor Show, Suzuki will present her as Pixy with the SSC, and it is far from France. Could we draw the country of Voltaire, one might dream of marketing in France (even if it is still a prototype), or deny there any individuality to people on the move just to do more than pawns in the hands of the authorities of public transport? It now uses the environment to justify the transportation and order the individual transport by private car, there's politics in the argument.

Shell Eco-marathon 2009, running always at least

Have you ever heard of the Shell Eco Marathon? For 25 years, the event organized by a large tanker is designed to work for students and engineers from major schools on ways to consume less. Rather big wheels outside the body, or small wheels completely hidden under the bodywork? On a tricycle with a rear wheel drive, is it better 3 wheels of the same diameter, or 2 small in front, and great on the back? On a vehicle with a roof entirely covered with photovoltaic cells, is it better body opaque or transparent? There are so many questions! But one place to know all the answers, the Eco-Shell Marathon, held last weekend at the Eurospeedway Lausitz, south of Berlin.

The goal of the game is to use the minimum possible fuel (petrol, diesel, biofuels, natural gas, LPG, hydrogen, solar). Race to the improved energy efficiency, the Shell Eco-marathon offers the last twenty years, a real challenge to participants from around the world. This year, 227 teams from 18 different nationalities (including 16 European) the challenge to lower energy consumption and will reach their educational project.

Had 112 vehicles running on gasoline, diesel 16, 10 LPG, 39 with hydrogen 11 in ethanol (pure, the E100), 3 GTL diesel (the fuel for which Shell built a huge factory) and 11 ran on solar power. The participants are students, who came all schools except the team of self-against whom it was a design school. It seems to us that this is a first. The car was beautiful to our eyes, of the Polytechnic of Turin (below), all carbon fiber, even the wheel fairings, with an impeccable finish.

But despite the diversity of competitors, and resources involved, the winner was once again the school in the Joliverie (below). The years pass, the students, but the talented forward, and the team this year broke all records. It was calculated that their prototype could travel 3771 km with 1 liter of fuel. This corresponds to an incredible 0027 l/100 km! Paris-Nice with a quarter of a liter of gasoline. But note at a speed of 30 km / h for a person with the size jockey who is not claustrophobic in a vehicle that would not be to his advantage on the road.

Vehicles that run the marathon Eco gear are great, but those of category prototypes are too special, too exclusively devoted to the very specific use for which they are intended. We prefer the urban concept, such as the Portuguese team against this. Body made of sheet aluminum, with solar panels directly from a DIY store. Wheeled scooter, a piece of plexi to the windshield is very far from the major achievements of schools, but it successfully demonstrates that it is possible to participate without spending a fortune.

Or green, the fruit of work by students of the CFA de la CCI de Nîmes. They finished 23 ° in their class, but they built a real small car with a funny look, and they have acquired a great experience, with memories that they will be happy to tell later to their children. More than the race itself, this is the most important part of the Eco marathon, he teaches young people with practical knowledge. Finally, in addition, it demonstrates that the motor has a future. These vehicles with ultra-simple, this circuit lined with wind turbines, how to think differently?

The Shell Eco Marathon attracts participants from all over Europe. The formula also exported to the USA since 2007 (in California) and Asia will affect next year (in Malaysia). For 25 years of trial, it was logical that a new change occurs. So in former East Germany, at Lausitz (near Dresden) takes place at this very moment the 2009 edition.

The records of consumption are in vogue. A team of Ford (engineers and driver) was able to go 1445 miles (2312 km) with a Fusion hybrid in the U.S. and Austrian drove 1562 km at the wheel of a Seat ibiza "Ecomotive" on a single tank of 45 liters of Spain, France and Germany.

Europcar rent of Nissan electric

After a first attempt, the owner, this time success. It gives them the means.

The Renault-Nissan alliance has big ambitions for the electric car. She signed for the purpose of multiple contracts to promote the development of electric mobility, including the last 2 as Singapore and Hong Kong. The alliance has already signed 26 such contracts, contracts are fairly unusual for a car, in the sense that they are not contracts for the sale of vehicles. It is jointly create the conditions that enable a rapid expansion of the electric car. We expect to see, but the agreement with Europcar is normal, to provide electric cars that the owner will in several European markets.

It will not be the first electric qu'Europcar propose, he had already had electric Kangoo few years ago, but only in a handful of agencies. Whereas today, the project is to provide electricity in 7 countries: France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom. So it is very ambitious and should be commended for Renault-Nissan have managed to convince a client as important qu'Europcar before the official presentation of its future electric model. We discover at the beginning, and in the meantime, we illustrate the article with former Nissan electric prototypes.

Prototype: Twenty Green GT-4

Swiss Green GT aspire to run at Le Mans with a car power 2012-213. But first, they plan to market a supercar in 2011: the Twenty-4.

Just like Tesla and Fisker, here today a new prototype sports car 100% electric. The Green GT Twenty-4 (whew!) Is defined as an ecological concept for the alignment of mans 24 hours ... once it is real!

Conceived and designed by students of ISD-Valenciennes, the device is powered by an electric unit powered by Lithium-Ion batteries, but more innovative, a system for recharging batteries and built hydrogen-powered . The technology of fuel cells is present in this proto and negotiations being conducted with companies specializing in this technology to finalize this part highly hi-tech.

Twenty Green GT-4 is expected to arrive on the roads in 2011, limited edition. This supercar a tonne will be powered by two electric motors of 150 kilowatts, the equivalent of a good 460 hp in heat. In any case, the 0 to 100 km / h is expected to succeed in less than 4 seconds and the car will be able to run at 300 km / h. It will be fully electric (plug-in) or with a hydrogen tank according to customer choice. The concept is illustrated the work of a team of students from the School of Design in Valenciennes (Baptiste Viry and Thomas Clavet, designers in 5th year SARREMEJEAN Julien, designer in the 3rd year, Romuald Lemoine, digital designer in the 2nd year and Mathieu Bouis, digital designer in 1st year). The Association Franco-Swiss is certainly appealing and this design is almost final. For this project, students were based on the chassis current test. 

The engineers and technicians Green GT, at Lausanne, are testing their bench technology race car 100% electric. In addition to the supercar in 2011, Green intends to launch a GT championship monotype power next year. The manufacture of 20 to 25 prototypes is scheduled for later this year and early 2010. The car competition has a carbon composite frame, with a body made of fiberglass and magnesium wheels. Therefore, it does not weigh over 860 kg. Two-phase synchronous electric motor of 100 kW liquid-cooled load of power. The Lausanne team has developed its own box, differential and electronic box called the "Electric Power Control Racing". The engine is powered by two lithium-ion batteries to 30 kW. Thin solar panels provide 12 V power necessary to operate the electronic board, and the pump panel. Green GT announces potential equivalent to the power of a heat engine from 350 to 400 hp. The couple has more than 2000 Nm! Therefore, this car can go from 0 to 100 km / h in under 4 seconds and run at 275 km / h. 

At the stands, the idea is to replace the battery packs. Or even to dispense with a fuel tank ambitious hydrogen capable of driving the car throughout the race.

Do not throw your batteries more!

A battery that fails ends up discarded. The company claims Tunecharger give him a second youth and regeneration. History to save the environment and ultimately your wallet. A beautiful promise that we wanted to verify. 

Who has not experienced the horrors of battery! According to the Automobile Association of Convenience Stores in France, this type of failure is the cause of nearly 35% of calls received. 

Typically, a real boost is enough to leave. If she is still young and valid, the battery recharges in a few tens of kilometers. But if it is old, sometimes it refuses to load ... This leads inevitably to replace the lack of alternative.
And if, in fact, one could try to save? Better still if there were a way to prevent aging and extend life expectancy? This is what society with its Tunecharger treatment Bat4Life. 

How to extend the deadline for the destruction 

Tens of thousands of batteries fail every year in the backyard of the workshops. Fortunately, the vast majority of them share to the recycling industry. 

Suffice it to observe the industrial means implemented to realize that this process of decomposition of metal and plastic is energy. Both the save. 

Suffice it to observe the industrial means implemented to realize that this process of decomposition of metal and plastic is energy. Both the save. Features on the site Batribox, which broadcasts a video very educational. 

"Most of these batteries could be saved and resumed service through our process Bat4Life load cleaning," says Vincent Carter, representative of this company based in Massy (91) in the Paris region. 

"About half of batteries deemed irrecoverable we sampled repairers was able to be rehabilitated. But there was this battery" breakthrough "or short-circuited," he says. "On battery" weak ", whose performance had simply fallen, we have not experienced failure so far."

We wanted to verify this assertion through spectacular our own tests. In short, the promises we Bat4Life as little appeared credible than - ever held - the saving of fuel, products miraculous old as the automobile.

In July 2008, Tunecharger therefore agreed to entrust one of its prototypes boxes, replaced in December by a series of "Bat4Life Companion 2009", intended for the general public (199 euros). Here are the results of our tests.

Cure as well as preventive

The Chance. In spring 2008, I purchased a 2003 Saab 9-3 with a little over 197,000 km on the clock. The friend who I was assigned did not see the interest to replace the battery (original!) Who gave him no concern. 

The secret to such longevity? Driving all day, Pardi! Continuously charged, this battery had nothing left to see its performance decreased. Until the car for three weeks in the garage and no longer wanted to start ... 

Very soon, therefore, I replaced the battery Saab "by FULMEN purchased from Speedy which proved defective. Why the name of this brand? Because Article 4 of its general conditions of repair states that "the contractual guarantee does not apply to parts sold unmounted. Great. 

Manufacturing defect or extended storage? The fact is that when in service, the voltage across this FULMEN was only 8.50 volts! After 12 hours of load on the sector it had risen to 11.75 volts. Just what the starter launch ... 

Treatment Bat4Life going to wash this affront or, conversely, add to my pain by revealing my credulity too much? 

A battery and saved my honor 

Let us begin: the cabinet held its miraculous promises. But not immediately. 

After 8 hours of treatment (divided into 4 sessions) and 18 hours of charging, the battery FULMEN approached 12.70 volts. Except it took three days off to see the voltage drop to 10.80 volts. Too low to start the engine ...

Consulted at the time, Carter Vincent was confident: "The duration of treatment varies considerably depending on the battery. What is more, there's no risk to keep the housing Bat4Life more than necessary ..."

Thus was done. The treatment lasted 5 days in a row without interruption. This goes beyond the recommendations of Tunecharger quoting reference to the ratio of one hour treatment in 5 AH capacity. The manufacturer also specifies that this period is decreasing with the degree battery.

Since then, the battery FULMEN has regained its vigor. At Christmas, the Saab has started without concern after two months of inactivity. Just last week, after three weeks of immobilization, the voltage was above 12 volts. Mission accomplished!

The principle

According Tunecharger, connect the camera on a battery Bat4Life tantamount to submit sheets of lead to "a charge by cleaning. 

So what should be "clean"? Crystals of lead sulfate encroutent plates and gradually reduce performance. A little like a radiator entartre and where the heat is more and more evil. This is opposed to trade sulfate chemical involved at each load or discharge. To create a short circuit. 

Previously, specialized workshops open bins battery sealed Bakelite pitch, and clean their parts. Today's batteries "free" leave discarded for lack of economic means to break their gangue sulfate. 

That is what makes the case Bat4Life by simply connecting lugs, and using micro electrical pulses (40 to 120 A peak on the edge of the order of 1 ns) which dissolve sulfate. Better on the wireless tools (screwdriver, drill, etc..), This treatment would reverse the memory effect of nickel content in this type of batteries. In fact, Bat4Life work on all batteries, except those on lithium.

As for the argument that the lead oxide seconded ultimately cause a short circuit, Tunecharger makes it clear that the risk no longer exists since the plates are isolated from one another: the treatment Bat4life Do not sulfate but redissolved in the electrolyte, while the lead oxide falls to the bottom due to sulfation.

Preventive treatment as well as curative 

One might object to the findings of our tests they applied to a new battery, but failed. What would it be on already old batteries? 

We conducted the experiment on the battery "Saab" aged 5 years and 197,000 km. One time, the treatment seemed to act, the tension remains close to 12 volts and self improving. But suddenly, this value dropped to 10.80 volts. Without being able to go beyond. 

"In all likelihood, one of six battery was short-circuited," Vincent Charretier diagnosis. "Given that each discharges a battery voltage of 2 volts, if one makes the soul, the total voltage drops to 10 volts." QED.

Bat4Life is too late to "save" the battery "Saab". In contrast, the tiny battery "Piaggio" my neighbor has recovered from his "excitement" of winter.

Commissioned in April 2008 and then stored between November and March, it had lost any capacity. Once supplied with distilled water, it underwent two nights and one day of treatment Bat4Life ... She has since resumed service.

"The crash could have been avoided with a preventive treatment," recalls Vincent Carter. "It's the whole point of the housing Bat4Life that allows us to quadruple the life of some batteries."

During the past 10 months, we have applied several times this method preventive batteries of different ages, but all in perfect condition apparent in the 6-volt battery (April 2007) of a BMW in 1800 as the battery 12 volts (January 2006) an Austin-Healey Sprite. Which remain inert and disconnected most of the year. But also to the battery 4 years old in a Nissan Sunny which runs every week.

No improvement or worsening performance could be measured: it is unfortunately impossible to assess the impact of treatment, except to wait the actual life of batteries!

In conclusion 

Easy to use (two claws and a light control) and compact, the housing Bat4Life Companion has convinced us by its effectiveness. 

However, the price of 199 euros can be rapidly amortized by the motorist owners of several vehicles. Whether it's cars, two wheelers or gardening gear.

Tesla Model S, Tesla's first 100% original family first electric

+ 500 kg of batteries! 

We already knew the Tesla Roadster, but it was not an original car. It was based on the Lotus Elise, which had forced many compromises in its development, then here is a car 100% original. Only his name is not. It is called the S model. Perhaps because SMEs California Mercedes wants to compete? But everything else east of the chassis to the bodywork. The engineers started with a blank sheet. The result is this elegant sedan hatchback (rare for an American), with an intelligent design, since the battery pack is in the floor. 

We note at the outset because it could otherwise be asked if they do not do it in diesel. Surprise indeed when a motor is much more compact that a combustion engine, electric car and that happens almost gearbox (there is just a forward and reverse), we could imagine a design revolutionary. But there is nothing in the design of the Tesla Model S to reap the benefits of electricity. Nor evidence that the car does not have a big petrol engine under its hood. Dommage! Because if the design of the car is successful (the glass roof is an option), we have received these photos with the mention that it was a big new Hyundai or Mitsubishi. But it is a Tesla, and it exists with no other than electric motors. 

The designer does not take a risk. Tesla sedan that will appeal to the majority. From a brand that would embody the future, we would have appreciated the bold lines ... It is through his technique that self seduce, but there is still much mystery about this topic. 3 weeks after the Geneva Motor Show, and 2 weeks before the New York, the new Tesla has been strangely presented at a private reception with far fewer journalists as an international exhibition. It is a choice, and marketing Tesla has made another one not to reveal technical details of the car. There may be significant Brembo brakes and Yokohama tires (21 inches), but everything. 

The data sheet provided by the manufacturer contains only a few words. It is not the power, or even if the car is traction or propulsion. We have learned that it is a propulsion, but for everything else, the lack of can not figure indicates that everything is still in development ... Tesla already indicates a figure of performance, although this is certainly a goal, an acceleration from 0 to 96 km / h (60 mph) in 5.6 seconds, with autonomy variable (must be of goals too), since choice of batteries will be offered. 257, 370 or 482 km (160, 230 or 300 miles) of autonomy, to choose according to its portfolio, the version with the battery base 57 are $ 400, excluding taxes, excluding bonuses. 

No official is given on these batteries, but by contrast, the roadster needs 450 kg of batteries for a range of 390 km. In this large sedan should be well over 500 kg of batteries to achieve the advertised 480 km ... The car is equipped with a standard multi-voltage charger, capable of accepting the 110, 220 or 440 volts . The amperage is not specified, but with the strong current, the batteries are rechargeable in 45 minutes. It is therefore possible to fill the time of a meal. But in small restaurants, they have not taken 440 V. .. To counter this, the battery pack is easily removable. It would then be possible to stop in a service station, and share its battery charge against a block which is ready to be fitted. Except that the infrastructure that would allow this are still virtual. 

In conclusion, the Tesla Model S is clearly a self exciting, but from people who have held any of their promises, they are reluctant to believe. It was in 2006 that Tesla would have a range of 3 models in 2010 and less than 300 clients roadster have been delivered, when he was expected to produce 100 copies each week in 2008. Some customers who ordered in 2007 have still not been delivered ... Tesla explains that the model S is available in the second half of 2011 and the plant that will produce a capacity of 20 000 cars per year. But we can not fail to note that the manufacturer does not have the budget to build this plant. The venture capitalists who financed his debut then, have no regard for Tesla, a company of 6 years who has not yet made its first profit, and when bankers can lend more, it is no more than the government. The U.S. government has announced that he wanted to support the electric car, it might give Tesla a loan at preferential rates of $ 350 million.