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.