GM calls for plug-in vehicle standards
One of the factors that has helped to make cars so ubiquitous over the past century is standards. By standardizing things like fuel fillers, inflation nozzles on tires, 12V power sockets and countless other elements, automakers have been able make owning and operating a car much more practical. After all, if you had to drive around to 20 different gas stations to find one with a nozzle that fits your tank, it would be a real nuisance to drive. Most of those industry standards are defined by committees of the Society of Automotive Engineers. One of the standards currently being worked on is SAE J1772 which will define standard connectors for plug-in vehicles. The committee is meeting next week during the SAE World Congress in Detroit to discuss the plug standard. Having a common electrical interface will be critical to making plug-in vehicles a viable option. It will allow public charging stations to be installed that can plug into any car. In addition to transmitting power, the new plugs will also provide a communications link that can be used for billing systems and relaying the battery state of charge to turn off the charger. The standard probably won't be finalized next week, but the work done there will be a step in the right direction.
[Source: GM Fastlane Blog]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Kevinm 8:29PM (4/16/2009)
Yes yes yes! I've been saying this for some time, and I know many others have been too. We NEED a standard like there was in the 90's with MagneCharge, which was also pioneered by GM. Hopefully Tesla and the rest will follow along with this standard.
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Rico 9:49PM (4/16/2009)
So THAT was the reason GM killed the electric vehicle. Nobody told them what plug to use. It all makes sense now.
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jpm 4:29PM (4/17/2009)
hehe
stupid 4:18AM (4/17/2009)
@Kevinm
uh what the heck are you talking about? You want detroit who hasn't produced any plug in vehicle to make the standard? The committee should be going to Tesla and Fisker as the main focus since they already have vehicles that do plug in! That's government trying to stop the start up companies that actually have the product.
I already have a good design for the charging station. A three type charge system. The regular 110, 220, and the 420V. That way any vehicle an recharge since there is the 110V and the rest should be set to Tesla and Fisker's type of outlet. Forget GM.
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rar 8:55AM (4/17/2009)
Stupid, Fisker has electric cars in production now? Please tell me which ones. As for Tesla, they have delivered what, about 120 of the roadsters. That hardly qualifys them to set the industry standard. Don't get me wrong, I would love to see the Karma and the model S on the road. The Karma is going to be a low production car and the model S is a long way from being produced. It will have to take a large manufacture like GM or Toyota to set a standard for the plug. If GM makes the Volt, or Toyota makes a plug in Prius(or something else), or Ford makes a plug in Fusion, there will be a lot more of them on the road then the model S and the Karma combined.
Sam Abuelsamid 9:02AM (4/17/2009)
The Society of Automotive Engineers has members from around the world and they gather annually in Detroit. SAE is not a government body, although there are members who work in government. SAE standards committees are comprised of members from many automakers and suppliers and in fact anyone including reps from Tesla, Fisker and other companies can participate.
Snoopy 5:24PM (4/17/2009)
Standards are certainly important. It will make the technologies a lot easier for consumers to adopt, for all the reasons mentioned above. The SAE will have to put a lot of though into the final decision, likely a lot more than when they made the fuel nozzle choice. They don't just have to make a design standard for fit, but for things like voltage and power flow as well.
Whatever they end up choosing, I hope it's something that will be upgradeable to faster and safer charging methods as those technologies continue to develop.
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jpm 4:34PM (4/17/2009)
I propose this standard:
A 30 foot tall tesla coil will charge cars within a 50 foot radius through wireless transmission of electricity.
Like so:
http://memo.cgu.edu.tw/yun-ju/cguweb/SciKnow/PhyStory/TeslaFig/TeslaCoil.jpg
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