Autoblog Green http://green.autoblog.com Autoblog Green http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog Green http://green.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Chris Shunk, Sam Abuelsamid and Dan RothThe podcast by the people who obsessively cover the auto industry.<![CDATA[How can EEStor be valued at $1.5 billion?]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/22/how-can-eestor-be-valued-at-1-5-billion/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/22/how-can-eestor-be-valued-at-1-5-billion/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/22/how-can-eestor-be-valued-at-1-5-billion/#commentsFiled under: , ,



We've long given up on waiting for announcements from EEStor (and, to a lesser degree, their partner ZENN) to come true. But, with the latest move by ZENN to drop their plans to launch the cityZENN high-speed electric car and will instead focus on becoming a supplier of ZENNergy Drive electric vehicle drivetrain components - ZENN's low-speed vehicles (pictured) have also been curtailed - the reality is that ZENN and EEStor are tied at the hip. As our friend Darryl Siry writes over at Autopia points out, the bond between these two companies means that speculative investors have raised EEStor's value to more than $1.5 billion. That's a huge chunk of change for a company that hasn't allowed independent media verification of its claims for the ultracapacitor technology that supposedly can move an electric car 300 miles on a charge and recharges quickly. Head on over to Autopia to see how ZENN's stock price is driving up the value of EEStor, but isn't shining a light on what is actually happening over there.

[Source: Autopia]

How can EEStor be valued at $1.5 billion? originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EESeestoreestor hypeeestor rumoreestor ultracapacitoreestor zennEestorHypeEestorRumorEestorUltracapacitorEestorZennEESUZENNzenn eestorzenn electric vehiclezenn evZennEestorZennElectricVehicleZennEvThu, 22 Oct 2009 10:51:00 EST<![CDATA[REPORT: Zenn cancels plans for high-speed EV, will focus on supplying ZENNergy Drive components]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/09/23/report-zenn-cancels-plans-for-high-speed-ev-will-focus-on-supp/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/09/23/report-zenn-cancels-plans-for-high-speed-ev-will-focus-on-supp/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/09/23/report-zenn-cancels-plans-for-high-speed-ev-will-focus-on-supp/#commentsFiled under: ,



According to reports from Reuters and GM-Volt.com, Zenn Motors has canceled plans to launch its cityZENN high-speed electric car and will slow down work on its low-speed EVs. According to Zenn Chief Executive Ian Clifford, the company will focus its efforts on becoming a supplier of ZENNergy Drive electric vehicle drivetrain components, which we assume will center around the EEStor energy storage system. Why the change in plans?
Our decisions regarding cityZENN continue to evolve in response to advancements in electric vehicle deployment across the industry since we announced cityZENN a couple of years ago... Integration of ZENNergy Drive in Tier 1 and OEM product has always been our long term objective. The cityZENN program was always designed as a proof of concept for ZENNergy Drive.
According to Clifford, EEStor still plans to perform component testing in September (which at this point is nearly over), though it (surprise!) won't necessarily publish the results of its findings. The next step would be to "deliver functional technology" to Zenn by the end of 2009. We're waiting... still.

[Source: GM-Volt.com, Reuters]

REPORT: Zenn cancels plans for high-speed EV, will focus on supplying ZENNergy Drive components originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cityzenneestorelectric carelectric carsElectricCarElectricCarsultra capacitorultra capacitorsUltraCapacitorUltraCapacitorszennzenn eestorzenn evzenn motorsZennEestorZennEvZennMotorsWed, 23 Sep 2009 17:05:00 EST<![CDATA[REPORT: public demonstrations of EESTOR's sectretive EESU next month?]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/08/26/report-public-demonstrations-of-eestors-sectretive-eesu-next-m/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/08/26/report-public-demonstrations-of-eestors-sectretive-eesu-next-m/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/08/26/report-public-demonstrations-of-eestors-sectretive-eesu-next-m/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Last month, we got a glimpse inside EEStor's ultracapacitor progress thanks to a leaked audio clip - admittedly, possibly on purpose - of someone interviewing EEStor CEO Dick Weir. At that time, Weir said that the EESU packs would be coming soon and promised demonstrations for 2010. We might not have to wait even that long for some sort of non-PR proof that the ultracaps work. According to All Cars Electric, EEStor has said, "they will prove their technology to the world by the end of September, slightly more than one month from now." We're marking this in our calendars using pencil.

Another bit of news from the audio tape that has since been confirmed is that Polarity Inc. of Rancho Cordova, California, is putting the EESUs (energy storage units) together for ZENN's upcoming EV. Polarity Inc.'s website states:
2009 Awarded contract from EESTOR to integrate Polarity's high power HV to LV converter into EESTOR's EESU that will be used in Zenn Motor Company's small to medium size electric car
[Source: All Cars Electric]

REPORT: public demonstrations of EESTOR's sectretive EESU next month? originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eestoreestor hypeeestor rumoreestor ultracapacitoreestor zennEestorHypeEestorRumorEestorUltracapacitorEestorZennzennzenn eestorzenn electric vehiclezenn evZennEestorZennElectricVehicleZennEvWed, 26 Aug 2009 17:57:00 EST<![CDATA[EEStor information overload (not a typo) in leaked interview with CEO Dick Weir]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/07/29/eestor-information-overload-not-a-typo-in-leaked-interview-wit/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/07/29/eestor-information-overload-not-a-typo-in-leaked-interview-wit/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/07/29/eestor-information-overload-not-a-typo-in-leaked-interview-wit/#commentsFiled under: , ,



For about six hours recently, a leaked (we assume it was leaked) audiotape of someone speaking with EEStor CEO Dick Weir was available on Yahoo! video. Before the video was yanked, enterprising electric car fans managed to record the audio and have made it available around the net. What's amazing about this audio recording - and our knowledgable friends at EVCast vouch for its authenticity - is that for the first time, Weir is actually forthcoming with details about his company's EESU and what will happen with the product in the very near future. Here are the highlights:
  • EEStor's contract with ZENN is for energy units that cost "$100 / kWh, excluding electronics." This is very cheap, and Weir says that, "nobody is going to compete with us. Certainly not lithium ion."
  • EEStor has produced "tens of thousands of grams" of the powder needed for the EESUs, what Weir calls "a huge amount."
  • A company called Polarity, in California, is building the circuits that will be used in the ZENN cars. Polarity is making circuits for "other customers," but ZENN gets them first.
  • EEStor is "dealing a lot with people in the electrical vehicle business."
  • "I'm really in deep with Lockheed Martin. And here's what Lockheed Martin told everybody: 'We can't guarantee this works but we can't find reason why it won't work.'"
  • Weir believes EEStor will be "the greatest capacitor company in the world"
  • Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers owns about 20 percent of EEStor, and EEStor's founders still have a controlling interest in the company.
  • ZENN's next investment round will be around $75-$80 million.
  • Weir said that his EESU's will help buffer the U.S. electric grid in a big way. "Not only are we going to give the electric vehicle market a boost but also give them the energy to run it... We make wind and solar real. If you take our batteries and those with wind and solar, what you do is amortize out the variations and make it highly stablized. You can make a wind farm look just like a coal fired plant with our batteries. And make it very cost effective."
You can read a transcript of the conversation here and listen to the full interview here.

Recently, ZENN's Ian Clifford gave an interview with GM-Volt that said the EESU packs would be coming soon and he promised, "absolutely," that demonstrations will take place in 2010. The unverified numbers we've seen about the EESU is that it could be a 52kwh pack that provides a 250-mile range. So, do you think the audio is a true leak and we're finally getting the inside scoop on EEStor or is this just more hype maintenance?

[Source: The EEStory]

EEStor information overload (not a typo) in leaked interview with CEO Dick Weir originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dick weirDickWeireestoreestor hypeeestor rumoreestor ultracapacitorEestorHypeEestorRumorEestorUltracapacitorfalsefeaturedian cliffordIanCliffordzennzenn eestorzenn electric vehiclezenn evZennEestorZennElectricVehicleZennEvWed, 29 Jul 2009 13:09:00 EST<![CDATA[EESTor update from ZENN CEO Ian Clifford; demonstrations coming in 2010]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/07/21/eestor-update-from-zenn-ceo-ian-clifford-demonstrations-coming/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/07/21/eestor-update-from-zenn-ceo-ian-clifford-demonstrations-coming/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/07/21/eestor-update-from-zenn-ceo-ian-clifford-demonstrations-coming/#commentsFiled under: , ,



EEStor, the company behind the ultralight, ultra-efficient - and ultra secret - EEStor Electrical Energy Storage Units (EESU) that could change the electric car world, still isn't giving out much information about their product. But Ian Clifford, the CEO of Zenn Motors, is talking.

First, some numbers. The EESU could be a 52kwh pack that provides a 250-mile range and only weigh 280 pounds. ZENN now owns 10.7 percent of EEStor, up from 3.8 percent. Thanks to EEStor's recent permittivity announcements, ZENN has paid EEStor another $700,000.

Now, the intangibles. Clifford told GM-Volt.com that he sees the EESU prototypes "on a regular basis" and is waiting for a production prototype to be delivered by the end of this year. Clifford said that there is a "full production facility" at EEStor's pilot production plant. Possible in-vehicle application of the EESU could be around 600V, which Clifford says, "increases the drive efficiency, it makes the components somewhat smaller, and ultimately less expensive and obviously for mass commercialization." He couldn't say if he's actually seen one of the production EESU's, claiming non-disclosure agreements. He did promise, "absolutely," that demonstrations will take place in 2010. Read more at GM-Volt.com.

If nothing else, this is all good hype maintenance. Thanks to Gordon S. for the tip!

[Source: GM-Volt.com]

EESTor update from ZENN CEO Ian Clifford; demonstrations coming in 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eestoreestor zennEestorZenneesuian cliffordIanCliffordultracapacitorultracapacitorsTue, 21 Jul 2009 12:58:00 EST<![CDATA[ZENN: Trust us, the EESTOR thing is totally cool, like $700,000 cool]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/05/21/zenn-trust-us-the-eestor-thing-is-totally-cool/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/05/21/zenn-trust-us-the-eestor-thing-is-totally-cool/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/05/21/zenn-trust-us-the-eestor-thing-is-totally-cool/#commentsFiled under: ,



Hype maintenance can be hard work. Following the Earth Day announcement that the EEStor ultracapacitor had passed independent tests that showed it had a relative permittivity of 22,500, the automaker most closely tied to the secretive company, ZENN, has come out to say two things. First, the test results have been verified. There are a whole heap of details on the verification process in the release after the jump. Second, ZENN says that the results mean it will pay EEStor another $700,000 U.S. "in accordance with the Technology Agreement between the two companies." Michael Bergeron, VP of Engineering at ZENN, said that the results mean that the EEStor Electrical Energy Storage Units (EESU) will work even better in the upcoming ZENNergy drivetrains. For the full hype (trust me, there's a lot), click past the jump. Wonder why hype maintenance is a good idea? See the stock price jump up.

[Source: ZENN]

Continue reading ZENN: Trust us, the EESTOR thing is totally cool, like $700,000 cool

ZENN: Trust us, the EESTOR thing is totally cool, like $700,000 cool originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 21 May 2009 15:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingeestoreestor hypeeestor ultracapacitorEestorHypeEestorUltracapacitoreesuhype maintenanceHypeMaintenancezennzenn eestorzenn evZennEestorZennEvThu, 21 May 2009 15:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Bikes vs. cars race ends in decisive two-wheeled victory]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/05/15/bikes-vs-cars-race-ends-in-decisive-two-wheeled-victory/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/05/15/bikes-vs-cars-race-ends-in-decisive-two-wheeled-victory/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/05/15/bikes-vs-cars-race-ends-in-decisive-two-wheeled-victory/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

What does it take to beat a Zenn electric car and a Toyota Prius in cross-town driving? A pair of wheels and some leg-power. In the sixth annual Commuter Race in San Jose, California, all the bikes - a standard bike, a tandem and a hybrid bike - beat the two cars in a treasure hunt-style race through town. The riders and drivers were asked to perform a few tasks (get a pastry at one shop, an apple at another), and see who could make it to the finish line first. The event took place Tuesday and the fastest bike completed the route in 22 minutes; the fastest car (the Zenn) took 42 minutes.

Granted, the contest is set up by Bike to Work, whose name should give you a pretty good idea of which type of vehicle they promote. But cars have won in previous years, so we can't blame the organizers for totally stacking the challenge in favor of cyclists. For a first-person account of how bikes can beat cars, see the Mercury News.

[Source: Mercury News via Kicking Tires]

Bikes vs. cars race ends in decisive two-wheeled victory originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 15 May 2009 14:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bicyclebicyclesbikebike car raceBikeCarRaceracesan joseSanJoseFri, 15 May 2009 14:19:00 EST<![CDATA[EEStor "permittivity" follow-up, by someone who knows (Daryl Siry)]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/04/27/eestor-permittivity-follow-up-by-someone-who-knows-daryl-sir/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/04/27/eestor-permittivity-follow-up-by-someone-who-knows-daryl-sir/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/04/27/eestor-permittivity-follow-up-by-someone-who-knows-daryl-sir/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Following EEStor's permittivity announcement on Earth Day last week, I wrote a post that ended with a call for our readers to determine if the stated "relative permittivity of 22,500" was a big deal or not. There were some educated responses (thank you), but one refrain that kept appearing was that everyone is waiting for a real and physical demonstration of the company's supposedly amazing ultracapacitor. "Until then," some of you wrote, "stfu EEStor."

Our friend Darryl Siry, who knows a thing or two about massaging the green car press from his time at Tesla Motors (pictured above) and now runs his own blog and works at Peppercom, has a phrase for what EEStor is doing with their steady trickle of mysterious press releases: "Hype Maintenance." Siry recently wrote about two people, including ZENN's Ian Clifford, who should be able to share information about EEStor but either don't or can't. The EV community is poorer for it, but, Siry notes, ZENN's stock shot up 45 percent on the day of EEStor's announcement. That's something we can all understand.

[Source: Darryl Siry]

EEStor "permittivity" follow-up, by someone who knows (Daryl Siry) originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>darryl siryDarrylSiryeestoreestor hypeeestor ultracapacitorEestorHypeEestorUltracapacitorhypehype maintenanceHypeMaintenanceian cliffordIanCliffordsiryultracapultracapacitorultracapacitorszennMon, 27 Apr 2009 09:33:00 EST<![CDATA[ZENN tries to boost EV market with under $10k NEV]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/04/10/zenn-tries-to-boost-ev-market-with-under-10k-nev/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/04/10/zenn-tries-to-boost-ev-market-with-under-10k-nev/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/04/10/zenn-tries-to-boost-ev-market-with-under-10k-nev/#commentsFiled under: ,

Those of you with an interest in electrically-driven transportation who don't need a full function car may want to check out the latest deal from Canadian company ZENN. The ZENN electric car can be had for just $9,995 until the end of June. ZENN is looking for early adopters to be ambassadors for it's products - in return they get a $4,750 rebate off the $15,995 sticker price.

On top of that buyers, are currently eligible for a $1,250 federal tax credit in the United States bringing the bottom line to just $9,995. Before you rush to one of the 40 ZENN dealers in the U.S., keep in mind that this is a neighborhood electric vehicle. That means it's limited to just 25 mph. It is legal to operate on city streets with speed limits up to 35 mph. If that limitation works within you needs, the ZENN may be a good deal for you.

[Source: ZENN]

Continue reading ZENN tries to boost EV market with under $10k NEV

ZENN tries to boost EV market with under $10k NEV originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>zen rebatezennzenn ambassador rebateZennAmbassadorRebateZenRebateFri, 10 Apr 2009 19:56:00 EST<![CDATA[ZENN picks manufacturer for cityZENN highway-speed electric vehicle]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/03/30/zenn-picks-manufacturer-for-cityzenn-highway-speed-electric-vehi/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/03/30/zenn-picks-manufacturer-for-cityzenn-highway-speed-electric-vehi/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/03/30/zenn-picks-manufacturer-for-cityzenn-highway-speed-electric-vehi/#commentsFiled under: ,



How does this make sense: ZENN recently announced that company officials had selected a manufacturer to produce a highway-speed electric vehicle, called the cityZENN. Following this, ZENN's stock fell three percent. You'd think people would be happy with an announcement like that.

As always, there are problems and questions with ZENN's story. This is the much-hyped EESTOR vehicle, after all. While the announcement could be the big step towards ZENN's promise last year that they'd deliver an EESTOR-powered electric vehicle by Fall 2009 that the company needs to get out from under questions about the technology, investors must be waiting for more show, less tell. Another reason for the less-than-enthusiastic stock response is that ZENN didn't announce the name of the manufacturer, saying it would wait until the agreement is finalized. We recently got a few hints about the technology thanks to the EESTOR patent, but it looks like we'll have to keep waiting for the real deal.

[Source: Reuters]

ZENN picks manufacturer for cityZENN highway-speed electric vehicle originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cityzenneestoreesuelectric vehicleelectric vehiclesElectricVehicleElectricVehicleszennzenn electric vehicleZennElectricVehicleMon, 30 Mar 2009 18:16:00 EST<![CDATA[EVCast offers up panel of "experts" to take your electric car questions tomorrow ]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/03/02/evcast-offers-up-panel-of-experts-to-take-your-questions-tomor/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/03/02/evcast-offers-up-panel-of-experts-to-take-your-questions-tomor/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/03/02/evcast-offers-up-panel-of-experts-to-take-your-questions-tomor/#commentsFiled under: , ,



If you'd like to listen to a sort of state of the electric vehicle industry panel discussion, tune in to the EVCast tomorrow. The live show (which will be available later as a podcast and for download) starts at 1:30 Eastern (10:30 am Pacific) on Tuesday. Listeners can tune send in questions and comments on the EVcast.com chat board (free membership is required to participate). The panel will discuss the following topics:

  • $25 billion in waiting for EV development. Who should get it and why?
  • Has hydrogen as an automotive fuel gone the way of the dinosaur?
  • What does the chaos of the US auto industry mean for the up and coming EV industry?
  • Mileage Tax: Sensible or not?

As a side note: the reason for the quotes on the headline above is that for some reason I'm included in the EVCast panel. I'm still not sure how much of an expert I am, but I want to make it clear that I'm not slighting the others who are scheduled to appear on the show: Ian Clifford, our old friend and CEO of ZENN, and Gint Federas, an EVCast member. I just hope they don't ask me to sing.

[Source: EVcast]

EVCast offers up panel of "experts" to take your electric car questions tomorrow originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bo bennettBoBennettevcastgint federasGintFederasian cliffordIanCliffordryan levesqueRyanLevesquezennMon, 02 Mar 2009 19:40:00 EST<![CDATA[What is a neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV)?]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/02/06/greenlings-what-is-a-neighborhood-electric-vehicle-nev/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/02/06/greenlings-what-is-a-neighborhood-electric-vehicle-nev/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/02/06/greenlings-what-is-a-neighborhood-electric-vehicle-nev/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



We all want electric vehicles that we can afford. Unfortunately the only full function electric car "available on the market" in the United States right now is the Tesla Roadster. However even before car loans became hard to get, the Roadster was largely unaffordable. So, what other options are there? For now at least the only option is the neighborhood electric vehicle, also known as NEVs.

These are not exactly full function vehicles. In fact, most NEVs are considered little more than glorified golf carts. By law in the United States, NEVs are limited to no more than 25 mph (although a few locations are looking to increase that to 35 mph). NEVs are covered by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 500 which limits the maximum loaded weight to 3,000 lbs. According to FMVSS 500, an NEV has to be able to get to 20 mph within 1 mile, must have head and tail lights and a windshield, among other things. Learn more about NEVs after the jump.

Gallery: AFVI 2008: GEM's new cargo options

Continue reading What is a neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV)?

What is a neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV)? originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>greenlingsneighborhoodneighborhood electri...neighborhood electric vehicleneighborhood electric vehiclesNeighborhoodElectri...NeighborhoodElectricVehicleNeighborhoodElectricVehiclesnevFri, 06 Feb 2009 20:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Biofuel station goes electric with ZENN dealership]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/12/29/biofuel-station-goes-electric-with-zenn-dealership/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/12/29/biofuel-station-goes-electric-with-zenn-dealership/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/12/29/biofuel-station-goes-electric-with-zenn-dealership/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Biodiesel, meet electricity. That's the message being sent by the reopening of the Green Station. It used to be just a biodiesel refueling stop; not it's a biofuel pump station and a ZENN dealership. According to SantaCruz.com, station co-owner Bill LeBon now thinks that NEVs like the ZENN can be the "perfect car to do 90 percent of your driving in," and he hopes that selling the low-speed electric cars now will prepare him to offer the $30,000 high-speed cityZENN EV whenever that makes it to market. The article says that ZENN execs are hoping to "preview the new technology [i.e., EESTOR] in the fall of 2009"

SantaCruz.com also got the following quote from ZENN spokesperson Catherine Scrimgeour: "Aside from autos, this capacitator could change all kinds of other things. Imagine personal electronics-your laptop or cell phone could be charged once a month. It's a huge leap forward." It sure would be, but we're starting to lose consciousness over here from holding our breath.

[Source: SantaCruz.com via EVWorld]

Biofuel station goes electric with ZENN dealership originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biofuelsanta cruzSantaCruzzennzenn biofuelZennBiofuelMon, 29 Dec 2008 15:01:00 EST<![CDATA[EEStor gets patent for EESU, we get some details]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/12/24/eestor-gets-patent-for-eesu-we-get-some-details/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/12/24/eestor-gets-patent-for-eesu-we-get-some-details/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/12/24/eestor-gets-patent-for-eesu-we-get-some-details/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Stop the presses! We've finally got some real information regarding EEStor's highly secretive capacitor-based energy storage system, though it's not exactly coming from the company itself. It seems that EEStor recently filed for patents of its new technology, which centers around a core of aluminum coated barium titanate powder immersed in a polyethylene terephthalate plastic matrix, and they've now been granted those patents. The best part for those of us who've been following the company's developments is that the patent office has released detailed information regarding what makes it all tick.

We'll leave it up to you if you want to read through the whole document, but here are a few salient points for your consideration. The EEStor EESU would weigh just 282-pounds, yet would carry as much juice as the lithium ion battery pack that's currently in use by Tesla Motors for its Roadster. Just as much power but nearly four-times lighter? That's impressive. Even better, EEStor claims that its EESU's performance never degrades with use and would potentially last forever. Great. We'll take two, and we're not the only ones excited. Click past the break for more.

[Source: Patent file (.pdf link) via GM-Volt via Treehugger]

Continue reading EEStor gets patent for EESU, we get some details

EEStor gets patent for EESU, we get some details originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>capacitoreestoreestor patenteestor ultracapacitorEestorPatentEestorUltracapacitoreesuultracapultracapacitorultracapacitorsultracapszennzenn eestorzenn evZennEestorZennEvWed, 24 Dec 2008 09:01:00 EST<![CDATA[ZENN founder remains committedly-non-committal on EEStor ]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/12/06/zenn-founder-remains-committedly-non-committal-on-eestor/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/12/06/zenn-founder-remains-committedly-non-committal-on-eestor/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/12/06/zenn-founder-remains-committedly-non-committal-on-eestor/#commentsFiled under:



The Globe and Mail has published a online question and answer session between readers and Ian Clifford, founder of ZENN Motors. Aside from assembling a neighborhood electric vehicle in Canada, ZENN has garnered attention for its involvement with EEStor. The latter has made some big claims about a new ultra-capacitor it has developed. ZENN has made an equity investment in EEStor and has an exclusive license to use the energy storage system. The EEStor offers a lot of promise for lighter weight electrical storage and fast charging.

Unfortunately, no one outside of EEStor or ZENN (and maybe Lockheed) has ever seen the system in action. Even after the Q&A its not clear if even ZENN has seen the ultracapacitor working. Several people asked about the ultra-cap and Clifford repeatedly responded that the non-disclosure agreement prevents him from commenting. Even though ZENN previously claimed the EEStor system would be ready by the end of this year, Clifford only said that an EEStor powered cityZENN would be in production by late 2009.

Clifford did hedge by saying the cityZENN is not dependent on EEStor, implying that it could be built with a conventional battery instead. We'll just have to keep watching. Thanks to yanquetino for the tip!

[Source: The Globe and Mail]

ZENN founder remains committedly-non-committal on EEStor originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 06 Dec 2008 20:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eestoreestor ultracapacitorEestorUltracapacitorian cliffordIanCliffordzennzenn eestorzenn evzenneestorZennEvSat, 06 Dec 2008 20:03:00 EST<![CDATA[EEStor makes production milestone announcement of sorts]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/07/30/eestor-makes-production-milestone-announcement/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/07/30/eestor-makes-production-milestone-announcement/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/07/30/eestor-makes-production-milestone-announcement/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Fictive Atlantean confused charge

Following months of silence about the progress of its potentially world-changing energy storage device, the secretive Cedar Park, Texas-based firm, EEStor, has issued a press release announcing that it has reached key production milestones. One such marker for example is, " the certification of the completeness of the powder crystallization of the constituents utilized in producing its [composition modified barium titanate] CMBT powders." For those of you lacking a degree in advanced materials science, we believe what they are trying to say is that some of the materials which they will use to create their electrical energy storage unit (EESU) are within the specifications necessary for production. No, they haven't actually produced a working prototype or anything they could point to to prove they have the answer to life, the universe and everything but they have indeed created the most complicated sounding press release of all time.

They also say they have shown Dr. Edward Golla of the Texas Research Institute their test and measurement equipment and that Golla has certified that the equipment is capable of measuring what EEStor says it will. None of this however gives any indication of whether EEStors ultra capacitors will ever actually work as claimed. For that we must still wait. It does seem as though the company has opened the lines of communication to the outside world with the publishing of an email address. However, we are sure you are more likely to gain insight into their progress by keeping tabs on the blog that thoroughly follows everything EEStor. Hit the jump to decipher the press release for yourselves.

[Source: EEStor]

Continue reading EEStor makes production milestone announcement of sorts

EEStor makes production milestone announcement of sorts originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>barium titanateBariumTitanateEEStorEESUultracapacitorWed, 30 Jul 2008 13:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Techno Ride drives a Zenn, comes away impressed]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/21/techno-ride-drives-a-zenn-comes-away-impressed/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/21/techno-ride-drives-a-zenn-comes-away-impressed/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/21/techno-ride-drives-a-zenn-comes-away-impressed/#commentsFiled under: , ,



TechnoRide, 'the car site for tech fans,' has managed to score a Zenn electric car for review. They seem to have had a good time with the NEV, calling it "impressive." They do, however, note a few issues with the vehicle, which are to be expected, including a lack of luxury features and excessive noise. The reviewer had no problem getting up to the Zenn's max-speed of twenty-five miles per hour and mentions that it's capable of more if it weren't for that electrically-limited speed regulation system.

TechnoRide also makes mention of the solid state electrical storage system from EEStor, which we are all still waiting to hear more about. The review echoes news that the Zenn with EEStor system should be available in 2009, and we remain hopefully optimistic that this is indeed the case. We're not forgetting that we've yet to see any demonstration of the capacitor-based system.

[Source: TechnoRide]

Techno Ride drives a Zenn, comes away impressed originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>neighborhood electri...NeighborhoodElectri...neighborhoodelectric...nevzennzenn eestorzenn evzenn reviewzenn-reviewzenneestorZennEvZennReviewMon, 21 Apr 2008 18:44:00 EST<![CDATA[ZENN claims they will launch EEStor-powered EV in fall 2009]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/03/29/zenn-claims-they-will-launch-eestor-powered-ev-in-fall-2009/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/03/29/zenn-claims-they-will-launch-eestor-powered-ev-in-fall-2009/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/03/29/zenn-claims-they-will-launch-eestor-powered-ev-in-fall-2009/#commentsFiled under: ,



At ZENN annual shareholder meeting in Toronto yesterday, company officials made a big announcement about their plans to move beyond mere neighborhood electric vehicles. They plan to launch a model called the cityZENN which will be a fully certified electric car with 80 mph top speed and 250-mile range. The most important element of the cityZENN is the use of EEStor ultra-capacitors to store electrical energy. ZENN is claiming five minute recharge capability for the EEStor energy storage system. However, don't expect to do five minute recharges at home. Just as with fast charging batteries from the likes of Altairnano, putting that much energy in the capacitors so quickly requires very high current and voltage, much more than is available from any regular outlet. It will also take a very thick cable to provide sufficiently low resistance.

In other news, the existing NEV range will get new four passenger and utility versions added. ZENN also plans to work with some OEMs to produce vehicles with a ZENNergy drive-train (electric drive with EEStor storage) and branded as ZENN vehicles for sale. No word on exactly when that will happen. There's also a recording of the meeting available at the ZENNcars.com web site. You'll need to register and have RealPlayer installed to listen.

[Source: ZENN thanks to Mark for the tip]

ZENN claims they will launch EEStor-powered EV in fall 2009 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 29 Mar 2008 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eestoreestor ultracapacitorEestorUltracapacitorzennzenn eestorzenn evzenneestorZennEvSat, 29 Mar 2008 12:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Laugh with, not at, ZENN cars]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/02/19/laugh-with-not-at-zenn-cars/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/02/19/laugh-with-not-at-zenn-cars/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/02/19/laugh-with-not-at-zenn-cars/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


If you like to laugh at tiny neighborhood electric vehicles, take a look at the video above. It's got ZENN cars, Canadian comic Rick Mercer and a few good beer jokes. Of course, Mercer also makes the case for NEVs in this video, so don't expect simple ridicules of ZENN's vehicles. Instead, the Canadian government is the target of most of Mercer's wit. A Canadian government that doesn't allow Canadian-built cars to be sold in Canada deserves to be made fun of, Mercer figured when he recorded this bit back in November 2007. Of course, the legal situation is still in flux, as it's up to each province to declare whether these battery-powered boxes are OK on their streets. The comedy, though, is solid - especially the bit about what Canadians consider to be a week's worth of groceries.

The big question, though, is whether the joke may be on ZENN. In a recent interview, ZENN's CEO Ian Clifford is sticking with the updated EESTOR story, saying, "If they stay on schedule they are scheduled to deliver it in 2008." We've been waiting a long time for some sort of definitive news on this ultracapacitor, but nothing has materialized yet. Who will get the last laugh? Thanks to Domenick for the tip!

[Source: Alternative Energy]

Laugh with, not at, ZENN cars originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>rick-mercerzennzero-emission-no-noiseTue, 19 Feb 2008 15:18:00 EST<![CDATA[What's this? EESTOR convinces Lockheed Martin it's on to something]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/01/10/whats-this-eestor-convinces-lockheed-martin-its-on-to-somethi/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/01/10/whats-this-eestor-convinces-lockheed-martin-its-on-to-somethi/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/01/10/whats-this-eestor-convinces-lockheed-martin-its-on-to-somethi/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The EESTOR ultracapacitor is a technology we really, really want to know more about. The huge potential of these devices that we do know about certainly keeps our ears open for news - or rumors or anything, really - about the technology. We don't know much more about the actual ultracaps (aka Electrical Energy Storage Units or EESU), but Lockheed Martin must like them. The not-exactly-risk-friendly company - I mean, they work the bountiful government system with aplomb - has "signed an exclusive international rights agreement to integrate and market Electrical Energy Storage Units (EESU) from EEStor, Inc., for military and homeland security applications." It sounds like the EESU's will be used in LM's BattPack. Want more details? Sorry. "Specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed."

So, about those promises. The EESUs are a ceramic battery "that could provide 10 times the energy density of lead acid batteries at 1/10th the weight and volume" and will supposedly cost half as much as traditional batteries on a price per stored watt-hour basis. So, until we get a better idea what EESTOR is actually working on, we can triangulate that they're not totally full of smoke and mirrors. Perhaps ZENN is in good hands after all.

Related:
[Source: Press Media Wire]

What's this? EESTOR convinces Lockheed Martin it's on to something originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 10 Jan 2008 19:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eestoreestor-lockheed-martineesulockheed-martinzenn-eestorThu, 10 Jan 2008 19:51:00 EST