Electric car innovations

First from the Minnesota Electric Auto Association an short video of an electric Chevrolet Covette

Second, European researchers are investigating biomethanol as a component in fuel cells.  Biomethanol can be produced by fermenting wood chips and other biowaste.  They are attempting to produce an electric fuel cell car with a range of 500 miles. 

Third, German Scientists are working on a more efficient coolant, called CryoSolplus, for use in the batteries of electric cars.  It greatly improves on the efficiencies of air or water as coolants.  The trick for this coolant is to keep the low density parrafin well dispursed in the mixture. 

Fourth,  The chart below shows the sweet spot for electric vehicles in cost per kilowatt hour(KWh).  At current prices electric vehicles need to get down to $250 - 300 per kilowatt hours.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/files/2012/07/electric-vehicle-adoption.jpg

The current US cost per kilowatt hour is in the range of $500 to $625 per hour.  It makes sense to have an X prize for the company to develop an electric vehicl with a reliable battery system with a cost lower than $225 per kilowatt hour and a range of greater than 500 miles.