World's largest electric taxi trial a success after first year
Monday, 2 May 2011
Electric taxis in the Chinese city of Shenzhen have saved over 1 million kilograms of carbon dioxide in their first year, according to figures released this week.
The initial results of the world's largest all-electric taxi fleet are likely to be seen as a significant boost for electric vehicles, proving that they can withstand the rigors of intensive inner-city activity.
Conducted by Chinese automaker BYD using its e6 electric vehicles, the trial involved 50 cars which have accumulated 2.77 million all-electric kilometers between them, well over 100,000 kilometers per car.
Despite this distance, and the hot summers and cold winters of Shenzhen, BYD says the cars are still performing well, and "drivers and passengers alike have been extremely satisfied with their ride experience."
The firm says that the test has proved a "breakthrough" in rapid vehicle charging technology, as each vehicle was rapid charged in 20-30 minutes during the day - a far shorter time period than conventional electric vehicles - yet displayed no noticeable energy drop over the course of the year.
Considering the vehicles' long range, some 300 kilometers, BYD believes this is something of a vindication of its iron-phosphate batteries, which are cheaper to make and safer than the lithium ion batteries used in today's electric vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf.
The trial will now be expanded to 300 vehicles, BYD said, with a further 250 being delivered to the International University in Shenzhen over summer.
Shenzhen's trial is just one of several EV taxi trials underway at the moment - hop into a taxi in Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing or San Francisco and you could find that your vehicle is all-electric.
Source; http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style ... 77845.html
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