Denmark and EV cars
While I try to keep 99% of my posts relevant to NXT, this one will be a bit of a stretch - but it does involve Denmark...which is the home of LEGO. So there's your link :)
As many readers know, I'm a HUGE fan of WIRED magazine - it's Editor-in-Chief, Chris Anderson, is an NXT Tinkerer himself. The latest issue (16.09 - September issue) features the cover story, "The Future of the Electric Car" and it's a MUST read if you have even a spackling of interest in EV vehicles. As a driver, I worry about the cost of gas rising, but as a father I worry about the world my son will grow up in... so it's always nice to read about a company that's trying to do something to change the world...
The article focuses on Better Place, a new company founded by an ex SAP executive. Suffice to say, a plan is in place in Israel to move to EV vehicles - the plan is so impressive that Denmark has signed on to participate. (Apparently Denmark generates about 18% of its energy from wind power and the entire country is proud of its "green" and looking to do more.)
Grab a copy of the magazine and read it students especially, because in 10-20 years time, you'll be driving something like this (hopefully!) or maybe something even better.
Now, back to the world of NXT...
Jim
As many readers know, I'm a HUGE fan of WIRED magazine - it's Editor-in-Chief, Chris Anderson, is an NXT Tinkerer himself. The latest issue (16.09 - September issue) features the cover story, "The Future of the Electric Car" and it's a MUST read if you have even a spackling of interest in EV vehicles. As a driver, I worry about the cost of gas rising, but as a father I worry about the world my son will grow up in... so it's always nice to read about a company that's trying to do something to change the world...
The article focuses on Better Place, a new company founded by an ex SAP executive. Suffice to say, a plan is in place in Israel to move to EV vehicles - the plan is so impressive that Denmark has signed on to participate. (Apparently Denmark generates about 18% of its energy from wind power and the entire country is proud of its "green" and looking to do more.)
Grab a copy of the magazine and read it students especially, because in 10-20 years time, you'll be driving something like this (hopefully!) or maybe something even better.
Now, back to the world of NXT...
Jim
Comments
I remember when I was at school, the latest statistics from that time showed the oil fields will run out completely by the year 2007. I remember reading a very similar (conceptually) article in the New Scientist Magazine. I got excited and looked forward to that day. But 'the better place' never materialised! So pardon my scepticism all this years on. The world has become a more complex place. How would you convince 2 billion people in a growth hungry country like China and India and tell the people to adopt this concept?
But if enough of us believe in it, then combined with the carbon taxing - eventually we will reach a more environmentally freindly balanc.
And Going back to the Better Place vision - The only issue I have a problem with is the concept of battery replacement points:
The cells have finite life and like your laptop battery, after about 1000 charges, you kind of throw it away and get a new rechargeable battery.
How would you feel if you own a brand new car and you go to one of these places and your new battery gets replaced with a crappy brand that has been thrashed and abused?
Chris
the beauty of the scheme is the two positives, Massive electrical storage, and upgradability, the universal connection allowing for future better batteries to be used without a new car! just phased in as developed. You only pay for the charge in the battery you get, which depends on the age, temperature, chemistry, etc of the battery.
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john
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