electrics spark interest at l.a. auto show - lithium ion polymer battery

The future --
Or at least the future. -
For electric vehicles, it may finally be seen. Nissan-
Renault chief executive Carlos Ghosn announced plans in Los Angeles. A.
The auto show on Wednesday will begin selling a competitive electric car in Oregon on 2010.
Ghosn vowed that the car would enter the mass market by 2012 ".
After years of wrong start, this bold statement is by far the clearest sign that electric cars may soon surpass golf carts and $100,000 eco-cars. status symbols.
The Los Angeles Convention Center showed more evidence of trends, including the electric version of the BMW popular Mini and the three electric vehicles of Chrysler.
But don't wear these curtains yet.
There are still big hurdles for electric vehicles to overcome, especially in terms of endurance and functionality.
"I don't see anything here pointing to a car that runs 250 miles and then takes a long time to charge," said Jack Nerad . ", Market analyst at Kelley Blue Book, a car data tracker.
"I think this is what you need before consumers generally accept it.
Nissan admits 100-
Its as-mile range
However, an unnamed and invisible electric vehicle could be a difficult sale.
"Of course, this is a marketing challenge," said Mark Perry, Nissan's director of product planning and advanced technology strategy for North America.
There is also a problem with infrastructure.
Will the apartment building and parking lot be installed or renovated with electrical connections?
Will the government install fast charging in enough places to reduce "range anxiety "?
Who will pay for power?
But some carmakers and environmental activists believe that the price of gasoline this year has shaken two automakers.
Car families are starting to think about having traditional gasoline.
Let them go to electric cars in places like Las Vegas and back, as well as electric cars for commuting and weekend errands.
"If you live in West Hollywood and work in Culver City, electric cars will be a great car for you," said Spencer Kong, an automotive expert at the Union of relevant scientists.
In Oregon, Nissan plans to first launch electric vehicles into fleets run by government, utilities and local companies.
By the end of 2010 or early 2011, Perry said, the car could be at the dealership.
Few details, but Perry says the car will accommodate four to five people and have a suitcase.
As for speed, "you can get a speeding ticket," he said . ".
The cost will be comparable to gasoline of the same size and equipment --
The power car may be much lower than the much anticipated Chevrolet Volt (
Estimated cost will be close to $40,000).
Nissan says consumers will lease batteries even though they will buy electric cars.
With the development of technology, this will allow the battery to be upgraded and ensure the proper disposal of equipment containing toxic substances.
Mr. Ghosn said the cost of renting a battery and paying for a monthly charge is about the same as the price of gasoline for a month.
While Nissan is talking about its plans to develop a driverless car, BMW is showing off its 156-Mini mileage-
E, the electric version of its popular Mini Cooper.
BMW said sales of the Mini rose 30% in the year of the car's slump.
The German carmaker plans to rent 500 cars to drivers in Los Angeles and New York for a year.
Price: $850 per month, more expensive than gasoline-powered Mini.
Potential tenants can register on the mini-site.
BMW executives say the idea is to achieve
Experience the world before putting the car into the dealer showroom.
In other power products-
Whether it's a concept or a planned vehicle-
The show shows the electric versions of Mitsubishi's iMiEV, Chrysler's Jeep wr and urban and rural minivans, and the Lotus-based Dodge sports car.
Other automakers are laying the groundwork for electric vehicles.
Hyundai Motor on Wednesday
The first hybrid system was released, driven by a new type of battery called lithium polymer, which the company says is lighter and more efficient than lithiumion batteries.
Sonata sedan is expected to be available at the end of 2010.
John claftz, vice president for product development at Hyundai, said batteries are key to the eventual development of electric vehicles by Korean automakers.
"Many people in the industry regard pure electric vehicles as the end of the game . "
"The only question is how to do this.
"The auto show is open to the public on Friday. --martin.
Zimmerman @ latimes.
Ken Bensinger, a staff writer at ComTimes, contributed to the report.