Does the future of electric cars lie in capacitors?

Back to the Future may have been right: The cars of tomorrow will be powered by capacitors (they will not, presumably, be able to time-travel).

At least, that’s what Tesla CEO Elon Musk said at yesterday’s Cleantech Forum in San Francisco, unleashing a torrent of speculation that the electric car company may be researching capacitor storage.

Capacitors are electric devices that can store charges temporarily. They can handle a greater number of charge cycles than batteries, and can provide quick jolts of energy. If Tesla could find a way to use them in conjunction with—and eventually in place of—their current lithium-ion batteries, electric cars could travel greater distances before needing to be recharged.

Interestingly, Musk originally came to California to study high-energy-density capacitor physics at Stanford. “I did that for a laugh,” he said at the conference.

After being enrolled for a few days, he dropped out of Stanford to pursue a career as an entrepreneur. And if Tesla’s able to push the state of the art in energy storage forward, he may well have the last laugh.

[Image by Flickr/popculturegeek.com]

  • Postmaster

    EEstor anyone?

  • katiefehrenbacher

    I think Musk said he went to Stanford to study high-energy-density capacitors “for a lab” not for a laugh.

  • Edward

    To: Whom it may concernFor: The American People.From: Edward Heath Owner/Operator of New Ideas and Innovations, LLCe-mail: edwardselectriccar@yahoo.com address; P.O. Box 171, North Branford, Connecticut 06471 – 9998 Telephone: 203-500-8777 My name is Edward Heath and I am trying to get the word out about technology that I have that would greatly help the citizens of Connecticut and the whole United States pertaining to transportation; utilizing electric vehicles. This technology is a global game changer if I can get an opportunity to prove it. The technology would allow electric vehicles (EV’s) to travel hundreds to thousands of miles with out recharging its battery pack! The technology(ies) will help not only with lower demand for fossil fuels but also decrease or eliminate vehicle emissions, greatly reducing smog, acid rain and all of the negatives that go along with you and me while we drive an internal combustion engine (ICE) powered vehicle! It is not based on the untrue notion of “perpetual motion” but rather in very recent advances in battery and other propriety technologies that I would be using in my EEV-3. My other achievements are; 1) A toilet handle that affordably and easily converts a gravity type, single flush toilet into a water, wastewater, energy and money saving dual flush(ing) toilet. 2) An exhaust apparatus that creates a low pressure area in the exhaust system that makes an internal combustion engine operate more efficiently. 3) A means that would allow streams, rivers and creeks to generate electric power very cheaply as allow street and traffic lights and other electrical using appliances to operate off the grid most of the time. 4) Remote control launcher for hobby rockets. I also have several other ideas that I can not pursue without funding for equipment, machinery, software and other much needed things to correctly and effectively operate a technology business. The following is a comment that I tried to post in the New York Times on the 17th of February, 2011 but the moderator censored it.On February 10th of this year, the N.Y. Times ran an article from an oil executive (William M. Colton – Exxon / Mobil Vice – President for Corporate Economic Planning), and he stated that electric cars can wait, mostly because of the batteries. Well folks, I have been in communication with a high ranking corporate officer of a company in Canada that just started manufacturing battery packs that blows everything else out of the water when it comes to Lithium battery performance! The temperature range in which they can perform effectively is much broader; the batteries can be discharged down 99.9%, instead of the 40 -60% range that is currently in these electric cars coming off the assembly line. Of course Mr. Colton’s opinion is skewed and biased because he belongs to “Big Oil”. We believe him (not!) like the farmer that would trust the fox or raccoon to take care of his / her chickens! The cost is inline with current high tech batteries.Please read on for an offer that I am making to the American people concerning electric vehicles and the possible future of transportation as we know it to take a “quantum leap” forward! Hello Americans; my name is Edward and I believe that I have the technologies needed for “Sustained Ultra-Extended Electric Vehicle Travel”! (SUEEVT) If you are tired of paying $50.00 or more for a fill-up (gasoline or diesel) for your vehicle then I might have the solution and I am asking for your help. I am seeking a total of $ 4.8 million dollars for research / development and to build prototype vehicles (off the lot, not custom made) to prove that my technologies work; (I know it sounds like a lot of money and it is, but it also goes quite quickly- but not to me but for the business, I can assure you of that). The funds would go to the shop, vehicles (initially named EEV-3 for Edwards Electric Vehicle, and the 3 stands for the three different energy forms saved or conserved while driving the EEV-3and they are: coal, crude oil and natural gas), machinery, equipment, CAD/CAM software, international patent protection, components / parts / assemblies, employee payroll and other operating expenses. I request amounts between $1.00 and $100.00 or whatever amount you are happy with. The project will be finished in 8 – 12 months after all the funds are received. Please send check or money order to address above with your name and address so that I may send you a thank you card and in the event that my technology works, I will send you my “1 -2 Flush Genuine Toilet Water Saver” (retail value $39.99) as my way of saying “thank you” to those who contribute $25.00 or more. The U.S. Government, Venture Capital / Angel Investors, and vehicle manufacturers do not want to assist me in my endeavor so I humbly ask for your much appreciated assistance in this very serious matter! I have been pursuing financing for over a year now. They are all afraid of “big oil” companies. I am not. Big oil usually equates to big trouble. ‘Can you say’ “greed” and Lobbyists” who are only concerned for their financial well being and not for the overall well being for us as a country, they are very selfish!If you have any questions, please feel free to send me an email to: edwardselectriccar@yahoo.com I have patents on other energy and / or natural resource conserving innovations and I am a serious innovator, I am not a nut, far from it. I am trying to use my intelligence and engineering experience to make our country great again and to greatly reduce our dependence on foreign oil from countries that do not like us. This technology will not lose jobs (not even for the oil companies because we as a nation still need kerosene, heating oil, diesel and gasoline for small engines), but rather would increase jobs here in the States by having at least one electric vehicle conversion center in each state. That is something that we do not have right now. The conversion to mostly electric vehicles would take 5-7 years, not just a couple of years.I thank you for your financial assistance, especially during this recession and tough economic / financial times! The payoff would be fantastic for our country though if I can prove my technologies by driving across America in one of the EEV-3 retro-fitted vehicles in 3 or less charging cycles! People would not be afraid to purchase electric vehicles equipped with this technology. By the way, in this case you wondering, my technologies are NOT based on the principles of “perpetual motion”. My company has been around for 5 years, working on technologies that save good Americans such as yourself; money, energy and / or natural resources like our clean fresh water with an innovation like my “1 – 2 Flush Genuine Toilet Water Saver”. Please help the United States (U.S.) and us as Americans regain our strength as world leaders in our national security with innovations like this EEV-3 that help all of us live better lives, now and for generations to come!Thank you again American people for your understanding and for your financial assistance!Sincerely and Honestly Submitted: Edward Heath – Owner / Chief Design Engineer of New Ideas and Innovations, LLC A Connecticut company since 1992.Edward Heath _______________________________

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