Electric vehicles

Created by Hidayat Heru Sasongko on 28 April, 2018

I adopted alternative design (energy and construction) in the early 1970s. In those days much of the advancement was from us "back yard mechanics". We communicate through magazines and news letters. At the time lead acid batteries were the common power source. However there was a drive for a lighter power source and eventually lithium ion batteries emerged. The problem with lithium batteries is that lithium is not an abundant resource. It is in fact so rare that the few sources are easily controlled and monopolized by mega corporations. So in effect we traded an oil monopoly for a metal monopoly.


Why did lithium replace lead acid as the go to source for EV power? The answer is found in the marketing strategy of large corporations.

In the USA they typically control the press and other news media.

They also lobby (bribe) congress and the grant giving agencies to absorb most of the research grant dollars.

They use psychological marketing techniques to push the idea that EVs must have the range and speed of IC engines even though a typical commute is under 45mph and 25 miles travel one way. Lead acid batteries may be heavy but they are cheap and quite adequate for lower speed vehicles that do not need to travel long distances. If the general public was to adopt an attitude of attempting to create EVs they really need, instead of EVs the corporations tell us we need, we could prevent the corporate take over of the EV market by using the easily monopolized lithium market.


I hope that some of you will attempt to develop an EV based on lead acid batteries. I suggest designing the vehicle so that the battery unit is a removable module. In such a case the power module. would slide out of the vehicle and a new one would slide in for extended range trips. This could be done at service stations with charging facilities.

Thanks for your consideration. It is time to bring back the "Back Yard Mechanic" and inventors.