TABLE OF CONTENTS In this chapter I have brought together all the information available on the current (2001) production, prototype and experimental battery electric cars developed by the major manufacturers together with more detailed descriptions of four of the production vehicles which I consider to be of major significance. This information is given in Tables 9.1 and 9.2. The technical details given have been provided directly by the manufacturers except in a few cases where information has been obtained from published papers and press reports. Specialist niche manufacturers of electric vehicles such as Bombardier and Solectria are not included, as it is my view that it is essential for the major automotive manufacturers to commit to electric vehicles for them to succeed. It is therefore the developments introduced by the major manufacturers that we should concentrate on if we are to understand where electric car development is heading.
In Table 9.1 I have listed 11 electric cars which are currently or have until recently been on sale or for lease to the general public from the major motor manufacturers. The list is undoubtedly incomplete in spite of many enquiries within the automotive industry and also suffers from lack of data on some vehicles, but it does give some idea of the range of battery and drive technologies in use and of the top speed and all-important range of these production vehicles. It is interesting to note that of the battery types used, nickel-cadmium (four vehicles) and nickel-metal hydride (three...
