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To: Box-By-The-Riviera™ who wrote (966)11/28/2001 9:47:24 AM
From: craig crawford  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 1643
 
fuel cells are a long ways off. nickel metal hydride batteries are only useful where weight is a concern, like with electric vehicles. the good old ic engine cars all still use lead batteries. i'm not so sure those e-bikes are selling so well yet. but motorcycles are big sellers in developing countries and it is fashionable for rich people in countries like india and china to buy cars. i would think that china isn't building all those nice roads for bicycles--i expect more and more cars will be showing up in the coming years.

Limiting greenhouse gases in India and China
enn.com

By 2000, said Sperling's team, Delhi had about 2.6 million motor vehicles - 200 for every 1,000 inhabitants, a rate far higher than most cities with similar incomes.

Now inhabited by about 13 million people, Sperling's team estimates that the population will rise above 22 million by 2020. Motor vehicles, including cars, trucks, and motorized two- and three-wheelers, are expected to grow at an even faster rate. The domestic auto industry is predicting car sale increases of 10 percent per year, they say.
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Shanghai plans expansion of the new airport, construction of a deep water harbor, three new bridges and tunnel river crossings, completion of a 165 mile modern rapid transit rail system, expansion of suburban highways, and construction of 1,240 miles of new and upgraded urban roads.

India car sales defy gloomy predictions
news.bbc.co.uk

Tuesday, 4 September, 2001, 16:41 GMT 17:41 UK

Car sales in India are up 12% on the same period last year

Car sales in India rose 12% in April to August compared with the same period last year, new figures have shown.
Recent data on the Indian economy has mostly been gloomy. But the latest car sales figures are being viewed by some analysts as a sign that things are not all bad for the Indian economy. Car sales can be seen as an indicator of the confidence of consumers and these figures show consumers are confident enough to spend money, they say.

Luxury cars

Sales of luxury cars are doing relatively well in India, according to the latest figures. This suggests that the rich are getting richer and are therefore free to spend their money on such luxuries, the BBC's Sanjeev Srivastava told the BBC's World Business report. "It is very surprising the number of cars Mercedes has sold in the last year. It has never sold so many cars in India," he said. Hyundai's Accent model, the number two best selling car in the country, and Honda are also doing well, he said.

Rural economy

Sales of two-wheeler vehicles have also increased in the last quarter. These vehicles are particularly popular in India's rural communities. Bajaj two-wheelers are particularly sought after and, following sluggish sales figures for the past two years, have shown a jump of nearly 20% in sales.

Sanjeev Srivastava believes this strengthens suggestions that the decline of the rural economy might now have reached its limit. "There are signs of some cheer also because there has been good rainfall this year," he said. "If the monsoon does well then the farmers' incomes is likely to go up and maybe they are spending in advance," he added.



To: Box-By-The-Riviera™ who wrote (966)11/28/2001 10:05:14 AM
From: craig crawford  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 1643
 
Bolder Joins 36-volt Battery Consortium
aftermarket.theautochannel.com

GOLDEN, Colo. -- Bolder Technologies Corp. has become a full operating member of the MIT/Industry Consortium on Advanced Automotive Electrical/Electronic Components and Systems.

Consortium activity is focused on the transition to 42 volt electrical systems (36 volt batteries), as it is believed by many in the industry that the current 12 volt system is not capable of providing the electrical power required to run vehicles of the future.

Members of this industry-wide group include BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Delphi Automotive, Ford, General Motors and Toyota, in addition to other key auto industry leaders from around the world. A primary goal of the consortium is the coordination and conversion of power systems in automobiles from 12 volt to 36 volt as early as 2003, according to Roger F. Warren, Bolder’s chairman, president and CEO.

The transition to 42 volt systems is reportedly needed to meet industry environmental and performance improvement goals, support increasing feature content and address size, weight and capacity issues. It is expected that selected high-end models will convert to 42 volt as early as 2003.

“The auto industry is committed to higher voltage that will allow auto designers to adopt electronic systems that improve fuel efficiency and air quality. Functions such as power steering, power brakes and air conditioning will be powered electrically from the battery system instead of mechanically via belts and pulleys from the engine as they are today,” says Warren.

“In addition, consumer demand for multimedia and enhanced safety features is reinforcing the need for a 42 volt electrical system,” he adds. “We are very proud to be a member of the MIT consortium and believe that Bolder’s Thin Metal Film battery technology will play a key role in the auto industry’s transition to 42 volt systems. As part of the consortium, we will be able to participate in the planning for that transition.”

John Kassakian, director of the MIT Laboratory for Electromagnetic and Electronic Systems and director of the consortium, notes that “we are very pleased to have Bolder Technologies as a consortium member. Their expertise in advanced battery technology will make important contributions to our goals.”

Bolder’s Director of Product Engineering, Richard Johnson, is a member of one of the consortium’s key task groups and is also chairman of the Storage Battery Standards Committee of the Society of Automotive Engineers.

The importance of the auto industry conversion to a 42 volt electronic system was highlighted in recent New York Times and USA Today articles.

Johnson Controls, a consortium member who has licensed Bolder’s TMF technology for its Inspira® battery system for 42 volt architectures, is currently highlighting the opportunity on its corporate website: www.john soncontrols.com/bg/NewTechnologies/index .

Consortium members are: AISIN Seiki, Alcoa Fujikura, AMP, Audi, BMW, Bolder, Continental ISAD, DaimlerChrysler, Dana, Delphi Automotive, DENSO, Dow Automotive, Eaton, Ford Motor, Furukawa Electric, General Motors, Honda, Hitachi, Hyundai Motor, Infineon Technologies, iQ Battery, Japan Storage Battery, Johnson Controls, Johnson Electric NA, Lear, Magneti Marelli, Matsushita Electric, Mitsubishi Electric, Mitsubishi Materials, Motorola, Omron Automotive Electronics, ON Semiconductor, PSA-Peugeot Citroen, Renault, Robert Bosch, Siemens Automotive, Sumitomo Electric, TDK, Tokai Rika, Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, Toyota, Visteon, Volvo and Yazaki.

Bolder Technologies, headquartered in Golden, Colo., manufactures and markets advanced, high-power rechargeable batteries based on its patented Thin Metal Film (TMF®) technology. The company is developing and commercializing consumer and OEM battery products with the TMF technology, including the SecureStart(TM) Portable Jump Starter, that use proven lead-acid electrochemistry in a proprietary configuration with a higher power density than any commercially available rechargeable battery. The company says that the TMF technology offers numerous advantages over existing batteries for current and future applications, including near-term opportunities in the marine and auto aftermarkets for 12V batteries. The website is www.boldertech.com.