Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Hybrid Car - Indiana May Lead Auto Battery Innovation Again

Indiana may once again be at the forefront of the next generation of auto innovation. The state government has finalized plans for the Indiana Energy Systems Network. Among the directives for this coalition is action to stimulate the manufacture of batteries for hybrid cars. According to industry experts, some of the best minds for battery development are in Indiana.

It's a legacy that began with the Munson Company of LaPorte, Indiana. The company is recognized as the first to build a gasoline-electric car in America in 1896.

This electric machine automatically operated as either a generator or a motor, according to the speed of the engine. The driver started the Munson vehicle by moving a controller lever located in front of the driver. This sent current from the storage battery to the electric machine, which then acted as a motor and started the gasoline engine. When the engine came up to speed, current was reversed through the machine. The motor then became the generator, sending charging current back to the storage battery.

The Munson electrical starter was used about 16 years before other manufacturers widely employed the idea. Most of the contemporary cars were hand-cranked.

Munson touted that 10 gallons of gasoline would power the car 100 miles or more over ordinary, well-traveled roads at about five to 15 miles per hour. This was an enormous improvement over the range of standard electric automobiles of the day, which traveled about 30 to 40 miles per charge.

In a 1896 Munson brochure, the company touted its vehicles' benefits over the current modes of automotive vehicles:

• The Munson vehicles combined the good points of both the gasoline engine and electric motor.
• No manual starting apparatus was required.
• The electric motor automatically supplied the extra power required when the engine was taxed beyond its normal speed and acted as a speed controller when descending hills.
• The required storage battery was 50 percent lighter. Plus, the Munson battery would outlast batteries used in the electric autos of the time.

The brochure also showed three different vehicles for sale:

• A single-seat buggy with seven horsepower
• A two-seat passenger vehicle with 12 horsepower
• A delivery wagon with 12 to 15 horsepower.

The Munson Company, however, found that it could not compete with companies that produced cars propelled by gasoline only. Gasoline was inexpensive at the time. Electric cars were also limited in traveling distance because of the capacity of the battery to hold its charge. Plus, the battery was extremely heavy.

The battery charge and weight issues are still the problems that engineers and designers are trying to rectify. Indiana professionals may once again lead the way for efficient and economical solutions.