New EV form Africa

Launched at the Paris Motor Show, the Optimal Energy Joule looks to be a very promising piece of automotive engineering. Today, GreenCars was fortunate enough to get our hands on a whole lot of detailed information about the car.

Using a normal 220 Volt home outlet and Joule’s onboard charger, it will take approximately seven hours to recharge Joule’s battery for a 200km driving range, with two packs providing 400km in total. Joule’s large battery bay is able to accommodate a number of different battery configurations from different suppliers, giving the customer the choice of performance and cost.

“Studies show that 99 percent of urban users drive less than 150km’s a day, Optimal Energy recommends that only one battery pack is necessary to power Joule,”says Kobus Meiring, CEO of Optimal Energy.

Independent analysis of Eskom, the country’s sole electricity provider, has confirmed that the South African grid has enough capacity to supply electrical energy to millions of cars without affecting its customer base or requiring any additional infrastructure. Eskom has vast amounts of excess energy between 11 PM and 6 AM (GMT +2); this will be the recommended recharging time. Electric cars only require about 20 percent of the energy that conventional cars require; this means that the total emissions are much less, even if Eskom’s coal dominated electricity is used. With the global trend of electricity generation becoming more renewable and cleaner, total emissions caused by electric cars will continue to shrink.

The South African Province of Gauteng is currently being evaluated for Joule’s first assembly plant as it has the biggest cities and has expressed interest in placing the first fleet orders. Although supplier lists are not yet final, it is expected that the local content of Joule will be more than 50 percent. Joule will be sold in all major South African centres; Gauteng, Cape Town and Durban and will be available towards the end of 2010. Joule was developed for the international market and sales and exports will follow shortly after the South African launch.

Battery
Energy is supplied by a modular, large-cell lithium-ion battery pack with sufficient capacity to provide a range of 200km per module. The chassis has space to fit two battery modules which slide in easily from below giving Joule a 400km maximum range.

Brakes
A regenerative braking system for normal driving is used whereby energy recovered with this system goes back into the battery, adding to the car’s range. Four ventilated disk brakes with ABS for emergency braking come standard.

Body
The body consists of a steel space frame with a combination of composite (glass and carbon) and plastic body panels. Side impact protection is provided by high strength steel cross-bars in the doors.

Chassis
The chassis is a flat wafer structure and is the key to Joule’s spacious and versatile interior. The chassis comprises front and rear crumple zones, the batteries and electronics bays; it also provides attachment points for the suspension.

Integrated Vehicle Computer
A uniquely integrated computer developed from EV specific architecture controls all Joule’s onboard systems. Every battery cell is monitored independently to ensure optimal performance and durability of the battery. An integrated, programmable onboard charger ensures that no external charging infrastructure is required and that charging can be synchronized with off-peak electricity.

Propulsion
Joule has two drive options. Firstly, a purpose developed asynchronous permanent magnet motor driving the front wheels through an 8:1 reduction gearbox. Secondly, asynchronous permanent magnet motors located in the wheels, for rear or four wheel drive.

Packaging
Joule was imagineered as a battery electric vehicle from the outset. No compromises were made for the legacy engine or gearbox related influences in the design and layout, providing optimal interior space with minimal exterior footprint.

Performance
Joule, the optimal solution for urban transport sports fast acceleration from a standstill, motorway compatible speed with a top speed of 130km, a tight turning circle, short wheel base and small front and rear overhangs offering a pleasurable driving experience in the modern city environment.

Styling
Joule’s body and interior styling was designed by Keith Helfet. With its simple, elegant lines and self assured stance Joule has a timeless appeal setting it apart from the crowd.

Suspension
The suspension provides a safe, comfortable driving experience, specifically tailored for urban use. The front suspension consists of McPherson struts, whilst the rear suspension employs a semi-independent trailing twist beam system.

From GreenCars.za.net