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Electric DeLorean Foretells Hurdles for Ghosn’s Nissan Leaf

Bloomberg.com -- By Makiko Kitamura and Megumi Yamanaka

Aug. 25 (Bloomberg) -- In the 1985 movie “Back to the Future,” Christopher Lloyd has trouble fueling his DeLorean car after altering it to run on plutonium. Today, Tomoyasu Fujii has the same problem after converting his DeLorean to electric power.

“My biggest headache is that the parking lot in my apartment complex doesn’t have a power outlet,” said Fujii, 39, an advertising salesman at a Hiroshima newspaper, adding that the building manager won’t install a socket. “Since no one else has an electric car, they don’t see why they have to bother.”

Fujii’s 1981 DMC-12 has a lithium-ion battery that takes four hours to charge, so he only drives it on weekends and recharges it at a local workshop. That’s also a hurdle for Nissan Motor Co. Chief Executi

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Submitted Aug 25, 2009 By: UncleCurt

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TOMO_Hiroshima Rookie Author Arizona Posts:1 Points:245 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Sep 22, 2009 9:09:31 AM Ignore TOMO_Hiroshima Report Abuse Thank you for writing comment, everybody. Please come for the following URL if interested. But it is only Japanese. I'm sorry. [Edited by: TOMO_Hiroshima at 9/22/2009 12:15:42 PM EST]
UncleCurt Champion Author Winnipeg Posts:3,571 Points:553,010 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 12:51:13 PM Ignore UncleCurt Report Abuse Nissan working with US, China and locally to make infrastructure for the Electric car. This is good, lets hope every automaker is making the same strides. This helps to be off OPEC oil along with other alternatives. "Earlier this month, the three Japanese electric carmakers and Tokyo Electric Power Co., the nation’s largest utility, set up a committee to plan a national network of standard quick chargers, “indispensable to the popularization of electric cars,” they said in a joint statement." "Nippon Oil Corp., Japan’s largest oil refiner, will set up quick chargers at 22 filling stations nationwide, starting in October, as an experiment to gauge demand." "Nissan also plans to install chargers at dealerships. Outside Japan, it has partnered with U.S.-based Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec), which will install 12,500 220-volt chargers and 250 quick chargers by mid- 2011 in cities in Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington and Tennessee." "Nissan is working with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the government of Wuhan city to develop a network of charging stations, it said in April. The carmaker and partner Renault SA aim to sell electric vehicles in China in 2011."
Cheepo Champion Author Tampa Posts:5,054 Points:2,175,190 Joined:Apr 2003	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 10:43:32 AM Ignore Cheepo Report Abuse Was not DeLorean that built a stainless steel car 40 years ago???
srchr Champion Author San Jose Posts:2,468 Points:688,620 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 8:46:07 AM Ignore srchr Report Abuse the guy should be happy he has a place to park it. japan doesn't allow you to own a car unless you can show you have a parking place - 40 years ago people were tearing out living rooms to make a garage.
RochesterMI Rookie Author Detroit Posts:8 Points:36,465 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 8:34:28 AM Ignore RochesterMI Report Abuse With regard to "brownouts" from overloaded electrical distribution. This could be an issue with people plugging their cars in during the day, during peak electrical usage. However, since the power grids have to support peak daytime loads, there is surplus capacity overnight, where normal charging would occur. This would also provide some benefit by providing a better day-to-night "load balancing".
148366 Champion Author Spokane Posts:3,646 Points:1,031,000 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 8:03:54 AM Ignore 148366 Report Abuse This is but one problem another is the major over load to the power system that already has brown outs when we all plug in our vehicles to charge them
RochBear Champion Author Minnesota Posts:5,527 Points:1,047,215 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:57:48 AM Ignore RochBear Report Abuse This guy strikes me as not using his brain. Hmmm, convert my car, but then not thinking about how he's going to charge it. Here's a simple solution - MOVE TO A DIFFERENT appartment, where there is an outlet. Or run an extention cord.
Don20 Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:4,719 Points:1,642,850 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:50:26 AM Ignore Don20 Report Abuse The electric companies will get their share in the future, if most of vehicle go to electric for City driving..
cnet1 Champion Author Arizona Posts:1,438 Points:410,545 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:45:47 AM Ignore cnet1 Report Abuse I think the oil companies will find a way to get some of the electrical cash. pretty soon, it'll be the electric companies that will ghold all the keys, like oil companies do now
PhilMils Champion Author Virginia Posts:2,109 Points:447,800 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:44:58 AM Ignore PhilMils Report Abuse In some extreme winter parts of the country, apartments come with outlets for cars anyway. They've done it for decades. It could be done in other parts of the country, but apartment owners won't do it until they are forced to do it by demand or law. Nothing new here.
doncNJ Champion Author New Jersey Posts:2,760 Points:561,920 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:43:55 AM Ignore doncNJ Report Abuse Who has to pay for the electircity when I charge mine up in a parking lot ?
boatnerd Sophomore Author Michigan Posts:149 Points:88,215 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:38:48 AM Ignore boatnerd Report Abuse Will each outlet be attached with a credit card reader?
jwalkerh Champion Author Louisiana Posts:2,090 Points:559,410 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:38:06 AM Ignore jwalkerh Report Abuse I guess only homeowner will be able to recharge their car batteries if they have the proper outlets installed.
fire@53 Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:7,051 Points:1,823,450 Joined:May 2003	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:36:20 AM Ignore fire@53 Report Abuse Another reason to think twice before making the jump to electric.
Badmoon Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:3,326 Points:672,040 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:35:18 AM Ignore Badmoon Report Abuse Infrastructure already there for diesel and it can save 20% over gasoline powered autos.
OffRoadAl Veteran Author Wisconsin Posts:462 Points:87,855 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:35:15 AM Ignore OffRoadAl Report Abuse Wont install a socket...time to move on.
RochesterMI Rookie Author Detroit Posts:8 Points:36,465 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:33:47 AM Ignore RochesterMI Report Abuse At least in the near term, "pure" electric cars (no gas engine at all) will be hurt by the inability to easily recharge. What GM is talking about with the VOLT, you get the best of both worlds. The car runs on batteries and has the ability to recapture energy with dynamic braking, but also has the ability to run a small onboard gasoline engine to recharge the batteries when needed. You can then always get the vehicle home at night to be able to get a full charge for the next day's drive. If they are able to keep the initial cost somewhere where it is reasonable, I think they have a winner!
MikenCali Rookie Author California Posts:4 Points:49,030 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:31:44 AM Ignore MikenCali Report Abuse extension cord?????
ElCap Champion Author El Paso Posts:1,235 Points:567,210 Joined:Jan 2007	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:30:17 AM Ignore ElCap Report Abuse What a dork!! He should have considered the lack of outlets prior to converting his car.
murdershewrote Champion Author Riverside Posts:4,617 Points:1,629,535 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:28:37 AM Ignore murdershewrote Report Abuse portable battery charger?..lol
Lonewolftx Champion Author Houston Posts:7,574 Points:1,504,490 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:26:20 AM Ignore Lonewolftx Report Abuse He needs a long extention cord then . . .
VTROCK Champion Author Detroit Posts:1,956 Points:420,830 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:25:00 AM Ignore VTROCK Report Abuse Fuji just needs to watch Back to the Future 2 and make the jump in technology to the flux capacitor that runs of regular household garbage.
jimborama Veteran Author Edmonton Posts:330 Points:768,700 Joined:Mar 2007	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:24:05 AM Ignore jimborama Report Abuse The overall logistics of the electric car make it seem impractical. There seems to be hurdles at every step. At times there are already powder shorages. What happens when everyone starts plugging their car in. Can I use it as an excuse to not go to work if there is a blackout?
MnMarty All-Star Author Twin Cities Posts:608 Points:123,560 Joined:Mar 2009	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:22:57 AM Ignore MnMarty Report Abuse Note: "it will cost about the same a gas cars" ... "That excludes the batteries which will be paid for on monthly payments". Tell me how this is going to save us money. What about battery disposal. What will that cost.
DarthDadJr Champion Author Virginia Posts:3,318 Points:641,635 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:22:48 AM Ignore DarthDadJr Report Abuse Another example why electric cars sound great but in reality are very impractical.
ifallsguy Champion Author Minnesota Posts:2,708 Points:752,850 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:22:32 AM Ignore ifallsguy Report Abuse The problem behind the issue, no where to plug in, infrastructure not able to support the need, lots of people stuck taking the bus and dead cars on roads. Thank you for this view of the future. I now know I will have to pick my way around dead cars, have no parking, but will able to gas up my vehicles.
jmg144 Champion Author Maryland Posts:6,735 Points:2,004,030 Joined:Jul 2004	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:22:18 AM Ignore jmg144 Report Abuse The availability of outdoor electrical outlets will change over the next few years
thirstyauto Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:6,119 Points:638,415 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:22:02 AM Ignore thirstyauto Report Abuse The answer is right there; if there is more need for the power, there will be a greater supply.
BGCowboy Veteran Author Toledo Posts:402 Points:255,230 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:22:01 AM Ignore BGCowboy Report Abuse Who wants one anyhow? Can't haul a load, can't pull a decent sized trailer, and I can't store fuel for it or carry extra to go a long distance or in case of trouble. (which is always just around the corner) Power goes out, I'm stuck. Screw electric cars, gimme cheaper gas or a car that runs on hydrogen or, better yet, COAL. Yeah, a trunk full of coal to take me say maybe 500 miles or more? I could live with that and the exhaust would be great to pull over in front of cell-phone yakkers on the road and smoke 'em into hanging the hell UP.
CharlieC08 Champion Author Colorado Posts:3,797 Points:645,295 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:21:52 AM Ignore CharlieC08 Report Abuse Well I have the electric outlet but not so sure I want the car.
vizilo Champion Author British Columbia Posts:1,916 Points:1,831,620 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:21:20 AM Ignore vizilo Report Abuse Once a DeLorean always a Delorean
albert2008 Champion Author Winnipeg Posts:2,448 Points:524,960 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:21:19 AM Ignore albert2008 Report Abuse its only a matter of time
spunky4443 Champion Author Washington Posts:3,994 Points:1,047,220 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:20:12 AM Ignore spunky4443 Report Abuse Don't think Japan has that much problems.
Pucked Champion Author Fort Worth Posts:1,091 Points:210,780 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:19:53 AM Ignore Pucked Report Abuse Just wait and see what elect. fuel centers charge for that service.
knifeman9 Champion Author North Carolina Posts:1,380 Points:528,280 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:19:43 AM Ignore knifeman9 Report Abuse And I always thought the one in Back to the future ran with a mini nuclear reactor, something like a rolling bomb going somewhere to explode!
Retowered Champion Author Colorado Posts:4,142 Points:1,721,075 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:19:01 AM Ignore Retowered Report Abuse Buy a powered generator and take it with you.
ChiefDrake All-Star Author Dallas Posts:651 Points:206,575 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:15:34 AM Ignore ChiefDrake Report Abuse If Americans could invest a LOT of funds into research for the ultimate battery, then we could push these guys out of the market. But then again, there's Hydrogen....
BlueTucson All-Star Author Syracuse Posts:560 Points:637,180 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:13:47 AM Ignore BlueTucson Report Abuse Hmm. Let's take a perfectly good car and invest lots of time and energy making it into a car that can't easily be refueled, will only go about 30 miles, and doesn't have heat or air conditioning. But at least he doesn't have to pay for gas.
TTI2000 All-Star Author Colorado Springs Posts:642 Points:474,870 Joined:Aug 2004	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:12:13 AM Ignore TTI2000 Report Abuse If the auto industry is going to put out more electric vehicles, they might have to put some money into city infrastructures in order to get more electric outlets available for charging. Do you ever see that happening? No way.
kyrunner Champion Author Lexington Posts:3,906 Points:720,735 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:11:27 AM Ignore kyrunner Report Abuse As long as the federal government is involved in electric cars development it will remain a loser for all taxpayers.
milespergallon Champion Author Illinois Posts:4,973 Points:1,046,195 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:10:37 AM Ignore milespergallon Report Abuse This will probably encourage the current administration to push for electric. They could probably come up with more things to stick the fingers into and get more socialism, I mean control. COME ONE HYDROGEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wizrd03 Champion Author Illinois Posts:3,198 Points:656,555 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:07:52 AM Ignore Wizrd03 Report Abuse The DeLorean in back to the future II ran on garbage... Someday we can only hope. Until then this article clearly demonstrates what will happen with electrics...dead cars on the side of the road 'cause the driver thought he could make it home those last two miles. The bigger problem is that you'll have to sit on the side of the road while that portable charging vehicle lets you plug in for that fast charge to go those last few miles (new business opportuity anyone???) no dumping a couple of gallons into the tank and off you go! A lot is being touted about fast charging in 4 hours with a 240V capable charger. The enemy of all batteries is heat and that is precisely what you get when you fast charge. Will warranties be voided when you continually fast charge? With mny drive to work I woun't have 14 hours to do a normal re-charge overnight, more like 10.
LilRedWagonIN Champion Author Indiana Posts:2,803 Points:601,855 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:06:40 AM Ignore LilRedWagonIN Report Abuse Tomoyasu should move to another apartment building whose owners are more sympathetic to electric powered vehicles. At Japanese rental prices it shouldn't be a concern.
Bigwaynef Champion Author South Carolina Posts:3,929 Points:1,117,995 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:04:16 AM Ignore Bigwaynef Report Abuse Now I have driven a Delorean many years ago, but to geta chance to drive or ride in an electric Delorean...I don't think so!
walkit1 Champion Author Memphis Posts:1,249 Points:718,675 Joined:Jan 2007	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:04:14 AM Ignore walkit1 Report Abuse Electric cars for America are still a few years away. I have a fear they will be way to costly. We have already let big government into transportation and that is a huge mistake!!!
squeakyUT All-Star Author Salt Lake City Posts:874 Points:244,520 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:04:05 AM Ignore squeakyUT Report Abuse Looks like a problem the government should stick it's fingers in and screw up even more.
BillHeatherL Champion Author Alberta Posts:2,751 Points:978,135 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:04:00 AM Ignore BillHeatherL Report Abuse electric cars do nothing to help the environment, they just transfer their co2 emissions to the power plants
GasitupJB Champion Author Columbia Posts:3,748 Points:567,850 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:03:01 AM Ignore GasitupJB Report Abuse There are many businesses that allow people to recharge their electric vehicles. There are three within a few miles of my office including a Lowe's. If someone lives in an apartment and doesn't have the ability to recharge their vehicle......move. Also, most trips in America are less than the 40-100 miles each way that these cars will stay charged for.
MightyDude Champion Author Minnesota Posts:5,320 Points:1,669,370 Joined:Mar 2003	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:01:13 AM Ignore MightyDude Report Abuse must be in management ;)
VetteBlue Champion Author San Jose Posts:5,466 Points:1,117,585 Joined:Jan 2007	Message Posted: Aug 25, 2009 7:00:24 AM Ignore VetteBlue Report Abuse Infra structure is always a problem for a new product. Solve it or the product will not survive,.