"Bigger Battery Optional, Instead of Bigger Engine
With gasoline and diesel powered vehicles, one of the biggest option choices facing buyers is engine size. 4 cylinders? A V6 maybe? Or even a V8? That's an important decision since the engine is at the heart of a vehicle. But when it comes to electric vehicles, the heart is no doubt the battery. This is why Tesla has announced battery options for its upcoming Model S electric sedan, and it is why Nissan is suggesting that it might eventually offer different battery options with its LEAF electric car.
The Detroit Bureau writes:
ut a senior Nissan planner tells TheDetroitBureau.com that the company eventually give [sic] BEV buyers the electric vehicle's equivalent of choosing engines, offering an array of different battery packs. That would allow a motorist to choose between a lower-range, lower-cost pack, or batteries delivering perhaps twice the mileage, at a higher price, of course. And, as battery technology improves, eco-minded motorists might also be offered batteries that would add a bit more muscle to their green machines.
This makes a lot of sense because batteries will no doubt change a lot over the next few years. Big breakthroughs could happen, costs could go down faster (or slower) than expected because of mass-production, fast-charging stations could pop up everywhere, auto makers could be misjudging demand for EV, etc. A lot of things could happen, and the best way to be prepared is to plan electric cars that are customizable and modular.
I hope that other auto makers working on electric cars are taking notes and planning to offer different battery options. No everybody has the same needs, and one-size fits all could compromise the success of EVs."
Em: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/11 ... -range.php