🚀 go-pugleaf

An article on page 27 of the January issue of Popular Science mentions that
American Flywheel Systems (AFS) have designed a counter-rotating
magnetic-bearing flywheel battery.  The wheel design is of the "rim wheel"
type.  Here are a few excerpts from that article:
     "The rim of each is made from a high-tensile-strength fiber, such as
      Kevlar."
...  "To power a car, a flywheel battery must be capable of rotating at
      150,000 to 200,000 rpm."
...  "Furia says his new battery could make GM's proposed Impact electric
      car go as far as 600 miles on an overnight charge.  The Impact now
      runs on 32 lead-acid batteries and has a range of about 80 miles.
      Replacing the lead-acid batteries with 20 flywheel batteries, each
      weighing 30 pounds, would also improve the car's acceleration,
      according to Furia."
...  "It's very important to overcome the perception of electric cars as
      glorified golf carts or greenmobiles."
...  "The flywheel battery would last about ten time longer than a lead-acid
      battery --- which must be replaced after 25,000 miles.  And since it
      uses no chemicals, it wouldn't create corrosion or disposal problems."
...  "For now, the flywheel battery exists only as a computer simulation.  It
      will take about two years to build a prototype for a car, ..."

Draw from the article what you will.  I know that I like the non-polluting
concept of an electric car, but 25,000 (or so) for a battery swap is not even
appeal at all to me.  Further, an 80 mile limit is too limiting for me: what
if I suddenly have an urgent or emergency situation and have to "plug-in"?
Now, 600 miles is more like it: I don't have to trot-out the charger every
night; I can drive around more or less like I do at present.

Well, that's my "2-cents" worth...
     Ed Meyer