ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, December 13, 1995 TAG: 9512130033
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ATLANTA
SOURCE: Associated Press
THE TWO BIG CAR COMPANIES want to set a standard motorists can get a charge out of. General Motors, however, wants to go with a different flow.
Chrysler Corp. and Ford Motor Co. took a small step toward making electric cars more attractive to the public Tuesday by agreeing to use the same type of charging system for the batteries.
``The goal is to avoid the VHS-vs.-Beta problems we saw with early videotape technology,'' said John Wallace, director of Ford's electric vehicle systems.
However, General Motors Corp., the nation's largest automaker, is pursuing a different - and incompatible - charging system, throwing a wrench into the goal of adopting common standards for the fledgling industry.
A common charging system would allow drivers of different brands of electric vehicles to charge up at the same ``fueling'' points, just as drivers of gasoline-powered cars can refuel at any gas station.
In addition to recharging equipment in the garage at home, automakers envision public charging stations where drivers can recharge their vehicle while they shop or dine.
``The buyer has to perceive that they won't run out of electricity if they've driven more than 50 miles from their house. That's one of the things we're working on,'' said Gene Seider, an engineer with SCI Systems Inc., which developed the conductive charging system adopted by Ford and Chrysler.
Still, a peek under the hood of Chrysler's electric minivan shows why it will be a hard sell. The 27 batteries raise its cost substantially, weigh it down so much that it can hold only five passengers and limit drivers to 60 miles between long rechargings.
``It will obviously have a limited customer base,'' said Robert Feldmaier, executive engineer for Chrysler's electric minivan program.
Ford and Chrysler announced their agreement at an industry convention while unveiling a new electric-powered Ford Ranger pickup and the minivan.
The electric pickup costs about $30,000, compared with $12,000 for the gasoline-powered model. The 2,000 pounds of batteries last only 58 miles between rechargings, which take six hours when the juice is drained.
Every three years, the batteries must be replaced for $2,000 to $3,000.
``If we can get to a 10-year battery, then all those commercial markets will open up to us ... and then we won't have to have these shows anymore,'' said Mike Clement, head of marketing for Chrysler's electric vehicles.
Today, the market for electric cars is limited mainly to governments, utility companies and other businesses that use fleets of vehicles. California regulations require the larger automakers to start selling electric vehicles there in 1998.
GM is developing electric vehicles with an inductive charging system. It recharges batteries in half the time of the conductive system and uses plastic hardware rather than metal, which GM contends could be dangerous when recharging in the rain.
``We totally agree that there does have to be common standards, but right now the customer is telling us they like the inductive system,'' said Joseph H. Ricciardi Jr., head of marketing for GM Electric Vehicles.
Conductive charging is the traditional method of connecting electrical equipment to power sources. An electric clothes dryer, with a special plug for a certain kind of socket, uses a conductive connection.
The inductive system is similar to that used in a cordless toothbrush or telephone.
``The issue in our mind is really cost. We think the conductive system is substantially less expensive and we think it will be more easily serviceable by today's technicians,'' Ford electric vehicle engineer Lawrence Simmering said.
The conductive charging system costs about $1,000 to install at home, while an inductive system probably would cost about $2,000, Ford spokesman Howard Hampton said.
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. SCI Systems engineer Gene Seider (right) shows aby CNBconductive charging prototype to Robert Davis, (center) of Chrysler
and John Wallace of Ford at a trade show Tuesday. color.