Tag Archives: Middle Tennessee State University

GM Announces Major Breakthrough in Electric Car Batteries

This might be only the second full week of August, but already it is the month of hybrid and electric cars. Earlier this week, we told you about new technology out of Middle Tennessee State University that will transform normal vehicles into fuel-efficient hybrid cars.  Yesterday, GM continued the trend by making a major announcement about the future of electric cars.

GM CEO Dan Akerson announced at an employee meeting Thursday that there has been a breakthrough in the lithium-ion batteries used in electric cars. Right now, the Chevrolet Volt can go for about 35 miles per electric charge with a gas motor that kicks in if the battery power runs out. Akerson announced that the new batteries would be able to travel 100 miles per charge, nearly three times its current power, and he teased that the batteries would soon be able to travel up to 200 miles per charge. He called the increased battery power a “game changer” in the industry.

Even with this great news, though, GM is still being cautious and keeping their business in mind while exploring hybrids and electric cars. If it turns out that they can’t make 200-mile batteries, they are also working on hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and natural gas vehicles. Akerson compared focusing solely on electric cars to putting “all of our chips on one bet” and assured GM employees and the public that GM would explore all of their options.

If GM came out with electric cars that could go 200 miles on one charge, would you take one for a test drive? Leave a comment below, and tell us what you think!

GM’s new high-powered electric cars are still a ways off, but Approved Loan Store wants to help you get into a new or used car today. Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we want to help you! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and keep up with the latest auto news by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Tennessee Student Invention Changing the Future of Hybrid Cars

New green technology is becoming more of a necessity as every year goes by, and though hybrid cars are starting to become more popular, Americans have been slow to adapt to this new technology. A new invention out of the Middle Tennessee State University, though, promises hybrid car technology without having to buy a new car.

For five years, Dr. Charles Perry has been working with MTSU students to create an electric propulsion system that doubles a car’s fuel economy and can be installed for a reasonable price. He showed off a prototype of the system in a YouTube video which was posted to the MTSU YouTube channel a little less than two weeks ago. Already, they have four pending patents, and MTSU is exploring their options in commercializing this new technology.

Up until now, Americans as a whole have wanted better fuel economy, but at the same time, they have been wary of electric and hybrid cars. Maybe it was the price or technical bugs. Maybe they believed that buying a hybrid car would limit their options, or maybe they just hated the notion of trading in their powerful truck for an itty-bitty hybrid. Up until now, the idea has been to make whole new cars and make them appealing to the public, but with this new system from MTSU, drivers can have their car cake and eat it too. They can keep the car they love and upgrade its fuel economy for as little as $3,000.

It will probably be awhile yet until these systems are available for purchase, but if you are looking for a more fuel efficient vehicle now, Approved Loan Store wants to help! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and keep up with the latest auto news by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!