抄録
Today's EV has two weak points, that is, short driving distance and high cost. Both are due to a battery. With an air conditioner, the driving distance becomes shorter. Especially, it becomes still shorter in the heating condition. The problems will be able to be solved by carrying an additional energy source; a biogas (methane) engine is thought to be a best answer, because CO_2 emitted by the engine is carbon neutral; both the heating for the air condition and the battery charging are done by the biogas engine. The carrying battery quantity will be able to be minimized; of course, sufficient biogas has to be carried; the cost of the EV will become lower. In chill and snowy areas, a four wheel drive is also indispensable. After 5 years, the EV with the biogas engine and a conventional four wheel drive will be constructed and tested. We think that the EV will be wide use, especially in the chill and snowy areas, because of low cost and low carbon. In future, after more than 10 years, the next generation EV for chill and snowy areas will be realized; at present time, an in-wheel motor system and a steer-by-wire system are under research and developments; the EV becomes more safe and comfortable by these systems; high power density motors and magnetostrictive force sensors are indispensable in those systems; the keys are to develop high performance magnetic materials.
