EV Digest 6817
Topics covered in this issue include:
1) EVLN(Amberjac building pih li-ion pack for Zytek 07/08 trials)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
2) EVLN(The 'driving' force behind EVs)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
3) Re: Triangle wave generator
by tt2tjw <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
4) EVLN(LTC's GAIA Akkumulatorenwerke LiFePO4 batteries)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
5) EVLN(WA EVs in search of outlets)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
6) EVLN(MT&WA 35mph Medium Speed EV law SB0185)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
7) EVLN(The world needs more Wade Sharbonos, Metro EV conversion)-long
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
8) EVLN(East Chicago Central HS student Ranger EV conversion)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
9) EVLN(Seabury Hall student Maui cruiser EV conversion)-long
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
10) EVLN($19m USDoE PHEV R&D fund)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
11) EVLN(Media's 'hybrids are EVs / EVs are hybrids' confusion)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Amberjac building pih li-ion pack for Zytek 07/08 trials)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.socialfunds.com/news/release.cgi/8469.html
Corporate Social Responsibility Press Release
Provided by CSRwire
05/09/2007: Press Release from Amberjac Projects Limited
Amberjac Projects Wins Development Order to Build Integrated Plug
In Hybrid Battery for Zytek Systems
(CSRwire) UNITED KINGDOM,- May 9, 2007- Zytek Systems have placed
a development order for a fully integrated plug in hybrid
Lithium-Ion battery system with Amberjac Projects Ltd.
The project is an EST funded programme to create a working
example of a passenger Hybrid Vehicle with extended electric only
range, the car is scheduled to be delivered back to Zytek for
trials in August 2007.
Amberjac Projects were chosen as the supplier of the battery
system from their extensive experience in creating battery
systems for vehicular applications.
Simon Sheldon, Managing Director of Amberjac said âThis is a
great opportunity for both Zytek and Amberjac to demonstrate plug
in hybrid systems as an effective transport solution and show we
have the capability to put this type of system in place today
rather than on the extended timescales other players in this
field are working toâ.
He also said, "Amberjac Projects have a history of delivering on
its promises, we have already launched our plug in hybrid
conversion for the Toyota Prius, in conjunction with our partners
in California EnergyCS, on an advanced prototype basis with early
adopters, having delivered 6 conversion systems in Europe since
January out of the first batch of 10 systems, this programme will
be expanded with more vehicles to follow."
Amberjac Projects has seen its client base expand dramatically to
include development for a several of the Automotive Original
Equipment Manufactures (OEMâs) who have recognised that there
are very few companies demonstrating and delivering capability in
this area.
For further information on this press release or further details
of Amberjac Projects solutions please contact Simon Sheldon,
Managing Director.
Amberjac Projects Ltd Unit 14, Henry Bells Yard Dysart Road
Grantham United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 1476 563090 Mobile: +44 (0)
77805 96186 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.amberjacprojects.com
Zytek Systems Fradley Business Park Fradley Lichfield United
Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 1543 412789 www.zytekgroup.co.uk
© 1998-2007 SRI World Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story. Play
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--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(The 'driving' force behind EVs)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.physorg.com/news98367512.html
The 'driving' force behind electric vehicles
Cultural differences between countries run right to the heart of
government, thereby influencing technological innovation. This is
reported in a comparative study by David Calef and Robert Goble
published recently in the journal Policy Sciences. The authors
outline efforts taken throughout the 1990s by both the US and
French governments to adopt legislation fostering technological
innovation to improve urban air quality by promoting clean
vehicles, specifically electric vehicles (EVs). The study
highlights the differences in approach and policy-making style by
both governments and how this might have affected the final
outcome.
In the Californian example, mandates were instituted that
required zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) to make up a certain
percentage of car production and sales, with fines imposed for
not reaching targets. Both the oil and auto industries opposed
this and lobbied heavily against it. There was intensive media
coverage of the debate and environmentalists spoke out on both
sides. All parties were locked in a confrontational relationship
fueled by a longstanding mutual mistrust. Public participation
was openly sought.
The French mandate, however, was characterized by heavy
government involvement. Much of the interaction between
government and businesses was conducted behind closed doors,
free of public scrutiny. Unlike in the US, no group ever
complained that EVs were a problem. A treaty was made between the
state-owned electricity company, the auto industry and local
administrative institutions to contribute to the development of
the EV. No penalties were imposed for failing to meet targets.
Subsidies were provided to encourage individuals to buy EVs.
The diversity in the policies adopted reflect both practical and
cultural differences between the USA and France. American cities
are characterized by urban sprawl (which makes EVs difficult to
use), the gasoline tax is low and the environmental lobby is
political and vocal. Frances cities, conversely, have a
typically dense layout making EVs more practical. The nuclear
power industry has little opposition and has excess capacity to
provide electricity. Awareness of green issues in France is low
and the high gasoline tax is a substantial source of revenue for
the government.
In the end, the different ways used to achieve the same goal had
no effect on the outcome. Both countries failed to reduce urban
pollution in line with targets. However, the stricter legislation
in the USA compelled the automotive industry to come up with an
alternative solution which it did in the form of hybrid cars.
This is typical, the authors observed, because in the US,
technological solutions are preferred over behavioral change. In
France, technological solutions are strongly related to national
prestige as a form of cultural elitism. France failed to make
this a grand project and the lack of public awareness may have
failed to drive it forward.
This comparison shows that individual cultures still have
standard operating procedures which reflect deep-rooted
national political and social cultures despite increasing
globalization. It also suggests that governments should take into
account the cultural dimension when promoting policy change.
Citation: Calef D and Goble R (2007). The allure of technology:
How France and California promoted electric and hybrid vehicles
to reduce urban air pollution. (Policy Sciences, Vol. 40, No. 1,
DOI 10.1007/s11077-006-9022-7)
Source: Springer Copyright ©2003-2006 PhysOrg.com
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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____________________________________________________________________________________Yahoo!
oneSearch: Finally, mobile search
that gives answers, not web links.
http://mobile.yahoo.com/mobileweb/onesearch?refer=1ONXIC
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Lee Hart wrote:
tt2tjw wrote:
What about this driver data sheet
http://www.pwrx.com/pwrx/docs/vla500_01.pdf
Now you've got the right idea! Notice that it's not one chip; it's a
PC board with a bunch of chips. And, you can see the discrete driver
transistors needed to get that 12 amp peak gate drive current.
If you're a skilled designer, you could probably build your own
version of this circuit cheaper. But if you're a novice, you're better
off buying the module.
thanks for that Lee,
I don't see how even a skilled engineer could build their own version
cheaper unless their time was worth nothing.
Is there any reason to build your own other than being interested in
electronics?
Tom Ward
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(LTC's GAIA Akkumulatorenwerke LiFePO4 batteries)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070514005240&newsLang=en
Next Generation Battery Technology Makes Hybrid and Electric
Vehicles a Reality Lithium Technology Corporation offers the
Largest Lithium Iron Phosphate Cells in World May 14, 2007
PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The battery power
solution for advanced automotives has arrived. Lithium
Technology Corporation announced today its new product
line of lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) cells, the largest cells
of their kind in the world. This is the answer the automotive
industry has been searching for.
The technology we can offer the automotive industry today is
unmatched by any other battery power solution on the market,
commented Dr. Klaus Brandt, executive vice president of LTC and
managing director of LTC subsidiary GAIA Akkumulatorenwerke
(GAIA). Others have been estimating up to a year to deliver the
technology we are proud to make available today. We have proven
the superiority of our technology in the past, and with the iron
phosphate product we have raised the bar even further.
LTC, a global provider of large lithium-ion rechargeable power
solutions has focused solely on the development and production of
large format lithium-ion batteries for more than twenty years.
Unlike others, our advanced cells use LiFePO4 licensed
technology, developed by Prof. John Goodenough with the
University of Texas and supplied by Phostech; this chemistry
coupled with the companys innovative end-to-end manufacturing
processes and proprietary design, packaging and assembly
techniques, allow LTC to provide high performance cells unmatched
by any other product.
Batteries made of LTCs cells can provide 3000 charging cycles,
which would be able to do 150,000 miles to 80% capacity for a 100
km or 60 mile all electric range plug in hybrid, which no other
technology can claim, said Dr. Andrew Frank, Professor,
Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering at the University of
California, Davis. The new cells from LTC provide improved
safety with the iron phosphate chemistry while delivering the
impeccable performance they are known for, which is what the auto
makers have been in search of; this is a Company that is
seriously committed to making hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric
vehicles an affordable reality for the consumer.
LTCs large format technology allows for the development of safer
battery systems with a significantly lower number of cells. The
weight of the battery is decreased while performance and safety
monitoring capabilities are increased. The battery management
system (BMS) is more precise monitoring fewer cells, keeping them
in balance for best performance and preventing damage to the
battery due to over voltage, under voltage, over temperature and
short circuit.
The Companys new product line offers cells ranging from 6 Ah to
35 Ah. Further statistics will be discussed at an expo of LTCs
breadth of power solution on May 23rd in New York City.
About Lithium Technology Corporation: Lithium Technology
Corporation (LTC) is a global provider of large format
rechargeable power solutions for diverse applications, and offers
the largest lithium-ion cells with the highest power of any
standard commercial lithium ion cell produced in the western
hemisphere. With more than 20 years of experience, LTC leverages
its extensive expertise in high power and large battery
assemblies to commercialize advanced lithium batteries as a new
power source in the military and national security systems,
transportation and stationary power markets.
LTC manufactures the GAIA® product line of large, high power
hermetically sealed rechargeable lithium-ion cells and batteries.
The Company's product portfolio includes large cells and
batteries from 10 times the capacity of a standard laptop
computer battery to 100,000 times greater. LTC manufactures a
variety of standard cells that are assembled into custom large
batteries complete with electronics (battery management systems)
and electronics to communicate with other components of the
system for performance monitoring.
LTC headquarters are located in Plymouth Meeting, PA, and R&D in
Nordhausen, Germany. LTC sales for the U.S. and European markets
are managed out of each of the offices. For more information
about LTC, its technology and products, please visit
http://www.lithiumtech.com.
Safe Harbor for Forward-looking Statements: [...] Contacts The
Red Consultancy Allyson Curtis, 212-529-8474
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
© Business Wire 2007
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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a vacation? Get great deals
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EVLN(WA EVs in search of outlets)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.theolympian.com/environment/story/111919.html
Cars in search of outlets by John Dodge May 20, 2007
[(Toni L. Bailey/The Olympian)
http://media.theolympian.com/smedia/2007/05/20/16/777-car.standalone.prod_affiliate.38.jpg
Joe Lambrix tests the newly installed electric vehicle plug-ins
Friday at Bayview Thriftway. Thriftway has created plug-ins for
electric cars at Bayview and Ralph's partially because of a
request from electric car owner Lambrix.]
OLYMPIA When Olympia resident Joe Lambrix took possession of
his three-wheeled electric vehicle, he embarked on a campaign to
create a network of plug-in stations he and the 10 or so other
electric vehicle owners in South Sound could use.
Because Lambrixs ZAP Zebra only goes about 25 miles on a full
charge of the vehicles six batteries, he could use a few
electric outlets at which to recharge.
The first two of what Lambrix hopes will be many more opened over
the weekend at Bayview Thriftway and Ralphs Thriftway in
Olympia.
Kevin Stormans, co-owner of the locally owned stores, ran
110-volt plugs to one parking stall at each store, then posted
green-and-white signs next to them that read, Electric Vehicle
Charging Stall, Electric Vehicle Parking Only.`
Lambrix, who said he has spent about 100 hours contacting South
Sound businesses, shopping centers and local governments about
installing plug-in stations, said Stormans was the first to
accommodate the small fleet of electric cars in South Sound.
This should get the ball rolling, Lambrix said Friday when he
plugged his 25-foot electric cord into the Bayview station to
make sure it worked.
Stormans said the store owners spent a few hundred dollars
extending the power to the parking lots from the store. But he
said its worth it.
Were always looked for ways to satisfy customers needs, he
said. It was something that made sense.
Lambrix, an Intercity Transit bus driver who also uses solar
power at his west Olympia home, said it takes about 4.5 hours to
fully recharge the vehicle batteries at a cost of about 21
cents.
If he plugs in for a 30-minute shopping trip at the grocery
store, hell juice up enough to go 2 or 3 miles, costing Stormans
less than a nickel in power costs.
With a resurgence in consumer interest in all-electric cars that
has been driven by soaring gasoline prices and a new breed of
vehicles called plug-in hybrids on the way into the U.S.
marketplace, Lambrix said the time is right to build a plug-in
infrastructure in South Sound. Hybrids run on both electricity
and gasoline.
Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids are expected to play a role
in efforts across the nation, including in Washington, to curb
greenhouse-gas emissions from burning fossil fuels.
A bill passed by the 2007 state Legislature does two things to
give electric vehicles a push. House Bill 1303:
Authorized the state to purchase power at its own expense to
recharge private- and public-owned plug-in electric vehicles at
state-owned buildings.
Directed the state departments of Ecology and Community, Trade
and Economic Development to study and report on what role
electric cars can play in the state goal of weaning state and
local government motor vehicle fleets off gasoline by 2015.
Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids are going to be part of the
solution, said Paul Knox, a board member of Olympia-based
Climate Solutions, a non-profit group working on global-warming
issues.
©2007 The Olympian
===
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2007/05/plug_in_cars.html
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Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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. EV List Editor & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
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____________________________________________________________________________________Building
a website is a piece of cake. Yahoo! Small Business gives you all the tools to
get online.
http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/webhosting
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EVLN(MT&WA 35mph Medium Speed EV law SB0185)
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informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.evworld.com/article.cfm?storyid=1259
The Medium Speed Electric Vehicle Conundrum By Bill Moore
Montana and Washington State have passed laws enabling 35 mph
electric vehicles.
[PHOTO CAPTION:
http://www.evworld.com/images/fiat_microcar.jpg
Fiat concept Microcar is powered by a small internal combustion
engine. Under European law, they can be driven without a
license, but their top speed is 45 km/h (30 mph). A Medium
Speed EV law would allow similar types of vehicles to operate
at a top speed of 35 mph, instead of the current 25 mph.]
On April 23, 2007 Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer leaned over
the short hood of a ZENN electric car outside the capitol
building in Helena and signed into law SB0185, creating the
nation's first Medium Speed Electric Vehicle (MSEV) regulation. A
similar measure has been approved in Washington State and awaits
the governor's signature.
But what seems like an innocuous piece of legislation, the kind
that gets passed by the score in State Houses across America, is
likely to be the match to a short fuse that could set off a
powder keg of lawsuits that divide the embryonic electric car
industry.
SB0185 is slated to take effect this summer once the state's DMV
computer system creates a category for MSEVs, which are a bold,
some would argue risky, step to widen the market niche for
electric cars. At present, there are two classes of EVs:
highway-capable models that meet all the safety requirements of
their gasoline and hybrid counterparts. There are, at best, a few
thousand of these registered in America. Some are converted
gasoline engine vehicles, while a few hundred were built by
automakers to comply with the the California Zero Emission
Vehicle mandate of the late 90's.
[...]
Copyright 1998-2007, EVWorld.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
Non-subscriber content on EV World may be freely distributed with
the only stipulation being that EV World be credited and a link
is provided back to the site. Some portions of this website
require a $29.00US annual subscription. EVWorld.com, Inc. - P.O.
Box 461132 - Papillion, Nebraska 68046 USA. Direct all
correspondence to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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. EV List Editor & AFV newswires
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____________________________________________________________________________________
Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story. Play
Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games.
http://sims.yahoo.com/
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(The world needs more Wade Sharbonos, Metro EV conversion)-long
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.minotdailynews.com/News/articles.asp?articleID=11269
Man converts car to electric power By DAN FELDNER Staff
Writer [EMAIL PROTECTED] Saturday, May 26, 2007
[Dan Feldner/MDN
http://www.minotdailynews.com/News/image_generator.asp?
Wade Sharbono shows off the electric power plant under the hood
of his 1991 Geo Metro Friday afternoon at his home west of Devils
Lake. The entire project, including the car, only cost Sharbono
around $2,500 and he said it gets the equivalent of over 100
miles per gallon.]
DEVILS LAKE The high-pitched whine coming from Wade Sharbonos
1991 Geo Metro has turned more than a few heads the past few
years as he commutes between Devils Lake and his home every day
for less money than it takes to buy a snack at the gas station.
Sharbono spent the winter two years ago building an electric car
and has been improving it ever since. The total cost of the
project, including the car, was around $2,500, and Sharbono said
its worked wonderfully for his daily eight-mile commute to
Devils Lake and back. He noted that the car costs about three
cents per mile to run at current electrical rates, which gives
him the equivalent of over 100 miles per gallon.
The electric motor driving the wheels, which is a
starter/generator from a jet engine, is powered by 12 six-volt
lead-acid batteries, providing a total of 72 volts of power. A
12-volt battery powers all of the original electrical equipment
in the Metro, such as the turn signals and headlights.
When Sharbono first considered building an electric car, he said
about the only person who took him seriously was his wife,
Michelle. Everybody else he mentioned his idea to had the same
reaction.
They just thought it was really ridiculous that Id be doing
something like this. ... Now that Ive got it built and Im
running it, now everybody thinks its the greatest thing ever
since sliced toast, Sharbono said.
The top speed of the car is about 65 mph, though Sharbono
generally only does 50-55 mph so he doesnt strain the batteries.
He has driven up to 20 miles on a single charge, but said the car
is capable of going 30 or 40 miles before needing to be
recharged.
A project like this isnt for the faint of heart, which Sharbono
is most assuredly not. He works for the City of Devils Lake in
the street department during the day, and in the evenings he owns
a small engine repair business. Hes even rigged a boiler to heat
his shop and home by burning lignite coal, so hes a veteran of
do-it-yourself projects.
Using plans he found on the Internet, Sharbono said it took him
about two months of on-and-off work to complete the car. Being as
mechanically adept as he is and a self-described workaholic,
Sharbono did all the work himself. He bought the parts he needed
online and fabricated what he could in his shop to keep the costs
down.
The hardest thing was doing the conversion on the electric motor,
getting that to fit into the transmission, he said. They do
sell adapter kits out there, but I was too cheap to buy one, so I
just made my own.
While Sharbonos electric car may turn peoples heads when they
hear it coming, their jaws would probably drop if they peered
through the window and saw it was a stick shift. With a top rpm
of 8,000, the Metro sounds like a giant remote controlled car as
Sharbono flies through the gears and gets it up to highway speed
much more quickly than one would think.
It has enough power to spin the wheels in first gear, he said.
To make the car usable during the winter months, Sharbono has
installed a heating system, which consists of two hair dryers
powered by the 72-volt main battery pack. He still has some work
to do on that, however. The switch Sharbono installed to operate
the hair dryers isnt heavy enough and gets melted down when he
flips it on, so a heavier switch will need to be installed when
he can find some spare time.
The high price of gas was one of the reasons Sharbono originally
built the car, but he said the possibility of a gas crunch in the
future where gas stations wouldnt have fuel for days or even
weeks at a time is what really drove him to convert his Metro. To
further ease his reliance on gas and power companies, he would
like to someday put up windmills to help generate electricity to
charge his car. Hes also thinking of installing solar panels on
the Metro. Sharbono said that they wouldnt be able to power the
car when it was running, but would help charge it on a sunny
day.
Sharbono said it will probably be a while until electric cars
become a more normal occurrence on the road. He noted that the
biggest problem with making them more mainstream isnt the clout
of oil companies, but our own need for speed.
We all want our high-powered cars. We all want to go zero to 100
mph in less than five seconds, and thats the biggest problem,
Sharbono said.
While the electric car has been a great success, Sharbono has
another automotive project hes thinking about doing in the
future. He would like to install a gasifier to run his pickup. It
burns material such as coal or wood and converts that energy to
power that drives the wheels. He even said he could pull up to a
garbage dump and throw anything that burns into the gasifier,
which would allow his truck to literally run on trash.
But first he has to fix the hair dryers in his Metro.
===
http://www.minotdailynews.com/editorials/articles.asp?articleID=11335
An old car, a little money and a lot of ingenuity can go a long
way Friday, May 25, 2007
Wade Sharbono endured more than his share of good-natured
ridicule when he told people he was building his own electric
car. No one thinks the Devils Lake man is crazy anymore.
Sharbono spent about $2,500, including the cost of the car, on
his 1991 Geo Metro. He uses his electric creation to drive the
eight miles to work every day, using about three cents worth of
electricity per mile.
Sharbono, a self-described workaholic and fix-it-man, spent the
winter two years ago transforming his Metro into an electric car
capable of hitting speeds of 65 miles per hour. He found the
original plans on the Internet, but did all the work himself and
fabricated whatever parts he couldnt buy.
Certainly Sharbonos creation wont be ready for mass production
any time soon. Still, his success shows what can be done by
someone with a used car, some money and a lot of ingenuity. Even
if he only drives the Metro back and forth to work every day, it
will soon pay for itself if gas prices stay in the $3.40 per
gallon range. Who knows maybe Wade Sharbono has stumbled onto a
whole new business for himself.
The world needs more Wade Sharbonos.
The Minot Daily News: Jim Eykyn, Publisher, Bryan L. Obenchain,
Editor Copyright © 2007 The Minot Daily News
===
http://www.whitepages.com/10001/log_feature/pers_search_w_email/search/FindPerson?firstname_begins_with=1&firstname=Wade&name=Sharbono&city_zip=&state_id=ND
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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. EV List Editor & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
: MEPIS Linux & WiFi powered :
____________________________________________________________________________________Need
a vacation? Get great deals
to amazing places on Yahoo! Travel.
http://travel.yahoo.com/
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--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(East Chicago Central HS student Ranger EV conversion)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://nwitimes.com/articles/2007/05/25/news/lake_county/docef1326761574bac2862572e5007ef154.txt
Ivy Tech to convert gas vehicle to electric
BY CARMEN McCOLLUM [EMAIL PROTECTED] May 25, 2007
EAST CHICAGO | With the cost of gasoline near $4 per gallon, Ivy
Tech Community College [ http://nwi.ivytech.edu/ ] officials are
talking about the possibilities of an electric vehicle.
Led by Ivy Tech Chancellor J. Guadalupe Valtierra and O'Merrial
Butchee, director of the college's Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Center, officials at the De La Garza campus highlighted Thursday
the college's work with local entrepreneurs to convert a truck
into an electric vehicle.
Richard and Carole Barnes offered the college an opportunity to
convert their 2000 Ford Ranger, which has a gasoline-powered V6
engine, into an electrical vehicle.
The conversion for such a switch costs from $6,500 to $7,500, and
the labor could be as much as $5,000, Ivy Tech officials said.
Juan Guadiana, program chairman and instructor at Ivy Tech's
Automotive Technology Department, said his department is
arranging to have 10 to 15 East Chicago Central High School
students begin working on the conversion in the fall using a
newly developed curriculum.
"It will provide an opportunity for new students coming into the
program and professionals already in the field to get first-hand
experience with these types of vehicles," Guadiana said,
Barnes said electric cars are incredibly fast, quiet and
comfortable and afford the owner "no more oil changes, no oil
filters and no additives to the engine."
Once the conversion is complete, Barnes said he and his wife will
keep the truck but will provide a second car to Ivy Tech,
allowing students to sell that one and reap the benefits.
"This will be a whole new industry for Ivy Tech," he said.
While Guadiana said the response to alternative fuels has been
slow, Ivy Tech and NIPSCO [ http://nipsco.com ] have been
involved in looking at alternatives to gas for more than 10
years.
"This is cutting-edge technology," he said. "We're changing the
world one Ford Ranger at a time."
Copyright © 1996-2007 nwitimes.com.
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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. EV List Editor & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
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EVLN(Seabury Hall student Maui cruiser EV conversion)-long
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=30765
Seabury Hall seniors turn 88 Corolla into electric car
By CLAUDINE SAN NICOLAS [EMAIL PROTECTED] Staff Writer
May 24, 2007
[The Maui News / CLAUDINE SAN NICOLAS photo
http://www.mauinews.com/ThumbnailImage.aspx?params_guid=743726e7d81145ada90cee69b0c4e334
A 1988 Toyota Corolla station wagon was transformed from a
gas-powered Maui cruiser to a retrofitted electric car in about
seven months by a group of Seabury Hall students. Members of the
schools engineering class, all seniors, include (from left,
rear) Brian Park, Korena Burgio, JJ West and Tiana Barbier. On
the drivers side of the car are: Nathan Hara and Aimi Watanabe
(standing), Andrew Kloppel and Deborah Silverman (kneeling).
Classmates Adam Istvan and Ryan Furtado also contributed to the
project, but were not available for the photo.]
MAKAWAO It moves as quiet as a ghost. Powered by a hidden bank
of a dozen batteries, it needs no oil and leaves behind no
smog-causing exhaust.
Sounds like a high-tech car of the future, right?
Actually, its a former gas burning 1988 Toyota Corolla station
wagon converted into an electric-powered car by a group of
Seabury Hall seniors.
The students worked about seven months to give the old car a
environmentally friendly retrofit, using 12 batteries to power
the motor and a 13th to run accessories including headlights and
a radio. It has a range of about 20 miles on a full charge.
As long as the batteries are recharged on a regular basis, the
vehicle should continue running for as long as 10 years before
any batteries have to be replaced, said Seabury Hall teacher
Martin Emde, one of the projects advisers.
Although the car has only tooled around the Upcountry campus
because it still needs to pass a county safety check, it is
expected to reach 60 to 70 mph on a flat highway, Emde said.
It should be able to keep up with traffic, he said. Its
speed and handling are like a normal car.
Emde and teaching colleague Gilson Killhour hatched the idea to
pursue grant money for the electric car project for a class they
called Engineering Concepts and Design.
The final product is much more than I expected. I couldnt be
happier, Emde said.
Killhour and Emde were awarded a $10,000 grant in the 2006 Toyota
TAPESTRY program, which is aimed at encouraging students studies
in science and engineering.
The electric car project was one of 50 grants handed out
nationally by Toyota Motor Sales USA and administered by the
National Science Teachers Association.
Seabury Hall [ http://seaburyhall.org ] seniors started the
project in September, reporting their progress on a student-
produced Web site dedicated to the electric cars development.
None of the students had ever been involved in auto mechanics,
but all of them eagerly took on the challenge.
We all had a hand in this. A lot of people did different things,
explained Andrew Kloppel, the project co-manager who also helped
with welding, motor installation and procurement.
Other student team members and their contributions were:
Tiana Barbier, electrical system schematic development and
wiring.
Korena Burgio, project co-manager and brakes.
Ryan Furtado, dashboard instrumentation, electrical and motor
installations.
Nathan Hara, electrical system schematic development and wiring.
Adam Istvan, battery boxes and financial manager.
Brian Park, battery boxes and painting.
Aimi Watanabe, electrical system installation, suspension,
painting and community outreach.
JJ West, Web site development, procurement, suspension and
brakes.
Aside from the Toyota TAPESTRY program, Seabury received
technical and financial support from Servco Pacific, the
International House of Pancakes, NAPA and Young Brothers Ltd.
The Seabury Hall students offered rides on the campus in their
modified vehicle earlier this month. The car had been stripped of
its engine, back seats and silver paint, and converted into a
vehicle that purrs like a golf cart and stands out on the street
in its bright yellow-and-black paint job.
It causes attention, said Watanabe, who came up with the
vehicles color palette. Thats what we want. We want it to get
attention.
Its not just the automobiles looks that the students hope will
draw interest.
It saves a lot of gas, and its environmentally friendly, Park
said. Were hoping itll bring a lot of attention to our
dependence on oil and how we can use electric cars.
Accustomed to lots of grease-free bookwork, the seniors said they
got their hands dirty with the project, learning the ins and outs
of auto technology to produce one they would be proud of
building.
It feels like a normal car, Kloppel said.
Just the idea of driving it is amazing, Barbier said. It sounds
like a ghost.
It was a really cool experience, Furtado said of building the
vehicle.
The project has been especially helpful to the seniors interested
in pursuing an engineering career because it exercised their math
and science skills.
Other valuable lessons involved teamwork, learning whats needed
to get community support and what the students themselves can
achieve with hard work.
I think were capable of a lot more than we think, Barbier
said.
The electric car made its public debut during Seabury Halls
annual Craft Fair on May 12. It took third-place in the peoples
choice category in the fairs auto show. Students plan to show
off the car at other venues.
Information about the project is online at the students Web
site, [ http://seaburyengineering.com ].
Copyright © 2005 The Maui News.
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
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a better Globetrotter. Get better travel answers from someone who knows.
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--- Begin Message ---
EVLN($19m USDoE PHEV R&D fund)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/66136.html
Energy Dept. to fund alternative vehicles
Posted on : 2007-05-25 | Author : Energy News Editor
WASHINGTON, May 24 (UPI) The U.S. Department of Energy announced
it will provide $19 million in funds to develop plug-in hybrid
electric vehicles.
Five research projects were selected to receive the funds, the
Energy Department said Thursday. The goal is to advance plug-in
hybrid electric vehicles and fuel-cell vehicles. The money is
being given as part of President Bush's Twenty in Ten plan to
reduce U.S. gas consumption by 20 percent in 10 years.
"These projects will not only help alleviate our 'addiction to
oil' but also play a critical role in accelerating
commercialization and making more clean and efficient alternative
vehicles available to consumers," Assistant Secretary Andy
Karsner said. "Not only will more alternative vehicles on the
road help reduce our reliance on imported sources of energy, it's
also critical to confronting climate change." Delphi Automotive
Systems in Troy, Mich., was selected to receive $4.9 million for
its research on high-temperature three-phase inverters, which
control and regulate the speed of electric motors.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University of
Blacksburg, Va., were chosen to get $1.7 million for a project
that will reduce power losses. High-speed motors are being
developed by General Electric Global Research of Niskayuna, N.Y.,
and efficiency is being improved by General Motors Corporation in
Torrance, Calif.
U.S. Hybrid Corporation of Torrance, Calif., has been selected
for an award of up to $1.3 million for a bidirectional DC/DC
converter for PHEVs. This work will include a vehicle-system
study to determine the optimum operating battery and DC-link
voltages, allowing for higher efficiency and lower costs. Team
members include the University of Illinois, Oak Ridge National
Laboratory and SiCED.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
© 2007 earthtimes.org. All Rights Reserved.
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
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for the edge of your seat?
Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! TV.
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--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Media's 'hybrids are EVs / EVs are hybrids' confusion)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.gmtoday.com/news/local_stories/2007/May_07/05262007_03.asp
Hybrid car may look funny, but the owner is ...
Laughing all the way past the fuel pump
By AL DUNN - GM Today Staff May 26, 2007
Roger Neumann gets into his totally electric Myers Motors nMg.
While the vehicles range is only about 30 miles, Neuman doesnt
stop for gas, which is now selling for $3.47 a gallon.
KEWASKUM - At first glance it looks like something youd throw
into the tub with the kids on Saturday bath night.
Then at second glance you decide its one of those shopping mall
amusements the kids are always bugging you to ride.
Roger Neumann has heard it all - and then some.
"People say, What is it? How far can you go? How many miles to
the gallon?" he said.
Its that last question that makes him laugh - all the way to the
bank, especially these days.
It may look strange, some might say downright dorky, and you sure
couldnt do one of those college-kid car stuffing parties in one
- it only fits one - and the range is limited, only 30 miles
before it has to be refueled.
But refueled is the wrong word. "Recharged" is the right one,
seeing how it runs entirely on six 12-volt, deep marine
batteries.
So, without further ado, introducing Neumanns pride and joy, his
banana yellow Myers Motors nMg.
The nMg is significant: no more gas.
"I love it," the Kewaskum resident said. "Especially the no gas
part."
The $24,000 he shelled out for the vehicle might seem a bit
stiff, but when you calculate the savings in gas - not to mention
the fun of the thing - then its a no-brainer as far as Neumann
is concerned.
A lot of other people feel the same way.
Tom Lexa, a sales consultant with Gordie Boucher Ford Lincoln
Mercury in West Bend, said the hybrid vehicles - those that are
powered by combination gas-electric motors - the dealership sells
are very popular.
"Theyre hard to keep in stock," he said.
The dealership sells two different models, he saidFord Escape
Hybrid and the Mercury Mariner Hybrid. The base sticker price on
those models, he said, is around $25,000, depending upon
incentives and other promotions.
But Neumann is a purist. Its all electric for him.
Neumann has owned the car for a year and uses it to drive back
and forth to his mechanic job in Slinger, 16 miles one way.
Because it loses steam after 30 miles before having to be
recharged, Neumann simply plugs it in at his job with the Riteway
School Bus company before he goes home.
Do the math: He used to use 5 gallons of gas to get to and from
work every week. He doesnt drive the vehicle on snow, though he
could if he mounted a studded tire on the rear wheel of the
three-wheeled vehicle, so he drives it around 35 weeks a year.
Five gallons of gas at $3.25 a gallon times 35 weeks and youve
got a savings of almost $600 for the year.
And that isnt all.
"Beyond the no gas, theres no oil changes, no exhaust fumes.
Plus its a nice ride, has a CD player and a heater, even power
windows," he said.
And, he added, it has a top speed of 75 mph so you can cruise it
on highways without being intimidated.
Neumann said the vehicle is also very stable, what with its low
center of gravity aided by the weight of not only the operator,
but by the 13 batteries that add 650 pounds to the vehicles
gross weight of 1,365 pounds. Its a belt-sprocket-driven
vehicle, so its easy to maintain mechanically, he said, and the
body is composed of a plastic composite - like that used in
motorcycle helmets - so it will never rust.
But there are the obvious limitations of size, space and range.
This reporter took it for a spin - Neumann is quite gracious
about letting people drive it - and it must be stated it is easy
to operate, has surprising zip to it and is extremely quiet.
But its a tight fit - almost like being in the cockpit of a race
car - especially if you are "larger-boned" and have a few extra
layers of mayonnaise around the middle (like this reporter). Not
the ideal vehicle for overweight claustrophobics.
Neumann admitted as much after viewing yours truly grunt his way
out of the thing.
"Well," he said, thoughtfully rubbing his chin. "Its not for
everybody."
By the numbers
5 - gallons of gas Roger Neumann used to use to commute to and
from work each day.
35 - weeks each year Neumann is able to drive his gas-free car.
$3.25 - estimated average of the cost of one gallon of gas
throughout a year
$600 - Amount Neumann saves annually by using the hybrid
$24,000 - Cost of Neumanns car.
The Freeman on May 26, 2007.
===
http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/yorknews/display.var.1417821.0.electric_car_owner_misses_out_on_tax_incentive.php
Electric car owner misses out on tax incentive
[... hybrid tax credit ...]
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
: MEPIS Linux & WiFi powered :
____________________________________________________________________________________
Park yourself in front of a world of choices in alternative vehicles. Visit the
Yahoo! Auto Green Center.
http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center/
--- End Message ---
