EV Digest 6209
Topics covered in this issue include:
1) Re: Belktronix?
by Storm Connors <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
2) Component arrangement
by John <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
3) EVLN(Solar-powered GEM nEVs)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
4) EVLN(Renault-Nissan EV launch in 2010)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
5) EVLN(A long black coffee and a quick recharge)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
6) EVLN(Solar-electric hybrid golf cart)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
7) EVLN(Indiana Senator Bayh urging Plug-in hybrid R&D)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
8) EVLN(Nissan Altima Hybrid production at Smyrna plant)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
9) EVLN(EPA rates hybrids without the all-electric driving)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
10) EVLN(Renault readies EV for 2010)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
11) EVLN(Armor Electric nEVs)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
12) Re: I need to find someone to ship my EV from Provo, UT to Atlanta, GA
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
13) Re: Wrong motor direction for Joe Sixpack Geo Metro EV
by "Darin - MetroMPG.com" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
14) EVLN(ACP Scion EV: Tom Hanks' investment comes true)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
15) Maybe I'll utube my personal vide of Rod's Rx7beating a Dodge Viper
at Woodburn
by Danny Ames <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
16) Re: Component arrangement
by "Roland Wiench" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
17) Re: Belktronix?
by Electro Automotive <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
--- Begin Message ---
What kind of batteries are you contemplating? I may be able to help.
storm
----- Original Message ----
From: Andrew A. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, December 12, 2006 9:29:13 PM
Subject: Re: Belktronix?
Thanks for the input, guys.
I wasn't planning to get the controller (I have a
Raptor 600). Mainly, I was looking at the DC-DC. I
still see what you mean, though. The DC-DC doesn't
seem to have any shortcomings, but as always, any
thoughts on the subject would be welcome.
As a side note, I haven't really been thinking about a
battery EQ. Is this something that is really
necessary, even for a bare bones conversion (seriously
limited budget here)? If so, can anyone recommend a
good system?
Thanks again.
Andrew
--- Jack Murray <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> You mean to say you don't have a way to equalize
> your batteries?
> Hmm, someone who doesn't is taking THE BIGGEST
> SHORTCUT themselves.
> Jack
>
> Phil Marino wrote:
> > Andrew,
> >
> > Looking through the website, I noticed that the
> controller needs a 24
> > tap from the traction pack. That means that two
> of the 12V batteries (
> > or 4 batteries, if they're 6 volters) will have
> more load on them than
> > the rest. Even if it's a light load, to me,
> that's just not the best
> > way to do it. And it means you have to have
> another high voltage line
> > coming from the traction pack.
> >
> > You won't find a need for a mid-pack tap on a
> Zilla, or even a Curtis.
> >
> > This may or may not be a real indicator of how
> well everything is
> > designed, but it makes me wonder if other
> shortcuts were taken.
> >
> > Phil
> >
> >> From: "Andrew A." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >> Reply-To: [email protected]
> >> To: [email protected]
> >> Subject: Belktronix?
> >> Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2006 08:54:46 -0800 (PST)
> >>
> >> Hi all,
> >>
> >> I was searching eBay a while back and I came
> across a
> >> DC/DC converter sold by a company called
> Belktronix.
> >> Website is www.belktronix.com. They seem to have
> >> pretty good deals on their stuff, and it appears
> to be
> >> good quality and well thought out.
> >>
> >> I was just wondering if anyone has had any
> experiences
> >> with this company, good or bad, or knows anything
> >> about them. I'd never heard of them before, so I
> >> figured it would be a good idea to get a reality
> >> check.
> >>
> >> Any information would be greatly appreciated.
> Thanks!
> >>
> >> Andrew
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
____________________________________________________________________________________
>
> >>
> >> Want to start your own business?
> >> Learn how on Yahoo! Small Business.
> >> http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/r-index
> >>
> >
> >
>
_________________________________________________________________
> > Visit MSN Holiday Challenge for your chance to win
> up to $50,000 in
> > Holiday cash from MSN today!
> >
>
http://www.msnholidaychallenge.com/index.aspx?ocid=tagline&locale=en-us
> >
> >
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________________
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--- Begin Message ---
Is it ok to have that monster Ferraz Shawmut fuze Otmar recommends
physically close to other components like the contactor and controller.
Can the hairball be right next to the controller, and other High
Voltage components?
John
--- End Message ---
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EVLN(Solar-powered GEM nEVs)
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informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20061209-9999-1b9altcar.html
Car show hopes to drive consumers toward eco-friendly vehicles
By Gordon Smith COPLEY NEWS SERVICE December 9, 2006
SANTA MONICA A few of the vehicles look like cartoons, and one
resembles something you might ride at a theme park. Others are
actually sleek.
[image
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20061209/images/altcars280.jpg
]
CAROL KRON / Copley News Service
Cars offering high mileage or powered by alternative fuels
paraded up the pier in Santa Monica yesterday, heading for the
Alternative Car and Transportation Expo. The car in front was a
solar-powered Gem Neighborhood Car.
Whatever the case, their manufacturers and their
environmentalist allies hope the vehicles on display at the
Alternative Car and Transportation Expo here this weekend will
capture the imagination of consumers weary of sticker shock at
the gas pump and headlines about the global atmosphere turning
into a toaster oven.
[...]
Organizers of the
Santa Monica event say they wanted to challenge the status quo.
Many environmentalists were supremely disappointed that the Los
Angeles show didn't include more in the way of eco-friendly
vehicles, said Christine Dzilvelis, organizer of the Alternative
Car Expo.
Our event is not about the future. This is about vehicles that
people can buy and changes they can make now, she said.
[...]
Then there's the Solar Bug, designed by electrical engineer Steve
Titus of Bozeman, Mont.
The Bug is a so-called NEV neighborhood electrical vehicle
designed for surface streets but not freeway driving. With
handlebars, a saddle seat and a four-wheel ATV chassis, It's
like sitting in an enclosed motorcycle, Titus explained. Top
speed is 35 miles per hour.
It doesn't meet everybody's requirements, he said of the $9,500
vehicle. Living in Bozeman, people generally say, 'Will it go in
the winter?' It will, but it's not very warm.
Still, The Bug has a battery that can be recharged by plugging it
into a household outlet, Titus said. And solar panels mounted on
the outside provide up to 10 percent of the power it uses for
free.
I wanted to create a vehicle that would not only be green, but a
vehicle that young people would want to drive, that would be
fun, Titus said. This (show) is my first opportunity to find
out what people really think about it.
San Diego software engineer Michael Hadie is building a more
ambitious vehicle with a sleeker look. His two-seat 2SSIC
resembles a vintage Corvette, but under the hood is a series of
batteries instead of a combustion engine.
Hadie built the electric car in his garage mostly by himself,
with help from friends on weekends. He's designing it to go 140
miles per hour, although in its first road test earlier this
week top speed was a more modest 45 miles per hour, he said.
Then again, that's only an estimate, because the speedometer
hasn't been installed yet. Hadie figures a finished version of
his vehicle will cost about $60,000 and have a range of 70
miles.
[...]
Also on hand were Peter Barsky and his wife, Jeannette, who own
an electric-car dealership in Long Beach that sells the IT, a NEV
made in Canada, along with other vehicles.
One model of the IT resembles a miniature pickup, except that it
has a socket on the left front fender where a standard electrical
cord plugs in to recharge its batteries. The vehicle's $10,000
base price ranges up to $18,000 if you want air conditioning, a
heater and a stereo, Peter Barsky said. The IT's range is about
30 miles, and top speed is 35 miles per hour.
John Frala, who teaches alternative automotive technology at Rio
Hondo College in Whittier, conceded that NEVs such as the IT fill
a specialized niche in the multibillion-dollar automobile
market.
Nevertheless, he pointed out that most Southern California
residents use their cars for errands and other short trips. Using
the lightly powered vehicles for those purposes could greatly
reduce oil consumption and atmosphere-warming carbon dioxide
emissions, he said.
The nice thing about the plug-in vehicles is you can charge them
at off-peak hours, so your cost goes down on the electricity and
you don't tax the electric grid, Frala added.
The problem is we've spoiled the public with expensive luxury
cars. It's hard to convince them to get into a small electric car
that will take you to the store.
[...]
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
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===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
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Do you Yahoo!?
Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.
http://new.mail.yahoo.com
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EVLN(Renault-Nissan EV launch in 2010)
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informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=89850
FRANCE: Renault-Nissan to launch electric car in 2010
11 December 2006 Source: just-auto.com editorial team
Renault has announced that it is developing a new engine
technology that uses electricity and will eliminate CO2 emissions
when the vehicle is in motion. The technology is being developed
in partnership with Nissan and a vehicle application is expected
in 2010.
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
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===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
____________________________________________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.
http://new.mail.yahoo.com
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EVLN(A long black coffee and a quick recharge)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10414955
Clean up or pay up, power companies warned
Tuesday December 12, 2006 By Brian Fallow
New electricity generation should come as far as possible from
renewable sources, the Government says.
[...]
A long black, thanks - and a quick recharge
David Parker's green vision includes driving electric cars that
we recharge at home or at a cafe while enjoying a cup of coffee.
A keen admirer of electric vehicles, Mr Parker is convinced that
within five years there will be many of them in the commuter
fleet.
"As you go along the motorway, rather than seeing service
stations, you might have a cafe where you stop for a cup of
coffee for 20 minutes while your car recharges," Mr Parker said.
The speed bump in his plan is the fact that the electric vehicles
he points to have a range now of just 150km before they need to
be recharged.
That would mean stopping four times while driving from Wellington
to Auckland - adding at least 80 minutes to the journey.
Conceding that such a trip might not be palatable to people who
regularly drove long distances, Mr Parker said families with two
cars were probably most likely to go electric.
"I think there will be lots of people who want to do this because
they're cheaper to run, and they're good environmentally."
People could have car chargers at home, but Mr Parker wants to
avoid us all plugging our cars in at a time of peak electricity
use.
So-called smart meters could be used to recharge the cars
overnight.
So will the energy and climate change minister be ditching his
big Holden in favour of a little electric Mitsubishi? "I will
replace my car with something more efficient. I'm one of those
people, I'm ashamed to say, [who] tows a caravan at Christmas to
the river," he said yesterday..
"It'll be horses for courses really. But certainly if I had a
second car, and I don't have a second car, I would be one of the
first people to have an electric car as a second car."
[...]
Electric cars
* More cars would run on alternative fuels, such as electricity
[...]
* Plug-in electric cars are not expected to be available for
another five years.
[...]
Copyright © 2006, APN Holdings NZ Ltd
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
____________________________________________________________________________________
Want to start your own business?
Learn how on Yahoo! Small Business.
http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/r-index
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EVLN(Solar-electric hybrid golf cart)
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informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/ts_more.php?id=74266_0_10_0_M
Pennies per mile By Chris Mahon [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Hybrid solar-electric golf cart gets around city on the cheap
December 11, 2006 Jack Berryman is a Renaissance man. Hes
worked in everything from construction to computer programming,
and at 62 years old the newly retired Berryman has no inclination
to slow down.
His latest project is an unorthodox one. Plenty of people work on
cars, but Berryman has one-upped the weekend warriors who tinker
with their old rides hes converted a golf cart into a hybrid
electric- and solar-powered vehicle that he drives around town.
And yes, its street legal.
Earlier in the year, as gas prices crawled unstoppably upward,
Berryman says he started researching alternative energy sources.
I started talking in March or April to the people at Lone Star
Golf Carts, he said, and soon thereafter bought himself golf
cart.
I asked if they could upgrade it, like with 8-volt batteries.
There are 10 modifications to be made on a golf cart if it is to
be street legal, such as adding seat belts and rearview mirrors.
The company was able to make some of the modifications and he
made the rest.
But a street-legal golf cart was only the beginning. While an
electric vehicle is cheaper to drive that one with an internal
combustion engine, that wasnt the ultimate goal of his project
when he began. It was tapping into a source of renewable energy.
In this case, the sun.
He found a company in Arizona that sold solar panels and asked if
it could help in his quest for a solar-powered vehicle.
The woman (at the company) who was an electrical engineer
explained it and sent me the diagrams of how to feed the suns
energy right into the batteries that power his golf cart.
With those diagrams, he and a friend were able to complete the
project, though not without some danger. The panels had been
charging under the hot June sun unbeknownst to Berryman. After
attaching the panels to the roof of his vehicle and connecting
the batteries, Berryman and his assistant nearly electrocuted
themselves.
We set the panels down and
wham theres a spark and it just
about knocked us over.
After having his golf cart out on the road for several months,
Berryman has become a little wiser in the ways of hybrid
vehicles.
Most of the time, the sun has powered his car, making his trips
around town where most of his driving is done virtually
free.
The maintenance on electric cars is nothing you check the
batteries once every couple months and check the tires. If people
drove it around for a month, theyd realize its the best way to
go.
And maintenance isnt the only thing that saves him money. Energy
from the sun is free, of course, but even the electricity is
cheaper on a per-mile basis than gas is.
With $2-a-gallon gas and a 20 mile-per-gallon car, its costing
10 cents a mile, he said. Using electricity to charge his
vehicles batteries, he winds up spending significantly less.
Ive got a kilowatt meter that I plug into when charging the
golf cart, he explained. That allows him to see how many
kilowatt-hours have been used to charge the batteries.
When I check it the next morning, it says, You put in 6 kwh into
the battery.
Now for the simple math: Checking my PUB bill, theyre charging
me 11 cents per kwh, so thats 66 cents. With full batteries he
can drive 25 miles, meaning it costs about 2.6 cents per mile.
But there are obvious problems to driving a golf cart around
Brownsvilles city streets, mainly the other cars that surround
him. Even with the seatbelts and headlights, the prospect of
getting into an accident with a full-sized car or truck is not
appealing.
Berryman is well aware of this, but hes not overly concerned.
Most of his trips are for lifes basic, like going to H-E-B, or
getting a hair cut. Dangers aside, since Brownsville gets so much
sun throughout the year, he gets a present that other drivers
dont whenever he makes a trip.
If I let the car sit in the parking lot for 40 minutes, by the
time I get to my car (after shopping), the batteries are
recharged. © 2006 The Brownsville Herald
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
____________________________________________________________________________________
Want to start your own business?
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EVLN(Indiana Senator Bayh urging Plug-in hybrid R&D)
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http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?ID=20921
Bayh Calls For Increased Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle Development
InsideIndianaBusiness.com Report 12/11/2006 3:31:20 PM
Indiana Senator Evan Bayh (D) has joined a bipartisan coalition
urging for additional funding in the development of Plug-in
Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs).
The coalition has sent a letter to Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman
asking Bodman to include at least $90 million in the Presidents
FY 2008 budget request for PHEVs.
The additional funding could be used to develop more efficient,
longer running batteries and create a publicity campaign.
Bayh says PHEVs will help reduce the country's dependence on oil
and lessen vehicular pollution.
Source: Inside INdiana Business Press Release
Washington D.C. U.S. Senator Evan Bayh sent a letter to Energy
Secretary Samuel Bodman Friday urging him to support the
development of fuel-efficient Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles
(PHEVs).
Joined by a bipartisan coalition of 17 Senate colleagues, Bayh
called on the Secretary to include at least $90 million in the
Presidents FY 2008 budget request to encourage the development
of PHEV technologies and to expand the market for these
clean-running vehicles. The funding could be used for work
including the development of more efficient, longer running
batteries and a joint flexible fuel/hybrid vehicle publicity
campaign.
As you know, PHEVs promise to significantly reduce our nations
dependence on oil while saving consumers hundreds of dollars at
the pump each year and greatly reducing vehicular pollution and
greenhouse gasses, Senator Bayh wrote in the letter. The 2005
Energy Policy Act laid the framework for beginning to reduce oil
dependence through a next generation of vehicles. A financial
commitment from the federal government is vital if we are to see
PEHVs on the road over the next few years.
Hybrid vehicle registrations in the United States increased by
more than 80 percent in 2004, but plug-in hybrids still account
for less than one half of one percent of the vehicles on
Americas roads. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles can run on
stored electricity for up to 60 miles before beginning to burn
gasoline from the fuel tank, so much of the energy they use comes
from electricity. Unlike gasoline, electricity can be generated
cleanly and efficiently from Americas domestic natural energy
resources.
"Achieving energy independence is one of the great challenges of
our generation, one that will impact everything from our national
security to our economy, Senator Bayh said. By increasing the
number of hybrid electric cars on our roads, we can reduce our
dependence on oil so that America no longer has to rely on
countries like Saudi Arabia and Venezuela to meet our energy
needs.
Senator Bayh has been a leader in the efforts to reduce American
dependence on foreign oil. Last year, Bayh led a bipartisan group
of cosponsors in introducing the Vehicle and Fuel Choices for
American Security Act, which creates tax incentives for
manufacturers to retool their factories to produce hybrids and
lifts current limits on the number of consumers who can qualify
for tax credits when they buy hybrid vehicles.
In May, Bayh visited the Metropolitan Transit System in
Evansville to take an up-close look at one of the citys four new
hybrid buses and to highlight the role of hybrid vehicles in
reducing fuel costs and making America more energy independent.
Source: Office of Indiana Senator Evan Bayh
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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EVLN(Nissan Altima Hybrid production at Smyrna plant)
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http://www.murfreesboropost.com/news.php?viewStory=1258
Production under way on Nissan Altima Hybrid at Smyrna plant
[image http://www.murfreesboropost.com/photos/Full1258.jpg ]
Nissan project trainer Marty Scott (left) and technician Mike
Lyman (right) install the battery that powers the 2007 Altima
Hybrid. Production launched Monday at Nissan's Smyrna
manufacturing facility.
Nissans Smyrna manufacturing plant began production Monday on
its first hybrid vehicle. The 2007 Altima Hybrid goes on sale in
January in eight states excluding Tennessee.
The Altima Hybrid has very low emissions and has been certified
to meet California emissions requirements. The vehicle will only
be sold in states that have adopted California emissions
regulations: California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New
Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.
When you enter an important new technology segment such as hybrid
electric vehicles, you want to lead with your best and this
next-generation 2007 Altima is clearly one of the best all-around
vehicles Nissan has ever created, said Bill Bosley, vice
president and general manager, Nissan Division, Nissan North
America, Inc. in a statememt. The Altima Hybrid is an
environmentally friendly vehicle that is completely
driver-friendly as well.
The Altima Hybrid powertrain mates a refined version of Nissans
QR25 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and standard electronically
controlled CVT (continuously variable transmission) with an
advanced electric drive motor/generator that increases fuel
economy while maintaining low tailpipe emissions. The Altima
Hybrid is rated as an Advanced Technology-Partial Zero Emissions
Vehicle (AT-PZEV) and emits almost no evaporative emissions.
The advanced energy drive system shares duties between the
gasoline-powered 4-cylinder and the emissions-free electric motor
allowing the Altima Hybrid to run solely on electric power if
appropriate, especially during stop-and-go driving, according to
Nissan. If extra performance is needed, the gasoline engine
starts instantly and smoothly adds power as required.
The Altima Hybrid is estimated to have a hybrid system net power
rating of 198 horsepower (148 kW). EPA fuel economy is estimated
at 41 miles per gallon in the city and 36 mpg on the highway.
Combined with Altimas standard 20-gallon fuel tank, the Altima
Hybrid has a projected driving range of up to 700 miles between
fill ups.
615-869-0800 [EMAIL PROTECTED] 1806 Memorial Blvd.,
Suite B, P.O. 10008, Murfreesboro, TN 37129
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Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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EVLN(EPA rates hybrids without the all-electric driving)
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http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fuel12dec12,0,1026595.story?coll=la-home-headlines
Vehicle mileage estimates get real
Ratings for '08 models, especially hybrids, will drop in new EPA
tests. By John O'Dell, Times Staff Writer December 12, 2006
That 55-mile-per-gallon hybrid car you've been eyeing may end up
being a 44-mpg hybrid if you wait for the 2008 model.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency announced a new
system Monday for evaluating fuel economy that will lower mileage
estimates for most vehicles.
[...]
With the new testing requirements, the EPA is attempting to come
up with estimates that more closely reflect the real-world
mileage motorists can expect when they purchase a vehicle.
Under the current system, which has been in effect since 1975 and
was last changed in 1984, actual mileage is often far lower than
the posted EPA ratings.
Hybrids will be hit harder because the new test eliminates some
of the all-electric driving that helped them produce impressive
results under the present system, Wehrum said.
For the first time, the EPA also will require estimated mileage
to be posted on medium-duty pickup trucks, vans and sport utility
vehicles behemoths such as the Ford Excursion that weigh
between 8,500 and 10,000 pounds.
[...]
A recent study by automotive information website Edmunds.com
found that the average mileage for passenger cars and light
trucks was about 14% less than EPA estimates.
In part that's because the agency's current test doesn't include
much stop-and-go traffic or lead-footed acceleration. Air
conditioners notorious for lowering mileage by sucking up
engine power aren't turned on, and all testing is done under
conditions that simulate a 70-degree environment.
The new system will use more high-speed driving, partly in
20-degree cold. Air conditioning will be on some portion of each
driving cycle, and there will be more stop-and-go and
rapid-acceleration driving.
The mileage for gas-electric hybrids probably will be 20% to 30%
lower than present estimates for city driving and 10% to 20%
lower on the highway. These vehicles quickly lose their
all-electric advantage when operated in cold weather or quickly
accelerated, Wehrum said.
"This is all about providing more and better information to
consumers," he said.
Toyota Motor Corp., which makes the popular Prius hybrid, now
rated at 60 miles per gallon in the city and 51 on the highway
a combined rating of 55 mpg supports the changes.
"This doesn't change the car or the technology, just the way the
mileage is calculated," said Ming-Jou Chen, spokeswoman for
Torrance-based Toyota Motor Sales USA. "It makes the estimate
closer to real-world numbers, and we fully support that."
Moe Durand, a spokesman for Mitsubishi Motors Corp., which is
bringing one of the first 2008 models to market in the U.S., said
he was "quite pleased" with the averages cited Monday by EPA
officials.
Environmental groups applauded, too.
The EPA "did an excellent job" with the revisions, said Russell
Long, executive director of the Bluewater Network, the San
Francisco-based environmental group that sought the changes. The
new procedures can help motorists save money and reduce pollution
by providing more accurate mileage information for them to use in
their car-buying decisions, Long said.
"We're thrilled with it," he said.
The new system seems to be one that even auto dealers
notoriously sensitive to anything that could hurt a sale can
get behind.
"It won't have a big impact," said Fritz Hitchcock, whose
Hitchcock Automotive Resources of Puente Hills owns several
Toyota franchises and a BMW dealership.
"There's such intense comparison shopping on the Internet that
people will know all about the changes" before ever setting foot
in a dealership, he said. "And in the end, people find a reason
to buy what they want to buy" regardless of mileage estimates.
Automakers are working on a plan for 2008 models that come out in
2007 that will enable shoppers to see the new fuel economy
estimates and the mileage ratings that would have been attached
to the vehicle under the present system.
As part of the new approach, the EPA redesigned its fuel economy
window sticker.
It will provide a range of mileage for competing vehicles;
estimated city and highway mileage for the vehicle displaying the
sticker; the vehicle's estimated fuel costs for a year, based on
15,000 miles of driving; and a caution that gas mileage will vary
based on driving conditions and driving styles.
The new EPA mileage estimates won't harm automakers' ability to
meet federal rules requiring an industrywide average fuel economy
of 27.5 miles per gallon for cars and 21 mpg for sport utility
vehicles, pickup trucks and vans.
Those requirements are part of the corporate average fuel economy
program run by the Transportation Department.
Copyright 2006 Los Angeles Times
===
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003473252_mileage12.html
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
____________________________________________________________________________________
Cheap talk?
Check out Yahoo! Messenger's low PC-to-Phone call rates.
http://voice.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Renault readies EV for 2010)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=118806
Green Beat: Renault Readies Electric Vehicle for 2010
Date posted: 12-11-2006
PARIS Renault announced on Monday that it will roll out an
electric vehicle in 2010 aimed mainly at European fleet markets.
The automaker said in a statement that "the project has reached
an advanced stage" and that "It is already working on all the
future vehicle's components."
Renault and Nissan are partnering on lithium-ion battery
technology and packaging, the electric motor and the software
needed for the electric car. Renault gave few other specifics
about the electric car other than to say that it is "ideally
suited to city driving and does not emit any CO2 at all when the
vehicle is in motion."
The electric car is part of a wider plan by the company to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. It said it intends to be one of the
world's "top three carmakers for low-level emissions of CO2, to
offer a range of models powered by biofuels such as bioethanol
and biodiesel and to develop a wide range of technologies,
including electric power, that are affordable for our
customers."
Renault said it will offer a "complete range" of vehicles by 2009
that run on biofuels, at a price comparable with that of gas and
diesel models. It said that in the spring a 1.6-liter 16-valve,
110-horsepower version of the Mégane will be launched with an E85
bioethanol-compatible power plant.
What this means to you: Renault and Nissan insist they will be
one of the world's biggest players when it comes to alt-fuel
vehicles but competitors are hot on their heels.
© 1995-2006 Edmunds.com, Inc.
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
____________________________________________________________________________________
Need a quick answer? Get one in minutes from people who know.
Ask your question on www.Answers.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Armor Electric nEVs)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/news.html?d=110272
Armor Electric Inc. Announces College Campus Electric Car Rental
Program Purchase Order Agreement
SOLANA BEACH, Calif., Dec. 12, 2006 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) (PRIMEZONE)
-- Armor Electric Inc. announces the company has entered into a
"Purchase Order Agreement" from a privately held company,
Development Resources LLC, for Armor Electric to develop and
deliver eleven electric powered NEV (Neighborhood Electric
Vehicle) automobiles. These electric powered vehicles are to be
used as demonstration rental vehicles for students on various
college campuses.
Upon the successful capability and performance demonstration as
rental vehicles at these college institutions, the Purchase Order
Agreement provides for an additional order of up to one thousand
(NEV) units to supply the first "college campus electric car
rental program." This contract is expected to be in excess of
$20,000,000 Million in gross receipts to Armor Electric Inc.
In addition to the income earned by Armor from the sale of these
vehicles, a maintenance and operations agreement will be entered
into between the parties to the Purchase Order, wherein Armor
would potentially receive a residual income from a division of
the net profits from the yearly campus car rental membership fees
paid by the participating students and a division of the daily
rental profits.
Under this new proposed program the University would also receive
a division of college campus rental business profits thus giving
the universities a much needed additional infusion of capital for
these higher education operations.
About Armor Electric, Inc.
Armor Electric, Inc. is a leader in the design, manufacture, and
distribution of electric battery power drive systems for land and
water vehicles.
This information may include forward-looking statements [...]
Source: Armor Electric Inc. CONTACT: Armor Electric Inc.
Investor Relations (858) 720-0354 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.armorelectric.com
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
____________________________________________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.
http://new.mail.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Steve,
Doing a keyword search ( vehicle shipper ) on the ev_list_archive
gives:
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/ev-list-archive/message/49073
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/ev-list-archive/message/40846
Also, a yahoo search for Auto Transport
Atlanta, GA
http://local.yahoo.com/results;_ylt=AsLSCObgcCK21HkXjxLqfDiHNcIF?stx=auto+transport&csz=Atlanta%2C+GA+&fr=iy-text-lcl-res
Provo, UT
http://local.yahoo.com/results;_ylt=AsLSCObgcCK21HkXjxLqfDiHNcIF?stx=auto+transport&csz=provo%2C+ut&fr=iy-text-lcl-res
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
____________________________________________________________________________________
Have a burning question?
Go to www.Answers.yahoo.com and get answers from real people who know.
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Brush timing update:
Briefly futzed around with the brush position a while ago. I just
"eyeballed" where the brush plate should be for our desired rotation
based on offset from the shoe pole bolts. Then hooked the motor up to
the 12 v, and it happily whirred up to 2000 RPM. (It had been way down
at 1450 before).
I didn't quite get it to the 2250 RPM we saw in the OEM rotation
direction, but there's more where that came from, with just a bit more
adjustment. (Kind of hard to hold an unbolted end cap in place AND a
hand held tachometer at the same time :) ).
So it looks like all that's left is a bit of engineering to get the
brush plate fastened in its new position and then we'll be ready to move
on to the next hurdle - I mean step - in the process!
Darin
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(ACP Scion EV: Tom Hanks' investment comes true)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/354/C10890/
Mobile Magazine > Automobiles
Scion xB now a full electric vehicle
Tuesday December 12, 2006 2:57 PM EST - By: Michael Kwan
[image
http://www.mobilemag.com/content/images/10890_large.jpg
]
Well, you won't exactly be able to waltz into a Scion dealership
and pick up this electrifying number, but the folks at AC
Propulsion have managed to convert the xB into a fully electric
car. They call it the "eBox."
AC Propulsion, a California-based company, isn't exactly claiming
to save the environment with this conversion -- you'll still have
to get your electricity from somewhere, and chances are that
power plant pollutes at least a little -- but it certainly is
paving the way to show what is possible. The eBox won't be quite
as fast as the Tesla Roadster either, but it will be able to top
out at 95mph and travel for about 180 miles on a single charge
(which takes about five hours).
The full electric conversion doesn't come cheap. In fact, at
$55,000, it costs about three times how much the Scion xB
($18,000) does. But you do get 635 pounds of lithium ion
batteries.
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
____________________________________________________________________________________
Have a burning question?
Go to www.Answers.yahoo.com and get answers from real people who know.
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Nikki,
That was fun th watch.
Sweet and short.
When I get a chance I'll post some stuff after I convert it.
Danny
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Hello John,
If you are not using the Hairball Bottom Row Pin# 31 to 50 connections, then
I place this side about 1 inch above the motor controller.
This leaves the Hairball wires take off Pins # 1 to 24 on the top side and
bundle separate away from the motor controller. Keep the any shielded cables
and twisted pairs in a separate bundle about 1/2 inch away from other wire
bundles.
The contactor is place on the right side of the hair ball and motor
controller which is about 3 inches away from the from the M-, M+, B+ and B-
terminals. This allows for a short run of conductors or buss bars from the
contactor.
The M-, M+, B+ and B- cables exist out the bottom or one side of the
controller, while the control wires exist out the top or the opposite side
of the controller.
I am using a steel chassis plate that is place on a standoff supports that
fasten to the firewall which is about 8 inches from the firewall. The
chassis plate has bent up flanges on the right and left side, so I can mount
a blower fan and a area for panel control fuses. There is a slip on plastic
cover with a lexon clear window, so I can see the LED status.
I do not use a fuse in the controller location, because this run of the B+
and B- power cables is about 15 feet to the batteries. This battery cable
would be not be fuse protected for that length.
In all our electrical work, it is a requirement to place a fuse or circuit
breaker as close to the power source. Disconnect switches are place before
the fuses, so you can pull the fuses while the line is open. Safety
contactors are place after the fuses and than the main contactor and
controller in that order.
A disconnect switch may be a circuit breaker or a may be a enclose molded
case switch that looks like a circuit breaker, but does not have any
overloads in it.
The hairball, motor controller, and contactor are also place on nylon
chassis stand offs, so air flow is below and above this units. I have a 12
volt Dayton fan blower mounted on the steel chassis on the left side and
exhaust out the right side through a outlet box grill cover.
There is a negative 12 volt ground buss system, that connects two No. 8 AWG
to the aluminum chassis plate in two locations and four No 10 AWG ground
jumpers to the Hair ball enclosure mounting feet in two locations and the
mounting feet of the motor controller in two locations. The two 8 awg ground
wires leave the enclosure and connected to a No. 4 awg grounding counter
poise system that double loops around the EV to the 14.5 VDC source.
The motor controller is also water cool by two 3/8 inch lines coming in from
the bottom. through two grommet holes.
The enclosure place away from the firewall, allows for clearance of items
that are on the firewall and my heater hoses that are about 2 inches in
diameter with A/C foam around the hoses.
The motor is only 1 inch below this controller, which allows short cables
runs.
Roland
----- Original Message -----
From: "John" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, December 12, 2006 8:21 PM
Subject: Component arrangement
> Is it ok to have that monster Ferraz Shawmut fuze Otmar recommends
> physically close to other components like the contactor and controller.
>
> Can the hairball be right next to the controller, and other High
> Voltage components?
>
> John
>
>
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
At 10:44 AM 12/12/2006, you wrote:
You mean to say you don't have a way to equalize your batteries?
Hmm, someone who doesn't is taking THE BIGGEST SHORTCUT themselves.
Jack
Phil Marino wrote:
Andrew,
Looking through the website, I noticed that the controller needs a
24 tap from the traction pack. That means that two of the 12V
batteries ( or 4 batteries, if they're 6 volters) will have more
load on them than the rest. Even if it's a light load, to me,
that's just not the best way to do it. And it means you have to
have another high voltage line coming from the traction pack.
You won't find a need for a mid-pack tap on a Zilla, or even a Curtis.
This may or may not be a real indicator of how well everything is
designed, but it makes me wonder if other shortcuts were taken.
Phil
I agree with Phil. REGARDLESS of battery equalization, don't tap part
of your pack for another use.
Shari Prange
Electro Automotive POB 1113 Felton CA 95018-1113 Telephone 831-429-1989
http://www.electroauto.com [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Electric Car Conversion Kits * Components * Books * Videos * Since 1979
--- End Message ---
