“ ... it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be”
% 12 12V deep-cycle batteries= 144V pack> r:20mi % http://www.iowafarmertoday.com/news/crop/electric-conversion-brings-life-to-old-jeep/article_b2e56a84-e684-11e3-8882-0019bb2963f4.html Electric conversion brings life to old Jeep May 29, 2014 By Gene Lucht [images / Matt Goode http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/iowafarmertoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/bc/1bc71340-e685-11e3-a44e-0019bb2963f4/53860edeeff05.preview-620.jpg Matt Goode spent about 2½ years restoring this Jeep and converting it to electric power as a project for FFA http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/iowafarmertoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/a0/3a0b9934-e685-11e3-a601-0019bb2963f4/53860f1539b2c.preview-620.jpg A bank of batteries fills the rear of the Jeep ] It would not be exaggerating to call Matt Goode’s FFA project electric. In fact, it would be entirely accurate. Goode, you see, built an electric vehicle. “It sounds daunting,” the 19-year-old graduate of North Linn High School in Troy Mills says. “But, it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.” That doesn’t mean it was quick or easy. Goode spent about 2½ years taking a rusted, decades-old CJ-5 Jeep and making it into a running, licensed electric vehicle. It all began when Matt and his father, Steve, attended a meeting about home-built electric vehicles. Steve is an engineer at Rockwell-Collins in Cedar Rapids. It wasn’t long before the father and son began doing more research into the idea. “It just seemed like something really interesting,” Goode says. They had the old Jeep and decided to use it as the body and base for the vehicle. But, there were countless items to figure out. They needed to restore some of the Jeep components. They also needed to build an electric motor and determine what batteries to use. They used an AC motor, although batteries are generally DC. They also used lead-acid batteries instead of lithium batteries as a way to reduce cost. Unfortunately, the cheaper batteries also offer less driving range. The vehicle has an effective range of about 30 miles per charge. A switch to the more-expensive batteries would likely increase that range to 90 or 100 miles, Goode says. There were other items to consider. For example, Goode says electric motors have more torque than internal combustion engines. That can be a good thing, but it meant they needed to reinforce some parts of the drive mechanism to allow for that increased torque. They used a fiberglass body and a significant amount of aluminum as a way to reduce weight. They also used LED headlights as a way to lessen electrical use in vehicle operation. The design of the vehicle allows it to be plugged into any outlet, 110 or 220, to charge. The Goodes also had the help of several businesses and friends. Cegenbender did some machine work. John’s Electric Service provided support, and a neighbor helped out with some welding work. The family also was helpful. Matt’s parents, Steve and Lynn, were supportive, as were his older brother, David and his older sister, Sarah. The total cost of the project was nearly $8,000 to restore the Jeep and to make it into an electric vehicle. But, the project turned into a working machine. Just as important, it offered numerous lessons and inspirations to the young FFA member. “It’s pretty neat,” Goode says of the vehicle. Also, he adds the experience has helped him in his studies as a mechanical and material engineering major at Iowa State University. He is working in a cooperative program with Husco Inc., a company which builds hydraulic components for John Deere products. It certainly has offered career inspiration. “I can’t wait to apply what I learned,” he says. The options, he says, include the idea of selling kits to transform cars into electric-powered vehicles. Or, perhaps he could help design electric farm machinery that would take advantage of the increased torque and reduced fuel usage. “I think the technology is definitely here to stay,” he says. “And. I think the cost will come down.” [© 2014 Iowa Farmer Today] For all EVLN posts use: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/template/NamlServlet.jtp?macro=search_page&node=413529&query=evln&sort=date http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20140527/NEWS12/305270027/Schoolcraft-College-presents-electric-vehicle-show-June-7 Largest EV show in the Midwest @Schoolcraft CC 9a-4p 6/7 Livonia, MI www.schoolcraft.edu/evshow http://transportevolved.com/2014/05/27/wave-trip-preparation-charge-electric-car-across-europe/ 2014 WAVE Trophy Expedition Driving EVs Across Europe ... http://www.thegreencarwebsite.co.uk/blog/index.php/2014/05/31/electric-rally-returns-to-send-wave-of-ev-positivity-around-europe/ 1,118mi/9day Electric rally sends WAVEs of EVs across Europe http://www.indiatimes.com/sports/motorsport/franck-montagny-first-formula-e-driver-151769.html Franck Montagny 1st of 2 Andretti-Autosport Formula-E Drivers http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2014/05/27/ozy-charging-stations-electric-cars/9624017/ 'Fast EV-food' stops for electric cars http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2014/05/25/electric-motorcycle-bikes-take-off-in-us/9329961/ Electric cycles, bikes and tuks get traction http://www.smmirror.com/articles/News/Council-Backs-Bill-Allowing-Renters-To-Have-Electric-Vehicle-Charging-Stations/40252 Council Backs Bill Allowing Renters To Have EVSE + EVLN: BBC-Top-Gear’s Captain-Slow buys a BMW i3+pih-option {brucedp.150m.com} -- View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/EVLN-8k-Goode-s-CJ-5-Jeep-EV-conversion-FFA-project-tp4669764.html Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Nabble.com. _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
