EV Digest 5423
Topics covered in this issue include:
1) RE: Prius Plug in article
by Cor van de Water <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
2) RE: Hi There! (Introduction)
by Cor van de Water <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
3) RE: Prius Plug in article
by Cor van de Water <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
4) RE: Hi There! (Introduction)
by Cor van de Water <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
5) Re: e-scooters
by "Lawrence Rhodes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
6) Lacey Alternative Fuel Fair and Electrathon Grand Prix
by "Roy LeMeur" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
7) Re: What is it with CVTs?
by David Dymaxion <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
8) RE: Prius Plug in article
by Cor van de Water <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
9) Taylortruck needs new batts
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
10) Re: EV Charging station
by "Ryan Stotts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
11) Exploding batteries in an E-8 (yikes!)
by [EMAIL PROTECTED]
12) EVLN(Steve Clunn will convince you, it's something big)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
13) EVLN(Police aren't 'fueling' around with new electric patrol car)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
14) EVLN(High-school hybrid: fast and fuel-efficient)-Long
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
15) RE: Exploding batteries in an E-8 (yikes!)
by "damon henry" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
--- Begin Message ---
Joe,
You should be bicycling ;-)
Cor van de Water
Systems Architect
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Private: http://www.cvandewater.com
Skype: cor_van_de_water IM: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Tel: +1 408 542 5225 VoIP: +31 20 3987567 FWD# 25925
Fax: +1 408 731 3675 eFAX: +31-87-784-1130
Proxim Wireless Networks eFAX: +1-610-423-5743
Take your network further http://www.proxim.com
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Behalf Of Joe Wasson
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 10:29 AM
To: ev@listproc.sjsu.edu
Subject: Re: Prius Plug in article
Hey, that will get me to work. And back. And back to work again.
And back home.
On 4/28/06, nikki <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Wow... A whole nine miles ;)
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Nikki,
Don't you know?
Garages are not for cars,
they are to store the stuff that you cannot get into
your closets any more.
(I think around here less than half the people actually
have a car in their garage, even though most are 2-car
garages as required by building code)
Cor van de Water
Systems Architect
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Private: http://www.cvandewater.com
Skype: cor_van_de_water IM: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Tel: +1 408 542 5225 VoIP: +31 20 3987567 FWD# 25925
Fax: +1 408 731 3675 eFAX: +31-87-784-1130
Proxim Wireless Networks eFAX: +1-610-423-5743
Take your network further http://www.proxim.com
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Behalf Of nikki
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 7:08 AM
To: ev@listproc.sjsu.edu
Subject: Re: Hi There! (Introduction)
On Apr 28, 2006, at 1:23 PM, Don Cameron wrote:
> Hi Nikki, welcome to Canada (I am on the west coast). A couple of
> things
> come to mind about your upcoming conversion.
>
> 1. your car will have to pass a provincial inspection for out-of
> province
> vehicle. If at all possible, try to get this **before** you convert
> the
> vehicle. It will make the process easier. I did this with my New
> Beetle,
> others in Canada have done the same. Maybe, do the full restore,
> get the
> ICE working (enough), get registration, then convert to electric?
HI Don!
Yes, I'm a bit concerned about this. Of course, the extra hassle of
doing this is really dissuading me as the engine in my car is pretty
much cooked. I'd be having to buy a lot of ICE parts just to get the
thing running again... and of course I'd then have to replace things
like the radiator etc and re-fit. I was hoping the car would be more
easily converted as a 'blank canvas'. Add to that the actual garage
space (as any Brit will tell you, our garages are stupidly small,
especially in new-build houses like ours. We have a '93 Honda
Prelude which only *just* fits in the garage...
Do you think it's going to be impossible to convert the car prior to
import? Is it hard to import EVs to Canada? Might there be some
useful site for Ontario which I could use to find out more?
>
> 2. I presume the minor uses the A series engine, like the Minis?
> But is it
> mounted transversely like the mini (front wheel drive) or mounted
> longitudinally like a Sprite (rear wheel drive)? The difference
> being, if
> mounted transversely, the engine and the gearbox share the same oil
> sump and
> the same oil pump (which may or may not be required). You will
> need to a
> little extra work to block off the gaping hole to the transmission and
> either chain or use special drop gears the electric motor to the
> gearbox.
>
Luckily for me Don, Sir Alec Issigonis (the designer of the minor AND
the mini) wanted the minor to have a flat-four engine driving the
rear wheels (interestingly with independent rear suspension too!)
Sadly, with it being 1948 when the car was launched Lord Nuffield of
Morris Motors vetoed the development of a new engine and the cars
were shipped with the side-valve unit used in several contemporary
cars of the time. This was later changed to the A series, which is
mounted longitudinally. The blessing in disguise however is that the
engine bay's design remained the same throughout and, being
originally designed to use a flat-four, has almost acres of space to
either side of the engine.
So, if I do keep the gearbox I should be able to mount the motor
quite easily to the bell-housing and use the motor in the same
approximate place as the engine was, but with enough spare room for
extra batteries, luggage space, or spare wheel as determined by the
weight calculations when I've figured out what battery and motor and
controller to go for!
Nikki
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
9 miles is better than 1 mile (now) although I can do more than 2 miles
with careful driving.
NOTE that this is only at low speeds, at anything close to a freeway
speed the engine will come on anyway, so it is to achieve an electric
drive for the time TO and FROM the freeway (and when the avg speed of
the freeway becomes like a parking lot).
So if your commute is 10 miles through residential streets, then
you may not have "enough range" but very few people do commute that way.
Just adding my 0.9 miles worth...
Cor van de Water
Systems Architect
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Private: http://www.cvandewater.com
Skype: cor_van_de_water IM: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Tel: +1 408 542 5225 VoIP: +31 20 3987567 FWD# 25925
Fax: +1 408 731 3675 eFAX: +31-87-784-1130
Proxim Wireless Networks eFAX: +1-610-423-5743
Take your network further http://www.proxim.com
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Behalf Of Dmitri Hurik
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 11:16 AM
To: ev@listproc.sjsu.edu
Subject: Re: Prius Plug in article
They need to keep battery pack costs down, and probably limit DOD to keep
the long warranty and make it last a long time.
A move in the right direction.
I especially liked:
According to The Guardian, Abe, who heads Toyota's hybrid development
program ..... the company is interested in the addition of electrical
charging outlets to traditional gas stations as a step towards a
petroleum-free future.
Now THIS would be nice. Will definately benefit EVs.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Phillips" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "nikki" <ev@listproc.sjsu.edu>
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 1:37 PM
Subject: Re: Prius Plug in article
> Some car companies are slow learners ;)
>
> Mike
>
>
>
> --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], nikki <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>>
>> Wow... A whole nine miles ;)
>>
>>
>> On Apr 28, 2006, at 5:47 PM, Mike Phillips wrote:
>>
>> > I can't wait to see Toyota's ad's for a plug in. The back pedaling
>> > will
>> > be amusing.
>> >
>> >
>> > Here is an article about a Prius plug in.
>> >
>> > http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/04/toyota_ratchets.html
>> >
>> > Mike
>> >
>>
>
>
>
>
>
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Nikki,
Most conversions keep the stick for simplicity and flexibility.
My truck is a factory conversion, they locked the manual transmission
in 2nd gear, I have looked but could not find a space to see exactly
how, my guess is a bracket onto where the stick used to be to keep
the gearbox in the correct gear.
Theoretically you could remove gears, but this is re-engineering it
and may or may not work as desired (what are side-effects like load
bearing, lubrication and so on); it also removes flexibility to
select another gear.
My car has the automatic gear selector on the steering column,
it only operates a switch for P-R-N-D selection of the controller
and the parking pawl.
Regards,
Cor van de Water
Systems Architect
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Private: http://www.cvandewater.com
Skype: cor_van_de_water IM: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Tel: +1 408 542 5225 VoIP: +31 20 3987567 FWD# 25925
Fax: +1 408 731 3675 eFAX: +31-87-784-1130
Proxim Wireless Networks eFAX: +1-610-423-5743
Take your network further http://www.proxim.com
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Behalf Of nikki
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 6:58 AM
To: ev@listproc.sjsu.edu
Subject: Re: Hi There! (Introduction)
On Apr 28, 2006, at 11:29 AM, Cor van de Water wrote:
> Hi Nikki,
>
> Welcome from warm California. I am actually Dutch, but moved
> to Silicon Valley for my work.
>
> With its light weight and small size, the Minor is an excellent
> candidate for a conversion - if you do not mind the restoration...
> (Usual advice is to find a rust-free and light body of a car
> produced in high numbers for parts availability and with a
> blown engine for minimal cost and start from there to have
> many years of trouble-free driving before worrying about the rust)
Hi Cor! Yes, I know... but this is a bit of a love affair. I rescued
the car in 2002 and really want to keep her on the road. Since I'm a
firm believer that cars should be driven and not kept as "museum
exhibits" I'm making the only very insane choice of restoring AND
converting ;)
> My friend used to have a Mini Cooper and wants to convert that,
> but his recent marriage does not allow him to spend either
> time or money on that project...
>
> AC drive can be coupled to a gearbox, often you can leave out
> the clutch because you can leave it in the same gear all the time.
> I have a US Electricar with 50 kW AC motor, mated to the stock
> gearbox which is locked in 2nd gear, giving me 72 MPH at redline
> (9000 RPM) for my motor. It is not a good comparison though, as
> this is a 5000 lbs truck....
>
> Good to have different springs, that should help to get the
> car back to the proper drive height after the conversion.
>
> Feel free to ask questions - there are many people with
> experience on this list!
Thanks for that. It's really nice to have had such a welcome on this
list. You're all so friendly and helpful! I have to say that several
of my co-minor Owners have been downright disparaging about my plans
and completely unhelpful. Of course, that's just served to fuel my
desire stronger!
When you're talking about locking the car in gear how exactly is that
achieved? I know that you don't need a clutch for that but do you
literally weld the gear selector in position or just remove the gear
lever after selecting the required gear. (And if so, wouldn't it be
possible to remove the surplus gears from the gearbox?)
Regards
Nikki
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Don't forget the Goped 750ex. Good range, good power for a heavy rider
going up hills & no registration. It's not a moped so you are limited to 20
mph speed.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Aaron NMLUG-EV" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <ev@listproc.sjsu.edu>
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 9:14 AM
Subject: e-scooters
I'm shopping for e-scooters (again), and I'd like
to discuss my current findings here.
The top contender so far is the eGo.
Made in the U.S., looks more like
an electric bicycle. 24 mph peak speed.
~$1400 delivered.
Has an odd throttle. It seems to
be controlling speed (mostly) NOT acceleration.
My best guess is that the throttle control
is directly related to pulse width.
Wide pulse --> full voltage --> max speed on
PM DC brushed motor.
It feels like regen when you twist the throttle
back to slow down. If this is controlling
pulse width, is it really regen.... or is
that energy just going to heat someplace?
The e-max should be here in ABQ, NM soon.
They are only importing the 2000w "Sport" model
from China/germany. I haven't seen this yet.
I'm a bit dissappointed that they will not
be getting any of the (significantly) cheaper
1500w versions. These have a direct drive
rear hub motor. Big concern here is that
it is only their second year of mass production,
and that Hub motor will be a very custom configuration.
MSRP is $1950 for 1500w, $2750 for 2000w.
I don't know if $800 is worth it for an extra 2/3 hp.
If you start looking at the more expensive
"sport" e-max, you are now in the range
of Lepton Oxygen (~$2000), EVT ($2500, 1500w),
and Sol Gato ($2350 1500W?).
These will all likely have shipping charges added,
and I am hesitant to buy any of these unseen.
All of these are summarized at:
http://www.electric-bikes.com/motorcys.htm
Can anybody comment on availability, history,
and number of units sold of these last 3 scooters?
aaron
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
When: Saturday, May 6, 9:00am to 4:00pm
Where: Huntamer Park & Woodland Square Loop, Lacey, WA
Free admission to Alternative Fuel Fair and to watch the Lacey Grand Prix.
This EVent in in it's tenth year. There will be a wide variety of teams in
competition at the Electrathon America sanctioned races.
A wide variety of EVs will be there including Dave Cloud's and Father Time's
recliner racers.
Electric cars, bikes, scooters, utility vehicles, and Segways will be on
display. A wide variety of hybrid, ethanol, and bio-diesel powered vehicles
will also be there.
A fun time is always had by all. Be There!
For more information, please call Lacey Parks and Recreation at
360.491.0857.
Presented by the City of Lacey Dept. of Parks and Recreation
Co-Sponsored by-
Acme Fuel, Puget Sound Energy, Hanson Motors, Intercity Transit, Olympic
Region Clean Air Agency, River Ridge EV Club, Lew Rents, Shelton HS, Bike
Tech, Air National Guard
...
Roy LeMeur Olympia, WA
My EV and RE Project Pages-
http://www.angelfire.com/ca4/renewables/evpage.html
Informative Electric Vehicle Links-
http://www.angelfire.com/ca4/renewables/evlinks.html
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Comments interspersed.
--- Peter VanDerWal <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > You want to do a really cheap conversion (kind of like the
> e-volks
> > kits). So you throw in a constant speed shunt motor, and let the
> > tranny change speeds. No controller is needed now. Mind you,
> probably
> > not the greatest way to go, but possibly the cheapest.
>
> Hmm, except that CVTs are NOT cheap. Well maybe one from an old
> snowmobile, but those aren't very strong and are really
> inefficient.
I left out the detail of getting a car or motorcycle with a CVT
already. For instance, an old Subaru Justy with CVT would be dirt
cheap nowadays. Agreed that buying a new unit would not make $en$e.
> > You live in a really hilly area. A CVT would allow some slip to
> > start, so you aren't starting the electric motor at 0 rpm, and
> are
> > less likely to burn it up.
>
> The good (read efficient) CVTs don't slip (at least I don't think
> they do).
> DC motors don't mind starting from Zero RPM (in fact they typically
> have
> max torque at 0)
All commonly available CVT vehicles slip at low rpm, otherwise the
motor would stall when you stop. For example, the Subaru Justy CVT
had an electronic clutch (one drum inside another that gradually
locked up by passing a current through the fluid between the drums)
that would slip to allow the car to not stall when stopped.
> > Also, if there are hills you could not get
> > up with a direct drive, or even in 2nd on a manual, or possibly
> even
> > 1st on a manual, a CVT might still get you up the hill, or get
> you up
> > faster than you could have otherwise.
>
> I can almost see the argument for hills. However, I don't believe
> that
> the good CVTs don't have a significantly lower ratio than 1st gear
> on most
> manuals, so that arguement doesn't float.
> And even if they did, it would have to be a SERIOUSLY steep hill
> for an EV
> in first not to be able to climb it. I climb fairly steep hills in
> second
> (or third depending on speed) in my truck and it's got a wimpy
> power train
> (read battery pack).
>
> Still, even if this was true, you'd have to live somewhere that was
> nothing but steep hills for the CVT to be better than a manual
> overall.
If you had to get going from a stop on a really steep hill, the
aforementioned slip would help keep from overheating the motor,
effectively giving you a really low gear ratio (though inefficient)
to start out.
Overall I do agree with you, I think a CVT is generally an inferior
solution. If you think you need one you probably actually need a
bigger motor and controller or possibly better batteries. However,
for the ultimate in cheapness, or for climbing steep hills without
springing for more expensive electronic parts, a CVT could fill a
niche need by giving up some range to save $$.
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
My impression is that EVery grocery store and restaurant
and produce and coffee shop and essentially every shopping mall
should have an outlet next to some of the parking spaces.
Who wants to be at a gas station for an hour or even half
an hour? I'd be very happy when I can run into the
Safeways/Longs Drugs/Albersons/S&F/... and when done
getting my groceries have a bite and return to a full pack.
Now that is a Target group!
Cor van de Water
Systems Architect
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Private: http://www.cvandewater.com
Skype: cor_van_de_water IM: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Tel: +1 408 542 5225 VoIP: +31 20 3987567 FWD# 25925
Fax: +1 408 731 3675 eFAX: +31-87-784-1130
Proxim Wireless Networks eFAX: +1-610-423-5743
Take your network further http://www.proxim.com
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Behalf Of Mike Phillips
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 12:06 PM
To: Dmitri Hurik
Subject: Re: Prius Plug in article
Outlets and gas stations, energetic combo.
Mike
--- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], "Dmitri Hurik" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> They need to keep battery pack costs down, and probably limit DOD to
keep
> the long warranty and make it last a long time.
>
> A move in the right direction.
>
> I especially liked:
>
> According to The Guardian, Abe, who heads Toyota's hybrid development
> program ..... the company is interested in the addition of electrical
> charging outlets to traditional gas stations as a step towards a
> petroleum-free future.
>
> Now THIS would be nice. Will definately benefit EVs.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mike Phillips" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: "nikki" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 1:37 PM
> Subject: Re: Prius Plug in article
>
>
> > Some car companies are slow learners ;)
> >
> > Mike
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], nikki <ev@> wrote:
> >>
> >> Wow... A whole nine miles ;)
> >>
> >>
> >> On Apr 28, 2006, at 5:47 PM, Mike Phillips wrote:
> >>
> >> > I can't wait to see Toyota's ad's for a plug in. The back pedaling
> >> > will
> >> > be amusing.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > Here is an article about a Prius plug in.
> >> >
> >> > http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/04/toyota_ratchets.html
> >> >
> >> > Mike
> >> >
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Mel,
Please if you have not already, join the EV List
http://geocities.com/ev_list
You will find lots of help there.
>From http://taylordunnparts.com/taylortruck.php or
http:/taylor-dunn.com/07vehiclesforyourindustry/42taylortruck.htm
I see the Taylor Truck is a 48V drive system. It mentions that
either a single or a double battery pack can be installed.
I will assume you have the single battery pack of eight T-145s
which has a 30 mile range at nev (25mph) speeds.
$1000 for eight batteries is way too much. I would get with your
local USBattery rep (below) to have them drop the eight US145s
at your house at a much lower cost. Later you can contact them
to come pick up the old batteries. You will need to specify
what type of battery posts you need (the lead sticking up from
battery that the cables connect to).
Depending your driving needs and the design of the battery hold
downs, you might be able to buy the smaller capacity batteries:
US2200 or US125s at an even lower cost. These are sold in higher
quanities than the US145s so you can get a better price break or
bang for the buck. But you'll also get less range, so you have
to think how much range do you need between charges.
Energy Battery & Electric (713) 868-4400
600 N Shepherd Dr Ste 107 Houston, TX 77007
www.usbattery.com rep
Other Houston battery companies:
Republic Battery Company (713) 645-2141
6130 Long Dr Houston, TX 77087
Texford Battery Company (713) 222-0125
2002 Milby St Houston, TX 77003
Also, make contact with the Houston Chapter of EAA:
Houston EAA
Web Site: www.heaa.org
Contact: Dale Brooks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, 713-218-6785
Mailing: 8541 Hatton St., Houston, TX 77025-3807
Meetings: 3rd Thurs./month, 6:30 pm
Location: Room 280, 2nd floor, The Citizen Environmental Center,
3015 Richmond Ave., Houston, TX
You maight be able to do a group buy of batteries bring
price down even lower.
--- Melody Renick <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Subject: Your Article - batteries
I have purchased a used Taylor-Dunn ["Taylortruck"] it's a 1999
with some rust. Other than a oil leak at the parking break on the
rear end all it need is Batteries. It came with grey Trojan
t-145's, 1999. My problem is $1,000.00 for batteries for a
commercial vehicle to be used recreationally in a private
sub-division. I leave near Houston, Texas. Where can I find the
cheapest T-145's
Later!
Mel
-
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!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
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--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Rich Rudman wrote:
Now I have 480
Will it be possible to mod a PFC-20/30/50 and make it be able to use
480? How quick could a pack be charged then?
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
A few weeks ago I purchased an E-8. I was told that all it needed was
batteries, and for what I paid, I could afford if it needed any real work..
So today I get it out of the shed and start working on it. I take a group of 6
exide 6V golf cart batteries that I've had in storage for about 9 months and put
them on the golf cart charger to get brought up to voltage.
After about 5 hours on the charger they are up enough (IMO) to test the E8. I
make sure the key switch is off on the E-8 and connect the negative lead of the
E-8 to the negative terminal of my 36v exide pack with a pair of heavy jumper
cables.
I connect the jumpers to the E-8 positive terminal. As soon as I touch it to
the positve lead of the battery pack *BANG* there was an explosion as loud as a
shotgun blast. The first battery in the string (the one that the negative
jumper cable was connected to) exploded. Oddly enough, it was the battery
farthest from the one I had just made the connection to.
Anyway it blew off it's caps and almost blew off the top of the battery. There
is a 10" semicircular crack on the top. Oh yeah, I managed to get sprayed by
battery acid. I was wearing safty glasses, so a quick shower and I'm fine, but
What the @#$%^&* happend?
Even if I got the connections backwards, with everything off, that should not
have happend should it?
Any ideas?
James
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Steve Clunn will convince you, it's something big)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-pelxauto22apr22%2C0%2C3458867.story?coll=sfla-news-front
High gas prices are driving folks to electric cars
By Erika Slife South Florida Sun-Sentinel Posted April 22 2006
Delray Beach · Running almost on empty, Charles Whalen bypasses
the brightly lit gas stations and their $3 a gallon prices and
confidently glides his Toyota RAV4-EV into his driveway. Popping
the hood, he reaches for a giant extension cord and plugs his car
into the wall.
Whalen is the proud owner of two battery-powered electric
vehicles, and he is one of a group of South Floridians who are
evading record-breaking fuel prices with their alternative modes
of transportation. The motorists, mostly members of the Florida
Electric Auto Association, will showcase their cars at two Earth
Day events this week, a solar-power exhibit today in Deerfield
Beach and an expo next weekend in Miami Beach.
"I try to convince you, it's the beginning of something big and
you should want to be a part of it," said Steve Clunn, president
of Grassroots Electric Vehicles and who converts gas-powered cars
into battery-operated machines in Fort Pierce.
With the gas price this week surging past the $3 mark, electric
car owners are seizing the moment to trumpet the vehicles'
benefits. A much older cousin of the hybrid model -- electric
cars debuted in the late-1890s -- electric vehicles are
completely run on battery power, as opposed to hybrids, which use
a combination of gasoline and electricity.
The batteries are charged by plugging the car into a special
outlet that uses household electricity. Fully charged, the cars
average 40 to 80 miles, depending on speed, before having to be
recharged again, with some higher-end batteries lasting up to 120
miles. With the average commute in Palm Beach County almost 26
minutes, and 27.4 minutes in Broward, according to the 2000
Census, electric car drivers could make roundtrips on a single
charge.
"We use this for about 98 percent of our driving needs," said
Whalen, of Delray Beach. "There's no servicing on this vehicle.
Every six months, we rotate the tires. Every two years, we have
the coolant changed. And that's it. There's no oil changes, no
filter changes, none of that. It's great."
There are no hard numbers on how many electric cars there are in
the United States, but the national Electric Auto Association
puts the estimate in the thousands. There are about 30 members in
the Florida chapter, and many own several of the vehicles. One
enthusiast in Miami owns eight of the specialty cars.
"Electric vehicles are cleaner, especially when you start
factoring in other fuel resources," said Shawn Waggoner,
president of the Florida EAA. "You're not polluting the
environment, you're not polluting everywhere the vehicle goes."
Electric vehicles are 90 percent cleaner than the newest and
cleanest conventional gasoline-powered cars, according to the
California Air Resources Board, and driving them can save money
in the long run.
Driving the RAV4-EV, for example, costs Whalen $1 day in
electricity to travel 30 miles, versus $3.75 a day to drive the
gasoline version of the car. Those numbers are calculated using
an electric rate of 12 cents a kilowatt-hour and $3 a gallon for
gasoline, Whalen said. He bought his car last year from a seller
in California, where in 2002-2003 it was sold exclusively for
roughly $32,000, after rebates.
Many gas-powered autos can be converted to electric, with parts
costing about $8,000, plus labor charges, said Clunn, who has
turned a Ford Explorer and a Porsche 924 into electric cars.
Racing aficionados can also drag race the cars, with some
achieving top speeds of 100 mph in a quarter of a mile.
The only difference between electric vehicles and their
traditional counterparts is that battery-powered cars are silent
while running. Other than that, they drive the same, brake the
same and offer the same features, such as air conditioning and
radio.
The only glitch for powering electric vehicles is when there is
no electricity. After a hurricane, a generator can solve the
problem but more environmentally conscious owners are researching
how to install wind-resistant solar panels on their rooftops.
Also, Whalen and others are working to create a network of
public-charging stations up and down the Florida coast, from the
Keys to Orlando, which would be similar to gas stations.
With oil reserves depleting and most Americans dependent on their
cars for travel, electric car owners say their cars are the
vehicles into the future.
"Every gallon of gas burned produces 20 pounds of carbon
dioxide," said Ron Freund, chairman of the national EAA. "The
electric vehicle produces a whole lot less of carbon dioxide --
for every mile driven. They don't want to admit that, especially
the oil companies."
Erika Slife can be reached at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or
561-243-6690.
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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EVLN(Police aren't 'fueling' around with new electric patrol car)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060418/NEWS01/604180311/1002
Article published Apr 18, 2006
Police aren't 'fueling' around with new electric patrol car
Trace Christenson The Enquirer
It's not fast or big or plush, but it's quiet.
The only sound is a faint whine as Battle Creek Police Officer
Grady Pierce pushes the accelerator of his new electric patrol
car.
Since Tuesday, Pierce, assigned as the downtown Battle Creek
liaison officer, has been driving a Global Electric Motorcar,
quietly cruising downtown at 25 mph.
The car is equipped with headlights and a flashing blue overhead
light and is painted black and white. It's equipped to be legal
on the street and small enough to be driven on sidewalks or the
Linear Park if necessary.
The police department purchased the vehicle, which costs nearly
$12,000, to replace a Ford Crown Victoria, which costs more than
$20,000, according to Commander Jackie Hampton, supervisor of the
patrol division.
The decision to try the electric car also was to cut fuel costs,
Hampton said, replacing a car that gets 10 to 15 miles per gallon
with one which uses no gasoline.
"We decided to do this last fall when gasoline prices were going
up," Hampton said. "We are trying to look at innovative ways to
lower our fuel costs."
The 36 cars assigned to the patrol division use about 107,000
gallons of gasoline a year. Hampton said the department has
attempted to reduce fuel use by sometimes assigning two officers
to one car and finding ways to cut down on idling time.
He said that can be a problem because if officers turn off their
cars, it can take several minutes for their computers to
re-start, minutes that might be critical in an emergency as
officers wait for information.
The electric car, manufactured by GEM in Fargo, N.D., a division
of DaimlerChrysler Co., is being used on a trial basis, Hampton
said. It is similar to one used since last year by AMPCO System
to monitor downtown parking lots.
"It's another mode of transportation for downtown," he said.
The car travels at a top speed of 25 miles per hour and about a
30-mile range after an eight- to 10-hour charge.
Pierce said he spends about 90 percent of his time on foot but
also has a motor scooter. His patrol car has been reassigned.
Officials will determine if the car is safe to use as a police
vehicle and how durable it is, especially in bad weather.
The car is attracting considerable attention, Pierce said.
"Most of them say, 'Boy it's cute.'"
Trace Christenson covers crime and courts. He can be reached at
966-0685 or [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[image by] Trace Christenson/The Enquirer
Officer Grady Pierce has been cruising around downtown in the
police department´s new Global Electric Motorcar. The department
purchased the vehicle to cut fuel costs.
The Global Electric Motorcars two-seat e2
WEIGHT: 1,078 pounds.
HEIGHT: 68 inches.
LENGTH: 99 inches.
POWER: Six 12-volt batteries.
SPEED: Up to 25 mph.
RANGE: Up to 30 miles before eight- to 10-hour charge.
WARRANTY: 12 months.
Company based in Fargo, N.D., is a division of DaimlerChrysler Co.
INFORMATION: www.gemcar.com or 888-871-4367.
[image by] Trace Christenson/The Enquirer
Battle Creek Police Officer Grady Pierce patrols the Linearl Park
near the W.K. Kellogg House in his electric car.
[image by] Trace Christenson/The Enquirer
The Battle Creek police department has replaced a gas driven
patrol one with an electric car for the downtown officer.
Copyright ©2006 Battle Creek Enquirer. All rights reserved.
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Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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EVLN(High-school hybrid: fast and fuel-efficient)-Long
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/living/education/14354466.htm
Posted on Sun, Apr. 16, 2006 Eco-coupe fires dreams
High-school tale: The fast and the fuel-efficient.
By Akweli Parker Inquirer Staff Writer First of three articles.
Clayton Kinsler, auto mechanics teacher at West Philadelphia High
School, scanned Locust Street to make sure it was clear of
pedestrians, then hammered the throttle, rocketing the mean
little coupe down the 4800 block.
The car's rear-mounted engine unleashed a primal, metallic roar,
temporarily drowning out the jet-like whistle of the car's
turbocharger.
A video crew from Discovery Channel Canada was also on the street
that Saturday in March, filming what is arguably the country's
fastest, most efficient eco-friendly sports car - and the West
Philadelphia High School team that created it.
The asphalt-hugging, gunmetal-gray roadster was going through its
paces in preparation for the Olympics of environmental auto
competitions - the May 10-14 Tour de Sol in upstate New York. And
much was riding on this car. The students were pretty sure they
had worked out the major bugs.
Last year, the car won the race, garnering national attention for
the team of about a dozen mostly African American vocational
education students.
In February, the hybrid - which boasts 50 miles a gallon on
soybean-based biodiesel fuel - got more media attention at the
Philadelphia auto show.
If it won a second Tour de Sol victory, there'd likely be
scholarships and well-paying jobs in the auto industry for the
students - and badly needed grants, sponsorships, or even
lucrative partnerships with major automakers for the city
school's automotive academy.
Maybe Hollywood would come knocking.
For the moment, though, on Locust Street, it was time to cut
loose and show off for the film crew.
At each high-speed pass by Kinsler, 47, the car's student
builders whooped and cheered.
Then, zooming down Locust, Kinsler suddenly felt a loss of power.
When he pushed the pedal, the engine revved, but nothing at the
wheels. He coasted to a stop at 48th Street.
And sat there.
The students looked at one another and began walking, then
running toward the car, as the realization dawned that something
had gone horribly wrong.
Even as the video rolled, they swarmed around the car with pit
crew precision and removed the engine cover.
Simon Hauger, 36-year-old head of the school's Electric Vehicle
Team and mastermind of the project, peered into the tangle of
wires, pipes and hoses.
"The axle's done," he announced. As he had feared might happen,
the car's unorthodox axle had sheared in two.
Over the last year, the team and their instructors - Kinsler,
Hauger, and shop teacher Ron Preiss - had overcome all kinds of
obstacles:
How to instill in these urban students the value of hard work,
responsibility, and a passion for learning when their environment
outside of school often encouraged the opposite.
How to get the money to support the endeavor, which was beyond
the school district's ability to fully fund.
And how to use unconventional thinking not just to succeed, but
to blow away the world's expectations of them.
The axle - a thick metal rod that transfers engine power to the
wheels - had required a lot of unconventional thinking. This was
the fourth time in less than a year that it had broken.
The team had custom built the car from a kit called the K-1
Attack, with parts coming from different car makes. The axle
presented a peculiar engineering challenge - the car's Volkswagen
engine needed a way to spin its Honda rear wheels.
And so, the two rear axles are an amalgam of Volkswagen, Honda
and parts-bin bits welded together. The left one, shorter and
less flexible, is constantly breaking. A section of cheap steel
pipe held its VW and Honda ends together, but the pipe tore under
the high torque forces of acceleration. The car goes from zero to
60 in four seconds.
A thicker, higher-quality sleeve might do the trick, Hauger
surmised.
A half-dozen team members pushed the stricken vehicle backwards,
uphill to the school's garage, and gingerly rolled it onto the
cradling metal arms of a power car lift.
Devereaux Knight, the 2005 team captain who'd gone on to one of
the area's best technical schools, Automotive Training Center in
Warminster, and a job at Central City Toyota, had dropped in. He
draped an arm around Kinsler and teased him about his penchant
for breaking axles: "Two for you, one for Hauger."
The atmosphere in the garage was a mixture of adrenaline and
disappointment, with team members half-jokingly asking that the
mechanical failure be edited out of Discovery's video.
The only thing to do now was saw off new axle halves from whole
VW and Honda units, send them out to be welded... and wait.
"We didn't expect it to break again," said a disappointed Joseph
Pak, a lanky, earringed 10th grader with gel-spiked hair. Still,
he said, he was relieved that it had happened well before the May
competition.
For Pak and other team members who'd struggled with school, the
car was an "in-your-face" affirmation of their talents and
dreams.
Pak, the team's only Asian member, admits he used to skip more
school than he attended. "I was just hanging out." Now he gets
straight A's and wants to be an engineer.
"I've seen the extreme of not doing things when you should," Pak
said. With the Attack, he said he's seen the extreme of what
happens when you stay the course.
It was now midafternoon and the French Canadian director was
setting up his final shot.
"What you want to do is -" he began.
"Cry," Knight interjected.
Hauger, though, was upbeat. "This is actually pretty good news,"
Hauger said. Their more complex engineering of the axle had held.
This was a simple weld.
The ideas that come out of West Philly's auto shop aren't rocket
science, Hauger says, but they do require imagination and some
risk-taking - traits he thinks Detroit could use.
He envisions the high school program sharing the team's know-how
of building hybrid cars on the cheap. No major automaker sells a
performance car that gets such outrageously high mileage.
With oil prices high and demand for hybrids soaring, the timing
could not be better.
Developing a car model costs automakers about $1 billion. Even
adding back the discounts and freebies the school team received -
such as carbon-fiber body panels and custom wheels - the Attack
would still have clocked in well under $100,000.
Hauger estimated their two-seater, if mass-produced, could sell
for about $50,000.
But before such lofty ambitions could be realized, the Attack's
axle had to be repaired.
Sixteen days later, during fourth-period auto mechanics class, a
handful of team members gathered in the school shop. On a metal
worktable sat the newly welded axle assembly. Machinists at
Drexel University had augmented the original design with a
beefier, higher-grade steel sleeve.
Kinsler motioned to the damaged axle, lying on the same table and
looking like a broken femur.
"If you can't shift into second gear without something breaking,
it ain't right," he said.
A student got under the car to pop the axle in place, much like
pushing a tight toilet paper holder into place. Kinsler yanked on
the suspension to create clearance. But, after many tries, it
hadn't connected.
Quietly, Calvin Cheeseboro, a tall, athletic-looking 11th grader
with neatly twisted braids, took over. Cheeseboro, who'd twice
installed axles in the Attack and can practically assemble its
complicated shift linkage in his sleep, now wrestled with the
greasy metal rod.
First, the wheel-facing side popped into place. Then, with
Kinsler again pulling on the suspension, the inboard side mated
to the transmission with a satisfying clunk.
Classmates Bruce Harmon, a quiet senior who becomes animated when
the talk turns to cars, and Jeffrey Daniels, a stocky 11th grader
with nimble hands, ducked under the car to tighten clamps and
make sure the piece was securely in place.
Cheeseboro, who has struggled to maintain passing grades so he
can work with the team, said it felt good to be the guy to put in
the critical part. Still, he said, he'd sooner not face such
drama, especially with the May race fast approaching. "I don't
want to break another axle."
The team had hopefully resolved their thorniest problem.
They'd find out that afternoon, out on Locust Street, if their
solution had worked.
ONLINE EXTRA For an animated graphic of the hybrid car and
previous coverage, go to http://go.philly.com/hybridcar
Week of May 7: The Inquirer reports on the hectic days before
West Philly's biodiesel challenges the best clean cars in the
nation. Contact staff writer Akweli Parker at 215-854-5986 or
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
© 2006 Philadelphia Inquirer and wire service sources. All Rights
Reserved.
http://www.philly.com
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Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
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===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
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Sorry, I have no idea what the cause might have been. I think the relative
question is "Did you gain a new respect for working around batteries?"
Things can happen awfully fast. I'm sure you just joined some kind of club,
I'm just not sure what it is called. I believe Bob Rice may be the
President though :-)
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Reply-To: ev@listproc.sjsu.edu
To: ev@listproc.sjsu.edu
Subject: Exploding batteries in an E-8 (yikes!)
Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2006 16:52:22 -0400 (EDT)
A few weeks ago I purchased an E-8. I was told that all it needed was
batteries, and for what I paid, I could afford if it needed any real work..
So today I get it out of the shed and start working on it. I take a group
of 6
exide 6V golf cart batteries that I've had in storage for about 9 months
and put
them on the golf cart charger to get brought up to voltage.
After about 5 hours on the charger they are up enough (IMO) to test the E8.
I
make sure the key switch is off on the E-8 and connect the negative lead of
the
E-8 to the negative terminal of my 36v exide pack with a pair of heavy
jumper
cables.
I connect the jumpers to the E-8 positive terminal. As soon as I touch it
to
the positve lead of the battery pack *BANG* there was an explosion as loud
as a
shotgun blast. The first battery in the string (the one that the negative
jumper cable was connected to) exploded. Oddly enough, it was the battery
farthest from the one I had just made the connection to.
Anyway it blew off it's caps and almost blew off the top of the battery.
There
is a 10" semicircular crack on the top. Oh yeah, I managed to get sprayed
by
battery acid. I was wearing safty glasses, so a quick shower and I'm fine,
but
What the @#$%^&* happend?
Even if I got the connections backwards, with everything off, that should
not
have happend should it?
Any ideas?
James
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