http://www.wsj.com/video/the-electric-jeep-that-actually-a-volkswagen/666B412B-F25A-42B0-9CD5-A8ACEF6126BF.html The Electric Jeep That's Actually a Volkswagen 2/2/2016 [video flash] New Yorker Doug Manowitz built an electric vehicle from parts that he mostly ordered online. His goal was to build a zero-emission vehicle he could use to to zip around the city. Photo: Ben Sarle for The Wall Street Journal [© wsj.com] ... http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-jeepfrom-the-ground-up-1454432805 A Jeep—From the Ground Up [20160202] Doug Manowitz, 59, a contractor from Manhattan, on his homemade electric Jeep, as told to A.J. Baime. I started this vehicle as a science experiment. I thought, what if I could build an electric vehicle mostly out of parts I could buy on eBay? Essentially out of junk, with some new components added in? It would put out zero emissions, and would cost me nothing to drive. I could plug it in with a regular extension cord ... [subscription] [© wsj.com]
[video dated https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwN4fPPXw-A EV Jeep test drive Video for Manowitz Jeep electric 33:03 Dec 20, 2015 - Uploaded by DOUG MANOWITZ Driving around Manhattan in an EV Jeep : 96 V AC motor, 1970 VW Beetle chassis, 1980 CJ5 fiberglass ... ] ... http://www.qgazette.com/news/2015-05-13/Features/Manhattan_Man_Builds_Electric_Car.html Manhattan Man Builds Electric Car 2015-05-13 / Features [images http://www.qgazette.com/sites/www.qgazette.com/files/images/2015-05-13/30p1.jpg There are two electric cars (so far) to this story: a 2013 72v DC Electric Roadster with roll cage and canvas body; and a 2015 96v AC Electric “Jeep.” Both cars use the VW chassis system http://www.qgazette.com/sites/www.qgazette.com/files/images/2015-05-13/30p2.preview.jpg (e-jeep) ] Doug Manowitz has built his own car. What started as a science experiment has ended in the construction of a series of electric cars designed for urban use, short range travel and ease of use. Manowitz, who renovates townhouses in the city, purchased at online auction a 72- volt DC forklift motor. His intention was to create a low-voltage, high-torque hoist for use in any building where there might not be adequate Con Edison service or perhaps no service at all. After it became apparent that there would be no need for the motor, he found a junked VW chassis to experiment on. Among the advantages of using an existing chassis, the vehicle may be registered with only a VIN (vehicle identification number) stamped on the frame. A body is not a requirement to pass inspection. Two cars were assembled in the basement of the apartment building garage where Manowitz lives, in Manhattan. The parking garage owners have been very cooperative and installed local 110v convenience outlets for his use near the bays in which Manowitz stores the cars. In both cases he manufactured aluminum adapter plates to mount the motors, and had to find inventive ways to engage the VW drive shaft. In both cases he was fortunate to have the original couplings from the gas engines. “At this point I might add that both cars are ‘clutchless.’ Since the electric motor does not idle when you lift your foot from the accelerator, it is easy to ‘throw’ the transmission into gear. The motor being high-torque will drive the vehicle from rest, even in third gear, although perhaps not efficiently. I might add that we now realize that the newer car with regenerative braking always has the transmission engaged with the motor, unless you pull it into neutral. To shift to a higher gear, you need to ‘double clutch’ or match the rpm of the motor to your coasting speed. Looking into replacing the transmission with a Porsche semi-automatic type to relieve this small problem,” said Manowitz. He has been commuting to work 120 city blocks round trip (about nine miles daily) for two years, weather permitting. The flexibility of the 110v charger permits Manowitz to plug in at the local coffee shop, alongside people plugging in their laptops. “I just carry a 50-foot extension cord in a storage box on board. I frequent restaurants and cafes that have parking in front or nearby and ‘top off’ charge at various waypoints. It frees one from the anxiety of planning a trip around where commercial 220v charging stations may be. And generally in NYC, they are all within parking garages that charge you for parking and again for the use of the charging station. Of course , if you can afford a Tesla, you probably don’t care about the cost of parking,” he said. “The next phase for me is to search out a high school shop class, or a technical school, to collaborate with and teach. I am currently looking for a real estate sponsor to donate industrial space. “Another goal is to contact NYC administration officials, for example the Parks department, and solicit a proposal to furnish them with zero emission electric utility vehicles that are street legal, not NEV type low-speed vehicles. “What we’re doing is really bringing back to life 45-50 year old cars, recycling in a meaningful way, and repurposing “junk” to be functional and clean.” For more photos and some articles, visit Manowitz’ blog at electricroadster.tumblr.com [© 2016 The Service Advertising Group] http://inhabitat.com/nyc/industrious-manhattan-drives-to-work-in-homemade-electric-vehicles-made-of-old-car-parts/doug-manowitz-electic-car3/ Gallery [slideshow]: Industrious Manhattan man drives to work in homemade electric vehicles made of old car parts 07/06/15 Manowitz rebuilt a 2013 72v DC Electric Roadster and a 2015 96v AC Electric Jeep using VW chassis systems to create two zero emission electric cars. Manhattan resident Doug Manowitz isn't relying on Tesla or Toyota for his electric rides. The contractor and car enthusiast has refitted a discarded VW chassis with a 72-Volt forklift motor to create a fully operational, zero emissions, urban electric vehicle. And if you think building one green car is impressive enough, Manowitz actually has two homemade EVs under his amateur mechanic's belt. ... http://makezine.com/2014/08/19/diy-electric-vehicle-in-manhattan/ DIY Electric Vehicle in Manhattan August 19, 2014 ... brainchild of Doug Manowitz ... http://i0.wp.com/cdn.makezine.com/uploads/2014/08/img_20140616_105001.jpg For EVLN EV-newswire posts use: http://evdl.org/evln/ {brucedp.150m.com} -- View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/EVLN-Electric-Jeep-from-two-VW-s-a-junk-parts-science-experiment-v-tp4680320.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 Read EVAngel's EV News at http://evdl.org/evln/ Please discuss EV drag racing at NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
