EV Digest 6546
Topics covered in this issue include:
1) Re: 98 metro question
by "Phil Marino" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
2) EVLN(A Battery Beyond Belief?: secretive EEStor 15kwh pack)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
3) Re: Looking for Electric Mower Suggestions for 1 acre
by Christopher Zach <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
4) EVLN(Dealer.com wants to sell EVs)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
5) EVLN(Du Quoin, IL overgrown golf cart nEVs)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
6) EVLN(Th!nk Nordic Plans to Resume EV Production)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
7) EVLN(EV charging: Edmonds, WA PS Building parking lot)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
8) EVLN(UCSC EV conference & show at draws hundreds)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
9) EVLN(LCHS student EV in Touchstone Energy Kansas ElectroRally)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
10) EVLN(A GEM nEV named Emmy: the Model T of electric cars)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
11) EVLN(Week in Sustainable Mobility, EVs)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
12) EVLN(Capitola's Ebus to be discussed at May Commission meeting)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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From: "Paul G." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: ev@listproc.sjsu.edu
To: ev@listproc.sjsu.edu
Subject: Re: 98 metro question
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2007 15:51:15 -0800
On Mar 12, 2007, at 10:21 AM, mike golub wrote:
When I removed the engine I carefully labeled all the
electrical wires.
Except for the wires that are going back to the
transmission, can any of the other wires be reused?
Most of the basic engine wiring has EV related uses. Right off the top is
the stock Ignition coil power wire. Its a good choice to operate the main
contactor system. Some people use the starter wire and a relay wired as a
latching relay to operate a second main contactor (for system with a manual
controller precharge system) or as a controller enable wire for controller
with that as a separate function.
Can the generator wires be rewired so that the 12volt
battery meter will work?
The stock alternator output wire is a good point to connect the output of a
DC to DC converter. The signal wire on the alternator generally lights the
alternator light if the ignition is on and that wire is grounded. That
connection, plus some electronics to sense voltage, can be used to light
the alternator light if the 12v system voltage gets to low (battery is
going dead or DC to DC has failed - you still need to stop soon before the
car does it for you.)
IIRC, the oil pressure sensor can be for something,
but not sure.
Generally that wire is connected to the temperature snap switch built into
most motors. Its generally a single wire looking for ground that when
grounded lights the oil pressure light.
If someone has a list of possibilities of all the
wires/sensors let me know.
One I have used is the radiator fan power wiring. Its usually plenty large
to operate a vacuum pump for the brakes. You may have to remove and jumper
a relay, or switch its thermostat wire with a relay tied to turning on the
ignition switch (the first if the stock radiator fan cannot run with the
engine off, the second if it can.)
Temperature and fuel level gauge wiring is a little trickier. On most EVs
they end up sitting dead but I would at least terminate the wires somewhere
(and somehow) so you can access them again if you find a use for either.
They would make a cool pack volt and amp meter but some circuitry (isolated
circuitry!) would be required. There is nothing I'm aware of "off the
shelf" to do this because there are so many different methods and values
used to drive these gauges (and some, like thermal gauges, respond slowly
to input changes.)
Coincidentally, I just came upstairs from my shop after looking at how I
could wire up the original ICE fuel gage ( Echo conversion). The sender is
a variable resistor, and the wiring manual even tells you what voltages ( at
the gauge conenctor) correspond to what fuel levels.
I've already got an isolated pack voltage signal, so I figured it would work
out pretty easily.
But, what I learned is that the fuel gage responds VERY slowly - it takes
about a half hour to show a significant change. They must set it up that
way so that you don't get fooled by sloshing fuel, but it makes it pretty
useless for me. ( Since my pack could go from "full" to "empty" in not much
more than a half hour.). It's not the gage itself - that responds quickly
when the cluster is powered up,- but after that it has to think about if for
a while before making a fuel gage change. There must be some digital stuff
in the cluster that does it.
Phil
_________________________________________________________________
With tax season right around the corner, make sure to follow these few
simple tips.
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Taxes/PreparationTips/PreparationTips.aspx?icid=HMFebtagline
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EVLN(A Battery Beyond Belief?: secretive EEStor 15kwh pack)
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http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=18330&ch=energy
Monday, March 12, 2007
A Battery Beyond Belief?
A secret, fast-charging, powerful battery. By Tyler Hamilton
Is EEStor of Cedar Park, TX, for real? The secretive company
announced earlier this year that it plans to begin shipping a
15-kilowatt-hour electrical-energy storage system that can
propel a small electric car 322 kilometers and takes just minutes
to charge.
The first customer: Toronto-based Zenn Motor, which makes
electric vehicles. EEStor says its technology is a cross between
a battery and an ultracapacitor (which quickly stores and
releases energy) and is based on mysterious barium titanate
powders.
Company documents claim that the new storage system has better
energy density than lithium-ion and nickel-metal hydride
batteries, that it charges more quickly, and that it's cheaper
and safer. The implications are enormous and, for many,
unbelievable, but the company says it's all true. "We're well on
our way to doing everything we said," says Richard Weir,
EEStor's cofounder and chief executive.
Comments EEStor hype by Emosson 3/12/2007 12:44 AM
[See] my comment from January 22, 2007 at
http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=18086&ch=biztech
Unfortunately EEStor never made and will never make the
supercapacitor described in the patent
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT7033406&id=cjx3AAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&dq=eestor#PPA3,M1)
because they ignore a well known physical effect, called
dielectric saturation.
Barium titanate has been used in capacitors for decades, due to
its high dielectric constant:
http://www.avxcorp.com/docs/techinfo/mlcmat.pdf
However, the dielectric constant drops as the electric field
strength increases:
http://www.nap.edu/books/NI000488/html/49.html
http://prola.aps.org/abstract/PR/v71/i12/p890_1
At a hypothetical field of 3500 Volts over a thickness of 12.76
micrometers, as proposed in the patent, the dielectric constant
of barium titanate would be orders of magnitude lower than the
claimed 18500, reducing capacity and energy density by the same
factor
This has been discussed in more detail by Anatoly Moskalev on
December 24th and 26th, 2006 in
http://www.teslamotors.com/blog1/index.php?p=43
with an update on January 20th, 2007:
http://www.teslamotors.com/blog1/?p=46
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Bored stiff? Loosen up...
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Cor van de Water wrote:
Hi Mark,
Some piece is still not making sense, this probably has to do with the speed
that you are moving forward with.
His numbers are not unbelievable. My Elec-trak with two sets of 30
BB600's in parallel can do the lawn without much problem. However my E20
is more efficient than his Craftsman because the blades are run by
individual motors instead of a big motor plus pulleys.
However the real killer is the hydro transmission. I seem to recall an
efficiency of about 50-60% compared to direct-coupled transmission. That
could bring his numbers in range of mine.
I'd recommend he gets an Elec-trak. An E-20 can fit 60 BB600's in the
back, 30 in the front, and if you're blowing snow you can put another 30
in the weight box. The dumb-as-dirt charger works great (I think I have
been doing BB600 for 3 years now) and it will blow snow like no one's
business all day long.
Chris
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http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/866250/internet_only_companies_thrive_in_online_environment/index.html?source=r_technology
Internet Only Companies Thrive in Online Environment
By Edelstein, Art REDORBIT NEWS
[...]
What Dealer.com does is build websites for auto dealerships and
work as a marketing tool and web site solution.
[...]
There are 100,000 auto dealers in the US including used car
dealers, said Bonfigli. According to him, they all needed to find
a better way of marketing their inventory and selling cars
faster. "This is the least expensive and the most effective form
of advertising," he said of the Internet site.
Dealer.com can set up a website for a few hundred a month. The
average small Vermont dealer would pay $400 monthly for an entire
marketing package, he noted.
The key to this type of web-based site, one the company has
become expert at, is search engine technology. According to
Bonfigli, "every dealer using our website component is linked
into Google seamlessly."
This vehicle link can also show up in the shopping bag on Google,
a valuable marketing device.
Dealer.com has automated the process. Most dealerships in the US
have an accounting system that Dealer.com dials into then moves
the inventory data to the Dealer.com website. That inventory is
then marketed online.
[...]
Bonfigli is now taking Dealer.com in a new direction and will
launch a nationwide earthcars.com web site later this year. That
company will be an environmental automotive shopping site for
"green" cars. These include hybrids and electric vehicles both
new and used. He said the site would include "anything you want
to learn about green cars." He expects to work with thousands of
dealerships who will partner to bring a green car inventory to
earthcars.com."
Earthcars is used by the dealership in Williston, but in March
that site will go national.
Currently the company is getting the inventory ready and putting
relationships in place. Some work on the site, such as
photography, is being donated because, Bonfigli said, "the
companies believe in the social aspect of stopping global
warming."
"We're trying to do our part," said Bonfigli. "It's difficult to
help auto dealers with marketing and getting rid of paper. We
need to help dealers get those cars faster and get people to
shift to earthfriendly vehicles."
He said a demand for high performance electric cars exists.
"People need to accept them, and think they are cool," he
explained.
[...]
Copyright Boutin-McQuiston, Inc. Feb 01, 2007
(c) 2007 Vermont Business Magazine. Provided by ProQuest
Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
Published: 2007/03/12 03:00:13 CDT
© 2002-2007 redOrbit.com. All rights reserved
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TV dinner still cooling?
Check out "Tonight's Picks" on Yahoo! TV.
http://tv.yahoo.com/
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EVLN(Du Quoin, IL overgrown golf cart nEVs)
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http://www.duquoin.com/articles/2007/03/12/local_news/february_27/news8.txt
Du Quoin Takes First Vote on New Ordinances
Tuesday, February 27, 2007 1:00 PM CST
DU QUOIN - The Du Quoin City Council Monday placed on public
display an ordinance that would permit the use of Neighborhood
Electric Vehicles within the corporate limits of Du Quoin. The
electric powered vehicles look like overgrown golf carts and are
fully equipped with lighting and safety devices. Some communities
use the vehicles for shuttles. Under the ordinance, which still
faces a lot of discussion, the vehicles would be allowed to
operate in neighborhoods where the speed limit is no more than 35
miles per hour. They cannot operate on any roadway under any
jurisdiction outside the city, including the county and IDOT. The
ordinance is a work in progress and discussions are ongoing.
The council also approved ordinances which would forbid vehicles
being left on public streets for more than 72 consecutive hours;
approved an ordinance giving new definition to abandoned
vehicles; and approved an ordinance forbidding the burning of any
refuse, grass, leaves or other material commonly referred to as
yard waste on any property other than the property upon which
it is generated. That ordinance is aimed at commercial lawn care
firms. --John H. Croessman
Copyright © 2007 Du Quoin Evening Call
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Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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Food fight? Enjoy some healthy debate
in the Yahoo! Answers Food & Drink Q&A.
http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=list&sid=396545367
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http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20070312-0644-thinkglobal-electric-.html
Norwegian firm raises $25 million for new electric car
By Wojciech Moskwa REUTERS 6:44a.m. March 12, 2007
OSLO Norwegian electric car maker Think Global launched a sleek
new micro model on Monday after raising $25 million in equity,
seeking to profit from growing environmental awareness and better
batteries.
With financing from Norwegian and U.S. investors, the car maker
seeks to transform itself from a company that went bankrupt in
2006 to a producer of environmentally sound personal urban
mobility.
We have gained important investors and now have a total financial
plan for the next 12 months, Chief Executive Jan-Olaf Willums
told Reuters on the sidelines of the presentation of new model
Th!nk city.
First we want to get a profitable company going and then we may
opt for an IPO (initial public offering), he said.
The new micro two-seater is equipped with ABS brakes, dual
airbags, and meets European and U.S. safety requirements. It has
a range of 170 km (106 miles) and a top speed of 100 km/h.
The Th!nk city's price tag in Norway will be about 200,000 crowns
($32,440), plus nearly 1,000 crowns per month to lease the
battery, giving buyers a chance to upgrade their plug-in power
source. New car prices in Norway are nearly double that of those
in the European Union due to high taxes.
Willums expects electric car battery technology to advance
quickly as the world's leading auto makers seek to change their
petrol-guzzling image and offer new hybrid engines that run on
both petrol and electricity.
Hybrid interest has spurred the development of new batteries and
we benefit from that, he said. Many people say the hybrid is an
intermediate step to a fully electric car... in two or three
years you will be able to drive 300-400 miles in a fully electric
car and there will be no reason for a hybrid.
Production of the Th!nk city will begin in the third quarter of
2007 and 3,500 cars will be made next year, mostly for sale in
Norway before planned expansion abroad.
We have discussions about getting the next round of sales going
in Europe perhaps in the Netherlands, Denmark and Britain as
well as a strong request to do something in the United States
later on, Willums said.
===
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070312/norway_think_car.html?.v=1
AP Think Nordic to Resume Car Production
Monday March 12, 10:19 am ET
Think Nordic Announces Plans to Resume Production of Vehicles
After Raising Needed Capital
OSLO, Norway (AP) -- The tiny Norwegian electric car company
Think Nordic ASA, which went bankrupt after being sold off by
Ford, announced plans Monday to resume production after raising
the needed capital.
Think -- based in Aurskog, northeast of Oslo -- went bankrupt
over a year ago, and was bought up by Norwegian investors during
the liquidation process.
In a news release, the company said it had raised US$25 million
(euro19.2 million) in fresh capital from Norwegian and
international investors, and planned to begin making its new
design Think City car later in the year.
The company's managing director Jan-Olaf Willums, part of the
group that bought the remains of the bankrupt company, said
increasing focus on the world environment could spur sales of
environmentally friendly cars.
"Climate problems and local pollution in cities contribute to
that," he told the Norwegian news agency NTB.
Ford Motor Co. owned the company until January 2003, and had
imported hundreds of the tiny, rounded, two-seater cars to the
United States for a three-year test. Ford lost faith in electric
cars and sold Think to Swiss company Kamkorp Microelectronics,
which owned it until the bankruptcy.
Ford invested more than US$100 million (euro77 million) in design
and safety systems for the tiny car before pulling out, leaving a
good platform to build on, Willums said.
He said the new Think City has a range of about 180 kilometers
(110 miles), twice that of the earlier model, and meets both
European and U.S. safety standards.
http://www.think.no
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TV dinner still cooling?
Check out "Tonight's Picks" on Yahoo! TV.
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EVLN(EV charging: Edmonds, WA PS Building parking lot)
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http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/07/03/12/100loc_b1car001.cfm
Published: Monday, March 12, 2007
Plugging in to Edmonds By Scott Pesznecker Herald Writer
Electric car charging station proposed
[image by Jennifer Buchanan / The Herald
http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/07/03/12/electriccar_530.jpg
Electric car owner Stephen Bernheim wants the city of Edmonds to
install an outdoor electric outlet to show support for people who
drive battery-powered cars.]
EDMONDS - Stephen Bernheim might be the only person in Edmonds
who needs an electrical outlet to recharge his car.
Not for long, he said.
Bernheim, a member of the city's Citizens Advisory Transportation
Committee, said electric cars could someday fill as many garages
as their gas-powered counterparts.
He wants the city to show support for plug-in cars by installing
a single electrical outlet somewhere in the downtown area. He's
planning to discuss his plan at Tuesday's Edmonds City Council
meeting.
"My vision is that electric cars will become more popular because
they use less foreign oil than all the cars that people now use,"
Bernheim said. "If simple electric plugs are available, it would
be possible to drive electric cars from place to place and
recharge them without using any gasoline."
Installing an outdoor plug-in would cost about $200, Bernheim
said. There are no plans to install more than one outlet. The
parking lot of the Edmonds Public Safety Building would be an
ideal place for a plug-in for electric cars, Mayor Gary Haakenson
said. If one were installed there, the city wouldn't have to
remove any parking spaces from downtown streets.
"We would be ahead of our time a little bit by doing it,"
Haakenson said. "It's a symbolic effort, I believe."
Steven Lough, president of the Seattle Electric Vehicles
Association, said electric cars are becoming more popular in the
region and nationwide. His group's membership rolls have nearly
doubled during the past year, from about 20 to 40 active members,
he said. The cost of gasoline, the ongoing war in Iraq and
research on global warming appear to be steering people toward
electric cars, Lough said.
"It's just an awareness that everyone is coming to," he said.
Bernheim bought his electric car, a Corbin Sparrow, in 2001. He
can usually drive up to 30 miles per charge in his three-wheeled,
one-seated car.
He said he often drives his Sparrow to Everett, Seattle and
Bothell. All he needs is a place to plug in.
Other electric car owners might drive to Edmonds if the city
provides them with an outlet, Bernheim said.
"This is primarily an education and demonstration project to show
people that this simple, known technology can replace thousands
of gasoline powered automobiles," he said.
Reporter Scott Pesznecker: 425-339-3436 or
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Copyright © 2007 The Daily Herald Co., Everett, Wash.
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http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2007/March/11/local/stories/05local.htm
Amped on electric cars: Electric car conference and show at UCSC
draws hundreds
By ROGER SIDEMAN SENTINEL STAFF WRITER March 11, 2007
Fans and makers of electric cars from around Northern California
converged on UC Santa Cruz on Saturday for a conference and car
show celebrating the battery-powered green machines.
"We're here trying to dispel the myth that an electric vehicle is
just a small, sluggish toy you take to the supermarket and back,"
said organizer John Connor, a UCSC graduate student in computer
science.
To prove his point, Connor pointed to the Wrightspeed X1, a
sports car prototype that beat a Porsche GT in a drag race,
bursting to 60 miles per hour in 3.0 seconds.
In another parking space behind the Engineering 2 building, the
handmade Tzero thrilled enthusiasts with its bright yellow
roadster frame. The $200,000 sports car is one of only four in
production and does zero to 60 in 3.6 seconds.
But speed wasn't everything to many in the group of civic-minded
souls looking to save the browning, warming planet.
Among the cars on exhibit was the the ZENN [Zero Emission, No
Noise], a small Euro-styled car built in Canada aimed to filled a
significant gap in the market between flimsy, golf-cart type
vehicles and highway-legal cars. The ZENN runs 35 miles on a
charge at speeds up to 25 miles per hours.
"Suppose I want to let my kids drive to high school but I don't
want them to drive too fast this is what I'd get them," said
Arthur Keller, a computer scientist and researcher at UCSC's
Baskin School of Engineering.
Electric cars are hailed for their lower emissions. The Electric
Power Research Institute estimates electric vehicles burn 97
percent cleaner than gas-powered cars, even taking into account
the power plants that produce the electricity. Driving an
electric car for a year reduces the amount of hydrocarbons
released into the air by 17 pounds and reduces nitrogen oxides by
14 pounds, according to the institute.
Electric cars are far more efficient energy consumers, said local
alternative energy advocate Ron Swenson.
"Two-thirds of the heat energy in internal combustion engines
goes out the tailpipe," he said. "These vehicles do much better
but still need to be made lighter"
Despite that, the cars are struggling to merge into the
mainstream. Critics cite the short range for most electric
vehicles typically anywhere from 50 to 120 miles on a single
charge although the average car trip in American would not
fully drain the battery.
And apart from the small start-up manufacturers, most of them
based in California, consumers can have a difficult time finding
the cars. Toyota stopped making an electric-powered version of
its RAV-4 EV and General Motors has discontinued its electric
vehicle, which was available only by lease. Most of the remaining
GM vehicles were junked, as featured in last year's Hollywood
whodunit, "Who Killed the Electric Car?"
Several leading electric car makers and engineers attended the
all-day conference, including Marc Geller, who was featured
briefly in the film as a person who worked to keep some of GM's
cars on the streets.
Electric car neophyte Leslie Uke, a third-year mechanical
engineering student at UC Berkeley, came down to represent a
group of students who want to build their own electric car from
the ground up.
"We all watched the film and got amped up about it," Uke said.
Assemblyman John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, delivered the day's opening
remarks, telling the crowd of 150 that state legislators have
five bills in the works that promote electric vehicles.
Contact Roger Sideman at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Copyright © Santa Cruz Sentinel. All rights reserved.
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http://www.parsonssun.com/news/articles/lchs030907.shtml
LCHS prepares for rally By Colleen Surridge 03/09/2007; 2:09PM
ALTAMONT - Labette County High School students are preparing for
their second year of competing in the Touchstone Energy Kansas
ElectroRally.
About 20 LCHS drafting, welding and machine technology students
are combining their efforts to assemble this year's electric car
for the races April 14 in Great Bend and April 28 in Lucas.
Both races are run on road courses. The objective is for the
electric car to travel the longest distance in an hour.
"The race is really not as much about speed as using all of the
power in your batteries to complete the most laps," said LCHS
team co-sponsor Drew Charles.
The team is close to having the car drivable and hopes to test
drive it over spring break so adjustments can be made.
"The only real apprehension is getting the car done in plenty of
time to test it and make adjustments," Charles said. "It really
is a monumental task these kids are undertaking to do a project
like this in nine weeks of one-hour classes."
In fact, he said, "There has been activity on the car between 130
and 150 hours this quarter. It's hard to tell. The thing is like
a magnet. Kids get excited and have an idea or want to come work
on it and just show up. We have devoted 45 hours of instructional
time in mechanical drafting to the project, but with the hours
advanced welding students put in TIG welding, and the hours kids
have spent from other classes, 130 to 150 hours is a very
conservative estimate."
Students are required to follow specific guidelines for the
design and construction of the car.
"There are several design requirements that deal with the
physical nature of the car," Charles said. "You are only allowed
two batteries and have to choose from a list of motors that are
available to ensure that no team has an unfair advantage. The
kids also have to submit a design portfolio and research paper
that is graded and judged as part of the design award. Last year,
we won the overall design award, which is a coveted prize, and it
is hard to repeat."
The students have made some changes to this year's car.
"We have done everything we could think of to make the car
lighter. We are using a motor, batteries, controller and front
wheels from last year, but everything else has been redesigned,"
Charles said.
This year, the students used 3/4-inch diameter, 26-gauge steel
tubing and designed a frame that will have a skin of very thin
aluminum applied to it. Last year's car had a steel-base frame
with a fiberglass shell.
"And the back wheel we are using was donated by a student and is
smaller and lighter than last year's. Losing circumference of the
back wheel required us to recalculate the gear ratio. Steering
problems last year caused a prolonged pit stop, so this year we
purchased a rack and pinion steering gearbox, which will greatly
improve our steering and handling," Charles said.
To date, student fundraising and some school money have paid for
the cost of the car's construction, but the team could use
sponsors and contributions.
"We are trying to make building the electric car an annual
event," Charles said. "This year the most expensive items came
from last year's car, but it is still quite expensive. We are
trying to raise enough money to buy a new motor and batteries for
next year's car, as well as pay for some of the materials we have
used on this year's.
"We are still collecting donations, cans and anything else we can
turn into cash to buy materials and parts."
Anyone who wishes to make a donation can contact Charles or Bo
Smith at (620) 784-5321.
Building the car has many benefits for students, and the school
would like to keep the project going.
"Kids are very motivated to build this car," Charles said. "It
has kids who would never venture outside the drafting room, or
wanted to enroll in welding or machine tool technology, begging
to tack weld something for the car, bend tubing, or run a machine
to make the part they need. It's fun to teach when kids are
looking forward to your class all day long.
"When we have to calculate an angle, machine parts or calculate
gear ratios, kids are applying their academics in a real world
environment," Charles said. "The project also has kids thinking
about the environment. Several kids have expressed interest in
alternative energy vehicles."
Although the competitions are far away, Charles said he and
students welcome anyone who would like to go support the LCHS.
"With the races being in Great Bend and Lucas, it's a lot to ask
for people to come and watch," Charles said. "We would love to
see people there, but anyone who wants to know a little more
about it is welcome to come check out our car. We love to show
off what the kids have accomplished thus far."
===
http://www.sunflower.net/electrorally_GB.html
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Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
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. (originator of the above ASCII art)
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EVLN(A GEM nEV named Emmy: the Model T of electric cars)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070310/News01/703100348/-1/NEWS01
Meet Emmy; she's a GEM and turning lots of heads
Electric cars in stock at local dealership.
ED RONCO Tribune Staff Writer March 10. 2007 6:59AM
SOUTH BEND -- Mike Keen and Gabrielle Robinson have a new baby.
The new addition to the family weighs 1,120 pounds, is 99 inches
long and hardly makes a whisper. Unless you put her in reverse --
then she beeps.
Her name is Emmy, and she is an electric car.
The car got the name from her emerald green color, and she's a
GEM.
No, really. GEM stands for Global Electric Motorcars, the
vehicle's manufacturer, which is owned by DaimlerChrysler. Emmy
is the e2 model.
The couple had been lobbying Tyler Automotive in Niles for a few
months to stock the plug-in lightweight vehicles. When the
dealership got a few in stock, Keen and Robinson were the first
customers.
GEM cars are restricted to roads with speed limits lower than 35
miles per hour and anyway, they top out at only 25 right now.
They average about 30 miles before needing to be plugged in and
recharged.
That doesn't bother Keen, who says he'll use Emmy to drive from
his Riverside Drive home to his job as a professor of sociology
at Indiana University South Bend.
Most trips people make in their cars are within a few miles of
home, anyway.
"So why drive around two tons of steel that's powered by an
internal combustion engine?" Keen said.
The cars start at around $6,900, but after Keen and Robinson
added accessories to their car, it came in at about $11,000.
The couple still has two gas-burning cars for longer hauls, but
they estimate a savings of about $700 a year on smaller local
trips using the GEM.
The GEM turns a lot of heads, and when it's sitting out in the
driveway, passing motorists stop to gawk like hospital visitors
at the nursery window.
On a test drive with a Tribune reporter Friday, a passing
motorist smiled and waved at Keen.
Did he know her?
"No," he said. But that happens a lot.
Emmy, who handles similarly to a golf cart although smoother, has
about 15 miles on her so far -- the result of
tooling around the neighborhood a few times as well as a trip to
downtown South Bend.
This is the Model T of electric cars, Keen said.
"Technology will increase so we'll be able to go faster and go
longer," he said. "It's a fun little car."
Green beyond the paint
Buying Emmy was the biggest step so far in Keen and Robinson's
quest to become more environmentally friendly, but it was far
from their only step.
The couple has energy-saving light bulbs in their house. The
toilets and shower heads are designed to reduce water usage. They
recycle.
And they buy local products because, Keen said, the farther
something travels the more energy it takes to get it there. Buy
local goods and you save some gasoline.
The couple recently started making presentations to area groups
on how individuals and organizations can take small steps to
improve the environment.
And that's what it will take, they both say: small steps.
"It's not the last step you take," Keen said. "It's the first,
because then you'll take a second and then you'll take a third."
Awareness of environmental issues is increasing, probably thanks
in part to Al Gore's Oscar-winning documentary, "An Inconvenient
Truth," and a recent United Nations report that said humans are
accelerating climate change, Keen said.
"We've got about 50 years to make a difference," he said.
Buying Emmy, the light bulbs, the water regulators, the recycling
and the public advocacy are their small ways of getting
involved.
And hopefully as people see Emmy rolling around town, they'll get
interested and look at electric cars themselves, Robinson said.
"It's an educational vehicle in a way," she said.
Will they sell?
Two weeks ago, Tyler Automotive in Niles received its first
shipment of five GEMs.
The next nearest dealership to stock the vehicles is in Fowler,
Ind., about 30 miles northwest of Lafayette.
Tyler sold one right away to Keen and Robinson and another is at
the University of Notre Dame.
Institutions like colleges, universities, plants and hospitals
that have large campuses to negotiate are a prime sales target,
said James Hayes, the GEM specialist at Tyler.
For example, the cars already are in use on some movie studio
lots, said Philip Reed, consumer advice editor for the
California-based automotive news and sales site Edmunds.com.
The GEM, though, is reaching beyond niche markets to appeal to
the average family who might have worries about consumption of
foreign oil, Reed said.
"It's the mom-and-pop guys who just don't feel right about
sending money overseas to little countries that hate us," he
said.
Reed test drove a GEM for a week, and said they're a lot of fun
to drive, but for the average family in a large city, there are
some issues to consider, he said.
"You feel very vulnerable in this vehicle out in city streets,"
Reed said. "These days, people are just climbing all over you if
you're going 25 miles per hour and they're trying to go 35 or
40."
The GEM has safety belts and a horn, but lacks a lot of the
safety features common to full-size gas-burning vehicles, such as
airbags.
There's a lot of curiosity about the cars right now, but "the big
question is, does curiosity translate to sales?" Reed said.
His advice: "Anybody thinking about buying it should see how they
use their car over a typical week."
Staff writer Ed Ronco: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (574) 235-6467
Copyright © 1994-2007 South Bend Tribune
-
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
____________________________________________________________________________________
We won't tell. Get more on shows you hate to love
(and love to hate): Yahoo! TV's Guilty Pleasures list.
http://tv.yahoo.com/collections/265
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EVLN(Week in Sustainable Mobility, EVs)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/006285.html
Cities The Week in Sustainable Mobility (3/11/07)
Mike Millikin March 11, 2007 9:28 AM
[...]
HYBRIDS and PLUG-IN HYBRIDS
[...]
Kia Motors is showcasing a Rio mild hybrid sedan at the 77th
Salon de lAutomobiles in Geneva. The Kia Rio mild hybrid
features a powertrain with a 1.4-liter gasoline engine mated to a
12 kW, 95 Nm AC synchronized electric motor and a CVT gearbox.
More...
Toyota used the Geneva Motor Show to reveal the Hybrid Xa
concept car that proposes a new design language for hybrid
models, while also acting as an innovative technology showcase
for future generation hybrid cars. The X in the name refers not
to a powertrain development, but to the design. More...
Hondas new Small Hybrid Sports Concept unveiled at the Geneva
auto show is based around a front-wheel drive, small car platform
and is powered by a Honda IMA 4-cylinder gasoline-electric hybrid
system driving through a CVT transmission. More...
Speaking at the Geneva Motor Show, GM Chairman and CEO Rick
Wagoner said that the company has significantly expanded and
accelerated its commitment to the development of electrically
driven vehicles, and will show additional E-Flex concept
applications tailored for local GM brands at the Shanghai and
Frankfurt motor shows later this year. E-Flex is the vehicle
system introduced at the Detroit auto show in which the plug-in
series hybrid Chevrolet Volt was the first application. More...
GM also said that it has set a target of 2010 for the production
of a new electric vehicle, and will have a running prototype of
the Volt on the road by the end of this year.
Lotus Engineering unveiled the EVE Hybrid (Efficient, Viable,
Environmental) technology demonstrator at the 77th Geneva
International Motor Show. More...
The French Industrial Innovation Agency (Agence de lInnovation
Industrielle, AII) will provide 61 million (US$80 million) in
funding to Valeo for its research program LOwCO2MOTION, which
aims to improve vehicle engine efficiency and contribute to
reducing CO2 emissions. The program is focusing on the
development of two primary technologies: camless systems and a
next-generation mild hybrid with ultracapacitors for energy
storage. The two systems together could provide up to a 30%
reduction in fuel consumption, according to Valeo. More...
Verizon will soon begin a pilot project using 13 GMC 2500 service
vans retrofitted with Enova hybrid drive systems. More...
The Board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District in
California approved a $2.6-million contract for the conversion of
20 Ford Escape Hybrids and 10 Toyota Priuses to plug-ins.
More...
US Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) filed a bill that would
offer $3,000 to $6,150 in tax credits for people who buy new
plug-in hybrid passenger cars. More...
ENERGY STORAGE AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES
AES Corporation, the global power company, has made a $3-million
strategic investment in Altair Nanotechnologies, the manufacturer
of lithium-ion batteries. More...
[...]
ZAP has designed a solar option for its Xebra Xero electric truck
designa photovoltaic panel that ZAP says can offer
short-distance driving on sunlight alone. More...
Jeffrey Automotive is introducing plans for a do-it-yourself
(DIY) electric car. The vehicle is a two-seater, powered by a
72volt DC motor with an anticipated top speed of 60 mph and a
range of 50/60 miles on one charge from six 12v deep cycle
lead/acid batteries. The car can be built for $5,000 or less.
More...
[...]
===
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/03/jeffrey_automot.html
Jeffrey Automotive Introduces Plan for a DIY Electric Car
5 March 2007
Jeffrey Automotive is introducing plans for a do-it-yourself
(DIY) electric car. The vehicle is a two-seater, powered by a
72volt DC motor with an anticipated top speed of 60 mph and a
range of 50/60 miles on one charge from six 12v deep cycle
lead/acid batteries. The car can be built for $5,000 or less.
The company provides the plans only, the builder supplies
everything else. Purchase of the manual includes the license to
build one car.
George Jeffrey was well known in the 70s as a designer and
builder of sports and racing cars in Britain. The best known was
the J5, a two-seater, open-top sports car.
-
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
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Now that's room service! Choose from over 150,000 hotels
in 45,000 destinations on Yahoo! Travel to find your fit.
http://farechase.yahoo.com/promo-generic-14795097
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EVLN(Capitola's Ebus to be discussed at May Commission meeting)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2007/March/11/local/stories/06local.htm
March 11, 2007 Electric bus may ride into Capitola
By Soraya Gutierrez Sentinel staff writer
CAPITOLA The city's gas-powered, free summer beach shuttle may
be a thing of the past if an effort to replace it with a modern,
clean electric bus gains speed.
A quiet, 100 percent battery-powered bus would cruise all the
usual spots, from the Capitola Village shops and restaurants to
the beach and wharf, and beyond city limits if enough riders
climb aboard.
"They cut down on air pollution," said Barbara Graves, a member
of the city's Commission on the Environment, "and would relieve
the congestion on our roadways caused by visitors in the summer"
Commission members are hoping they'll get the green light from
the City Council to start fishing for state grants to buy an
electric bus.
No cost estimates have been provided and will depend on whether
the city buys, leases or contracts an electric vehicle. The
city's current shuttle contract costs $25,000 a year, said City
Manager Richard Hill, and when it comes to figuring out if going
"green" is a better deal, he said he'd have to look at various
factors such as the life cycle of each shuttle.
Graves said the electric bus system in the city of Santa Barbara
is serving as the commission's model.
The Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District has a fleet of 22
electric buses, which got rolling in 1990, making it the first
city to adopt battery electric technology.
"Everyone loves the little shuttles," said David Damiano, manager
of transit development in Santa Barbara.
Capitola would start with just one bus, Graves said.
Ideally, it would be free to ride the bus, but she said that's
yet to be worked out.
In Santa Barbara, the buses are 22 feet long and are lower than a
regular bus, which makes it easy to hop on and off. They're
designed to resemble the openness of a cable car, without the
antique look. They operate for eight hours before they need to be
plugged in to recharge overnight.
The typical electric bus fare there is from one quarter to $1.25,
depending on the route. The service usually runs from 6:30 a.m.
to 10 p.m. The newest electric bus in Santa Barbara was purchased
in 2003 for $300,000, said Damiano.
"Not a lot of agencies are doing this," said Damiano. "It's sort
of a novelty"
That's part of the appeal, and a big reason for why ridership in
Santa Barbara has hit 10 million for the downtown-waterfront
shuttle.
Capitola Mayor Michael Termini, also a member of the
environmental commission, said an electric bus is a good answer
to the city's transportation problems, which include congested
streets and a lack of parking in the summer.
"It's perfect for our small town," Termini said.
The bus would stop at key points, including the landmark
Shadowbrook restaurant, the Nob Hill shopping center on Bay
Avenue and the Capitola Mall on 41st Avenue.
Graves agrees that a hub at the 41st Avenue shopping center would
help increase ridership. She'd also like to have the bus
eventually connect passengers from the Capitola to Santa Cruz
wharfs.
In downtown Chatanooga, Tenn., the nation's other large operator
of electric buses alongside Santa Barbara, the environmentally
friendly buses have run more than 1.9 million miles saving an
estimated 65 tons of pollutants, according to the city's transit
Web site.
Capitola's proposed electric bus program is scheduled to be
discussed at the May meeting of the city Commission on the
Environment. For information, call 475-7300.
Contact Soraya Gutierrez at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Copyright © Santa Cruz Sentinel. All rights reserved.
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Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
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