Re: [EVDL] Motorola EV Corvette

2024-02-02 Thread jerry freedomev via EV 
 Hi Paul and All,Good to hear EV history being preserved.  Motorola engineers 
back in 68?, I was 16yrs old, from the local Motorola plant in Sarasota Florida 
were doing an EV Show and Tell at the McDonalds with a Henney Kilowatt and 3 
conversions, a Renault Dauphine, a Fiat 600 and another, was my first EV 
experience.  And stuck with me that EVs were viable. I was already an ET at the 
time doing TV, audio repair and the only one that understood transistors the 
other tube techs hated.So there was EV interest in the company early on.    
Jerry
On Friday, February 2, 2024 at 03:39:16 AM EST, Paul Compton via EV 
 wrote:  
 
 The Motorola Corvette EV is being restored.

https://youtu.be/G7awv5KS3Nw?si=taJWWPcAcKtOgDL_

On Thu, 22 Sept 2022 at 17:15, Lee Hart via EV  wrote:
>
> EV List Lackey via EV wrote:
> > Intriguing! This seems to be the story's origin:
> >
> > https://www.thedrive.com/culture/we-found-motorolas-secret-chevy-corvette-ev-
> > prototype-from-the-1990s
> >
> > or https://v.gd/NbYpwY
> >
> > One wonders why an organization with presumably deep pockets had to start
> > with a used glider.
>
> I agree that the author seems a bit clueless about EVs and their
> history. I sent him an email with additional details.
>
> > The article's author calls this an "EV prototype"
>
> Yes, it was a test bed. Motorola was a big semiconductor supplier to the
> auto industry. They routinely wrote application notes to encourage
> automotive engineers to use their parts. Of course they had to test
> their circuits, to be sure they really worked. The Corvette was a good
> (and fun) way for the engineers to do it!
>
> They didn't make it public because auto company executives would be
> outraged if (for example) Ford knew that "their" circuits were designed
> and tested in a (gasp choke) GM vehicle!
>
> > So a little possibly irresponsible speculation: maybe Motorola management
> > looked at GM's 1990 Impact prototype and the Hughes AC "Vector Drive," and
> > wondered whether Motorola might catch some of the potential EV market.
>
> Many of Motorola's industrial and automotive EV application notes were
> collected and published in the "Motor Control Electronics Handbook" by
> Richard Valentine (c) 1998. The authors and references are almost all
> Motorola Semiconductor employees and application notes. There you'll
> find the 'Vette's motor controller, charger, power steering (and more),
> all laid out completely enough that one could actually build them.
>
> > The article... suggests that it's a series DC motor.
> > But... it sounds more like an AC induction drive of the time.
>
> Yes; it was an AC induction motor. But there were probably DC motors in
> the vehicle as well, for things like the power steering pump and A/C
> compressor.
>
> BTW, the Valentine book also describes a DC traction motor drive system
> in a Ford pickup truck. Maybe another test bed of the Motorola group?
>
> > The Impact, Hughes, and AC Propulsion drives all ran in the 300-400 volt
> > range, though not at 1000 amps.
>
> Not 1000 amps continuous; the batteries weren't up to it. But remember
> that the motor controller steps the voltage down and the current up. It
> could well have delivered 1000 amps peak to the motor.
>
> > Bummer that the article's author wasn't more knowledgeable about EVs.  One
> > of us might have figured out a LOT more, given the same opportunity to nose
> > around it.  Does anyone here live close to Gurnee, Illinois?
>
> It would indeed be interesting to hear an expert's opinion on the vehicle!
>
> For one thing, I expect that the (few) batteries in it weren't original,
> but added by someone attempting to see if the vehicle still worked.
>
> Lee Hart
>
> --
> "#3 pencils and quadrille pads." -- Seymour Cray, when asked
> what CAD tools he used to design the Cray I supercomputer
> --
> Lee Hart, 814 8th Ave N, Sartell MN 56377, www.sunrise-ev.com
>
> --
> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> www.avast.com
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>


-- 
Paul Compton
www.paulcompton.co.uk (YouTube channel)
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Re: [EVDL] Motorola EV Corvette

2024-02-02 Thread Paul Compton via EV 
The Motorola Corvette EV is being restored.

https://youtu.be/G7awv5KS3Nw?si=taJWWPcAcKtOgDL_

On Thu, 22 Sept 2022 at 17:15, Lee Hart via EV  wrote:
>
> EV List Lackey via EV wrote:
> > Intriguing! This seems to be the story's origin:
> >
> > https://www.thedrive.com/culture/we-found-motorolas-secret-chevy-corvette-ev-
> > prototype-from-the-1990s
> >
> > or https://v.gd/NbYpwY
> >
> > One wonders why an organization with presumably deep pockets had to start
> > with a used glider.
>
> I agree that the author seems a bit clueless about EVs and their
> history. I sent him an email with additional details.
>
> > The article's author calls this an "EV prototype"
>
> Yes, it was a test bed. Motorola was a big semiconductor supplier to the
> auto industry. They routinely wrote application notes to encourage
> automotive engineers to use their parts. Of course they had to test
> their circuits, to be sure they really worked. The Corvette was a good
> (and fun) way for the engineers to do it!
>
> They didn't make it public because auto company executives would be
> outraged if (for example) Ford knew that "their" circuits were designed
> and tested in a (gasp choke) GM vehicle!
>
> > So a little possibly irresponsible speculation: maybe Motorola management
> > looked at GM's 1990 Impact prototype and the Hughes AC "Vector Drive," and
> > wondered whether Motorola might catch some of the potential EV market.
>
> Many of Motorola's industrial and automotive EV application notes were
> collected and published in the "Motor Control Electronics Handbook" by
> Richard Valentine (c) 1998. The authors and references are almost all
> Motorola Semiconductor employees and application notes. There you'll
> find the 'Vette's motor controller, charger, power steering (and more),
> all laid out completely enough that one could actually build them.
>
> > The article... suggests that it's a series DC motor.
> > But... it sounds more like an AC induction drive of the time.
>
> Yes; it was an AC induction motor. But there were probably DC motors in
> the vehicle as well, for things like the power steering pump and A/C
> compressor.
>
> BTW, the Valentine book also describes a DC traction motor drive system
> in a Ford pickup truck. Maybe another test bed of the Motorola group?
>
> > The Impact, Hughes, and AC Propulsion drives all ran in the 300-400 volt
> > range, though not at 1000 amps.
>
> Not 1000 amps continuous; the batteries weren't up to it. But remember
> that the motor controller steps the voltage down and the current up. It
> could well have delivered 1000 amps peak to the motor.
>
> > Bummer that the article's author wasn't more knowledgeable about EVs.  One
> > of us might have figured out a LOT more, given the same opportunity to nose
> > around it.  Does anyone here live close to Gurnee, Illinois?
>
> It would indeed be interesting to hear an expert's opinion on the vehicle!
>
> For one thing, I expect that the (few) batteries in it weren't original,
> but added by someone attempting to see if the vehicle still worked.
>
> Lee Hart
>
> --
> "#3 pencils and quadrille pads." -- Seymour Cray, when asked
> what CAD tools he used to design the Cray I supercomputer
> --
> Lee Hart, 814 8th Ave N, Sartell MN 56377, www.sunrise-ev.com
>
> --
> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> www.avast.com
> ___
> Address messages to ev@lists.evdl.org
> No other addresses in TO and CC fields
> HELP: http://www.evdl.org/help/
>


-- 
Paul Compton
www.paulcompton.co.uk (YouTube channel)
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Re: [EVDL] Motorola EV Corvette

2022-09-22 Thread Lee Hart via EV 

EV List Lackey via EV wrote:

Intriguing! This seems to be the story's origin:

https://www.thedrive.com/culture/we-found-motorolas-secret-chevy-corvette-ev-
prototype-from-the-1990s

or https://v.gd/NbYpwY

One wonders why an organization with presumably deep pockets had to start
with a used glider.


I agree that the author seems a bit clueless about EVs and their 
history. I sent him an email with additional details.



The article's author calls this an "EV prototype"


Yes, it was a test bed. Motorola was a big semiconductor supplier to the 
auto industry. They routinely wrote application notes to encourage 
automotive engineers to use their parts. Of course they had to test 
their circuits, to be sure they really worked. The Corvette was a good 
(and fun) way for the engineers to do it!


They didn't make it public because auto company executives would be 
outraged if (for example) Ford knew that "their" circuits were designed 
and tested in a (gasp choke) GM vehicle!



So a little possibly irresponsible speculation: maybe Motorola management
looked at GM's 1990 Impact prototype and the Hughes AC "Vector Drive," and
wondered whether Motorola might catch some of the potential EV market.


Many of Motorola's industrial and automotive EV application notes were 
collected and published in the "Motor Control Electronics Handbook" by 
Richard Valentine (c) 1998. The authors and references are almost all 
Motorola Semiconductor employees and application notes. There you'll 
find the 'Vette's motor controller, charger, power steering (and more), 
all laid out completely enough that one could actually build them.



The article... suggests that it's a series DC motor.
But... it sounds more like an AC induction drive of the time.


Yes; it was an AC induction motor. But there were probably DC motors in 
the vehicle as well, for things like the power steering pump and A/C 
compressor.


BTW, the Valentine book also describes a DC traction motor drive system 
in a Ford pickup truck. Maybe another test bed of the Motorola group?



The Impact, Hughes, and AC Propulsion drives all ran in the 300-400 volt
range, though not at 1000 amps.


Not 1000 amps continuous; the batteries weren't up to it. But remember 
that the motor controller steps the voltage down and the current up. It 
could well have delivered 1000 amps peak to the motor.



Bummer that the article's author wasn't more knowledgeable about EVs.  One
of us might have figured out a LOT more, given the same opportunity to nose
around it.  Does anyone here live close to Gurnee, Illinois?


It would indeed be interesting to hear an expert's opinion on the vehicle!

For one thing, I expect that the (few) batteries in it weren't original, 
but added by someone attempting to see if the vehicle still worked.


Lee Hart

--
"#3 pencils and quadrille pads." -- Seymour Cray, when asked
what CAD tools he used to design the Cray I supercomputer
--
Lee Hart, 814 8th Ave N, Sartell MN 56377, www.sunrise-ev.com

--
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www.avast.com
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Re: [EVDL] Motorola EV Corvette (was: [ EV Digest, Vol 119, Issue 8)

2022-09-20 Thread EV List Lackey via EV 
On 20 Sep 2022 at 21:34, Ken McGraw via EV wrote:

> Renaissance Cars company

http://evdl.org/docs/cd_tropica.pdf

David Roden, EVDL moderator & general lackey

To reach me, don't reply to this message; I won't get it.  Use my 
offlist address here : http://evdl.org/help/index.html#supt

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 I notice that it always coincides with their own desires.

 -- Susan B Anthony

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Re: [EVDL] Motorola EV Corvette (was: [ EV Digest, Vol 119, Issue 8)

2022-09-20 Thread Ken McGraw via EV 
Interesting but Renaissance Cars company, I was on the board of cad/cam an 
entire car from scratch , [image0.jpeg] [image1.png] aluminum space frame and 
plastic body ……I still own #2 and #16….16 is one of my drivers…..full electric 
in 1995…..the bastards shuts us down…..KLM

Sent from my iPad

On Sep 20, 2022, at 4:28 PM, EV List Lackey via EV  wrote:

On 20 Sep 2022 at 17:16, Richard Rowland via EV wrote:

Interesting story from the 70's

Intriguing!

This seems to be the story's origin:

https://www.thedrive.com/culture/we-found-motorolas-secret-chevy-corvette-ev-
prototype-from-the-1990s

or https://v.gd/NbYpwY

The article says that it's a 1987 Corvette purchased used with 64k miles on
it, and converted by Motorola Automotive. Motorola apparently started the
project in 1993.

One wonders why an organization with presumably deep pockets had to start
with a used glider.  The article's author calls this an "EV prototype," but
I suspect that it's more apt to have been a test bed for a prototype EV
*drive system,*  maybe on a limited budget.

Motorola made their name in mobile electronics over the first 2/3 or so of
the 20th century - car radios, transceivers.  I rode in taxicabs in the mid-
1960s, and every one of them had a Motorola radio for dispatching.

So a little possibly irresponsible speculation: maybe Motorola management
looked at GM's 1990 Impact prototype and the Hughes AC "Vector Drive," and
wondered whether Motorola might catch some of the potential EV market.

The article says that

Starting and driving the EV Vette was pretty seamless. The driver
merely had to insert the key and turn it, taking care not to press the
throttle while not in gear, since the motor would turn ... the
documentation recommended using first gear for slow speed driving up
to 30 mph. Otherwise, Motorola suggested drivers cruise around in
second gear, then allow the automatic overdrive function that the
gas-powered Vette already had to take over at higher speeds.

That might suggest that it's a series DC motor.

But then we see:

A paper marked "EV Power" states that at 320 volts and 1,000 amps, the
car, in theory, will output 428 hp

And that sounds more like an AC induction drive of the time.  The Impact,
Hughes, and AC Propulsion drives all ran in the 300-400 volt range, though
not at 1000 amps.

But if the author interpreted the Motorola doc correctly, it doesn't
specifically say that THIS drive was 1000 amps and 400 kW, just that such
was POSSIBLE.

I'm not an engineer, so my speculation there may be off.

the electric heater is made by a company named Russco

That could be more evidence that this was a drive test bed, using as many
standard conversion components as possible to keep cost down.

EVDL old-timers probably remember Russco.  Russ Kaufmann built those liquid
heaters, and other conversion components, including a controller and a range
of chargers, some of them PFC.

Bummer that the article's author wasn't more knowledgeable about EVs.  One
of us might have figured out a LOT more, given the same opportunity to nose
around it.  Does anyone here live close to Gurnee, Illinois?

David Roden, EVDL moderator & general lackey

To reach me, don't reply to this message; I won't get it.  Use my
offlist address here : http://evdl.org/help/index.html#supt

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
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spell cheque?
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