JMU AFV Lab Blog

Here’s an article that appeared in our local newspaper, the Daily News-Record, today 11/20/09. Three high school students at a local high school, Eastern Mennonite High School, are converting a Mazda pickup to electric power.  It looks like they have a good project going there.

Source: http://www.dnronline.com/news_details.php?AID=42535&CHID=1 a subscription may be required

Pickup Gets A Makeover Posted 2009-11-20

EMHS Students Turning Clunker Into All-Electric Marvel

By Jenny Jones

Stuart Bell (left) and Ashton Pease, seniors at Eastern Mennonite High School, paint the brackets Tuesday that will hold the batteries for the 1986 Mazda pickup they are converting into an electric vehicle. Photos by Pete Marovich MORE PHOTOS HARRISONBURG - A group of students at Eastern Mennonite High School is getting charged up, literally. Three senior students are turning a beat-up 1986 Mazda pickup truck into a modern marvel, swapping its fuel-powered internal combustion engine with an electric-powered motor. The students - Drew Veenis, Ashton Pease and Stuart Bell - are working under the direction of technology teacher Dennis Brubaker. They say they took on the task to learn new skills and show others that electric vehicles aren’t just science fiction. “I just really think it’s important …  that we start looking at ways to move away from fossil fuels,” said Veenis, 18. “Electric cars are definitely one of those ways.” A Little Community Help The idea for the project came after someone offered to donate an electric car to the school. While EMHS passed up the offer, the students and Brubaker began talking about how neat it would be to build their own electric vehicle. The guys started out by doing Internet research about what it would take to construct such a vehicle. Then, they began looking for a cheap ride. They found the Mazda in Staunton for $300. It had a thrown piston and a bit of rust, but that didn’t matter because the students wouldn’t need the engine and they planned to rework the body to make it more lightweight. From there, the students started contacting area businesses for donations. They need $2,400 for the 12 batteries it will take to power the vehicle, alone. Several companies have pledged materials and funds, including one that will donate environmentally friendly water-based paint for the exterior finish. “It’s become a big community kind of project,” Brubaker said. A School Showpiece For more than a month, the guys have worked on the truck practically every day. They’ve removed the old engine, taken off the bed and stripped the interior. And soon, they’ll drop a 150-pound electric engine under the hood. The batteries to power the engine will be secured to a bracket under the truck’s bed, which was shortened a foot to take weight off the truck. The vehicle will be 100 percent electric, Brubaker said. Once all the mechanical elements are in place, the guys will put an old-style flatbed on the truck, using wood Brubaker salvaged from his deck. They hope to enlist help to paint lightning bolts and possibly flames on the truck’s exterior in honor of the school’s mascot. They also dream of attaching solar panels to the truck, which would help provide additional energy to the engine. “There’s just lots of ideas going around,” Pease said. “Not a lot of people get a chance to build a car, let alone an electric car. … [It's] awesome.” When the truck is finished, it will likely be used to run errands for the school and, perhaps, be displayed at fairs and such to showcase the students’ work, Brubaker said. Paul Leaman, the school’s principal, said the project is teaching the students valuable skills, and he would like to see it continue for years to come. “We hope it can become kind of an icon for the school,” he said. Contact Jenny Jones at 574-6286 or jjones@dnronline.com

Source: http://www.dnronline.com/news_details.php?AID=42535&CHID=1 a subscription may be required

I just read this article in the Gizmag Emerging Technology e-newsletter I get. I like this idea. It’s one of those “elegant” solutions that make you think: “Why didn’t I think of that!”

It reports on a group in the UK that took a conventional front wheel drive delivery van and installed twin electric motors on the rear axle that are powered by: “…a valve-regulated lead-acid battery rather than the nickel metal hydride (NiMH) or lithium ion (LiIon) technology used in conventional electric vehicles.” They plan to market this as a retrofit kit to install on existing vehicles. This concept could find a market in delivery companies that seldom carry loads that approach the GVWR of the van; delivery companies like florists, parcel services, auto parts jobbers, electrical wholesalers, and the like.

I can even see the possibility of such a project for the AFV Lab. It is doable. It could use a conventional rear drive differential with an electric motor attached to it, like a golf cart or like one of the Vantage vehicles JMU has ordered, or, following this article’s lead, an electric motor at each wheel.

Source: http://www.gizmag.com/plug-in-hybrid-retrofit-kit-ice-vehicle/11631/

UK team Develops plug-in hybrid retrofit kit for ICE vehicle

from Automotive (1891 articles)

ADDZEV was developed using a standard Vauxhall Combo van

Image Gallery ( 2 images )

May 8, 2009 Automotive engineering facilities in the UK have joined forces to design a system which allows conventional delivery vans to be cheaply converted to run in a zero-emissions, all-electric mode for urban use. The ADDZEV (affordable add-on zero emissions vehicle) system was developed using a standard Vauxhall Combo van, retaining the existing conventional front-wheel-drive (FWD) system and an adding an electric drive in parallel for the rear wheels. The vehicle can operate with just front wheel drive powered by the internal combustion engine or can turn off the petrol engine and run with rear wheel drive under electric power only.

Source: http://www.gizmag.com/plug-in-hybrid-retrofit-kit-ice-vehicle/11631/

I saw this item on the Science Daily Newsletter I get every day. The AFV Lab at JMU is working on several different types of 2 wheel electric vehicles, but nothing of this caliber, yet. With reason, the article is rather vague about specifics of the bike. Go to http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090424073909.htm to read the article.

Zero Emissions Motorcycle Gears Up For The Big Race

enlarge

Engineering students (from left to right) Dean Goldsmith, Michael Payne (sat on the bike), Sean Whittaker, Alex Jones-Dellaportas and Gonzalo Carrasco with the green bike. (Credit: Image courtesy of Kingston University)

ScienceDaily (Apr. 28, 2009) — It has the ability to reach speeds of 102mph, race around a 38 mile mountainous course and is powered by batteries which can be charged from a standard household socket. It’s Kingston University’s new, green motorbike. Designed by six final-year engineering students, the bike is set to make history by competing in the world’s first zero-emissions Grand Prix this summer. The Kingston team will join 24 eco-bikes from America, India, Italy, Germany and Austria on the start line at the 2009 Isle of Man TTXGP.

Work on the bike began last October, under the guidance of course director for motorsport and motorcycle engineering Paul Brandon. The motorbike, which has gone through many designs, will run on non-fossil fuel but will still be able to clock-up an average 70 mph around the course. “Being green doesn’t have to mean slow,” Mr Brandon said. “There are too many sceptics when it comes to electric vehicles but we all need to reduce our CO₂ output and this initiative is taking a huge leap in that direction. The ideas we and others put to the test on the racing circuit are the ones most likely to become commonplace on the road.”

The bike is run from a custom-built, 72-volt battery and the team estimates it will reach speeds of 102 at the fastest downhill section of the 38 mile course. “The energy density of batteries is far less than that of petrol or diesel so how we manage the energy we carry is critical to our success in the race,” Mr Brandon added. “The bike we have designed has a whole vehicle efficiency of 90 per cent, so we are only wasting 10 per cent of what we carry. By comparison a petrol-based vehicle wastes 70 per cent of the energy it carries.”

Students studying on the motorcycle engineering design course have worked on the project since October last year and it will form part of their final assessment. Alex Jones-Dellaportas, 40, originally from Oldham, Lancashire, said: “The design has gone through many different stages. We’ve refined it at each step along the way to try to make it lighter and faster and the majority of the materials we have used have been recycled.” Team mate Gonzalo Carrasco, 21, originally from near Madrid, in Spain, said: “It might look similar to a normal motorbike but it has no internal combustion engine, no exhaust system and no fuel tank. The overall CO₂ usage, including the CO₂ generated to charge the batteries, will be around 50 per cent less CO₂ than a petrol or diesel-power bike. People need to realise that this technology is the future. By entering green races and building green designs we are hoping policy-makers will see the potential for this technology and start investing in it.”

The competition takes place on June 12.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090424073909.htm

These two items from gizmag and AutoblogGreen came to my attention recently.

The first, immediately below, from gizmag, introduces a novel system for an electric bicycle that uses both a hub mounted motor and a separate hub mounted battery on the other wheel.  This struck me as quite an interesting idea.  Having never ridden an electric bicycle of any kind, I can only speak from what I suppose to be the case.  With that caveat, I have always thought that the battery pack on any electric bicycle I have seen heretofore was mounted much too high for stability.  It seemed to me they were all mounted up on the top frame tube or on the down tube coming down from the fork bearing tube.  Of necessity, they had to be high so not to interfere with the riders legs when pedaling.  Having the battery mounted in the hub would seem to me to make for a lower center of gravity and, thus, a more stable bike.  Having the probable weight distribution close to 50/50 would have to make for a better handling bike, too.

Even though it’s dated earlier, the second item, from AutoblogGreen, initially fascinated me, as it combines motor, battery, control system, and charger in one hub.  It also adds a Bluetooth wireless throttle control, too.  Talk about state of the art, this concept has all the bells and whistles.  Then I started really analyzing it and I kind of lost my initial enthusiasm.  I can’t help but think that all that weight biased to one end or the other would negatively affect handling.  I also can’t see how they are going to get a big enough battery in that hub to deliver the performance they claim.  I suppose the bluetooth solves the problem of wiring a control on the handlebar to the wheel, but I can’t help but think it’s overkill.  It appears to me to be a solution in search of a problem.

Sources:  http://www.gizmag.com/e-electric-bicycle-electric-motion/11059/ and http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/02/19/mit-greenwheel-simply-an-electric-bicycle-revolution/

February 23, 2009 With the increasing popularity of the electrically assisted pushbike we are starting to see some innovative designs hit the market. While hub motors are the number one solution for mounting the electric motor within a bike frame, either in the front or rear wheel, mounting the battery pack and motor drive electronics has remained a challenge when taking into consideration practically and aesthetics. The folks at Electric Motion Systems think they have the answer with a combination of a 750 watt rear wheel mounted hub motor with built-in motor drive electronics paired with a battery pack mounted in the front wheel hub.

e-electric bicycle

The E+ Electric Bike is available in six styles of bike that are all a variation on a hard-tail mountain bike. The E+ comes standard with a 750 watt BLDC rear hub motor but there is a high torque 85 Nm 1kw hub motor as an upgrade option. Both hub motors have built in inverters so there’s one less box to find mounting space on the bike frame for. The front hub mounted battery pack is something we’ve never seen before on an e-bike. The internal layout is very similar to a hub motor with the stationary inner structure (called the stator) attached to the axle while the outer housing is attached to the rim via spokes and rotates as part of the wheel. Thirty NiMH battery cells are arranged in six groups of five cells arranged in a polygon layout parallel to the axle and mounted on the stator. The battery pack puts out 36 volts at 9 amp hour giving a battery capacity of 324 watt hour. (0.324kw/hr). No electric only range is quoted as this is very dependent on terrain, how much you pedal and the amount of regeneration possible but each battery charge should give between 20 and 40 miles (32 – 64 km). A full charge from a 110v wall socket will take four to six hours and cost about $0.03.

The E+ has a handlbar mounted LCD display where the rider can select 19 different cycling modes that range from full electric to pedal only modes. One of the E+ modes offers to let you set the cycling mode for increased resistance to give you a greater workout even if there are no hills in sight. While this could well be a useful feature, it also highlights one of the side effects of BLDC hub motors - they do not freewheel. Because a BLDC hub motor contains permanent magnets even when no power is applied there is still magnetic attraction between the magnets and the poles on the stator meaning there is always cogging resistance. The company says this should only be a problem with a flat battery on extended flat surface riding, as with any kind of undulation the motor will regenerate on the down hills just enough to provide power assistance up the next hill.

The LCD-display also shows speed, distance traveled, battery capacity, cruise control option, and 19 cycling modes. It also displays trip-specific data such as distance of trip, duration, and average speeds. Pocket-sized and removable for safe and easy storage, when the display is removed, the battery is disabled and the motor is put into full resistance mode, making pedaling virtually impossible. This unit has backlighting (0-100%) and automatically adjusts the contrast of display depending on outdoor conditions.

The Electric Motion Systems E+ Cruiser and E+ Mountain Bike cost USD$3,495.

One definition of the word elegant is “to be gracefully concise and simple.” In the future, the dictionary just might include the GreenWheel as a product that illustrates this principle perfectly. From the MIT Smartcities team that gave us the stackable cars concept and the RoboScooter (still a go), comes a wheel that can turn an ordinary bicycle into a very desirable electric one in an easy, cost effective manner. Enclosing a motor, A123 Systems batteries and a generator into a small aluminum pancake hub, the GreenWheel can give you up to 25 miles of propulsion, or much more if you don’t mind pedaling. Unlike conversions kits from the past, it forgoes running wires the length of your bike by incorporating the magic of bluetooth to control the twist-throttle.

Over a dozen different configurations of the GreenWheel are scheduled to be tried and tested by a variety of cyclists this spring. Once the the team analyzes their feedback, an ultimate configuration of power, speed and cost will be settled on and mass production will get under way. With an estimated cost of “several hundred dollars,” they better plan on making a lot of them since not only are they a wonderful “solution” for several cities and ridesharing programs already showing interest, but in a world-economy that can’t afford to buy cars the way they used to, the GreenWheel should have a bright future.

[Source: MSNBC]

This article was on the AutoBlogGreen blog. It relates the story of a ‘72 Datsun (When first imported to our country, Nissan badged its cars as “Datsuns”) converted to battery electric power. And I do mean “POWER.” Go to http://www.opb.org/programs/ofg/videos/view/56-Electric-Drag-Racing to see this amazing little car! This unassuming little car beats Vettes and Bimmers in the quarter mile.

Source:  http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/11/17/drag-racing-white-zombie-gets-some-oregon-public-tv-love/

Drag racing White Zombie gets some Oregon Public TV love

Posted Nov 17th 2008 at 2:40PM by Domenick Yoney

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, USA

There seems to have been a spate of posts here on ABG lately about electric vehicles running down the quarter mile strip. The Killacycle set a world record, the Tesla Roadster pulled down a respectable time and the Dodge EV prototype showed gave the Hemi-powered Dodge Challenger a go. Heck, we even featured a sweet electric Pinto not so long ago. While that may seem like plenty for most people, we’re really enthusiastic about performance cars that don’t burn gas (or diesel, for that matter) and so when we learned from a reader about the White Zombie being featured in a nicely-produced segment for Oregon Public Broadcasting, we had to bring it to your attention. Yeah, we’ve talked about the ‘Zombie before but its been over a year and while it might not be as refined as the Tesla Roadster that we spill so much ink on, it is faster. So without further ado, check it out!

[Source: Oregon Public Broadcasting]

Source: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/11/17/drag-racing-white-zombie-gets-some-oregon-public-tv-love/

This article was on the Gizmag blog this morning. KTM has applied for patents on a hybrid dirt bike that has conventional drive to the rear wheel as its other bikes, but adds in-wheel electric motors to both front and rear wheels for, in effect, a hybrid, all wheel drive motorcycle. KTM announced a hydraulic AWD motorcycle earlier, but I like this idea better. After all, wire is lighter than hoses with hydraulic fluid, and with the small, powerful hub mounted motors now being used in electric bikes, an electric motor is probably substantially lighter than a hydraulic motor. However, I am still concerned about the effect of the substantial increase in unsprung weight and its effect on handling. In addition, I would think tires, rims, wheels and bearings would have to be heftier to handle the increased inertia of the motor assembly, further increasing the unsprung to sprung weight ratio with its attendant adverse effect on handling. We’ll wait and see.

Source: http://www.gizmag.com/ktm-2wd-hybrid-dirt-bike/10348/
(Be sure to check out the 4 images of the patent application drawings)

KTM 2WD hybrid dirt bike

November 12, 2008 Patents lodged by Austrian Competition Motorcycle Manufacturer KTM indicate that a hybrid 2WD dirt bike is not far away. Common sense dictates that a motorcycle with both wheels driven (2WD) will go around corners faster and with greater surety than one equipped only with the motorcycle’s traditional rear-wheel drive, much the same as 4WD cars offer superior traction to their rear or front wheel drive brethren. A lot of interesting development work has been done over the last decade with YamahaOhlins 2WD system on selected enduro bikes in Europe, Christini developing mechanical AWD (aka 2WD) kits for Honda and KTM dirt bikes and KTM talking publicly about its hydraulic 2WD development. Now it appears KTM is to employ a small electric motor on each wheel to supply additional torque when it’s needed. A recently filed set of patent applications heralds some exciting prospects. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle#Dirt_Bike/Trials_Bike offering http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle Honda

Back in 2004, we wrote about KTM’s prototype hydraulic 2WD system which project leader Wolfgang Felber described as having a pre-set torque distribution between the front and rear wheel. He also commented, that although the system was already fairly well developed, it could “definitely be improved upon.”

Having both wheels driven on road, trail or competition two-wheeled machinery offers many advantages. On almost any surface, 2WD offers better traction and stability, but it offers a greater advantage for slippery, wet or loose surfaces, on larger machines and is particularly useful for inexperienced and non-expert riders.

Interestingly, Kurt Nicol of KTM described the 2wd advantages extremely well here, and there’s an excellent account of testing the Yamaha 2wd system on MCNews.com.au – our take is that existing 2WD systems don’t quite offer enough advantage for the expert rider to be worth their additional weight – yet!

The additional weight of a hydraulic system makes it only a marginal advantage for an expert rider, and it’s only a matter of time before a suitable light weight electric motor is available that will offer far more sophisticated, (most likely computer-controlled) power delivery from the front wheel. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_motor

The bike pictured in the patent images has the shape of a desert racer - KTM has dominated desert racing for a decade - a desert racer will also be one of the most obvious beneficiaries of the design as 2WD offers much greater stability and better steering in deep sand. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent

Perhaps most significantly, this is the first time that a motorcycle manufacturer with genuine race credibility has moved into the electric/petrol engine hybrid area and if KTM does bring the 2WD hybrid to market, it will be entirely to gain a competitive advantage. KTM’s ethos is to deliver “ready to race” motorcycles, which guarantees that if it don’t work, it won’t be on its motorcycles. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethos

Almost certainly we’ll see a lot more 2WD motorcycles in the next few years as electric motors develop and proliferate to accommodate the growing electric bike industry. One likely technology contributor to the field of 2WD via electrically powered front wheels will be the motor suppliers to the burgeoning electric bicycle industry which demands very lightweight in-wheel motors. Given that the front wheel of a motorcycle with 2WD needs roughly 15 % of total power, the power output needs for the front wheel electric motor are not that great.

Even more intriguing is the use of an electric motor in the rear wheel and the advantages this offers in delivering predicatable, linear torque at low speeds (perfect for KTM’s strength, it’s core dirt bike clientele) as well as the brutal horsepower of KTM’s entire dirt bike range.

Source: http://www.gizmag.com/ktm-2wd-hybrid-dirt-bike/10348/

This article was on the AutoBlogGreen.com blog this morning. It is an interesting application of the technology of individual electric motors in each wheel driven by an ICE powered generator.  I have wondered how long it would take for technology and innovation to develop to the point that this could be done.  After all, practical application of the idea has been around for at least a half century or more.  The diesel electric railroad locomotives that ended the era of the steam engine railroad locomotive utilize the same technology.  A diesel engine drives a generator which in turn drives electric motors in each drive wheel.

Web surfing from this site led me to the “PML Flightlink” site, http://www.pmlflightlink.com/ which, in time, led me to this very interesting site, http://www.pmlflightlink.com/archive/news_mini.html. The Pml Flightlink Ltd company has converted a mini to its system, too, but what makes this particular conversion unique is that it has no friction brakes, but relies strictly upon regenerative braking. Quite interesting, I think.

SEMA 2008 Preview: PML Flightlink to show Ford F-150 PHEV

Posted Oct 25th 2008 at 4:39PM by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Ford, SEMA Show

PML Flightlink, makers of the 640-horsepower electric MINI from 2006, is headed to SEMA this year with a new concept vehicle to display. Based on a full-size Ford pickup truck, it would be hard to come up with a platform further from the MINI that the company originally used. Still, the concept F-150 will feature a similar setup to those used on PML’s earlier concepts, including the Volvo ReCharge concept. The motors themselves are a permanent magnet pancake style and are integrated within the wheels. This design could potentially rid the truck of many drivetrain components such as, of course, the engine and transmission as well as the driveshafts and transfer case that would otherwise be necessary for a four-wheel drive truck. Instead of going the full electric route, though, the SEMA-bound F-150 will use a plug-in series hybrid powertrain, so the truck’s on-board battery can be recharged by the stock gasoline engine. We’ll see if we can’t track down more details closer to the truck’s debut.

Source: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/10/25/sema-2008-preview-pml-flightlink-to-show-ford-f-150-phev/

Came across this article on the AutoBlogGreen.com blog this morning. It’s an interesting concept. The “soleckshaw” driver simply exchanges his spent battery at a solar powered charging station for a freshly recharged battery and then goes on his way. Go to http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/10/22/solar-powered-rickshaws-to-run-around-the-streets-of-delhi/ for the entry.

Meet the soleckshaw, the solar-powered rickshaws running in Delhi

Posted Oct 22nd 2008 at 4:36PM by Jeremy Korzeniewski

The pedal-powered rickshaw is a time-honored method of getting around in many countries where not every citizen has the means to drive a car. Of course, time marches on, and the classic rickshaws are definitely a step or two behind the times. Still, there is a market for zero emission people carriers, especially in developing countries that don’t already have other mass-transit solutions in place. Plus, while it may not seem like everybody’s cup of tea, there are a large number of people that make their living pedaling rickshaws. Enter the soleckshaw, a hybrid human- and solar-powered rickshaw that was recently shown off in Delhi. The project also includes solar charging stations where used-up batteries can be swapped for fresh ones.

The soleckshaw is powered by a 350-Watt, 36-volt brushless DC motor driving the rear wheels through a differential. There’s room for two passengers out back and the vehicle can reach 12 miles per hour or so. The battery is good for about 45 miles of range, which equates to about six hours of service. Each soleckshaw is expected to cost around $450.

[Source: India Press Inormation Bureau via Wired]

Source: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/10/22/solar-powered-rickshaws-to-run-around-the-streets-of-delhi/

BMW has an entry into the electric car market now, and, as to be expected from BMW, it’s a good one.  0-60 in about 8.5 seconds, top speed of 95 mph, and a range of 150 miles.  Go to http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/10/bmw-group-elect.html#more to see the details.

BMW Group Electric MINI to Debut at LA Auto Show in November

18 October 2008

The MINI E. The zero-emission MINI will sport a plug logo in Interchange Yellow. Click to enlarge.

The BMW Group will introduce its battery-electric MINI E (earlier post) at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. BMW says that it will deploy a fleet of some 500 of the all-electric vehicles for private use in daily traffic.

The MINI E will be powered by a 150 kW (204 hp) electric motor fed by a 35 kWh lithium-ion battery pack (28 kWh usable), with a single-stage helical gearbox transferring power to the front wheels. The MINI E’s electric drive train produces a peak torque of 220 Nm (162 lb-ft), with 0 to 100 kph acceleration in 8.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 152 kph (95 mph).The battery pack will support a range of more than 240 km (150 miles).

Based on the current MINI, the car will initially be available as a two-seater. The space taken up by back-seat passengers in the series model has been reserved for the lithium-ion battery pack. The 380V lithium-ion storage unit comprises 5,088 cells grouped into 48 modules. These modules are packaged into three battery elements that are compactly arranged inside the MINI E.

The MINI E’s lithium-ion battery can be plugged into all standard power outlets, with charge time dependent on the voltage and amperage of the electricity flowing through the grid. In the USA, MINI will provide its cusomtres with a fast-charging wallbox. To be installed in the customer’s garage, the wallbox enables higher amperage, and provides a full 28 kWh recharge after 2.5 hours. Based on the car’s range, a kilowatt hour translates into 5.4 miles (185 Wh/mile).

Regenerative braking can extend the car’s range by up to 20%.

The MINI E’s brake system comes with a newly developed electric underpressure pump. Its Electrical Power Assisted Steering (EPS) is the same as the one used in mass-produced MINIs. Both brake and steering assistance react to driving conditions and are thus extremely efficient. Even the air conditioning’s electrical compressor only operates if desired or necessary.

Weighing in at 1,465 kilograms (3,230 lbs), the MINI E has an even weight distribution. Minor modifications made to the suspension ensure safe handling at all times. The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system has been adapted to this model’s specific wheel loads.

The MINI E will initially be made available to select private and corporate customers as part of a pilot project in the US states of California, New York and New Jersey. The possibility of offering the MINI E in Europe as well is currently being considered.

The limited-production MINI E series will be manufactured through the end of 2008 at the company’s Oxford and Munich sites. MINI’s UK plant will be responsible for manufacturing the entire vehicle with the exception of the drive components and the lithium-ion battery, with the brand’s series models rolling off its assembly lines concurrently. The units will then be transferred to a specially equipped manufacturing complex situated on BMW plant premises where the electric motor, battery units, performance electronics and transmission will be integrated.

MINI E customers will join forces with BMW Group experts to assist in the project’s evaluation. The cars will be offered on a one-year lease with an extension option. Monthly lease installments will cover any required technical service including all necessary maintenance and the replacement of wearing parts. At the end of the lease, all of the automobiles belonging to the project will be returned to the BMW Group’s engineering fleet where they will be subjected to comparative tests. Only lockable garages or similar buildings will qualify as homebases and power stations for the MINI E.

MINI will establish a service base on both coasts of the US, staffed by service engineers that are specially trained to perform maintenance and repair work on the MINI E’s electrical components. In the event of drive malfunction, these experts will provide professional support at the customer’s local MINI dealer or the service base’s specially equipped workshop. Technical inspections will take place after 3,000 miles (just under 5,000 kilometers) and at least after six months.

The MINI E has already gone through the major phases of product development for mass-produced vehicles and passed numerous crash tests on the way. Aspects investigated besides passenger protection were the impact of collision forces on the lithium-ion battery and finding a non-hazardous location for it in the car. The MINI E’s energy storage unit emerged completely unscathed from all of the crash tests mandated by US standards.

The BMW Group says that it plans to start series production of all-electric vehicles over the medium-term as part of its Number ONE strategy. The development of innovative concepts for mobility in big-city conurbations within the scope of “project i” has a similar thrust, as its objective also includes making use of an all-electric power train.

Source:  http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/10/bmw-group-elect.html#more

This item was on the Gas2.org blog this morning. Quite an accomplishment, I think. Go to http://gas2.org/2008/10/14/texas-teen-builds-his-own-electric-car-on-10000-budget/ to read more.

Texas Teen Builds His Own Electric Car on $10,000 Budget

Written by Andrew Williams

Published on October 14th, 2008

40 Comments

Posted in Electric Cars (EVs)

This fall, Texas teenager Lucas Laborde will be driving to school in an electric car he built himself. The 17 year old spent last summer converting a conventional gas-powered car to run on batteries. Total cost? Around $10,000.

Luke’s EV is based on a kit car, known as a Bradley GT II, which his father bought on eBay for just $5000 splashing out a further $5700 on electric conversion parts and batteries. The rest was left up to Luke’s ingenuity and technical know-how.

After 150 hours of work, Luke had hooked up eight 80-pound lead-acid batteries in the space left after removing the fuel tank, as well as several other ‘creative locations.’ He finished up with an EV capable of travelling 40 miles between charges, a top speed of 45mph, (more than enough for the local school run), and heaps of low-end torque. As Luke told reporters, “it has a lot of power.”

The car isn’t without a few ‘quirks’ though; the weight of the batteries has caused the fiberglas body to twist slightly, meaning that the gull-wing doors don’t completely close. However, by using his own initiative, and making use of widely available existing components, Luke Laborde has put many global car companies to shame by creating a working, highway-ready EV, in far less time and on a much lower budget.

Image Credit - Steve Striharsky at bradleygt2.com

Source: http://gas2.org/2008/10/14/texas-teen-builds-his-own-electric-car-on-10000-budget/