April 2005
The Las Vegas
Electric Vehicle Association (LVEVA) will meet on the third Saturday of each month during 2005. Meetings will be held at the Clark County Library on 1401 E. Flamingo Road from 10:15 AM to 12:15 PM. Members will be displaying their
own electric cars and answering questions before and after the meeting. 2005 Events Calendar
Month Date Activity
April 02 EV Workshop—Welding Steel and Aluminum April 09 Wicked Watts 2005 April 16 Monthly Meeting April 23 Earth Day Summerlin Exhibition May 07 EV Workshop
May 21 Monthly Meeting June 04 EV Workshop June 18 Monthly Meeting July 02 Boulder City 4th of July Parade July 16 Monthly Meeting August 06 EV Workshop August 20 Monthly Meeting September 03 EV Workshop
September 17 Monthly Meeting October 01 EV Workshop October 15 Monthly Meeting November 05 EV Workshop November 19 Monthly Meeting December 03 EV Workshop December 10 Boulder City Christmas Parade
December 17 Monthly Meeting
Contents:
LVEVA President's Message
EV Drag Races on April 9, 2005 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway ("The Strip")—NEDRA Wicked Watts 2005
LVEVA to Participate in Earth Day Celebrations
LVEVA Member Profile: Brent Singleton
Segway Human Transporter To Use Valence Technology Li-Ion Batteries
LVEVA Ongoing Projects and Workshops
EV Parts and EV's For Sale
LVEVA Board of Directors:
Richard Furniss, President
Bill Yule, Vice President Bill Kuehl, Secretary/Treasurer Al Sawyer Jan Himber Al D'Inzillo Adam Howard
Newsletter Editors and Contributors:
Bill Kuehl Richard Furniss Al Sawyer, P.E. Jan Himber Adam Howard Stan Hanel
WATTS HAPPENING
is published monthly by the
Las Vegas Electric Vehicle Association, a chapter of the Electric Auto Association
Las Vegas Electric Vehicle Association web site
Electric Auto Association web site
Address Correspondence to:
LVEVA 2515 Hightree Street No. Las Vegas, NV 89030
Call for Information:
Richard Furniss (702) 453-6196 Bill Kuehl (702) 636-0304 Jan Himber (702) 642-4000
LVEVA President's Message
Hi everyone, --maintenance free
For those of you that couldn't make the March 2005 monthly meeting, here is the recap:
We had a very lively discussion
about the direction of the clubs efforts and Dan Gersten brought up a good point about how the club has not recently looked into or tried to develop new technologies and concepts for EV's.
So, several suggestions were made
about what the club could do as a group. Several ideas were proposed. One of them was Al D'Inzillo's idea of a scooter-type vehicle that could be used on the sidewalk or in stores,with a base of four wheels. It goes beyond the
three-wheel idea used in the design of most scooters. After listening to all the different ideas, the one that we are going to start to move forward is to try to develop a better auxiliary battery for an EV.
The average EV
has either a 12-volt deep cycle battery to power the lights and stuff, or a DC-DC converter, or a combination of the two. What we want to do as a club is to develop a 14.2 volt battery for the auxiliary battery system. The 14.2
volt number closely matches the working voltage of the cars systems that our EV's are made from.
The first step is to investigate the different battery chemistries to find the "best" battery for this project. So
far, the list of "wants" for the battery are:
--same size as a normal auxiliary battery
--40 amp hour capacity
--has to be a fully self-contained unit
--should last 10 years
So,
if anyone wants to jump in and help on the project contact me (Richard Furniss) or if anybody has any info or ideas or questions, please jump in.
The next hands-on EV workshop (Welding Steel and Aluminum) will be April 2nd
at my house everyone is welcome, if you need directions just give me a call 453-6196 or e-mail me.
Richard Furniss
Email: http://lasvegasev.com
Las Vegas, NV
President
Las Vegas Electric Vehicle Association
Web site:
NEDRA Wicked Watts Scheduled for April 9, 2005 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway ("The Strip") The National Electric Drag Racing Association (NEDRA), a National Hot Rod Association (NHRA)
affiliate, announced that Wicked Watts 2005 is now scheduled for the weekend of April 9th. NHRA/NEDRA-sanctioned Electric Vehicle record-qualifying racing will be held on Saturday, April 9, 2005 at "The Strip" on the Las Vegas
Motor Speedway from 8 AM to noon. The Las Vegas Motor Speedway is home to many sanctioned NHRA and NASCAR events during the year. For more information on "The Strip" track location, admission, and logistics, visit:
Friday night, April 9,
2005 at 6 PM is an open "Test and Tune" where NEDRA racers can race and tune their Electric Dragsters against gasoline-powered cars on an NHRA-sanctioned drag strip. This scheduled date has been approved by both
NEDRA's officers and the officials at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Any new information regarding this date and evolving race plans will be posted in this newsletter and on the Las Vegas Electric Vehicle Association web site at:
Also, please visit the NEDRA web site at:
Jr. Dragster competition will highlight the early morning events and the open "Test and Tune" will follow for all EV dragsters that can pass the NHRA/NEDRA technical inspection. For more information on the technical modifications required to race an EV on an NHRA-sanctioned drag strip, see the NHRA rule book at the NEDRA web site: www.nedra.com
Admission to "The Strip" Drag Strip will be open to all for the "Test and Tune"
both Friday night and Saturday morning. Admission price for Saturday morning is $20 for spectators and $35 for racers with their vehicles. The admission fee is paid at the ticket booth at the entrance to the "The Strip" drag race
track "pit" staging area. The LVEVA will provide logistical support and a generator for recharging EV battery packs between runs. LVEVA members are encouraged to attend as well as volunteer to support the efforts of the NEDRA
racers. Volunteers are needed to log in racers' run times for official NEDRA record-keeping, provide support information as to logistical and technical checkout procedures for "The Strip", help racers stay in contact with local
NEDRA and LVEVA officials during the EVent, as well as provide general information about the local Las Vegas area. Last year during Wicked Watts, the two best Electric Jr. Drag Racers in the country raced against gasoline-powered
Jr. Dragsters in a "bracket-racing" exhibition on the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the first time. Also scheduled to appear is a student team from Brigham Young University's School of Technology, with a PBS film crew
from KBYU accompanying the race team. The students and their faculty advisors are hoping to set new records with their converted GM EV-1 Ultracapacitor-powered Electric Dragster. Led by their faculty advisors, Dr. Tom Erekson and
Dr. Perry Carter, the team's Wicked Watts debut appearance in 2003 was impressive, averaging 70 mph per run, setting records and creating a new NEDRA Racing Class for UltraCapacitor-powered Electric Vehicles. For more information
on Maxwell Technologies' UltraCapacitors, visit Maxwell's web site at: More information on the BYU School of Technology's EV-1 can be found at their web site:
NEDRA
Vice-President Brian Hall with his record-setting "Revolt" Electric Motorcycle that broke the 100 mph barrier last year at Infineon Raceway in California is also planning on participating in Wicked Watts 2005. Other participating
racers will be announced up until the actual EVent and this feature will be updated online as the date approaches. As in years past, an after-race celebration and recap of the days' records and highlights will be held Saturday
afternoon at a nearby gathering place such as the Speedway Casino or "The Cannery" casino. Las Vegas is also celebrating the Centennial of its birth in 1905 and kicked off a year-long party on New Year's Eve. Spend the weekend
enjoying the sights, sounds, food, and sensations of "The Entertainment Capital of the World". For more information about ongoing events, attractions and accommodations during the weekend of April 8th to April 10th
, please visit these following web sites:
LVEVA to Participate Earth Day Exhibitions
LVEVA Board Members Al Sawyer and Jan Himber will also be participating in an Earth Day celebration in Summerlin during the third week of April. They will be creating an exhibition of
Lectra Motors EV's that were produced here in Las Vegas in the early 1980's at a production plant on Valley View Road. Al Sawyer was President as well as Director of Research and Development for Lectra Motors at the time when the
company produced over 1,000 vehicles from its Las Vegas location. These EV's were based on Datsun "glider" chassis and bodies, including pickup trucks, sedans, and the Datsun 200 SX sports car (reconfigured as the Lectra Centauri).
Many of these vehicles are still on the road today. Other Earth Day celebrations to be scheduled during that same week are at the UNLV campus and Nellis Air Force Base, usually attended by school children from neighboring areas.
Dates and times are yet to be determined. LVEVA members are encouraged to volunteer to help "spread the word" about the benefits of EV driving and "alternative transportation" technologies that promote a healthier environment for
our children, our grandchildren and our planet.
LVEVA Member Profile: Brent Singleton
At age seventeen, Brent Singleton is a true pioneer of Electric Vehicle Drag Racing. He has participated actively in the NHRA Junior Dragster organization, where he is the
leading Electric-powered Junior Dragster racer. He has also raced at the Utah State Bonneville Salt Flats where he has competed with both an experimental land speed racer and an award-winning Hybrid Ford Escort. The Hybrid Escort
was initially developed at Weber State University from 1992 to 1995 as part of a Ford Motor Company grant in a design competition with thirty other national universities. The Weber State University Ford Escort won Hybrid
competition for overall design Brent has also been actively involved in programs at the Bonneville Salt Flats with leading University research programs, like Ohio State University's World Champion "Buckeye Bullet" Electric
Vehicle racing program and the Brigham Young University (BYU) School of Technology's "Electric Blue" and UltraCapacitor-powered General Motors EV-1 racing programs. Using only their own funding, Brent and his father Kent have
continued to work with the faculty at Weber State University in Utah to develop the Hybrid Ford Escort and race it on the Bonneville Salt Flats. Brent has added both solar power and wind power generation to a 96-volt Battery System
for extra charging capability on the vehicle, creating a system that Brent now calls a "Quadbrid". While in motion, the Ford Escort is a true Hybrid, running on either gasoline, electricity, or both energy sources at the same time.
Brent commutes daily to school and to home under electric power in the sustainable Escort which has a nominal 30 mile range using just the battery power from the 96-volt system. However, Brent can use an external charger, a
96-volt portable solar panel system, and/or a pair of 48-volt wind-powered generators mounted on the EV to recharge his battery system while the vehicle is parked and he is attending school. The Ford Escort can also function as a
self-contained tow vehicle and charging source for the Electro-Dragster. If the batteries on the Ford Escort become depleted, the gasoline engine can still be used to drive home in "gasoline only" mode. Several years ago,
Electric Vehicle enthusiasts started playing around with the idea of attaching electric motors to anything that could move and carry a passenger. Unlikely vehicles appeared including motorized shopping carts, love seats, and bar
stools. Each unlikely piece of furniture or appliance was equipped with an electric motor, batteries, a steering system and a motor speed controller for acceleration. Naturally, a fun-filled competition evolved among fellow
builders working on the same devices. The most recent fad among EV builders has been Electric Bar Stool racing where a builder converts a circular, rotating stool with 4 legs and wheels to one that is motorized and equipped with
batteries for maximum speed. Since any kind of competition breeds faster speeds and finer tuned designs, this humble piece of house furniture can now move really fast!. Brent's most recent project is an electric bar stool that
has been built and raced on the Bonneville Salt Flats at 45 miles per hour. Since the Electric Bar Stool speed record is currently 47 miles per hour, Brent is hoping to break that record at the "World of Speed"
competition in September 2005. He also hopes to use the Electric Bar Stool as a tow vehicle when he participates in the next NHRA Junior Dragster competition here in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 9, 2005. The Electric Bar Stool can be
used to tow the Electro-Dragster to and from the staging area at "The Strip" NHRA-sanctioned track in the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This date and location are also the site for the NEDRA "Wicked Watts 2005" national NHRA-sanctioned
competition later that same morning. Brent continues to make great strides in his other educational and vocational interests during the third year of his high school studies. He has an active interest in engineering and the
sciences. The Electro-Dragster placed first in a recent school Science Fair exhibit titled: "Pioneering Full Scale Electric Vehicle Motor Sports to Accelerate Future Development of Energy-Efficient and Environmentally-Friendly
Automotive Technologies". Brent is also studying Business Finance. He is the youngest certified Mortgage Officer to pass the Utah State Board exam but cannot practice at this time until he becomes of legal adult age. He has
met with the Utah State Mortgage Commission and Real Estate Division regarding this unique position, causing adjustments to future testing procedures and certification requirements within the state. Brent Singleton is an
acknowledged future leader in the art and science of Electric Vehicle racing technology here in the USA. His fellow LVEVA members wish him all the best as he hopes to be a part of an upcoming European tour with a newly formed
Alternative Energies Cup drag racing competition. The Federation Internationale d'Automobile (FIA) has announced their intention to create this competitive electric drag racing EVent modeled after the NEDRA racing competitions in
the USA. NEDRA President Roderick Wilde was recently approached by Carl Olson, a former Vice-President of NHRA who helped implement the technical EV additions to the NHRA rule book and who is now the President of the FIA Drag
Racing Commision as well as the NHRA representative to the FIA. Mr. Olson is willing to fund the shipment and display of two or three examples of America's best electric drag racing vehicles to participate in the EVent. Brent is
hoping to be one of them and has campaigned hard to collect letters of recommendation from the LVEVA, Utah Sierra Club, NEDRA, and other racers who can attest to his "can do" spirit. We at the LVEVA wish Brent all the best for the
future during his exciting adventures and challenges to come!
Segway Human Transporter
To Use Valence Technology's Li-Ion Batteries Editor's Note: In the March 2004 LVEVA "Watts Happening" newsletter, we profiled Valence Technology, Inc. at:
Though based in
Austin, Texas, the company has a Research & Development facility in nearby Henderson, NV where it develops and tests its new Saphion® phosphate-based chemistry for Li-Ion batteries. Valence Technology is one of the few
Li-Ion manufacturers to develop a "large format" Li-Ion battery specifically for Electric Vehicles. The Saphion® phosphate chemistry placed at the anode of the battery helps reduce an inherent problem in Li-Ion technology to
catch fire when the battery is overheated during operation. The hot Las Vegas valley summers (reaching 110 degrees or more) and desert conditions are an ideal "proving ground" for testing these chemical additives. On March 1,
2005 the company released this news announcement regarding its selection as the traction battery for the Segway Human Transporter: Valence Batteries Launched in 3 New Segway ® Products Austin, TX March 1, 2005—Valence
Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: VLNC), a leader in the development and commercialization of Saphion® technology, the only safe large format Lithium-ion rechargeable battery technology, today announced that its lithium-ion batteries
were introduced on Segway LLC's new 2005 products. Valence's Saphion® technology double the range of the new Segway human transporter (HT) flagship model and was designed to be compatible with all three of Segway LLC's new
models. In addition, current "i" Series owner will be able to upgrade their machines with Valence's batteries after a software upgrade available this summer. Segway LLC also placed an initial purchase order for Valence custom
battery packs to support the launch, which the company expects to deliver over the next few months. "Today marks an important milestone for Saphion®, further validating its role in the motive space. Our product is the
lithium-ion battery of choice by Segway LLC and is being launched on all new Segway product lines," said Stephan Godevais, chairman and CEO, Valence Technology, Inc. "We are delighted to be working with such an innovative,
trendsetting company and are pleased that our Saphion® technology doubles the range of the Segway HT "i" Series model, allowing it to travel up to 24 miles on a single charge." Valence Technology, Inc. worked with Segway LLC
to developm Saphion ® lithium-ion batteries for the Segway HT i180, Segway XT, and Segway GT. The new batteries are being introduced on each of these models and deliver impressive ranges. In addition to the critical safety
features, Saphion® lithium-ion batteries are very low-maintenance and can operate at battery temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit. "We are proud to include Valence Saphion® lithium-ion batteries in our new
product line," said Klee Kleber, Segway LLC's vice-president of marketing. "This technology enables our customers to use Segway HTs in exciting new ways including playing up to 36 holes of golf, riding on backwoods trails and
working all day without recharging." "Valence's unique Saphion ® ltechnology has enabled us to introduce a safe, high-performance battery for our customers in record time. We chose Valence's Saphion® chemistry for its
inherent safety, which addresses the limitations of traditional lithium-ion chemistries, particularly in large batteries like those on the Segway HT," said Doug Field, Segway LLC's vice president of design and engineering. "In
addition to the safety of Saphion® phosphate chemistry, these new batteries deliver the power and energy that our demanding engineers called for, and the quality and reliability that customers have come to expect in Segway
products. We think existing and new customers will love the extended range and new applications possible with these batteries." Valence's Saphion-based technology contains no toxic heavy metals, negating the disposal issues that
plague traditional lead-acid technologies. Also, as Saphion® technology is a lithium-ion chemistry, its superior performance ensures that its cycle life and lack of "memory effect" will increase the longevity of Valence
products over traditional NiMH batteries.
About Saphion Technology in Segway HTs
Segway models with Saphion® technology include the new Segway HT i180 in Midnight Blue, Midnight Blue/Solar Yellow and Midnight Blue/Sport Red color combinations; the Segway
Cross-terrain Transporter (XT); and the Segway Golf Transporter (GT). In addition, Valence's new batteries will be sold separately for use on all previously released I Series models after a quick software upgrade available this
summer. For pricing and availability of all Segway LLC products log onto About Valence Technology, Inc. Valence is a leader in the development and commercialization of
Saphion® technology, the only safe large format Lithium-ion rechargeable battery technology. Named in 2004 as a Top 100 Innovative Company lby Red Herring, Valence holds an extensive, worldwide portfolio of issued and pending
patents relating to its Saphion® technology and Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. The company has facilities in Austin, Texas; Henderson, Nevada; and Suzhoe and Shanghai, China. Valence is traded on the NASDAQ SmallCap
Market under the symbol VLNC and can be found on the Internet at
Forward-looking Statement
The information contained herein includes "forward-looking
statements." The company cautions readers not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may
differ materially from those described herein, for the reasons, among otheres, discussed in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Media Contact: Lois Paul Partners, LLC Daphne Kent
(512) 638-5305 Investor Contact: Valence Technology, Inc. Kimberly Allen
(512) 527-2921 On March 1, 2005, Segway also released a press announcement of its own. For more information about
Segway's new product releases, contact Las Vegas Segway distributor Greg Warner at (702) 877-3900. About Segway Segway LLC's headquarters and manufacturing facility are based in Bedford, N.H. The Segway HT can be purchased at several dealers around the country, through Amazon.com, Brookstone catalogs and
stores, and by calling 1-866-4SEGWAY. For additional information about Segway and to find dealer locations, please visit
Segway LLC develops and manufactures alternative-power transportation devices and is well-known for its
flagship product, the electric, self-balancing Segway® Human Transporter (HT), which has garnered attention around the globe since it was first revealed in December 2001. Driven by a mission to develop and sell fun, innovative
transportation solutions, Segway employs patented "dynamic stabilization" technology to create versatile, agile, short-range devices that provide an exhilarating user experience. People are using the Segway HT to run
errands, commute to work, and just have fun, while enjoying the benefits of its impressive energy efficiency - equivalent to 450 miles per gallon. Commercial organizations are using it to increase productivity and reduce emissions
and operational costs.
LVEVA Ongoing EV Projects & Workshops
by Richard Furniss, LVEVA President Editor's Note: As mentioned in the lead article, LVEVA President's Message, a decision was made during the February 19, 2005 monthly meeting of the
LVEVA, to schedule regular EV workshops on the first Saturday of every month and add these workshops to the club calendar. Monthly workshops will be held in addition to the regular general meetings at various locations in town
to give members "hands on" EV building experience. The first meeting was at Richard Furniss' house on March 5, 2005 to demonstrate how to make battery interconnect cables for EV's. The second workshop is scheduled again at the
house of LVEVA President Richard Furniss for April 2, 2005. It will focus on welding steel and aluminum. Each workshop will run from 10 AM to 5 PM (with an hour break for lunch) on the first Saturday of each month. For more
information, contact Richard at telephone number: (702) 453-6196 or email him at http://lasvegasev.com From Richard Furniss: As a club we are going to do something different this year, we are going to do club projects which
will be listed in the "Watts Happening" newsletter and on our clubs web site at:
The idea is to get some of the club members involved in "hands on" EV work. If any club
member has a project that they want to do, we will list it in our newsletter and club's web page so we can find people with similar interests and build a team of people to see it through. I have two projects, the 3-wheel EV bike
and an EV range extender. Adam has the e-meter challenge and the $/per/mile battery cost projects. Jan Himber and Al Sawyer continue to develop their unique Battery Monitoring System and Battery Charging Regulator designs. The
e-meter challenge is something that I thought up to see how efficiently the local EV's in town are using battery energy. There are two ways to get more miles per charge out of our EV's, the first and quick way is to put more Ah in
our EV's with T-145 batteries, and the second way is to make your EV more efficient. The first thing is to measure the watt hours/mile and then change something to make it better. Here is a list of things to do on a EV to get
better efficiency by Solectria Electric Vehicle Company employee Seth Allen: ------------------------------------------------------ "You might find that reductions in rolling resistance and parasitic
One thing that sort of grew on me at Solectria was a sort of mentality ------------------------------------------------------- So what we did was mount my e-meter in a box with it's own power supply (battery) and made up some long cables to
make it easy to connect it to any EV. The plan is to connect this test unit to each EV and test it. The unit (now called "The EV Polygraph") will tell the truth about how well your EV is doing on efficiency. There will be
a trophy for the winner and it will be passed to the person that "one-ups" the current holder. Of course the devil is in the details. To make things fair we need to drive the same course. But what we need to figure out is
how do we consider "the time it takes to drive the course" in relation to "the weight of the vehicle". In the end, what it comes down to is "a watt is a watt". How many watts does it take you to drive a
mile? Any input into this challenge is, of course, welcome. Richard Furniss
loads, both mechanical and electrical might be where to look first to
extend range.
Things to try:
-Low Rolling Resistance tires
-special alignment (no toe, no camber)
-low viscosity transmission fluid
-a transaxle that uses fluid wetted (versus grease) inner CV joints
-remove the internal motor fan
-add external motor fan to above
-use the biggest properly wound motor possible
-a low current limit
-assuming a DC-DC is used, reduce 12v power wherever possible
-ditch all the sound deadening in the car, you don't need it, it's an
EV!
-if you can get an efficiency map for the motor, then figure the
correct operating regimes based on roadspeed and torque and shift
appropriately (this could be the most significant and it is FREE)
-learn how to drive modestly
-coast whenever possible
-slow down
that every Joule was sacred and every pound was evil. It would have
been easier and cheaper to make steel battery boxes, (and cost was very
much a consideration), but they were made of aluminum."
Las Vegas, NV
President and Board Member, http://www.lveva.org/
Las Vegas Electric Vehicle Association
EV Parts For Sale
108 Volt Lester Battery Charger $450 Contact Jan Himber, Tel: 642-4000
One 8 inch Advanced DC used motor-- asking price $800 One 9 inch Advanced DC used Motor--asking price $1200 Rudman PFC20 CHARGER
used 4 times--asking price $1500
Contact William Kuehl, Email: bill2k2000@yahoo.com
4504 W. Alexander Road, North Las Vegas, Nevada 89032
Tel: 702-636-0304
For Sale: Chrome "Electric" Emblems for EV's
Mike Chancey - Posted 06/25/00
My URL:http://formmail.to/emblem/order
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Checked: 07/13/03 http://www.austinev.org/evalbum/signs.htmlhttp://www.austinev.org/evalbum/signs.html
Chrome "Electric" car emblems, just like the OEM factory lettering. Okay, so you own a beautiful electric vehicle, but does the world know? Show them with these profession quality "ELECTRIC" emblems. Fabricated from weather resistant thermoplastic, these signs feature a bright chrome like finish on the letter faces with a subtle matte black background. They mount easily with the self adhesive HighTack backing. Simply peel off the protective cover, and press the sign into place. Each sign is approximately 1.25" in height and 7" in length. Only $6.00Each or four for $20.00, plus $1.75 shipping and handling per order. Discounts for larger orders available. Send check or money order to: Mike Chancey, 1700 East 80th Street, Kansas City, MO 64131, or order online at: http://formmail.to/emblem/order
EV's For Sale:
For Sale: 1995 GMC Sonoma Pickup Conversion $6,500.00 . When new, this vehicle was worth $18,000.00 Asking Price $6,500 or Best Offer William Kuehl
Email: bill2k2000@yahoo.com
This pickup was originally converted for Nevada Power Co. from a new purchase. William Kuehl, LVEVA President, was initially contacted by the Principal of Clark High School for
his knowledge of electric vehicle conversions and was asked to help the 12th grade students build an EV project. The students did the conversion from information given to them by William Kuehl.
After the project was
completed, Nevada Power used the pickup in service until June 2002 when it was auctioned off. William Kuehl bought the truck and towed it home. The mileage was 1,867. He installed twenty new T-145 U.S. Batteries. These batteries
have been run for two years now and there are now 8,811 miles on the pickup truck odometer
The truck's 120-volt system drives an 9-inch Advanced DC motor through a newly upgraded Curtis controller rated at 750 amps. There is
an onboard Zivan NG-3 220 volt charger. Tires have been changed to Pirelli P225/60 R 16 with chrome alloy rims.
With new batteries this EV has a range of 53 miles per charge. The currrent two-year (plus) old batteries have a
range of about 20 miles. With this upgraded controller the vehicle can be driven in second gear for most of my "in-town" driving. There is a volt meter for the battery pack voltage and an ampmeter to tell how much current
the motor is using. Also a 12-volt guage to show the voltage in the 12-volt accessory battery.
Contact:
Address: 4504 W. Alexander Road, North Las Vegas, Nevada 89032
Telephone: 702-636-0304
