I had bought a “0-500 scale” amp-meter and installed it in the car’s dashboard (as shown in the diagram above) so I could see how much electrical current draw (amperage) was being pulled out of the batteries and controller by the motor as I was driving down the road. Using the amp-meter as the guide, I would be able to back off on the accelerator pedal to draw the least amount of amps to keep the car moving at a constant speed, especially when I reached speeds of 35 mph in first gear or 60 mph in second gear on the highway. I also bough a voltmeter scaled from 0 to 150 volts and installed it on my dashboard so that I could monitor my battery pack voltage while I was driving.

As soon as all the components were completely installed in the car, I took it out for its first test drive. I had previously used my wife’s car to drive around and explore the surrounding area, plotting a five mile test course that I could use to drive my electric car in order to determine my range on a single battery charge.

After driving around this five-mile course eight times, the batteries were getting low on charge. I headed home and recharged them. 40 miles on a single charge wasn’t bad for these old batteries that I had used out of my Ford Pinto. Now I could get to work and back every day on my 32 mile round trip commute.

I knew that in a couple of months, the weather would get cold and these old batteries would not be able sustain this range during the colder temperatures. I planned on getting another set of new batteries before then. In October 1984, I purchased sixteen new 6-volt golf cart batteries and installed them in the Honda Civic.

One night in November, after coming home with 32 miles on the batteries, I continued driving around on my 5-mile test course to see what my total range would be with the new batteries. After going around four times for an additional 20 miles, I noticed a drop in acceleration. Not wanting to run the batteries all the way down, I went home and plugged in my charger to recharge the pack fully. The Honda Civic ran fine all that winter and into next summer. Normally, I could drive back and forth to work on my Las Vegas commute route for two days before recharging my batteries-- a total of 64 miles.

In September 1985, I towed the Honda up to Sunnyvale, California to drive it in the Electric Auto Association’s annual road rally. The course that they laid out was 6.3 miles. The start position began in the Hewlett Packard Corporation parking lot. The route circled the city streets and wound its way back to a stop position at the same location.

The rally started at 10 AM and, with an hour break from 12 noon to 1 PM, it continued to 4 PM that afternoon. Each entry could run as many times as they had current in their batteries to make complete runs. No battery charging was allowed. The completed runs for each entry determined their total mileage for the rally.  My total for the rally was 100.8 miles on one battery charge. 

Editor’s note: End of Part Two. “The Saga of an EV Wannabe (Part Three)” will continue in the September 2008 issue of the LVEVA “Watts Happening” newsletter. Future articles will chronicle more of Bill Kuehl’s EV conversion projects that included the construction of his electric Pontiac Fiero, his racing experiences with the Sports Car Club of America, the National Electric Drag Racing Association and fun at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Happy Trails!

EV Physics

Editor’s Note: Thank you to LVEVA Member Al Sawyer, P.E. who pointed to this original article and provided additional references.

Overview

Michael Faraday (1791-1867), a chemist and physicist, is credited as one of the great experimenters in history. During his lifetime, he made many discoveries that have enabled electric vehicle technologies to develop. His ability to spread ideas through publications and lectures changed his fellow scientists’ understanding of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. Three volumes entitled Experimental Researches in Electricity were published in 1839, 1844, and 1855. One volume of Experimental Researches in Chemistry and Physics was published in 1858. Faraday’s “laws of electrolysis” helped pave the way for lead-acid battery development and his demonstration of electromagnetic induction in 1831 led to development of the Direct Current (DC) generator as well as further development of electric motor theory. The “farad”, a unit of measurement for the capacitance of electrons in a condenser or capacitor, is named in his honor.

Electric motors come in many sizes, designs and forms today, after 150 years of development. Some motors are driven by Direct Current (DC) while others are driven by Alternating Current (AC). Some motors use permanent magnets. Others use series-wound, shunt-wound, or compound-wound wire coils in conjunction with other moveable electromagnetic parts. Some motors have an external stator with an internal armature/commutator while other motors are “inside-out” where the stator is located in the center of the motor and the armature/commutator components rotate around it. 

Some motors use spring-loaded metallic brushes to impart electrical current to a commutator. Other motors are brushless, using multiple electromagnet/permanent magnet pairs that are positioned in parallel around both the stator and commutator.  In a brushless motor, when one set of electromagnets is electrically excited inside the stator, it can induce magnetic fields into the mating parallel set of magnets embedded in the armature of the motor, without making physical contact to the armature itself. In comparison to “brushed” motors, brushless motors do not have the friction caused by the spring-loaded brushes constantly dragging on the armature/commutator surface. Brushless motors can also eliminate some maintenance issues that require periodic replacement and alignment of brushes as they wear.

The first article in this series will focus on how to select a DC motor that is capable of propelling a full-size electric road vehicle such as an EV conversion. The following is an excerpt from an article entitled “Getting Serious About EV Motors” in the May 11, 1978 issue of Machine Design magazine. This article focuses on understanding the physics of electric vehicles and is still very relevant today. If anything, this article may actually be too conservative because it underestimates the potential for future motor, battery and electronic controller developments. Just two years after the article was written, LVEVA member and engineer Al Sawyer, P.E. was able to build full-sized electric cars that tested at a top speed of 85 mph for his Lectra Motors Corporation here in Las Vegas by applying the calculations and techniques shown below.  In recent years, racers in the National Electric Drag Race Association (NEDRA), have been able to exceed 160 mph speeds and accelerate their electric drag race vehicles from 0 to 60 mph in less than a second by using rebuilt pairs of DC brushed electric motors in dual mode configurations, advanced programmable electronic motor speed controllers and lightweight Lithium-Ion battery technologies. This original article was written by Peter Walker, an Advisory Engineer for the Electric Motor Division of Gould, Inc. in St. Louis, Missouri:

“Electric motors have a successful history in special-purpose EV applications, such as lift trucks and golf carts. Lift trucks use solid-rubber tires that have little rolling friction, and the weight of the batteries necessary for lift-truck balance. Moreover, required speed and range are small, and the vehicle is never far from a power outlet for recharging the batteries.

Golf carts impose somewhat higher demands on an electric drive because of greater range requirements, operation in hilly terrain, and the use of pneumatic tires with higher rolling friction. But small vehicle weight offsets these demands significantly. One might expect that there would be few areas of uncertainty in applying these same motors to road vehicles. Such is not the case, however.

A road vehicle embodies all the worst-case requirements for special-purpose vehicles plus more. In addition to having a larger gross weight, greater range, and the ability to climb hills, a road vehicle must travel faster and have reasonable acceleration. Therefore, the results of installing an electric motor in place of a conventional IC engine can be quite unexpected and disappointing if the limited energy source is not taken into account. This article shows how to optimize the motor-battery combination for a road vehicle of a given weight, payload, range, top speed, and type of terrain to be traversed. Specific attention is given to preliminary force, power and torque calculations upon which this optimization must be based.

Properly applied, an electric motor can produce a maximum vehicle speed of about 60 mph. This speed is produced by coupling the motor directly through a differential of about a 5.9:1 ratio, which provides acceptable low-speed acceleration, and hill-climbing ability, and then translates these factors into appropriate motor characteristics.

The most commonly used traction motor is the DC motor. Induction-motor, variable frequency inverter drives also are promising but they require a more complex controller and are presently more expensive than DC drives. The DC motor has characteristics highly adaptable to traction applications and is used in shunt-field, series-field and compound-field configurations. Motor performance (and, consequently, vehicle performance) is easily controlled merely by regulating the voltage applied to the motor.

Forces of a Moving Vehicle

After vehicle performance requirements have been determined, the necessary traction force the EV motor must provide is calculated by considering the forces acting on the vehicle. A vehicle rolling on a level surface has two main resistance components—rolling tire friction and wind drag. Frictional forces in wheel bearings are relatively small and can be neglected.

Rolling Friction: This resistance to vehicle motion is due to the deflection of a tire as it contacts the road surface. The magnitude of friction is a function of vehicle weight, speed, and tire pressure. Tire friction is expressed as Fr = Ct * W, where Fr = rolling-friction expressed in pounds (lbs); Ct = coefficient of tire resistance (dimensionless); and W = vehicle weight (including battery pack) expressed in pounds (lbs). Because of its contribution to rolling friction, vehicle weight greatly influences performance and range. Consequently, an early step toward getting the best possible performance/cost ratio is to minimize vehicle weight.

Coefficient of tire resistance, Ct, has been experimentally determined for a wide variety of air-inflated rubber tires. Values of Ct for properly inflated tires are between 0.1 and 0.16. If a tire is badly under-inflated, Ct increases significantly. Conversely, Ct reduces for over-inflated tires. Tire pressure ultimately is a compromise between riding comfort and rolling friction. Air-inflated rubber tires have a somewhat lower friction at low speeds than at high speeds. However, for the purpose of calculating rolling frictional force, a value of 0.12 for Ct is sufficiently accurate in the absence of more specific data.

Air drag: This force is exerted on a body by relative movement through air. The magnitude of air-drag is a function of body size, relative speed, and shape or streamlining. Drag force is expressed as:

Fd = 0.00172 * Cd * A * (v-squared)

where Fd = drag force expressed in pounds (lb); Cd = drag coefficient (dimensionless); A = maximum cross-sectional area of the body facing the direction of motion expressed in square feet (sq. ft.); and v = vehicle velocity expressed in miles per hour (mph). The constant (0.00172) is based upon the standard specific gravity of air, which is 0.00233 slugs/ft.-cubed.

Drag coefficient, Cd, depends on the amount of vehicle streamlining or body styling (see Forces Acting Against the Motor). A poorly styled vehicle can have twice the air-drag of a similarly sized streamlined vehicle. The cross-sectional area of the vehicle is considered to be the product of the height and width. This value does not consider clearance between the vehicle and road surface.

Total Traction: After rolling resistance and air-drag are calculated, they are added to obtain the required traction expressed as:

Ft = Fr + Fd    [Equation 1]

where Ft = required traction expressed in pounds (lb). For determining the power requirements of an EV drive system, it is convenient to plot the calculated values of Equation 1 on a traction curve, which shows rolling friction and air-drag separately. This curve is used to calculate the electric motor power requirement at any speed. 

The horsepower required to produce the necessary force and speed is determined from:

P1 = 0.00267 * Ft * v   [Equation 2]

Where P = brake horsepower (bhp); Ft = traction force expressed in pounds (lb), and v = vehicle velocity expressed in miles per hour (mph).

There is some loss of power in the transmission through a differential. However, most differentials have and efficiency of about 990%. Actual output, P2 of the electric motor is found by dividing the brake horsepower by the differential efficiency:

P2 = P1 / Nd    [Equation 3]

where Nd = differential efficiency.

Hill Climbing Ability: The traction requirement calculate by Equations 2 and 3 are for a level road. Hill-climbing requires significantly greater traction. Vehicle weight directly opposes driving force on a slope. The grade force (Fg) is calculated for Fg = 0.01W sin * theta, where W = vehicle weight expressed in pounds (lb), and theta = slope angle expressed in degrees (deg). If grade is specified as a percent slope (within the limits of practical slopes), this equation becomes Fg = W * s, where s = % slope expressed as the vertical rise of the slope divided by the horizontal run (rise/run). Thus, a vehicle weighing 3,500 lb, for example, requires an additional 35-lb driving force to move up a 1% grade: Fg = 3,500 lb * 1% grade = 3,500 lb * .01 = 35 lb.

If a vehicle is to operate in hilly terrain, the addition force (Fg) required to move the vehicle up a hill should be added to the terms in Equation 1. Since the force (Fg) is fixed and independent of speed, it can easily be added to the traction curve. When this is done, a family of curves can be generated displaying traction requirements for various slopes.

Acceleration Force: Traction forces considered above are for maintaining a specified speed on level ground or up a grade. With regard to acceleration, an electric vehicle cannot compete with a conventional internal combustion-powered vehicle. It is simply too expensive to provide enough electric power for high acceleration. However, an electric vehicle can move through busy intersections safely without an excessively large and expensive electric motor. 

(Editors’ note: This article was written before the introduction of advanced lightweight batteries, motor speed control technology and specialized tandem drag racing electric motors for EVs. To view examples of technologies that enable high speed electric vehicles with fast motor acceleration, visit the web site of the National Electric Drag Racing Association at: http://www.nedra.com)

For example, an acceleration of 2.5 to 4mph/sec is normally considered acceptable for an average vehicle in traffic conditions. An acceleration of 4mph/sec produces a speed of 20 mph in 5 seconds from a standstill. The required accelerating force can be calculated from Force (F) = mass (m) * acceleration (a). This equation can be rewritten as:

Fa = (W * a) / 21.93   [Equation 4]

Where Fa = accelerating force expressed in pounds (lb); W = vehicle weight expressed in pounds (lb); and a = required acceleration expressed in miles per hour per second (mph/sec). 

Normally, a vehicle is accelerated only for brief periods. For example, if a vehicle has a top speed capability of 60 mph, an acceleration of 3 mph/sec brings the vehicle to maximum speed within 20 seconds. During this relatively brief acceleration, the electric motor does not overheat excessively. However, repeated 1-minute cycle of maximum acceleration followed immediately by maximum braking eventually causes overheating or battery run-down.

The accelerating-force requirement from Equation 4 can be added tot the terms of Equation 1 to determine the short-time torque rating required of the drive motor on a level surface. The total traction force (Ftt) required to accelerate a vehicle up a grade is the sum of all the forces shown above:

Ftt = Fr + Fd + Fg + Fa   [Equation 5]

Equation 5 is used with Equation 2 to determine short-term horsepower requirements.

Vehicle Speed vs. Motor Speed: A low-speed, high-torque motor, selected solely on the basis of horsepower, provides acceptable acceleration at low speeds, but this motor might not reach a high enough speed range for an EV. Conversely, a low-torque, high-speed motor might not have the torque required for starting acceleration. The effective torque-speed characteristics of the motor depend on the tire size and gear ratio of the differential. If these factors are known, motor speed is related to required vehicle speed by:

Vm = (28 * v * Rg) / Dt   [Equation 6]

Where vm = motor speed expressed in revolutions per minute (rpm); v = vehicle speed expressed in miles per hour (mph); Rg = gear ratio; and Dt = tire diameter expressed in feet (ft).

Required motor torque is:

T = (5.252 * P2) / vm   [Equation 7]

where T = motor torque expressed in foot-pounds (lb-ft); P2 = motor horsepower as determined from Equation 3; and vm = motor speed determined from Equation 6. The motor selected must be rated for a range of continuous torque and speed that brackets the operating point determined by equations 6 and 7.

Energy Source Considerations (circa 1978): Presently, the most reliable and practical energy source for EV application is the lead-acid battery. At the same time, batteries constitute the greatest weakness in EV drive technology because they are large, heavy, expensive and have limited energy density. Consequently, battery selection requires careful consideration of three factors.

System Voltage: A fully charged lead cell carries about 2.1 volts. The cells are connected in series to provide the battery terminal voltage. For example, a 48-Volt battery has at least 24 cells. For maximum battery reliability and minimum maintenance, it is best to minimize the number of cells. On the other hand, a low-voltage, high-current system tends to increase the size and cost of other drive-system components.

Another factor in determining system battery voltage is required motor horsepower. In general, the greater the horsepower, the larger is the desirable voltage rating since motor current is proportional to power. Motors that must handle large currents have large, expensive commutators and brushes. Therefore, system voltage should be the maximum voltage that produces required energy without significantly increasing battery cost.

Energy Capacity: Battery size is a prime factor in determining vehicle range. This relationship between required energy and range is expressed by W = F * D, where W = Work or Energy, F = Force, and D = Distance through which the force acts. From this basic energy equation can be derived an expression in terms of watt-hours of battery energy:

E = 2 * Ft * D   [Equation 8]

Where E = battery energy expressed in Watt-hours (W-h); Ft = Traction Force expressed in pounds (lb); and D = distance traveled expressed in miles.

Equation 8 is used to calculate required battery capacity for a given range or to define vehicle range for a given battery. Thus, if a combination of batteries supplies 7,920 Watt-hours of energy for a vehicle requiring a 120-lb traction force, the theoretical range of the vehicle is 33 miles:

D = E / (2 * Ft) = 7,920 Wh / (2 * 120 lb) = 7,920 Wh / 240 lb = 33 miles

This maximum range is based upon a 1-hour rate of discharge for the battery. However, frequent acceleration of considerable hill climbing exhausts the lead-acid batteries more rapidly so that the full watt-hour potential is not always realized.

Weight: Battery weight also is related to range since it is a significant part of total vehicle weight. Presently, the highest energy density obtainable from lead-acid batteries is about 12 Watt-hours per pound (W-hr/lb). Thus, the 920 Watt-hour battery array of the previous example would weigh 660 lbs. If the vehicle must have a specified range, the battery weight (W) is calculated from:

W = 0.167 * Ft * D   [Equation 9]

Then, for 120 lb of traction force and a 100-mile range, the required battery pack weighs 2,004 lbs: W = 0.167 * 120 lb * 100 miles = 0.167 * 12,000 = 2004 lbs.

It must be remembered that acceleration draws current at a higher rate than that required for level cruising and exhausts the battery more rapidly, reducing the expected range. Also, since battery weight must be estimated in preliminary calculations for determining traction force, calculations usually must be iterative to arrive at final values for battery weight and traction force.”

Editors’ note: As noted in the above article, the electrical drive system of an EV must be well-integrated for optimum performance and requires a balance in the selection of motors, batteries, motor speed controllers, contactors, cabling, and charging systems. In addition, the electrical system is affected by the weight of the vehicle, its shape, the mechanical drive train, the rolling resistance of its tires, air drag, the EV’s driving environment and other factors. EV pioneers continue to push the limits of present day technologies to achieve optimum, revolutionary performance.

U.S. Political and Business Leaders Promote Plans at UNLV National Energy Summit

By Stan Hanel

Harry Reid, Nevada’s senior U.S. Senator and Senate Majority Leader, has announced a National Energy Summit to be hosted at the campus of the University of Nevada – Las Vegas (UNLV) this month on Tuesday, August 19^th. This summit will attempt to bring together national political and business leaders who are hoping to focus the efforts of this country to harness the many resources available to the U.S. that will promote independence from the recent volatile price activity of imported crude oil. 

Besides Senator Reid, UNLV President David Ashley and the Center for American Progress Action Fund who are organizing the event, participants in the summit will also include former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of Treasury Robert Rubin, BP Capital Management CEO T. Boone Pickens, Arizona governor Janet Napolitano, Colorado governor Bill Ritter and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Registration for the general public is $150 per person. Student admission is $25 per person. Exhibitions of renewable energy technologies will be presented by local utilities and vendors. Exhibit fees for booth space rental and summit conference admission are $2500 for regular and $3500 for premium registration.

The commodity futures price of a barrel of light sweet crude oil has jumped 40% during the six months ending July 2008 reaching a peak over $140 per barrel from an original record-breaking price of $100 per barrel established at the end of January 2008.  The commodity price has recently declined to $125 per barrel as gasoline prices at the pump are starting to drop below $4 a gallon once more. However, American consumers have seen an even larger ripple effect in their pocketbooks from price increases in addition to gasoline during the last several months of this year.  These include all other household products that must be transported over our nation’s highways from growers and manufacturer to distribution centers to retail stores. These include basic necessities such as food, clothing, and home furnishings.

Responding to this macroeconomic crisis, leading political and industry leaders have proposed 10-year energy plans to harness more of the country’s home-grown energy resources and to diversify the country’s energy and transportation infrastructure that is currently too dependent on the volatile cost of imported crude oil. The United States, with only 4% of the world’s population, consumes 25% of the world’s total oil supply. However, worldwide demand and competition for this limited non-renewable resource is now exceeding the current worldwide supply as newly developing industrial nations such as China and India seek to expand their share of the worldwide energy pie. A renewed recognition of the possibility of peaking worldwide oil reserves has also increased the perception of crude oil as a potentially scarcer resource. This commodity is now starting to attain the same futures investment status as gold for staving off economic uncertainties.

Both the presidential campaigns of the presumptive nominees for Republican and Democratic parties have started outlining their energy policies if their candidates are elected to the office of President of the United States. John McCain is aggressively pushing to increase the production of all domestic sources of energy, including off-shore oil reserves, nuclear power plants, and “clean coal” initiatives as well as renewable energy sources, the development of superior battery technologies and electric car technologies. His main technical advisor regarding EV technology is former CIA director James Woolsey, who also led the political efforts of the non-profit organization Plug-In America to encourage the development of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle technologies. Both Plug-In America and the California Electric Cars (CalCars) Initiative have supporting affiliations with the Electric Auto Association (EAA), the parent non-profit organization of the local Las Vegas Electric Vehicle Association (LVEVA) chapter.

Democrat Barack Obama and his party are stressing the development of America’s renewable energy resources over the increased development of offshore oil, nuclear energy and “clean coal” initiatives where each technology still has potential hazardous environmental side-effects. The Democratic party feels that opening up more offshore drilling to oil companies will not solve short term supply problems and that oil companies already have 58 billion acres of federal land that they have not yet developed sufficiently. Here in Nevada, opposition to the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository, that would make the state a dumping ground for nuclear power plants located throughout the country, has galvanized political activism against this source of power. Nevada state citizens decry its potential long term damage to the local environment and population as well as the hazards related to transporting the spent radioactive nuclear fuel from 40 different states by rail or by national highways. As an alternative, the ready availability of solar and wind energy throughout the state of Nevada is encouraging its citizens to lead the way in creating renewable energy industries that can bring new jobs and diversify the local economy as well as put unused federal lands to work creating renewable energy. The majority of Nevada state land is still owned by the federal government and administered by the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

Former U.S. Vice-President and Nobel prize winner Al Gore recently challenged the citizens of the United States to participate in a 10-year plan to “re-power America” and make 100% of the country’s energy available from renewable energy resources in the same way that that former President John F. Kennedy launched the nation on a mission to land on the moon. During July 2008, he focused on the nation’s dependence on carbon-based fuels (oil and coal) as the root problem causing the economic, environmental and national security crises that the country is facing today:

 “We are borrowing money from China to buy oil from the Persian Gulf to burn it in ways that destroy the planet. Every bit of that has to change. When you connect the dots, it turns out that the real solutions to the climate crisis are the very same measures that are needed to renew our economy and escape the trap of ever-rising energy prices. Moreover, these are also the very same solutions that we need to guarantee our national security without having to go to war in the Persian Gulf. What if we could use fuels that aren’t expensive, don’t cause pollution and are abundantly available right here at home? 

But to make this exciting potential a reality and truly solve our nation’s problems, we need a new start. That is why I am proposing today a strategic initiative designed to free us from a crisis that is holding us down and regain control of our own destiny. It is not the only thing we need to do but this strategic challenge is the linchpin of a bold new strategy needed to re-power America.

So today, I challenge America to commit to producing 100% of our electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon-free sources within 10 years. And as the demand for renewable energy grows, the cost will continue to fall. Let me give you one revealing example. The price of the specialized silicon to make solar cells was recently as high as $300 per kilogram. But the newest contracts have prices as low as $50 per kilogram. You remember the same thing happened with computer chips, also made out of silicon. The price paid for the same performance came down by 50% every 18 months, year after year. And that’s been happening for 40 years in a row.

I, for one, do not believe that our country can withstand 10 more years of the status quo. Our families can’t stand 10 more years of gasoline price increases. Our workers can’t stand 10 more years of job losses and outsourcing of factories. Our economy can’t stand 10 more years of sending $2 billion every 24 hours to foreign countries for oil. And our soldiers and their families cannot take another 10 years of troop deployments to regions that just happen to have large oil supplies. … if we keep going back to the same policies that have never, ever worked in the past and have served only to produce the highest gasoline prices in history, alongside the greatest oil company profits in history, no one should be surprised if we get the same results over and over again. 

…It is time for us to move beyond empty rhetoric. We need to act now and we need to act boldly.

…This is a generational moment, a moment when we decide our own path and our collective fate…Our entire civilization depends on us now embarking on a new journey of exploration and discovery. Our success depends on our willingness as a people to undertake this journey and to complete it within 10 years. Once again, we have an opportunity to take a giant leap for humankind. Thank you for coming.”

Al Gore’s strategic initiative to “re-power America” is based at: http://www.wecansolveit.org Individual registration is encouraged at this site for interested participants to receive ongoing information and updates about how to help enable this grassroots movement as well as how to follow its progress over the next ten years.

On July 22, 2008, Republican T. Boone Pickens appeared before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee for a hearing chaired by non-partisan, Independent Senator Joe Lieberman to outline his “Pickens Plan” for American energy independence, claiming that the U.S. is paying for both sides of the Iraqi war.  Emphasizing that he is “an American first and an Oilman second”, Mr. Pickens gave his perspective on “peak oil” as owner of Mesa Power in Texas. He is also Chairman and CEO of BP Capital Management that, with Mesa Power, has invested $2 billion in wind farms located in the Texas panhandle.  His folksy presentation emphasized his desire to rid America of all foreign imported oil sources by several means, including increased offshore drilling, drilling on federal lands, increased use of natural gas, as well as the harnessing of solar and wind power for renewable energy. The use of non-petroleum, flexible fuel vehicles powered by natural gas, biofuels or electricity would also be key to reducing the nation’s dependency on foreign oil. Two of T. Boone Pickens’ companies within his investment portfolio jointly own 90 of the 500 publicly available natural gas dispensing stations across the U.S. and would be enriched by a plan that emphasizes the use of natural gas. However, critics of this part of his plan also feel that the largest sources of natural gas come from foreign sources like Russia, Iran and other Persian Gulf states. Such an investment in U.S. infrastructure would also enrich those countries in the process by developing transportation markets for them to sell fuel, potentially recreating the same import dependence for non-renewable natural gas as with crude oil. 

T. Boone Pickens has invested $58 million in marketing his “Pickens Plan” and hired some very sophisticated employees to create a Web 2.0 presence at:  www.pickensplan.com. The site includes a viral, embeddable video that features Pickens diagramming his plan on a whiteboard. There is also a YouTube channel where the Pickens staff maintains a video blog of him answering questions submitted by the public.  His site also includes a social-networking feature built on the Ning.com. platform that lets anyone join, create a profile and talk to the other 87,000-plus members. Ning.com. is the latest company created by Netscape founder Marc Andreessen.  You can also become Pickens' friend on Facebook and can keep track of the "PickensPlan" on Twitter, which already has more than 1,000 followers.

Mr. Pickens will be attending the UNLV Clean Energy Summit and will serve as a good conservative counterpoint to Bill Clinton’s presentations on how Nevada can create new jobs within the state by harnessing its abundant resources of solar and wind energy for the production of electricity.

According to U.S. Senator Harry Reid:

“Nevada’s position as a world leader in the coming global clean energy revolution waits only our action and commitment. We cannot afford to pass by this door of opportunity without bursting through it. Nevada is an independent state born of opportunity of the great resources we held both during the Civil War and today. The treasure we have offered to the country in silver, gold and minerals, we can now offer in heat and power from our vast solar, wind, and geothermal potential. 

These native resources can deliver a future free of dependence on dirty, imported oil and coal. With the right investments in renewable technology, our rural and urban economies will boom permanently with good jobs and economic growth Our moment, as Nevadan and as caretaker or our families and our planet for generations to come, is now.

…America’s energy challenges are grave and will require all of us to work together to find solutions. So partisan labels will be left at the door of the summit and we will hear from many distinguished speakers…

Right here in Nevada, the solar projects awaiting Bureau of Land Management approval could power millions of American homes in the not too distant future. The total solar thermal energy potential in the desert Southwest is seven times the nation’s entire electricity demand – enough to consistently charge millions of plug-in hybrid cars and trucks. We also sit atop one of the largest supplies of geothermal energy in the world.

This is an ambitious vision, but I believe by working together, we can accomplish these goals. Companies and venture capitalists are lining up to invest in renewable energy, but local, state and federal governments must do much more to ease the transition. Congress has been trying o pass long-term tax credits for renewable energy, but political opposition could delay billions of dollars in investment and shut out many economic opportunities and new green jobs important to Nevada.”

In 2007, southern Nevada jumpstarted its efforts to develop a solar power industry by completing installation of Nevada Solar One, a 64-megawatt solar thermal power plant that can provide electricity to 48,000 homes from a site in the El Dorado Valley near Boulder City. As a reference, a power plant that can generate one megawatt of electrical power can provide electricity for the needs of about 750 households. Nellis Air Force Base in North Las Vegas successfully installed a 14.2 Megawatt photovoltaic solar power plant that can provide electricity to 12,000 households at its location. The Las Vegas Valley Water District has also been pioneering the use of solar power at its water pump stations and other sites by installing over 3.1 Megawatts of solar power generating stations throughout the Las Vegas Valley.

During the first half of 2008, a Silicon Valley startup called Ausra set up a 130,000 square foot manufacturing plant near McCarran airport to build solar collectors for its solar thermal power product line. In June, the company began employing 25 workers as it begins manufacturing parts for a 177 Megawatt solar thermal power plant to be constructed in California’s San Luis Obispo County. This new power plant should provide power to 120,000 California homes through its state utility customer, Pacific Gas and Electric. The company hopes to continue manufacturing solar thermal collection assemblies for new projects to be developed in Nevada and the southwestern United States, eventually ramping up production capacity to employ as many as 50 workers and producing enough product to generate 700 Megawatts of solar power each year. 

According to Senator Reid, “All these hopes and challenges will shape our discussion at the summit on August 19^th. I encourage you to join us at UNLV that day because many will look back at this summit as the dawn of Nevada and the nation’s clean energy revolution. Each of us can have a hand in shaping it.”

Oil Barge and Tanker Collide on Mississippi River-- Huge Oil Spill and Cleanup Effort

On July 23, 2008, a stretch of the Mississippi River at New Orleans was closed for days as the nation’s Coast Guard and four independent companies employed 200 people to clean up a 12-mile oil slick caused when a tanker and barge collided. 

The barge was split in half during the collision and 419,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil contained in about 10,000 barrels spilled from it, forming the slick and forcing the Coast Guard to close off 29 miles of the Mississippi river. Riverboat tugs tried to secure the two halves of the barge against the river's swift current.

Drinking water intakes from the Mississippi River were diverted or closed, causing residents along that area to conserve water usage until the slick was cleaned up and the water tested. Effects on the abundant river wildlife population are yet to be determined.

The larger tanker, Tintomara, was double-hulled and its storage hold was not ruptured during the collision. This would have worsened the environmental damage as it was loaded with about 4.2 million gallons of biodiesel and nearly 1.3 million gallons of styrene.

Hybrid Diesel-Electric School Bus Development in California

IC Bus, LLC of Warrenville, Ill., is a wholly owned affiliate of Navistar International Corporation (Stock Symbol NAV on the New York Stock Exchange) and is the nation's largest manufacturer of school buses. All IC Bus buses are sold, serviced and supported through a dealer network that offers an integrated customer program encompassing parts, training and service: http://www.icbus.com

The company has completed a one-year testing program in California’s Napa county school district of a prototype plug-in, diesel-electric hybrid bus. The proprietary “HybridPower” system for the IC Bus prototype was developed by Enova Systems in Torrance, California: http://www.enovasystems.com

This parallel, plug-in hybrid system effectively doubles gas mileage to 13 miles per gallon. The pilot program test results were based on 13,000 miles of school district routes that averaged 65 miles per day. Driving conditions and terrain included a mixture of highway and city environments while transporting 60 children to and from school. Using a base price of $4.87 per gallon for diesel fuel for comparison, a standard “diesel-only” school bus required an average $10,000 of fuel during the 2007-2008 school year. The hybrid diesel-electric required only $5,000 of diesel fuel during the same school year, effectively cutting diesel fuel costs in half.

While drivers could operate the school bus controls in the same way as any other vehicle from IC Bus, the parallel diesel-electric hybrid employed a diesel engine that was complemented by an AC electric motor system during acceleration. At stoplights or while waiting to load/unload passengers, the idling diesel engine was automatically turned off by the vehicle control system. The electric motor would automatically restart the diesel engine when it resumed travel as well as boost its acceleration. When stopping or decelerating, the electric motor can also function as part of the bus braking system. While mechanically creating drag on the vehicle drive train through the use of “plug” braking or “dynamic” braking, the motor can also act like an electrical generator. This feature can be harnessed to provide regenerative electrical current that can be fed back to partially recharge the battery pack.

The diesel engine also can help recharge the battery pack during operation. Because the school bus is a plug-in hybrid, the battery pack can be fully recharged at night, or between the morning and afternoon routes, by plugging the bus into an electric outlet.

The Electric Drive Unit (EDU) employs an Electric Drive Motor (EDM). This AC induction motor can develop 162 horsepower at normal operating speeds of 1800 rpm, but is rated up to a maximum rotational speed of 7200 rpm. The AC induction motor can achieve 480 ft-lbs of torque during acceleration up to 1800 rpm. A liquid cooling system can be employed to limit the operating temperature of the electric motor to + 60 degrees Celsius.

The AC motor control system and power inverter can accept an input voltage from a battery pack rated at 250 VDC to 425 VDC while outputting an AC voltage and current rated at a maximum of 120 kiloWatts with an efficiency greater than 95%. The DC-to-AC power inverter system employs advanced Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) technology that can handle the high current flow and fast switching required to power the 120 kiloWatt motor system. The power inverter can be liquid-cooled to operate within a temperature range from -20 degrees Celsius to + 60 degrees Celsius. The power inverter control electronics can also receive 16 digital and 16 analog inputs for sensor information, as well as produce 6 analog outputs, 4 of which can be used for display purposes for instrumentation gauges.

To provide the auxiliary power required by the vehicle’s instruments, lights, computer control system and other peripheral electrical/electronic subsystems, an onboard DC-to-DC converter can tap off the main propulsion battery pack voltage to provide either a 24-volt system or a 12-volt isolated system. For a 12-volt system, the DC-to-DC converter can accept an input from the battery pack of 250 VDC to 425 VDC, while outputting a regulated voltage of 13.8 VDC at 100 Amps with a 90% conversion efficiency. For a 24-volt system, the DC-to-DC converter can accept an input from the battery pack of 250 VDC to 425 VDC and output 27.6 VDC at 50 Amps with 90% efficiency. Optional 100 Amp and 150 Amp DC-to-DC converter systems are also available for the 24-volt system configuraton.

The “smokeless” exhaust of the hybrid school bus has also been designed by Enova Systems to dramatically reduce emissions by as much as 90% compared to older buses operating in the state of California.

IC Bus selected Enova's post-transmission, parallel hybrid drive system because of its reliability as well as the company’s track record to deliver significant fuel efficiency improvements and emission reductions over a broad range of route cycles. No additional investment in maintenance infrastructure was required by the school district other than training of the school bus maintenance technicians and drivers by IC Bus. 

To develop this pilot project, California’s PG&E utility provided $30,000 to help with the purchase of the plug-in hybrid school bus from IC Bus. An additional $30,000 to fund the school bus was provided by grants from the federal U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through its Clean School Bus USA program and the West Coast Collaborative, a public-private partnership to reduce diesel emissions.

Schools in California can use funds allocated by Proposition 1B towards the purchase of a hybrid school bus. Funding to districts to support hybrid purchases from Proposition 1B is distributed through the California Air Resources Board and can save school districts as much as $40,000 per hybrid bus.

IC Bus and Enova Systems have also delivered a diesel-electric HybridPower tour bus to Denali National Park near Anchorage, Alaska. The fuel-efficient features that were desirable for school buses in California are even more in demand in Alaska where diesel fuel costs exceed $5.50 per gallon. The quieter engine not only is 70% more efficient but it also allows passengers to enjoy the Denali Park scenery with less ambient noise. Tour bus drivers like the electric motor-assisted braking that helps them navigate steeper grades and turns on park roadways: http://www.enovasystems.com/flvs/denaliVideo.html

Enova Systems also develops diesel-electric HybridPower systems for smaller passenger buses with electric motor systems rated at 90 kiloWatts, as well as larger scale, heavy duty “big rig” trucks that employ an electric motor system rated at 240 kiloWatts.

It is notable that hybrid diesel-electric power systems have been employed in our country’s national railroad system for over 70 years with a proven track record of safety, performance and reliability. These hybrid systems stand ready to replace the “gasoline-only” technology employed in our nation’s heavy duty trucking and mass-transit vehicle industries during the near future.

Book Review: Tom Swift and his Electric Runabout by Victor Appleton (1910)

by Stan Hanel

Wow! Back to the Future! Or, as Yogi Berra might say, “Its Déjà vu all over again”! 

Thank you to LVEVA member John Bullis for this enlightening recommendation. Over the July 4^th weekend, I had a chance to read “Tom Swift and his Electric Runabout or, The Speediest Car on the Road” by Victor Appleton. This 94-page short story was first published in 1910, almost 100 years ago. It was one of the first of a series of fictional stories about a remarkable boy inventor who perfects his inventions while also participating in action-filled adventures. In this particular story, the Tom Swift creates an electric car that exceeds 100 miles per hour while also helping fend off a financial crisis at a local bank, escape robbers and local town bullies as well as compete against other electric cars in a 500-mile endurance race. Tom’s electric runabout is faster than many of the “gasolene” and other electric automobiles of his time. During the climax of the story, the 500-mile endurance race pits Tom and his team against 19 other electric cars, during a race sponsored by the Touring Club of America at a track located in Havenford, Long Island, New York.

Here were some of his 1910-era design considerations for the electric runabout that still look innovative today:

Battery cell technology (conversation between balloonist Mr. Sharp and Tom Swift):

• Mr. Sharp: “Tell us more about the battery. What system do you use; lead plates and sulphuric acid?”
• Tom Swift:     “Oh, that’s out of date long ago … It’s an oxide of nickel battery, with steel and oxide of iron negative electrodes.”
• Mr. Sharp:  “What solution do you use, Tom?”
• Tom Swift:  “…a solution of potassium hydrate, but I think I’m going to change it and add some lithium hydrate to it. I think that will make it stronger.”
• “The lad was soon busy in his machine shop making several larger cells for the new storage battery. He wanted to give it a more severe test. He worked for several days on this and, when he had one unit of cells complete, he attached the motor for an efficiency trial.”
• Chassis and Body Design (conversation between Tom Swift and his father, Barton Swift)
• Barton Swift:  “Have you thought anything of the type of car you are going to build?”
• Tom Swift: “Yes, somewhat. It will be almost of the regulation style, but with two removable seats at the rear, with curtains for protection and a place in front for two persons. This can also be protected with curtains if desired.”
• Barton Swift: “But what about the motors and battery?”
• Tom Swift: “They will be located under the middle of the car. There will be one set of batteries there, together with the motor, and another set of batteries will be placed under the removable seats in what I call the tonneau, though, of course, it really isn’t that. A smaller set will be placed forward, and there will be ample room for carrying tools and such things.”
• “I want to make it the right shape to make the least resistance. I’m going to make the front part, or what corresponds to the engine-hood compartment in a gasolene car, pointed.  It will be just like the front of an aluminum gas container of an airship, only built of steel. In it will be a compartment for a set of batteries, and there will be a searchlight there. From the top of some supporters in front of the two rear seats, a slanting sheet of steel will come right down to meet the sloping nose of the car. First I was going to have curtains close over the top of the driver’s seat, but I think a steel covering with a celluloid opening will be better and make less wind resistance. I’ll use leather side curtains when it rains. Under the front seats will be a compartment for more batteries, and there will be a third place under the rear seats, where I can also carry spare wheels and a repair kit. The motors will be slung under the body of the car, amidships, and there will also be room for some batteries there.
• Barton Swift: “How are you going to drive the car, by a shaft?”
• Tom Swift: “Chain drive. I can get more power that way, and it will be more flexible under heavy loads. Of course it will be steered in the usual way and near the wheel will be the starting and reversing levers, and the gear handle.
• Barton Swift: Gears! Are you going to gear an electric auto? I never heard of that. Usually a motor directly connected is all they use.”
• Tom Swift: “I’m going to have two gears on mine…By using them, I’ll secure more speed, especially with the big reserve battery power I will have.” 
• Battery Charger and Opportunity Charging considerations
• Barton Swift: “About how far do you expect your car will go with one charging of the battery?”
• Tom Swift: “Well, if I can make it do three hundred miles, I’ll be satisfied, but I’m going to try for four hundred.”
• Barton Swift: “What will you do if your battery runs out?”
• Tom Swift: “Recharge it…I’m planning a register gauge now that will give warning about fifty miles before the battery is run down. That will leave me a margin to work on. And I’m going to have it fixed so that I can take current from any trolley line, an electric street lamp, or from a regular charging station. My battery will be capable of being recharged very quickly, or, in case of need, I can take out the old cells and put in new ones.”
• Maiden Voyage of the Electric Runabout (with passengers Mr. Damon and Mr. Sharp)
• “He turned on the current. There was a low, humming purr, which gradually increased to a whine, and the car moved slowly forward. It rolled along the gravel driveway to the road, Tom listening to every sound of the machinery, as a mother listens to the breathing of a child. 
• Tom turned more current into the motor. The purring and humming increased, and the car seemed to leap forward. It was in the road now, and, once assured that the steering apparatus was working well, Tom suddenly turned on much more speed. So quickly did the electric auto shoot forward that Mr. Damon and Mr. Sharp were jerked back against the cushions of the rear seats. The car was now moving rapidly, and there was a smoothness and lightness in its progress that was absent from a gasolene auto. There was no vibration from the motor. Faster and faster it ran, [until]…a sharp report, and a vivid flash of fire on a switch board near the steering wheel. The motor gave a sort of groan, and stopped, the car rolling on a little way, and then becoming stationary.”
• Mr. Damon: “Bless my gizzard! Is it anything serious?”
• Tom Swift: “No”, replied the lad, as he leaped out of the car, and began to make an examination. Mr. Sharp assisted him.
• Mr. Sharp: “The motor seems to be all right.”
• Tom Swift: “Yes, and the batteries have plenty of power left in them yet. The gauge shows that. I can’t understand what the trouble can be, unless… I’ve found it!
• “Some of the fuses blew out. I turned on too much current, and the fuses wouldn’t carry it. I put them in to save the motor from being burned out, but I didn’t use heavy enough ones. I see where my mistake was.”
• Mr. Damon:  “But what does it mean?”
• Tom Swift: “It means that we’ve got to walk back home. The car is stalled, for I haven’t any extra fuses with me.”
• Note: Fortunately for Tom and his passengers, their friend Eradicate (Rad) Sampson came by at just the right time with his mule Boomerang hitched to a wagon with a load of wood. They hitched Boomerang to Tom’s car and the mule towed the car with all its passengers to Mr. Damon’s house. Tom steered the car while Rad guided his mule from the front seat of the vehicle. Unfortunately, this incident was seen by the local town bully, Andy Foger and his cronies, who gloated at Tom’s predicament:
• Andy Foger: “Ha, Ha! Laughed Andy, “So that’s the motive power he is going to use to beat my car. It was to be two hundred horsepower. Instead, its one mule power. That’s rich!” and Andy’s chums joined in the laughs...
• [Later, though disappointed], “Tom was not the kind of lad that was disheartened by one failure, or even half a dozen. The humor of the situation appealed to him and, as he turned into the driveway, and noticed Boomerang’s ears waving to and fro, he laughed. The lad insisted on putting new fuses in the care before he ate his dinner, and then, satisfied that the motor was once more in running order, he partook of a hasty meal, and began making several changes which he had decided were desirable.”
• Fine Tuning the Prototype Design
• “There was still much to do on the electric runabout, and Tom spent the next few days in adjusting the light steel wind-shield, that was to come down over the driver’s seat. He also put in a powerful electric search-light, which was run by current from the battery, and installed a new speedometer and an instrument to tell how much current he was using, and how much longer the battery would run without being exhausted. This was to enable him to know when to begin recharging it. When the current was all consumed, it was necessary to store more in the battery. This could be done by attaching wires from a dynamo, or, in an emergency by tapping an electric light wire in the street. But as the battery would enable the car to run many miles on one charging, Tom did not think he would ever have to resort to the emergency charging apparatus. He had a new system for this, one that enabled him to do the work in much less than the usual time.”
• The Great Race ( and Final Notes)

According to the rules of the 500-mile endurance race, Tom’s electric runabout must drive to the racing site under its own power from his hometown in Shopton, New Jersey to Long Island, New York with his racing team, Mr. Damon and Mr. Sharp. Because of the conditions of the roads in 1910 (no national highways), Tom and his electric runabout encounter a rut in a dirt road that throws the car into a muddy ditch. The team is challenged to pull the car out of the mud with a long rope and pulleys.

 After making it into town, getting a night’s sleep and going for breakfast, they noticed three men and boys playing with the instruments and levers on the car, trying to start it. Fortunately, Tom had disconnected a safety plug that he carried with him, disabling the motor circuit. After chasing away the thieves, Tom and his team resumed their journey but later ran out of battery power to the runabout, even though the gauge showed that the battery should have still been within its operating range. They realize that the thieves had short-circuited the gauge in attempting to “hot wire” the car. 

Fortunately, Tom’s battery charger had been equipped with connectors to “opportunity charge” from the third rail of trolley tracks within a nearby town. Tom makes sure he records the amount of power he “borrowed” by reading his onboard meters so that he can repay the trolley system for its electrical energy.

Tom and his friends arrive at the octagon-shaped race track in Long Island and participate in a 500-mile endurance race against 19 other electric cars. The final laps of the race come down to just three cars that are able to go the distance. Without giving away the ending, it is a grueling but exciting endurance race, as Tom endures two flat tires, a recharge pit stop, and a last-minute blown fuse that threaten to take him out of the race.

This book is fun and exciting! Beyond the technical “science fiction” of the piece that stretches the scientific facts of the time to look at possible alternative futures, the “can do” spirit of the young hero in these stories to overcome adversities of all kinds is refreshing. There is also an ongoing love story, as his achievements and adventures continue to win the heart of his girlfriend, Mary Nestor. This story vividly reflects the attitudes of the people of the United States during the turn of the last millennium, when the country was poised to achieve greatness during the “American Century”. However, some of the stereotypical portrayals of characters like Eradicate (Rad) Sampson are embarrassing by today’s standards. Rad is a comic, racial stereotype of that time whose speech and character are described in demeaning words, using the same writing tradition as Mark Twain’s “Huckleberry Finn” or the vaudeville minstrel shows of the time. However, Rad is also one of the shining good guys in these stories and an important part of Tom’s team. Time and again, he helps Tom achieve his goals, as well as defending him against bullies who seek to hurt him physically and sabotage his projects. 

The Tom Swift series continued in over 100 short stories throughout the 20^th century, brought to life through at least five different incarnations, each penned under the pseudonym Victor Appleton. During the 1950s, Tom Swift Jr., the son of Tom Swift and Mary Nestor, carried on the family adventures by foreshadowing trips to outer space, the use of computers, wireless communication, and other technology breakthroughs, while continuing to inspire young readers to dream about limitless possibilities..!

Hopefully, American culture has not lost its “can do” spirit of innovation, accomplishment, teamwork, legal justice, and fair play, despite our country’s recent political divisiveness, war, scandals, natural disasters, and economic setbacks that have occupied our national culture since the start of the new millennium. We hope that the challenges to develop both electric car and renewable energy industries will unleash a renaissance of opportunities for industrious Americans who want to rise up to meet these new opportunities! With all our hearts, we wish these committed innovators and entrepreneurs the very best!

 

LVEVA DVD Reference Library

The LVEVA maintains a growing library of DVD reference videos that are available to its members that can be borrowed for one month at a time. Bill Kuehl, LVEVA Secretary/Treasurer is also the LVEVA video librarian. He can be contacted to pick up and return these videos at each monthly chapter meeting. The current list of videos that are available for a one month rental are:

1. “Who Killed the Elecric Car” Documentary

2. Plug in Partners National Campaign (2006)

3. EAA Silicon Valley CalCars PHEV Technology Overview (2005)

4. Boulder City Christmas Parade Highlights (2006)

5. Convert Your Pickup to Electric (DIY Video by GrassrootsEV)

   Note: This video can be copied to viewer’s hard disk to keep!

6. Tom Gage of AC Propulsion speaks at EAA Silicon Valley (2005)

7. Monster Garage EV conversion (Jesse James)

   and John Wayland White Zombie Videos (2006)

8. Electric Avenue by George Gladic Fox Valley EAA Chapter 2006.

9. Bruce Katz of Polyplus Battery Company speaks at EAASV (2005)

 

 

EV Repairs and Service

Western Petroleum Station

2051 E. Sahara (corner of Eastern Avenue and Sahara)

Las Vegas, NV 89104

Contact: Jim Johnson

Telephone: (702) 457-2675

Web site: http://storefront.dexonline.com/jims-texaco

 

EV Conversion and Fabrication Support

 

Rock Monster Motorsports

5225 S. Valley View Blvd.

Las Vegas, NV 89118

Web site: http://www.rockmonstermotorsports.com

Tel: (702) 255-2700

Fax: (702) 255-2710

Contact: John

 

EV Precision Machine Shop Custom Parts Fabrication

 

Accurate Machine and Tool

3855 W. Diablo, Suite #6

Las Vegas, NV  89118

Tel:  (702) 739-0939

Contact:  Eric Tschabold

Email:  energyz@cox.net

 

 

EV Parts and Kits for Sale:

 

Grassroots EV (Las Vegas Office)

Address: 5225 S. Valley View Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89118

“Electric Vehicles and Everything for Them”

Contact: Jon Hallquist

Tel: (702) 277-7544

Email: jon@grassrootsev.com

Web site: http://www.grassrootsev.com

 

OKA NEV ZEV Parts and Kits for Sale: www.okaauto.com

OKA NEV ZEV KIT cars in stock now for immediate delivery prices start at $5,000 FOB Las Vegas.  We also have 4844 ALLTRAX Controllers(48V 400 A DC for Series motor) in stock (more than we need) $550 list, $375.00 NET.

Contact: Miro Kefurt

OKA AUTO USA : www.okaauto.com

Distributor: MIROX Corporation
5015 W. Sahara Ave. #125-130
Las Vegas, Nevada 89146
USA
Tel: (702) 683-8292
E-mail: okaauto@aol.com

 

The Free Energy Store

300 West Utah, Suite 101

Las Vegas, NV 89102

Tel: (702) 320-0770

Fax: (702) 320-0270

Web site: http://www.freeenergystore.com

Contact: Russ Lord

Email: russ@freeenergystore.com

 

For Sale: Chrome "Electric" Emblems for EV's

Mike Chancey - Posted 06/25/00
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Checked: 07/13/03

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 $6.00 each 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.

 

 

EVs For Sale: