[ausev] The real original vehicle, was Phoenix debut event

[Chris Robison]

There may be no secrets, but there are evasive and misleading statements,
and I heard a few of those Thursday night.

My point is that they stated directly to the crowd that the Phoenix SUT
wasn't based on another car, but rather a fully custom EV design. I have
no recording of the speech nor the memory to quote them, but they
certainly would have left me with the impression that this was a ground-up
job. Did they not actually congratulate their designer for producing such
a good-looking vehicle...?  If someone does manage to find a recording of
what was said and it turns out that my memory has been distorted (not too
difficult to conceive), then I will apologize and make corrections to my
public statements.

I could have asked them directly, and I'll admit my personal difficulties
in approaching people in conversation tend to ruin many opportunities to
do so. But I do not share your confidence that the information I was
getting from them was completely honest and accurate.

"Enough regen to break the tires loose" would imply the ability to produce
and handle high regen currents, something I don't think you'll get out of
a motor that can only produce 100 peak kilowatts and a little over 400
ft-lbs of torque (very respectable torque among ICE engines,  but remember
that this vehicle has no transmission).

Then the claim that there is no loss of regen when the batteries are full
-- the guy actually said that the batteries will "just keep on charging",
"they'll get up to 800V before they 'give up'"...  So, um, the controller
will safely accept 800V at the input without blowing up?  (If so, they
wasted money on inefficient high-voltage power transistors).

I think I am in agreement with most people here -- I want to see these
guys succeed because at the end of the day what they have is a well-made
vehicle, one I wouldn't mind owning and driving. It's based on some really
cool technology, and the quality and driving experience are more than
sufficient to compete in the current north american automotive
marketplace. HOWEVER, I'd like them to realize that their product would be
no less compelling, WITHOUT having to make up stuff about it. It's a great
vehicle, even if it's a set of parts thrown into the shell of a Korean
pickup truck.

  --chris




On Sat, March 10, 2007 7:15 am, KensCircus at aol.com wrote:
>

> Chris,
>
>
> You don't have to guess what their "designer" did.  You can call and ask
> him (909-987-0815).  You could have asked him Thursday evening.  They were
> all there to answer your questions.  I had no problem speaking with any of
> them, even the CEO.
>
> By the way, it is not a conversion.  They buy the chassis and body as a
> part. Just like all the other parts involved in building the car.  They do
> not buy a completed ICE vehicle and convert it.  I got that information
> talking with one of their techs and the CEO, Daniel Elliot.  There really
> isn't any secrets.
>
> Ken
>
>
>
>
> In a message dated 3/9/2007 7:36:12 PM Central Standard Time,
> eeyore at phototropia.org writes:
>
> Ah ha -- it's not the Musso exactly, but rather the models which will
> replace them in their market:
>
> The SsangYong Actyon (SUV)
> http://www.smotor.com/en/showroom/actyon/main.jsp
>
>
> and the Actyon Sports (SUT) http://www.ssangyong.co.nz/actyonsports.html
>
>
> So, I guess I don't really know what the hell their "designer" did. This
> looks like a straight up conversion, just with parts that us little people
>  can't afford.  :-)
>
> --chris
>
>
>
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