[ausev] ev survey for college research project

Thu May 14 03:20:42 GMT 2009

What do I like most about EVs?

I like that they are extremely efficient, quiet, and smooth-accelerating
compared to ICE, (internal combustion engine). For starts, compare a gas
motor to an electric motor. Gas motors have hundreds of parts (lots of
friction). ICE motors have valve springs and oil and water pumps required in
order to operate. In colledge I ran a break horse power test on and 350
chevy engine, and a calerimetry test on the fuel. We basicaly calculated the
input to output of the entire drive train of an ICE. We found that something
like 20% of your gas tank actualy moves you down the road. (maybe its less
than that but really, it sucks!!) The rest of the 80% gas in your tank is
lost to heat, sound, friction.  Gas engines do not have the torque to
operate a vehicle anywhere under 1000 RPMs. This is why you have to rev up a
gas engine to get your car to move in 1st gear. This is also why the engine
is still running when you are sitting at the stop light. ICEs cant operate
anywhere above 4 - 5000 RPMs or they will burn up. Transmissions help keep
the ICE engine right in its optimum RPM range. In other words ICEs can not
move a car with out a transmission. Its like sticking a bicycle in the
fastest gear and trying to get yourself going, you just cant do it.

Electric motors have one moving part. Electric motors have torque from 0
RPMs (full stop) all the way up to 10,000 or so RPMs. Electric motors do not
get very hot or make very much noise because they do not have lots of
explosions pushing 4-10 pistons up and down. In the same class mentioned
above we ran a break horse power test on an electric motor to find that it
is around 85% effiecent. Electric cars don't really need a transmission. The
Tesla motor company makes electric cars to sell to the public and their cars
have a single gear reduction in place of a typical transmission. In
conversion electric cars it is easier to leave the transmision in the car
for mounting purposes which can reduce mileage, range,& effiecency. Check
out this video of an electric car VS. a Ferrari.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqqtJpfZElQ

Some electric car designers place the electric motor right inside the wheel
well WITH THE TIRE! The second clip is of a Japan made car with the motors
in the wheels.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPSoNfmuBXc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7zHcvDPxYU

Right now there is one draw back to the electric car. The battery,... When I
have spoken to friends about electric cars they always fuss about the short
range of the electric cars. I tell my friends just think how much cash you
would save if you used an electric vehicle to go to work every day. Tesla
motors have released a new car called the Tesla model S @ $40,000. My nissan
Maxima is $35,000 new by the way. The Tesla Model S can go 300 miles on one
charge. This car can also be charged within 45 min. My truck can go 375
miles on one tank of gas. It gets 10 m/g. I guess people can't complain
about electric cars' range anymore with the Tesla model S on the road.

http://www.teslamotors.com/models/index.php

I can tell you what I know about EVs not being offered to the public yet,...
since electric motors have only one moving part they don't have as much wear
and tear. How often do you have to replace sensors or water pumps, or oil
filters, or radiators, or,........ in your celing fans,..... It seems easy
to sell lots of parts for ICEs all the time because they are so complicated.
It could be, that car companies feel like they can provide more jobs for
more people with ICEs on the road. Maybe ICEs help the economy. Some day we
may have to choose between the economy or the ecology of the planet.

Electric cars have been around since the turn of the century (1900) Baker
electric was one of the first electric cars. It seems every time some
company tries to sell an electric car to the public, it gets squashed. Why
isn't the Baker electric still made?

http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/jay_leno_garage/4215940.html

There have been other electric cars since then. One of the more recent
electric cars is the EV1 made by GM in the 90s. If you want some information
on that just get a movie called "who killed the electric car". Also, it is
very easy to find lots of information on the web about this car and why it
is not on the road any more. Just google "electric car" if you havn't
already. Many car companies had their own version of electric cars in the
ninties. It sounds like they along with oil companies did not like the
electric car because it was too cheap to maintain and recharge. But maybe I
shouldn't argue that right now.

Anyway, I dont have an electric car right now but I want to build my own as
soon as possible. Right now I am rebuilding two pianos and then I will have
room in my shop for a car project.

Best wishes,
Jim

On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 9:46 PM, John Komp <kompfamily at hotmail.com> wrote:

>  Dear AustinEV members and readers,
>
>
>
> I am a college freshman at Concordia University just north of Milwaukee,
> WI.  Presently, I am working on a research project about electric vehicles
> (EVs).  I’m actually trying to answer the question, “Why don’t we have a
> practical EV on the market today”?
>
>
>
> I came across this website from someone I interviewed who is thinking about
> an EV conversion.  Mr. Franklyn Berry (Milwaukee) advised me that there
> are a lot of knowledgeable, “hands-on” people who frequent this website.  I
> hope that a few of you can take the time to respond to some of the questions
> below.  Any responses will be greatly appreciated.
>
>
>
>    1. What do you like most about EVs?
>    2. I gather from my reading that a homemade EV will cost in the
>    neighborhood of: $2000-$5000 donor car, $5000-$10,000 parts, 500 hrs labor.
>    Is this in the ballpark?
>    3. Do you find it a problem to find places to charge your vehicle?
>    4. I have seen estimates of about $0.05/mile operating cost, including
>    periodic replacement batteries.  Does this seem close to your
>    experience?
>    5. I see ranges of 40-80 miles.  Does this seem reasonable in your
>    experience?
>    6. Are repairs much of an issue?
>    7. How many miles have you put on an EV?
>
>
>
> Thanks in advance for any information you can share.
>
>
>
> Emily Komp
>
> kompfamily at hotmail.com
>
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