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December 2009
The Las Vegas Electric Vehicle Association (LVEVA) will meet on the third Saturday of each month during 2009. Meetings will be held at the Clark County Library on 1401 E. Flamingo Road from 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon. Members will be displaying their own electric cars and answering questions before and after each meeting.
Calendar
2009
December 5 Santa’s Electric Night Parade (Boulder City)
December 12 EV Conversion Workshop
December 19 Monthly Meeting
2010
January 6 Nissan Leaf Electric Car Tour Visits Las Vegas
January 9 EV Conversion Workshop
January 16 Monthly Meeting
January 23 EV Conversion Workshop
February 13 EV Conversion Workshop
February 20 Monthly Meeting
February 27 EV Conversion Workshop
March 13 EV Conversion Workshop
March 20 Monthly Meeting
March 27 EV Conversion Workshop
April 17 Monthly Meeting
April 22 Earth Day Exhibit
May 15 Monthly Meeting
June 19 Monthly Meeting
Contents:
-- LVEVA Educational EV Conversion Workshop Updates
-- LVEVA Participates in Santa’s Electric Night Parade in Boulder City
-- Nissan Leaf Tour to Visit Las Vegas on January 6, 2010.
-- Feed In Tariff Proposal Reviewed by Nevada Public Utilities Commission
-- DOE Secretary Chu Announces $620 Million for Smart Grid Projects
-- Seattle to Get 2,500 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
-- LVEVA Board of Directors Nominations for Three-Year Terms
-- LVEVA DVD Reference Library
-- EV Repairs and Service
-- EV Conversion and Fabrication Support
-- EVs and EV Parts for Sale
-- Publication Credits and Contact Information
LVEVA Educational EV Conversion Workshop Updates
LVEVA Board of Directors members Bill Kuehl and Jon Hallquist are leading an EV Conversion Workshop that will be held on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month, from 8 AM to noon. All LVEVA members are invited to participate in this conversion project.
During 2008, Bill Kuehl received a donation of a 1986 Pontiac Fiero for use by the LVEVA in a conversion project. Jon Hallquist, manager of GrassrootsEV.com in Las Vegas, had arranged the acquisition of a Netgain Warp electric motor and also donated a Curtis motor speed controller, throttle potentiometer box, contactor and other EV parts to the effort.
During the monthly chapter meeting on June 20th, several LVEVA members offered to volunteer their time for the conversion project as part of a Special Interest Group (SIG). It was agreed that this group would meet on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month, from 8 AM to noon, to put together the EV conversion. Highlights of Sessions 1 through 3 were shown in the LVEVA August 2009 “Watts Happening” newsletter. Highlights of Sessions 4 and 5 were shown in the September 2009 “Watts Happening” newsletter. Highlights of Sessions 6 and 7 were highlighted in the October 2009 “Watts Happening” newsletter.
EV Conversion Workshop Session 8
(Photos by Lou Baker)
Attendees: Bill Kuehl, Jon Hallquist, Dan Klein, Lou Baker, new LVEVA member Hector Quiroz, and four guests.
From Bill Kuehl:
“The week before the Saturday EV workshop, I got the motor brushes seated. I spent the first four days turning the motor but only got the brushes seated about halfway into position.
Then I tried a water treatment technique that Jim Prosise of LogiSystems told me about when I was working on another motor for my original 1985 Pontiac Fiero electric dragster.
I ran the new motor on 12 volts DC from two series batteries so that the armature continued spinning inside the stator field coils. I then poured water on the armature from a bucket until I could see the dark residue of the brushes being washed out onto the ground. At this point, I stopped pouring the water and continued rotating the armature until the commutator bars on the armature started looking clean. I then repeated the process of adding water, using about five gallons while the motor was running. In just 45 minutes of time, the brushes were seated, instead of the four days it had taken me to start wearing in the brushes without using water. I got the brushes all seated much more quickly this way.
I then put the hub on the motor shaft, installed the flywheel on the hub, and mounted both the disc plate and the pressure plate onto the flywheel. On the electric motor, I installed the spacer plate and the adaptor plate.
I hooked up my chain hoist, picked up the motor and started to connect it to the manual transmission still mounted to the car. However, it would not go all the way in so that the adaptor plate would meet the transmission housing. The two components were held apart by a quarter-inch space. I pulled the motor back out to check the space between the end of the pilot shaft and the motor shaft. I then checked the gas engine crankshaft end and found there was a hole cut in it for the end of the pilot shaft to go into.
Now I thought that I would have to drill out the end of the motor shaft. Too much trouble to do that! Fortunately, on the end of the pilot shaft, there was about a quarter-inch round end on it. I used a grinder to cut it off and then reinstalled the motor into the transmission. It went right in and I got it all bolted together.
I put a metal strap over the motor and bolted the strap to the channel iron support beneath the motor.
Next, I worked on the battery supports for mounting the battery pack in the back compartment of the Pontiac Fiero. I got them all painted and mounted in the rear of the car, above the electric motor and transmission.
Saturday, with help from Dan Klein, we traced the hot lead wire from the back of the car to the key switch that, when switched on, would complete a circuit connection to the 12-volt supply that would enable activation of the main contactor to switch on the battery pack power to the motor speed controller but also open and disconnect the contactor circuit when the key was switched off. We identified the wires from the speedometer of the car dashboard that were buried amidst the back end of the wire harness bundle that had been cut when the original engine was removed. We spliced the two wires to the two-wire cable and connector that had been salvaged from the engine harness. We then plugged the two-wire speedometer cable into a mating connector on the manual transmission.
Jon Hallquist brought over the other 10 batteries for the 120-volt battery pack. The rest of the work crew mounted the batteries onto the channel iron frames and started to hook up the cables.
Dan Klein and I changed the brake fluid that was old and looking black. Dan pumped the brake pedal and added new fluid while I was under the car. We bled all the wheel cylinders until clear fluid came out.
Hector Quiroz worked on making an aluminum angle for a bracket that would mount the throttle potentiometer to the chassis of the Fiero. We bolted the bracket with the throttle potentiometer to the wheel well just above and behind the Curtis motor speed controller.
Other members of the work crew installed the battery cables that Jon Hallquist had brought with the batteries. Lou Baker was securing one of the battery cables when one end of the cables pulled right out of the lug. It did not look like the crimp was made right. The lugs used copper metal material and not tin-coated copper, so the soft metal copper strands of the cable had a tendency to slip out of the soft metal copper lug. The day after the EV workshop, I took all the cables off and hammer-crimped them to make sure they would hold together firmly and make a secure electrical connection to the battery terminals. The crimps should be strong enough so that a person could suspend their weight from the crimped lug and cable if it were attached to a nail located high on a wall.
I also got the negative cable from the negative post of the end battery in the series battery pack hooked up to a fuse and then to one side connection of the Kilovac contactor terminal. Another cable was routed from the other connection of the Kilovac contactor terminal to the Battery Negative (B -) terminal on the controller.
An 18 –gauge jumper wire was connected from the Battery Positive (B +) terminal of the controller to the top Fast-on spade connection lug of the controller. This is the “keyswitch enable” connection for the Curtis motor speed controller that must be active in order for the controller to pass pulse-width modulated (PWM) signals to the motor from the battery pack under control of the foot throttle pedal.
Two wires from the throttle potentiometer were connected to the bottom two Fast-on spade connection lugs of the controller.
The 12-volt wire from the dashboard key switch was connected to the Kilovac 12-volt magnetic coil terminal. A wire connected to the other side of the Kilovac coil was grounded to the chassis.
[Editor’s note: This chassis ground is shared by the auxiliary 12-volt DC battery system that also powers the headlights, dashboard instruments and accessories. When the key switch is turned on, the 12-volt circuitry energizes the magnetic coil in the Kilovac contactor, which pulls together internal metal contacts magnetically through the air.
The 12-volt DC auxiliary battery system is isolated from the 120-volt DC main battery pack and traction power system by the air gap in the contactor. The 120-volt DC electric drive system has its own ground and circuit path. The traction battery pack and electric drive system are isolated from chassis ground for safety reasons. This configuration helps prevent accidental electric shocks to anyone who might unknowingly lean against the metal chassis frame of the Fiero while also touching a battery terminal. Isolating the battery pack from the chassis also helps prevent potential ground loops that might interfere with and damage other electrical components in the vehicle. It also helps prevent potential electric shocks to bystanders touching the chassis frame when the vehicle is recharging.
Once magnetically closed, the contacts in the Kilovac contactor complete the circuit from the battery pack to the motor speed controller’s battery input terminals and enable circuit connection. This source of electrons from the battery pack allows the motor speed controller to supply voltage and current that is pulse-width modulated (PWM) in a square-wave form to the electric motor under pedal throttle control. In this way, the entire electric power drive train can be turned on and off with a low-voltage key switch. End of Editor’s Note]
Another cable was installed from the Motor negative (M -) on the controller to the field stator connection (S1) on the motor.
A long cable was connected to the positive (+) battery post in the rear of the Fiero and routed under the car to the front negative (-) post of the next battery in series to daisy-chain together the batteries in the front and rear of the car, linking them together into one complete pack. A long cable was run from the positive battery post in the front under the car to the armature terminal (A1) on the motor. Another cable was put on from the armature terminal (A2) on the motor to the motor positive terminal (M +) on the controller.
After all the other cables are reinstalled between the batteries in the battery pack, all the remaining battery cables, motor cables, and controller cables will also have been installed. We will then need to secure and tie up the cables under the car.”
Follow-up Notes after End of EV Conversion Workshop Session:
On Monday, November 16th, Bill finished getting all the cables hooked up, turned on the key switch, pushed his foot on the accelerator pedal, and the motor started turning. He put the transmission in reverse, released the parking brake, stepped down on the accelerator, and the car moved backwards out of the garage. He stopped the car, shifted the transmission into first gear, and then drove it around to the front yard. Satisfied that its maiden voyage was working, he turned the Fiero around and drove it back into the garage. The brakes were hard to push as the vacuum pump assist had not yet been installed.
Later that week, he discovered a problem with the Kilovac contactor when he was testing the throttle on the motor speed controller. Apparently, the contacts inside the Kilovac had arced and been welded to each other, permanently closing the circuit from the battery pack to the motor speed controller, even when the keyswitch was turned off.
When he pressed on the throttle, the electric motor started to move. This was definitely an unsafe condition that needed to be corrected by replacing the Kilovac contactor with one that had larger contacts capable of handling more voltage and current flow.
The EV conversion project will continue into December with just one meeting scheduled for December 12th while observing the Christmas and New Year weekend holidays during the end of the month. The session will begin at 10 AM and end at 1:00 PM. The next workshop will continue finishing the remaining work for the 1986 Pontiac Fiero conversion:
1. Replace Kilovac contactor
2. Wire together the charging circuit connector port to the battery pack.
4. Install a volt meter and ammeter on the dashboard.
5. Install a vacuum pump for the electric braking system.
6. Reinstall the body panels
Admission to the workshop is free to all LVEVA members.
Annual dues for the Electric Auto Association (EAA), that includes local LVEVA chapter membership, is $39 per year and includes newsletters from both the national organization and local chapter as well as access to all events. Local LVEVA chapter-only membership dues are $20 for adults and $15 for senior citizens. Free LVEVA chapter membership is available to students with valid student I.D. cards.
For more information and directions to the EV conversion workshop, contact
Bill Kuehl at: (702) 636-0304
Lloyd Reece at: (702) 524-3233
Jon Hallquist at GrassrootsEV.com: (702) 277-7544
LVEVA Participates in Santa’s Electric Night Parade in Boulder City
Boulder City will be staging its annual Santa’s Electric Night Parade on Saturday evening, December 5th, from 4:30 PM to 6 PM. According to Boulder City’s Events web page, “Santa will arrive in Boulder City with a spectacular parade! All entries are lit and include lots of enthusiastic participants. This hometown event is a great way to start your holiday festivities.” For more information, visit the Boulder City web site at: http://www.bcnv.org
All LVEVA members are invited to attend to participate in the parade segment featuring the LVEVA and its members’ electric vehicles. The LVEVA hopes to provide a full spectrum of Electric Vehicles to ride on or ride in during the parade, from Electric Bicycles and Electric Scooters to Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) to full-size electric cars and trucks.
For the last ten years, LVEVA members have enjoyed decorating their cars with Christmas lights and props during this annual EVent as well as spreading the message about alternative electric transportation options. For directions and more information, please contact LVEVA officer Richard Furniss or Bill Kuehl at their phone numbers shown on the back pages of this newsletter.
Nissan Announces Dates for Nissan LEAF Zero Emission Tour- Las Vegas on January 6
Press Release from: http://www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car/#/news
FRANKLIN, Tenn. (October 22, 2009) - Nissan North America announced that the Nissan LEAF zero-emission, all-electric car will make its North American debut in Los Angeles on Nov. 13. The Los Angeles showing will be the first time people in the United States will be able to see the five-passenger, five-door, gasoline-free car, which is embarking on a nationwide tour.
The Nissan LEAF Zero Emission Tour will make stops in 22 cities within 11 states, the District of Columbia, and Vancouver, Canada -- offering the opportunity for interested drivers, media, civic partners, businesses and university students to learn more about the Nissan LEAF and the benefits of zero-emission driving.
Follow the tour, get updates on the final schedule and specific showings, and sign up for more information, at www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car
Look for the Nissan LEAF to make public appearances in the following areas during these times:
Southern California:
Los Angeles: Nov. 13-17
Orange County: Nov. 18
San Diego: Nov. 19-21
Northern California:
Berkeley/Walnut Creek: Nov. 23-24
San Francisco: Nov. 25-29
Santa Rosa: Dec. 1
Sacramento: Dec. 1
San Jose: Dec. 3-6
Pacific Northwest:
Washington State -- Seattle: Dec. 8-12
Canada -- Vancouver: Dec. 14-15
Oregon -- Portland: Dec. 17-23
Southwest:
Arizona -- Phoenix/Tucson: Dec. 30-Jan. 5
Nevada -- Las Vegas: Jan. 6
Midwest/East Coast
Michigan -- Detroit: Jan. 11-13
Tennessee -- Knoxville/Chattanooga: Jan. 16
-- Middle Tennessee: Jan. 19-21
Washington, D.C.: Jan. 26-28
North Carolina -- Raleigh: Jan. 29
Florida -- Orlando: Feb. 1-2
Texas -- Houston: Feb. 5-6
New York -- New York City: Feb. 9-14
Nissan is the only automaker committed to making all-electric vehicles available to the mass market on a global scale. Through the Nissan LEAF Zero Emission Tour, Nissan will be showcasing the electric vehicle and battery technology as well as the company's zero-emission mobility objectives. Nissan already has partnered on the development of an electric-vehicle infrastructure through partnerships in the State of Tennessee, the State of Oregon, Sonoma County, San Diego, Phoenix, Tucson, Washington D.C., Seattle, Raleigh, and Vancouver. Additional partnerships will be announced in the near future.
In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive design, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010, whose key priorities are reducing CO2 emissions, cutting other emissions and increasing recycling. More information on the Nissan LEAF and zero emissions can be found at www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car
Feed In Tariff Proposal Reviewed by Nevada Public Utilities Commission
Bob Tregilus, co-founder of the Electric Auto Association of Northern Nevada, has been promoting the concept of “Feed-In Tariffs” or FITs, as a way of encouraging capital investment into renewable energy. He recently was able to convince members of a state legislative committee led by state Senator Mike Schneider (D- Las Vegas) to request that the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) investigate this program.
Although critics and supporters alike acknowledge that Feed-In Tariffs could lead to higher power consumption rates for consumers, there would be long term benefits from such a program for the state infrastructure and economy. Feed-in tariffs can encourage renewable energy providers to negotiate long term contracts with power distributors such as NV Energy by setting an annual price rate for their energy that would insure a fair Return on Investment over ten to 25 years. This program would enable large capital expenditures up front by investors to build new renewable energy power plants that would also pay dividends to Nevada consumers and the state economy for years to come.
Feed-in tariffs have been popular in Europe. Germany has been implementing this program since 1991. That country has benefited economically from the FIT program by becoming a leader in the development of solar and wind power technologies. During the same time, Germany has also created 280,000 green energy jobs in a country of 82 million people while adding 2,800 megawatts of solar power and 22,000 megawatts of wind power to its electrical grid. These renewable energy resources can provide electric power to 18 million homes or about 25 percent of the population. German consumers have seen their utility prices increase just five percent over 18 years while achieving strong economic growth in a renewable energy industry that is creating products to export around the world.
Tregilus feels that Nevadans would only see an increase of about 2.5 percent to their utility bills over the next 20 years because of the abundance of renewable energy resources within the state year round. Also, recent improvements in clean power harnessing technologies have also driven down costs while improving yields. Not only is there plenty of sunshine in the state about 300 days of the year, but wind, geothermal and hydroelectric sources are also abundant. In southern Nevada for example, Hoover Dam alone provides over 2,000 megawatts of clean hydroelectric power, most of it exported to other states. Even though it was built in 1936, Hoover Dam is still the 35th largest hydroelectric power generating station in the world.
With a total state population less than 3 million people, Nevada can become a renewable energy exporter once an interstate electrical grid infrastructure is in place and is able to link up with an improved electrical grid power transmission grid within the state. The ability to grow a renewable energy industry in Nevada can provide an economic engine that will create jobs as well as boost the economic quality of life for all its residents. The Southwest Intertie Project (SWIP) is well on its way to making interstate grid infrastructure a reality within the next five years, linking together the electrical grids of Idaho, Nevada and Arizona. NV Energy is also going forward with plans to build a transmission line running north to south that will link two separate regional grids into one statewide grid that can share renewable energy resources. With the right investment by government and private business, U.S. Senator Harry Reid believes that Nevada can become the “Saudi Arabia of renewable energy”.
The challenge to Nevada legislators and public utility commissioners investigating the feed-in tariff program will be to set a fair long term rate to consumers that would hold steady during difficult economic times like the present but also be lucrative enough to attract private capital and a competitive Return On Investment (ROI) over a long enough period of time compared to other investments. Few states within the U.S. have yet adopted this Feed In Tariff program and demonstrated success on a statewide scale. Nevada could lead the way if it can show a stable pricing model that works over the next twenty years.
On Nov. 4, 2009 the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada opened docket 09-11004, titled “Investigation regarding feed-in tariffs” though there are no documents yet attached to the docket. At that time, the commission responded it would put an item on its November 19 agenda to launch the process of considering rates during a Consumer Session to solicit public comments and questions at 4:00pm at Cashman Center, Room 201, 850 Las Vegas Blvd., North, Las Vegas, NV
The activities and results of meetings by the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada regarding electric power infrastructure within the state can be viewed by visiting the commission’s web site at: http://pucweb1.state.nv.us/PUCN/
More information from Bob Tregilus regarding feed-in tariff programs can be found at:
http://electricnevada.org/download/FIT4NV.pdf
Other FIT supporters include Plug-In America leaders R. James Woolsey and Chelsea Sexton.
Woolsey has written an opinion/editorial press release about feed-in tariffs at:
http://tinyurl.com/yceyv8y
DOE Secretary Chu Announces $620 Million for Smart Grid Projects
PRESS RELEASE
Secretary Chu Announces $620 Million for Smart Grid Demonstration and Energy Storage Projects (Columbus, Ohio, United States November 24, 2009):
Recovery Act funding will upgrade the electrical grid, save energy and create jobs
At an event in Columbus, Ohio this afternoon, Secretary Chu announced that the Department of Energy is awarding $620 million for projects around the country to demonstrate advanced Smart Grid technologies and integrated systems that will help build a smarter, more efficient, more resilient electrical grid. These 32 demonstration projects, which include large-scale energy storage, smart meters, distribution and transmission system monitoring devices, and a range of other smart technologies, will act as models for deploying integrated Smart Grid systems on a broader scale. This funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be leveraged with $1 billion in funds from the private sector to support more than $1.6 billion in total Smart Grid projects nationally.
“These demonstration projects will further our knowledge and understanding of what works best and delivers the best results for the Smart Grid, setting the course for a modern grid that is critical to achieving our energy goals,” said Secretary Chu. “This funding will be used to show how Smart Grid technologies can be applied to whole systems to promote energy savings for consumers, increase energy efficiency, and foster the growth of renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.”
These efforts will provide invaluable data on the benefits and cost-effectiveness of the Smart Grid, including energy and cost savings. An analysis by the Electric Power Research Institute estimates that implementing Smart Grid technologies could reduce electricity use by more than 4 percent by 2030. That would mean a savings of $20.4 billion for businesses and consumers around the country, and $700 million for Ohio alone -- or $61 in utility savings for every man, woman and child in Ohio.
The demonstration projects announced today will also help verify the technological and business viability of new smart technologies and show how fully integrated Smart Grid systems can be readily adapted and copied around the country. Applicants say this investment will create thousands of new job opportunities that will include manufacturing workers, engineers, electricians, equipment installers, IT system designers, cyber security specialists, and business and power system analysts.
The funding awards are divided into two topic areas. In the first group, 16 awards totaling $435 million will support fully integrated, regional Smart Grid demonstrations in 21 states, representing over 50 utilities and electricity organizations with a combined customer base of almost 100 million consumers. The projects include streamlined communication technologies that will allow different parts of the grid to “talk” to each other in real time; sensing and control devices that help grid operators monitor and control the flow of electricity to avoid disruptions and outages; smart meters and in-home systems that empower consumers to reduce their energy use and save money; energy storage options; and on-site and renewable energy sources that can be integrated onto the electrical grid.
In the second group, an additional 16 awards for a total of $185 million will help fund utility-scale energy storage projects that will enhance the reliability and efficiency of the grid, while reducing the need for new electricity plants. Improved energy storage technologies will allow for expanded integration of renewable energy resources like wind and photovoltaic systems and will improve frequency regulation and peak energy management. The selected projects include advanced battery systems (including flow batteries), flywheels, and compressed air energy systems.
Source: DOE
Seattle to Get 2,500 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
During June 2007, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Washington State) worked with fellow Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Barack Obama (D-Illinois) to draft a bipartisan FREEDOM Act that would attempt to foster the changeover of consumer transportation fuels from oil to electrons. The acronym FREEDOM was shorthand for “Fuel Reduction using Electrons to End Dependence On the Mideast”. Although the FREEDOM Act was not adopted by Congress during 2007, Senator Cantwell re-introduced the FREEDOM Act in January 2009, after Senator Barack Obama was elected to the Office of President of the United States.
Many of the provisions of the FREEDOM Act were integrated into the American Recovery and Rehabilitation Act passed in early 2009 as part of an economic stimulus plan to jumpstart a sagging U.S. economy by encouraging the growth of green energy and transportation industries. These provisions included the goal of putting one million Plug-in Electric Drive Vehicles (PEDV) on the road by 2015; tax credits up to $7,500 for the purchase of electric-powered vehicles by consumers; support for the production of Plug-in Electric Drive Vehicles by the automotive industry as well as dedicated components like battery storage systems, electric motors and electronic controllers; rebates to electric utilities that participate in electric vehicle sustainability programs.
Due to Cantwell’s efforts, Seattle will be one of just five cities in the United States to receive 2,500 charging stations under a $100 million federal grant to the Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec). Consumers who participate will receive a 240-volt AC charging station in their home.
In addition, Nissan has chosen Seattle as a test market for the company's new LEAF, an all-electric, zero-emission vehicle. About 600 highway-legal electric vehicles are estimated to be in King County, Washington. The Seattle chapter of the Electric Auto Association, which is also a sister chapter of the LVEVA, is one of the largest in the country at: http://www.seattleeva.org
On October 23rd, 300 people attended a conference hosted by the Discovery Institute's Cascadia Center. The theme of the conference was "Beyond Oil: The Sustainable Communities Initiative and Clean Cities Conference”. It was located at Microsoft's campus in nearby Redmond, Washington. The Cascadia Center is a transportation policy research “think tank”. The conference drew state and federal legislators, transportation planners, engineers, vendors, technologists and environmentalists from the area.
An electric car show accompanied the conference, displaying several Tesla Roadsters, a Ford Focus, and an all-electric Ford Escape SUV conversion.
Most of the Puget Sound's electricity is generated from hydro-power, making the Seattle area an ideal location and model for a clean electric vehicle recharging infrastructure project. The growth of smart grid infrastructure for recharging electric vehicles must take an integrated approach that involves government, utilities, researchers and the private sector.
The Seattle Mayor’s office estimates that at current City Light utility rates, the Nissan LEAF would cost about $190 to drive 10,000 miles, or just under 2 cents a mile. To drive the same distance in a car that gets 25 miles per gallon would cost about $1,100 at $2.76 per gallon.
King County currently has installed 39 charging stations at transit park-and-rides and motor pools. These stations are rated at 110-volt AC and would take a long time to fully charge a Plug-in Electric Drive Vehicle.
However in 2010, the county plans to start installing new 240-volt AC charging stations as part of a federal grant to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency's Clean Cities Coalition.
Right now, King County provides the cost of the electricity for its 39 existing public charging stations at no charge to the consumer. However, the county may reach a point during the growth of the infrastructure where it will need to charge a "reservation fee" to cover the cost of electricity and maintenance to a larger recharging station system. The county can't legally charge a customer directly for electricity because it is not a utility.
City transportation planners will need to create enough recharging station infrastructure coverage within the region to ensure electric vehicles can make it to the next charging station near their destination before running out of electricity.
The Nissan LEAF and Ford Focus currently have projected ranges of 100 miles before a visit to a recharging station is required.
LVEVA Board of Directors Nominations for Three-Year Terms
During the monthly Las Vegas Electric Vehicle Association meeting on Saturday, November 21st, Jan Himber and Richard Furniss were nominated to serve three-year terms as members of the LVEVA Board of Directors.
Each candidate who is nominated during the November 15th meeting was seconded by at least one other registered and fully-paid member of the LVEVA. From the pool of nominated candidates, along with write-in candidates, two Board of Directors positions will be selected from a secret ballot during the next LVEVA monthly meeting on December 19th. As before, only registered and fully paid members of the LVEVA will be eligible to vote in the December election. The candidates with the most votes will become the new members of the LVEVA Board of Directors. This new Board of Directors will then meet after the LVEVA monthly meeting on January 17th to appoint officers and discuss proposed agendas for 2010.
Please attend the December LVEVA monthly meeting to insure that your voice and ideas are heard, as well as help us determine the future direction of the LVEVA and its leadership. Thank you for your continued support of the Las Vegas Electric Vehicle Association.
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
Precision EV Components Machining Support
Real Products, LLC
3433 Neeham Road #2
North Las Vegas, NV 89030
Contact: Eric Tschabold
Tel: (702) 644-1165
Email: energyz@cox.net
EV Parts and Kits for Sale:
GrassrootsEV.com
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.
EV Parts for Sale:
Hello to all fellow EV enthusiasts:
I want to thank everyone who attended or purchased parts from our July 8th 2009 emergency close out sale. I still have some choice equipment and parts for sale.
1. Mustang MD100 Chassis Dynamometer (dyno) $12,000
2. Hydrovane 13.5 hp rotary compressor with dryer $5500
3. Atlas Copco 20HP rotary compressor. $7000
4. Porsche RSK714 kit with 50 hp AC induction motor
with programable curtis controller $17,000
5. 48 volt 6.5 KW DC Motor $400
6. 48 volt 7.5 KW DC motor with controller and pot $750
I will help on some of the shipping costs on the big items.
Contact:
Bob McNamara
Las Vegas Electrical
Tel: (515) 897-3596
Please leave a message if I am not in.
EVs For Sale:
For Sale: RedStreak Electric Two-wheel Scooter with Bicycle Seat– New
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Color: Silver
Asking Price: $200
Contact: Jean Norton
Tel: (702) 301-0979
For Sale: Electrans 3-wheel Futurista ETV
Net Weight: 1180 lbs.
Loaded Weight: 1765 lbs.
Max Speed: 55 MPH
Range: 110 Miles
Battery Pack: Lithium Iron Phosphate
Turning Radius: 18 ft 4 inches
Working Voltage: 60 Volts DC
Seats: 2
Recharge Time: Only 4 1/2 hours at 110 VAC
Department of Transportation (DOT) approval to license this vehicle through the DMV
Contact: Bob MacNamara
ElecTrans
Tel: (702) 927-8838
Web site: www.futurista.biz
For Sale: Electric 1985 Pontiac “Fiero” --Record-Holding Race Car
This 1985 Pontiac “Fiero” Conversion currently holds four National Electric Drag Racing Association (NEDRA) Class Records.
1. Class MC/F (Modified Conversion 97-120 volts)
2. Class MC/E (Modified Conversion 121-144 volts)
3. Class MC/D (Modified Conversion 145-168 volts)
4. Class MC/C (Modified Conversion 169-192 volts)
The 1985 Pontiac Fiero has been converted with:
1. A new Netgain Warp-9 Electric DC Motor coupled to a 5-speed manual transmission.
2. A DCP T-REX 1000 Water-cooled Controller with an Input Voltage Range of 96 to 336 Volts
and Motor Current Rating at 1000 Amps.
3. The Battery System is at 192 Volts. The battery pack consists of sixteen 12-volt sealed ODYSSEY PC-680 batteries with the capability of increasing battery pack capacity and voltages to compete in the NEDRA MC/B Class (Modified Conversion 193-240 volts) or to a maximum capacity of 336-volts to compete in the MC/A Class (Modified Conversion 241 volts and higher).
4. Tires are B.F. Goodrich G-Force T/A Drag Radials P215/60 R14 that connect the Electric Motor torque to the road for “no slip” acceleration.
5. Battery Charger is a 120- to 240-volt Variable Transformer with a heavy-duty full bridge rectifier. Additional cables and connectors are installed for Dump Charging from a DC battery pack.
Asking Price: $10,000 or Best Offer.
Contact: William Kuehl
Address: 4504 W. Alexander Road, North Las Vegas, Nevada 89032
Telephone: 702-636-0304
For Sale: 1995 Geo Metro Conversion Electric Car
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Body Configuration: 2-door
Color: Red
Battery Pack: 72-Volt System using Nine 8-Volt Lead Acid Golf Cart Batteries
Range: 35 mile range
Top Speed: 70 mph
Onboard 72-Volt Charger
2-year-old conversion from Ogden, Utah
Price: $8,000
Contact: Jean Norton
Tel: (702) 301-0979
LVEVA Board of Directors:
Richard Furniss, President
Lloyd Reece, Vice President
Bill Kuehl, Secretary/Treasurer
Al Sawyer, Jan Himber, Jon Hallquist, Dan Trujillo
Newsletter Editors and Contributors:
Richard Furniss, Lloyd Reece, Bill Kuehl, Al Sawyer, P.E.,
Jan Himber, Brent Singleton, Kent Singleton, 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
http://www.lveva.org
Electric Auto Association web site
http://www.eaaev.org
Electric Auto Association
Membership Renewals
323 Los Altos Drive
Aptos, CA 95003-5248
Current EVents contact:
At http://www.eaaev.org/eaaboard.html
Ron Freund
Chairman, CE Publication
Address Correspondence to:
LVEVA
2816 W. El Campo Grande Avenue
No. Las Vegas, NV 89031
Call for Information:
Richard Furniss (702) 453-6196
Jan Himber for Al Sawyer (702) 642-4000
Bill Kuehl (702) 636-0304
Stan Hanel (702) 405-0506
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