The Tour de Sol Reports, 2001
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The following is copyright Michael H. Bianchi. Permission to copy is granted provided each Report is presented without modification and this notice is attached. For other arrangements, contact me at +1-973-822-2024 .
For more on the NESEA Tour de Sol, see the web page at
For Tour de Sol Reports from 1994 through 2000, see
Official NESEA Tour de Sol information is available from the sponsor, the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) at 413 774-6051 , and 50 Miles Street, Greenfield, MA 01301 , and nesea@nesea.org . All media enquiries should be addressed to ...Jack Groh Groh Associates email: GrohPR@aol.com 401 732-1551 telephone 401 732-0547 fax 401 952-0886 cell/pager
Table of Contents
Report #1: Welcome to the 2001 Tour de Sol Reports
Report #2: "Sungo"
Report #3: "Soljourner 1" and "Soljourner 2"
Report #4: "Honda Insight" and "Honda Civic GX"
Report #5: "Al C. O'Holic"
Report #6: "Aluminum Cow"
Report #7: Demonstration Vehicles from DaimlerChrysler
Report #8: "E-Stream"
Report #9: "E.D. (Electronic Diesel)" and "Response 2 E"
Report #10: "EV-Sport"
Report #11: "Electric Hog"
Report #12: "Envirocycle III" and "Geomino"
Report #13: "Fiero-Volt"
Report #14: "Ford Electric Ranger"
Report #15: "Garnet One"
Report #16: "Greaseltron"
Report #17: "Head Hunter"
Report #18: "Honda EV Plus"
Report #19: Rob Wills, Technical Director of the Tour de Sol
Report #20: "Moonshine's Revenge"
Report #21: "NJ Genesis"
Report #22: Ford "TH!NK" Vehciles
Report #23: Big Country or Tiny County, They Cooperate and Compete at the Tour de Sol
Report #24: Entrants from PET
Report #25: "Parade"
Report #26: "Paradyne/Proxima"
Report #27: "Raptor"
Report #28: "ReCharger"
Report #29: "SEVRX"
Report #30: "Solar Bolt"
Report #31: "Solar Market Insight"
Report #32: "Solectria CitiVan Plus"
Report #33: "Solectria Super Force"
Report #34: "Sunergy II"
Report #35: "Sunpacer"
Report #36: "The Hare"
Report #37: "The Olympian"
Report #38: "Toyota Prius"
Report #39: "Zodiac"
Report #40: So That Is The List of Entrants
Report #41: Connecticut Ride Share, Solectria Force
Report #42: Greaseltron
Report #43: "Zodiac"
Report #44: "EV-Sport"
Report #45: Ford shows near and far future products at Tour de Sol
Report #46: Pole Positions for Monday 21 May 2001
Report #47: An Electric Airplane at the Tour de Sol?
Report #48: Honda's 2001 Insight
Report #49: Naoto Inoue's "Solar Market Insight"
Report #50: A Team From Micronesia
Report #51: A Team From the Republic of China
Report #52: Pole Positions, Tuesday 22 May
Report #53: PET's Tony Locricchio
Report #54: "Solar Bolt" Team
Report #55: "Sungo" Team
Report #56: Pole Positions, Wednesday 23 May
Report #57: "Aluminum Cow" Team
Report #58: Bob Strattan's "Toyota Prius"
Report #59: "KineticarIII" Team
Report #60: "ElectroFuel" Team
Report #61: "Paradyne" Team
Report #62: "Moonshine's Revenge" Team
Report #63: Teams That Did Not Show Up
Report #64: Nickel Hydrogen Battery
Report #65: Scoring By Ensco
Report #66: Another Tour de Sol Information Source
Report #67: Pole Positions, Thursday 24 May
Report #68: "Head Hunter" Team
Report #69: A Visitor From Japan
Report #70: "Solectria CitiVan" on display
Report #71: "Sunergy II" Team
Report #72: Pole Positions, Friday 25 May
Report #73: "Garnet One" Team
Report #74: "The Trout" Poster Display
Report #75: "E.D." and "Response IIE" Teams
Report #76: Tour de Sol Press Release at the Finish
Report #77: Detailed Tour de Sol Results Available.
Report #78: The Tour de Sol Is Finished, The Tour de Sol Reports Continue
Report #79: "E-Stream"
Report #80: A Few Short Notes
Report #81: "Sunpacer" Team
Report #82: "Al C. O'Holic" Team
Report #83: "Parade" Pre-production Prototype
Report #84: Another Web Site With Pictures
Report #85: Web Page with the Full Results of the Tour de Sol
Report #86: Final News Release from NESEA
Report #87: Union-Endicott Does Not To Compete
Report #1: Welcome to the 2001 Tour de Sol Reports
Mike Bianchi here. I am an electric vehicle owner (1995 Solectria "Force") and sometimes EV reporter.
Since 1994 I have been creating the Tour de Sol Reports, attempting to describe the people and vehicles which make the Tour de Sol one of the best places to experience the next generation of transportation. In my opinion, the Tour de Sol, previously named the American Tour de Sol, is _the_ place to see battery electric and hybrid electric vehicles on the hoof (he said mixing his metaphors).
In the past I have attempted to create a sense of actually being at the event by reporting in substantial interviews with each of the participating teams, the event's organizers and sponsors, and some of the folks who attend. In the best year's it was quite a successful endevour. But I have had some difficulty keeping up the pace the previous couple of years and so I will do it a bit differently.
To begin with, the technical detail will start in Reports published will before the Tour begins on Saturday 19 May 2001 in Waterbury CT. The Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) which runs it has given me access to the entrants data base and from that I will present the technical descriptions of the vehicles and a few words about the teams before I actually meet them. As the event draws closer and begins, I will add the more human side of the drama, based on interviews I'll be doing as the event runs. And then there will be a wrapup in the week or so after the Tour finishes on Saturday 26 May in Boston MA. During the competition, yours truley also serves as an announcer during the public displays.
If you attend any of those, you will have the opportunity to see over 50 variations on the theme of Green Transportation. Many more people are becoming aware of the technologies that hold the promise of saving our environment from the pollution of today's cars, buses and trucks by reducing, and in some cases eliminating, the exhaust from internal combustion engines. The improvements have been spectacular and the commercial offerings, both today's and tommorrows will be represented by entrants and demonstration vehicles from the major automobile manufacturers.
But the big companies did not start the green revolution. The past Tour de Sol competitions have been dominated by the offerings of much smaller companies, colleges, high schools, individuals, and even an team of middle school students. And while the title was "American", the Tour has always welcomed entrants from around the world.
Such will be the case again this year. The theme of the Tour is "Diversity". So the vehicles will be big, like SUVs, trucks and vans, and small, down to the size of scooters and bicycles. The energy sources will include solar (from which the event got its name), electricity, fuels (both fossil and biological), and even hydrogen fuel cells. The teams will come from some of the biggest countries on earth and one of the smallest.
The motivations will also run from the highly competitive win, Win, WIN to "we're here to show that there is a better way to get around."
So look at the NESEA web site,
www.nesea.orgfor the schedule of events and if you can, plan on a visit. If that isn't possible, then look for these Reports.
By the way, if anyone would like to be part of the Tour as a volunteer, contact NESEA and let them know when and where you can help. It's a fun way to get closer to the future. That's how I got started.
Report #2: "Sungo"
Returning to the Tour de Sol year after year allows me to revisit old friends, both people and vehicles. "Sungo" caught my eye the first year I was at the Tour de Sol (1994) and has continued to every year. It was the first car I saw with independent motors for each of the two rear wheels, an idea which is talked about far more often than you see it.
Small, low and short, it is a two-person commuter that has demonstrated its "stuff" at the Tour and by accomplishing the best electric vehicle time at the Mount Washington Road's "Race to the Clouds".
If you want to see what applied imagination looks like, come to the Tour and take a gander at Sungo.
(The technical data that is included in these reports is taken from the NESEA entrants database. The specifics are subject to change.)
Vehicle Name Sungo Vehicle Number 72 Category BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHCLES (BEV) Team Name SEV club of NHTI Organization Sustainable Energy Ventures Club City Concord State NH Months to Build months Vehicle Manufacturer Purpose Built Vehicle Type Class Light Duty Vehicle Type Division Prototype motor kW continuous 21 kW motor kW peak 128 kW motor manufacturer Solectria motor type AC Induction Energy Storage Manufacturer Ovonics Battery Co. Energy Storage System NiMH Batteries series battery voltage 156 v battery blocks 13 cells battery watt hrs 12480 whrs battery weight 650 lbs battery cost $5280 control system manufacturer Solectria control system type Moseft regenerative braking? Regen charger current 10 amps charger input voltage 230 v charger manufacturer Mentzer charger on board? off board charger type High freq/ss Plug Type 10-30P PV cell type Monocryst. PV manufacturer Astropower PV watts 100 w Conversion Purpose-Built body material Fiberglass Body frame material Aluminum Frame Length both L: 7' ft/ 9 in Width both W: 4 ft/ 9 in Height both H: 3 ft/ 7 in Weight pounds 1600; lbs Capacity pounds 430 ; lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Drum No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Continental tire model P135/70/R13 tire type radial Maximum Speed mph mph Range miles 175 miles Program blurb Sungo was built, and has been continously imporved by memebers of the Sustainabel Energy Ventures (SEV) Club of New Hampshire Technilcal Institute. This 2-seat, purpose-built electric vehcile can reach speeds of over 90 mph, and has placed first at the Tour de Sol on several occasions. It uses 12 Ovonic nickel metal hydride batteries, and two 22 Hp AC motors to dirve the rear wheels. Last year the club installed a 2Kw solar array on their school to charge the various EVs used at the school.
Report #3: "Soljourner 1" and "Soljourner 2"
One of the great joys I have doing these Reports is meeting the teams. Last year the team from West Philadelphia High School showed up with a very clean-looking Saturn electric vehicle conversion which I liked a lot. They said then they were also working on a hybrid-EV based on a Jeep Wrangler, and both cars will be at the Tour de Sol this year.
If you want to see the ways in which the high schools are using electric vehicle technology as a teaching tool and the excellent results they are achieving, come to the Tour and talk with the students.
Vehicle Name Soljourner 1 Vehicle Number 21 Category BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHCLES (BEV) Team Name West Phil. HS Electric Vehicle Team Organization West Philadelphia High School - EV Team City Philadelphia State PA www www.upenn.edu/ccp/access science/soljourner No People in Project 20 Time to Build 2000 hours Who Built class part of school curriculum? Yes Vehicle Manufacturer Saturn Vehicle Model Year 1993 Vehicle Reg Car/Truck Vehicle Type Class Light Duty Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model SL2 motor kW continuous 26.6 kw motor kW peak 54 kw motor manufacturer MTS motor type Brushless DC Energy Storage Manufacturer Deka Energy Storage System PbA Batteries series battery voltage 336 v battery blocks 28 cells battery watt hrs 25000 whrs battery weight 1450 lbs battery cost $3000 control system manufacturer MTS Automation control system type not available regenerative braking? Regen charger capacity 2800 kw charger current 50 amps charger input voltage 208 v charger manufacturer Zivan charger on board? Off board charger type Trans/rectif Plug Type 10-50P PV watts not available Conversion Conversion body material Composite body frame material Steel Fame Length both L: 16 ft/ 0 in Width both W: 5 ft/ 6 in Height both H: 5 ft/ 6 in Weight pounds 3500 lbs Mfg GVW 3540 lbs Capacity pounds 350 lbs brake front type Front Dc/Dm brake rear type Rear Drum No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Michelin tire model P209/60/R15 tire type low roll resist Range miles 150 miles Program blurb The West Philly Electric Vehicle Team is back for its second year at the Tour de Sol. The electric Saturn is equipped with a 36HP MTS brushless DC motor getting its power from 28 Deka DC27 batteries (336 volts). Michelin provided low rolling resistant tires and Boeing tested the improved aerodynamics in their full size wind tunnel. The students have made a number of other improvement to the Saturn and are looking forward to a very successful run this year.
Vehicle Name Soljourner 2 Vehicle Number 22 Category HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES (HEV) Team Name West Philadelphia High School E.V Team Organization West Philadelphia High School - EV Team City Philadelphia State PA Vehicle Manufacturer Jeep Vehicle Model Year 1995 Vehicle Reg Car/Truck Vehicle Type Class Light Duty Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model Wrangler motor manufacturer not avail Energy Storage Manufacturer Deka Energy Storage System PbA Batteries series battery voltage 336v battery blocks 28cells battery watt hrs 20000whrs battery weight 1200lbs battery cost $3000 control system manufacturer MTS Automation control system type not available regenerative braking? Non-regen charger capacity 2800 kw charger current 50 amps charger input voltage 220 v charger manufacturer Zivan charger on board? Off board charger type Trans/rectif Plug Type 10-50P PV watts not available Conversion Pre-Prod Prototype body material Steel Body frame material Steel Frame Length both L: 15 ft/ 0 in Width both W: 6 ft/ 2 in Height both H: 6 ft/ 8 in Weight pounds 4000 lbs Mfg GVW 5000 lbs Capacity pounds 600 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Drum engine size 0.400 liters fuel effeciency n/a fuel tank capacity 20 lbs. fuel tank type LPG outdoor grill Fuel Type LPG No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Michelin tire model P205/R15 tire type low roll resist Range miles 350 miles Program blurb The West Philly Electric Vehicle Team is back for its second year at the Tour de Sol. The hybrid electric Jeep is equipped with a 36HP MTS; brushless DC motor getting its power from 28 Deka DC24 batteries (336 volts). The students built their own generator with an Onan 14HP propane; motor and a high efficiency 14HP MTS brushless DC motor. Michelin has provided their low rolling resistant tires. We are looking to have some fun at the Tour with our Hybrid 4x4.
Report #4: "Honda Insight" and "Honda Civic GX"
The way I see it, the Tour de Sol was started by people who wanted to change the world. They saw a future where energy use did not have to mean lots of pollution nor heavy resource depletion. And much of the rest of the world laughed at them for being "impractical". Where those folks impractical? Were their dreams too unreal?
I claim that when commercial hybrid-electric cars produced by major automobile manufacturers went on sale, the answer was clearly, "No, they were simply the among first to see a better future."
Honda will be showing two of their realizations of those "impractical dreams". The 2001 "Insight" is the newest version of their 2-place commuter vehicle, now with a CVT transmission. They will also be showing their 2001 "Civic GX" which achieves Super Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) status running on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
The underlying theme of the Tour de Sol is "diversity". There are many ways to improve the environmental and economical impact of transportation, and you can visit the Tour to compare many different variations on the theme for yourself.
Vehicle Name 2001 Honda Insight Category DEMONSTRATION VEHICLES (non-competative) Team Name American Honda Motor Co. Organization American Honda Motor Company, Inc City Washington State DC Vehicle Type Class Light Duty Vehicle Type Division Production Program blurb American Honda Motor Company is Gold sponsor of this year's Tour de Sol.; The 2001 Honda Insight will be the official Pace Car of this year's Tour de Sol. Introduced in 1999 as the first gas-electric hybrid for sale in the U.S., the 2001 model offers a `continuously Variable Transmission' (CVT) that combines the convenience of an automatic transmission with the performance and fuel economy of a manual transmission. It features Honda's Integrated Motor Assist system, and it never needs to be plugged in.
Vehicle Name 2001 Civic GX Category DEMONSTRATION VEHICLES (non-competative) Team Name American Honda Motor Co. Organization American Honda Motor Company, Inc City Washington State DC Vehicle Type Class Light Duty Vehicle Type Division Production Program blurb Honda's 2001 Civic GX is powered by a dedicated compressed natural gas engine. It contains Honda's `Continuously Varioable Transmission' (CVT) which offers the convenince of an automoatic with the performance and fuel efficiency of a manuyal transmission. It is certified as a Super Ultra-Low Emission vehile (SULEV), emitting 96% less pollutants than a typical car. In 1998, U.S. EPA named the GX as ``The Cleanest Car on Earth'' with an internal combustion engine. The GX is offered for sale nation-wide.
Report #5: "Al C. O'Holic"
The Tour de Sol is an international competition, and we have welcomed teams from Canada before. The University of Waterloo joins us with a vehicle that looks at the renewable fuel E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline). It is possible to grow fuel since ethanol can be derived for biomass. E85 also promises lower emissions.
This year we have a number of teams has competed in other alternative fuel competitions, so there will be many opportunities to compare their approaches.
Vehicle Name Al C. O'Holic Vehicle Number 35 Category ETHANOL CHALLENGE VEHICLES (E85) Team Name UWAFT Organization University of Waterloo City Waterloo N2L3G1 State ON Months to Build months Vehicle Manufacturer Chevy Silverado PV Vehicle Model Year 1999 Vehicle Type Class Light Duty Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model Silverado motor manufacturer GM Energy Storage System PbA Starter battery control system manufacturer none regenerative braking? Non-regen charger manufacturer none Plug Type none PV watts none body material Steel Body frame material Steel Frame Length both L: 18' ft/ 11 in Width both W: 6 ft/ 6 in Height both H: 6 ft/ 0 in Weight pounds 6400; lbs Capacity pounds 1860; lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Disc engine size liters fuel effeciency 13/20 mpg Fuel Type E85 No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer not available tire model P265/75 tire type radial Maximum Speed mph mph Range miles 300 miles Program blurb UWAFT is an undergraduate student team that has participated in variuos alternative fuel competitions. Our most recent vehicle is a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado that has been converted to run on E85. The focus of the team is to reduce emissions without compromising perforamnce or efficiency.
Report #6: "Aluminum Cow"
As I said, it's good to see old friends. The Team Paradigm folks from the University of Wisconsin Madison have brought some very interesting vehicles in the past. This year they are bringing a parallel hybrid-electric car that uses biodiesel as the fuel.
In years past, teams like this one showed us the implementation of ideas that now are in the commercially available hybrids. I wonder what new ideas they will have this year. Come to the Tour and together we can find out!
Vehicle Name Aluminum Cow Vehicle Number 37 Category HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES (HEV) Team Name UW Madison-Team Paradigm Organization University of Wisconsin Madison - Team Paradigm City Madison State WI www cae.wisc.edu/~vehicle No People in Project 50 Who Built class part of school curriculum? Yes Months to Build months Vehicle Manufacturer Ford Mercury Vehicle Model Year 1994 Vehicle Reg Car/Truck Vehicle Type Class Light Duty Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model Sable motor kW continuous 12 kW motor kW peak 30 kW motor manufacturer Solectria AC20 motor type AC Induction Energy Storage Manufacturer Moltec Energy Systems Energy Storage System NiMH Batteries combination parallel/series battery voltage 250 v battery blocks 832 cells battery watt hrs 2200 whrs battery weight 120 lbs control system manufacturer Solectria control system type UMOC 340T regenerative braking? Regen charger capacity 6.0 kW charger current 28 amps charger input voltage 208 v charger manufacturer Power Designs charger on board? off board charger type High freq/ss Plug Type 14-30P PV cell type Monocryst. PV manufacturer Siemens Suncat PV watts 100 w Conversion Pre-Prod Prototype body material Aluminum Body frame material Aluminum Frame Length L: 16 ft/ 6 in Width W: 6 ft/ 0 in Height H: 3 ft/ 6 in Weight pounds 2690 lbs Capacity pounds 1300 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Disc Hybrid Architecture parallel engine size 1.8 liters fuel effeciency 65 mpg fuel tank capacity 14 gal fuel tank type steel modified stock Fuel Type biodiesel No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Goodyear tire model P205/75/R15 tire type radial Maximum Speed mph mph Range miles 910 miles Program blurb The University of Wisconsin-Madison hybrid vehicle team, Team Paradigm, has built and competed in hybrid vehicle competitions since the team was formed in 1991. The Aluminum Crow, along with its counterparts, Electric Cow, Future Cow and Moolenium DOE hybrid vehicles, outperforms its stock vehicle competition.
Report #7: Demonstration Vehicles from DaimlerChrysler
The variation on the theme of alternative fuel vehicles gets wider and wider. DiamlerChrysler will be bringing several of its additions to the symphony.
The Dodge Durango hybrid was shown at the 2000 Tour de Sol as a research prototype, and now is announced for 2003. See the current version at the Tour.
How about a hybid-electric Dodge Ram pickup truck that not only delivers better fuel economy, but also can double as an electrical generator once on the construction site? Coming in 2004, but visible today, at the Tour de Sol.
Or a fuel cell powered Jeep that extracts hydrogen directly from gasoline? A prototype will be on display.
Or, at the other extreme, there is a purely electric neighborhood vehicle. The GEM made its first appearance at the Tour de Sol in 1998. Come to this year's Tour and see the current offering.
Vehicle Name Dodge Durango hybrid Category DEMONSTRATION VEHICLES (non-competative) Team Name DaimlerChrysler Organization DaimlerChrysler City Auburn Hills State MI Vehicle Type Division Production Program blurb Beginning in 2003, DaimlerChrysler will market a gas-electric hybrid version of the popular Dodge Durango SUV. The Durango hybrid, with DaimlerChrysler's patented Through-the-Road hybrid powertrain, will achieve 20-25 percent better fuel economy and performance comparable with the conventional Durango.
Vehicle Name Dodge Ram Contractor Special Category DEMONSTRATION VEHICLES (non-competative) Team Name DaimlerChrysler Organization DaimlerChrysler City Auburn Hills State MI Vehicle Type Division Production Program blurb This hybrid Dodge Ram pickup, to be marketed by DaimlerChrysler in 2004, offers double environmental benefits. On the road, it achieves 15 percent better fuel efficiency, lower emissions and better performance than the conventional Ram. Off the road, the vehicle converts to a low- emission 20 kW stationary electrical generator for work, recreation or home use.
Vehicle Name JEEP Commander Category DEMONSTRATION VEHICLES (non-competative) Team Name DaimlerChrysler Organization DaimlerChrysler City Auburn Hills State MI Vehicle Type Division Production Program blurb This luxury SUV on display is a prototype developed by DaimlerChrysler. It includes an ultra-clean fuel cell powertrain that delivers double the fuel efficiency, housed in a strong, lightweight thermoplastic body. The fuel cell powertrain includes an onboard reformer to extract hydrogen from gasoline for use in the fuel cell.
Vehicle Name GEM Category DEMONSTRATION VEHICLES (non-competative) Team Name DaimlerChrysler Organization DaimlerChrysler City Auburn Hills State MI Vehicle Type Division Production Program blurb With the GEM, DaimlerChrysler is the world's leading marketer of Neighborhood Electric Vehicles. The battery-powered vehicle comes in 2- and 4-passenger cars and two utility versions. GEMs, certified as zero emission vehicles, replace internal combustion vehicles for the most common, most-polluting short trips around the neighborhood.
Report #8: "E-Stream"
So you are a young person who wants to make a mark on the world. You hope to get a job that can make an environmental difference. How do you get the attention of the people who might hire you?
You build an electric car and bring it to the Tour de Sol, that's how!
Come to the Tour and see how they did it!
Vehicle Name E-Stream Vehicle Number 3 Category BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHCLES (BEV) Team Name TeamEV 2001 Organization (private team) City Princeton Junction State NJ www TeamEV2001.com No People in Project 6 Time to Build 600 hours Who Built private group part of school curriculum? Independant study Vehicle Manufacturer Volkswagon Vehicle Model Year 1991 Vehicle Reg Car/Truck Vehicle Type Division Prototype motor kW continuous 15 kW motor kW peak 30 kW motor manufacturer Advanced DC Motor motor type Series Wound Energy Storage Manufacturer Exide Energy Storage System PbA Batteries series battery voltage 96 v battery blocks 16 cells battery watt hrs 20160 whrs battery weight 1040 lbs battery cost $1120 control system manufacturer Curtis control system type PWM regenerative braking? Non-regen charger current 20 amps charger input voltage 120 v charger manufacturer Exide charger on board? on board charger type other Plug Type 5-20P PV watts not available Conversion Conversion body material Steel Body frame material Steel Fame Length L: 12 ft/ 7 in Width W: 5 ft/ 4 in Height H: 4 ft/ 6 in Weight pounds 2975; lbs Mfg GVW 3029 Capacity pounds 700; lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Drum No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Goodyear tire model P175/R70 tire type low roll resist Range miles 60; miles Program blurb Team EV is a private group made up of 3 highschool and collee students with a keen interest in engineering, computers and the environments. We are novice alternative energy enthusiasts with hopes for careers in the field.
Report #9: "E.D. (Electronic Diesel)" and "Response 2 E"
Our friends from Lawrence Tech return with their now familiar parallel biodeisel-electric hybrid, defending their first place finish last year.
They will also have their "Reponse 2 E" which started life as an hybrid, but became pure electric ofr last year's Tour. (It ususally seems to go the other way, electric to hybrid.)
Catch the excitement! Visit the Tour de Sol!
Vehicle Name E.D. (Electronic Diesel) Vehicle Number 4 Category HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES (HEV) Team Name Lawrence Tech Engineering Organization Lawrence Tech University City Southfield State MI www www.ltu.edu No People in Project 19 Time to Build 2 years Who Built class part of school curriculum? Yes Vehicle Manufacturer Ford Vehicle Model Year 1997 Vehicle Reg Car/Truck Vehicle Type Class Light Duty Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model Taurus 4 door motor kW continuous 32 kW motor kW peak 64 kW motor manufacturer Unique Mobility motor type Brush DC Energy Storage Manufacturer Ovonic Battery Energy Storage System NiMH Batteries series battery voltage 194 v battery blocks 13 cells battery watt hrs 16250 whrs battery weight 360 lbs battery cost $90,000 control system manufacturer Unique mobility control system type microprocessor regenerative braking? Regen charger capacity 204-330 kW charger current 20 amps charger input voltage 230-110 v charger manufacturer Solectria charger on board? off board charger type High freq/ss Plug Type 6-20P PV cell type msx50 PV manufacturer Solarex PV watts 100 w Conversion Conversion body material Steel/aluminum Body frame material Steel Frame Length L: 15 ft/ 8 in Width W: 5 ft/ 7 in Height H: 5 ft/ 0 in Weight pounds 3500 lbs Mfg GVW 3500 lbs Capacity pounds not avail brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Disc Hybrid Architecture parallel engine size 1.9 fuel effeciency 85 mpg fuel tank capacity 9 gal Fuel Type biodiesel No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Goodyear tire model P215/65/R15 tire type low roll resist Range miles 600 miles Program blurb ED is powered by a charge depleting parallel hybrid electric powertrain consisting of 58hp electric motor and a modified direct injected turbo diesel engine coupled in paralel to a Volkswagon transmission. Last year, this vehicle placed 1st in the Hyrbid vehicle category.
Vehicle Name Response 2 E Vehicle Number 5 Category BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHCLES (BEV) Team Name Lawrence Tech Engineering Organization Lawrence Tech University City Southfield State MI www www.ltu.edu No People in Project 19 Time to Build 4 years Who Built class part of school curriculum? Yes Vehicle Manufacturer Ford Vehicle Model Year 1992 Vehicle Reg Car/Truck Vehicle Type Class Light Duty Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model Taurus motor kW continuous 32 kW motor kW peak 64 kW motor manufacturer Unique Mobility motor type Brushless DC Energy Storage Manufacturer Ovonic Battery Energy Storage System NiMH Batteries series battery voltage 180 v battery blocks 14 cells battery watt hrs 16,800 whrs battery weight 460 lbs battery cost $23000 control system manufacturer Unique Mobility control system type Microprocessor regenerative braking? Regen charger capacity 204-330 kw charger current 20 amps charger input voltage 230-110 v charger manufacturer Solectria charger on board? on board charger type High freq/ss Plug Type 6-20P PV cell type Amorphous PV manufacturer Unisolar PV watts 24 w Conversion Purpose-Built body material Carbon fiber Body frame material Aluminum Frame Length L: 13 ft/ 0 in Width W: 5 ft/ 5 in Height H: 4 ft/ 8 in Weight pounds 2100; lbs Capacity pounds 450; lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Disc Hybrid Architecture parallel No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Goodyear tire model P215/65/R15 tire type low roll resist Range miles 90 miles Program blurb Response 2E was built in 1993 as a contender in the HEV challenge sponsored by the US Department of Energy. After many competetions and displays, including one on the White House lawn, it was converted to electric in 2000 resulting in a much lighter, quicker vehicle.
Report #10: "EV-Sport"
Some go bowling; some watch football; some read novels.
And some build electric cars. Starting with a Lomax kit car, this group of friends and relatives put together something that I'm looking forward to seeing. Check out these specifications.
Then check out the car in person, at the Tour de Sol.
Vehicle Name EV-Sport Vehicle Number 45 Category BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHCLES (BEV) Team Name Pro-ZEV EV-Sport Organization PRO-ZEV City Lafayette Hill State PA www www.PRO-ZEV.com No People in Project 5 Time to Build 2 years Who Built private group part of school curriculum? No Vehicle Manufacturer Lomax Vehicle Reg Car/Truck Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model kit car motor kW continuous 7 kW motor kW peak 28 kW motor manufacturer Solectria GRX - 20 motor type AC Induction Energy Storage Manufacturer Electrosource Energy Storage System PbA Batteries series battery voltage 192 v battery blocks 16 cells battery watt hrs 16,300 whrs battery weight 850 lbs battery cost $5200 control system manufacturer Solectria control system type AC 325 regenerative braking? Regen charger capacity 8 (together) charger current 70 amps charger input voltage 208 v charger manufacturer Zivan charger on board? On&off bd charger type Trans/rectif PV watts not available Conversion Purpose-Built body material Fiberglass Body frame material Steel Frame Length L: 11 ft/ 6 in Width W: 5 ft/ 4 in Height H: 4 ft/ 0 in Weight pounds 1750; lbs Capacity pounds 550; lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Drum No of Passengers 2 number of tires 3 tire manufacturer Firestone tire model F560 146/F560 145 tire type radial Range miles 140 miles Program blurb Our team is a group of friends and relatives who share an interest in a sustainable transportation future. We have come together to support the EV-Sport project as both an example of fun, practical pollution free transport, and a look at what might have been if electric automobiles had developed in the same manner as internal combustion cars did throughout the past century.
Report #11: "Electric Hog"
... And some have a dream. Carl Vogel's was to have a practical electric motorcyle, with performance, taste and style.
We will see how he did and cheer him on at the Tour de Sol in a couple of weeks. Will we see you there? I hope so.
Vehicle Name Electric Hog Vehicle Number 12 Category ONE-PERSON VEHICLES Team Name Vogelbilt Organization Vogelbilt Corp. City New York State NY No People in Project 1 Time to Build 3 years Who Built other -- Carl Vogel part of school curriculum? No Vehicle Reg Motor Cycle Vehicle Type Class One Person Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model Motorcycle motor kW continuous 12 kW motor kW peak 72 kW motor manufacturer Advanced DC motor type Series Wound Energy Storage Manufacturer Trojan Energy Storage System PbA battery voltage 120 v battery blocks 10 cells battery watt hrs 14040 whrs battery weight 560 lbs battery cost $750 control system type not available regenerative braking? Non-regen charger current 30 amps charger input voltage 208 v charger manufacturer not avail charger on board? on & off board Plug Type 6-30P PV watts not available Conversion Purpose-Built body material Composite/fibergl Body frame material Steel Frame Length L: 7 ft/ 5 in Width W: 2 ft/ 5 in Height H: 3 ft/ 0 in Weight pounds 1050 lbs Capacity pounds 350 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Disc No of Passengers 1 number of tires 2 tire manufacturer Contin/Metzler tire model P140/90/R16 fr P180/5.5-vb18 Range miles 120 miles Program blurb Designed, funded and built by Carl Vogel, Vogelbilt Corporation, the Electric Hog is a unique ground up prototype design brought from concept to reeality. The design goal: to achieve a realistic motorcycle with increased range, high speed and acceleration while keeping a standards size and shape. This distinctive design uses a custom steel frame built around 10 lead acid batteries enclosed inside. After many hours of hard work. I am proud to be a part of this years' competition.
Report #12: "Envirocycle III" and "Geomino"
Another electric motorcycle entry in the Tour de Sol comes from a team with many years of experience. Central Connecticut State University's Solar Electric Research team returns with their third generation entry. (One of my favorites was their electric tricycle used by the New Britain police department for downtown patols).
Plus, the will be bringing an Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG; aka Propane) powered hybrid electric pickup truck built from a Geo Metro. Yes, a Geo Metro turned into a pickup truck!
So visit their web site, look at the pictures (who is that handsome guy handing them the plaque last year?) and come to the Tour de Sol to see just how they did it.
Vehicle Name Envirocycle III Vehicle Number 89 Category ONE-PERSON VEHICLES Team Name CCSU Solar ELectric Team Organization Solar Electric Research Team City New Britain State CT www www.sert.ccsu.edu No People in Project 30 Time to Build 3 years Who Built club part of school curriculum? No Months to Build months Vehicle Manufacturer Susuki GSXR1100 Vehicle Model Year 1994 Vehicle Reg Motor Cycle Vehicle Type Class One Person Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model motorcycle motor kW continuous 8.2 kW motor kW peak 11 kW motor manufacturer Advanced DC motor type Series Wound Energy Storage Manufacturer GMB Energy Storage System PbA Batteries series battery voltage 72 v battery watt hrs 85 whrs battery cost $600 control system manufacturer Curtis control system type Pmc, DC regenerative braking? non-regen charger capacity 2.40W charger current 20 amps charger input voltage 120 v charger manufacturer not avail Plug Type 5-20P PV watts not available body material Plastic body frame material Steel frame Length L: 7 ft/ 0 in Width W: 1 ft/ 10 in Height H: 3 ft/ 10 in Weight pounds 830 lbs Mfg GVW 955 lbs Capacity pounds 300 lbs brake front type Front Disc No of Passengers 1 number of tires 2 tire manufacturer Dunlop tire model P180/55 R17 rear p120/70 r 17 front tire type low roll resist Maximum Speed mph mph Range miles not avail Program blurb The Central Connecticut State University's Solar Electric Research team is engaged in research and development of alternative energy motorcycles for the past seven years. The team has won Tour De Sol several times. This year will compete with the Geomino automobile hybrid, a three year project.
Vehicle Name Geomino Vehicle Number 27 Category HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES (HEV) Team Name CCSU Solar Electric Research Team Organization Solar Electric Reserach Team City New Britian State CT www sert.ccsu.edu Months to Build months Vehicle Manufacturer Geo Vehicle Reg Car/Truck Vehicle Type Class One Person Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model Metro motor kW continuous 11 kW motor kW peak 13 kW motor manufacturer Solectria motor type AC Induction Energy Storage Manufacturer Trojan Energy Storage System PbA Batteries series battery voltage v 120 battery blocks 10 cells battery watt hrs 100 whrs battery cost $1000 control system manufacturer Solectria control system type AC GTX 20 regenerative braking? Regen charger manufacturer not avail charger on board? on board Plug Type 5-20P PV manufacturer not avail PV watts 35 w body material Steel Body frame material Steel Frame Length L: 12 ft/ 0 in Width W: 5 ft/ 0 in Height H: 4 ft/ 0 in Weight pounds 2200 lbs Capacity pounds 600 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Disc Fuel Type LPG No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Goodyear tire model P145/R12 Range miles 65 miles
Report #13: "Fiero-Volt"
The students at Union Endicott High School entered vehicles in the 1997 and 1999 Tour de Sols. I guess there is something about odd-numbered years, because they are back again, this time with a converted 1984 Pontiac Fiero.
In 1999 they had entered a refurbished 1982 Sebring Zippper (or is it Zzipper?), a mini-truck manufactured as an electric. I'll be curious to find out where it is today.
Vehicle Name Fiero-Volt Vehicle Number 25 Category BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES (BEV) Team Name UEHS Technology Club Organization Union Endicott Central Schools City Endicott State NY No People in Project 38 Time to Build 1800 hours Who Built club- part of Tech Education part of school curriculum? Yes Vehicle Manufacturer GM Pontiac Vehicle Model Year 1984 Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model Fiero motor manufacturer Advanced DC motor type Brush DC Energy Storage System PbA control system manufacturer Zap 1 control system type H2D 96v-500A regenerative braking? non-regen charger on board? Off board Plug Type 6-30P body material Steel Body frame material Steel Frame brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Disc No of Passengers 2 number of tires 3 tire manufacturer B.F. Goodrich tire model P185-80/R13 tire type radial Range miles 75-80 miles
Report #14: "Ford Electric Ranger"
One of the electric vehicles actually manufactured and sold, as opposed to leased, by a major manufacture was the Ford Electric Ranger. Most were sold to fleet operators, although I know a few went to individuals.
Vehicle Name Ford Electric Ranger Category DEMONSTRATION VEHICLES (non-competitive) Team Name NYS Dep't of Environmental Conservation Organization NYS Dep't of Environmental Conservation City Albany State NY Vehicle Type Division Production Plug Type Avon-conductive Program blurb The New York Department of Environmental Conservation will showcase a Ford Electric Ranger, and emissions testing equipment. This battery-electric vehicle is one by the state and used to demonstrate the ability of these zero emission vehicles to meet many of our transportation needs. This is one of several EVs that are sold in New York today. New York State is fast becoming the largest manufacturer of EVs that will help the country reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet EPA clean air standards.
Report #15: "Garnet One"
Once again the team from Swarthmore (PA) College brings the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) hybrid-electric. They have been with us every year since 1997. The team has grown from the original 5 seniors looking for a senior design project.
Vehicle Name Garnet One Vehicle Number 62 Category HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES (HEV) Team Name Swarthmore College HEV Team Organization Swarthmore College City Swarthmore State PA www http:/www.engin.swarthmore.edu/org/he No People in Project 15 Time to Build 6 months Who Built club part of school curriculum? Yes Vehicle Manufacturer Chevrolet Vehicle Model Year 1996 Vehicle Reg Car/Truck Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model Beretta motor kW continuous 19 kW motor kW peak 63 kW motor manufacturer Advanced DC motor type Series Wound Energy Storage Manufacturer Trojan Energy Storage System PbA Batteries series battery voltage 120 v battery blocks 20 modules control system manufacturer Curtis control system type 1231c-8601 regenerative braking? Non-regen charger capacity 20 amps charger current 20 amps charger input voltage 120 v charger manufacturer K & W charger on board? off board charger type Transformerless Plug Type 10-30P PV manufacturer Solanex PV watts 10 w Conversion Conversion body material Steel Body frame material Steel Frame Length L: 15 ft/ 8 in Width W: 5 ft/ 8 in Height H: 4 ft/ 5 in Weight pounds 4200 lbs Capacity pounds not avail brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Drum Hybrid Architecture series Fuel Type CNG No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Goodyear tire model P185/R14 tire type radial Range miles 100 miles Program blurb Garnet One is a student-built CNG series hybrid from Swarthmore College, a small liberal Arts College Near Philadelphia. Swarthmore's team consists of a handful of undergraduate students advised by two faculty members. The team is beginning work on Garnet2, a 2110 Suzuki Swift HEV conversion.
Report #16: "Greaseltron"
There are times when I think I am supposed to by unbiased in these Reports, and then there are times when I let my enthusiasm for a team show through. the folks from Vermont Technical College is a team which I like a lot.
This year they attack three problems in the alternative fuel vehicle area. One is what fuel can we use that is not derived from petroleum? Another is how do you reuse waste? The last is how do you get the most range out of the available fuel?
Their answer is a hybrid-electric Chevy S-10 truck, with electric drive, solar panels, that burns left over frying oil. "The exhaust smells like french fries!"
That reminds me; I'm hungry.
Vehicle Name Greaseltron Vehicle Number 8 Category HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES (HEV) Team Name Vermont Technical College Organization Vermont Technical College City Randolph State VT www www.vtc.edu/clubs/solar/ Time to Build 500 hours Who Built club part of school curriculum? No Months to Build months Vehicle Manufacturer Chevrolet Vehicle Model Year 1990 Vehicle Reg Car/Truck Vehicle Type Class Light Duty Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model S-10 Tahoe motor kW continuous 16 kW motor kW peak 48 kW motor manufacturer Advance DC motor type Series Wound Energy Storage Manufacturer Optima Energy Storage System PbA Batteries series battery voltage 120 v battery blocks 10 modules battery watt hrs 7800 whrs battery weight 450 lbs battery cost $1400 control system manufacturer Curtis-PMC control system type 1221-b regenerative braking? Regen charger capacity 1.5 kW charger current 15 amps charger input voltage 120 v charger manufacturer Solar Car Corporation charger on board? on board charger type Trans/rectif Plug Type 5-20P PV cell type Amorphous PV manufacturer Uni-Solar PV watts 10.3 w Conversion Conversion body material Steel Body frame material Steel Frame Length L: 17 ft/ 2 in Width W: 5 ft/ 8 in Height H: 5 ft/ 3 in Weight pounds 3000 lbs Capacity pounds 1513 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Drum Hybrid Architecture series engine size .916 liters fuel effeciency 40 mpg fuel tank capacity 16 gal fuel tank type plastic Fuel Type biodiesel No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Goodyear tire model P205/R14 tire type radial Maximum Speed mph mph Range miles 300 miles Program blurb Team Vermont Technical College is returning for their third Tour de Sol with a Grease powered hybrid Chevy S-10. Many will remember them from the mooing green cow spotted Moorocco. Greaseltron's fuel is made up entirely from using frying oil, and the exhaust smells like french fries!
Report #17: "Head Hunter"
This group of students from the University of Texas at El Paso has turned a 1999 Chevy Silverado into one that runs on E85 (85% Ethanol). This is not a hybrid, but rather a look at using alternative fuels in internal combustion engines.
The E85 Challenge is a new category at the Tour de Sol, part of the diversity theme this year.
Vehicle Name Head Hunter Vehicle Number 2 Category ETHANOL CHALLENGE VEHICLES (E85) Team Name UTEP Organization University of Texas at El Paso City El Paso State TX www utep.edu/eafrl No People in Project 10 Time to Build 1 year Who Built students part of school curriculum? No Months to Build months Vehicle Manufacturer Chevy Silverado PV Vehicle Model Year 1999 Vehicle Reg Car/Truck Vehicle Type Class Light Duty Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model Silverado motor manufacturer GM Energy Storage System PbA Starter battery control system manufacturer none regenerative braking? non-regen charger manufacturer none Plug Type n/a PV watts none Conversion conversion body material Steel Body frame material Steel Frame Length L: 20 ft/ 0 in Width W: 7 ft/ 0 in Height H: 6 ft/ 6 in Weight pounds 6400 lbs Capacity pounds 1860 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Disc engine size 5.3liters fuel efficiency 13/20 mpg fuel tank capacity 26 gal fuel tank type plastic/stock Fuel Type E85 No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Bridgestone tire model P265/75 tire type radial Range miles 390 miles Program blurb The UTEP team converted a 1999 Chevy Silverado to run on E85 type fuel for the 1999 and 2000 Ethanol Vehicle challenges. The team consists of 10 members, 1 advisor and 1 assistant advisor. Seven team members were undergrads studying mechanical engineering.
Report #18: "Honda EV Plus"
The EV Plus was, in my opinion, one of the best of the "California Electrics" created to comply with the CARB requirements a few years back. Someday I would like to see something like this on the market again.
Vehicle Name Honda EV Plus Category DEMONSTRATION VEHICLES (non-competitive) Team Name MA Dep't of Environmental Protection Organization MA Dep't of Environmental Protection City Boston State MA Vehicle Manufacturer Honda Vehicle Type Division Production Plug Type Avcon-Conductive Program blurb The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection will showcase the Honda EV Plus. This battery-electric vehicle is one of several owned by the state used to demonstrate the ability of these zero emission vehicles to meet many of our transportation needs. Vehicles like this one will be introduced in Massachusetts in the next few years, and they will play a key role in helping the state meet EPA clean air standards.
Report #19: Rob Wills, Technical Director of the Tour de Sol
14 years ago, when Rob Wills was a graduate student at Dartmouth College, he helped build and race a solar powered car in the Swiss Tour de Sol. The next year he led the group that founded the American Tour de Sol. He is still the Technical Director of the Tour de Sol, and 13 years on he still finds it invigorating.
"Three things excite me this year," he said. "One is the level of the production hybrids coming to market. They are clearly on a strong path because they reduce the world's reliance on gasoline." In spite of the engineering challenge of creating an efficient engine and transmission, and an efficient battery pack, motor and generator, and then making them work together effectively, these vehicles are delivering the increased mileage we need. And with energy prices suddenly spiking upwards, increased mileage is getting everyone's attention. "Hybrids are too complicated to meet our long term needs, but they are an important step along the way."
The second thing that Rob likes in this year's Tour de Sol is the increased presence of fuel cell powered vehicles. "Fuel cells are very interesting because the technology is pretty close. We should see production fuel cell vehicles in 5 years." Although only one fuel cell vehicle is competing, that one is demonstrating a very innovative hydrogen storage system. "I am very excited by the ``Genesis''. It shows hydrogen as an energy carrier as opposed to a fuel. Using hydrocarbon fuels to provide hydrogen still produces carbon-ladened exhaust." The cost and efficiency of a reformer that extracts hydrogen from gasoline or methanol is an issue for Rob. "In addition to the polluting exhaust, a fuel cell that runs at 50% efficiency coupled with a reformer at 50% gives the same performance as the hybrids using internal combustion engines. The ``Genesis uses the sodium borohydride Millennium Cell system that only lets steam and water escape."
And finally Rob is still excited by his first love, solar powered vehicles. "I believe we will eventually see autonomous vehicles in the sunny climates, that can collect enough solar energy for commuting 40 miles." If we combine a vehicle capable of 100 Watt-hours per mile, cover it with flexible photo voltaic cells, and drive and park it in the sun I think it becomes mathematically possible and not that far away from practicality." In the mean time, he expects that people who get their hands on production electric vehicles like the Ford Th!ink or Corbin Sparrow will increase their range by covering the roof with solar cells.
Rob also expects to see more examples of solar arrays on buildings, feeding energy back into the the power grid. The folks at New Hampshire Technical Institute have solar panels that feed more energy into the grid than they take out to charge their electric vehicles. That makes them solar-electric cars, even when the cars themselves are not plugged in. "It also helps the power grid level the electrical load. The greatest electrical load is during daylight hours, and at night a charging car uses some of the excess electrical generation capacity."
He pointed out that no matter how you look at it, fossil fuels are limited, and hydrocarbon fuels, even when derived from biological sources, are a problem environmentally. "But wind is basically unlimited, and has very low environmental impact. The Europeans are showing us that the technology is mature, and the USA has huge wind resources, especially in the prairies and off shore."
What does Rob expect to see in the future? "I've been reading about nano-technology in batteries," he said, "which, on paper, promise very, very high energy density." Is 1 kiloWatt-hour in a cubic centimeter of a ceramic material really possible? We don't know. But any fraction of that would still exciting. "It will take 10 or 20 years to find out, I expect."
"Every year at the Tour de Sol, I am so happy to see all the innovations that come from high schools, colleges, small companies and individuals. It is so exciting to see young scientists applying their enthusiasm to the multi-disciplinary problem of putting an advanced technology vehicle into this event. Not only do they have to solve problems in mechanics, electrics, electronics, power electronics, fluid dynamics and solar radiation, but also economics, environmental sciences, fund raising, team work, logistics, planning and management. In the real world there is never enough time to do any of those things completely right and most often there is a hard deadline. At the Tour de Sol the challenges are that they need a vehicle capable of driving on real streets, in real traffic and weather. The deadline is when the competition begins on Monday May 21st."
Report #20: "Moonshine's Revenge"
The idea that it could be economically, environmentally, and practically possible to grow fuel, converting biomass into ethanol, as a form of solar power (sunlight->photosynthesis->biomass->alcohol->usable energy) might not be that far fetched. So as part of the Tour de Sol, we will have several vehicles using E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline) in their tanks.
Does the exhaust smell like "Old Grandad"? You be the judge.
Vehicle Name Moonshine's Revenge Vehicle Number 40 Category ETHANOL CHALLENGE VEHICLES (E85) Team Name University of Nebraska Organization University Of Nebraska Lincoln City Lincoln State NE www www.engr.unl.edu/~ethanol/ No People in Project 30 Who Built class part of school curriculum? Yes Vehicle Manufacturer Chevy Silverado PV Vehicle Model Year 1999 Vehicle Reg Car/Truck Vehicle Type Class Light Duty Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model Silverado motor manufacturer GM Energy Storage System PbA starter battery regenerative braking? Non-regen Conversion Purpose-Built body material Steel Body frame material Steel Frame Length L: 18 ft/ 11 in Width W: 6 ft/ 6 in Height H: 6 ft/ 0 in Weight pounds 6400 lbs Capacity pounds 1860 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Disc storage system 55 gallon drum with an external pump. engine size 5.7 liters fuel effeciency 13/20 mpg fuel tank capacity 26 gallons fuel tank type poly plastic Fuel Type E85 No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Goodyear tire model P265/75 tire type radial Range miles 250 miles Program blurb UNL has been participating in alternative fuel competitions fotr the past 10 years with the 3 year Ethanol VEhicle Challenge begin the most recent. Moonshine's Revenge was converted to dedicated E85 use by a 30 member student engineering team over the past 1.5 years as part of an engineering curriculum.
Report #21: "NJ Genesis"
While this car was on display at the Tour de Sol last year, it was not quite finished, and so did not run. (Biased Opinion Alert!) This is one I really want to see move. If you go to the website
http://www.millenniumcell.com/solutions/white_hydrogen.htmlyou will see a very high level view of the chemistry. The promise of the technology is a closed system where hydrogen is stored in a salt, sodium borohydride, at a "refinery" (for lack of a better term), placed into a vehicle, and combined with water in the vehicle thus releasing the hydrogen. The hydrogen runs a fuel cell, which generates electricity, which powers the vehicle down the road. But here is the interesting part. The "exhaust" is sodium borate disolved in water. If that solution is kept in the vehicle and pumped out the next time the car is "refueled", the solution can go back to the refinery and become new "fuel"! Closed Loop!
Can it work? Only one way to find out. Come see them try at the Tour de Sol!
Vehicle Name NJ Genesis Vehicle Number 1 Category HYDROGEN VEHICLES - FUEL CELLS Team Name Team New Jersey Organization Team New Jesey (Rutgers U.) City Piscataway State NJ www genesis.rutgers.edu No People in Project 60 Time to Build 12 months Who Built class part of school curriculum? Yes Months to Build months Vehicle Manufacturer Ford/Mercury Vehicle Model Year 1994 Vehicle Reg Car/Truck Vehicle Type Class Light Duty Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model Sable motor kW continuous 56 kW motor kW peak 78 kW motor manufacturer Solectria 3 phase motor type AC Induction Energy Storage Manufacturer Ovonic Energy Storage System NiMH Batteries series battery voltage 318 v battery blocks 24 modules battery watt hrs 27030 whrs battery weight 800 lbs battery cost $13,000 control system manufacturer Solectria AC control system type inverter 440 regenerative braking? Regen charger capacity 7.2 kW charger current 60 amps charger input voltage 208 v charger manufacturer Solectria charger on board? off board Plug Type L15-30 PV cell type Polycrystalline PV manufacturer Solarex PV watts 20 w body material Aluminum Body frame material Aluminum Frame Length L: 15 ft/ 9 in Width W: 5 ft/ 7 in Height H: 4 ft/ 7 in Weight pounds 3030 lbs Mfg GVW 4500 Capacity pounds 400 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Disc storage system Hydrogen is stored in the molecular bonds of sodium borohydride Source of H2 water/electrolysis fuel tank capacity 25 gallon fuel tank type polyurethane Fuel Type hydrogen No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Goodyear tire model P215/R15 tire type low roll resist Maximum Speed mph mph Range miles 500 miles Program blurb The Genesis vehicle will be the first vehicle ever to achieve zero emissions while offering all of the performance, range and comforts expected in a modern automobile. Building on a unique platform - a prototype all aluminium Sable donated by Ford Motor Company - Team New Jersey has assembled a power plant using state of the art hydrogen generations system that fuels two PEM fuel cells.
Report #22: Ford "TH!NK" Vehciles
Ford has announce that it will be one of the sponsors of the Tour de Sol this year. And the press release I saw implied there would be a fuel cell vehicle (a postal delivery truck?) on display. But the focus will be on their new TH!NK line of cars and bikes.
The TH!NK City is already sold in Scandanavia and is due in the US next year. (There were some advertisements on New York City television last year showing the TH!NK City as an urban vehicle.)
Vehicle Name TH!NK City Category DEMONSTRATION VEHICLES (non-competative) Team Name Ford TH!NK Mobility Organization Ford Th!nk Mobility City Carlsbad State CA Vehicle Type Division Production motor type AC Induction Plug Type Avon Program blurb Test-drive some of Ford's new vehicles at major Tour de Sol festivals. These vehicle will be sold under Ford's new brand ---TH!NK Mobility -- and let your mind redefine how you could get around in zero emission vehicles. The TH!NK City is a great urban vehicle - and its highway worthy! With this 2-seat electric vehicle you could squeese into the tightest space outside your favorite restaurant. Later cruise home and plug in to recharge - without stoppiing at the gas station. Already a hit in Scandanavia it will be for sale in the US in 2002.
Vehicle Name TH!NK Neighbor Category DEMONSTRATION VEHICLES (non-competative) Team Name Ford TH!NK Mobility Organization Ford Th!nk Mobility City Carlsbad State CA Vehicle Type Division Production Plug Type 5-15P Program blurb TH!NK Neighbor, which meets the new federal requirments for low speed vehicles, combines the benefits of economical electric transportation with a safe comfortable ride. It is ideal for resorts, closed comunities, and suburban environments.
Vehicle Name TH!NK bike fun Category DEMONSTRATION VEHICLES (non-competative) Team Name Ford TH!NK Mobility Organization Ford Th!nk Mobility City Carlsbad State CA Vehicle Type Division Production Program blurb TH!NK bike fun offers riders of all ages and interests the opportunity to bike further, faster, and easier. The bike incluides state-of-the-aft electronics for easy bicycling accross any terrain and is perfect for all active lifestyles.
Vehicle Name TH!NK bike traveler Category DEMONSTRATION VEHICLES (non-competative) Team Name Ford TH!NK Mobility Organization Ford Th!nk Mobility City Carlsbad State CA Vehicle Type Division Production Program blurb Th TH!NK bike traveler is designed so that you can take it along in your boat, plane, or trunk of your car. Effortlessly unfold the compact frame, and explore new places while enjoying the benefits of a well-designed bike combined with a state-of- the-art electric motor.
Report #23: Big Country or Tiny County, They Cooperate and Compete at the Tour de Sol
From a Press Release put out by the Federated States of Micronesia ...
Global Warming: What Will Tomorrow Bring?
The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and China To Compete in Annual `Tour de Sol' RaceWhat do both the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and the People's Republic of China have in common? Huge disparities exist between the two countries in terms of size, geography, population, industrial base, and natural resources, however, both nations share the same environmental concern about climate change and global warming. The two countries are participating in this year's annual alternative energy vehicle race, the Tour de Sol, the ``Great American Green Transportation Festival.'' They are jointly sponsored by the Coolfont Foundation of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, and, Personal Electric Transport of Honolulu, Hawaii.
Each nation hopes to raise awareness about the potential impacts of global warming on their country and plans to utilize their participation in the Race as an educational opportunity across the U.S. Northeast from May 19th until May 26th, 2001.
The Tour de Sol commences in Waterbury, CT and ends in Boston, MA. The FSM and China will both be driving battery powered vehicles, each have a separate Team for competition in their vehicle category, and will work together to field a global third team with drivers from the FSM, China and U.S.
The Team participants are drawn from student populations based in the United States. The Tour de Sol provides the ideal backdrop for the youth of both countries to promote needed changes in global transportation systems and vehicles that are zero emission designed. The Race will also demonstrate the viability of alternative energy vehicles in an effort to mitigate the catastrophic effects of global warming induced by increased greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels.
The FSM is an independent nation of 607 small islands in the north central and western Pacific (the Caroline island chain) about 2500 miles SW of Hawaii and lying just north of the equator to the west of the dateline. While the country's total land area amounts to only 270 square miles (about the size of Rhode Island), its national boundaries enclose an area of the Pacific four times the size of the State of Texas. Each of the four states, Chuuk, Yap, Pohnpei and Kosrae, centers around one or more ``high'' volcanic islands, and all but Kosrae include numerous atolls lying generally no more than six feet above sea level. Total population is roughly 127,000.
The FSM is expected to suffer some of the worst projected consequences of global warming: sea level rise severely impacting coastal infrastructure and destruction of critical habitats such as coral reefs, sea grasses, and mangroves, essential for food and economic development. The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) recently published an article in ``Our Planet Magazine'' authored by a Munich Re scientist who suggested that an island nation like the FSM could face up to 10% annual gross domestic product (GDP) losses within the next 50 years.i All economic sectors would be affected, including agriculture, fisheries, and tourism. The FSM, like most island nations, produces virtually no CO2 emissions.
China possesses the world's largest population, at approximately 1.3 billion people, with a land area of roughly 3.7 million square miles. Its economic sectors, especially agriculture, could face huge losses impacting its population and export markets. The country has recently made strides in reducing its CO2 emissions by 17% between 1997 and 1999 according to a recent Time magazine story. As the world's second largest CO2 producer at 11%, these voluntary reductions are an example of commitment, in spirit, to the Kyoto Protocol calling on developed nations to reduce their CO2 outputs to 5% below 1990 levels by 2012. China's motivation may have been less about global warming, and more about cleaner air quality and public health according to Timeii, however, the effects will be positive and have been applauded by environmentalists. China and India are both exempted from Kyoto's binding commitments, for the time being, as are other developing nations.
The United States, the world's leading CO2 producing nation contributing at least 25% to global emissions, announced recently it could not meet the 1997 target goals. The reduction of 7% below 1990 levels would cause economic disruption, according to President George W. Bush. Both the FSM and China recognize the importance of taking action now to mitigate worst case scenarios projected by the world's leading climate scientists within the next fifty years. ``[S]mall island states and low-lying coastal areas are particularly vulnerable to increases in sea level and storms, and most of them have limited capabilities for adaptation...Adverse changes in seasonal river flows, floods and droughts, food security, fisheries, health effects, and loss of biodiversity are among the major regional vulnerabilities and concerns of Africa, Latin America and Asia where adaptation opportunities are generally low.''
For the FSM, the worst case scenario could include submersion of low-lying atolls or extreme flooding, coastal areas erosion impacting all infrastructure and development activities, and all vital ecosystems threatened.
The nation includes both higher islands to the east and lower-lying islands or atolls to the west, so impacts will vary depending on elevation. The recent IPCC Report considers the FSM in the highest vulnerability index as ``9 of the 10 most vulnerable countries are small islands.''v The country is classified in the ``severe impacts'' category meaning the FSM can expect ``major population displacement'' in a worst case scenario. vi The FSM is economically dependent on its fisheries, tourism and agriculture sectors -- all of which will be affected by sea level and ocean temperature rise. ``The most significant climate-related projection for small islands is sea-level rise.'' The rate is projected to be 2 -- 4 times higher than experienced during the last 100 years.
Ocean temperature rise associated with global warming will impact threatened ecosystems like coral reefs, sea grasses and mangroves. There is debate as to whether coral reefs and mangroves will be able to keep apace of sea level rise.viii Combining sea level rise with associated projected global warming impacts such as rising ocean temperatures, fluctuations in rainfall and freshwater supplies, and increases in severity and frequency in ocean storms mean that vital ecosystems could be irreversibly damaged. Likewise, coastal fisheries or mariculture projects such as giant clam farms could become much less productive as nursery or spawning areas.
Sea level rise will affect coastal infrastructure: roads, airports, harbors and marinas, and associated buildings. Most all infrastructure development in the FSM is along the coastline, and people tend to live near the coast. ``...because island populations tend to congregate in the few urban centers where most of the infrastructure and services are located, damage to important infrastructure (e.g., coastal roads, bridges, seawalls) would be disruptive to several types of economic, social, and cultural activities...social and economic dislocation would be especially severe among communities with high population densities -- such as...Federated States of Micronesia (950persons/km2).''ix Further, the IPCC Report notes ``...that the overall costs of infrastructure protection will be beyond the financial means of many island nations. Vulnerability studies conducted for selected small islands suggest that the costs of coastal protections (``hard'' options) would be a significant proportion of GNP (see IPCC 1996, WG II, Table 9-3).''
As is the case of many nations, the FSM could experience a rise in infectious diseases ``such as cholera, salmonella, and other food -- and water-related infections'' due to water temperature changes and bacteria or micro-organism growth.xi For the FSM, other tropical diseases like dengue fever, malaria, even if the growth were marginal, ``would place great stress on the public health systems of many small islands, where these facilities are often well developed.''
With current science and technology evolving and developing more sophisticated and advanced global climate models the question is not whether the FSM will experience drastic social, economic, and environmental change -- the question is, how soon? And, what will tomorrow bring for the peoples of these nations? The effects of global warming will impact all nations of the world, with UNEP estimating that worldwide climate change effects could cost over US$300 Billion annually.xiii Even if CO2 emissions are stabilized beginning today, over the next few hundred years the concentration will continue to rise, as will temperatures according to Robert Watson, chief scientist at the World Bank, chair of the IPCC and lead author of their recent reports.
As Michael Limonick concludes in Time ``there's not much chance of halting global warming...[but] we can slow things down. If action taken today can keep the climate from eventually reaching an unstable tipping point or can finally begin to reverse the warming trend a century from now, the effort would hardly be futile. Humanity embarked unknowingly on the dangerous experiment of tinkering with the climate of our planet. Now that we know what we're doing, it would be utterly foolish to continue.''
Through events such as the Tour de Sol, and the earnest efforts of competing teams to demonstrate the viability of alternative energy vehicles and transportation systems, it is hoped that United States citizens will urge President Bush to rethink his decision to back away from the Kyoto Protocol. Ambassador Neroni Slade (Samoa), chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), in response to the recent U.S. decision, calls on all parties to the Climate Change Convention ``and the United States in particular, to demonstrate leadership and commitment to ratifying the Kyoto Protocol and to act in accordance with their legal and moral responsibility to present and future generations.'' That act alone is the least that future generations could expect of the United States, as the world's most powerful and polluting nation.
Notes on Sponsors:
Coolfont Foundation: is a cultural and environmental non-profit at the Coolfont Resort and Conference Center, Berkeley Springs, WVA. They hope to encourage America to take a new look at the way pollution occurs and research is funded throughout the world. Coolfant will hold a series of conferences about electric vehicles and global warming, and will act as a showcase for emergent and existing electric vehicles, manufactured in the U.S. for export to developing nations struggling with air pollution and costs associated with gasoline engines. Randall Ashelman, Coolfont President, says ``These electric vehicles not only offer a solution to an impending environmental crisis, but are sleek, peppy and preferable in many ways to their dirty, noisy 2 cycle gasoline-burning cousins.'' (contact: Mara Ashelman, 304.258.4500).
Personal Electric Transport (PET): is the Hawaii based U.S. company that manufactures the electric vehicles in upstate NY. Team FSM and Team China will be riding electric motor scooters made by PET. In the 1999 Tour de Sol, a PET vehicle won in its class. This year, a quick-change battery system vehicle will be used, which is central to the viability of electric vehicles on the global market. These vehicles are in a special class for the race. Tony Locricchio, PET CEO, believes that these scooters can replace the highly polluting (8 -- 10 times greater than cars when new, 20 -- 30 times greater when not maintained) 2 stroke gasoline motor scooter which is one of the major forms of transportation around the world. For countries like China that are transitioning between bicycles to scooters and automobiles, and the FSM which has limited space for major roadways, these new electric scooters could revolutionize their transportation systems. (contact: Tony Locricchio, 808.261.7733 or 808.261.8372)
Tour de Sol: this is the 13th year for the Race sponsored by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA). NESEA is the nation's leading regional association involved in promoting awareness, understanding and development of non-polluting, renewable energy technologies. Headquartered in Greenfield, MA, NESEA has worked successfully for more than a quarter century in the fields of transportation, building construction, and renewable energy. There are several categories of sponsorship for this years race, the title sponsor being the U.S. Department of Energy, other sponsors include: the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, NY Power Authority, NY State Department of Environmental Conservation, NY State Energy Research Authority, Connecticut Department of Transportation, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, ENSCO Inc., Texaco, American Honda Motor Company, Daimler Chrysler, and Ford Motor Company among many others. (contact: Jack Groh, 401.723.1551, or, Nancy Hazard, 413.774.6051)
Report #24: Entrants from PET
There are three different scooters entered in the Tour de Sol from a company called PET, which stands for Personal Electric Transports. They entered the "Caballito" (Spanish for "little horse") in the 1999 Tour.
This year, three different teams will drive their offerings. One team will be from China, another from the Federated States of Micronesia, and the third combining people from both countries. See Report #23 for the story.
Vehicle Name Caballito Motor Scooter Vehicle Number 6 Category ONE-PERSON VEHICLES Team Name Team China I Organization PET & Embassy of the People's Republic of China City Kailua State HI Vehicle Manufacturer Purpose-built Vehicle Type Division Production Vehicle Type Model motorscooter motor manufacturer Suntera motor type Brushless DC Energy Storage Manufacturer PET-Suntera Energy Storage System PbA battery voltage 12 v battery blocks 3 modules charger input voltage 12 v charger on board? Off board Plug Type 5-20P Conversion Purpose-Built body material Composite Body frame material Urethane Frame Urethane Body Length L: 5 ft/ 6 in Width W: 1 ft/ 0 in Height H: 3 ft/ 4 in Weight pounds 305 lbs Mfg GVW lbs Capacity pounds 1000 lbs brake front type Front Drum brake rear type Rear Disc No of Passengers 1 number of tires 2 Maximum Speed mph mph Range miles 40 miles
Vehicle Name Climate Cooler Vehicle Number 30 Category ONE-PERSON VEHICLES Team Name PET Micronesia Organization Federated States of Micronesia City Washington State DC Vehicle Manufacturer Purpose-built Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model motorscooter motor manufacturer Advanced DC Energy Storage Manufacturer Quick-change Energy Storage System PbA control system manufacturer Curtis charger on board? Off board body material Urethane body frame material Urethane Frame Length L: 5 ft/ 5 in Width W: 1 ft/ 0 in Height H: 3 ft/ 4 in Weight pounds 305 lbs Mfg GVW lbs brake front type Front Drum brake rear type Rear Disc No of Passengers 1 number of tires 2 Maximum Speed mph mph Range miles 60 miles
Vehicle Name PET Sunray Transporter Vehicle Number 51 Category DEMONSTRATION VEHICLES (non-competative) Team Name PET World Team Organization PET City Kailua State HI Vehicle Manufacturer Purpose-built Vehicle Type Class Light Duty Vehicle Type Division Production motor type Series Wound Energy Storage Manufacturer Quick-charge Energy Storage System PbA charger input voltage 120 v charger type High freq/ss Plug Type 5-30P PV watts none Conversion Purpose-Built body material Composite Body frame material Aluminum Frame Length L: 9 ft/ 3 in Width W: 5 ft/ 7 in Height H: 5 ft/ 9 in Capacity pounds 200 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Disc No of Passengers 2 number of tires 2 tire manufacturer Pirelli tire model P4 225/R14, P3 135/R15 tire type Radial Maximum Speed mph mph Range miles 10-15 miles
Report #25: "Parade"
Another of the international entrants in this year's Tour de Sol is from ATT R&D Company in Seoul Korea. Their pre-production prototype is described as a "4-seat station wagon".
Vehicle Name Parade Category DEMONSTRATION VEHICLES (non-competative) Team Name ATT R&D Organization ATT R&D Co. Ltd City Seoul, Korea www www.attrd.com Vehicle Type Division Production motor kW continuous 15 kW motor kW peak 30 kW motor manufacturer Siemans motor type AC Induction battery voltage 228 v battery blocks 24 modules battery watt hrs 1080 whrs battery weight 942 lbs control system manufacturer Siemens control system type IGTB regenerative braking? non-regen charger capacity 3 kW charger current 20 a charger input voltage 220 vac charger manufacturer Zivan PV watts none Length L: 11 ft/ 8 in Width W: 5 ft/ 5 in Height H: 5 ft/ 3 in Weight pounds 2425.5 lbs Capacity pounds 920 lbs brake front type disc brake rear type Rear disc number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Hankook tire model P175/65 R14 tire type radial Program blurb Advanced Transportation Technologies R&D Co. (ATT R&D) is proudly presenting three all- electric pre-produciton prototypes. The goal of ATT R&D is to offer price competative EVs at low volume production. All vehicles use creative design and features to deliver superior performance and user-friendliness. Quality parts are chosen for their energy efficiency. The vehicles incorporate extensive use of aluminum and aerospace technology body panels to keep weight low and to increase recyclability. The Parade is a 4-seat station wagon. The Invita and Always are neighborhood vehicles that meet the new U.S. requirements for low speed vehicles.
Report #26: "Paradyne/Proxima"
It is not uncommon to see the entrants from schools improve year after year. The University of Tulsa's Paradyne has been showing increased capablitity since it first showed up in 1998. For 2001 a computer will manage this Reformulated Gasoline (RFG) parallel hybrid-electric's power systems.
Vehicle Name Paradyne/Proxima Vehicle Number 17 Category HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES (HEV) Team Name University of Tulsa Organization The University of Tulsa City Tulsa State OK www www.hev.utulsa.edu No People in Project 24 Time to Build 2 years Who Built class part of school curriculum? Yes Vehicle Manufacturer GM Geo Vehicle Model Year 1992 Vehicle Type Class Light Duty Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model Metro motor kW continuous 12 kW motor kW peak 30 kW motor manufacturer Solectria motor type AC Induction Energy Storage Manufacturer Concorde Energy Storage System PbA Batteries series battery voltage 144 battery blocks 12 battery watt hrs 6000 battery weight 480 lbs battery cost 1000 control system manufacturer Custom control system type U of Tulsa regenerative braking? Regen charger capacity 2.5 kW charger current 19 amps charger input voltage 230 v charger manufacturer Zivan charger on board? on board charger type High freq/ss PV cell type Amorphous PV watts 25 w Conversion Conversion body material Steel Body frame material Steel Frame Length L: 12 ft/ 2 in Width W: 5 ft/ 1 in Height H: 4 ft/ 5 in Weight pounds 2300 lbs Capacity pounds 1000 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear drum Hybrid Architecture parallel engine size 1 liter fuel effeciency 35-50 mpg fuel tank capacity 10.5 gal fuel tank type steel Fuel Type RFG No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Goodyear tire model P185/65/R14 tire type radial Range miles 500 miles Program blurb The University of Tulsa's ``Paradyne'' is a converted Geo Metro parallell hybrid vehicle. Winner of the 1999 Tour de Sol, and runner up in 1998 and 2000, the Paradyne is 40% more efficient than a stock Metro, with imporved acceleration. New for 2001 is a fully computerized control system.
Report #27: "Raptor"
The team from Hopkinton High School (Contoocook New Hampshire) is new this year with an entrant of their own, but they have been helping out the teams from New Hampshire Technical Institute in the past.
Vehicle Name Raptor Vehicle Number 9 Category BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES (BEV) Team Name Hopkinton HS EVC Organization Hopkinton High School, EVC City Contoocook State NH No People in Project 15 Time to Build 6 months Who Built class part of school curriculum? Yes Vehicle Manufacturer SCC Vehicle Model Year 1992 Vehicle Reg Car/Truck Vehicle Type Division Prototype motor kW continuous 29.84 kW motor manufacturer Advanced DC motor type Brushless DC Energy Storage Manufacturer Trojan Energy Storage System PbA Batteries combination parallel/series battery voltage 120 v battery blocks 15 modules battery watt hrs 310 whrs battery weight 900 lbs battery cost $70 control system manufacturer Curtis control system type 1221 B regenerative braking? Non-regen charger input voltage 110 v charger manufacturer SCC charger on board? on board charger type Trans/rectif PV cell type Monocryst. PV watts 98 w body material Steel Body frame material Steel Frame Length L: 14 ft/ 1 in Width W: 5 ft/ 3 in Height H: 5 ft/ 0 in Mfg GVW 3500 lbs Capacity pounds 1110 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Drum engine size liters No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Kelly Springfield tire model P205/65/R15 tire type radial Program blurb The Hopkinton HS Electric Vehicle Club began in the Spring of 2000 with a donation of a 1989 Chevy S-10 Pickup truck from the New Hampshire Technical Institute. Currently, we are working on getting the vehicle ready for the 2001 Tour de Sol. Over the past several years, we have participated with NHTI's team on the Tour.
Report #28: "ReCharger"
The ReCharger ReTurns! With the Tour de Sol in 1997, 1998 and 1999, this pickup truck conversion very much impressed me as one of the neater and more imaginative conversions. Come see what I mean at the Tour.
Vehicle Name ReCharger Vehicle Number 166 Category BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES (BEV) Team Name University of New Haven Organization University of New Haven Mechanical City West Haven State CT www www.seas.newhaven.edu/asme/asme.html No People in Project 4 Who Built student/faculty/volunteers part of school curriculum? No Vehicle Manufacturer Ford Vehicle Model Year 1984 Vehicle Reg Car/Truck Vehicle Type Division Prototype motor kW continuous 21 kW motor kW peak ? kW motor manufacturer Advanced DC motor type Series Wound Energy Storage Manufacturer Reactor Energy Storage System PbA Batteries combination parallel/series battery blocks 156 modules battery watt hrs 10920 whrs control system manufacturer DC Power Systems control system type PWM regenerative braking? Regen charger capacity 3.5 kW charger current 20/18 amps charger input voltage 110/220 v charger manufacturer Bycan charger type Ferro-reson Plug Type 6-30P PV cell type Silicone PV manufacturer ASE America, Inc/ PV watts 60 w body material Steel Body frame material Steel Frame Length L: 14 ft/ 7 in Width W: 5 ft/ 5 in Height H: 5 ft/ 2 in Weight pounds 3200 lbs Mfg GVW 5300 lbs Capacity pounds 1500 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Disc No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Goodyear tire model P205/175/R14 tire type radial/low roll resist Range miles 100 miles Program blurb Unlike many other electric vehicles, our 1984 Ford Ranger is a true utility vehicle. While performance has been improved beyond that of the original gasoline engine model, neither safety nor load carrying capacity have been compromised. This truck will cruise with highway traffic, or handle like a sportscar on country roads.
Report #29: "SEVRX"
Some newcomers to the Tour de Sol are not newcomers to the idea of electrically powered vehicles. The Solar Knights team has built 5 solar-powered vehicles for the annual SunRayce across the middle of America. The bring their vehicle and experience to the northeast this year.
Vehicle Name SEVRX Vehicle Number 75 Category SOLAR ELECTRIC VEHICLES Team Name Solar Knights Organization Clarkson University City Potsdam State NY www www.clarkson.edu/~solarcar No People in Project 20 Time to Build 8 months Who Built club part of school curriculum? No Vehicle Manufacturer Honda Vehicle Model Year 1984 Vehicle Type Division Prototype motor kW continuous 13 kW motor kW peak 37 kW motor manufacturer Solectria motor type AC Induction Energy Storage Manufacturer NRG Energy Storage System Li Ion Batteries combination parallel/series battery voltage 147 v battery blocks 1764 battery watt hrs 11200 whrs battery weight 150 lbs battery cost $33,100 control system manufacturer Solectria control system type UMOC 425TF regenerative braking? regen charger capacity 2.8 kW charger current 19 amps charger input voltage 208 v charger manufacturer Zivan charger on board? On board charger type High freq/ss Plug Type 6-30P PV cell type Monocrystal. PV manufacturer Clarkson PV watts 350 W Conversion Conversion body material Steel/fiberglass Body frame material Steel Frame Length L: 12 ft/ 3 in Width W: 5 ft/ 4 in Height H: 4 ft/ 3 in Weight pounds 1750 Mfg GVW 1750 Capacity pounds 400 brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Drum No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Goodyear tire model p155/80/R13 tire type radial Range miles 75 miles Program blurb While new to the Tour, the Clarkson Solar Knights are no strangers to solar racing. With five cars to their credit during 12 years of participating in the GM SunRayce, the Solar Knights will draw on this wealth of experience while developing their newest vehicle, SEVRX.
Report #30: "Solar Bolt"
The complaint is sometimes heard that the teams which can raise the most money or come from the best technical colleges are the ones that do the best at events like the Tour de Sol. And there is no question that there is some correlation.
But the exception proves that the rule is not The Rule! The high school team from Bolton Connecticut, which I first saw in 1994, proved that they could build an electric car that ran on "ordinary" lead acid batteries capable of delivering 142 miles on a single charge! Careful attention to detail is the key. For example, use farings to make the body slippery in the air. And tune the disk brake cylinders so the pads completely lift of the rotors. By eliminating all the drag they could, they created the gold standard, and then improved on it year after year.
Come to the Tour and see the "kids" who are helping to create the future!
Vehicle Name Solar Bolt Vehicle Number 61 Category BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES (BEV) Team Name Solar Bolt Team Organization Bolton High School City Bolton State CT Time to Build 1 year Who Built class part of school curriculum? No Months to Build months Vehicle Manufacturer Fiat Vehicle Model Year 1974 Vehicle Reg Car/Truck Vehicle Type Class Light Duty Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model x-19 motor kW continuous 20 kW motor kW peak 30 kW motor manufacturer Advanced DC motor type Brushless DC Energy Storage Manufacturer US Battery Energy Storage System PbA Batteries series battery voltage 120v battery blocks 3 modules battery watt hrs 22000 Whrs battery weight 1450 lbs battery cost $1800 control system manufacturer Curtis control system type 1231c-8601 regenerative braking? Non-regen charger capacity 6 kW charger current 25 amps charger input voltage 208/240 v charger manufacturer Solar Car Corp charger on board? off board charger type Ferro-reson Plug Type 6-30P PV cell type Amorphous PV manufacturer Uni-solar PV watts 11 w Conversion Conversion body material Steel Body frame material Steel Frame Length L: 12 ft/ 0 in Width W: 5 ft/ 4 in Height H: 3 ft/ 9 in Weight pounds 2892 lbs Capacity pounds 400 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Disc No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Bridgestone tire model P145/80/R13 tire type radial Range miles 165 miles Program blurb A core group of about 25 students and teachers worked throughout the year to improve the Solar Bolt, which was started in 1992. Support from various departments and from the local community has been essential to the success of this ongoing project. Over the years, the Bolton High School team has set and bested its own range records several times! It presently holds the range record for lead acid battery vehicles at 165 miles on a single charge.
Report #31: "Solar Market Insight"
We get entries from schools, and companies, and governmental agencies at the Tour de Sol, but some of the cars come from just-plain-folks who want to make a difference.
Naoto Inoue will return to the Tour with his personal Honda Insight to spread the idea that hybrid-electrics are an important part of our future.
Vehicle Name Solar Market Insight Vehicle Number 41 Category HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES (HEV) Team Name Naoto Inoue Organization Talmage Solar Engineering City Arundel State ME Months to Build months Vehicle Manufacturer Honda Vehicle Model Year 2000 Vehicle Type Division Production Vehicle Type Model Insight motor kW peak 10 kW motor manufacturer Honda motor type AC Induction Energy Storage Manufacturer Panasonic Energy Storage System NiMH Batteries series battery voltage 144 v battery blocks 120 modules battery watt hrs 900 whrs battery weight 45 lbs control system manufacturer Honda control system type AC regenerative braking? Regen body material Aluminum Body frame material Plastic Frame Length L: 12 ft/ 11 in Width W: 4 ft/ 5 in Height H: 5 ft/ 7 in Weight pounds 1878 lbs Mfg GVW lbs Capacity pounds 165 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Drum engine size 1 liters fuel efficiency 60 mpg Fuel Type gasoline No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Bridgestone tire model P165/65/R14 Range miles 600 miles Program blurb Naoto Inoue is a proud owner of a Honda Insight, and a partner with Talmage Solar Engineering, Inc. Naoto got involved in renewable energy in 1976, and built his own electric vehicle in 1991. He ordered his Insight as soon as he heard of its planned debut to support Honda's effort to build clean cars. Last year he placed 2nd after Ed Dempsey's Insight.
Report #32: "Solectria CitiVan Plus"
When you hear about electric vehicles, you usually hear about the "little cars". Well this ain't little. The CitiVan is an pure-electric delivery vehicle, and the CitiVan Plus extends the range by being an hybrid. It isn't what you could call "cute", or even "pretty", but when you consider how much it cuts down on pollution, you might just think it's beautiful.
Vehicle Name Solectria CitiVan Plus Category DEMONSTRATION VEHICLES (non-competitive) Team Name MassPort Organization Massachusetts Port Authority City East Boston State MA Vehicle Type Class Heavy Duty Vehicle Type Division Production Plug Type 6-30P Range miles 50 miles Program blurb Massachusetts Port Authority is showcasing Solectria Corporation's CitiVan Plus. This gas- electric hybrid delivery van is one of 32 electric vehicles plus 38 compressed natural gas vehicles operated by MassPort at Logan Air Port. Their use eliminates the production of tons of NOx, CO, and PM emissions each year. This vehicle, as well as all-electric shuttle buses, baggage and people movers, and airplane tugs, are playing an increasingly important role in reducing ground level pollution around Logan air port, and other air ports nationwide.
Report #33: "Solectria Super Force"
Team New England is one of the perpetual entrants. They always seem to have some kind of vehicle or another in the Tour de Sol. Last year this car plus battery trailer was used as a demonstration of the Power-Cheqs battery equalizers. I understand that at least one other car ("The Olympian") will be using these to keep the battery pack in perfect balance.
(Opinion Alert!) I have long been a believer in actively charge balancing a series string of battery blocks. I will be watching these cars very closely.
Vehicle Name Solectria Super Force Vehicle Number 11 Category BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES (BEV) Team Name Team New England Organization Team New England City Chelsea State MA No People in Project 4 Time to Build 400 hrs. Who Built club part of school curriculum? No Months to Build months Vehicle Manufacturer Geo Vehicle Model Year 1993 Vehicle Type Class Light Duty Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model Metro motor kW peak 35 kW motor manufacturer Solectria motor type AC Induction Energy Storage Manufacturer Delphi Energy Storage System PbA battery voltage 152 v battery watt hrs 27600 wh battery weight 1604 lbs control system manufacturer Solectria regenerative braking? Regen charger capacity 1 kW charger current 10 amps charger input voltage 110 v charger manufacturer Solectria charger on board? off board charger type High freq/solid state Plug Type 5-20P PV cell type Monocryst. PV manufacturer Astropower PV watts 100w Conversion Conversion body material Fiberglass Body frame material Aluminum Frame Length L: 16 ft ft/ 6 in Width W: 5 ft/ 4 in Height H: 4 ft/ 8 in Weight pounds 3300 lbs Mfg GVW 2500 lbs Capacity pounds 300 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Drum No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Goodyear tire model P155/80/RI3 tire type low roll resist Maximum Speed mph mph Range miles 190 miles Program blurb Team New England is returning for the third time with their Solectria Super Force. This vehicle, originally built by Solectria Corporation, has been significantly modified, and a trailer, which holds additional batteries, has been added to increase the driving range of the vehicle.
Report #34: "Sunergy II"
The Ethel Walker School built a solar car for the 1993 American Tour de Sol, and has provided drivers for corporate and government entries in 1995 and 1999. As near as I can tell, all their entries have been name "Sunergy". Is that in honor of the original solar car? I'll have to ask.
Vehicle Name Sunergy II Vehicle Number 10 Category BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES (BEV) Team Name Ethel Walker School Organization Ethel Walker School City Simsbury State CT No People in Project 15 Who Built Solectria Corp. part of school curriculum? No Vehicle Manufacturer Solectria Vehicle Reg Car/Truck Vehicle Type Division Production Vehicle Type Model Force motor kW continuous 42 kW motor manufacturer Solectria motor type AC Induction Energy Storage Manufacturer Ovonics Energy Storage System NiMH Batteries series battery voltage 184 v battery blocks 14 modules battery watt hrs 78,000 whrs battery weight 560 lbs battery cost $36,000 control system manufacturer Solectria regenerative braking? Regen charger capacity 185 kW charger current 20 amps charger input voltage 220 v charger manufacturer Solectria charger on board? on board Plug Type 6-20P Conversion Purpose-Built body material Steel Body frame material Steel Frame Length L: 16 ft/ 6 in Width W: 5 ft/ 4 in Height H: 4 ft/ 8 in Weight pounds 2755 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Disc No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Goodyear tire model P155/80/R13 tire type radial Range miles 140 miles Program blurb Ethel Walker students enter the Tour de Sol for the third time this year. We function as the race crew for a 1996 Solectrai Force, using new Ovonics nickle metal hydride batteries. This all female team has witnessed tremendous changes in technology since its first Tour in 1992.
Report #35: "Sunpacer"
The Sunpacer has been an entrant each year I've written these Reports. It's wedge shape presents a large solar panel down the back, and a wrap-around windshield for the driver. It has frequently collected trophies in the past. And this year?
Vehicle Name Sunpacer Vehicle Number 92 Category ONE-PERSON VEHICLES Team Name Cato-Meridian H.S. Tech. Team Organization Cato-Meridian High School Technology Club City Cato State NY No People in Project 6 Time to Build 2000 hours Who Built class part of school curriculum? Yes Vehicle Manufacturer Purpose-built Vehicle Reg Motor Cycle Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model motorcycle motor kW continuous 6 kW motor kW peak 8.5 kW motor manufacturer Advanced DC motor type Series Wound Energy Storage Manufacturer Deka Energy Storage System PbA Batteries series battery voltage 36 v battery blocks 6 modules battery watt hrs 5000 whrs battery weight 450 lbs battery cost $1000 control system manufacturer Seveon regenerative braking? Non-regen charger capacity .9 kw charger current 25 amps charger input voltage 36 v charger manufacturer Zivan charger on board? off board charger type Transformerless Plug Type 5-30P PV cell type Monocryst. PV manufacturer Hoxan PV watts 250 w Conversion Purpose-Built body material Aluminum Body frame material Steel Frame Length L: 15 ft/ 6 in Width W: 4 ft/ 10 in Height H: 3 ft/ 6 in Weight pounds 1050 lbs Capacity pounds 250 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Disc No of Passengers 1 number of tires 4 Range miles 75 miles Program blurb This is Sunpacer's 9th straight year in competition in the Tour de Sol race. During this time Sunpacer had won its class several times and has been honored with many efficiency awards. This year's team consists of crew chief Arron Folb, Driver Ashley Davenport, Chief Navigator Tim Soin, backup navigator Amber Ross and technology teacher Earl Billings.
Report #36: "The Hare"
The Wattsmen team from Falmouth Maine High School return. Their "Electric Hare" conversion of a Volkswagen Rabbit was entered in 1995, 1996, and 1997. I take it this is the same vehicle, but the name change is to make room for "The Tortoise", a trailer with additional batteries.
Will it be a grudge match between "The Super Force" and "The Hare"? Stay tuned ...
Vehicle Name The Hare Vehicle Number 29 Category HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES (HEV) Team Name The Wattsmen Organization Falmouth High School City Falmouth State ME No People in Project 15 Time to Build 3 months (trailer 2 months) Who Built club part of school curriculum? No Vehicle Manufacturer Volkswagen Vehicle Model Year 1983 Vehicle Type Class Light Duty Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model Rabbit motor kW continuous 15 kW motor kW peak 30 kW motor manufacturer Advanced DC motor type Series Wound Energy Storage Manufacturer Trojan Energy Storage System PbA Batteries series battery voltage 96 v battery blocks 16 modules battery weight 1200 lbs control system manufacturer Curtis control system type Model 1231c regenerative braking? Non-regen charger current 30 amps charger input voltage 220 v charger manufacturer Lester charger on board? off board charger type Transformerless Plug Type 6-30P Conversion Conversion body material Steel Body frame material Steel Frame Length L: 14 ft/ 2 in Width W: 5 ft/ 2 in Height H: 4 ft/ 4 in Weight pounds 3000 lbs Mfg GVW 3000 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Drum engine size 617 cc fuel tank type LPG Fuel Type LPG No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Goodyear tire type Invicta Program blurb The Falmouth High School engineering Team, The Wattsmen, are excited to return to the Tour de Sol after a four year absence. To prepare for or return, we've spent the winter prepping out the 1983 Volkswagen Rabbit, the Hare, and are in the process of building a generating trailer, the Tortoise.
Report #37: "The Olympian"
Back for their forth straight Tour de Sol is this high school team from Cinnaminson New Jersey. In the past, they have run with two strings of batteries, often from different manufacturers. That doesn't seem to be the case this year. I also understand that they will be using the Power-Cheqs charge-balancing devices, same as "The Super Force".
Vehicle Name The Olympian Vehicle Number 16 Category BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES (BEV) Team Name The Pirates Organization Cinnaminson High School City Cinnaminson State NJ Vehicle Manufacturer Ford Vehicle Model Year 1987 Vehicle Reg Car/Truck Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model Escort motor kW continuous 21 kW motor kW peak 36 kW motor manufacturer Advanced DC motor type Series Wound Energy Storage Manufacturer GNB Energy Storage System PbA Batteries combination parallel/series battery voltage 144v battery blocks 144 modules battery watt hrs 22000 whrs battery weight 1368 lbs battery cost $4000 control system manufacturer Curtis PMC control system type 1231c-8601 regenerative braking? Non-regen charger capacity 4.8 kW charger current 30 amps charger input voltage 230 v charger manufacturer Zivan charger on board? on board charger type High freq/solid state PV cell type Amorphous PV manufacturer EPV Energy Photo vol / PV watts 8-10 w Conversion Conversion body material Steel Body frame material Steel Frame Length L: 13 ft/ 10 in Width W: 5 ft/ 4 in Height H: 5 ft/ 4 in Weight pounds 3200 lbs Mfg GVW 3140 lbs Capacity pounds 350 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Drum No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Goodyear tire model P155.80/R13 tire type low roll resist Range miles 100 miles Program blurb The 1987 Ford Escort, front wheel drive with 4 speed manual transmision, was converted in 1996 to a clutchless electric vehicle under the supervision of Robert Deats. Oliver Perry and his students provided parts and technical support. The vehicle has had 3 major battery changes in the past 5 years. Our largest sponsor has been Eugene Lemieux of the Eastern Electric Vehicle club of Valley Forge, PA. The Olympian is very reliable and a strong performer with a second and two 4th place finishes in the past three Tours.
Report #38: "Toyota Prius"
Another grudge match in the making? For the first time, the Tour de Sol will have a Toyota Prius and a Honda Insight in competition. Both are entered by individuals.
I hope I can do a joint interview with Robert Stratton, who will drive his Prius from Oklahoma, and Naoto Inoue, who will drive his Insight from Maine. "Can you compare and contrast ...?"
Vehicle Name Toyota Prius Vehicle Number 70 Category HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES (HEV) Team Name S&S Auto Sport Organization S&S Autosport City Tulsa State OK Vehicle Manufacturer Toyota Vehicle Model Year 2001 Vehicle Reg car/truck Vehicle Type Class Light Duty Vehicle Type Division Production Vehicle Type Model Prius Hybrid 4 door Sedan motor kW continuous 33 kW motor kW peak 33 kW motor manufacturer Toyota motor type Brushless DC Energy Storage Manufacturer Panasonic Energy Storage System NiMH Batteries series battery voltage 274 v battery watt hrs 950 whrs control system manufacturer Toyota control system type hybrid system regenerative braking? Regen body material Steel Body frame material Steel Frame Length L: 14 ft/ 1 in Width W: 5 ft/ 7 in Height H: 5 ft/ 8 in Weight pounds 2765 lbs Mfg GVW lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Drum engine size 1.5 liters fuel efficiency 52 mpg fuel tank capacity 11.9 gal fuel tank type stock Fuel Type gasoline No of Passengers 2 number of tires 4 tire manufacturer Bridgestone tire model Protenza tire type low roll resist Range miles 500 miles Program blurb Robert Stratton, emeritus professor of electrical engineering at University of Tulsa, will participate in the Tour de Sol in his own car, for the first time. He has participated in the past as advisor to University of Tulsa student team, and excited about participating in his new gas-electric hybrid 4-seater sedan, the Toyota Prius. The Prius has been certified as a Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV).
Report #39: "Zodiac"
The Irondequoit Tech Team, from Rochester NY converted a Kawasaki motorcycle to electric power as a high school club project. The specs say "3 tires". Is it a tricycle? We will see!
Personally, I've always enjoyed the motorcycle and scooter entries. There is something oh so sweet about seeing one drive by making just the quietest whisper.
Vehicle Name Zodiac Vehicle Number 7 Category ONE-PERSON VEHICLES Team Name Irondequoit Tech Team Organization West Irondequoit Tech Team City Rochester State NY www IHSteam.com No People in Project 25 Time to Build 2 years Who Built class part of school curriculum? Yes Vehicle Manufacturer Kawasaki Vehicle Model Year 1972 Vehicle Reg Motor Cycle Vehicle Type Class One Person Vehicle Type Division Prototype Vehicle Type Model motorcycle motor kW continuous 5.2 kW motor kW peak 5.2 kW motor manufacturer Advance DC motor type Brushless DC Energy Storage Manufacturer Trojan Energy Storage System PbA Batteries series battery voltage 48 v battery blocks 8 modules battery watt hrs 1752 whrs battery weight 512 lbs battery cost $560 control system manufacturer Curtis PMC control system type model # 12098-6402 charger capacity 2800 kW charger current 30 amps charger input voltage 208 v charger manufacturer NG3 charger on board? off board Plug Type 6-30P frame material Steel Frame Length L: 11 ft/ 0 in Width W: 4 ft/ 6 in Height H: 4 ft/ 7 in Weight pounds 1100 lbs Mfg GVW 256 lbs brake front type Front Disc brake rear type Rear Drum No of Passengers 1 number of tires 3 tire manufacturer Durotour Range miles 80 miles Program blurb West Irondequoit HS team consists of 17 students and 5 adult team leaders. Our goal is to provide a safe after-school club that focuses on problem solving and real world engineering. This is the first year the team has competed in the Tour.
Report #40: So That Is The List of Entrants
There you have it folks. The list of entrants and the specifications as found in the NESEA database.
A correction: "The Parade", from ATT R&D in Korea does not have just 3 wheels, and does not carry 5 passengers. It has 4 wheels, and carries 4 people, as can be clearly seen on the website:
http://www.attrd.com/html/paradetotal.htmAs the Tour de Sol progresses, I will attempt to interview all the teams, and provide timely information about what is happening.
Fair warning, though. I also serve as the announcer for many portions of the Tour itself, and experience has shown that I am less able to do the whole job justice. The 1999 and 2000 Reports are incomplete. This then is an overt request to someone out there who also hears the call, and feels drawn to learn much, much more about the people and organizations who enter vehicles, the reasons behind their choices, the challenges they face and the thrills of success. A career in volunteer journalism may await you.
Come to the Tour de Sol. Enjoy the festivities! Make some friends! Take in the exhibits! See the future of transportation.
Report #41: Connecticut Ride Share, Solectria Force
Jim Sime ("s-eye-m") is here with the Solectria Force that used to compete in the Tour, but this year is just on display. It is running on a nickel cadmium (NiCd) pack that was installed.
"It has been an extremely uneventful couple of years. We are looking at the longevity of the Force design and the NiCd battery. It is used in daily service. The fuel-fired heater that E-Vermont installed for us, which burns about a gallon of K-1 kerosene each winter, has been very effective. In the winter the car does an easy 70 miles, and 80 to 85 miles in the summer." They tend to run the battery as deeply as practical. "Our objective is to run the car, 7 days a week and roll up the miles. We would like to then come back to the Tour de Sol to make a statement. We would have a car with maybe 80,000 miles still running well. It would show that the design is solid."
They are thinking of upgrading their two other lead-acid Forces to match this car, and then take a step further by adding a supercapacitor. They expect that the supercapacitor will absorb the high current in-rush of regenerative braking more efficiently than the battery pack alone and that will increase their mileage in stop-and-go traffic. "E-Vermont put a supercapacitor on their lead- acid Force and they are getting 30 percent more range."
Report #42: Greaseltron
Jared Harvey is from Vermont Technical College, Randolph Vermont. "Greasel our name for biodiesel. We are taking old French-fries grease and turning into biodiesel fuel and soap. The 1990 Chevy S-10 pickup truck was donated to us by an electric company in Vermont. They had converted it to electric drive using lead acid batteries. We made the battery pack smaller and put the diesel generator on the bed in the back. The generator provides the average power, and the batteries add `umph' ((a technical term)) when you want it." The 120 Volts comes from 10 Optima yellow tops under the hood. A Curtis PMC controller drives an Advanced DC motor. "Your classic lead-sled truck conversion."
The driver controls whether the generator is running. 3-cylinder Lombardini engine drives a generator that puts out 150 Volts at 600 Hertz, "which is easy to convert into DC. Changing the field current adjusts the power output. We are getting about 7 kiloWatts, although we are supposed to be able to produce 10. We are running into some problems when we try for that 10 kiloWatts; the engine starts to miss." The engine may just be too small or it may be a fuel problem.
Speaking of fuel, do you really just collect left-over frying oil from restaurants? "In some cases, yeah! We pickup a couple gallons here and there from local restaurants and the cafeteria at school. We test the Ph and make sure it doesn't have animal fat. We want mostly cannola oil. We run it through a settling and filtering process. We add alcohol and lye in a big drum, stir it for an hour and sit for six hours." The result is 10% soap on the bottom and 90% fuel on the top. We drain the soap through a valve on the bottom.
And what is the bible for using leftover cooking oil as fuel? "From the Frier to the Fuel Tank" by Joshua Tickell, available from veggievan.org, I'm told.
"I'm in this project for the engineering. Other students are in it because they think it is great for the environment." The vehicle has only been converted in the past 6 months. It has driven it about 300 miles as a hybrid.
The truck does have a battery charger for the traction pack, should the generator not be available, and some hybrid teams plug-in as well as use fuel. Others do not. Greaseltron's strategy? "We hope to run off the generator purely."
The generator is pretty noisy when it starts. "The fuel line drains a bit when it sits, so it takes a moment to get the air out."
Jared was on the "MooRocco" team that competed in the Tour in the past. Where is it now? "It's usually at Bill McGrath's house. He donated the car originally. It's getting into the retired state. It was a 1984 Scirocco, and it's hard to keep the frames good that long."
Report #43: "Zodiac"
It has been a while since the Tour has seen a new entry in the Solar Vehicle category, so I was curious what Brian Schimpf, a junior at Irondequoit High School in Rochester New York, would have to tell me. He was a font of information.
"We custom built the chassis from 1-inch square tubing. 8 6-Volt T-145 Trojan batteries give us a 48 Volt system. They give us about 40 miles to a charge using our normal 4-to-1 gear ratio (motor to wheel, more on this below). Our series-wound brushed DC motor, which runs at 2300 RPM, is connected to a Curtis controller. We run about 100 amps normally; about 7 horsepower."
"The solar panels are Siemens, which were under spec so we got them for free. They give us about 2 amps of power. That is about 2 to 5 percent of what we need. Their main purpose is to charge the batteries when we are sitting still."
"Our steering is regular rack and pinion, pretty simple. The nose was first shaped out of wire mesh, covered with Great-Stuff foam, sanded to shape, covered with fiberglass, and then layers of Bondo. The students painted it and a local business put the details on it." It is a very eye-catching, clean result. "It is a 3-wheel system. We put the rear swing arm from a Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle on the back, which lets us register it as a rebuilt motorcycle."
The motor is mounted above the fender of the rear wheel, and is part of the carrying weight of the rear wheel which makes it part of the unsprung weight. Most similar designs I've seen have the motor "on board" so it is inside the springs and shock absorbers. "We did this because the drive chain is easier to manage. Everything is at a constant distance, so we don't need a tensioner." There is an idler, but it is bolted into position. I suspect this could be a good choice. In past years teams often had problems with chains jumping off when the tensioner proved not enough to keep the chain on the gears.
"We did dyno testing at Delphi. We got 50 miles per charge, up a 2 percent a grade, without solar panels. A 5% grade will cut our distance. We will see what we can do. The gear ratio on the motor is changeable, which is really nice. The idler swings back and we can change the motor gear to get 3-to-1, 4-to-1 or 5-to-1 ratios (to the wheel gear). We can get to 56 miles per hour at 3-to-1. At 5-to-1 we get 32 miles per hour, but that makes hills real easy."
The driver's seat has a racing bucket, with the high sides that keep you in position, and 3 point harness. There is no windshield. The driver wears a visored helmet.
There 6 students on the Tour, plus about 6 more at home. The seniors will get to go each year. "This is our first Tour de Sol. We used to do the US Robotics competition, but switched to this. We worked on this for two years, and it has been an incredibly fun project. We didn't design it to be particularly aerodynamic, just strong and sturdy, and so it just works." Next year they hope to add regenerative braking.
I was impressed how all the wiring was in flexible conduits, all the farings were neat and close fitting, and yet could be pulled off easily for access. Some teams come in with very cleanly designed and built entries that just make me smile. I smiled a lot here.
Report #44: "EV-Sport"
John Murphy of Lafayette Hill Pennsylvania has put together a British Lomax kit car converting it to battery-electric drive as he went. The body goes onto a Citroen (did I spell that right?) chassis, but one of the rear wheels is removed and the other is inverted to make it a front-wheel drive 3-wheeler. "The front wheel drive adds to the stability of a 3-wheel setup."
"Our mission in building this car is to fill in the gap. Electric cars were common at the turn of the century, but developed stopped when gasoline became dominant. If development had continued, a car like this would have been a (two place, open top) 1930s or 1940s sports car. Also, I wanted an electric car and this was a way to get one. I entered the Tour de Sol with an electric moped 10 years ago. This took about 3 years to build."
A Solectria AC induction motor and controller draws current from 16 Electrosource Horizon batteries. "The Electrosource batteries have always intrigued me. They have a good power-to-weight ratio." The batteries are spaced around the car. For example, four are just behind the front bumper, forward of the front wheels, in an aluminum diamond plate box. Others are under the passengers. "It gives better weight and balance (distribution), which is important in a 3-wheel vehicle. And we have incorporated in each battery box a packet of acid neutralizer, to deal with any acid leakage, however unlikely, right there."
The Zivan "smoothing" charger is active both when charging and driving, to keep the battery blocks in balance, that is putting out the same voltage. "As I understand it, when you are driving the Zivan cycles every 8 minutes looking for a weak block. If one is weak it takes juice from the others and smoothes them out. In the charging mode it does the same thing, helping out the weak blocks. Uneven batteries are a big drain on the battery pack." The Zivan costs about $900.
In real life John works for a major corporation and runs an employee benefit plan.
"Please tell them about the web site at www.PRO-ZEV.com . It is an organization I am just starting in favor of Zero Emission Vehicles. We will work through educational channels, getting students interested in truly zero emission vehicles, as opposed to hybrids. People underestimate the range and performance capabilities of electric cars."
Report #45: Ford shows near and far future products at Tour de Sol
I met an old friend at the Tour de Sol, Dave Fabricatore, and his colleague Jonathan Richards. Dave came to several previous Tours as a member of the Connecticut Ride Share team. Last year he joined Ford's Think (spelled "Th!nk") division. They have brought models of the Th!nk City and Th!nk Neighbor vehicles, plus the Th!nk Fun and Traveler bicycles to display at the Tour. They have also brought a full-sized car converted to hydrogen fuel cell operation as part of Ford's research.
Th!nk City is being sold in Norway, Sweden and Denmark, and they have delivered about 500 vehicles so far. Jonathan said that when the European Union eliminates the Value Added Tax (VAT) the effective price will come way down. They expect that many would-be customers are waiting until that happens in July. Since the car meets the European Union vehicle standards, the offering will be expanded to more countries.
Electricity generation in Norway is mostly hydro, and I've heard that wind generation is a significant contributor in Denmark.
The Th!nk's battery is 114 Volts of nickel cadmium (NiCd) in 19 blocks. "Why NiCd? In Europe there is an electric vehicle industry and NiCds are the battery used in all the major models." Having a standard battery has made them less expensive than the other high-energy batteries, and they have become very reliable. "We have had no problems with the batteries." And there is a very active recycling program, which keeps the heavy metals, nickel and cadmium out of the land-fills.
The Th!nk City and Neighbor will be introduced in the United States in 2002, "about mid year," said Richards. The Th!nk Neighbor is a four passenger low- speed (25 miles per hour maximum) car. At first glance you might think it is a golf club, but it has seat belts and is street legal under the new FMVS500 standards. "This fills the gap between golf carts and cars. They have to be limited to 25 miles per hours, have automobile windshields, seat belts, turn signals, horn and head lamps. It runs on 6 marine-type lead acid batteries. The on-board charger is 110 Volts AC."
"We have 40 Th!nks in a demonstration program at the Ford complex in Detroit. They are in a local vehicle pool system for traveling between the buildings," Richards said. And in the San Francisco area, Hertz rents 15 Th!nk Cities for $25 per day. They are in downtown San Francisco, Palo Alto, Oakland and Freemont. The range is about 50 miles per charge.
Solectria is working with Ford on the US Th!nk City and will be providing drive components.
Th!nk Fun bicycle is a rigid frame high-bar electric assist battery. The Th!nk Traveler has a low bar and can be folded to make it more compact. The battery is a removable sealed lead-acid module. The motor assists the rider by adding power at the pedal crank. The bicycle senses the rider's torque and adds power proportionally. A twist control lets the rider adjust the "assist multiplier". The bicycles are marketed through normal bike sales channels. It is aimed mostly at people who would like to ride, but for whatever reason do not. Maybe this is the little extra that will get them out pedaling.
The fuel cell car on display is part of their P2000 program. It is based on a stretched Contour 4 door sedan. Others have been based on the Focus. The trunk contains a gaseous hydrogen tank constructed from aluminum and wrapped in carbon fiber. "You could shoot a bullet into this thing and nothing would happen," said Reynolds. "We use these in Fords's Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles." I did notice that the tank was labeled, "Do Not Use After 11/2003". The fuel cell itself is below the trunk. The card Jonathan haned me included:
Curb Weight 1514 kg (3340 lbs) Fuel Pressure 3600 psi Maximum Speed 128+ kph (80+ mph) Driving Range 160 km (100 miles) Emissions Zero Emissions Vehicle
Fuel Cell Type Proton Exchange Memebrane (PEM) Number of Stacks Ballard Mark 700 Series Reactants Hydrogen/Air
Electric Motor AC Induction Transaxle Single Speed Configuration Front Wheel Drive Peak Power 67 kW (92 hp) Peak Torque 190 Nm (140 ft-lbs) Peak Efficiency 91%
Inverter Type 3-Phase Bridge Max Current 280 Amps Min/Max Voltage 200/385 Volts Nominal Voltage 255 VoltsThe Th!nk Technologies is the research and development division for Ford advanced efforts, including alternative fuels, fuel cells and hybrids. Th!nk Mobility is the marketing division for the products being sold.
Ford will be showing the Th!nks at the Tour de Sol stops in Waterbury, Albany and Boston only.
More information at www.thinktechnologies.org .
Report #46: Pole Positions for Monday 21 May 2001
The qualifying tests results are in. All the competing vehicles had to pass a phalanx of safety and other tests before they are permitted to compete in the open road rally. Their test scores, plus other considerations such as if they are using a "chase" vehicle, result in pole positions. The result for today's start in Waterbury CT is:
Hybrid Electric Vehicle Pole Vehicle Chase? Score 1 8 Greaseltron No 77.9 2 41 Solar Market Insight No 74.6 3 4 E.D. (Electric Diesel) No 70.7 4 37 Aluminum Cow No 69.0 5 18 Kineticar III No 67.7 6 70 Toyota Prius No 64.6 7 17 Paradyne No 59.8 8 62 Garnet One Yes 67.8
Ethanol (E85) Vehicle Pole Vehicle Chase? Score 9 35 Al C. O'Holic No 78.9 10 40 Moonshine's Revenge No 69.3 11 2 Head Hunter No 59.9
Battery Electric Vehicle Pole Vehicle Chase? Score 12 11 Solectria Super Force No 74.9 13 16 The Olympian No 65.2 14 72 Sungo No 63.2 15 66 Phantom SOL No 0.0 16 5 Response 2 E Yes 83.4 17 61 Solar Bolt Yes 76.2 18 3 E- Stream Yes 67.3 19 45 EV-Sport Yes 63.2 20 10 Sunergy II Yes 62.9 21 19 ElectroFuel Yes 61.9
Solar Electric Vehicle Pole Vehicle Chase? Score 22 20 Solar Black Bear No 0.0
One Person / Hybrid Electric Vehicle Pole Vehicle Chase? Score 23 27 Geomino Yes 61.4
One Person / Battery Electric Vehicle Pole Vehicle Chase? Score 24 30 Climate Cooler Yes 80.5 25 7 Zodiac Yes 70.0 26 89 Envirocycle III Yes 69.0 27 6 Caballito Motor Scooter Yes 65.4 28 92 Sunpacer Yes 62.1The rational for chase vehicles affecting pole position goes like this. The rally starts within a city and quickly gets onto country roads. (It almost never goes on an Interstate highway, and then when it is just plain unavoidable.) If a chase vehicle is allowed to fall in behind its entrant, it presents a significant barrier to entries following. So those entrants without chase vehicles are able to juggle for position as they travel much easier than those with, which gives the "withouts" an "advantage". But since the on-road rally is not a speed event, getting to the finish banner sooner doesn't confer any extra points, although there are penalties for being too late.
But some people want to race, and race means getting there first. So the chase vehicle rule acknowledges that desire by rewarding the virtue of being autonomous.
Report #47: An Electric Airplane at the Tour de Sol?
When I talk to people about my electric car (1995 Solectria Force) and the role I think electric transportation should have, I'm often am asked, "do you think we can just do away with fossil fuels?" My answer has been no, we will need them for things like airplanes, especially high flying jet airplanes, for a long time. Well James P. Dunn, who keeps showing up at the Tour de Sol with interesting applications of electric transportation is out to prove me wrong.
I ran into him in Waterbury and he said, "We are taking the highest performance two-place airplane ever made and creating the worlds first electric powered passenger airplane." The plane is a French `Bambi', called an American Giles in the US.
"We have a three phase program. The first phase, by next April, will have it running all electrically, on batteries, with 100 mile range." The batteries will be Saft lithium ion batteries with 50 Watt-hours/kilogram. "There will be 21 kiloWatt-hours on board. The optimum performance requires 11 kiloWatts at the propeller, which, with the losses of the motor and controller, will require 16 kiloWatts at the battery. That will fly us at 83 miles per hour. It will take less energy, per mile, to fly than any normal electric car. We will get 130 Watt-hours per kilometer."
"The second phase adds a fuel cell with just enough power for cruise, meaning we will still need the batteries for take off and climb, and that will have a 250 mile range. Finally we will put in the Ballard Mark 900 fuel cell, which will be able to take off, climb and go 500 miles, all on hydrogen."
Who is doing this? "The Foundation for Advancing Science and Technology Education", a charitable trust designed to get students interested in becoming scientists and engineers. Other players include:
The Center for Technology Commercialization (a NASA organization) Solectria Corporation Saft"This is my little fun project for the year. We will have a video of it flying in Worcester (on Friday 25 May). By next spring, we will have this in races."
Report #48: Honda's 2001 Insight
Mike Tebo and I first met in New York City at last year's Tour de Sol. He is with American Honda's Washington DC Corporate Affairs and Communications office. What's new I asked.
"For 2001 there are two models of Insight to choose from. There is the 5 speed manual transmission, same as last year, and here at the Tour de Sol we are introducing the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) which gives fuel efficiency benefits without shifting."
City Highway 5-speed manual 61 68 CVT 57 68"We have learned in the last year that drivers under 30 years old don't know how to drive a stick. We hope to broaden the Insight's appeal with the CVT. Also, the CVT is certified as a Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) by the California standard, which is 96% less polluting than a typical car. The 2000 was Ultra Low. They have done things with the evaporative fuel system to make it more efficient. And it is still priced less than $20,000. The only options is air conditioning and color. The Citrus Yellow, sometimes called Mountain Dew Green, retired with the model year. It was replace with Monte Carlo Pearl Blue.
"Distribution has caught up demand. We are selling 500 or 600 vehicles a month, as many as we can get from Japan." There target for 2001 is the same as for 2000, about 5000 vehicles. "Consumers have been very accepting of our technology, so next year we expect to offer it on our Civic, which is the best selling small car in America. The hybrid power train is going to become a common component in almost any model line up."
Is Honda saying anything about fuel cell products? "Honda is committed to introducing a fuel cell vehicle in 2003. We have developed our own fuel cell stack."
I had very much liked the Honda EV Plus, and asked Mike what has happened to those 300 that were leased several years ago. He said that although they are no longer manufactured, the existing ones are still in service and supported by Honda. In fact we will see some at the Tour de Sol display in Albany NY on Wednesday 23 May.
The EV Plus platform is also currently used for Honda's fuel cell testing research, and is called the FCX.
Report #49: Naoto Inoue's "Solar Market Insight"
Naoto Inoue ("Nah-oh-toe In-oh-ey") brought his 2000 Honda Insight to last year's Tour de Sol, along with about a dozen others. His car and he are back, entered as Number 41 in the Hybrid Category. He calls Arundel Maine home. On top of his car is a sign that reads:
Buddah had insight. Shouldn't you at least have one?What has happened in the last year? "My car has performed marvelously. I was afraid that traveling in snow might be an issue because it is a long slung car. This is a fantastic car in the snow."
What sort of fuel numbers are you seeing? "It all depends on who is driving. After last year's Tour de Sol I learned what I call a `soft' driving technique. Before the tour my 1983 Mercedes Diesel station wagon was getting 29 or 30 miles to the gallon. After I got home I started driving it `softly' and I got 8% to 10% better efficiency. I realized that instantaneously Americans could gain 10% fuel efficiency by driving softly." His overall number for the year is about 60 miles per gallon, mostly in-town driving.
"I hope to see 100 miles per gallon one day of the Tour. I'll probably do the whole Tour on one tank of gas."
Naoto pointed out that in last year's Autocross, the Honda Insight came in 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th. 1st went to Allen Simpler's "Spyder Juice", an electric sports car, and 2nd went to New Hampshire Technical Institute's "Sungo". "And the difference between 1st place and 3rd was less than half a second. So this is an extremely hot car!"
All the time we were talking, Naoto was leaning on a little scooter, the folding kind like you see kids riding everywhere. Except this is _not_ your kid's scooter! It is a "Xoots" EX3 and it has a wide cast-aluminum base that is easy to stand on and is electric! The first hint is a little bump next to the rear wheel. That is the permanent magnet motor. The next hint is a wire coming from under the board you stand on and up to the handle bars. That is the power control. It folds, like most scooter. "It weighs just 19 pounds. Top speed is 17 miles per hour. It has a nickel metal hydride battery pack that recharges in an hour and 15 minutes. Because the entire deck is cast aluminum and acts like a large heat sink, the motor never heats up. It will climb a 9 percent grade hill at 10 miles per hour. It is 100% made in the USA, in Dover New Hampshire." $850 at www.SolarMarket.com.
Report #50: A Team From Micronesia
Some people come a very long way to participate in the Tour de Sol. We have had teams from Japan and Hawaii. Somehow coming from the Federated States of Micronesia seems a _very_ long way. I commented to Simpson Abraham from Kosrae ("Kos-reye") that he was a long way from home. "I came from the island of Kosrae, its leading lady. It is 2,500 miles south west of Hawaii." South of the equator, east of Australia, "there are 206 islands that cover an area of one million square miles, about 4 times the area of Texas," said Maria Harris of Pohnpei. The population is about 100,000 people.
They are here, in the United States, entered in the Tour de Sol driving one of the PET (Personal Electric Transport) scooters. Why would they be concerned about air pollution in the USA? "We consider ourselves as part of the small developing states suffering from climate changes and global warming." For example, they can see the shore lines of their islands shrinking from year to year. "It's happening. It's happening." Salt water inland on the islands is poisoning wild plants and crops, destroying people's livelihoods.
"So we are encouraging the use of this kind of technology to help minimize the introduction of greenhouse gases now. If we don't do something, we are risking our future generations."
Not only is this team participating as their own group, but there is a PET Sunray Transporter Demonstration vehicle entered by the PET World Team, consisting of citizens of the Republic of China, Canada, Micronesia and the United States. They teamed up to show that cooperation is necessary to get to a solution.
Marianne Latores of Pohnpei said that "there are much more frequent storms and droughts that are very extreme. My father's plantation was wiped out during the El Nino season." And the lost is permanent. Wells dried up and there was no rain. There have been droughts in the past, but not nearly this severe nor this frequent.
Will an entry in the Tour de Sol make a difference? Today and tomorrow, certainly not. But the evidence that human activities that pollute the environment have both local and global impact is increasing. Here is yet another reason to take action to change that.
Report #51: A Team From the Republic of China
Near the Micronesia display at Waterbury, I found the team from the Peoples Republic of China, which is also driving a PET motorscooter.
Jin Cao said he is the co-leader of Team China, composed of students studying in the United States and students studying in China. "We come to the Tour de Sol to encourage the improving of the environment, cleaning of the air, using electric vehicles. We are also promoting Beijing for the 2008 Olympic games."
Those studying in the United States are attending George Mason University and Georgetown University. Yln Li said she was interested in the Tour because China, with its large population, is becoming more prosperous, "so people naturally will want to have cars. That means we will have more pollution and a greater negative impact on global warming." Two students flew to the States just to participate in the Tour.
Using electric powered vehicles in China implies a lot of electric generation. These students thought that hydroelectric, nuclear and solar are the most promising generation possibilities. "There are many areas that get a great deal of sun."
They also thought the bicycles with electric assist for the rider would be a good part of the solution in China, since bicycles are already very, very common as personal transport. It is the step that would make the most economic sense early on.
A final thought as I left was that it was through hand-in-hand cooperation that we could improve the environment for all of us.
Report #52: Pole Positions, Tuesday 22 May
This is the order in which the vehicles left for Pittsfield on Tuesday morning. The score is the composite total score, which includes the technical testing results and the run from Waterbury CT to Lenox MA.
Pole Vehicle Chase? Score
1 500 Pace - Honda Insight No 200.0 2 35 Al C. O'Holic No 129.7 3 11 Solectria Super Force No 125.6 4 41 Solar Market Insight No 125.4 5 4 E.D. (Electronic Diesel) No 121.4 6 28 Control Vehicle for Prius No 120.3 7 70 Toyota Prius No 120.2 8 40 Moonshine's Revenge No 120.0 9 37 Aluminum Cow No 119.8 10 18 KineticarIII No 118.4 11 16 The Olympian No 116.0 12 2 Head Hunter No 115.6 13 17 Paradyne No 110.5 14 20 Solar Black Bear No 104.3 15 8 Greaseltron No 90.5 16 66 Phantom SOL No 78.2 17 27 Geomino No 69.6 18 75 SEVRX No 7.4 19 5 Response 2 E Yes 134.2 20 61 Solar Bolt Yes 126.9 21 7 Zodiac Yes 114.8 22 45 EV-Sport Yes 111.3 23 10 Sunergy II Yes 110.4 24 92 Sunpacer Yes 110.1 25 72 Sungo Yes 109.7 26 89 Envirocycle III Yes 101.2 27 3 E- Stream Yes 95.3 28 62 Garnet One Yes 72.8 29 22 Soljourner 2 Yes 67.3 30 19 ElectroFuel Yes 61.9 31 51 PET Sunray Transporter Yes 50.7 32 14 Pace - Scooter Yes 131.4 33 30 Climate Cooler Yes 131.3 34 6 Caballito Motor Scooter Yes 94.3
Report #53: PET's Tony Locricchio
I have spoken before with Anthony P. Locricchio about PET (Personal Electric Transportation). These motor scooters feature a quick change battery box, that permits purchasing the power without owning the lead (acid battery). I asked Tony what is new. "The quick change batteries have been refined, so they are somewhat quicker. And a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). The Micronesia team is using the original direct drive and the Chinese team is using the CVT, which is completely automatic."
"Although the Tour is a great deal of fun, we would not have come back but for the Chinese and Micronesia involvement and the desire to have the global warming messages heard in the United States. At the event two days ago at the United Nations, the head of the UN environmental program was very impressed. He wants to bring a team from the United Nations to next year's Tour de Sol. We have committed one of our vehicles to it and he wants to be a driver. He is very serious."
When we last saw the PET scooters at the Tour de Sol, they looked very polished, and ready for marketing. "We have not put them on the market. We have used that time to test and refine. We have lots of orders and we have some small-scale production in Plattsburgh NY. Under 20 are on the road right now. Our plan is to use them only as export vehicles because the need is primarily `out there'. It would be popular in an United States market, but it would not affect global warming. We hope to have a Tour de Sol a few years from now where everyone is designing for the world market. There are some great vehicles here, but many are much too expensive to have any impact on global warming."
During this rally PET will set up quick stations to reflect the average use of a vehicle. For example a scooter averages 12 miles a day. "We will probably make the quick change at 20 miles."
China has agreed that the modules will all be of a standard size, even in the Suntera Transporter car. "We want to avoid the VHS vs. Betamax battle. The opportunity is to take that large population from bicycles to electrics, skipping the ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) age. They are talking about having quick change stations associated with the power distribution infrastructure" so it will be everywhere.
The goal is to stay away from two-stroke scooters. "Their estimate is that if 10% of the bicycle riders switch to gas scooters then all the work of the rest of the world to counteract global warming would be down the drain."
"It is the most exciting thing I've ever done in my life."
Report #54: "Solar Bolt" Team
Some of the vehicles at this year's Tour de Sol are old friends. The "Solar Bolt" is a very old friend, but that doesn't mean I know any of the team members. So I met Amiee Budrick, Sean Buck, Sean Dougan.
"We have been test driving it and working on proficiency." Driver proficiency? "Yes, because we are all new drivers and all have to get used to the car. In the car itself, we changed the batteries, re-hooked up the transmission and changed the transmission spring and cable." They also gave it a good bath and polish. It looked very clean. "And it has fuzzy dice."
I generally ask teams, "what does this car do between Tour de Sols." A number of years ago a high school's electric pickup truck driver said, "I took it to my prom. My date thought it was cool!" But when I asked the Bolton folk if they had taken it to the prom, they said, "It's too early to go to the prom." And Amiee said she was too young to go. Maybe when she is old enough ...
Report #55: "Sungo" Team
I first saw Sungo in 1993. When I asked how many years it had been coming to the Tour de Sol, there was some discussion. 10 years? 8 years? No one was very clear on that. None the less, this is still an eye-catching two-place electric commuter.
So Greg Bellanger, what's new? "We added a 14th Nickel Metal Hydride battery to increase range. That required revamping the whole rear battery tray, shock mounts and such. That means 217 Volts max, now. We added a battery isolator port, which allows us to check the charge on each block." Plugging in a single connector gives them access to all the battery terminals. "This way we can know if one is charging high or low, or provide individual charging to a single block. Redesigned the front brake rotors. New bearings throughout the car. New rod ends on the front of the car."
"Our goal this year is to get better efficiency and more range. And we hope to go up Mount Washington again. Sungo had set the record and as far as we know no one has beat it." For electric vehicles up Mount Washington, that is. The driver was a nursing student who was part of the Sungo team all that year, the lightest person they could find.
Report #56: Pole Positions, Wednesday 23 May
This is the order in which the vehicles left for Albany on Wednesday morning. The score is the composite total score, which includes the technical testing results and the run from Waterbury CT to Rensselaer NY.
Pole Vehicle Category Chase Score 1 500 Pace - Honda Insight HEV No 78.2 2 35 Al C. O'Holic Ethanol No 160.2 3 41 Solar Market Insight HEV No 157.1 4 37 Aluminum Cow HEV No 154.6 5 11 Solectria Super Force BEV No 154.4 6 18 KineticarIII HEV No 152.0 7 28 Control Vehicle for Prius Gasoline No 150.8 8 70 Toyota Prius HEV No 150.7 9 40 Moonshine's Revenge Ethanol No 150.5 10 2 Head Hunter Ethanol No 148.3 11 16 The Olympian BEV No 144.3 12 17 Paradyne HEV No 138.0 13 20 Solar Black Bear Solar Electric No 134.4 14 4 E.D. (Electronic Diesel) HEV No 132.7 15 8 Greaseltron HEV No 121.0 16 66 Phantom SOL BEV No 107.4 17 27 Geomino HEV No 96.4 18 75 SEVRX Solar Electric No 37.5 19 5 Response 2 E BEV Yes 163.4 20 61 Solar Bolt BEV Yes 155.2 21 10 Sunergy II BEV Yes 138.3 22 45 EV-Sport BEV Yes 120.3 23 72 Sungo BEV Yes 119.6 24 92 Sunpacer One Person BEV Yes 118.1 25 7 Zodiac BEV Yes 113.8 26 22 Soljourner 2 BEV Yes 99.1 27 89 Envirocycle III One Person BEV Yes 95.4 28 19 ElectroFuel BEV Yes 91.1 29 3 E- Stream BEV Yes 88.2 30 51 PET Sunray Transporter BEV Yes 80.3 31 62 Garnet One BEV Yes 75.4 32 14 Pace - Scooter Gasoline No 156.6 33 6 Caballito Motor Scooter One Person BEV Yes 143.6 34 30 Climate Cooler One Person BEV Yes 156.5
Report #57: "Aluminum Cow" Team
Anton Kozlovsky, Engineering, Mechanics and Astronautics, Class of 2001 University of Wisconsin at Madison has been engine group leader on the Future Car and Future Truck teams for the past 3 years. This is the first time the Aluminum Cow has been to the Tour de Sol.
The car is a biodiesel parallel hybrid, using a 1.8 liter turbo-diesel engine from Ford of Europe, coupled with a Solectria AC induction motor. The engine and transmission drive the front wheels and the electric motor adds power through a custom designed gear box tied to the rear of the transmission. The electric motor starts at the 50% accelerator position and ramps up to 100% when the accelerator is fully depressed. "Most people who drive it don't even notice when the hybrid comes in and kicks out. They notice more the gear whine when regenerative braking takes place."
They use a PC-104 computer making all the decisions. And they have implemented 4 control strategies:
<> The normal strategy set up for fuel economy.
<> A "support mode" which increases the amount of electric boost and regen. "It's not as efficient, but it makes the car quicker."
<> "Another mode applies electric motor torque whenever the clutch is depressed so the car actually accelerates when you shift. The first time you drive it, it's scary."
The battery pack is made up of strings of sub-C sized nickel metal hydride batteries. Each string is 250 Volts. The pack of 4 parallel strings can deliver 100 Amperes. The pack is in the space normally occupied by the spare tire.
The car has all aluminum unibody and body panels that weight under 2700 pounds, as opposed to a stock weight of 3400 pounds. "Because of the light weight and hybrid-electric drive we get 65 miles per gallon with less emissions than a comparable diesel or gas car. It is also faster than a stock Taurus. With the torque of the hybrid drive we can beat the stock Taurus in a zero-to-60 contest. We have less horsepower, but more torque at the low end, and less weight."
"For this event we are using biodiesel. We also run it on low-sulfur diesel when we are just running it around town."
Report #58: Bob Strattan's "Toyota Prius"
Bob Strattan drove his Prius from Tulsa Oklahoma, following the "Paradyne" team up to the Tour de Sol. "Two students and I were in the car. We left Tulsa Thursday afternoon and got to Waterbury about 5 pm Friday evening; 28 hours on the road." The computer says they got about 55 miles per gallon, but he thinks it is a bit "optimistic". "It will be an honest 50+ mpg, hauling 3 people and luggage."
"I looked at both the Insight and Prius and chose the Prius because of its more advanced hybrid technology. It is a full-sized, 4-door car that will hold 4 people comfortably," and 5 in a pinch. "It is a very pleasant car to drive. It is a very easy car to drive in city traffic, where it is most efficient. I feel a little better driving my SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle)."
"Everybody wants to know about it. A number of friends have actually gone down and placed orders."
"I've been involved in hybrid-electric car design, as an engineering professor at the University of Tulsa, for about 10 years. We have been building them and competing in these events, so I think I know what hybrid technology is. I am very impressed with what Toyota has accomplished here. It is everything I hoped it would be. I am really impressed with how it is controlled."
Report #59: "KineticarIII" Team
I asked William Sforza and Sean Havican, the only returning senior members of the team, what the mission of this truck was when not at the Tour de Sol. "The mission is to promote awareness of alternative fuel vehicles. We bring it to elementary, middle and high schools. Whenever we take the vehicle out, for a meal or whatever, people stop us and ask `Is that really an electric truck?' We then display and explain it to them. We get around."
And what improvements were made this year? "We took out 4 batteries, eliminating 270 pounds of wait. The pack voltage dropped from 96 to 72 Volts when we did that. Firestone donated four low rolling resistance tires, which work very well. We readjusted the carburetor to run a little leaner for better LPG efficiency. Before our best mileage was 24 miles per gallon of propane; now it is up to 30. We can now do 455 miles on one fill-up. With the addition of better driving ..."
This truck makes the hybrid decisions the driver's responsibility. What does it take to drive it? "Well first of all, you have to know how to drive a standard transmission. We have a manual control box between the seats that lets us turn on and off propane engine while we are driving, and also vary the amount of electric assist. The trick is to know when to use each, and how much to use, and when to turn off both and coast. Most of it is common sense. Use the conservation of momentum; when up to speed, just coast or use as little energy as possible to stay there."
"We are hoping to have a good teamwork experience this year. Last year we were not really functioning as a good team."
Report #60: "ElectroFuel" Team
This vehicle did not show up in the NESEA database, so I suspect it was a late entry. It is labeled number 19 in the scoring.
I spoke with Neil Gover of Toronto Canada about the 1988 Suzuki Samarai converted to 96 Volt DC drive, with a Curtis controller driving an 8 inch Netgain motor. "We have Trojan 145s for our traction pack. The special thing about this is the lithium super polymer ion batteries we are using for the accessory system. The battery is designed to run a laptop computer for 16 hours. We have 8 of them here for our 12 Volts." Each block was about the width and length of a laptop computer, and looked to be about 1/4 inch thick. The were stood on end, in a metal box that was segmented so each was supported vertically. Each had a plug inserted and it looked to me like the 8 cables were connected in parallel. "ElectroFuel's plan is to build a larger version of this as traction power for EVs." Neil had heard that they could be ready as soon as June of this year, or that it might take 3 years to have them up and running.
The promise of lithium ion battery technology for electric vehicles is one I have been interested in for a long time. The potential for high energy density at modest cost and long life are theoretically there, but so far we have only seen sizes suitable for hand held or lap held devices. Could lithium ion battery blocks big enough for EVs be close at hand? I guess we will have to wait and see.
Report #61: "Paradyne" Team
The NESEA database of entrants said that the University of Tulsa Oklahoma was bringing a car named "Paradyne/Proxima", but when I met Matt Olson, Chris McKnight, Mary Gilstrap, and Dr. John Henshaw I found out that it wasn't here. "The Proxima is a vehicle which we have not completed yet. Next year ...". So all the data for "Paradyne/Proxima" posted earlier is incorrect. Here is the datasheet for the "Paradyne" from 2000 but updated with their current Vehicle Number, 17:
Vehicle Name Paradyne Vehicle Number 17 Category USDOE HYBRID CATEGORY Organization University of Tulsa Team Name Hurricane Motorworks City Tulsa State OK Description 1992 Geo Metro (RFG + Concord PbA) new this year? Returning car and team No People in Project 25 www www.hev.UTulsa.edu Motor Solectria ACgtx20; 144AC Induction; 12kW cont./30kW peak Batteries Concord/PbA; 12 cells/series/$720; 7Whr/144V/600 lbs Controller Solectria; Motor controller Charger Zivan N63/2.5 kW; Input: 230v/19a; Hi freq./ss Charger Offboard none PV Array type amount none Construction 1992 GeoMetro; Steel frame; Steel body Dimensions LxWxH 12' 2"; 5' 1"; 4' 5" Hybrid Suzuki 3cyl; 1.0L/ par; Reformulated Gasoline/48mpg No of Passengers 2 Maximum Speed mph 85 Range miles unlimited Range 99 493* Weight pounds 2300 Prize 99 1st place + Range + 2nd Acceleration Program blurb The TU Paradyne is a parallel-hybrid vehicle based on a converted 1992 Geo Metro with a 1.0 liter engine and a 22kW electric motor. The University of Tulsa's team consists of 20 undergraduate mechanical and electrical engineers, one graduate student, and three faculty advisors. Paradyne took first place in its category at the 1999 NESEA Tour.When I asked what was different this year, they said, "We have completed the control system, making it truly transparent. The driver can pick either of the power plants, or both, for the most fuel efficient operation. The biggest change was to implement throttle-by-wire control so we could control the gasoline engine independent of the throttle pedal. We did that in C language code for a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) that makes the decisions." There are actually 3 different PLCs that make it work, housed in the glove box. One main controller makes the logic decisions and the other two collect input or send output commands. Under the hood, a stepper motor turns a pulley tied to the engine's throttle cable. The controller for the induction motor is sent a voltage from a digital-to-analog converter instead of using a potentiometer. "We hope the new control system will squeeze a couple more miles per gallon out of it. Maybe a computer will be a bit better at keeping off the gas than we are."
"We inspected the power train and clutch, concerned that after 3 years of competition it might have some problems. We are happy to report that design proved sound, so we added a little more grease in it and kept on going."
"We have a new sponsor in Philips Petroleum and they have a new process to make an extremely low sulphur gas. They brought their own gasoline for the Tour.
Report #62: "Moonshine's Revenge" Team
New this year at the Tour de Sol are three E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline) vehicles. These are not hybrids. Instead they are all Chevy Silverado trucks which were converted to run E85 and then participated in the Ethanol Vehicle Challenge contest run by General Motors and others.
Why E85 vehicles in what has traditionally been an electric vehicle rally? The Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) is stressing that the solution to our transportation systems polluting our atmosphere is not just found in electric based solutions. Alternative fuel vehicles also have a role to play.
Clark Otte and Matt Dick from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln explained that their school had entered the 3 year Ethanol Vehicle Challenge. "While Nebraska is a corn growing state and the 3rd highest producer of ethanol in the nation, it is very low on the consumption of ethanol. There are not many E85 vehicles in Nebraska, but every vehicle can use E10 (10% ethanol). Using E10 helps out everyone, the farmers, everyone connected to the farming community, and the economy of the midwest."
"This vehicle was created by 25 student engineers during the past 2 years. It has competed nationally and locally. We are trying to show the United States, and everyone else, how easy it is to make a dedicated ethanol vehicle using very production-feasible components." They used a lot of off-the-shelf General Motors components. "We have phase-change, vacuum insulated catalytic converters designed and built by the engineering team. As a converter heats, the phase-change material melts. After the vehicle is turned off, the phase- change material keeps the catalytic converter close to the light-off temperature, reducing emissions during `cold starts'." The phase-change material is a zinc casting alloy.
"Our engine is not stock. We took the stock 5300 Vortec engine and added a lot of C5 Corvette parts. We used the heads and cam from the Corvette while still keeping the intake manifold and stock block." The compression went from 9.5-to-1 to 11.1-to-1. That deals with ethanol's high octane rating. "I think its about 103, compared to gasoline at 87 to 89." The result is 350 horsepower and 400+ foot-pounds of torque, which makes the a ULEV (Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) in NOx (oxides of nitrogen) and CO (carbon monoxide) and a LEV in hydrocarbons.
What motivates someone to get involved in such a project? The competition was taken for credit. "I grew up in a small farming community. With the farm crisis in the midwest, farmers are going out of business. Ethanol as a fuel would help out a lot of people. There is a community, Minden NE, near my home town that has signed a contact with local farmers to provide corn for a local ethanol plant" where it will be used to produce fuels, alcohols, and chemical stock.
Report #63: Teams That Did Not Show Up
I have no information as to why they are not running in the Tour de Sol, but the following teams which were listed in the database have not been seen:
NJ Genesis Fiero Volt Electric Hog The Hare
Report #64: Nickel Hydrogen Battery
On display at the Tour de Sol stop in Pittsfield MA was a Nickel Hydrogen battery from ElectraStor, LLC. What would happen if a fuel cell could operate as an electric battery instead of as an electric generator? It would have no exhaust, nor require a fuel supply. Hydrogen would be used over and over, stored in a metal-hydride tank when the battery was "charged" and flowing into the fuel cell part during discharge.
I did not get a formal interview, but found the concept interesting. The contact information is:
ElectraStor LLC A susidiary of Electric Vehicles Worldwide, LLC 333 West Street Pittsfield MA 01201
413 445-5100 413 445 4664 fax
www.evworldwide.com
Report #65: Scoring By Ensco
The rally scoring for the Tour de Sol EV Championship is being collected and analyzed by ENSCO, Inc. The day-to-day results are posted on the web site:
www.ensco.com/tourdesol
Report #66: Another Tour de Sol Information Source
There is a web site that has pictures of the vehicles, plus other information.
www.tourdesol.org
Report #67: Pole Positions, Thursday 24 May
This is the order in which the vehicles left for Greenfield on Thursday morning. The score is the composite total score, which includes the technical testing results and the run from Waterbury CT to North Adams MA.
Pole Vehicle Category Chase Score 1 500 Pace - Honda Insight No 120.7 2 35 Al C. O'Holic Ethanol No 211.5 3 41 Solar Market Insight HEV No 210.6 4 40 Moonshine's Revenge Ethanol No 202.8 5 2 Head Hunter Ethanol No 197.7 6 28 Control Vehicle for Prius No 120.7 7 70 Toyota Prius HEV No 197.0 8 37 Aluminum Cow HEV No 196.7 9 11 Solectria Super Force BEV No 196.7 10 18 KineticarIII HEV No 194.4 11 16 The Olympian BEV No 188.8 12 17 Paradyne HEV No 184.1 13 20 Solar Black Bear Solar Electric No 180.5 14 4 E.D. (Electronic Diesel) HEV No 173.0 15 27 Geomino HEV No 143.0 16 8 Greaseltron HEV No 136.3 17 66 Phantom SOL BEV No 114.0 18 75 SEVRX Solar Electric No 79.9 19 5 Response 2 E BEV Yes 203.3 20 61 Solar Bolt BEV Yes 200.4 21 10 Sunergy II BEV Yes 184.5 22 51 PET Sunray Transporter BEV Yes 178.8 23 45 EV-Sport BEV Yes 171.5 24 72 Sungo BEV Yes 165.1 25 92 Sunpacer One Person BEV Yes 153.3 26 22 Soljourner 2 HEV Yes 146.5 27 7 Zodiac One Person BEV Yes 138.2 28 19 ElectroFuel BEV Yes 131.2 29 89 Envirocycle III One Person BEV Yes 119.3 30 62 Garnet One HEV Yes 80.0 31 14 Pace - Scooter Yes 120.7 32 30 Climate Cooler One Person BEV Yes 190.9 33 6 Caballito Motor Scooter One Person BEV Yes 190.0 34 3 E- Stream BEV Yes 101.1
Report #68: "Head Hunter" Team
Another of the Ethanol Vehicle Challenge Vehicles entered in the 2001 Tour de Sol is the "Head Hunter" from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). I spoke with Miguel Perez. "I did most of the administrative stuff and most of the interior work, including the CB radio, and some of the posters."
"This is a dual fuel vehicle that can run on either E85 or gasoline. That can be very beneficial especially since ethanol can give you lower emissions than gasoline. We added a super charger to the fuel injected motor, added a multiple-spark ignition system and changed the coils." The multiple-spark ignition causes each spark plug to fire nine times at the top of each compression stroke, increasing the energy delivered in the spark, and increasing the chance that the entire charge of fuel will be burned. The technology was developed for NASCAR.
"We are using a distillation system on the vehicle that is able to separate the ethanol from the gasoline." They keep a small amount of gasoline aside to use just during start-up. Ethanol does not ignite well when cold, so a jolt of gasoline during cranking can help, especially in winter.
Miguel was also involved in the painting of the truck. They stripped it down and cleaned all the metal before turning it over to a professional body shop for painting. "A long and tedious process."
The team has brought their first Ethanol Challenge vehicle along to use as a support vehicle. It is a Chevy Malabou converted to burn E85. "Our goal for this car was to keep it simple." They first put the multiple-spark ignition in this car. The Head Hunter towed the Malabou to the Tour de Sol.
Report #69: A Visitor From Japan
Koichi Miyashita is from Naruto University of Education, a teachers college in Japan near Osaka and Hiroshima. He is an associate professor teaching mechanical engineering. His focus is on the practical application of engineering to everyday life, with an emphasis on environmental issues. He is participating in the Tour de Sol as a jury member.
He organized an electric vehicle rally in 1998, 1999, and 2000. Each year 50 vehicles competed in a 3-day event. A few were hybrids the first year, but since then it has been exclusively for electric vehicles. "Our rally is designed for electric vehicles and we evaluate the performance of electric vehicles. Because we don't know how to evaluate hybrids with electric vehicles, the owners of hybrid cars are not so interested in our event. Some electric vehicles have a solar panels, but real solar cars don't enter our event." Like the Tour de Sol, their rally is on regular roads. "In Japan, no solar car can get a license plate."
The first year, the event was 5 days and covered 550 kilometers (341 miles). Now it is a 3 day event covering 350 kilometers (217 miles). "Many of the participants are normal workers and a longer event is difficult for them."
"About 60% of the entrants are normal workers, and 40% are university teams. Japanese high school students don't have driver's licenses and so energy education for transportation is not done in high schools. Some universities have car manufacturing technology programs and they educate about electric vehicles and transportation energy programs."
If a normal worker enters an electric car, is it one they use everyday? "Very few people use their electric car every day, and many teams use the cars just for the rallies."
"The rally was the first introduction about electric vehicles for me. I found that electric vehicles have many technological problems and also problems of education. People in Japan do not understand them. I though the rally would be a good question for me to do education about transportation and electric vehicles."
It struck me that getting 50 participants in the very first rally might have been difficult. How did Koichi get them to sign up? "At that time, it was very good timing in Japan. Many people wanted to try building electric vehicles because of their concern for the environment. They wanted to use their knowledge of the car to work for society. At that time, the Japanese economy was not so bad. The teams had the companies supporting them. And the Japanese Storage Battery Company gives every team in our rally a battery, so every team that wants to build an electric vehicle enters our rally. It is cheaper than buying one themselves."
Koichi is spending the week of the Tour de Sol educating himself about the way we run our event. Later in the week he commented that he was surprised that we were able to close a couple of streets in Waterbury for the moving technical tests. The police in Japan would not permit such a thing and it made some aspects of his rallies more difficult.
Report #70: "Solectria CitiVan" on display
The Solectria CitiVan is an electric box van. It looks like the vans they always used on the original "Mission: Impossible" TV series.
Doug Wheaton is here with a CitiVan. He is a Senior Transportation Planner at Logan Airport and the manager of the Alternative Fuel Program. "We have a dozen different operating departments that need a large vehicle with a lot of space that is relatively nimble and carry quantities of goods. They don't need a lot of range but they do need to move from point A to point B quickly. I have 5 CitiVans, 4 at Logan Airport and one in the Maritime Department. The 6th one will be used as market stimulator. The postal service will have it for a couple of weeks.
"I've just formed a Logan Airport Tenant Alternative Fuel Working Group for educating the airlines, the rank-and-file people doing stuff. I'll lend them for a few weeks or months, let them get used to it and then let them buy it.
"We have had CitiVans for about 3 years. These are definitively the best, most reliable electric vehicles we have had so far. I have 31 other electrics. Cars for people going from meeting to meeting or carrying paperwork, pickup trucks for the parking garage."
Why electric vehicles on an airport? The gas saved has to be the tiniest drop in a bucket relative to all the fossil fuel consumed on an airport. "What we are doing is a small increment in terms of reducing emissions. But I think we have to show our tenants, who have far more than the 200 vehicles I have, that these vehicles work and they should have them for their 1000 vehicles. If we can get 50% of their vehicles to alternative fuel we should be able to cut down on NOx (oxides of nitrogen) emissions by 7 to 10%.
A hybrid-electric version of the CitiVan is in testing now. Hydro-Quebec, E- Vermont and Logan Airport will all get to look at it. It is reported to have a range of about 150 miles, using a Capstone turbine generator burning Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
Report #71: "Sunergy II" Team
The Ethyl Walker school is a high school for young women in Simsbury CT. They have been at the Tour de Sol several times. Magda Michalak told me that the school's first entry in 1992 was called the Sol Dancer. "It was built by the students on a Formula 4 race car chassis. I don't think we placed in that one. It kind of fell apart, so we had to push it across the finish line. But every clapped real loud. And then we had the car in 1999 which was the first Sunergy." It was a Solectria Force that they recoverted, replacing all the drive components. They also added solar power.
"This Solectria Force doesn't have any solar panels. You plug it into 220 Volts AC every night. It takes about 5 and a half hours to fill up. If you treat it good it can go about 100 miles, if you aren't really paying attention it goes about 70 per charge. There are 14 nickel metal hydride batteries, weighing about 440 pounds, distributed 6 in the front and 8 in the back. This belongs to Mr. Mark Kopec (of Solectria) and he is lending it to us so we can run it for him. He's a very nice gentleman.
Report #72: Pole Positions, Friday 25 May
This is the order in which the vehicles left for Worcester on Friday morning. The score is the composite total score, which includes the technical testing results and the run from Waterbury CT to Greenfeild MA.
Pole Vehicle Category Chase Score 1 500 Pace - Honda Insight No 120.7 2 41 Solar Market Insight HEV No 222.8 3 35 Al C. O'Holic Ethanol No 221.7 4 11 Solectria Super Force BEV No 213.7 5 40 Moonshine's Revenge Ethanol No 213.0 6 18 KineticarIII HEV No 211.2 7 2 Head Hunter Ethanol No 210.6 8 37 Aluminum Cow HEV No 210.6 9 16 The Olympian BEV No 210.4 10 28 Control Vehicle for Prius No 150.8 11 70 Toyota Prius HEV No 210.5 12 17 Paradyne HEV No 196.0 13 20 Solar Black Bear Solar Electric No 186.8 14 4 E.D. (Electronic Diesel) HEV No 163.0 15 8 Greaseltron HEV No 136.6 16 66 Phantom SOL BEV No 114.8 17 27 Geomino HEV No 114.7 18 61 Solar Bolt BEV Yes 205.9 19 5 Response 2 E BEV Yes 186.3 20 10 Sunergy II BEV Yes 181.5 21 45 EV-Sport BEV Yes 145.5 22 92 Sunpacer One Person BEV Yes 145.1 23 72 Sungo BEV Yes 141.0 24 19 ElectroFuel BEV Yes 122.6 25 51 PET Sunray Transporter BEV Yes 120.9 26 22 Soljourner 2 HEV Yes 117.9 27 7 Zodiac One Person BEV Yes 107.5 28 89 Envirocycle III One Person BEV Yes 86.1 29 3 E- Stream BEV Yes 75.9 30 62 Garnet One HEV Yes 65.3 31 14 Pace - Scooter No 150.8 32 30 Climate Cooler One Person BEV Yes 209.1 33 6 Caballito Motor Scooter One Person BEV Yes 194.6
Report #73: "Garnet One" Team
Swarthmore College is in southeastern Pennsylvania, not too far from Philadelphia. In 1997, 6 guys looking for a senior design project came up with a Chevy Beretta converted into series hybrid burning Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). Those guys are long gone, but the car returned in 1998 through this year. Before it had been painted white, now it is blue.
"We had 4 or 5 students involved this semester. We added some fiberglass panels to make it look neater," said Jesse Wells. "I worked on the car as a senior project this spring, increasing the efficiency of the engine and reduced the harmful emissions. I changed the governor mechanism so it would operate in a better range at a given load. We rebuilt the control panel and control board. I also changed the ignition timing, replaced the spark plugs and bunch of little things that made an appreciable difference. According to California Smog Check levels, we are 80% below for NOx, CO and hydrocarbon. We have driven it over 220 miles in the past 2 weeks. Normally it's just a boring ride through the country."
"Until the cop pulled us over," Alison chimed in. "`What did you do to this car?'" Alison Floyd is "... the Biologist on the team; the volunteer handiwoman; the go-for. I was along for the ride writing taking the data." The cop had noticed the engine sitting in the back of the car. "We thought we were in trouble but he was just curious."
I asked if he knew what happened to former team members? "Some of the guys who worked on this are now in industry working on electric and hybrid-electric vehicles. Some are working in the engineering field on such things as vibration mounts in Germany. And one went to Goldman Sachs.
"I am senior," Jesse said, "but I am very excited by the new car we have for next year. Suzuki donated a 3-cylinder, 1-liter `Swift' that got 44 miles per gallon coming up here to Waterbury. We are thinking about leaving the engine exactly as it is and adding a support electric system for the rear wheels. It would be a through-the-road hybrid.
______________
The interview above was on Saturday in Waterbury. By Wednesday the Garnet One was not in sight. I understand that it had some problem that the team decided was serious enough that they packed up and went home.
Report #74: "The Trout" Poster Display
The Trout entered the 2000 Tour de Sol, but did not run. We expected it to show up this year, but it isn't here in Waterbury for testing.
But there is a display board, which I spoke with Ken Stough of Millersville University in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. The pictures showed the 1-place motorcycle both without and with the faring that gives it its name. "We made the decision not to make the Trout because we didn't get enough testing time in. So, for safety, we won't be running. Instead we are displaying our research."
What have they done in this past year? "We reverse-engineered the bike, going back and measuring everything so we had accurate CAD (Computer Aided Design) drawings of the shell and the bike. We developed our own hydraulic rolling kick stand. Because the driver is in a fiberglass shell, he cannot put his feet out." Instead, he pushes on a parking brake pedal taken from a Pontiac Firebird that drives the stand down from the rear and supports the bike when standing still.
The bike has a 9 foot wheel base, and the drive sits with his legs straight out in front, and totally inclosed in the frame. There 6 12-Volt gelled electrolyte marine batteries.
Report #75: "E.D." and "Response IIE" Teams
I spoke with Matthew White and Gary Davidson about the E.D. (Electric Diesel) hybrid from Lawrence Tech in Southfield Michigan. "Our hybrid uses B20, which is 80% diesel fuel and 20% soybean oil, which cleans up the emissions. (Last year they used Fisher-Tropisch diesel fuel.) The electric motor in this parallel hybrid helps in the lower gears with starting and acceleration. The motor runs the vehicle up to about 15 miles per hour and then the diesel engine takes over." Thus it switches from a pure electric mode to a fuel-dominant mode. There is a 5 speed `manual'` transmission being shifted under computer control which makes it smoother. A PLC (Programmed Logic Controller) controls the actuators that push the clutch in, shift to the new gear, and lets the clutch out. So the driver moves the gear lever without ever touching a clutch pedal. One-way overriding clutch pulleys keep the unused engine or motor for dragging down the motor or engine which is developing power.
The radio cluster of the console, between the driver and passenger, has been replaced with a (guessing) 8-inch by 8-inch touch panel display, the driver vehicle interface. It allows the driver to see various system displays and has areas labeled Hybrid and Electric, which are both forward drive, and Reverse. An Heads Up Display tied to the PLC advises the driver when to up-shift or down-shift using a pair of arrows projected on the windshield just above the front hood in the driver's field of vision.
The battery component of ED is significant. 13 14-Volt nickel metal hydride blocks give it a pure electric distance of about 70 miles. With fuel, the range is about 600 miles. "So if you are just driving in the city, just driving on electric, you can avoid starting the diesel engine at all."
ED has a unusual faring around the side view mirrors to cut the drag. The faring comes off the door smoothly as you would expect, but it then has a flat Fresnel-like lens on the back of the faring, sealing it and presumably cutting down on turbulent drag. The lens creates an image `squeeze' in the horizontal direction, so a wider view is presented to the driver. The image is distorted, but it isn't the barrel distortion you find with most convex mirrors.
ED also has no door handles at all, to help on aerodynamics. Instead, a small push button above each door causes it to unlatch and pop open a little bit. (A dead battery could be a big problem, I think.)
We then spoke about Response IIE, a car that started life in 1993 as a student designed hybrid built from the ground up, but was made into a pure electric after ED came along. It runs a 200 Volt nickel metal hydride battery pack carrying 16 kiloWatt-hours of energy. "Last year that carried us 85 miles. If you drive it right it will give you 90 or 100 miles. A 5 speed manual transmission is driven by a permanent magnet motor.
Both cars have solar panels that help keep the battery box ventilators running.
Report #76: Tour de Sol Press Release at the Finish
TOUR DE SOL ROAD RALLY FINISHES STRONG: CLEANER VEHICLES DEMONSTRATE ABILITY TO EASE AMERICA'S ENERGY CRISIS
BOSTON -- More than three dozen vehicles crossed the Boston finish line in this year's Tour de Sol competition, on Saturday, May 26. The 13th Annual Tour de Sol: The Great American Green Transportation Festival is a grueling, 300-mile test of the capabilities of advanced vehicles. Dozens of awards and trophies highlight top placing teams, but the biggest winner this year is the American public. With record-high prices at the gas pump, millions of people are looking for more fuel-efficient cars -- and these cars and motor scooters provide viable options that not only reduce fuel costs, but also reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
``The impressive quality of the Tour de Sol's winning vehicles shows that Americans don't have to sacrifice safety, performance, or comfort to get a car that's good for the environment,'' said Warren Leon, executive director of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA). The Tour de Sol is the largest and most widely diversified competition and showcase for advanced, cleaner vehicle technologies in the world. Vehicles compete in eight different categories and are evaluated on performance, consumer acceptability, and environmental impact. The emphasis on ``green-ness'' is just one of the things that makes the Tour de Sol unique among international automotive events.
``These vehicles also could ease America's energy crisis by dramatically reducing our need for oil,'' said Nancy Hazard, Tour de Sol director. ``Hybrid-electric and battery-electric vehicles are incredibly efficient and can reduce fuel use by 30-50%. In addition, many of the vehicles in the Tour de Sol demonstrate the the practicality of using domestically- produced fuels , which are good for the environment and for the U.S. economy.''
More than a dozen of the vehicles participating in this year's Tour de Sol are production vehicles -- available right now on the market here in the United States. Many other vehicles are pre-production prototypes, experimental vehicles, or student projects.
Vehicles compete and win awards in different categories based on the type of vehicle and the energy source (solar, batteries, hybrid, renewable fuel, etc.) used to power the vehicle.
The top finishers in each category in this year's competition are:
Production Division Hybrid Electric: Honda Insight (entered by Naoto Inoue) Battery Electric: Solectria Force (Ethel Walker School, Simsbury, CT) One --Person Vehicle: Caballito Motor Scooter (Team China, People's Republic of CHINA)
Prototype Division Hybrid-Electric: ``Aluminum Cow'' (University of Wisconsin -- Madison) Ethanol Challenge: Chevy Silverado (University of Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA) Battery Electric: Solectria Super Force (Team New England) Solar Electric: Solar Black Bear (University of Maine) One-Person Vehicle: Climate Cooler (Team Micronesia, Federated States of MICRONESIA)The 13th annual Tour de Sol: The Great American Green Transportation Festival began May 19 in Waterbury, CT and ended May 26 in Boston, MA. Along the way, exhibits and community festivals were also held in Albany, NY, Pittsfield, MA, Greenfield, MA, and Worcester, MA. Major sponsors of the 13th annual Tour de Sol include:
the U.S. Department of Energy (Title Sponsor) American Honda Motor Company (Gold Sponsor) the Connecticut Department of Transportation ENSCO, Inc. the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority the Waterbury Region Convention and Visitors Bureau Texaco Ovonic Battery CompanyOther major sponsors include:AutomotiveWire DaimlerChrysler the Electric Vehicle Association of the Americas EOTC/MassHighway Ford Th!nk Mobility KeySpan Energy Delivery National Grid the New York Power Authority the U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyThe Tour de Sol is organized by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA), the nation's leading regional association involved in promoting awareness, understanding, and development of non-polluting, renewable energy technologies. Headquartered in Greenfield, Massachusetts, NESEA has worked successfully for more than a quarter century in the fields of transportation, building construction, and renewable energy.
Further information on the competition, including a complete list of all vehicle scores and results, are available on the web at www.nesea.org or by calling NESEA at (413) 774-6051.
Report #77: Detailed Tour de Sol Results Available.
ENSCO, Inc. collected, help analyze and format the Tour de Sol's data. Very detailed results are available in PDF format at:
http://www.ensco.com/tourdesol/files.cfm
Report #78: The Tour de Sol Is Finished, The Tour de Sol Reports Continue
The entrants of the Tour de Sol paraded onto the City Hall Plaza on Cambridge Street in downtown Boston late Saturday morning for an all day festival of music and awards. The sun shown, the temperatures were mild. The power for the sound system came from the solar panels on The Great New England Energy Show truck, as it had at each of our stops. (Batteries carried the load when the sun was not shining.)
But the story is not over. I have several more hours of interviews on tape, and they will continue to arrive here approximately weekly over the next month or so. As I type this, I am still working on tape recorded in Waterbury CT the Sunday and Monday before the rally started down the road.
Report #79: "E-Stream"
So what do guys in high school do with their friends? They may go out for a sport together, or start a band, or build an electric car, just for the fun of it. I know a few adults who have done conversions who could learn a thing or three looking at the result. This is a very clean conversion!
Scott Monfees, Josh Robison, and Drew Gaylo are TeamEV 2001 from Princeton Junction NJ. "I thought of the concept when I was a freshman in high school," Drew said, "I'm a junior now. It took like 2 years of research. Then in December 2000, Scott and Josh and I formed a little team. We bought the car, a 1991 Volkswagen Cabriolet. We started ordering the parts. In January we started taking the gasoline components out, and had everything gone in mid- February. It was just a shell of a car. About then the electric parts started arriving. The last thing that came in were the batteries. We put them in and connected them up, and we were good!"
They have an 8-inch, 20 horsepower Advanced DC motor, 400 Amp Curtis controller, a Curtis contactor, an electric vacuum pump and reservoir for the power brakes, a DC-to-DC converter for the 12 Volt accessory batteries, a fusible link, a big circuit breaker in the high-voltage string that can be pulled either from in the car or from the front without opening the hood (for safety), a Rusco charger, and 16 6-Volt deep cycle batteries giving 96 Volts. "We got them donated by Exide Corporation after our first article in the newspaper. They are GC-5 Electric Vehicle flooded blocks. 8 in the front, 8 below the trunk. We got a lot of stuff Mike Brown and Electro Auto in California. We talk to Shari Prange a lot." The batteries in the rear are within a polypropylene box with a positive pressure ventilating system.
Was this a club? "No. Just three friends getting together thought it would be pretty cool. Scott is majoring in engineering at Widener University in Chester PA."
Does it go on dates? "Yeah. My girlfriend back home and I started going together just as we got it finished. It's the car we take when we go out." I can hear it now. I'm just taking the electric out to put some miles on it, Dad! "You got it right there!" Is it going to the prom? "I'm a junior, but I'm going to the senior prom with a senior friend and she wants me drive her to the pre-prom party."
Future plans? They want to add a battery pack data acquisition system.
Drew is a member of the Eastern Electric Vehicle Association in Conshohocken PA, and also reads Home Power magazine.
Report #80: A Few Short Notes
A few short notes of happenings along the route:
I spoke to the Zodiac's Irondequoit Tech Team on Saturday at Waterbury. They were just about finished their technical testing. Joe Vinciguerra, the driver, said, "I was going down the slolam course. The objective is to get it from one end to the other in a certain amount of time so you have to go pretty fast around the cones. I started to tip one way on a turn as I was going around a cone. I then had to go around another cone, but I over compensated, which lifted the front tire a couple of feet and the back corner of the car scrapped." The car is a three-wheeler. "That's the only reason it didn't tip over. The frame is scrapped, but it doesn't appear to have bent or broken anything. "But now a lot of people know us as the car that almost flipped over."
"Phantom SOL", number 66, as trailered into Greenfield, having picked up a rock in the commutator of their motor. It broke it thoroughly, tearing out large chunks of the commutator poles. They were able to get a replacement from Bob Batson at Electric Vehicles of America in Wolfeboro NH. So they pulled an late-nighter, installed the new motor and were able to make the run from Greenfield to Worcester.
I am told that "E.D. (Electric Diesel), number 4, was towed on Thursday. I don't have details yet. I do know that it drove into Worcester on Friday, so the evidence is that whatever the problem, it is fixed.
I am told that "ElectroFuel", number 19, has suffered a controller failure. I have no details yet, but know that Friday afternoon they were looking to beg or buy a replacement.
The New England Electric Auto Association showed up in Worcester with an electric VW Rabbit and two electric trucks. We also had a Corbin Sparrow on display by a local dealer.
Report #81: "Sunpacer" Team
For the 9th straight year, this one-person, custom designed solar electric vehicle built, maintained and improved by the students of Cato-Meridian High School returns to the Tour de Sol. Senior Aron Kolb "took a lot of tech classes through high school, and fell in love with it, to be honest." Sophomore Amber Ross cleaned up the car. Senior Ashley Davenport is the driver for the Tour. "It's fun to drive, especially doing down the hills. It's really different; I've never experienced anything like this."
This year's changes: "We changed the motor mount so we can put a smaller motor sprocket to help us get up the hills." Driving through the Berkshire Mountains will be stressing some of these cars. This sounds like a good strategy. "We have new Trojan batteries this year that are supposed to have 10% more range." They are still 36 Volt vehicle, which always surprises me that it is so low. It does help make the car safer. The solar panel is still the same.
What does this car do between Tours? "Mr. Billings drives it around, takes it to the bank."
Report #82: "Al C. O'Holic" Team
Ryan Westbrook, a member of the University of Waterloo's Alternative Fuels Team, spoke me about their entry. It is a Chevy Silverado pickup truck, converted to burn E85 ethanol fuel in 1999 as part of the Ethanol Vehicle Challenge. "Ethanol is corrosive, so we had to change the fuel system, changed some components to facilitate running ethanol through them. Ethanol has a lower energy content than gasoline, so your fuel economy (miles per gallon) is going to decrease a bit. To use the same engine you have to increase the size of your fuel injectors and increase the injection pressure."
"Ethanol is a cleaner burning fuel, which makes it better for the environment. It can be made from things like corn, waste cellulose stock, plant fiber, and that sort of stuff." Anything you can get to ferment. "It's less volatile than gasoline which makes it difficult to start when cold, so there's a lot of cold-start components on the truck. Thermos bottles that pre-heat the fuel. We have an hydrogen reactor that creates hydrogen that we can feed to the air intake. We have resistive-element heaters in the throttle body air intake. We have special catalytic converters. We milled the heads down to increase the compression ratio from 9.5-to-1 to 11-to-1. We moved the oxygen sensor further up stream to close the loop faster. New catalytic converters just last week."
"If you want to run pure gasoline, we can crank this down to a lower fuel flow rate. We are going to add this Siemens flex-fuel sensor which senses the ratio of gasoline to ethanol and puts out a frequency." They will then use that value to dynamically tune the fuel system the exact ratio they are seeing, moment-by-moment, changing the spark timing, spark advance, pulse width and fuel pressure.
They are very proud of their results. They come in below the ULEV (Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) standards.
Why join this team? "There are lots of activities to join. You can join the SAE team and build a race car. Join the solar team and build a solar car. I found this really practical and immediate. We can make this fuel from our own crops and they are always finding new sources of biomass. This is a cleaner burning fuel and has higher octane. The only trade off is 15% lower miles per gallon. I would trade that off to save the environment, no questions about it."
Report #83: "Parade" Pre-production Prototype
The Tour de Sol is about the role of practical sustainable transportation. What better place for a company to demonstrate a new product labeled "affordable EV" than here. I spoke with Hyung Pyo Woo, the manager of body design for ATT R&D of Seoul Korea which designed "The Parade".
"The unique thing about this car is that it gives you similar performance of the other electric vehicles from the big auto makers, but the price is about half. So we can sell this car at $20,000 with lead acid batteries and still make money. The body system is made from 100% aluminum. Pretty much everything is built from the ground just for the electric vehicle, what we call a `purpose built' electric vehicle. We buy the motor, controller and batteries. Everything else is designed within the company. Our company is highly efficient. We are about 20 people, but we use a lot of outsourcing which lowers the cost." The engineers are experienced people from the major Korean manufacturers. "So it is a lot simpler and easier for us to develop an electric vehicle by ourselves instead of working for big companies."
The car is what I would call a tall, 4 door, 4 seat microvan. The seats are mounted high and in fact the rear seats are a touch higher than the front seats; the roof slopes slightly higher towards the rear. Stepping into this car is relatively easy, even for a big guy like me, because you don't have to lower yourself way down. It was very comfortable. There is adequate head room for my 6 foot 1 inch height and wide girth. The rear seats are right up against the rear window, but they can be folded forward or removed.
The parking brake is between the front seats, but the "shift lever" is high on the dash, to the right of the steering wheel and in the Park position it points almost straight up. A button on top of the lever releases it out of Park, and then the 3 positions are Reverse, Neutral, and Drive. Since the "shift lever" is only an electric switch, except when it engages the Parking mechanism, it moves effortlessly.
After the Tour ended in Boston on Saturday, I got a chance to drive the Parade, if only at slow speed around the display area. It drives like an electric. There is a slight electric whine that I'm sure would quickly be masked by tire noise. In some of the cars like this I've driven in the past, there was a sense of body flexing or creaking. The Parade had none of that. It sounds and feels solid. There is air conditioning and a PTC (ceramic) heater.
"Here is our fully-functioning first prototype. We are here at the Tour de Sol to show who we are and that we are in business. This car is going into production in 2003." There are two types of batteries. The version they call the "EV 60" is lead acid, which is the one they will sell at $20,000, will have 27 12-Volt blocks, 324 Volts total, which will have a range of 60 miles. The "EV 150" will use nickel metal hydride batteries and have a 150 mile range, which, "we plan to sell at $26,000".
An AC induction motor, with regen braking, is mounted low in the back driving the rear wheels through a reduction gear. When Hyung opened the small front hood, there was a plastic compartment which could hold a couple of small pieces of luggage. He lifted the compartment out and it was easy to see the front frame members, "made from aluminum space-frame technology. It gives better performance in a crash test." I suspect that part of the reason is that there is a lot of room to crumple the frame without pushing engines and the like into the passenger compartment. The electric rack and pinion steering was clearly visible, as was the compressor for the air conditioner, the charger, a small accessory battery, the vacuum pump for the power brakes. (I wonder if we will ever see purely electric power brakes?)
"The cars sold in Japan and England are right hand drive. So the instrument panel has a symmetric design." The result is that the passenger dash board airbag and the driver's position can be interchanged which means all the parts are shared between left hand drive and right hand drive countries."
"This car is developed by us, but we do not plan to manufacture this car under our name. We are trying to find American or other manufacturing partners." ATT R&D will sell licenses to the their technology to partners so they can manufacture and sell the car under their name. They plan to build 40 more prototypes to conduct more crash tests, meet the motor vehicle safety standards.
What sort of production levels would they need to meet that $20,000 price tag? Hyung said that if they could produce 8000 vehicles in a year, they could sell them at that price and make over 10% profit.
During the Tour de Sol, Parade did not compete, but it drove the route. "The third day the battery died just before hitting the top of the mountain. So we pushed it a little bit, and from there it was mostly down hill." The regen recharged the battery and they were able to complete the leg.
Report #84: Another Web Site With Pictures
Darryl McMahon of Nepean, Ontario Canada was at the Tour de Sol in Waterbury CT on the weekend of technical testing, and took a number of pictures. They can be see at:
http://www.econogics.com/TDS/2001/tds2001.htm
Darryl McMahon 48 Tarquin Crescent, Econogics, Inc. Nepean, Ontario K2H 8J8 It's your planet. Voice: (613)784-0655 If you won't look Fax: (613)828-3199 after it, who will? http://www.econogics.com/
Report #85: Web Page with the Full Results of the Tour de Sol
For a tabular, detailed set of results of the 2001 Tour de Sol, see:
http://members.delphi.com/tourdesol/web/2001/results.html
Report #86: Final News Release from NESEA
TOUR DE SOL ROAD RALLY FESTIVAL SHOWED THAT NEW ``GREEN'' VEHICLES CAN REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND EASE AMERICA'S ENERGY CRISIS
June, 16 2001
CONTACTS: Jack Groh (401) 732-1551 GrohPR@aol.com Nancy Hazard (413) 774-6051x18 NHazard@NESEA.org
Website: www.nesea.orgGREENFIELD, Mass -- The Tour de Sol: The Great American Green Transportation Festival, showcased dozens of vehicles that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ease America's energy crisis. ``The impressive quality of the Tour de Sol's winning vehicles shows that Americans don't have to sacrifice safety, performance, or comfort to get a car that's good for the environment,'' said Warren Leon, executive director of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA), organizer of the festival.
``We were able to collect the best set of vehicle data ever, so that we can compare conventional gasoline vehicles with these new advanced vehicles.'' said Dr. Robert Wills, technical director.
Honda's Insight, pace car for the 300 mile rally that included festivals in six communities between Waterbury, CT to Boston, MA May 19-26, is an excellent example of the new generation of vehicles coming to market. With a fuel economy of 70 miles per gallon, its gas-electric hybrid engine emits 45% less carbon dioxide, the major cause of global warming. A Toyota Prius, a five-seat gas-electric hybrid, achieved 50 miles per gallon, a great improvement over comparably sized Toyota Corolla gasoline control vehicle that achieved 26 mpg over the same course. The electric vehicles showed even higher efficiencies. Five electric sedans traveled at greater than 110 equivalent miles per gallon, with a maximum of 130 MPGs for a Solectria Force.*
As for carbon dioxide emissions, the major source of global warming, the Toyota Corolla emitted, on average, 391 grams of carbon dioxide per mile, while the Toyota Prius emitted 215 grams per mile. The Honda Insight emitted 150 grams per mile, which was about the same as the best electric sedans, assuming the electricity was produced in the Northeast. Several electric scooters built by Personal Electric Transport of Hawaii, and brought to the event by China and Micronesia, emitted only 80 grams of carbon dioxide per mile.
``These are the kinds of solutions that will promote energy conservation and energy efficiency in meaningful and effective ways,'' said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, at the Tour de Sol finish line ceremonies. ``I want to congratulate all the participants of the Tour de Sol for the important role you're playing in bringing these concepts within reach, and making green transportation a reality.''
In addition to vehicles already on the market, the Tour de Sol showcased a broader range of green transportation options than ever before. Dozens of students and individuals brought vehicles that ran on electricity, or fuels such as ethanol, biodiesel, compressed natural gas, or propane. Many exhibitors including Honda, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, Toyota, Korea's Advanced Transportation Technologies, Personal Electric Transport, and Spincycle brought conventional and electric bicycles, new neighborhood vehicles, pre-production prototype fuel cell cars, or information on public transit and pedestrian issues. Others brought displays demonstrating solar energy, or food products produced with the environment in mind. Festival attendees were serenaded by music from the solar-powered stage.
Major sponsors of the 13th annual Tour de Sol included the U.S. Department of Energy (Title Sponsor) and American Honda Motor Company (Gold Sponsor).
Top finishers in this year's competition were:
Production Division Hybrid Electric: Honda Insight, a gas-electric hybrid (entered by Naoto Inoue) Battery Electric: Solectria Force (Ethel Walker School, Simsbury, CT) One --Person Vehicle: PET Caballito Motor Scooter (Team China, People's Republic of CHINA)
Prototype Division Hybrid-Electric: ``Aluminum Cow,'' a biodiesel-electric hybrid (U. of Wisconsin -- Madison) Ethanol Challenge: Chevy Silverado (University of Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA) Battery Electric: Solectria Super Force (Team New England) Solar Electric: Solar Black Bear (University of Maine)
One-Person Vehicle: Best 2-wheeler: Climate Cooler (Team Micronesia, Federated States of MICRONESIA) Best Commuter: Sunpacer (Cato-Meridian High School)Other major sponsors included the Connecticut Department of Transportation, ENSCO, Inc., the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the Texaco Ovonic Battery Company, and the Waterbury Region Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Additional major sponsors included: AutomotiveWire, DaimlerChrysler, the Electric Vehicle Association of the Americas, EOTC/MassHighway, Ford Th!nk Mobility, KeySpan Energy Delivery, National Grid, the New York Power Authority, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Tour de Sol is organized by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA), the nation's leading regional association promoting awareness, understanding, and development of non-polluting, renewable energy technologies. Headquartered in Greenfield, Massachusetts, NESEA has worked successfully for more than a quarter century in the fields of transportation, building construction, and renewable energy. Further information on the competition, including a complete list of all vehicle scores and results, are available on the web at www.nesea.org or by calling NESEA at (413) 774-6051.
* The equivalent MPG of an electric vehicle is calculated by converting kilowatt-hours of charging energy to equivalent gallons of gasoline by dividing by the miles traveled.
Report #87: Union-Endicott Does Not To Compete
Sometimes a team's ambition does not match their ability. When there is a lesson learned to be applied next time, the result can still be positive. Pete Hatton sent this note to the Electric Vehicle EMail Discussion List, and I quote it here with his permission.
Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2001 13:42:12 -0400 From: Pete Hatton <phatton@stny.rr.com> Subject: UEHS Progress report
It's been a while since I've posted anything on the Union-Endicott high school technology club's electric vehicle program. I thought I would jot down what we have been up to for the past two years. After the 1999 Tour de Sol we decided that the Solar Tiger II (Zzipper) was not a competitive vehicle and we should try a conversion. We were given a Chevy Cavalier from a local car dealer to base this project on. The Chevy cavalier ( CheVolt ) project has been put on hold because the car was in such bad shape...many, many problems due to rust. I can't stress enough the importance of starting with a car in good condition! We have wasted many hours doing bodywork on this car instead converting it to electric power. We got as far as putting in the motor (kostov) in and a few battery racks. In January/February of this year we decided that their was no way we could have it finished in time for the Tour de Sol in May which we were planning on attending. It was decided that we should get another car which we could convert in time for the tour. We obtained a 1984 Fiero which looked to be in very good shape. During the first week we had this car the engine was removed and plans were quickly drawn up as to how we would fit enough batteries in it to get a good range. It was decided that we would go with two 96V packs, one mounted in the car and another towed behind it when we needed the extra range. We decided to use the motor from the Solar Tiger II in the Fiero because it would have been a tight fit to get the Kostov in there. At the rate we were going the first few weeks, it looked like we were going to finish the car in time for the Tour de Sol. Work on the car dropped off quickly due to team members other commitments in the spring, and we were running out of money. We also discovered that the Fiero also had rust problems in several spots that was not evident until after we removed the carpeting in the trunk area. Because of this we did not make it to the TdS this year. During this last week we had a local bodyshop donate their time to fix the rust spots so the Fiero is now ready to be finished. Over the summer we will be ordering all of the parts needed to complete the car so it can be finished in the fall. Then comes the fun part, driving it! We will also be working on reviving a 1994 Solectria Force GT that we will soon be getting from NYSEG.
Pete Hatton http://www.dynamocomputers.comThanks, Pete.
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