SEVA EVUpdate Newsletter September 1995

SEVA EVUpdate Newsletter

September 1995

Presidents Message by Mark Bahlke

Hello Fellow EVers,

Well, another month flies by, so much to do, and so little time. The end of summer is upon us. One last EVent, at least as far as we know, and we can settle down to plan next years activities. SEVA participated in the Folsom Street Fair last night ( as I write this), our first time at that event, and we are encourged to return next year. Another opportunity to show EVs to the public. For our final EVent this summer, we are still setting our sights on a ride and drive type EVent at William Land Park in Sacramento, for September. If I get lucky, and get some spare time, I will have my car there. As you know, I had a controller failure right before our July picnic. The car has since been the victim of being bumped down "the list" of things to do around our house more than once. I just need a little time, without 47 other pressing things to do. I'm sure that's how it is for most of us.

Well, as 1998 moves ever closer, the pressure mounts on the California Air Resources Board, and CA government to drop the mandate. It becomes more and more significant for groups like SEVA to continue to demonstrate the effective- ness and practicality of EVs in daily life. It will be very difficult for the automakers to argue that EVs don't work and can't be built if they go whizzing by every day.

The oil companies will argue, mislead, and lie forever to make us think that EVs will ruin the way of life in America. In the coming years, we will need all of the things that EVs can bring to us. New jobs, new technologies, new ways of looking at transportation. We also need all of the things that EVs will _NOT_ bring us: noise, heat, bad air, polluted water & soil, and tons of non-recycled parts & junk which sits and rots in junk yards and back yards all over the country. In addition, this new wave of technology will cause people to think about whether they need to use the car at all.

New computer technology will bring the office into the home for many, and bring the supermarket, and hardware store home as well. Instead of jumping in the car and driving all over to find that little widget or thingie, and then stop off and pick up the groceries, you'll be able to jump on the internet (or whatever it will become), and find out who has the widget, place an order, and have it delivered same day. After you're done with that, you can log into the supermarket pages, and put together that grocery order.

This will save traffic trips, reduce smog, no matter what kind of cars are on the road, and in general, reduce wear and tear on the planet.

We have the fortune to be on the crest of that new wave, helping it along, and doing what we can to clear the way. It's clear to me that with the emergence of groups like SEVA, and the growing public conciousness of all these issues (in part, due to the availability of the internet), that change is on the way. Sooner or later this will happen. It is up to us to choose to join in, and participate in the benefits, or hide from it, and get run over in the process.

See you at the ride & drive. Mark (internet email - mbahlke@mcd.intel.com)

Monthly Meeting Minutes by Bill Dean

The meeting was opened at 10am by V.P. Tim Loree. He welcomed everyone and opened the floor for announcements. Ruth McDougall passed out flyers about the ZEV Activist Network. Tim introduced Bruce Parmenter of the San Jose EAA Chapter.

Bruce is an EV advocate after hours. He is event coordinator for the San Jose Chapter, one of five in the Bay Area. Bruce drives a Chevy S-10 Blazer converted by Solar Electric.

Bruce has promoted EV parking, starting at Hewlitt Packard facilities, where he works during the day. He coordinates between facility owners, electricians, and EV users. When he started, there were 3 parking places at the corporate site. Now there are 25 spaces scattered around the Bay Area. His approach is to understand the needs of the facility and work with them to get the appropriate charging hardware. For example, at Deer Creek the spaces are marked with a brown wooden sign at eye level, blending in with the arboreal background. The worst case is a sales office in a leased facility. He convinces the owners that EVs are becoming more common and that it is good PR for their parking lot to have charging capability. Typically it takes two months to set up. At Mountview, Bruce asked for two spots, but got 10, with breakers installed with the chargers, so that users can reset breakers by themselves. This makes it possible to hold events there on the weekends.

Level A outlets provide 15A 120V, like at home. Level B provides 40A 120-240V, four times the power. Level C, 150A 400V, never caught on. Bruce prefers the 1450 outlet, which has flat blades like an electric oven plug. Bruce disapproves of twist-lock connectors for EVs; it won't disconnect if the car drives off.

Bruce described three kinds of charging station. The simplest is a conduit, receptacle, and sign popping out of the ground in front of the parking space. Another kind is a conduit on a wall, if the parking is next to an existing building. The most elaborate box is like an RV box, containing breakers and room for expansion. These are easiest for maintenance.

Bruce documents the use of existing charging stations. This helps persuade facility managers of their value. He gives them an information package telling what to do, whom to contact.

Bruce also talked about the events he coordinates. They range from: minor events, showing off one or two cars, passing out flyers and business cards; medium events, giving free rides to the public; large events, such as Earth Day or road rallies. A club can put on many minor events and several medium events during the year, between a few large events.

Ruth introduced Steve Revenaugh of SMUD, who spoke briefly. Steve is now in charge of infrastructure. He said that money is in next year's budget for residential charging stations. Residents pay back the cost with a monthly fee on their SMUD bill. A charging-station map/brochure is in the design stage. CALSTART is putting together a database of where stations are and what kind they are.

Tim asked the club about letting other organizations use the club mailing list. After some discussion, the club decided not to let out its mailing list. The club authorized Ruth to get material from the ZEV Activist Network, provided that the club itself would mail out the material.

A visitor spoke up about the difficulty in connecting with SEVA. He had been trying since March, when he showed up for the meeting but nobody was there. (That day the club went on a field trip to McClellan.) Tim acknowledge the input and Board members said they would improve outreach.

The meeting was adjourned at noon.

Monthly Board Minutes by Bill Dean

The SEVA board met Monday, August 21 at 730pm to discuss club business.

The first item on the agenda was a letter from SEVA to Dennis Merritt, thanking him for handling membership applications and renewals.

Mark Bahlke said that he got good feedback on his radio spot. He may do another interview in the future. He will look into getting a Public Service Announcement for SEVA.

The Board discussed a "ride and drive" event for September or October in South Land Park. This would give visibility to EVs. Steve Smith said that it would good to have an easel with a cutaway view of the Impact. Mark said that the club needs to have signage and literature for the event. The Board agreed that it would be good for SEVA to have an event coordinator.

Mark said that SEVA had a tentative commitment to the Folsom Street Fair for two weeks. The two members who live close to Folsom both have schedule problems, so SEVA will not be represented.

The Board reviewed the monthly meeting featuring Bruce Parmenter. Dave Robinson made a video of the meeting. The Board agreed that SEVA and Bay Area clubs can do an event together.

Arthur Cartwright talked about clean air commuter awards. He has been finding out how many miles EV owners have driven. Also he has been trying to found out who has bought electric lawn mowers in Sacramento.

The Board discussed the difficulties of John Foster, who successfully linked up with the club after a five-month search. The contact person on the flyers has changed four times in recent years. One option is a PO box, but someone would have to check it regularly. Now the flyers have Steve Smith's address and Mark Bahlke's phone number, so the problem ought to be resolved. The Board had a lively but inconclusive discussion about whether to further redesign the flyer to require new members to pay the $25 national EAA dues when joining the local chapter.

Arthur is coordinating the Thursday, Sep 14 Sacramento visit of Mary Ann Chapman. He wants it to be a social event. Interested SEVA members will meet at the Capitol fountain, to go out and treat her to dinner at a reserved room in a restaurant. Possibly Mary Ann may set up a display at the Thursday Night Market.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:25pm.

SEVA News by Arthur Cartwright

September Social Gathering

May Ann Chapman, President of the nationwide Electric Vehicle Industry Association and founder of EcoElectric Corporation, will be the guest of SEVA at the September Social Gathering. She will be passing through Sacramento on her quest to delivering the first of many EVs to California. We are all gathering at the West end of Capitol Park (10th and Capitol Mall) at 7:00pm on Thursday 14 September to meet Mary Ann and view the Desert Lightning. The Desert Lightning is an electric pickup based on the 1995 Chevrolet S-10. (See side article)

The evening will have a light, non-structured, casual atmosphere. After viewing the EV from Arizona, the congregation will carpool to a downtown restaurant for dinner with our guest. Depending on what you order, you shouldn't need more than 10 dollars. As always, you are encouraged to drive your EVs, bring your electric mowers, and wear you Clean Air Commuter Awards. Feel free to contact Arthur Cartwright [cartwright@csus.edu or (916)649-3704] if there are any questions regarding this event.

Clean Air Commuter Awards

The Sacramento Electric Vehicle Association (SEVA), a chapter of the national non-profit Electric Auto Association (EAA), is an educational organization dedicated to promoting the awareness, development, adoption, and use of electric vehicles (EVs) through the involvement of its membership.

SEVA created the Clean Air Commuter Awards (CA)^2 to encourage this active participation. The initial response has been excellent. (CA)^2 committee presented thirteen commuters with their awards at the annual picnic. We hope to recognize everyone that is helping out. This includes converting an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle to electric, driving a production EV, using an electric lawn mower, or anything else you can envision. The (CA)^2 committee is open to all suggestions. If you have an idea, submit it and the committee will evaluate its merit.

At the September Monthly meeting, we will be presenting the next group of award recipients with their buttons. If you or someone you know is doing their part to help clean the air, please let Arthur Cartwright know. He is the Chair of the (CA)^2 committee. You can reach him by submitting an award application, via Email [cartwright@csus.edu], or by leaving a message on his machine [(916)649-3704].

Industry News Tidbits

ECOElectric Announces New Electric Pickup

EcoElectric Corporation has announced that its first production Desert Lightning electric pickup will be delivered to the City of Watsonville, California. The Tucson-based conversion firm expects to deliver ten additional vehicles to customers by the end of the summer. EcoElectric developed the prototype Desert Lightning with partial funding from Tucson Electric Power Company.

Based on a 1995 Chevy S-10 with driver-side air bag and four-wheel anti-lock braking system, the Desert Lightning follows EcoElectric's philosophy of providing reliable electric transportation using proven technologies. The design incorporates features intended to provide familiar, user-friendly operation for drivers that are used to internal combustion vehicles.

EcoElectric has made every effort to meet existing and proposed SAE standards and other safety and construction guidelines, with total system integration throughout. The converted truck is within Chevrolet's original Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).

The standard package uses an Advanced DC 21 hp (continuous rating) motor, 144 volts of Trojan T-145 batteries, and an on-board 120VAC 15-amp output Zivan charger, with a price of around $28,500. Alternate pricing is available to fleet purchasers who want to provide their own Horizon or other advanced batteries.

Standard features of the Desert Lightning conversion include an environmentally-sealed control package, aerodynamically-styled grill, and resistance heater/defroster. Air-conditioning, automatic transmission, and many other options are available. All batteries are completely contained in enclosures that fit within the stock vehicle outline and have undergone stress analysis to ensure that they would survive a 30 G frontal impact.

The Desert Lightning's stated range (SAE urban cycle) is a minimum of 60 miles in temperate conditions, without air-conditioner or heater operating. Top speed is over 70 mph. While EcoElectric's marketing efforts are focused on fleet operators, the vehicles are also available to individual consumers. Contact Mary Ann Chapman, EcoElectric Corporation, Phone 520-889-1056, Fax 520-889-6746, Email ecoelec@primenet.com.

Honda Touts LEV Certification Of 1996 Civic Models

Several models of the all-new 1996 Honda Civic have received "Low Emission Vehicle" (LEV)certification from the California Air Resources Board and the Environmental Protection Agency, the first mass-produced, gasoline- powered vehicles to achieve this stringent California emission standard, American Honda Motor Co. announced yesterday. According to a company statement, the LEV-certified Civics will reduce emission levels by more than 50 percent from 1995 model year California standards. By the year 2000, fleet average emissions of allauto makers selling cars in California must meet LEV levels.

(editors note: This is obviously not EV information, but for those of us who are interested in reducing pollution levels and need a new gas car, it is some place to start.)

GM Hybrid Vehicle

The Denver Post Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News Aug. 25--GENERAL MOTORS CORP. said it is developing an electric vehicle using a new battery technology manufactured by an Aurora based unit of the closely held Gylling Group of Scandinavia.

GM said its "multimillion-dollar" agreement with Gylling's Optima Batteries Inc. unit is part of a joint venture with the U.S. Department of Energy to develop alternatively fueled vehicles. The vehicle will be a "hybrid," differing from a traditional electric vehicle in that it can operate using more than one energy source.

For instance, the batteries developed by Optima can be recharged by the hybrid vehicle's braking system, as well as by the conventional recharging equipment needed for electric cars. Optima's battery pack consists of 60 six-volt batteries.

Denver Post, Tel# 303-820-1010, Fax# 303-820-1369, 1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202 USA

CARB Battery Evaluation

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (BUSINESS WIRE) Aug. 29, 1995 The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has convened an independent panel of experts to conduct a scientific evaluation of battery technology needed to produce commercially viable zero emission vehicles for California motorists.

During the next 30 days, the panel will meet with battery and vehicle manufacturers and report their findings at ARB's October 11 staff workshop on battery technology.

California must have zero emission vehicles to meet federal air quality standards by 2010 and beyond. This audit of battery technology will provide an unbiased assessment of key zero emission vehicle technology for both the short and medium term,` ARB Chairman John D. Dunlap said.

The four panelists are: Dr. Fritz Kalhammer, vice president at the Electric Power Research Institute in Palo Alto; Dr. Akiya Kozawa, a retired research associate for Union Carbide Corp.; Dr. Carl Moyer, chief scientist for Acurex Environmental Corporation in Mountain View; and Dr. Boone Owens, an electrochemical technology specialist for Research International in North Carolina and an adjunct professor in chemical engineering and materials science at the University of Minnesota.

The panelists are expected to travel extensively to meet with battery and vehicle manufacturers to determine the performance characteristics of specific battery technologies and when they could be available in mass produced electric vehicles. The panelists also will assess the time necessary to evaluate batteries in prototype vehicles and to achieve needed production volumes.

The panel will focus on battery technologies expected to be commercially available between 1998 and 2002. These technologies include conventional lead acid batteries and advanced batteries, including nickel metal hydride and lithium ion.

'The ARB looks forward to a comprehensive report on this critical issue. We are counting on all battery and auto manufacturers to fully cooperate with this scientific inquiry,` Dunlap said. `Working together in good faith will result in the best program that will improve air quality for generations to come.'

CONTACT: California Air Resources Board, Sacramento Jerry Martin or Allan Hirsch, 916-322-2990

Auto Pollution Hotline

Incenced by cars that spew dark, stinky clouds of Pollution?

The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District announced Wednesday the start of a "hotline" for reporting gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicles that expel dirty ehaust (in California).

The smog agency said it will send motorists a stern letter to offending motorists warning that police could cite them for violating the state's smoking vehicle law, which carries fines up to $250.

Those reporting the belchers must use a touch-tone phone and know the vehicle's license plate and the date, time and roadway where it was spotted. The Smoking Vehicle Hotline Number is 916-363-7664 or 916-END-SMOG.

Editors Corner by Tony Cygan

Well we finally got a couple of 'Letters to the Editor' and I want to thank these people for taking the time to let us know what their feeling are. One of the letters came via postal mail and one came via email. Personally I like the email version because I just have to copy the letter to my disk and upload it into the newsletter, where-as with the postal mail I must retype it into the newsletter. Either way though, I'm glad to see them come in and if you feel the urge don't hesitate to send us your thoughts.

I have had a couple of people ask me about our WWW Internet HomePage and why we are 2 months behind in our postings. Well I'm doing it this way to encourage people to join SEVA and get the current version. Now whether it continues this way, or whether we decide to just go ahead and keep current with our hard copy is up to the board. Some people have also expressed an interest in receiving their newsletter this way and not to get a hard copy via the postal mail. I will be bringing these issues up at the next board meeting, so stay tuned. Let me know where you stand. I'll try and get some type of survey in next months EV Update.

Letters To The Editor

Dear Editor,

I read with interest "The Lawnmower Man" in the August issue of EV Update and agree that electric mowers are desirable. However, not everyone has four lawns with 1/3 of an acre to cut. With a 1800 sq ft front lawn and a 1000 sq ft back lawn, my M200 Black and Decker connected to a 100 foot electric cord does a great job. It is light weight and easy to handle, although it does have a bag which has to be emptied into the compost pile once or twice during the mowing. Cost of mower with bag was $172 and 100 foot cord was $7. As the article mentioned, there is a range of mowers available from several sources. What is important is to think electric when purchasing new or replacing an older mower.

Sincerely yours,
Morris G. Jerome
Sacramento, Ca.

(editors note: We need to really consider using electric mowers of all types for our homes and Mr. Jerome has pointed that out. Gas mowers put out something like 6-10 times the pollution of a gas car and they do it in less time. Lawn mowers, chain saws, weed wackers, etc are all guilty of this since they do not have any type of pollution controls on them. I think the EPA is looking at requiring controls on the small gas appliances sometime in the future, but will it be enough ?)

Dear Editor (via email),

I was quite happy to discover in my August EV Update that we now have a homepage for SEVA. I know how busy you have been (I can tell by how far behind the newsletters are on the homepage), but I am glad that we have a presence. I have been lurking behind the scenes reading the EV list that was advertised in Current EVents. This is the first newsgroup that I have subscribed to. I have enjoyed keeping up with the wide range of topics discussed.

Thanks for giving SEVA a presence on the WWW.

David Link,
Computer Applications Teacher
dlink@egusd.k12.ca.us

Upcomming EVents


SEVA Activities

  o  General Meeting, Saturday, September 9th at 10:00am
  o  Board Meeting, Monday, September 11th at 7pm
  o  General Meeting, Saturday, October 14th at 10:00am
  o  Board Meeting, Monday, October 16th at 7pm
  o  General Meeting, Saturday, November 11th at 10:00am
  o  Board Meeting, Monday, November 13th at 7pm
  o  General Meeting, Saturday, December 9th at 10:00am
  o  Board Meeting, Monday, December 11th at 7pm

Bay Area/Modesto EAA Activities

  o  Silicon Valley EAA Chapter Rally, September 16th

National/International EV Activities

  o  1st Monoco Electric Gran Prix, October 19-21
  o  North American EV Infrastructure Conference, Dec. 12-14

Member Want Ads

No ads this month. Sorry !