1 A Convenient Response to an Inconvenient Truth - EV

[mrCbeems]

Thank you very much for this video... I'm inspired!

[marionrickard]

Indeed. We drove to Nashville this past weekend and I filled up the Escalade at a gas station. First time I had been to one in SEVEN MONTHS. I must say, I neither enjoyed the experience, nor miss it at all. I'm so deep in this that I forget most people dont have EV's. Poor bastards....

[TypeORedPill]

Internal combustion is so much more practical, especially when we have magically refilling service stations.

[cyberlord64]

How much for the batteries and from where?

[marionrickard]

Then don't be cynical. You don't know what you're talking about. I've driven the car every day for two years, and I can drive any car I like. The current battery technology not only make the EV a practical alternative to the internal combustion engine at the present time, but it makes it a SUPERIOR alternative to the internal combustion engine IN ALL WAYS.

That you don't realize this is central to our mission. You don't know because you haven't experienced it.

[C63AMGestate]

Not to be cynical, but current battery technology just doesn't make the EV a practical alternative to the internal combustion engine at the present time.

Still, electric or not, I wouldn't mind having that 356 in my garage.

[lanilani06]

Go electric! Congrats, guys! Let's abandon the internal combustion. Let's go back to Tesla 1903!

[LiiMuRi]

I've always loved those small convertibles. And the electric version would be my dream car. So cool.

[marionrickard]

@LiiMuRi So build one. That's what this is about. You can do it.

Jack RIckard

[creamyfilling102]

so this is like a kit car then? how much does it cost to get something like that?

[marionrickard]

The basic roller is mid thirties with no engine. We're working with Special Editions Inc to do a turnkey electric completed in the high fifties.

jack

[creamyfilling102]

mid thirties....as in thousand??

[marvinbenz]

should have showhoned the 993 gt2 motor in there instead hehehe

[ccoasterdesigner]

Yes but think of the engine that a lot of people will be more amazed with. :) It is a bit sad though...

[7926645]

re 27/11/09 friday programme

Hi jack

The porduction ready aptera will have roll-down windows.

Have you seen a reduction in range in the roadster?

Nissan have almost doubled the capacity of their battery, and they use prismatic cells.

AC Propulsion, and Teslas idea of using of the shelf batteries is flawed, some things dont scale-up very well. As far as I know, all other companies are using prismatics, GM, Nissian, Aptera etc

7926645

[marionrickard]

There IS no production ready Aptera. There apparently never will be. The company founders are "out" and unless a government "bailout" loan appears, it is most likely the end of Aptera.

Pioneers - you can identify them pretty easily. They are usually found face down on the side of the road with arrows in their backs.

Jack Rickard

[marionrickard]

There won't ever be a production Aptera I'm afraid.

If anything, we are seeing an increase in range. This is normal during the first part of battery life with these cells.

Prismatics are much easier. The small cells put out a lot of peak current, but have a lot of issues.

Jack

[7926645]

Thank you for your reply Jack. I have to admit, I am a fan of the Aptera, and it is a pity that the vehicle looks like it will never reach production. Glad to hear you are doing OK with your batteries. Good luck with the Mini.

7926645

[MrRainbowhead]

Seriously, you ought to start your own company. Honestly, i think a bunch of you guys should get together with calm heads, the right people, and modest budget, it can be done. What kills the electric car i think is price. Tesla is overpriced, i think their cars look nice, but not for me, and most of the population. You can't have rich people without poor people. I'd rather spend $50,000 on 3 like new saturns that i can covert latter into EVs.

[whatyouwannamyfriend]

Thank You so much for your very wise and excellent video Sr.

[smcc44]

Jack Rickard has cut a classic with this video.

He is well thought out in what he says and makes the right call each time.But the real star of this movie is the car, a 1957 356 Speedster Porsche. Middle of the road and able to charm just about anyone with it's fiber glass body and amazing elegance. I would take this newly-built classic Porsche any day before the Tesla Roadster. That is saying a lot.

This movie serves as an eye opener to all about the road ahead and what it can be.Wonderful!

[2point6x4]

do you have the energizer bunny under that hood : )

[marionrickard]

Pretty much. 24kWh in a 2190 lb car is actually pretty much an energizer bunny on steroids.

[ez3usx2]

wow great car and nice conversion.

i like your ride a lot better than the goverment motors(GM)chevy volt.who wants to pay 40 grand for something that makes a pinto look like a caddy?your ride is so cool.

the world needs more people like you and less people that throw sticks at people like you.

have you seen the lincvolt neil young is working on?its on youtube check it out.

many thanks to you and people like you for trying to make the world a better cleaner place.

[marionrickard]

It's a pretty loud design, the music I mean. The shape is nice. I think of "design" as a schemati type diagram showing component selection and connections.

[nd318865]

Marion; A quick question re. in-wheel electric motors like the concept Volvo ReCharge. Their website months ago gave little information. Land Rover is/was showing a diesel/ generator/ 4 in-wheel motor concept as well. Any thoughts? Jim T.

[marionrickard]

Not really. This concept comes up a lot, and disappears from the landscape a lot. It's a very interesting concept, but it appears to be one of those things that always has "just one more thing" to be worked out.

I guess I think the forces acting on a traction wheel are not a good match for an electric motor design. And the unsprung weight problem probably leads to some real problems of reliability. If it works great for 4000 miles, that's not working.

[nd318865]

Marion: Sure seems like an idea though. Unsprung weight is certainly an issue. We'll see one day. Thanks again for your thoughts and imagination. Jim T.

[silon2]

I'd prefer just 4 motors inside the car, not in the wheels. It'd be great for 4WD.

[edbfmi]

Keep up the great work!! And dont let the uneducated posters sound bites get to you. They just get a little confused when you try to use facts, logic and common sense.

[marionrickard]

Thanks. Yes, some find it painful. But we all need to get out of our comfort zone occasionally and try to cope with a new thought now and then.

[nd318865]

Marion Having bought to restore a 57 Speedster, in 1970 in Berkeley, packing it around for several years, and eventually selling it to a Porsche recycling yard right off I-80, and accepting the reality that it would never happen for me, I watched your videos in utter fascination at what you have done! I see the day coming when 53' freight trailers like I've driven all these years will have solar nanofilm roofs assisting electric drivelines helping trucks double their milage. Keep Up Your Work.

[marionrickard]

I see it too.

But why won't it ever happen for you? Do it. It only hurts when you laugh...

Jack

[nd318865]

M O N E Y. I've worked my --- off driving for 40 years. Somehow managed to survive but never prosper. In the 70's I remember seeing a truck equipped with an electric driveline retarder. Helped control speed on downgrades. Byproduct was heat! A heat exchanger like train engines use for the same purpose today. Whats needed is the retarder/ motor, controllers, nanofilm roof and assorted wiring/ batteries and money. Your 356 is much more possible, than a nation of hybrid big rigs powered by the sun.

[edbfmi]

Excellent EV Documentary!

Did you keep track of how many hours you have in this conversion?

How about the price?

I am just getting started on my EV conversion this month.

Thanks to Obomanomics trickle up poverty I will be using this project to help keep a couple of engineers at my company employed and hopefully do more to reduce our dependence on foreign oil than just changing a light bulb or two.

[marionrickard]

Super. You'll wind up with better and more enthusiastic engineers in the process. I don't have a good idea about the hours in the conversion. We used about $28,000 in parts. The car, after selling the engine on eBay, was about $19,000. We started in September and were driving Christmas Day. But we've played with a lot of things on it since. We're in it for the learning more than for the car.

I would guess two engineers at 60 days calendar and 640 mh total on a simple car like this.

[Anothercoilgun]

I am now a subscriber. I will enjoy the rest of your car conversion videos.

I love the details. Give me details!! :)

[marionrickard]

I am conscious of the need. We did this AFTER we converted it, which is problematical.

We have begun conversion of a 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman and are currently filming every step. It will have LOTS of details. I fear it may be a bit boring for most. But it goes into air conditioning, power brakes, heat, DC-DC conversion, etc. If you like details, and don't mind TOO much information, you'll like it.

[cant7think7clearly]

You did that intro in one take? You're a natural!

I fumble my way through my videos doing take after take until I stop spluttering.

Your car is stunning by the way! I'm sure you get told all the time.

[marionrickard]

The car is a head turner. But I'm hardly a natural. We cut out a lot of "ands" "uhs" "duhs" etc. I just got lucky on the intro.

We're learning this video thing. It appears to be an acquirable skill, but there is nothing natural about it.

Jack

[marionrickard]

GAV! You were our inspiration on this thing. Great job on GAV'S EV. We want to take it to the next level.

You're my hero.

Jack

[lizhita91]

lacus

[gwseymour]

That is a beautiful, well made car. Your videos are very informative, and also well made. I am interested in the Lithium Ion battery packs. I am presuming those are 3.2 volt batteries stacked in series. What are the amp hours? What are the advantages of four 3.2 90 amp hr batteries stacked in series vs a single 12 volt 90 amp hr lead acid (other than weight)? Thanks again for the great videos.

[marionrickard]

Thanks. Lithium Ion Iron Phosphate is the cathode chemistry.  They are nominally 3.2 volts each cell. There are 4 cells packaged into what you would consider a "battery". The cells in this car are 90 Amp hour cells. I have two banks of 32, for 180 Ah capacity.

A single 12 volt lead acid is actually SIX cells. But you don't have access to them individually. By overcharging them, you can "balance them. LiFePo4 can't be balanced by overcharging, so you deal with individual cells.

[concerned00citizen]

Why did the electric cars that folks bought get taken away? Not this maker but in "who Killed the Electric Car?" doc. why did they have to give them up? Why can't we have electric cars? Too big an impact on the grid? HOw about having them come w/solar panel to be attached to garage? Keep electing those reps/dems!!!

[marionrickard]

It's a little bit more complicated than usually described by the shrill and the angry. But it's very true that GM handled it very badly.

No, the impact on the grid is essentially nonexistent. Almost all the charging occurs during off peak hours and the "grid" is very happy to have any use they can get at that time of day.

Jack

[TypeORedPill]

@concerned00citizen

If I recall correctly, GM would only lease their EV1s, not sell them. GM released EV1s to comply with California's environmental regulations. GM and other car companies then successfully lobbied to have the laws repealed, eliminating the need for offering EV1s.

[marionrickard]

Your comments are as uninformed as they are rude. The Kelly is actually quite a good piece of equipment. And we're using a Netgain Warp 9 motor, not a Warp 11.

I have seen your videos on your VW. I'm delighted it rolls at all.

[randytooth]

Kelly controller? REALLY? KELLY!! U do know that Kelly is a PISS POOR controller that fries FULL OPEN? 105v through a warp-11? What a waste! Dude, spend a few extra bucks and get a real controller and some volts ( like 144v+)! $100 says my VW would DUST ur Porsche! LOL

[marionrickard]

You're quite welcome. The point is, you do not have to "suffer" or "give up" anything to do so. There are technologies ready at hand, that in the past may have been more expensive than gasoline. But they really are not at this point.

[kgubrud]

I thank you Mr. Rickard on a most informative and compelling set of videos. I have been excited about the electric car and you really summed it up decisively. I want to persuade my son's school to show your videos to students so they will get excited and do something with this technology. Contrary to Dick Cheney's ridiculous claims that petroleum is the best source of energy today for our cars and homes we can live happier and more energy conscious ways by using instead of abusing the earth.