The Electric VX

[tysamigo]

As I'm nearing the end of most of the cosmetic mods projects I'm thinking ahead to the one last thing that would make my VX the BEST damn vehicle in the world (for me)....get my VX to sober up and kick the petro addiction! Rehab baby!

With the recent rave about the Tesla (http://www.teslamotors.com/index.php) and more importantly the specific battery technology it uses..

and also with the latest from the new electric SUV (http://www.phoenixmotorcars.com/)...

I'm wondering if the time is coming closer to where one could modify the VX using an electric motor, achieving non emissions status, having 100% torque immediately (beyond TOD), a very quiet ride and more importantly one would only pull into a gas station for snacks and drinks...

I did see someone post something but it was dated a couple of years ago. In this post they talked about converting the VX to ethanol or a hybrid. These are also good ideas (if possible) however I want to take the ideal jump and not use any type of liquid fuel.

A company in Indianapolis will convert the VX to liquid propane however there are only 2 stations for me locally that provide it not to mention that the mod is not considered street legal in KY....yet.

Using a KY grant, within a year my home will be completely solar (with the help of a separate solar AC system). If I could some day convert the VX to electric and have the same or more HP and speed.... hmmmm :)

If anyone else has been keeping up with electric motors and electric cars... please chime in. I'm thinking that at some point the technology in both the SUV and the Tesla will be available as a kit or to purchase something similar as an aftermarket option. Or maybe piecing together something. The technology used for the power using nano technology (http://www.valence.com/technology/applications_motive.html) may offer aftermarket kits. Electric motors already exist as well as many of the other components (at least I think so)

Just wanted to brainstorm with any one else thinking along these lines or that would also seriously consider such a mod if/when it's available and reasonably affordable.

If converting the VX to electric (again, if it's even possible) would have the same benefits as the original EV1 and Phoenix Motors products in regards to service (meaning the absence of many mechanical items that require sheduled maintenace or parts, filters, etc) then I would personaly invest up to about $7k or $8k for the mod.

Brainstormers welcome :)

Thanks

[kelvin]

I actually think about this every couple weeks or so... but the conversion would be so drastic and expensive that it wouldn't even be a VX any more. Plus (as light as the VX is) you would have to trim the weight down a TON. And even then you're looking at standard electric car woes (limited drive time, etc). and you will loose all the cool TOD and 4x4 transmission in the process....

[Zorak]

If I was hell-bent on having an all-electric SUV, I would just snag one of the Toyota RAV4 EV's that show up occasionally on ebay. If I had the money, that is.

But I'm not and I don't :(

[tysamigo]

I emailed Valence Technology and this was our correspondence:

Hello Tyler,

Thanks for the message. Though we don't have an after-market conversion kit currently available for purchase, our sales managers would be happy to discuss your proposed project. If you would like to speak to a sales manager regarding your project, please provide your telephone number.

Thanks,

Topher H.

Valence Technology, Inc.
888-VALENCE
www.valence.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
tysamigo@aol.com
Hi,

I own a 2001 Isuzu VehiCross (SUV). I would love to convert it to electric. I've been reading up on what Phoenix Motors is doing along with your company and even Tesla. I have a feeling that the EV will be again be revived.

I would like to know if you offer an aftermarket kit for modifying vehicles
to electric?

I was the owner of Robo Direct for 7 years (the national service center for
servicing home robotics such as the robo vacs, robomower and robotic pool
cleaners) and recently sold the business for profit. I had an idea of a new
business venture in which converted cars to burn renewable energy.

Thanks for your help

Tyler Ramage

[Ldub]

That would be one solution to the intake gasket & oil consumption problems. :rolleyes:

[Chopper]

Ummmmmm....no. Thank you, but just no. I'm trying to be kind(Where's a good Spazz when you need one??) No. Did I say no, No. You paid for it, chop it up how ever you like... or just buy a Prius, and pass the poor ol' VX on. It deserves better.

[TEN36VX]

I would consider it if you could keep the TOD or 4WD, and double the range... at least.

Electric cars need to figure out the battery technology AimPoint uses for their scopes.

[Joe_Black]

The thought is admirable, but the execution will be major. If you pay someone else to do it you've got deeper pockets than most ever will. Doing it yourself would be a major undertaking, but the options are "sky's the limit". Unfortunately the current state of battery technology will leave you with a heavy vehicle, thanks to the full frame chassis, that would be lucky to go much further than 40 miles of normal driving. You could retain TOD in the sense that you can ditch the entire driveline and an individual drive motor at each wheel, with traction control making sure the most power went to the ones with the most traction. Again, "sky's the limit" if you've got the corresponding budget.

Make magazine recently had a great article on folk doing garage conversions of older, economical vehicles to full electric. It's more of a primer but outlines a lot of common misconceptions and addresses pros and cons. Check it out here: http://www.make-digital.com/make-look-inside/vol05/?pg=64&liid=69708b7468&search=%22electric+avenue%22+make (make sure to click one page previous in the link as the article starts on page 61 and the link takes you to page 62)
http://www.make-digital.com/tcprojects/oreilly/make/inbox/30389/imgpages/161/makevol5_0062_fg.png

About 14 years ago, when I used to drive my '88 Trooper all over the place for work, the sudden shift in my personal fuel useage went up as I transitioned from sports cars to the Trooper. Even at that time with relatively lower-priced fuel I was always aware of the curse from petroleum and longed for a return to the electric and bio-fueled vehicle technology of the early 1900's. My mind turned to a scaled down version of common railway propulsion: diesel-electric. The heavy-equipment genius LeTourneau used this same idea for most of his designs, essentially using a diesel engine or turbine to power a generator which in turn powered electric motors to provide propulsion or operate implements (he wasn't a big fan of hydraulics). With plentiful and inexpensive APU (auxiliary power unit) turbines, basically a jet engine not much larger than a bread box, the same idea could be applied to passenger vehicles. Turbines aren't particulary choosy about their fuel, as long as it's clean. Plus they burn their fuel very efficiently, leaving very little in the way of emissions.

Of course, ideas are cheap and implementation something altogether different. ;)

In any case, just my $.02! Our IronMan is now being driven just in-town by my wife and we recently pruchased a new VW Jetta TDI for my daily travels and any long cruises we take. Best mileage so far has been 48MPG and diesel has lately been almost $.20 less than regular, plus the car is really nice to drive. And when we're done moving to the new digs we can finally get all the biodiesel stuff going which will lower our fuel costs even further, especially since we get a big property tax break for the crops grown to produce the fuel. By that time the VX diesel conversion will have taken place as well, leaving us with plenty of torque and horsepower and no battery-limited range concerns.

[tysamigo]

Joe ,

The newest technology (described in my earlier post) is a nano battery technology that essentially puts a "power pack" weighing about 800lbs in your vehicle. When all is said in done (with the removal of the motor and other non essential parts), the vehicle will be LIGHTER than its original design. Weight will have to be added and distributed properly to keep the correct center of gravity. The vehicles with the technology that I've previously talked about has the technology to drive an SUV for 150 miles on a charge that takes approx 4-6hrs from home or 15 minutes from a rapid charging station in which the station is primarily designed for fleets of vehicles. Most likely with this scenario, the charge time for driving moderately for about 150 miles would be 4-6 hrs. Also with this same type of technology the vehicles (including the SUV) has 100% torque immediately and not directly proportional to RPM's/power required as by the TOD.

Yes I understand it will be a costly project if done today, however I'm thinking that SOON (say within 1-2 years), the technology will be available in which this could be done for less than 10k to almost any SUV and still have more than 240 equivalent HP and all the power you need for everyday driving.

I'm still waiting to hear back from the 2 major companies with this nano substrate battery technology. It appears one is VERY interested in a business model that a partner and I have created that would essentially modify vehicles for the general public. Of course SUVs could not be done at this time and it would only be for smaller cars, but it could and would grow and the technology does.

[circmand]

Interesting post but I have 2 questions. First when you are modifying an existing car whose suspension and such is set up for an uneven weight distribution how will you evenly distribute the weight without having to redo the entire suspension? Second if the charge is good for 150 miles is that not in actuality a 75 mile round trip based on the availability of a recharge?

[tysamigo]

Good questions. When I asked the manuf. of the SUVs about the trans. they said it is very similar and with a few thousand $$ the adaptation can be made. I'll have my friend Ben (a guru mechanic) explain shortly as he asked the same question. He understands their answer, as I'm not a technician nor am I mechanically inclined, I don't fully understand the answer myself but the solution does exist for a few thousand.

The actual driving distance before a charge is needed is accurately and approximately 110-120 miles (150 under "ideal conditions). During these tests where this performance was achieved, they were carrying 4 passengers.

[circmand]

I am not a mechanical Guru either so I hope I understand his answer. I am just good at playing devils advocate.


Is it paranoia if they are really out to get you?

[Joe_Black]

I'm all for the idea, just think you're getting some smoke blown up the garment of your choice and would be well rewarded with some broader research into the subject. Valence themselves don't look like they're headed anywhere except the pink sheets and a bargain-barrel acquisition by battery companies that are actually doing something with their technology and business. I just spent a good amount of time review their SEC filings and investment info along with their business dealings. I'm sure they'd love to work a deal with you! ;)

Take a good look at the current garage conversions going on right now, and if you think about it there's an important aspect to them: Scalability. Drive and control systems remain largely independant of power and charging, so as the battery technology improves and becomes more affordable then upgrading an existing EV is merely a plug-n-play proposition.

I'm all for researching anything than can put us into the scope of being able to produce our own energy as individuals, cleanly and with as little environmental impact as possible. :)

[tysamigo]

COol, thanks Joe. I didn't research it as much in depth. I basically watched a few things on CNN and saw again a few youtubes about this company as well as the other company that Tesla is working with. From that I "assumed" we were on the right path, and maybe we still are, but just not as close as I hoped. At any rate this is not just a dream for me to drive an ELECTRIC VX without compromise (of much, if any in regards to performance) but instead it's a goal. A goal in which I hope to one day fulfill. I think, however, its more likely that I will own an electric car first, before I'm able to convert the VX...nontheless I would still love to brainstorm on the subject when info is learned from any of the group.

Good lookin...