badbasic

AC Propulsion



AC Propulsion have been making electric drive trains for EVs for many years. They have built several electric conversions using their drive train technology and also supply their drive train for other electric vehicle developers such as Phoenix Motors. In the mid 1990s they developed and built a prototype electric sports car called the T-Zero to test out their drive train. The T-Zero was lightning quick with a 0-60 acceleration time of about 4.3 seconds, a top speed of 100mph and a range of about 100 miles. The T-Zero never made it to production.



One of the two prototypes was sold but the other appears to have been resurrected to test out some new Li battery technology. The new car has kept the 100mph top speed its 0-60 time has improved to 3.6 seconds and the new batteries give it a range of up to 300 miles.



AC propulsion has one chassis left for the T-Zero. I am sure they will accept orders for the T-Zero although they are reluctant to build another one. For more information see their How to get a T-Zero page..



There are in the process of building a prototype Scion XB conversion using the AC propulsion drive train and a somewhat smaller Li battery pack than the one in the T-Zero. The picture to the left, taken a AC Propulsion on May 22, 2006 shows work in process on this prototype.



The converted vehicle would have a range of about 150 miles, a top speed of 80 mph and a 0-60 time of around 7 seconds making it quicker on acceleration than the ICE model. It will have a target price of around $40,000. I talked to Tom Gage about their plans and it looks like the Scion Xb prototype and he told me that they are running behind schedule but should have the vehicle on the road in by the end of June, 2006. There is no indication yet about when production will begin but AC Propulsion are already working on a conversion of the European version of the vehicle for a customer in France.

OldYeller

40 large is a little steep. The extra 25 would buy a lot of gas.

badbasic

true, but 1/8 mile dragstrip would be fun.

hotbox05

it'll never happen.

kdepew

At $40,000, it would just be a waste of money. That's too big of a premium over the regular xB. Even if AC to charge the vehicle was free, you would never makeup the cost delta. You aren't likely to put $25,000 in gas in your car during its entire life.

vxgasattack

Agreed. Better for the economy but bad on the wallet in the long run. Glad the idea of electric cars is still in the air though, I mean with all the money still to be made off of fossil fuels by the oil companies.

SciFly

Electric bikes are a recent hobby of mine.
Affordable and fun--more fun than a car,
can do many errands on the bike and not break a sweat.

The serious e-bikers get up some serious speed (for a bicycle)

Everyone who's tried my bike finishes the ride all smiles
"I want one!"

I go 25. You can rig a bike to go a lot faster though.

Until electric cars come down in price, ebiking on or off road makes an affordable and really practical alternative to -wishing- for a good, cheap e-car.

Here's a great forum for electrics. Dirt bikes, scooters, cars, etc.
Good people are there.
http://www.visforvoltage.com/forums/index.php

r.

Pantos

That $40k price is a big problem. However, it's not just gas you would save, you would never have to get another oil change, or have something go wrong under the hood (it's just a battery!). Really, EVs just need tires rotated and maybe transmission work down the line. But $40k is still a bit high. Perhaps you might qualify for some kind of tax rebate (like you get for buying a Hummer!). Of course, it might be nice to be one of those parents that can honestly say to your kid that you did what you could to leave them a livable world.

mehow

Personally, the benefit to the environment outways the extra $. Secondly, the cost would be reduced drastically if the electric xB went into mass production.

I'm waiting until an all electric or plugin-hybrid comes along

hotbox05

full electric cars are still a ways off from being mainstream . mainly cause of price and total lack of charging stations. they're finally makign cars that charge relatively quickly and have a decent range with competent to outstanding power outputs.

mehow

charging stations are not need, many new electric cars and plug-in hybrids us a three prong plug (like for washers/dryers). And I still think that the price could be off-set if electrics went into mass production.

There's actually an Alternative Car Expo in Santa Monica, CA this Saturday and Sunday. AC Propulsion is going to be there, maybe they'll bring the eBOX (electric xB)!

http://www.altcarexpo.com/index.html

hotbox05

any regular plug in type of vehicle will not be able to charge fast enough to be reasonable/feasible.

mehow

What do you mean by [not] "reasonable/feasible." These cars would have about (+/-)100 miles on a full charge. I think that a 100 mile range is plenty for 90% of commuters, since you can recharge the battery over night . . . and have another 100 mile range the next day.

BTW... "plug-in hybrids" are hybrids that run on stored electric power {plug-in over night}, after which the cars hybrid mode takes over where the car runs gas/recharged-electric. Therefore the first "x" miles of the commute could be on the battery, and if more is need the car runs gas/electric with a limitless range.

The advantage is that one can run electric [Clean/Inexpensive] for most days of the week, but still have seemless limitless range when needed.

hotbox05

yeah 100 miles not feasible. overnight weak.

plug in hybrids are nothing new you can modify a prius to do it , or if you'r in japan whammo allready there just about. much less modding to do it there.

mehow

why not feasible?

hotbox05

100 mile range? weak .

overnight charging? weak.

mehow

Do you think that a 100 mile range would limit the average daily commuter? What else is the car doing while you are sleeping? ...or while you are at work? I heard somewhere that cars spend 92% of their life parked, which leaves plenty of opportunity for charging.

your articulation. weak.

hotbox05

i have no idea whta the daily average commuter is . but i know that if i were to spend 40k on a 15k car it'd better have more thana 100 mile range. even if i was a millionaire i wouldn't throw away my money like that

.
92% of thie time parked yeah , for say a 1-8 hour period of time during the day. and then probably 4-12 hours at night.

1-6 hours probably wouldn't be enough charge time to get a full charge.



if you love it so much BUY ONE they'll love you for it.


and electricity isn't clean energy. it may be cleaner but it is not clean.

cheaper? yeah wait til you get your electric bill . FUN TIMES that will be.

mehow

i'm NVS of your ignorance on the topic.

hotbox05

where is my ignorance sir?

what according to you do i not know enough about.