Introducing ACP
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 14
From: San Dimas, California
I think that an area like Anchorage would be a bit harsh for an electric car, at least for now. Our electric cars are quite sophisticated however, and have electronic controls for maintaining battery temperatures and voltage leveling. The acceleration control is sophisticated as well, and can maintain maximum acceleration regardless of the road conditions.
We have also made plug-in hybrids using various Volkswagens as the platform. In our hybrids we use electric drive as our main source, unlike the Prius. Basically, we start off with an electric car with batteries, and add a small gasoline engine into the mix to top off the batteries when needed.
We've also made a small gasoline-based generator that can be towed behind our electric vehicles for the occasional long trip.
As for fuel cells, there's always potential for a breakthrough there. We're not actively working with it however, since we don't want to spread our efforts too thin across many different possibilities.
We have also made plug-in hybrids using various Volkswagens as the platform. In our hybrids we use electric drive as our main source, unlike the Prius. Basically, we start off with an electric car with batteries, and add a small gasoline engine into the mix to top off the batteries when needed.
We've also made a small gasoline-based generator that can be towed behind our electric vehicles for the occasional long trip.
As for fuel cells, there's always potential for a breakthrough there. We're not actively working with it however, since we don't want to spread our efforts too thin across many different possibilities.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 14
From: San Dimas, California
We've been considering installing some solar panels on the eBox. We might even already have the panels somewhere, waiting to be installed (it's hard to keep up with all the things that go on here). From what I remember, the panels wouldn't add very much juice to the car. You would need a lot more surface area, for example the area of the roof of a house, to be more practical. When I get back to the office I'll look up the numbers that we've calculated.
for u! gl!
Senior Member
Strictly Scionized
SL Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 384
From: MD
hmmm an electric MKII vw would be awesome too
and keep in mind when thinking about handling that even though there is more weight it is generally behind the front axle making for better weight distribution
and keep in mind when thinking about handling that even though there is more weight it is generally behind the front axle making for better weight distribution
Senior Member
SL Member
Team N.V.S.
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 13,706
From: Sacramento, CA / Nor*Cal
Originally Posted by ACPropulsion
I don't think anyone is being overly critical of electric vehicles or our work. Realistically, the electric car is NOT the perfect solution for ALL our transportation needs. Any source of energy we use and any process of manufacture will have an impact on our environment. We recognize that, but we do also have the opinion that this is one step in the right direction for finding an environmentally friendly solution. Afterall, it's better than doing nothing at all and waiting for things to get worse!
To make a point, if we never showed that a real, practical electric car exists, there would be no motivation for battery manufacturers to improve their technology for automotive use.
As for how to generate the electricity, we believe that power companies are in a much better position than car makers to find an environmentally friendly and efficient way of making it. Yes, there are good and bad ways of generating electricity. An electric car will never be dependent on any one method of generation, so this gives us much more flexibility.
BTW, Xiro's calculations on the cost per mile are pretty accurate.
To answer some questions, if you start off with an empty battery and use a 240V dryer outlet (typically 50 amps) it would take almost 5 hours to fully charge. But in reality this scenario almost never happens because the cars are typically charged in smaller increments. For example, after I drive to work and park the car I'll plug it in. It takes 1 hour to fully charge. At the end of my work day, I drive home and plug the car in my garage. Again, it only takes 1 hour to fully charge. The charging is done in smaller steps, unlike with a gasoline-based car where you normally run it to near-empty before filling back up.
As I mentioned before, my daily work commute is 100 miles and I've never come across a low battery. And since I plug the car in when I park, I could easily do a couple hundred or more miles in a day without worry.
If I were a cross-country driver, then I would run into some difficulties. But how many of us need to drive more than a hundred miles at a time?
The range of our eBox is 120-180 miles per charge in real-world conditions. The major limiting factor in mileage is the poor aerodynamics of the xB.
The batteries add about 500 lbs of weight to the car. We place the batteries underneath the seats and where the fuel tank used to be, so there is practically no loss of interior room.
Right now, the target eBox driver is not your average joe, nor is it your average rich joe. It's definitely not the person who wants to save money on fuel. The target is the person who wants to help push a solution forward. Everything right now is about getting people to think about our future, and hopefully we'll eventually reach a good solution. Whether this solution includes electric cars or some other method of propulsion, I don't know nor does it matter as long as we make progress.
Personally, I like internal combustion engines (ICE) too. I own a BMW M3 and it's as fun as it looks. But with some of the things we're doing with our eBoxes, my M3 is in danger of being the slow-poke!
To make a point, if we never showed that a real, practical electric car exists, there would be no motivation for battery manufacturers to improve their technology for automotive use.
As for how to generate the electricity, we believe that power companies are in a much better position than car makers to find an environmentally friendly and efficient way of making it. Yes, there are good and bad ways of generating electricity. An electric car will never be dependent on any one method of generation, so this gives us much more flexibility.
BTW, Xiro's calculations on the cost per mile are pretty accurate.
To answer some questions, if you start off with an empty battery and use a 240V dryer outlet (typically 50 amps) it would take almost 5 hours to fully charge. But in reality this scenario almost never happens because the cars are typically charged in smaller increments. For example, after I drive to work and park the car I'll plug it in. It takes 1 hour to fully charge. At the end of my work day, I drive home and plug the car in my garage. Again, it only takes 1 hour to fully charge. The charging is done in smaller steps, unlike with a gasoline-based car where you normally run it to near-empty before filling back up.
As I mentioned before, my daily work commute is 100 miles and I've never come across a low battery. And since I plug the car in when I park, I could easily do a couple hundred or more miles in a day without worry.
If I were a cross-country driver, then I would run into some difficulties. But how many of us need to drive more than a hundred miles at a time?
The range of our eBox is 120-180 miles per charge in real-world conditions. The major limiting factor in mileage is the poor aerodynamics of the xB.
The batteries add about 500 lbs of weight to the car. We place the batteries underneath the seats and where the fuel tank used to be, so there is practically no loss of interior room.
Right now, the target eBox driver is not your average joe, nor is it your average rich joe. It's definitely not the person who wants to save money on fuel. The target is the person who wants to help push a solution forward. Everything right now is about getting people to think about our future, and hopefully we'll eventually reach a good solution. Whether this solution includes electric cars or some other method of propulsion, I don't know nor does it matter as long as we make progress.
Personally, I like internal combustion engines (ICE) too. I own a BMW M3 and it's as fun as it looks. But with some of the things we're doing with our eBoxes, my M3 is in danger of being the slow-poke!
Senior Member
SL Member
Team N.V.S.
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 13,706
From: Sacramento, CA / Nor*Cal
[quote="fxmldr1121"]
it's also a pretty current song title
Originally Posted by Madzozs
"San Dimas High School football rules!"
And I thought that I was the only person who remembered this line from Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure....
And I thought that I was the only person who remembered this line from Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure....
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 14
From: San Dimas, California
Originally Posted by hotbox05
the xb actually has very good coef figures
To reply to an earlier post, if we added solar panels to the roof of an xB it would have an effect of approximately 10 miles of range per day in the sun (in Southern California).
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4
But mine is an automatic
I've been seriously coveting an ebox since I first read about them a year ago. I just got my 06 xB a month ago and I can't wait until either the price drops (come on battery manufacturers!) or I win the lottery.
The problem I have is this: I bought an automatic (Easy guys, I know, I know).
Is there anyway to do the electric conversion on an automatic?
The problem I have is this: I bought an automatic (Easy guys, I know, I know).
Is there anyway to do the electric conversion on an automatic?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 14
From: San Dimas, California
Yes, it's possible to do a conversion of an auto xB, but it would require purchasing a used (or new) manual transmission. We do not use any of the Scion electronics for driving the car, so the differences between an auto and manual xB for us is purely mechanical.
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