NBEAA Newsletter May 20, 2009 www.nbeaa.org REVISED JUNE 7 2009 TO REFLECT SCHEDULE CHANGE FOR LAST 3 TECHNICAL SERIES MEETINGS LISTED BELOW UPCOMING NBEAA MEETINGS ----------------------- There will be four NBEAA Summer Technical Series Meetings at the Blue Sky Center, 6791 Sebastopol Avenue, Sebastopol, CA: Saturday, June 13, 2009, 10 AM to Noon: EV Drive Systems An overview of the safe, high power, high efficiency, durable motors, motor controllers and drivelines required for EV use will be presented. Then testimonials by people who have used different drive systems will be given. Followed by show-and-tell of EVs and rides. Saturday, August 15, 2009, 10 AM to Noon: EV Batteries and Management Systems An overview of safe, high power, deep cycle, long life, durable batteries and their management systems required to power EV drive systems will be presented. Then testimonials by people who have used different EV batteries will be given. Followed by show-and-tell of EVs and rides. Note: this will be similar to the NBEAA EV battery meeting held Saturday, February 9, 2008. See http://www.nbeaa.org/osev/presentations/batteries.pdf for more information. Saturday, September 12, 2009, 2009, 10 AM to Noon: EV Charging Systems An overview of safe, high power, high efficiency durable traction and accessory battery chargers required to charge EV batteries will be presented. Then testimonials by people who have used different EV charging systems will be given. Followed by show-and-tell of EVs and rides. Saturday, October 17, 10 AM to Noon: EV Donor Vehicles An overview of efficient donor vehicles with enough payload to carry EV components, and ways to safely and securely mount the EV components inside of them will be presented. Then testimonials by people who have converted different types of EVs in different ways will be given. Followed by show-and-tell of EVs and rides. See http://www.nbeaa.org/osev/sota/AAA-SRJC-EAA_donor_car_analysis.doc for more information. Please contact Chris Jones if you are interested in presenting your EV drive system, batteries, charging system or conversion at any of the above meetings. UPCOMING EV CLASSES ------------------- July 11, 2009 in South San Francisco Solar Living Institute's EV101 Electric Vehicle Basics (1 of 2). See http://www.solarliving.org/store/product.asp?catid=13&pid=2107 for details. July 13-17 in Sebastopol Solar Living Institute's EV201 EV Concepts and Design Intensive (1 of 2). See http://www.solarliving.org/store/product.asp?catid=13&pid=2025 for details. July 18, 2009 in Santa Cruz Electro Automotive's one-day classroom workshop on electric conversions. See http://www.electroauto.com/workshop-EA1day.shtml for details. October 3, 2009 in Hopland Solar Living Institute's EV101 Electric Vehicle Basics (2 of 2). See http://www.solarliving.org/store/product.asp?catid=13&pid=2090 for details. October 5-9, 2009 in Sebastopol Solar Living Institute's EV201 EV Concepts and Design Intensive (2 of 2). See http://www.solarliving.org/store/product.asp?catid=13&pid=2130 for details. OTHER UPCOMING EV EVENTS ------------------------ Plug-In 2009 Conference & Exposition International Conference on Plug-In Hybrids, Taking Place in Long Beach August 10-13, 2009 To register see http://www.plugin2009.com/. LOCAL EV BUSINESS ACTIVITIES ---------------------------- The Blue Sky Center at 6791 Sebastopol Avenue, Sebastopol, CA is hosting a MoveON.org event Thursday May 28th from 12 noon to 1:30 P.M. This is a rally to support and publicize the Obama Energy Plan. There will be local and regional Politicians speaking, and booths. eMotors and Blue Sky are having their Grand Opening on Saturday, May 30th at 10 AM at 6791 Sebastopol Avenue, Sebastopol, CA. A SECOND ARTICLE ON THE NISSAN EV VISIT --------------------------------------- By NBEAA member Larry Rau, Santa Rosa Nissan brought one of two existing prototype EV-02 electric cars to Santa Rosa California on March 26, where a select group of Sonoma County Officials, Corporate Representatives, a few Electric Automobile Association members and this lone automotive journalist took turns taking test drives, and trying to pry information out of the good folk from Nissan. The excitement centered around Nissan's New Laminated Lithium Ion Battery, the last stumbling block in the barrier to achieving 100 mile range in a practical 5 passenger zero emission electric with all the bells and whistles. "It's capable of breaking the speed limit in all 50 states", one of the Nissan Engineer was fond of saying. The official top speed is a closely guarded secret, but my educated guess is in excess of 90 miles per hour. To say no one was disappointed with the EV-02 experience would be an understatement. Test drivers remarked on its powerful acceleration ability. Running was dead silent, and most importantly there simply was no learning curve at for neophyte EV drivers. Select "Drive", release the hand brake, and hit the "gas" pedal to go. Operation was completely familiar and silky Smooth, with little body lean in the corners on the low-to-moderate speed closed course. Strong braking and quick handling with good feed back from the electric-assist power steering rounded out the prototype's performance. In every aspect tested, the car was notably superior to the feel and performance of a Prius. Nissan has taken a bold industry lead in committing to electric car production with ordinary economy car pricing for the general market by 2012. In support of that 2012 goal, Nissan is partnering with self selecting locales to pre-establish public charging sites for EV fleets. The Sonoma County goal is 1000 EV-02's for the first phase "Early Roll Out Sales" of 2011 models in late 2010. That's next year! Other early adopters include Tucson Arizona, San Diego California, Nashville Tennessee, and the State of Oregon, with more communities to come. This amounts to a potential Pre-Sale of approximately $25 Million in Sonoma County alone. On a national scale it is easy to envision a rather remarkable 150 million dollar marketing strategy -- remarkable because it represents a large influx of capital for Nissan for a ground breaking product in hard automotive times. Nissan believes the expansion of away-from-home charging options will improve the initial acceptance of Electric Vehicles (EVs) by extending commuting and other driving possibilities far beyond the average 100 mile per charge normal range of the EV-02. Retailers, universities, city and county governments, and corporations all have plans to provide new medium speed and ultra fast charging stations in time for the 2010 roll out of the first Nissan EVs to the select partners participating in the program. The EV-02 we drove today used the power train and controls which will be incorporated in the production vehicle of the 2011 model year, but installed in an existing Nissan Cube automobile. The coming EV chassis and body styling will be all new, designed specifically as an electric. And so, much as we wanted to know what the look of the Nissan EV coming next year would be, that remains part of the "soon to be released" info we are all waiting for. Soon reportedly is measured in terms of months. Everything we heard from Nissan Engineers made us believe the design of the new auto is an accomplished fact. Understandably, a monumental 'game changer' in the auto industry requires a well plotted introduction. Nissan is keen to retain the substantial competitive advantage inherent in being first to mass market an affordable and thoroughly modern long range electric. Nissan says look for 5 passenger capacity, with batteries placed under seats and slung below floor level to keep center of gravity low and handling on a par with other Nissans. While our prototype was built on a Nissan Cube chassis - a boxy econobox similar to the Scion - efficiency suggests we look for a far more aerodynamic form factor in the vein of 2011-12 Sentra-Jetta-Civic- or dare we mention Prius, one of the ugliest but most purposely aerodynamic of the current economy cars. At the test drive sessions, the technically inclined among us were gently but repeatedly rebuffed. We have pictures of the new light weight 660 lb battery, diagrams of it's construction, and even some of it's all important proprietary chemistry. But specifics about battery capacity, or working voltage were all "soon to be released". The motor we know is brushless permanent magnet type, equivalent to 107 horsepower, which coupled with nearly unlimited torque is far beyond ample. A permanent magnet motor was chosen because of it's high regeneration efficiency - which means it re-charges the batteries as you coast or brake, as in the now familiar hybrid autos. Nissan mentions a battery management system capable of monitoring and disconnecting each individual battery cell. This bodes well both for safety, as well as for field service at a reasonable price. Other features of the battery management system will limit overcharging and excessive discharge of the battery pack. Our Prototype EV-02 Nissan had a simple easy to read "gas gauge" style meter showing the battery charge right next to the speedometer. Obviously it replaced the Tachometer in the normal Cube. Nissan's governmental liaison explained that when she approached ABAG and Northern California regional AQMD fishing for interested partners for a "early market roll out" in 2010, Sonoma County expressed interest. At the test drive sessions hosted by the Sonoma County Water Agency, many representatives from various branches of county and city governments, and corporate interests had an extremely rare opportunity to test drive the power train destined for Nissan's all new 5 passenger EV. Thus far areas signing on for Nissans 2010 "Early Roll Out" of the EV-02 include Tucson Arizona, Nashville Tennessee, State of Oregon, San Diego California, and Sonoma County California. Nissan is actively courting more partners, with a moveable feast of semi-secret test drive opportunities, visiting various cities around America. Mere mortals such as you and I need not despair. General introduction of the Nissan EV is planned for 2011-12. Nissan hopes to receive a Department of Energy loan, to re-tool their Smyrna Tennessee auto factory for the mass production of electric cars and the all important Nissan - NEC Laminated Lithium Battery. In an impressive commitment to zero emissions, and creating a truly sustainable transportation industry Nissan is looking at every aspect of production, use, and recycling of it's Electric Car. Impressive is research into finding secondary markets for used battery packs when they retain considerable useful life, but lack the "oomph" to power electric cars.