Thursday, June 25, 2009

Daily driver

Been a while since I posted anything on the blog, so thought I'd give a quick update.
I've been using the car to commute daily and it's been working great.
In the morning the SOC gauge shows over 100% after charging overnight. I'm estimating it takes about 6 hours to charge.
It's a 9 mile route (4.5 miles each way) that I take which has a 40 mph stretch, a few hills and a number of stop signs and traffic lights, so not "ideal" conditions, but real-world.
It will take about 300 amps to get moving on the flat and 400 - 500 if I'm going up hill. This is not a "jack rabbit" start, but not slow either, I try not to annoy other drivers ; )
It takes around 200 amps to cruise at moderate speed (20 -30mph).
When I arrive in the parking lot the SOC gauge shows 60% (which is 80% SOC since my gauge shows only the top 50%).
I don't plug in at work.
The SOC gauge shows 95% when I'm ready to drive home, since the batteries have had a chance to rest.
When I arrive home it shows 20-30% SOC (depending on how aggressively I drove it home) but if I let it sit for an hour or so, it will show as high as 60%.
Plug it in and it's ready for tomorrow.


Monday, June 1, 2009

Maker Faire


The Maker Faire turned out to be a great event - I'm definitely planning to go next year.

It was a little beyond my range and, as you know from following the blog, my controller was "in the shop" so I had planned to tow it down to the event. I rented a truck and tow dolly from U-Haul and just as I had talked my neighbor into helping push the car on to the dolly, the UPS man showed up with my controller!

45 minutes later, I was driving onto the dolly. My dad helped me load and unload the car and even bought lunch along the way. We were assigned a space in a hall with 1 and a half Teslas (one was missing the body and interior), Cal Cars doing a Prius conversion and a converted dune buggy.

The SFEVA arranged for volunteers to help talk up electric cars and conversions in general which was a tremendous help. I talked to a LOT of people, some where new to the concept, some were thinking about converting a car of their own and even a few who follow this blog!

All in all it was a great event that I'll try to make an annual thing.