Electro-Velo '08
is coming up in 2 weeks and it's just an hour and a half away in Scarborough, Maine.
Peter Zack is organizing another interesting event (Electro-Velo '07 was the first event) and he sends this announcement:
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Hi, Folks!
Here's an update on our Electrathon, HPV and neighborhood vehicle gathering at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Scarborough, ME, on Sunday, May 18, with a rain date of Sunday, June 1.
SCHEDULE OF THE DAY:
8:00 AM: Gates open
8-11 AM: Inspection and practice for Electrathon vehicles. (Rick Alderette will be track steward.)
Open time on the track for all other vehicles (some constraints will be necessary on numbers and types of vehicles on the track at the same time, to honor insurance guidelines)
11 AM-NOON: Electrathon Competition (track closed to all other vehicles). This might be a good time for other folks to enjoy a bag lunch.
NOON-2 PM: Open time on the track for all vehicles, with constraints as mentioned above.
2:00 PM: Race to the Grocery Store ( For ALL vehicles. An experiment, this will be a shortened adaptation of the vision created by Michael Lewis, which some of you have seen. It's a work in progress.
We will try to give you more details as they unfold.)
4:00 PM: Farewell
ELECTRATHON FOLKS: You must be a member of Electrathon America to compete www.ElectrathonAmerica.org There is no registration fee for the Beech Ridge event, as the Maine Energy Education Program has paid the insurance. At the Electrathon America website you can download the liability release form, which is to be signed by the vehicle driver (who must have a valid driver's license) and presented to the steward. Drivers under 18 must have a parent or legal guardian co-sign. I have heard from Falmouth HS, Brunswick HS and Lisbon HS. An RSVP from others would be welcomed.
As in the past, we will ask for volunteers from Electrathon teams to monitor the four corners of the track during the competition (free t-shirt!).
ALL: Drinks and munchies will be provided upon arrival, but lunch is up to you. If we have a large number of vehicles, we will ask for volunteers to be at the corners of the track to monitor the action during open track time.
DIRECTIONS TO BEECH RIDGE: The Speedway is just minutes south of Portland, ME. From the Maine Turnpike, north or south, take Exit 42. Turn left after the toll booth onto Payne Road and go ½ mile.
Turn left again onto Holmes Road and proceed one mile to the Speedway. We generally enter through Gate 1.
IN THE EVENT OF QUESTIONABLE WEATHER: A decision to go or no will be made Saturday evening. Please call Peter Zack (207) 625-3605.
QUESTIONS? Fire away.
Catch ya soon,
Peter Zack
Maine Energy Education Program
(207) 625-7833
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Google Maps directions from Murphy's in Manchester:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=494+Elm+St,+Manchester,+NH+03101&daddr=Beech+Ridge+Speedway,+Scarborough,+Maine&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=32.939885,59.765625&ie=UTF8&z=9
Car-pooling to the event could be arranged using eRideShare.com
Anybody want to go to ElectroVelo? We'd have to leave Deerfield 7AM-ish. I think it's pretty informal and loose for the first couple of hours, so no worries if we don't get there exactly at 8!
I'm somewhat interested if I don't realize I had other plans. Electric cars are cool, too bad I'll probably never actually own one; unless they come up with an inexpensive 200 mile range, AWD electric SUV/truck.
I really wish people would get their heads around the fact that most of our driving is done within a few miles of home. The internal combustion engine vehicle we drive is very inefficient for this. The electric vehicle, with its 30 mile range, will do this more efficiently. Many of us own two vehicles - why don't we make one of them EV for short trips and use the ICE vehicle for longer trips.
Pat, I've seen interviews with EV owners who've done just that - one is the long-range use vehicle and the other is for the bulk of the other trips people make (locally). I'll look for that interview.
Here's one of the nice-looking EV's out there: http://www.zenncars.com/
This one proves you don't have to stay close to home and go slow: http://www.teslamotors.com/
Jay Leno test drives the Tesla - Elon Musk embarrasses Detroit!
http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/video_player.shtml?vid=229378
The Chinese are coming on strong with the Zap Cars - there's a dealer in Salisbury, Massachusetts.
http://www.zapworld.com/electric-vehicles/electric-cars/xebra-sedan
Quote from: jaqeboy on May 10, 2008, 04:59 PM NHFT
This one proves you don't have to stay close to home and go slow: http://www.teslamotors.com/
$109,000 - I guess I'll have to wait a while.
Quote from: Pat McCotter on May 10, 2008, 04:26 PM NHFT
I really wish people would get their heads around the fact that most of our driving is done within a few miles of home. The internal combustion engine vehicle we drive is very inefficient for this. The electric vehicle, with its 30 mile range, will do this more efficiently. Many of us own two vehicles - why don't we make one of them EV for short trips and use the ICE vehicle for longer trips.
sure makes sense
for getting around ... many times a bike or scooter could get 1 person from here to there
for shopping another vehicle might be right
for hauling big things another
for trips hauling people another
one of my friends in California thought it made more sense to have 2 small cars for his family of 8 than one big one ... when they all went someplace ... it was still cheaper to just drive both of them
Quote from: Pat McCotter on May 10, 2008, 09:11 PM NHFT
Quote from: jaqeboy on May 10, 2008, 04:59 PM NHFT
This one proves you don't have to stay close to home and go slow: http://www.teslamotors.com/
$109,000 - I guess I'll have to wait a while.
Tesla's in production: http://www.carazed.com/2008/03/17/historic-milestone-for-tesla/
and it looks like a lower-priced sedan's coming (still $50K range, but note that the first year's production run of the expensive roadster is sold out!)
I'm really hot for the Aptera, but initial sales are limited to California. It's available in both plug-in and hybrid (300 mpg short range, 130 mpg sustained highway).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aptera_Motors
http://www.aptera.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/apteramotors
I don't know how the reverse trike configuration would work in the snow, though. In fast-falling snow, if wagon ruts develop, the rear wheel is going to be riding the ridge. Since the single rear wheel is the only driven wheel, that could be problematic. Not to mention those nice aerodynamic wheel fairings, which would be plowing snow if it builds up over a couple of inches.
I like the Aptera conceptually, but it's going to have to come way down in price to get into the range where I can afford it.
This is a mean-looking hybrid trike - hard to tell if they are actually in production though, from a quick look at their site.
http://www.flytheroad.com/
QuoteThe VentureOne will weigh approximately 1,500 pounds in prototype form, with an overall width of 52 inches, a length of 11' 8", and a 110 inch wheelbase. The engine will be located in the rear of the vehicle at a low height. The passenger compartment and the front wheel will tilt when cornering; however, the forces will be aligned with the vertical axis of the driver's body, resulting in the driver being pressed into the seat rather than pushed across it.
Sounds like its still in the concept stages, and hasn't even made it to prototype. The good news is that they say that they are concerned about keeping it affordable. For us types who eschew all debt, affordability is a gigantic factor. Jack, if you find any e-velos that are affordable at your forum, please let me know. I am extremely interested in this.
Quote from: jaqeboy on May 12, 2008, 10:21 AM NHFT
This is a mean-looking hybrid trike - hard to tell if they are actually in production though, from a quick look at their site.
http://www.flytheroad.com/
Yep, a tilting three wheeler (TTW). Here's video (http://www.flytheroad.com/vid_frame.html) of it.
And here is the pre-registration link (http://www.flytheroad.com/register2.html#) for when they do go into production.
"We created the Venture Vehicles Pre-registration in response to the hundreds of requests we have received thru our website and other media. While not an official reservation list, we'll record your purchase interest update you by email as we get closer to launch."
Caleb, try this one: http://picasaweb.google.com/jaqeboy/Wheels/photo#5199889677374746402
You might be able to afford this ride!
OK, okay, this one isn't electric, but a nice-looking trike. Seen today at HK Motorsports on Rt 3 in Hooksett. I whipped my neck around as I passed, slammed on the brakes and did a bat-turn to go back and have a closer look:
http://spyder.brp.com/
Of course one could just build one of these:
Town Car (http://www.rqriley.com/t-car.html)
A 100-mpg Hybrid-Electric Car You Build from Plans
(http://www.rqriley.com/imagespln/tc4.jpg)
Doran (http://www.rqriley.com/doran.html)
A Gas or Electric Three Wheel Car
(http://www.rqriley.com/imagespln/d-leftside.jpg)
XR-3 (http://www.rqriley.com/xr3.htm)
Diesel-Electric Plug-In Hybrid (125MPG on diesel or 225MPG on diesel/electric)
(http://www.rqriley.com/images_xr3/xr3_012908_6.jpg)
(http://www.rqriley.com/imagespln/xr3_master-asmy-tv1-b.jpg)
And a few more at:
Robert Q Riley Enterprises (http://www.rqriley.com/plans.html)
Very cool stuff. I wish I could make it to Scarborough for this but I'm tied up.
It's inspiring to see how many electric cars are showing up on the market. Prices will come down as they become more accepted. Like KB said, I also have concerns about how any 3-wheel car will do in the New England winters though.
I bought a Prius last September and I'm taking it in for its 10,000 mile maintenance today. I know it's not a fully electric car but I have been very satisfied with its performance so far. It struggled a little this past winter but I think that was mostly me getting used to living through a New England winter without 4 wheel drive. It's amazing how much more fuel efficient the Prius is in warmer months than colder months though. I'm getting 5+ more mpg now than I was in the winter. Averaging 550+ miles on a 12 gallon fill-up.
Just saw this too. Toyota just sold it's millionth Prius
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/prius-pushes-toyota-1-million/story.aspx?guid=%7BE5C8D85E-5BC2-4E90-8001-248B7AF694FC%7D
Quote from: alohamonkey on May 15, 2008, 08:58 AM NHFT
It struggled a little this past winter but I think that was mostly me getting used to living through a New England winter without 4 wheel drive. It's amazing how much more fuel efficient the Prius is in warmer months than colder months though. I'm getting 5+ more mpg now than I was in the winter.
In winter, the Prius needs to run the AC compressor to run the engine to keep it warm. This is why cold-weather MPG is less.
I like the Xr3! I bet I could also build it for less than $5000, especially since I priced out the transmission and engine at around $3000.
I wonder how much a little AC would bring down the performance?
Weather may not be good for ElectroVelo Sunday - rain date is 1 June, I think.
http://www.weather.com/weather/weekend/USME0390?from=36hr_topnav_undeclared
I don't know, but I think the event will be going on. Peter Zack, the organizer, says he could use some track referee volunteers (for the Electrathon event) - you get a free T-shirt if you do it. I'm going to do that and also be on the SUNNev demo and technical team - Art has his production unit No. 1 ready for public display (he showed the prototype at PorcFest 2 years ago). He wants to take it around the track till he runs the batteries down or breaks something. This should be a good event - If you want to learn about EV's and meet some of the EV nuts out there, this would be a good event. It's small enough to get to meet everyone and probably to get a ride in most vehicles.
I'm leaving Deerfield at 7AM - If you're enroute, I can pick you up or jump in your car. If you're further away, we can meet at Little Minnesota or you pick some other place. Call me at 233-1058 to let me know if you're interested.
Event is a go - sunshiny here. Looks like I'll be a track corner-worker during the Electrathon and support staff for the the SUNNev car (logging some data about performance and range - the track is 1/3 mile, so we'll keep track of the number of laps we do). Look for me Monday with a sunburn, but the proud owner of a volunteer's T-shirt.