| Owner | Mr. Sharkey | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner's Other EVs | ElecTrak E-14 Pusher Trailer | ||
| Location | Minerva, Oregon US map | ||
| Web/Email | WebPage | ||
| Vehicle | 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit | ||
| Motor | Siemens 1GV1 Shunt Wound DC 24 HP | ||
| Drivetrain | Original 4 speed transmission with clutch | ||
| Controller | EHV Systems EHV-1 field weakening PWM | ||
| Batteries | 18 Trojan T-105, 6.00 Volt, Lead-Acid, Flooded | ||
| System Voltage | 108 Volts | ||
| Charger | K and W BC-20 While charging at home, the K&W is supplied reduced voltage through a 60 amp variable transformer to allow the switching supply to be run more fully wide open for better power factor and fewer inductive losses. | ||
| Heater | ESPAR gas heater converted to propane. Air conditioning is supplied by bags of ice cubes distributed in the ventilation system (no joke!). | ||
| DC/DC Converter | SCT 20 Amp switching converter charges a C&D Technologies UPS12-100FR 12 volt, 26 ampere-hour gel cell auxiliary battery. A second DC-DC converter powering the Link 10 isolates the auxiliary battery from the traction pack. | ||
| Instrumentation | +200 / 0 / -300 Amp ammeter Voltmeter, dual-range, 7-13 and 70-130 volts Motor Temperature Gauge State of Charge Gauge Expanded scale tachometer Cruising Equipment Link 10 w/serial interface | ||
| Top Speed | 60 MPH (96 KPH) | ||
| Acceleration | Unremarkable | ||
| Range | 40 Miles (64 Kilometers) | ||
| Watt Hours/Mile | 500 Wh/Mile As with 'normal' ICE vehicles, this car gets better mileage on the freeway than in traffic. Stop-and-go driving cuts into mileage, as does hard acceleration. | ||
| EV Miles |
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| Seating Capacity | 2 adults | ||
| Curb Weight | 3,100 Pounds (1,409 Kilograms) | ||
| Tires | Goodyear Invicta GLR P175/70R13" Ultra-low rolling resistance | ||
| Additional Features | Regenerative Braking Rear disc brake conversion GTI vented front disc brake rotors Upper and lower front strut stress bars Control arm pivot brace (subframe) Front and rear anti-sway bars Stainless steel/teflon brake lines All polyurethane suspension bushings Koni 'Red' shocks and struts Independent rear suspension GTI air dam and wheel flares Rear air deflector | ||
| This is a commercial conversion done by South Coast Technologies in 1981. It was originally in fleet service for the city of Portland, Oregon as part of a federally-subsidized pilot program to test the use of EV's in fleet transportation service. The original cost of this vehicle, converted as a zero-miles, brand new car, was $16,650.00. Additional resources: SCT, Lester, and ESPAR manuals in PDF format: WebPage Page describing additional features of this car, with photos: WebPage Will Electric Vehicles Really Reduce Pollution? WebPage | |||
1981 Volkswagen Rabbit L
Last Updated 06-01-2008
Copyright © 1997-2008 by Mike Chancey