Duvall Days Car Show, 2007AC-Lion Controller TrayE' Pickup BatteriesAC-Lion Battery Charger & DC-DC ConverAC-Lion AC Motor with Mount
OwnerRandy Richmond
LocationWoodinville, Washington United States map
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Vehicle2001 GMC Sonoma
Mini pickup, extended cab. Same as Chevy S-10.
MotorHPEVS AC75-27.26.2 3-Phase AC
9" with air cooling fins added, and a custom
welded motor mount. The AC-75 still bolts up
to the Canadian EV S-10 transmission adapter.
Motor purchased from great guys at Canadian
EV. Replaced the ADC FB1-4001 9" DC motor
which died from overheating climbing a hill at
freeway speeds on a hot summer day (I should
have added a brush cage forced air cooling
kit).
Drivetrain9" AC Motor with original 5 speed manual
transmission & 4.10 differential.
ControllerCurtis 1239-8501, 108-144V 500A,
Came as a pair with HPEVS AC75 Motor. Supports
regenerative braking. V5.00 VCL firmware
version. With 840 Spyglass Dash Display & 1314
Programming Station Software/USB-Dongle. The
controller documentation could be
significantly improved.
Batteries48 Thunder Sky LFP-200AHA, 3.30 Volt, Lithium Iron Phosphate
ThunderSky is now Winston/Sinopoly. Made up of
12 4-cell (12-volt) batteries. All batteries are
located in the bed.
System Voltage144 Volts
ChargerManzanita Micro PFC-30
Replaced Zivan NG5 which probably killed my T-
145's prematurely by doing an EQ charge each
cycle. Designed custom circuit to interface PFC-
30 to J1772.
HeaterCeramic
DC/DC ConverterIota DLS-45
With IQ Charger Module. Spec shows 108-132 VAC
input, but works fine on DC.
InstrumentationXantrex Link-10 (formerly E-Meter) with WinLink
software for data logging. Also Manzanita BMS
Scanner software, and Curtis 840 SpyGlass
Top Speed70 MPH (112 KPH)
70 MPH on flat road. Incline at > 55 MPH puts
250 A breaker in danger of tripping.
AccelerationAbout the same as the 130 peak HP, 2.2L 4 cyl
ICE when loaded to 4000 lb.
Range75 Miles (120 Kilometers)
Higher under optimal terrain and wind
resistance.
Watt Hours/Mile450 Wh/Mile
Old figures from FB1-4001 DC Motor and LiFePO4
batteries. New figures with AC motor coming
soon.
EV Miles
Start:76,640 Miles (123,313 Kilometers)
Current:105,000 Miles (168,945 Kilometers)
Total:28,360 Miles (45,631 Kilometers)
Seating Capacity3 adults + 1 child
Curb Weight4,000 Pounds (1,818 Kilograms)
About 1000 lb lighter than the former 24 T-145
wet lead acid golf cart batteries. Noticably
improved acceleration and range now.
TiresP205/75SR15, 44 psi, Goodyear Regatta II
Conversion Time180 hours, 4 months for original Lead Acid/DC
converstion. Completed April 1, 2007. Upgraded
to LiIon Aug 1, 2011. Upgraded to AC Nov 15,
2013.
Conversion Cost$22,000 including $8K donor vehicle, $10,700 EV
Kit, and $3300 batteries. LiIon upgrade added
$12K for batteries, $3K for BMS/cables/hardware.
AC upgrade $5500 for Motor, Controller,
Contactor & Heatsink.
The Upgrade from PbA to LiIon (Summer 2011):
WOW what a difference. Doubled range and acceleration even though
I reduced Ahrs from 260 to 200. Also, capacity is predicable - not
dependent on how long the vehicle has sat (with PbA if it sat 2+
days capacity was about 75%) - effected little by cold temp (with
PbA cold days reduced capacity to <75%). Little worry about
drawing down to near zero SOC (with PbA it was a creep home under
20% SOC and potential damage to batteries). AND zero maintenance -
no more watering. Best change I ever made to my EV!

The Upgrade from DC to AC Motor/Controller (Fall 2013):
The HPEVS AC-75 motor with companion Curtis 1239 Controller
produce roughly the same power as the ADC FB1-4001 motor with
Zilla 1K Controller. However, the power curve is much different
(seems designed to match that of an ICE). The DC had high torque
at low RPM, whereas the AC's torque kicks in at about 3500 RPM.
This means that a clutch and shifting are needed much more with AC
than with DC. AC has two-level regen (both "neutral" - i.e. foot
off all pedals), and "braking" (foot on brake pedal). I love
capturing the energy I was wasting before. The Curtis is easily
cooled by a 9" DC fan blowing on a heatsink bolted to the 1239.
Cooling the Zilla was a challenge (required a liquid cooling
system due to its small size).

Replaced blown Curtis 1239 Controller June 2015 (just out of
warranty, darn it). Added 2nd 9" DC fan to blown down on the AC-75
motor to aid in cooling when driving on freeways during summers.

What I Like:
1/3 the fuel cost per mile.
Smooth, quiet acceleration.
Never stopping at gas stations.
Fueling at home.
Nearly instant cabin heat.
No exhaust fumes.
No oil changes, radiator flushes, muffler/exhaust pipe repairs.

What I Miss:
AM Radio reception (still a problem with AC).

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