The Tour de Sol Reports, 2004
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For more on the NESEA Tour de Sol, see the web page at
Official NESEA Tour de Sol information is available from the sponsor, the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) at 413 774-6051, and 50 Miles Street, Greenfield, MA 01301, and nesea@nesea.org . All media enquiries should be addressed to ...
Jack Groh
Tour de Sol Communications Director
P.O. Box 6044
Warwick, RI 02887-6044
GrohPR@aol.com
401 732-1551 telephone
401 732-0547 fax
401 952-0886 cell/pager
The following is copyright Michael H. Bianchi.
Permission to copy is
granted provided each Report is presented without modification
and this notice is attached.
For other arrangements, contact me at +1-973-822-2085 .
The Tour de Sol Reports, 2004
Photos
See the main page of Tour de Sol 2004 Photos at http://www.AutoAuditorium.com/TdS_Reports_2004/photos.html
Table of Contents
Report #1: Tour de Sol Number 16 Will Be Here Soon!Report #2: Scheduled Entrants, part 1
Report #3: Scheduled Entrants, part 2
Report #4: Scheduled Entrants, part 3
Report #5: Scheduled Entrants, part 1
Report #6: Scheduled Entrants, part 2
Report #7: Scheduled Entrants, part 3
Report #8: Dr. Mike Seal - 50 Years of Vehicle Research, Frequently at the Tour de Sol
Report #9: What To See and Do at the Tour de Sol
Report #10: NESEA May 21st Press Release
Report #11: Interview: Nancy Hazard, Tour de Sol Director
Report #12: A Day of Testing
Report #13: Interview: Tony Locricchio
Report #14: Team Profile: #17 Proxima
Report #15: Team Profile: #6, Sterling College
Report #16: Team Profile: #92, SunPacer
Report #17: Team Profile: #32, Viking 32
Report #18: Photos - Pictures of #17, Proxima
Report #19: Team Profile: #23, Viking 23
Report #20: Photos - #32, Viking 32 pictures
Report #21: Team Profile: #70, Toyota Prius
Report #22: Team Profile: #38, Electro
Report #23: Photos - #38, Electro
Report #24: Team Profile: #10, Vegginator
Report #25: Photos - #10, Vegginator
Report #26: Exhibitors: RunAbout Cycles
Report #27: Photos - Exhibitor: RunAbout Cycles
Report #28: Photos - Ford Escape Hybrid
Report #29: Exhibitor: Ford Escape Hybrid
Report #30: Exhibitor: Honda GX
Report #31: Exhibitor: NJ Transit Hybrid-Electric Bus
Report #32: Photos - NJ Transit Hybrid-Electric Bus
Report #33: Exhibitor: Taylor Oil
Report #34: Exhibitor: Honda Civic Hybrid
Report #35: Team Profile: The Lorax
Report #36: Photos - #45, The Lorax
Report #37: Team Profile: #52, Eskimobile
Report #38: Photos - #52, Eskimobile
Report #39: Finish-Line Press Release
Report #40: The Reports Continue
Report #41: 2004 Tour de Sol Awards
Report #42: WPI E-Plane Ground Crew
Report #43: Photos - Fuel Cell powered GEM, WPI E-Plane Ground Crew
Report #44: Team Profile: #16, The Olympian
Report #45: Photos - #16, The Olympian
Report #46: Team Profile: #7, Zodiac
Report #47: Photos - #7, Zodiac
Report #48: Team Profile: #12, Vogelbilt Vehicle
Report #49: Photos - #12, Vogelbilt Vehicle
Report #50: Team Profile: Personal Electric Transports
Report #51: Photos - PET Transports
Report #52: Team Profile: #2, H2 Sparrow
Report #53: Photos - #2, H2 Sparrow
Report #54: Rob Wills, Technical Director of the Tour de Sol
Report #55: Old Friends: Topher Waring
Report #56: Educational Resources at NESEA
Report #57: Exhibitor: Mike Strizki
Report #58: Photos - NJ Genesis hydrogen fuel cell car
Report #59: Team Profile: #56, Woodstock
Report #60: Photos - #56, Woodstock
Report #61: Team Profile: #20, Solar Black Bear
Report #62: Photos - #20, Solar Black Bear
Report #63: Team Profile: #19, Maya-100
Report #64: Photos - #19, Maya-100
Report #65: More NJ Transit Hybrid Buses
Report #66: Team Profile: #66, Little Blue
Report #67: Exhibitor: Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid
Report #68: Photos - Allison Hybrid Electric Bus
Report #69: Exhibitor: General Motors HydroGen3
Report #70: The PET Challenge
Report #71: Exhibitor: NYMTA Orion Hybrid Bus
For Tour de Sol Reports from 1994 through 2003, see
Report #1: Tour de Sol Number 16 Will Be Here Soon!
It is that time of year again. The Tour de Sol will once again show America and the world that we, humanity on this planet, can chart a better course for ourselves. What started as a competition for hand-built solar-powered cars has evolved into THE annual demonstration and proof that sustainable transportation IS possible. Ideas and concepts that were first seen at the Tour de Sol in the hands and minds of students and inventive individuals have moved into the commercial market place. Come, follow us on this journey. Plan your visit to one of the Tour Fesitivals!
And, as in years past, I'll interview the teams and help them tell their stories.
Here is the text of one of NESEA's official Tour de Sol Press Releases.
GREEN TRANSPORTATION FESTIVAL SHOWCASES
CLEAN VEHICLES OF THE PRESENT AND THE NEAR FUTURE:
FESTIVAL SITES PROVIDE VEHICLE DISPLAYS, EXHIBITS AND COMPETITIVE EVENTS
GREENFIELD, Mass. -
The longest-running "green" vehicle event in the United States opens its gates to the public for several days this May in the New York-New Jersey area. The Tour de Sol: The Great American Green Transportation Festival will include competitive events for vehicles from across the country as well as three days of free exhibits and festivals for the general public.
"When we began this event 16 years ago, clean transportation was a good idea - but only an idea," according to Nancy Hazard, director of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, organizer of the event. "Over the past few years, things have changed dramatically. There are now several very popular hybrid cars and buses and over a half dozen electric bikes on the market. By the end of this year, five more new hybrid models will be available." Many of these vehicles will be available for test drives and test rides at the Tour de Sol. Also on display will be environmental, energy, and transportation exhibits and dozens of experimental advanced vehicles built by auto manufacturers, independent designers, and enthusiastic teams of college and high school students.
Major manufacturers represented at this year's Tour de Sol include General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Ford, and Allison Transmission.
While the vehicle designs are exciting to look at, The Green Transportation Festival is more than a beauty contest. Over the course of five days, vehicles will compete for cash prizes and for the prestige of a Tour de Sol trophy. The competition focuses on two types of prizes:
"green" prizes and
consumer satisfaction prizes.
Green prizes recognize vehicles with lower greenhouse gas emissions and higher fuel efficiency (miles per gallon equivalent). Consumer satisfaction prizes are awarded for handling, acceleration, reliability, and range (a measure of how far you can travel before needing to refuel.) Additional prizes will be given to the best performing vehicle using bio-diesel fuel and the best performing vehicle using lead-acid batteries.
"Everyone already knows that these new hybrids are better for the environment and that they can reduce our dependence on foreign oil," says Hazard. "What they're discovering now is that these vehicles also out-perform some of their gasoline-only counterparts." The Honda Civic Hybrid, for example, out- accelerates its gas-only version and requires fewer stops at the gas station. As performance has soared, so has popularity. Public demand for the new Toyota Prius, that gets over 50 miles per gallon, has people willing to put up with a waiting list just to get behind the wheel of one.
One of the most interesting displays this year is expected to be the brand new Ford Hybrid Escape sport utility vehicle. It's not even on the market yet, but Tour de Sol visitors will get a chance to see it up close and in person at the New Jersey and New York City events.
The Tour de Sol: The Great American Green Transportation Festival opens to the public in Burlington City, NJ on Saturday, May 22 at the city's Riverfront Promenade where it will be part of the city's annual Burlington Day Festival. Burlington Day includes entertainment, food, craft and antiques exhibits, and children's activities. The new light rail line that connects Burlington City to Camden and Trenton provides easy transportation to and from the Festival.
On Monday, May 24, Tour de Sol vehicles will be on display in downtown Trenton, in front of the New Jersey State Museum.
A final display and awards ceremony is planned for New York City on May 25.
General Motors Corporation and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities are the sustainable energy partner sponsors of the 2004 Tour de Sol. Supporting sponsors include the Federal Highway Administration, Ford Motor Company, American Honda Motor Company, the New York Power Authority, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Toyota Motor Sales, USA, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The annual Tour de Sol is organized by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) headquartered in Greenfield, Massachusetts. NESEA is the nation's leading advocacy and education association promoting awareness, understanding, development, and adoption of non-polluting, renewable energy technologies. NESEA has worked successfully in the fields of transportation, building construction, and renewable energy for nearly 30 years.
For more information on Tour de Sol events, greener vehicles, school field trip opportunities, free educational resources, volunteer opportunities, and NESEA's Green Car Club go to www.TourdeSol.org, www.nesea.org or call 413-774-6051.
Tour de Sol 2004 Calendar
May 22-25, 2004
Tour de Sol: The Great American Green Transportation Festival and Competition
Events in three communities:
"Burlington Day" festival in City of Burlington, New Jersey
Saturday, May 22
Street fair in downtown Trenton, New Jersey
Monday, May 24
Grand finale in New York City's lower Manhattan
Tuesday, May 25
See and try out advanced vehicles for the 21st Century at a fun free festival.
Over 50 exhibits including hybrid cars, e-bikes, clean buses and more.
Visit with vehicle manufacturers and exhibitors.
Talk with hundreds of students and visionaries about their one-of-a-kind Earth- friendly vehicles in the Tour de Sol Competition.
Advanced vehicles have great performance and styling and can reduce global climate change and our dependence on oil.
To find out more
go to www.TourdeSol.org
or call 413-774-6051
Report #2: Scheduled Entrants, part 1
Replaced by Report #5
Report #3: Scheduled Entrants, part 2
Replaced by Report #6
Report #4: Scheduled Entrants, part 3
Replaced by Report #7
Report #5: Scheduled Entrants, part 1
Lifted from the Tour de Sol web site:
http://www.nesea.org/transportation/tour/2004entrants.html updated 6 May 2004
2004 Tour de Sol
- The Great American Green Transportation Festival and Competition Participant List
Category: Alternative Fuel & Hybrid Vehicles
Abbreviations:
CNG Compressed Natural Gas ICE Internal Combustion Engine LiIon Lithium Ion NMH Nickel metal hydride, NiZn Nickel Zinc PbA Lead Acid
Vehicle Number
Vehicle Name Participant - Team Name Website Make/Model Propulsion System
PRODUCTION, LIGHT DUTY VEHICLES
11 American Biofuels Jetta American Biofuels from CA http://www.greenstarusa.com/ 2001 VW TDI Jetta ICE* Biodiesel
70 Toyota Prius S&S Autosports from Oklahoma 2001 Toyota Prius ICE Gasoline + Panasonic NMH (Hybrid)
Demo American Honda Motor Company 2004 Honda Civic GX http://www.honda.com/ ICE CNG
Demo General Motors TBA http://www.gm.com/ TBA
Demo Ford Motor Company 2004 Escape Hybrid http://wwwfordvehicles.com/ ICE Gasoline + Battery (Hybrid)
Demo Toyota Motor Sales USA 2004 Toyota Prius http://www.toyota.com/ ICE Gasoline + Panasonic NMH (Hybrid)
PRODUCTION, HEAVY DUTY VEHICLES
60 Allison Transmission http://www.allisontransmission.com/ 2004 New Flyer bus with Alison Drive ICE Diesel + Battery (Hybrid)
PROTOTYPE/ ONE-OF-A-KIND VEHICLES (Student Teams)
6 Greased Lightning Sterling College from VT http://www.sterlingcollege.edu 1984 Volkwagen Rabbit ICE Biodiesel
7 Vegginator Tornado Fuel Masters (Trenton High School) from NJ http://www.trenton.k12.nj.us/tchs/fuelmasters 1985 VW Golf conversion ICE Veggie Oil
17 Proxima U. of Tulsa Hurricane Motor Works from OK http://www.hev.utulsa.edu/ Purpose-built ICE RFG + Hawker PbA (Hybrid)
52 Eski-mobile University of Waterloo from ON http://www.eng.uwaterloo.ca/%7Euw_aft 1997 Chevy Malibu conversion ICE E85 +Hawker PbA (Hybrid)
22 Bio Diesel Attack West Philadelphia EV Team http://www.penn-partners.org/wp/k12/wphs K1 Attack kit car conversion ICE Biodiesel + PbA (Hybrid)
32 Viking 32 Western Washington University Purpose-built ICE Bio-methane + Panasonic NMH (Hybrid)
23 Viking 23 Western Washington University http://vri.etec.wwu.edu/viking_23.htm Purpose-built ICE Biodiesel + SAFT NMH (Hybrid)
PROTOTYPE/ONE-OF-A-KIND VEHICLES (Indenpendent Teams)
12 Vogelbilt Vogelbilt Corp. from NY http://www.vogelbilt.com/ 2004 Ford F250 Pickup ICE Biodiesel
44 Sunray Personal Electric Transports from CA http://www.personalelectric.com/ Purpose-built three wheeled vehicle ICE Gasoline + Battery (Hybrid)
Report #6: Scheduled Entrants, part 2
Lifted from the Tour de Sol web site:
http://www.nesea.org/transportation/tour/2004entrants2 updated 6 May 2004
2004 Tour de Sol
- The Great American Green Transportation Festival and Competition Participant List
Abbreviations:
CNG Compressed Natural Gas ICE Internal Combustion Engine LiIon Lithium Ion NMH Nickel metal hydride, NiZn Nickel Zinc PbA Lead Acid
Vehicle Number
Vehicle Name Particpant - Team Name Website Make/Model Propulsion System
Category: Hydrogen-Powered Vehicles
PRODUCTION DIVISION: LIGHT DUTY VEHICLE PRODUCTION & PROTOTYPE VEHICLES
Demo HydroGen3 General Motors http://www.gm.com/ Zafira HydroGen III minivan Fuel Cell Hydrogen
Category: PROTOTYPE/ONE-OF-A-KIND VEHICLES: Student and Independent Teams
2 UW-Madison H2 Sparrow UW-Madison College of Engineering http://www.cae.wisc.edu/%7Euwfec 2000 Corbin Sparrow ICE Hydrogen + NiMH (Hybrid)
26 Magellan HEVT (Virginia Tech) 2002 Ford Explorer conversion http://www.hevt.me.vt.edu/ ICE Hydrogen + PbA (Hybrid)
Demo Fuel Cell-Powered GEM WPI Fuel Cell Center and FASTec E-Plane from MA Fuel Cell Hydrogen
Category: Batery-Electric Vehicles
PROTOTYPE/ ONE-OF-A-KIND VEHICLES (Student Teams)
16 The Olympian The Pirates (Cinaminson High School), New Jersey 1986 Ford Escort conversion Electric (Battery: GNB PbA
27 Patriot MHS EV Competition Team (Mirimar High School), Florida 1993 Ford Probe GT conversion Electric (Battery:Trojan PbA)
45 Lorax Methacton Electric Car Club (High School), Pennsylvania 1998 Lomax kit car conversion Electric (Battery: Eagle Picher PbA)
38 Electro UEHS Electric Car Team (Union-Endicott High School), New York 1994 Geo Metro conversion Electric (Battery: GNB PbA)
PROTOTYPE/ ONE-OF-A-KIND VEHICLES (Independent Teams)
19 Maya-100 Electrovaya, Ontario Canada http://www.electrovaya.com/ 2002 Tracker conversion Electric (Battery: Electrovaya LiIon)
Report #7: Scheduled Entrants, part 3
Lifted from the Tour de Sol web site:
http://www.nesea.org/transportation/tour/2004entrants3 updated 6 May 2004
2004 Tour de Sol
- The Great American Green Transportation Festival and Competition Participant List
Category: Alternative Fuel & Hybrid Vehicles
Abbreviations:
CNG Compressed Natural Gas ICE Internal Combustion Engine LiIon Lithium Ion NMH Nickel metal hydride, NiZn Nickel Zinc PbA Lead Acid
Category: Solar-Assisted Electric Vehicles
Vehicle Number Vehicle Name Particpant - Team Name Make/Model Propulsion System
ONE PERSON: PROTOTYPE/ ONE-OF-A-KIND VEHICLES (Student Teams)
92 SunPacer SunPacer (Cato-Meridian High School) from NY http://www.cmhstech.org/ Purpose-Built Electric (Solar + Battery: Ovonic NMH)
4 Artimis El SVCDC's Golden Arrows (SouthWest Vermont High School) from VT http://www.svcdc.org/ Purpose-built Electric (Solar + Battery: SAFT NiCad)
7 Zodiac IHS SolarCar Team (W. Irondequoit High School) from NY http://www.ihstechteam.com/ 2001 Purpose-built Electric (Solar + Battery:Trojan PbA)
TWO PERSON: PROTOTYPE/ ONE-OF-A-KIND VEHICLES
56 Woodstock St. Mark's EV Club (St. Mark's High School) from MA http://www.stmarksschool.org/ 1994 Ford Ranger conversion Electric (Solar + Battery: Trojan PbA)
20 Solar Black Bear U. Maine Solar Vehicle Team http://www.ume.maine.edu/solar 1986 Chevy S-10 Pickup conversion Electric (Solar + Battery: Trojan PbA)
Category: Electric Bike and Scooters
200 La Bomba Personal Electric Transports from CA http://www.personalelectric.com/ Purpose-built three wheeled trike Electric (Battery)
210 Metro Personal Electric Transports] from CA http://www.personalelectric.com/ Purpose-built stand-up scooter Electric (Battery)
220 L.A. Globe Cooler Transport Personal Electric Transports] from CA http://www.personalelectric.com/ Purpose-built Electric (Battery)
300 The RunAbout RunAbout Cycles http://www.runaboutcycles.com/ Purpose-built three wheeled trike Electric (Battery: Valence LiIon)
310 The RunAbout RunAbout Cycles http://www.runaboutcycles.com/ Purpose-built three wheeled trike Electric (Battery: Lead Acid)
Report #8: Dr. Mike Seal - 50 Years of Vehicle Research, Frequently at the Tour de Sol
This is the eleventh year of Tour de Sol Reports. One of the great benefits of this activity is meeting and speaking with people who have done some really great things. One of those people is Dr. Michael R. Seal. He is the founder and driving force of the the Viking vehicles that were at most of the Tour de Sols I've attended.
I spoke with Mike early in May 2004 to get his perspective on how the idea of sustainable transportation has change during these past 50 years.
-- How does it feel to wrap up a career that spans the better part of half a century?
"I have some regrets, but I'm not pulling out entirely. I'm going to come back to the University and work on a voluntary basis. I won't teach classes, but I'll work with students in the lab. I won't have to grade papers any more."
-- Nor manage teaching assistants, I expect.
"I really never had any of those. It's been pretty much a one man show for 30 years. From time to time I've been able to hire a staff on bigger projects, but normally not."
-- So all this started at WWU in 1971?
"I was building cars on my own when I was in high school, (I graduated in 1955) and never really stopped. At the University I started again in 1969." The Vehicle Institute Research came into existence in 1974."
-- And what was the motivation for building the cars?
"In the early days, it was exhaust emission control. That was the big new thing. Prior to that, the only time anyone paid attention was when a tailpipe was belching smoke. But very soon we did care. The Nixon oil shock got our attention in 1971.
"The `Viking I' was designed to be an urban vehicle, suitable for getting groceries with good fuel economy. It was a little better in exhaust emissions, but it wasn't that big a deal." It was designed for an urban vehicle design competition. "We came in third overall, out of 100 entrants."
See the pictures of the Vikings at
http://vri.etec.wwu.edu/cars.htm
Read their history at
http://vri.etec.wwu.edu/history.htm
`Viking II' was built in 1973. "The contest was a fuel economy contest, primarily. It was called the Student Engineered Economy Design (SEED) Rally." It was the first to have proper technical evaluations and rules, including dynamometer scoring. "We start at WWU in Bellingham, Washington, and ran to Los Angeles. The testing was a good deal more stringent than the Tour de Sol. We won, against schools from the US, Canada and Japan." The turbocharged engine, which was unusual back then, got 58 miles per gallon of propane, with the lowest emissions of any of the entrants. "We developed our own carburetor systems, which gave us much better control over air-fuel ratio. We also had an oxidizing catalyst on the exhaust."
"There were two cars in that event that burned hydrogen in internal combustion engines, from UCLA and Japan." The Japanese car wasn't very clean because the hydrogen embrittled the piston rings, causing them to wear more quickly, and then leak oil into the combustion chamber." The UCLA car didn't make it to the start.
Over the years the teams worked with gasoline and various other fuels. "Viking 32", which will be at this year's Tour de Sol, runs on biomethane. It turns out that Burlington, New Jersey, where the tour starts May 21st, has a plant that produces biomethane, extracted from landfills. "We had planned to bring all the fuel we needed, but we may be able to fuel the car there." Near WWU there is a large dairy industry which is their usual source of biomethane. "We calculate that two cows can keep one car like `Viking 32' running for about 12,000 miles a year. "Viking 23", the other car coming to the Tour, is using biodiesel.
More information:
http://west.wwu.edu/ucomm_news/articles/488.asp
http://west.wwu.edu/ucomm_news/articles/489.asp
Pictures:
http://www.wwu.edu/ucomm/exchange/vri23_2004.jpg
http://www.wwu.edu/ucomm/exchange/vri32side.jpg
As a broad average, the span from 1971's `Viking I' to 2004's `Viking 32' represents very close to one car built each year. "In the early days, each car took a few years to build. This year we are running five different vehicles. Our rate of production has increased. Two were at the Mini Baja competition about a month ago. And another will be in the Formula SAE, concurrent with the tour."
More information about these SAE events:
http://www.sae.org/students/minibaja.htm
http://www.sae.org/students/formula.htm
Over the years, the VRI entrants demonstrated an occasional "first".
"We were the first to use a 3-way catalyst, combining a reducing catalyst (for oxides of nitrogen) along with two oxidizing catalysts (for hydrocarbons and carbon-dioxide)."
"We have done very little basic research. It has all been applied research. We would pile on everything we knew about, and then add a few things that had not been tried before. I would keep up with the literature and when things looked promising I would call the perpetrator. Often that resulted in a collaborative effort. Often the research done in a lab, so we would be the first to apply the technology to a running engine."
Every once in a while, a car company would take notice. For example, at one point the VRI teams where looking for ways to create a stoichiometric carburetor where the air-fuel mixture was perfect; no excess fuel and no excess air. They were able to do it, but each carburetor had to be individually tuned. "The Saab company took note of what we were doing, and came up with a very important improvement. They went to feedback-loop fuel injection, whereby an oxygen sensor in the tail pipe noted if the exhaust indicated the mixture was too rich, the pulse-width on the fuel injection was adjusted to make it leaner. If too lean, it goes the other way. That was the key to making 3-way catalysts practical. And Saab did it first, after us."
Competition has always been a strong motivator for the VRI's vehicles, and they have been successful in many of them, even on their first try. `Viking XX' was their first attempt at a solar-powered car, for the GM SunRayce and Australian World Solar Challenge in 1990. "We were 2nd overall in the SunRayce, and came in first in the Two Person Class in Australia. That was a very ambitious thing for us to do, because we knew nothing about solar cars and had to learn everything about them. But what was going for us was that none of the other schools in the country, except for MIT that had competed in the Swiss Tour de Sol, knew anything about them either."
The vehicles have had many different goals. "`Viking III' was intended to win the Reduced Emissions Devices Rally in southern California. `Viking IV' and `Viking V' were to investigate aerodynamic-shaped bodies, by going very fast at Bonneville Salt Flats. We got up to 186 miles per hour with quite small engines. `Viking VI' got 118 miles per gallon at 50 miles per hour."
`Viking 21', the first of their cars to enter the Tour de Sol (1993) was originally intended for a different, hybrid-vehicle only competition. But after submitting all their entry forms, plans and photos, and when they were quite well along, the sponsor announced a new rule that the vehicle must be at least 48 inches high. "Ours was only 42 inches high and changing that would have spoiled the design. They were adament. I was adament. So we pulled out, went home, finished the car, and ran it in the Tour de Sol. The top entries from the other contest also entered, and we beat them."
"Later we won overall in the Pike's Peak Hill Climb with that car. We went from the start to the Devil's Playground (the finish line that year) in 8 minutes 7 seconds, which ties the best time for a D Type Jaguar for that run. We were 2 minutes faster than any other hybrid or electric vehicle. We won because we had done a number of things right. We had 4-wheel drive, dual-tire wheels, and an active suspension that was perfect for the muddy road that day."
-- How has the Tour de Sol worked for you over the years?
"The Tour de Sol has proven to be an almost ideal event for us. It would be ideal if it were on the west coast. It's ideal because it is not dominated by industry or by government. (Technical Director) Rob Wills and (Event Director) Nancy Hazard have always run the event well. NESEA (the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association) has their agenda, which I thoroughly agree with, and they stay true to it. In government-run events, the political agenda various depending on who is in power at the time. And in industry-run events you can easily see their bias. They aren't that keen on being shown up by a bunch of university students."
"The Tour has always welcomed any way that would move a car down the road that was innovative. All of the other contests have very restrictive rules. If you show up with something really radical and promising, the Tour officials will generate a class on the spot and let you run. It also lets us show off our cars in several different venues. It's a nice combination of road-show and road-rally. The events run on the proving grounds of the car companies are pretty much secret. I think that's partly just habit, and partly that they don't want to be shown up."
-- So with more than 30 years of vehicles, where were your greatest successes?
"Probably with the hybrid vehicles, because it turns out we were right, and in more ways than one. All the hybrids that are appearing now are very similar to what we were doing from the beginning. Virtually everyone who builds hybrids has an electric vehicle with an inadequate range. `Aha. I'll put a generator set in this and then I'll have the range!' But they forget to do the math. They don't do the arithmetic! We saw very early on that the only kind of hybrid that made any sense was a parallel hybrid. With a parallel dive you are able to use the internal combustion engine where it works best. And where it is best it is pretty darn good! You get a lot of range for a relatively small quantity of fuel. And the efficiency isn't bad at freeway speeds. Now, electric drives are absolutely ideal when the car is stopped, because they use no power at all. And if you creep and stop, creep and stop electric vehicles just knock the spots off a fuel engine." So it makes sense to combine them, but the control systems become more difficult, especially if you aren't going to put that intellectual work load on the driver. "We now build cars with multiple computers, communicating over a CAN-bus (Controller Area Network). We have some students that are very adept at this. `Viking 32' has just two pedals, GO and STOP, and everything else is figured out on board. At least that is the hope. Nearly everything works now, but there are still some glitches which we intend to solve in the few days left."
-- How do you feel about the hybrid offerings from Honda and Toyota?
"Toyota deserves enormous credit, because they took the gamble. They were first. The `Prius' was ugly, but a pretty good car. Honda came along and their first car, and the `Insight' was pretty dramatic. For their `Civic Hybrid', they did it in a less ambitious way. It is a good car and does things very well. My wife and I have a `Civic Hybrid', and we'll be using it to ferry students to the Tour de Sol and then as our chase car. But it is not as much a hybrid as the Toyota."
-- Did they follow your lead?
"Not initially. The earliest Hondas and Toyotas were series hybrids." They had both built electric cars, which didn't have the range needed. They then added engines to charge the batteries, and discovered that didn't work very well. "But then I think they started to pay attention to the various student contests; the Tour de Sol and the three hybrid contests sponsored by and Chrysler, Ford and GM."
-- So do you think that the electric vehicle has served it's purpose, namely to get us to using hybrids?
"I didn't ever think the electric vehicle was going to be a winner. It had lost out in the days of the Detroit Electric." But the hybrids are getting to be more and more electric and less and less internal combustion. So hybrids will become dominant for a while. Then will come the plugged-in hybrid, recharging while in your garage, so some of your driving energy won't come from gasoline. As gasoline becomes more expensive, people will plug in more, provided there is somewhere to plug-in.
"Now, for the first time in my life I believe our ultimate salvation is, in fact, the electric vehicle. It will only save us if we are willing to do the infrastructure changes required for fast charging. That will have to be a progressive thing. We have to make the next move with a plug-in hybrid. It will give us big improvements in `fuel' economy." This is where the Tour de Sol is a bit off track. When they score the battery-electric vehicles for energy efficiency they compute a pollution number based on burning soft coal to generate the electricity used for charging. It is true in the northeast, which is where they are, but we get our electricity from the hydro-electric dams around here, which don't produce air pollution. "If we are ever to solve the problem of global warming, we have to do something about getting cleaner power. We have dams. We have windmills, and there are lots of places we could put them. Geothermal makes sense on the Pacific rim. And of course there is solar. "To get from where we are to where we need to be requires incremental change. Maybe it will be rapid, but never-the-less incremental."
-- How will the retired Michael Seal spend his time?
"I have always enjoyed engine research. I have a 3-liter V-12 engine under construction that I think will be very good. People find the V-12 intriguing partly for the sheer number of cylinders and partly because it is intrinsically balanced. It runs smoothly by it's very nature. I have the combination block and crank case done, made out of carbon fiber. It is very light; 12 pounds. I'm using Honda Civic pistons and rings and I've machined cast-iron cylinders. It has 48 valves. What is unusual is I'm turbocharging it, but only one bank. One bank will have 11:1 compression, and the other is 8.5:1. All the exhaust from the high-compression (11:1) bank goes through the turbo-charger, which turbo charges the low-compression side. When running, one bank produces 100 horsepower, and the other produces 200 more. This has been done before. What is different here is that when the second bank is not burning fuel, the compressed air from the turbo-charger motors over the `dead' six cylinders. So I'm actually extracting some more energy from the hot exhaust gas. In a way it's a compound expansion engine. It should be quite efficient."
-- Is there anything else you would like to talk about?
"I would like to go on record as saying the `Hydrogen Economy' is an idiotic idea. It is a faith-based solution. I cannot see it having any real effect on anything. The pressure comes from the fact that a fuel cell can be very efficient. The problem is that getting the fuel to the fuel cell isn't. And the emissions made in making the hydrogen are not inconsiderable, so it doesn't solve any emission problems and it costs a ton of money. The best way to make hydrogen is to start with natural gas. So why not run on natural gas, which is already a very efficient fuel? It has 18% less carbon in it than gasoline, hence 18% less carbon-dioxide emissions. So switching from gasoline to natural gas would do something about global warming. Canada has already done it, making the infrastructure changes needed, and now use far less gasoline. So now Canada is the number one supplier of gasoline and oil to the US."
Mike had to get back to preparing for the Tour. It will be very interesting to see what he and his students are bringing to this year. I'm looking forward to it.
Report #9: What To See and Do at the Tour de Sol
The 2004 Tour de Sol is getting closer and closer. The event days are ...
Friday, May 21
Register the teams and technical testing in Burlington, New Jersey.
There are no formal public events, but a great time for the enthusiast to walk around, gawk, and talk with the teams.
Saturday, May 22
Public display in the park as part of Burlington Days Festival
From:
http://www.nesea.org/transportation/tour/2004burlington
# Check out clean hybrid buses - built by Allison Transmission and New Jersey
# Transit's bus by ISE Research and MCI Coach.
# Talk with some of the 200 students, and dozens of visionaries about their vision of the car of the future, and their experience of building a one-of-a-kind vehicle to compete in the Tour de Sol Championship. These vehicles include hybrid and alternative fueled cars using biodiesel, ethanol, natural gas, hydrogen or bio-methane; electric cars; and solar assisted electric cars.
# Take a spin on an electric bike or electric scooter! They are loads of fun!
# Personal Electric Transports, Currie Cycles, Runabout Cycles and much more.
# Learn about vehicles that run on hydrogen - neighborhood vehicles, one-person vehicles, and full-size vehicles from all over the country.
# Take a look at a hydrogen fuel cell
# Taste delicious organic milk from Organic Valley
# Get up to date on nuclear issues by visiting with the UNPLUG Salem Campaign
# Learn about the benefits of using a solar system to generate your electricity for your house or business from Ecological Systems.
# Explore new transportation options.
Sunday, May 23
Range testing in and around Burlington
Again, no formal public events, but the teams will be running their vehicles out on the local roads and highways, competing in the range and performance competitions.
Monday, May 24
Festival and Autocross in Trenton, New Jersey
From:
http://www.nesea.org/transportation/tour/2004trenton
* Over 40 Exhibits - food vendors will be on-site.
* Ten AM arrival of vehicles participating in the Tour de Sol Championship followed by a media event.
* Premier opportunity to get up close to new hybrid vehicles - including some that will be introduced over the next six months! General Motors,
* Honda, Ford, and Toyota will all be there.
* Take a spin on an electric bike or electric scooter! They are loads of fun! Personal Electric Transports, Currie Cycles, Runabout Cycles and much more.
* Explore new transportation options such as DaimlerChrysler's GEM, an electric neighborhood vehicle.
* Check out clean hybrid buses - built by Allison Transmission and New
* Jersey Transit's bus by ISE Research and MCI Coach.
* Learn about vehicles that run on hydrogen - neighborhood vehicles, one-person vehicles, and full-size vehicles from all over the country.
* Explore new transportation options.
* Talk with some of the 200 students, and dozens of visionaries about their vision of the car of the future, and their experience of building a one-of-a- kind vehicle to compete in the Tour de Sol Championship. These vehicles include hybrid and alternative fueled cars using biodiesel, ethanol, natural gas, hydrogen or bio-methane; electric cars; and solar assisted electric cars.
* Watch biodiesel being made
* Ecological Systems will be there offering solar and renewable energy products for sale for your home and work.
* Talk with the Central Jersey Bicycle Club and learn about the East Coast Greenway
* Fun stuff for kids - guided tours of the vehicles, sun toys for play, scavenger hunt, student science projects and more.
* Learn about programs and services in your area that are working toward a greener transportation system and a better quality of life.
* Take a look at a hydrogen fuel cell
Tuesday, May 25
New York City Festival and closing Awards Ceremony
South Street Seaport
From:
http://www.nesea.org/transportation/tour/2004nyc.html
# Over 40 exhibits from car manufacturers to environmental non-profits. There's something for everyone.
# Eleven AM arrival of vehicles participating in the Tour de Sol Championship.
# 11:15 AM Welcome and Awards Ceremony from the stage.
# Premier opportunity to get up close to new hybrid vehicles - including the Ford Hybrid Escape SUV and GM Hybrid pickup that will be introduced late this summer! General Motors, Honda, Ford, and Toyota will all be there.
# Take a spin on an electric bike or electric scooter! They are loads of fun!
# Personal Electric Transports, Currie Cycles, RunAbout Cycles, WaveCrest and NYCE Wheels will be joining us.
# Check out clean buses - A hybrid bus by Allison Transmission; NYC Transit's new hybrid bus built by Orion Bus Company and BAE Systems; and New York Power Authority's electric school bus.
# Learn about vehicles that run on hydrogen - neighborhood vehicles, one-person vehicles, and full-size vehicles from all over the country.
# Explore new transportation options - including an electric neighborhood vehicle and more!
# Talk with some of the 200 students, and dozens of visionaries about their vision of the car of the future, and their experience of building a one-of-a- kind vehicle to compete in the Tour de Sol Championship. These vehicles include hybrid and alternative fueled cars using biodiesel, ethanol, natural gas, hydrogen, bio-methane, electricity from the grid, or solar-generated electricity.
# Visit exhibits by Commuter Link, Organic Valley, Green Map, the Metropolitan
# Waterfront Alliance and many more!
# Fun stuff for kids - guided tours of the vehicles, sun toys for play, and a scavenger hunt.
# Learn about programs and services in your area that are working toward a greener transportation system and a better quality of life.
# Talk with Renewable Energy International about how hydrogen is made from the sun.
Directions to the Festivals:
http://www.nesea.org/transportation/tour/2004directions
More information at:
www.TourDeSol.org
www.Foveal.com/TdS_Reports_2004/
Report #10: NESEA May 21st Press Release
Date: May 21, 2004 Contacts: Jack Groh 401-732-1551 Release: Immediate Nancy Hazard 413-774-6051 x18 Web Info: www.TourdeSol.org www.nesea.org
TOUR DE SOL GREEN CAR FESTIVAL GETS "SERIOUS":
SKY HIGH GASOLINE PRICES OPEN DOORS TO
NEW ADVANCED VEHICLES
GREENFIELD, Mass. - Tour de Sol: The Great American Green Transportation Festival and Competition attracts thousands of people to its annual free festivals. This year, organizers expect a new type of visitor to its May 21-25 events.
"With gasoline prices going through the roof we expect more serious car buyers," says Nancy Hazard, of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, organizer of the Tour de Sol. "Buying a fuel-efficient car used to be a strictly environmental decision, but now car buyers are taking a more serious look at hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles and liking what they see."
The Tour de Sol provides a fun, family-friendly atmosphere with exhibits and activities, and a unique opportunity for window-shopping. Potential car buyers will be able to look at many of today's new hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles up-close, and talk with people who know these vehicles inside and out.
In addition to seeing Toyota's new Prius and Honda's Civic hybrid, which are already on the market, visitors can see two soon-to-be-released hybrids - a GM pickup truck and Ford's Escape hybrid, the first full hybrid SUV on the market. Visitors will also get to see Honda's natural gas Civic GX, GM's prototype hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, and several hi-tech electric bikes. There's even a hybrid-powered city bus produced by GM's Allison Transmission.
"These cars are cheaper to drive and some don't even use gasoline. It is no wonder that consumers are willing to get on a waiting list to buy one - it's a smart choice," adds Hazard.
While celebrating and showcasing its success in bringing more environmentally- friendly vehicles to market, the Tour de Sol also stays true to its mission, and pushes the automotive envelope by holding a competition for Earth-friendly vehicles. Several hundred students and individual teams will be competing during the five-day event running from May 21-May 25. Visitors can mingle and talk with the many teams that are bringing an incredible array of vehicles many using non-gasoline fuels such as biodiesel, ethanol, biomethane, hydrogen, electricity, and solar.
"The Tour de Sol is the only competition that evaluates emerging automotive technologies on the road, under the same real-world conditions experienced during normal driving," says Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal. "The variety of technologies and fuels demonstrated here is truly remarkable. Award recipients should be congratulated for leading the way to a better future." The most coveted awards go to the vehicles with the best fuel economy and the lowest greenhouse gas emissions. The two-dozen teams competing in the event will also receive awards for vehicle performance including acceleration, handling, reliability and range (a measure of how far you can travel before needing to refuel.) Additionally, this year, special awards will be given to the best performing vehicles using biodiesel or lead-acid batteries. Overall, sixteen states and one Canadian province are represented in this national competition.
Visitors can catch the Tour de Sol at three locations in the Northeast United States: Burlington City, NJ (Saturday, May 22), downtown Trenton, NJ (Monday, May 24) and at New York City's South Street Seaport (Tuesday, May 25). All activities are free.
General Motors Corporation and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities are the sustainable energy partner sponsors of the 2004 Tour de Sol. Supporting sponsors include the American Honda Motor Company, Exelon Energy, the Federal Highway Administration, Ford Motor Company, the New York Power Authority, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Toyota Motor Sales, USA, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The annual Tour de Sol is organized by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) headquartered in Greenfield, Massachusetts. NESEA is the nation's leading advocacy and education association promoting awareness, understanding, development, and adoption of non-polluting, renewable energy technologies. NESEA has worked successfully in the fields of transportation, building construction, and renewable energy for nearly 30 years.
For more information on Tour de Sol events, greener vehicles, school field trip opportunities, free educational resources, volunteer opportunities, and NESEA's Green Car Club go to
www.TourdeSol.org www.nesea.org or call 413-774-6051.
Report #11: Interview: Nancy Hazard, Tour de Sol Director
It takes over a year to put together the annual Tour de Sol (some work for the next one takes place before the current one begins) and the person who knows that best is Nancy Hazard. Since the first one in 1989 she has been the person who pulls it all together.
As I do every year, I spoke with her a couple of days before it starts to get her take on what is new, different and exciting this year.
It's been 16 years since the first Tour de Sol, which was all solar powered vehicles. What was it when you started and what is it now?
"It's always fun to look back because it makes me realize how much has really been accomplished. I think we are doing pretty well. When we started the Tour the idea of electric and alternative-fuel vehicles, and the idea of using something other than a conventional Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), were just barely on people's radar screens. When the (federal) Clean Air Act passed in 1990, one year after the Tour started, people began thinking about and started working on cleaning up vehicle emissions.
"Since that time, our issues have changed. Not only are we concerned about the air pollutants, like the oxides of nitrogen, sulfur dioxide and others that form smog and cause asthma, there is now a huge concern with greenhouse gas emissions like carbon dioxide. And now there is an interest in vehicle efficiency because of oil prices and the oil sources for the United States.
"So the issues have changed over the years. The exciting thing now is having three hybrid vehicles for sale (Toyota `Prius', Honda `Insight' and `Hybrid Civic') and five more expected before the end of 2004.
"On top of that, the air pollution from vehicles has improved dramatically over the past 15 years. Statistics I've seen say we have had achieved 90 to 95% reduction in air pollution." In California, there are 17 vehicles that meet their Partial Zero-Emission Vehicle standard, which is a huge accomplishment. "People in the EPA tell me that the critical concern now is the first 30 seconds to 2 minutes of an engine that starts cold. That is the time when your car is still putting out appreciable pollution."
"Other current challenges are greenhouse gas emissions and the dependency on oil."
Over the years, the Tour has moved from a purely electric vehicle focus to an emphasis on the "practical, sustainable and clean vehicle". Every year the major auto companies show off some of their cleanest current offerings and coming attractions.
"This year, for example, in addition to the available hybrids, Honda is bringing their `Civic GX' which runs on compressed natural gas (CNG). They are now marketing it to the general public because there is a new home natural gas filling-station. With it, the car will fill with compressed natural gas over night. The filling station compresses the low-pressure natural gas piped into your home and stores it on the car. That is a way to be 100% off of oil.
And the car companies have interesting vehicles that will soon be on the market. "We'll have some of those on Sneak-Preview display. Ford is bringing their `Hybrid Escape', the first full hybrid SUV, which will be available at the end of this summer.
"General Motors is bringing their hybrid pick-up truck, also available by the end of the summer. They will be offering test drives at the Trenton Festival.
"GM is also bringing their prototype fuel cell vehicle, the `HydroGen 3'. They will also be offering test drives at the Trenton Festival.
And for those who want the ultimate in large, hybrid transportation, the GM Allison Transmission hybrid bus will be on display. ((Make that SUV owner next door _really_ envious!))
The GM vehicles will not be attending the Burlington Festival.
At the other end of the scale, "we'll have electric bikes, scooters and neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs).
"Personal Electric Transports (PET) is bringing a whole collage of interesting vehicles. Every thing from a highway-worth hybrid 3-wheeler based on their classic Sunray design, to recreational and sports vehicles." They also will be bringing a trike made with bamboo, demonstrating the idea of creating manufacturing in non-industrial areas based on local building materials.
"RunAbout Cycles is bringing a couple of prototype tricycles, one with a Valence lithium ion battery."
"The Tour de Sol's original mission was to move towards a zero-emission vehicle, and we continue to have that mission. The Tour de Sol competition helps us be true to that mission.
"This year we have a tremendous variety of fuels and types of vehicles in competition:"
5 battery-electric vehicles (BEV)
7 hybrid electrics (HEV)
2 which run on hydrogen
1 on biomethane
1 on ethanol
2 vegetable-oil fueled cars (VOV)
2 biodiesel vehicles (BDV)
4 solar-electric vehicles (SEV)
Most of these are from student teams, and they often have interesting ideas realized in their entries.
Nancy had to get back to the finishing up the details before she and the NESEA crowd head to Burlington.
So, does the price of oil have you concerned?
Come to the Tour de Sol and learn about alternatives.
Pollution, air quality, and global warming a concern?
Visit the Tour and see technologies that can make a difference.
We'll see you there!
Report #12: A Day of Testing
The first day of each Tour de Sol is largely a meeting of the tribes. The old timers know the drill. Register. Collect paperwork. Study the testing schedule. Look at how prepared you are. Clean up the vehicle. Get in line. The first-timers get a bit turned around at first, but everyone helps them find their way.
Generally, the big variable is the weather. This year, in spite of earlier predictions of higher temperatures, heavy rain and thundershowers, we lucked out. The morning fog lifted to overcast with the occasional light sprinkle. Everyone seemed to take it all in stride.
The primary reason for the rules and testing is to ensure a safe and fair competition.
Let the games begin!
Report #13: Interview: Tony Locricchio
One think I enjoy about doing these Reports is catching up with people who started something a while ago. I like seeing where it has taken them.
Tony Locricchio, of Personal Electric Transport (PET), has been bringing teams to the Tour to demonstrate their vision of what would happen if quick-change battery systems took the place of plug-in-and-wait recharging. I caught up with him during the first day of technical testing, before his vehicles had arrived.
What has happened on the business-development front?
"We have moved to Los Angeles. The City of Los Angeles has given us a very unique jump-start loan of almost $2 million to demonstrate how you can create American products with LA residents and mostly American parts, both for sale in the USA and for export. That experiment, which started in April 2003, is moving along and we are about 6 months ahead of schedule. The money is from the LA Department of Water and Power. Under their charter they set aside money for alternative uses of electric power. We chose a loan, as opposed to a grant, to show that if the experiment works it has to also be viable as a business.
"We are working on a brand new fueling system and the variety of vehicles that can make use of it. We hope that people will steal our ideas and create similar vehicles that will use the same fueling system. We are told that some 2 million vehicles could be charged during off-peak time without adding one barrel of oil. So that is our focus." They are designing a system that can use the off-peak power to charge interchangeable, smart battery packs that fit a variety of vehicles, from scooters to buses, equipped for quick change. They would never be tied to a plug. Scooters would use one battery pack, the bus design uses 15. "It scales up as weight and passenger numbers scale up."
The pack, along with the power connectors, also has data ports. It is essential to the system that we know who has each pack. People and companies don't own their batteries. "When you need fuel, you simply switch the packs. Like a gas pump, you don't buy the pump. You just buy the gas in it." In this case the customer just buys the `juice' in the pack. When the vehicle pulls up to a station, a wireless Bluetooth data exchange between it and the station determines how the vehicle will be serviced. "For the smallest vehicles, the exchange of a pack will take about a minute."
They are taking this idea first to large fleet operators, such as the LA Port Authority. "After the Tour de Sol, we'll be doing a presentation to the New York City fleet managers in various departments." Later they will approach smaller operations. More information is available at 310-847-7555.
You were also telling me that PET has continued its relationship with the Micronesians, who were at the Tour de Sol in 2001. They were driving your vehicles to dramatize the point that global warming is having an effect, even in paradise. The rising sea level is making their islands smaller.
"As people who enter this event know, tremendous bonding takes place between the teams. The bonding that took place between ourselves and the Micronesian team has lasted.
"Micronesia is a world power, even though it is one of the smallest in terms of population and land area. Geographically it is spread over an area the size of the United States. They were responsible for putting together 40 island nations who operate as a block at the United Nations. They were responsible for getting the Kyoto Accords to pay attention to the global warming issues." (They were PET's introduction to the UN, where they demonstrated the PET vehicles to the UN Environmental Programme. People from the UN were part of the PET Tour de Sol team in 2002.)
"It was estimated that within 50 years significant portions of their islands will be under water." The time frame has been shortened. "It will be far less than 50 years.
"Because of that background, we have been working on a business plan to have a major demonstration of how a transportation system for a large island could work. The plan is to provide vehicles and fueling systems from Los Angeles to Micronesia as phase one. In phase two they will actually assemble vehicles in Micronesia", from parts shipped to them. In the third phase, once there is a significant presence in Micronesia, they will start to export assembled units to nations they have trade agreements with.
And I hear you are bringing a vehicle made from `native materials'?
"We have decided that it is not enough to make clean vehicles. You must also make them out of materials that are renewable. So we will have here our concept bamboo electric bicycle scooter."
Tony also spoke about a different model of vehicle ownership. He said that, currently, there are 2.3 vehicles per family in the United States. But another way to serve that transportation need would be to have families only own one large vehicle and a neighborhood vehicle. To cover their other needs, they would participate in communal ownership of a pool of vehicles, "everything from a limo, to a pickup truck, to a convertible." Houses would be smaller, with 1 and 1/4 garage, instead of 3. "Transportation has become the second largest cost in an American family's budget, which is ridiculous."
Report #14: Team Profile: #17 Proxima
University of Tulsa Proxima, #17 U. of Tulsa Hurricane Motor Works, Tulsa, OK
Chris Flory Jon Throneberry Luke Florer
I think if Fred Flintstone ever built a hyrbid-electric car, it might look like the `Proxima'. Built with a carbon-fiber tubing space frame and fiberglass skin it could have that high-tech feel. But ... it doesn't. It frankly looks incomplete. This is its second appearance at the Tour.
The Proxima is a ground-up prototype HEV designed and built by a team of engineering students at the University of Tulsa. The Proxima is the third-generation HEV built by the university's Hurricane Motor Works advanced vehicle technology project. The unified chassis-body is a unique, lightweight, carbon-fiber tubular space frame integrated with a fiberglass-and foam-sandwich structural skin. The '98 through '02 ParaDyne HEV entry was the development mule for the Proxima's parallel gasoline-electric powertrain concept, and won the Prototype division twice. This is the Proxima's second year at the Tour de Sol.
"It's supposed to be sporty and attractive. We wanted an attractive gull-wing door with a futuristic look. It was designed several years ago to integrate the carbon-fiber skeleton with the fiberglass structure to illustrate a further improvement on the unibody design concept. The frame is PVC pipe wrapped with carbon-fiber. We then bake it and it hardens up and is very strong and stiff." The voids in the frame are filled and an inner and outer layer of fiberglass makes the body rigid in torsion that carbon fiber cannot give.
"Sooner or later it _will_ have a paint job."
The parallel hybrid transmission, on the front wheels, is a UTulsa design. A centrifugal clutch for the internal combustoin engine combines power with the electric motor.
Under the hood, the parallel transmission is pretty obvious. The engine is on one side and the electric motor is on the other side of a custom assembly that contains the power-sharing mechanics. The take-off shaft then connects to the transmission that drives the front wheels.
"Last year we broke our motor mount. So we fixed that."
"The accelerator is drive-by-wire." A computer monitors the accelerator pedal position and matches the engine throttle position and the electric motor controller input.
"The Hurricane Motor Works is an association within the University for the past 10 years. This is our third hybrid electric vehicle. We have 3 or 4 mini- Bajas that other people do. And now we are joining up with other departments to enter the Challenge X," which is the next Department of Energy competition, following FutureCar and FutureTruck. "They want you to take a Chevy Equinox and increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions while maintaining the vehicle's safety and performance."
Team Name University of Tulsa Hurricane Motor Works Vehicle Name Proxima Vehicle Number 17 Registered as Car/Truck In State Oklahoma
Empty weight 2250 pounds Length 14 feet 3 inches Width 5 feet 4 inches Height 4 feet 4 inches Frame material carbon fiber Body material fiberglass No. of people 22
PV Array Output 10.3 Watts Manufacturer United Solar Systems Type Amorphous
Energy Storage System Manufacturer Hawker Chemistry PbA No. of cells 72 Connection series Cost $960 Capacity 3472 Watt-hours System Voltage 144 Volts Weight 300
Charger On-board Manufacturer Zivan Model NG3 Capacity 2.5 kiloWatts Input Voltage 230 Volts AC Input Current 19 Amperes Type high frequency / solid state
Electric Drive System Manufacturer Solectria Model AC 21 Motor type AC induction Motor rating 25 kiloWatts continuous, 55 kiloWatts peak
Electric Control System Manufacturer Solectria Model UMOC 425
Drive Control System Manufacturer Z-World Model BL2100 Type embedded microcontroller PLC
Fueled Drive System Manufacturer Suzuki - Geo - General Motors Displacement 1 liter Hybrid Geometry parallel Fuel reformulated gasoline Tank Material steel Tank Capacity 10.5 gallons Fuel Efficiency 50 miles per gallon estimated Emissions test? no
Tires Number 4 Manufacturer Grand Spirit Model P 205/55, R 16 Type radial
Brakes Front disc Rear disc Regenerative yes
Report #15: Team Profile: #6, Sterling College
Sterling College Greased Lightning, #6 Sterling College, Craftsbury Common, VT
This VW Rabbit, powered by 100% biodiesel, is driven regularly
throughout northern Vermont in freezing temperatures. Owner Tim
Fishburne successfully traveled to Washington, DC, and back using fuel
he produces in Craftsbury, VT. Tim is generously supported by other
Sterling College students, the local community, and faculty members.
I found Tim Fishburne, Princess Maclean and Ben Lesko waiting in line for their chance to run the technical inspection gauntlet. All of the are Sustainable Agriculture majors at Sterling College. Since the car belongs to Tim, he did most of the talking.
"I produce biodiesel in Craftsbury Vermont for use in farming equipment, in this vehicle and a number of others, including Ben's, which is our support vehicle for the Tour. One of our biggest interests is in building a `local fuel economy'. Currently we make our biodiesel from waste oils from local restaurants. The biggest limiting factor is the amount of restaurant waste grease that is available; it is not enough to supply the needs of the masses."
"At this point it's not all being used yet," said Princess. "We think that people can do this until the all the waste oil is used up and then worry about what to do next."
Ben continued, "One of the things I'm doing while I'm at Sterling is trying to grow oil-seed crops in northern Vermont and what crops we can grow with a positive energy balance." Having the growing, processing and distribution on the local level is the opposite of the petroleum industry model.
The car is a 20 year old Volkswagen Rabbit diesel Tim bought 2nd hand. "The only modifications are a slight adjustment to engine timing, and all the fuel lines are synthetic." Natural rubber is eaten away by the biofuel. "I have another Rabbit with a preheater for cold weather operation, which I am still working on." This car does not have a heated tank, but the other one will along with heated fuel lines. The heat comes from the engine.
In the winter, "when it gets really, really cold," they mix the biodiesel with regular diesel. "About 20% biodiesel." Having a heated tank and fuel lines should either raise the percentage or let them avoid running mixtures altogether.
Tim gets between 40 and 50 miles per gallon of biodiesel. "I figure the cost at $1.45 per gallon." That calculation includes paying for the labor to collect the waste oil and processing it. "We also need to consider the value in the fact that your neighbor made it."
Ben added, "Cheap fuel encourages waste and inefficient vehicles." When prices get high, having an efficient vehicle just makes sense.
Making biodiesel from vegetable oil involves a simple chemical process that leaves behind glycerin and solids. "Right now we are composting the by- product, but we want to do better. There are hundreds of valuable products that can be made from glycerin. I work out of a former milk room in a dairy barn. Ben helps a lot. The system we have works well, but there is lots of room for improvement." Tim wants to go from 60-gallons-at-a-time to a much bigger batches. "We have a 500 gallon tank in the building." Maybe ...
License plate: "BIODSL"
What is the connection with the school? Is it a club?
"Not officially. It's like-minded people thinking about an issue."
John Zabar is the director of admissions at Sterling and the faculty adviser to the team. He will soon be Dean of Students. "Our mission statement is `Promote Stewardship' and this is a prime example of Stewardship."
Team Name Sterling College Vehicle Name Greased Lightning Vehicle Number 6 Registered as Car/Truck In State Vermont
Empty weight Frame material steel Body material steel No. of people 4
Conversion from Manufacturer Volkswagen Year 1984
Fueled Drive System Manufacturer Volkswagen Displacement 1.6 liters Fuel biodiesel B100 Emissions test? no
Report #16: Team Profile: #92, SunPacer
Cato-Meridian High School SunPacer, #92 SunPacer, Cato, NY
This is SunPacer's twelfth straight year in the Tour de Sol race. SunPacer has won in its class and efficiency awards many times. This year's team consists of Crew Chief Tim LaRose, Driver Jacquelin Mansfield, Chief Navigator Kevin McGowen, back-up navigator Kali Cole, and Technology Teacher, Earl Billings.
I spoke with the team listed above, and Kalvin Teitsma while they waited to start technical testing.
This is a perennial. `SunPacer' (I'm never sure if the P is supposed to be capitalized) has been in 13 Tours de Sol and won its category 9 times. It has been a long standing example of slow evolution. Superficially it looks the same as ever, but steady maintenance and improvement has kept it on the road.
"This year we painted the frame, and installed a new emergency brake system. It almost didn't pass inspection last year." To prepare for the tour they mostly clean it up, tighten all the bolts and make sure it will be safe.
I asked Jacquelin how she liked driving SunPacer. "It's awesome. It's different. There are 3 wheels, not 4. It handles a lot different. It hums; sounds like a rocket ship taking off."
Earl Billings, who has been teaching 42 years, collects students from the various classes he teaches to form the team. "The technology classes cover engineering courses, hands-on activities, designing and building and problem solving and critical thinking, math, science; all those things together."
What started all this?
"I was watching Public Television and they had a 20 minute segment in a science program about MIT entering the European Tour de Sol." They had a lot of problems and started out dead last. They fixed their problems, and moved up the rankings day-by-day. "I was getting excited - cheering for them. They finished about 15th.
"I took the tape to school and showed to my Energy class. About half-a-dozen kids got excited, too. And that's how it all started.
"We didn't really establish our goals well enough. We floundered around for the first 6 months." Reworking an old go-kart didn't go anywhere.
"So I sat down with the group and said, `We need some goals. And then we can come up with plans to achieve those goals.' Once we did that we made some real progress. We wanted 3 wheels, with a solar component, highway legal, one-person, a commuter, as safe as possible. And we wanted 35 miles per hour and 50 miles per charge. And we achieved that.
"Now we are way beyond that. It has been an on-going engineering activity. Now we can do 60 MPH on a level highway, go 80 miles on a charge, and 40 MPH up big hills, and we broke the efficiency record for the Tour last year. 218 miles for the equivalent of a gallon of gasoline."
Team Name Cato-Meridian High School Tech Team Vehicle Name Sunpacer Vehicle Number 92 Registered as Motorcycle In State New York
Empty weight 1050 Length 15 feet 6 inches Width 4 feet 10 inches Height 3 feet 6 inches Frame material steel Body material aluminum No. of people 1
PV Array Output 250 Watts Manufacturer hand made Type Single Crystal
Energy Storage System Manufacturer Ovonic Chemistry NiMH No. of blocks 8 Connection series / parallel Cost $4000 Capacity 5000 Watt-hours System Voltage 52 Volts Weight 336 pounds
Charger Off-board Manufacturer Zivan Capacity 900 Watts Input Voltage 65 Volts Input Current 25 Amperes Type transformerless
Electric Drive System Manufacturer Advanced DC Motor type series wound Motor rating 4.5 kiloWatts peak
Electric Control System Manufacturer Sevcon Type solid state
Tires Number 3 Manufacturer Cheng Shin Model P 2.75, R 17 Type 4-ply nylon tube
Brakes Front disc Rear disc Regenerative no
Report #17: Team Profile: #32, Viking 32
Western Washington University Viking 32, #32 Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
Viking 32 is a biomethane/electric hybrid, funded by the Federal Highway Administration, with a strong emphasis on safety. It was designed and built by faculty and students at Western Washington University's Vehicle Research Institute. It is a mid-sized sports sedan with AWD and a hydraulic lift system.
Where do the ideas and motivations for the Viking vehicles come from? I spoke with Paul Wyndham, Timothy Jackson, Jeff Sluys and James Diedesch.
This is not the latest, right? There are more beyond 32?
"This is the most recent we have finished that is a full vehicle. We have a couple of go-karts and miniature-formula cars after this one.
"This is a natural gas/electric hybrid, built from the ground up. It is all carbon fiber. The front and rear are steel space frames, but the center chassis is a carbon fiber system. The honeycomb structure in the front is a crush structure. We got a grant from the Federal Highway Commission to build a 50 mile per hour crash safety vehicle. It can crash into a wall at 50 and survive."
So this car is destined to be crashed?
"No. They didn't pay us enough to do that. We have done stress models and crushed the carbon fiber honeycomb tubes to get the rate of crush." The grant was originally for developing crush barriers around bridge abutments. "But at VRI we know how to do cars."
The crush structure is visible under the hood. It is composed of sheets of carbon fiber shaped so that the stack of sheets form hexagonal tubes, with the tubes about an inch in "diameter". "In the first generation we used 1/4 inch cell size, and found it was way too stiff. This larger cell size slowly crumples. It just becomes powder as it disintegrates."
The car is a hybrid. "It has a 100 horse power 3-phase AC permanent magnet liquid-cooled motor. It is controlled through a Controller Area Network (aka CAN-bus) using SAE 1939 standards." They took a 5-speed Volkswagen transmission and removed 3rd, 4th, 5th, and reverse gears. The result is a two-speed manual transmission, with no clutch, where the speed-shifting is driven by a computer. "To the driver, this is an automatic system." The batteries came from disassembled Prius battery packs, repackaged to fit in the car. They are in the center tunnel and under the rear seats. "The pure- electric range is about 25 miles on about 250 pounds of battery."
They didn't bring their charger. They plan to recharge using the regenerative braking.
The engine for the rear wheels runs on natural gas, through a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). The car is a fuel-dominant hybrid; you are basically driving a fuel-engine car with electric assistance. When the natural gas engine goes into reverse, the electric motor goes into neutral.
Originally, they were trying to get biomethane to run the car. "We could not arrange it in time. Natural gas and biomethane are the same. We would have to clean the biomethane to get it to the percentage of methane we need."
Mike Seal said that two cows could support this car with fuel for 12,000 miles a year.
The car has just been finished, but they have driven it over 200 miles, which is a Tour de Sol requirement.
There are a couple of "interesting" things about the car design. Most noticeable is a semi-circle window-within-a-window on the 2-doors. "It was to be different. And, boy, is it different. It rotates around, but the door panels aren't finished so it doesn't yet."
They designed the suspension for this car. The ride height can be changed by 3 inches. In the raised position it will clear speed bumps and the like. In the lower position, it gives better mileage on the highway. The power steering pump on the engine can be feed to hydraulic lifts at each wheel.
"This is the first VRI car with air-conditioning."
The doors are hinged at the back. "It looks good." An it appears easier to get out of the car.
Team Name Western Washington University Vehicle Name Viking 32 Vehicle Number 32 Registered as Car/Truck In State Washington
Empty weight 2200 pounds Length 14 feet 5 inches Width 5 feet 6 inches Height 5 feet Frame material steel, carbon fiber Body material carbon fiber No. of people 4
Energy Storage System Manufacturer Toyota Chemistry NiMH No. of cells 88 Connection series/parallel Cost $12,000 Capacity 4118 Watt-hours System Voltage 316.8 Volts Weight 202.4 pounds
Charger Off-board Manufacturer Xantrax Capacity 20 kiloWatts Input Voltage 400 Volts Input Current 50 Amperes Type Transformer/rectifier
Electric Drive System Manufacturer UQM Motor type brushless DC Motor rating 50 kWatt continuous, 75 kWatt peak
Electric Control System Manufacturer UQM Type PWM 3-phase
Fueled Drive System Manufacturer Honda Displacement 1.7 liter Hybrid Geometry parallel Fuel biomethane Tank Material carbon fiber Tank Capacity 26.4 gallons Fuel Efficiency 50 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent Emissions test? yes
Tires Number 4 Manufacturer Michelin Model P 205/60 R 16 Type Radial
Brakes Front disc Rear disc Regenerative yes
Report #18: Photos - Pictures of #17, Proxima
Photographs from the Tour de Sol:
http://www.AutoAuditorium.com/TdS_Reports_2004/photos_001.html
Pictures of #17, Proxima
Lining up for technical testing.
Rear view.
Under the hood. The engine is on the left, electric motor on the right. The case between them is the custom transmission that mixes the power from both.
Report #19: Team Profile: #23, Viking 23
Western Washington University Viking 23, #23 Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
Viking 23 is a student-built biodiesel/electric AWD hybrid sports coupe designed and built by students at Western Washington University's Vehicle Research Institute. The goal was to demonstrate the latest in efficient and clean transportation in a sport platform.
Originally, Viking 23 was a deep blue. Of late is has been bright yellow. Jeff Sluys brought me up to date.
"The yellow body is a little more aerodynamic and looks a little better, we think. It's basically a two-seater sports car with a biodiesel engine. 47 horsepower with a four-speed transmission driving the rear wheels. The front wheels are driven by a 50 horsepower Unique Mobility electric motor. The nickel cadmium batteries are in side compartments (outboard of the driver and passenger seats). We are hoping to place quite well this year in the Tour."
I wonder what it would be like to drive this thing. There are two(!) shifters, one in front of the other, on the center console. "There is a two speed transmission on the front wheels and a four speed on the rear. It is hard to work sometimes. There is also a regenerative braking control knob; there is a lot of stuff to control at the same time. Often times the passenger will manage the regen.
"The car doesn't have air conditioning. It doesn't have a good ventilation system, so it gets very hot inside. So you open the gull-wing doors a little bit." You got to watch that it doesn't fly up.
Team Name Western Washington University Vehicle Name Viking 23 Vehicle Number 23 Registered as Car/Truck In State Washington
Empty weight 2000 pounds Length 14 feet Width 5 feet 6 inches Height 4 feet Frame material carbon fiber Body material carbon fiber No. of people 2
PV Array
Energy Storage System Manufacturer Saft Chemistry NiCd No. of cells 144 Connection series Cost $18,000 Capacity 5.18 kiloWatt-hours System Voltage 222V Weight 306 pounds
Charger
Off-board
Manufacturer Xantrax
Capacity 20 kiloWatts
Input Voltage 400 Volts
Input Current 50 Amperes Type
Transformer/rectifier
Electric Drive System Manufacturer UQM Motor type brushless DC Motor rating 5 kWatt continuous, 50 kWatt peak
Electric Control System Manufacturer UQM Type PWM 3-phase
Fueled Drive System Manufacturer Daihatsu Displacement 0.95 liter Hybrid Geometry parallel Fuel biodiesel Tank Material aluminum Tank Capacity 6 gallons Fuel Efficiency 68 miles per gallon Emissions test? no
Tires Number 4 Manufacturer General Model P XP 2000, R 15-P205 Type Radial
Brakes Front disc Rear disc Regenerative yes
Report #20: Photos - #32, Viking 32 pictures
, etc., etc., etc.Photographs from the Tour de Sol:
http://www.AutoAuditorium.com/TdS_Reports_2004/photos_002.html
#32, Viking 32 pictures
Notice the semi-circular side window and the rear-hinged door.
The hexagonal carbon fiber crush tubes are visible under the hood. There is a an aluminum plate between the two assemblies to prevent them from knifing through each other.
The engine is mounted forward of the gas cylinder.
Rear view.
http://www.AutoAuditorium.com/TdS_Reports_2004/photos_003.html
#92, SunPacer pictures
A signature of the SunPacer is its clamshell driver's door.
Another signature is the panel of solar cells on the sloping back.
With the skin off, you can see the drive wheel.
The driver's cockpit. The meters on the dashboard show the voltage from each of the 8 nickel metal hydride batteries, the pack voltage and current. 4 switchable temperature gauges also monitor the 8 batteries.
http://www.AutoAuditorium.com/TdS_Reports_2004/photos_004.html
#23, Viking 23 pictures
Viking 23 with the air conditioning on MAX.
One of two battery strings, in the arm-rests.
Access to the diesel engine in the rear is by lifting the back ...
while you can take off the front to get to the electric motor.
A view of the cockpit.
http://www.AutoAuditorium.com/TdS_Reports_2004/photos_005.html
#32, Viking 32 pictures
Notice the semi-circular side window and the rear-hinged door.
The hexagonal carbon fiber crush tubes are visible under the hood. There is a an aluminum plate between the two assemblies to prevent them from knifing through each other.
The engine is mounted forward of the gas cylinder.
Rear view.
Report #21: Team Profile: #70, Toyota Prius
S&S Autosports Toyota Prius, #70 S&S Autosports, Tulsa, OK
This is the fourth Tour de Sol for Bob Strattan's S&S AutoSport 2001 Toyota Prius. It has completed each year since it was the first Prius HEV delivered in Tulsa, OK. It is the two-time defending champion of the Light-duty Production Class. The car has over 40,000 trouble free miles and a lifetime average of 45 MPG. Dr. Strattan is the faculty advisor to the University of Tulsa's Hurricane Motor Works prototype HEV project.
Bob Strattan has been coming to the Tour as an advisor to the University of Tulsa's teams since 1998 and as a competitor in his own right in 2001.
This year his Prius is the only production hybrid entered in the competition. "I'm sorry there aren't some other production cars around to compete with. I'm glad to see more hybrids, like the Ford Escape and the Lexus RX-400H, coming on the market.
"My Prius is doing just fine. It will be 4 years old in October, and has almost 46,000 miles on it. I drive it every day and this is the 4th trip from Oklahoma to the Tour de Sol. Never had a bit of trouble. Lifetime average has been about 45 miles per gallon. And got 56.6 miles per gallon on the road trip out the past couple of days. The mileage is down in the summer, due to running the air conditioner, and in the winter, due to the cold, and highest in the spring and fall.
"One of the things I've enjoyed has been the talking about it. I've given more that ten speeches to different local engineering societies and other groups that want to no more about hybrids."
So what is with the Proxima's unusual appearance.
"Are you trying to say it's ugly? It's built by engineering students. We wish they had the same craftmanship as Dr. Seal's students from Western Washington. They build beautiful cars.
"I think we have some good ideas in the Proxima, but we build them on a shoestring with different students each year. In our program, they do all their own work. We don't farm any of it out or alumni specialists. It is a way to get them into a team environment and to get them to learn about the commitments of a team. Our course in automotive design serves as a focal point to get the students together. The rest of it is a student managed club. They set their goals and run it themselves. The faculty is there to help facilitate and keeping from falling off cliffs.
"Also exciting for us, is our recent acceptance into the Challenge X. That's the next major fuel efficient, environmentally friendly university engineering design contest sponsored by the Department of Energy and General Motors. For the next three years we'll be working on the project. The first year will be a lot of simulation and design analysis. That will earn our keys for a new Chevrolet Equinox to take apart and put back together as some sort of hybrid- electric configuration. I hope we will also continue to come to the Tour de Sol. We have found it has been a big help for us. I think our time here was a factor in being one of the 17 teams selected for Challenge X.
Their program started in 1991. "Solar cars were popular then, but we didn't think they were practical. We started to make a battery electric car, with added solar, but we found we were not going to have enough range to come to the Tour." The instead entered the first HEV Challenge with a from-the-ground-up car. Later they modified a Geo Metro to test their next power train, and entered it, the Paradyne, in the Tour de Sol. We learned a lot from that, and the Proxima uses the next generation of that power train."
"We are a big recruiting tool for the school. Visiting prospective students look at this and sign up when the get in.
Team Name S & S AutoSport Vehicle Name Toyota Prius Vehicle Number 70 Registered as Car/Truck In State Oklahoma
Empty weight 2765 Length 14 feet 2 inches Width 5 feet 7 inches Height 4 feet 10 inches Frame material steel Body material steel No. of people 5
Energy Storage System Manufacturer Toyota Chemistry NiMH No. of cells 228 Connection series Capacity 1768 Watt-hours System Voltage 272 Weight 90 pounds
Electric Drive System Manufacturer Toyota Motor type brushless DC Motor rating 33 kiloWatts peak
Electric Control System Manufacturer Toyota Type multiple embedded microcontrollers
Fueled Drive System Manufacturer Toyota Displacement 1.5 liters Hybrid Geometry parallel Fuel reformulated gasoline Tank Capacity 11.9 gallons Fuel Efficiency 52 city / 45 highway / 48 combined miles per gallon Emissions test? no
Tires Number 4 Manufacturer Bridgestone Model P175/65, R 14 Type radial
Brakes Front disc Rear drum Regenerative yes
Report #22: Team Profile: #38, Electro
Union-Endicott High School Electro, #38 UEHS Electric Car Team, Endicott, NY
The Union-Endicott Electric Car Team is a high school club dedicated to the advancement of alternative-fuel vehicles and the betterment of our environment. The club is made entirely of high school students ranging from freshmen to seniors. It was the battery-electric vehicle winner of the Tour de Sol last year.
The Union-Endicott Electric Car Team goes quite a few years back with the Tour de Sol. They had `Solar Tiger' entries in back in 1997, 1998, and 1999. A display board with pictures of those vehicles brought back memories.
But Matt Beattie is here today to talk about their current vehicle, Electro. "This Solectria was purchased by NYSEG (New York State Electric & Gas) as an experimental vehicle back in 1994. When they were finished with it, it sat for a couple of years. They sponsored our older teams, so they called and asked if we wanted it. We said `sure'. About half a year later we started to figure out what was wrong. We spent a year rewiring, fixing hardware, asking for help. When our other project, and electric Fiero didn't come through, this one started to come together." So they brought it to the Tour, and much to their surprise, they got a trophy. "We had the most efficient vehicle."
But they were a little worried this year. The TdS safety regulations have been getting more strict each year, and while it seems the suspension on Electro has been beefed up, there is no documentation to support the claim. "It depends on how we perform in the cone tests. They want to see it demonstrated that it will handle properly." (I checked with them later, and it did pass.)
"Since last year we have been debugging everything, ironing out the wrinkles. We added solar panels on top of the car. They now provide a trickle charge into the main battery pack.
"Between Tours the car goes to parades and we drive it around town, collecting data. Since last year's Tour we have been invited to dinners at engineering clubs and other organizers. We speak about the car and they give us a nice meal.
"The after-school club has about 25 members, but about 13 are there almost of the time. 8 are on the Tour. And for the first time in along time we have a female with us."
"Hi!", Deanna Benardes said. "I'm the secretary and I also do whatever they need me to do. Unscrew bolts, screw bolts, organize."
"She's a heck of a tire-changer!", said Martin Reppard.
"We give her mechanical jobs. She's always saying `What do you guys need? I'm here to help.' She does a great job."
Final thought: "Go Tigers!"
Team Name UEFS Electric Car Team Vehicle Name Electro Vehicle Number 38 Registered as Car/Truck In State New York
Empty weight 3650 Length 12 feet 3 inches Width 5 feet Height 4 feet 3 inches Frame material steel Body material steel No. of people 2
Conversion from Manufacturer Geo Year 1994
PV Array Output 40 W Manufacturer Solectria Type Monocrystalline
Energy Storage System Manufacturer Champion Chemistry PbA No. of blocks 12 Connection series System Voltage 144 Volts
Charger On-board Manufacturer BAE
Electric Drive System Manufacturer Solectria Motor type AC induction Motor rating
Electric Control System Manufacturer Solectria Type
Tires Number 4 Manufacturer Goodyear Type low rolling resistance
Brakes Front disc Rear disc Regenerative yes
Report #23: Photos - #38, Electro
Photographs from the Tour de Sol:
http://www.AutoAuditorium.com/TdS_Reports_2004/photos_006.html
#38, Electro
The solar panels total 96 Volts and trickle charge the traction battery pack.
Under the hood is neatly layed out and looks very professional.
Ready to roll!
Report #24: Team Profile: #10, Vegginator
Trenton Central High School Applied Engineering & Science Academy Vegginator, #10 Tornado Fuel Masters, Trenton, NJ
The Tornado Fuel Masters purchased a 1985 Volkswagen Golf in non-running condition. Students repaired, modified, and designed graphics for the Vegginator (sponsor Clarici Graphics created the car wrap). The students reformulated their inner-city high school's cafeteria fryer grease into biodiesel, and will demonstrate the refining process at the Tour de Sol.
The Tornado Fuel Masters team is divided into three specialties for the Tour display: Solar, Fuel, and Vehicle.
The Solar group have put together a system to run their demonstration on sunlight. Patrick Alvarado, Jaime Rodas and Guillermo Diaz told me about it.
"We created this so the Fuel team can make their fuel mixture at the Festival sites. The panels were donated by EPV, Energy PhotoVoltaics Incorporated." Each of the three panels is 40 Watts in series, to either charge a battery or to run the blender used in mixing the fuel. The blender is a 12 Volt model, found on the internet, that had to be modified. "The fuel team needed to run it for 15 minutes, but it got too hot after 1 minute." So they installed a box fan under the motor and drilled holes high on the side of the housing for ventilation. It is wired to a 12 Volt plug, such as you would find in a car.
The Fuel team is made up of Christian Cambare, Lisette Cuevas and Agustin Cuevas.
"We make the biodiesel for the car from used vegetable from our cafeteria and a pizza shop. We process about 25 gallons at a time." They filter the oil to get rid of bits of food, and then heat it to about 150 degrees F. Then they do a titration while adding a mixture of lye, water and isopropyl alcohol. "When the pH gets 8 or 9, that's prefect. That changes it from acidic to a base." After that the glycerin settles out to the bottom. "We use the glycerin in the auto shop as a soap."
This Vehicle team is Justino Cortez, Deanny Deleon and Detlev Yanez. I asked what was new and different.
"We have a new gas tank in the back, which we ordered from a boating company. Last year we lost points because we didn't have a removable tank." That way they can weigh the tank when full and again when the distance events are done to get the fuel consumption. It is connect to a new filler tube but it sits on top of the old one. "We kept the old one in case the judges had any problem with us having the new tank back there."
"We put new brakes on the car. We put in a few new hoses because the oil was eating up some of them. They are made with marine approved tubing which are alcohol resistant. The speedometer cable was broken, so we replaced that."
They only had a few weeks to work on Vegginator because many of the team members where involved in FIRST Robotics competition. "It took a lot of our time this year. Next year we want to start a bit earlier to have more time to do stuff."
During the year the car is put on display at Trenton High, "so they we can see what we can do."
Team Name Tornado Fuel Masters Vehicle Name Vegginator Vehicle Number 10 Registered as Car/Truck In State New Jersey
Empty weight 2200 pounds Frame material steel Body material steel No. of people 4
Conversion from Manufacturer Volkswagen Year 1985
Fueled Drive System Fuel biodiesel Tank Capacity 12 gallons Fuel Efficiency 37 miles per gallon Emissions test? no
Tires Number 4 Manufacturer Uniroyal Model P 155/80, R 13 Type
Brakes Front disc Rear drum
Report #25: Photos - #10, Vegginator
Photographs from the Tour de Sol:
http://www.AutoAuditorium.com/TdS_Reports_2004/photos_007.html
#10, Vegginator
Vegginator with some of the Fuel Masters.
The new, removable fuel tank makes getting accurate milage data much easier.
The new fuel port.
Cleaning the solar panels used for the fuel making demonstrations makes them work better at generating electricity.
Everybody say "Cooking Oil!".
Report #26: Exhibitors: RunAbout Cycles
The Tour de Sol Festivals are largely about presenting the competing teams and their vehicles to the public, but we also get to meet others who are doing interesting things in the field of sustainable transportation and energy.
RunAbout Cycles is one of those enterprises, and I spoke with Josh Kerson, who runs the company in Belchertown MA. We met at the Burlington TdS Festival on a beautiful (if unforecast) Saturday in May.
"We are in the third year of development. We are taking the idea from a school project into a business. We have three of these research prototypes for a market research tour this past spring. We have great demand in southern Florida and southern California." They are aiming to make 200 production bikes in the coming year.
The new prototype looks quite refined, and there are a few differences from the bike we saw at last year's Tour. "We are running 36 Volt deep-cycle marine battery, with a lead-acid gel; the spiral cells from Optima have a 55 Amp-hour capacity. We have a Briggs & Stratton Etek rare-earth permanent magnet pancake motor. It drinks between 36 and 48 Volts. A Sevcon speed controller, which is programmable for ramp-up rates and regenerative braking properties. And the on-board charger is from boat battery company, so it can get rained on and not have a problem with that. 3-hour charge.
Regenerative braking is included. At the moment it is a fixed 5% or 20%, applied to the rear wheel. In the future there will be slide-potentiometer associated with the brake lever for variable control.
It is important to remember that this IS a human-hybrid. There is a nine-speed bike train. "We recommend that people cycle through first, second and third and then add their assist. That will give you about a 40 mile range at 20 miles per hour.
"We have a shock absorber on the rear swing arm and independent front springs. Disc brakes are up front. The seat and peddle boom are adjustable."
They are getting some media coverage. "We are going to be on the History Channel for a new show called Eureka - Bringing Invention from Garage to Market. They focused on our new electric bike company.
"And Hammacher Schlemmer, the catalog company, is talking with us."
Want one? E-mail: jkoct28@hotmail.com
In addition to the pre-production models on display, they are also working on adding a lithium ion battery from Valence to a RunAbout Cycle. The Valance K-Charge system will have a 50 Amp-hour capacity and weigh only 65 pounds. (The lead-acid batteries weigh 135 pounds and carry less energy.) The energy is 2600 Watt-hours at 48 Volts. This one will be run through the Tour's range competition course, looking for 65 miles or more.
Report #27: Photos - Exhibitor: RunAbout Cycles
Photographs from the Tour de Sol:
http://www.AutoAuditorium.com/TdS_Reports_2004/photos_008.html
Exhibitor: RunAbout Cycles
The RunAbout Cycle pre-production prototype.
Another view that shows the extendable crank arm in the center.
The Etek motor that drives the rear wheel.
The rear gear-changing system.
The Valence K-Charge module is the white box under the seat. More energy and less weight will be quite appealing.
Report #28: Photos - Ford Escape Hybrid
Photographs from the Tour de Sol:
http://www.AutoAuditorium.com/TdS_Reports_2004/photos_009.html
Ford Escape Hybrid
Report #29: Exhibitor: Ford Escape Hybrid
Ford loaned the Tour de Sol an Escape Hybrid for the couple of days before the Burlington Festival, so we saw it driving around, running errands while the teams arrived and got settled. There is very little about it that screams "different".
On the dash board, the tachometer has an EV band below zero RPM, where the car is driving in pure electric mode. There is also a charging/assisting needle with zero in the middle of the range. There is (of course) a little LCD monitor in the middle of the dash which serves many functions, including displaying an animation of the energy flow between the Engine, the Motor, the HV battery and the wheels. But other than that, presumably if you don't notice those differences the rest of the car looks, feels and operates like the non-hybrid Escape.
I wasn't able to get an interview about the car, but was pointed at the web site:
http://www.fordvehicles.com/escapehybrid/
which provides lots of information. For example, from the FAQ page:
Will there be an extended warranty on the battery?
Unique Hybrid components such as the High Voltage Battery, Electronically Controlled Continuously Variable Transmission, and DC/DC converter will have an additional warranty coverage of 8 years/ 100,000 miles (10 years, 150,000 miles in PZEV states were required by law). This is in addition to the standard Ford Warranty coverages like the Bumper-to-Bumper 3 year/36,000 mile warranty, Roadside Assistance, Tires, Corrosion Protection, Safety Restraints and Emissions.
Report #30: Exhibitor: Honda GX
There are many ways to improve the emissions and fuel economy of cars, and we are seeing more and more of those ways finding there way from specialty and fleet applications towards the general public.
Barry Carr, with America Honda Motor Company, exhibited the Honda GX natural gas car at the TdS Burlington Festival. "It only runs on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). The tank is pressurized to 3600 PSI. It has a range of approximately 240 miles. The fueling nozzle is different but the fueling time is about the same as for gasoline; 2 or 3 minutes. The gas cylinder does take up some of the trunk space, so there isn't nearly as much trunk room as you would expect." Barry said that tank is quite strong. In an accident that rear-ended a Honda GX such that the tank wound up in the back seat, the tank did not rupture. ((Certainly the same could not be said for a gas tank in an equivalent crash.)) "Even if the tank where to rupture, natural gas is much lighter than air, so it would rise." The list price is $20,700.
The advantages of having a CNG car include maintenance savings. "CNG burns much hotter and much cleaner with less emissions, Honda recommends changing the oil every 10,000 miles. CNG is 130 octane. And the emissions are 94% less, so fleet owners also get EPAct (Energy Policy Act) credits. This is also the cleanest production vehicle on earth. The Honda Insight is second. In California consumers can purchase the GX; it isn't available on the east coast for consumers yet, but fleet customers can buy it."
"The fuel costs are lower also; 30-40 cents a gallon. I average 38 MPG on the highway, 32 in the city."
There is now a home fueling station that uses a slow speed compressor to fill the car from the home's natural gas supply, normally used for heat, hot water and cooking. Typically it would fill up over night.
Report #31: Exhibitor: NJ Transit Hybrid-Electric Bus
I've learned to look off in the corners of the Tour de Sol Festivals. There I often find things that are very interesting. Saturday was no exception.
Chris Moog was standing by a NJ Transit bus with several access panels open.
"It is a diesel electric hybrid with a smaller than engine. Similar to what would be in a Dodge pickup truck. That engine drives a generator, and the electricity drives two electric motors. There are 3 high-voltage battery packs (under the seats) that are sodium nickel chloride hot batteries. They run at 380 degrees Celsius. The first one went into service in July 2001, the second in February, and the third one will go into service in about a week-and-a-half."
All the non-drive loads (steering pump, air conditioning, power brakes, etc.) are all driven electrically. "Whenever the bus is moving the diesel engine is running. As soon as the bus stops, the engine stops. All the accessories keep operating. The passengers get off and on. When the driver touches the accelerator, the bus starts running electrically and the engine starts."
The engine is 6-cylinders, 5.9 liters Cummins ISB. Normally it would be 8.3 liters 280 horse power. "I think this is 240, but I'm not positive.
"We are seeing a 20% fuel economy gain in 30,000 miles of revenue service. They operate out of the Hamilton NJ garage, just north of Trenton."
While the buses were purchased as part of a demonstration program, they will stay in service to the end of their useful life, which is 12 years, minimum.
The bus can operate in pure-electric mode, for about 10 miles. NJ Transit doesn't operate it that way, but some cities have looked at the silent mode for historic districts.
The bus was made by a normal manufacturer, Nova, and converted in San Diego by ISE Corporation.
Angel Cruz is with ISE. "Each battery holds 20 kiloWatt-hours, for a total of 60. They energy density is very high and they are designed for hybrids. And they are safe.
"We also offer buses that use ultra-capacitors instead of batteries. They weigh less and deliver more power, more quickly for better acceleration and regeneration."
Report #32: Photos - NJ Transit Hybrid-Electric Bus
Photographs from the Tour de Sol:
http://www.AutoAuditorium.com/TdS_Reports_2004/photos_010.html
NJ Transit Hybrid-Electric Bus
It isn't obvious from this picture, but the smaller diesel engine takes up a less space in the engine compartment. Also since all the pumps run on electricity, they don't have to be clustered around the engine, also making for less clutter.
Another view.
Report #33: Exhibitor: Taylor Oil
Paul Coco says he is "an unpaid enthusiast representing Taylor Oil." He is here with his personal TDI diesel car, "running on B100. I've put about 400 gallons of biodiesel through this and a couple of tractors that I own. My son is also running B100.
"We like the fuel because it doesn't have that heavy exhaust smell, plus it has 70% less pollutants and 90% less carcinogens. Articles that I've read say that the injection pump failures are substantially reduced, along with increased fuel mileage. People just plain like it.
Recently the amount of sulfur in regular diesel has been reduced, because it is a pollutant, but that also reduces the lubrication inherent in the fuel. B100 is naturally more lubricating, which contributes to reduced engine wear.
"In cold weather, I add 20% regular diesel. I live in central New Jersey."
Report #34: Exhibitor: Honda Civic Hybrid
The message of the Tour de Sol has always been "See! We can do better!". And I for one think we can take some credit for making the case that electric power has a place in transportation. While some think of the Tour as an electric-car event, hybrids have been part of the mix for since the early 1990s.
So when Joe Fusco of Willis Honda of Burlington comes to show the "Honda Civic Hybrid 4-Door with Manual Transmission" I like to think that it is in part because events like the Tour de Sol led the way. They also come in automatic. (Do they make a 2-door?)
"It is rated at 51 MPG highway, 46 city. But I drove it from northern Jersey to Delaware and got 56 miles to the gallon. The only visible difference between this and a regular Civic is that the back seats do not fold down, because the battery is located behind them.
How have they been selling?
"They have been moving very well. We only have two left on the lot. Seven are ordered for next month and six are already sold.
"People come in looking for the Civic. They don't know about the hybrids. There aren't many commercials about the Civic Hybrid on TV. So I take them outside and show it too them, comparing it to the regular Civic and the Civic SI, which is sportier. They get all excited by the gas mileage and take it for a test drive. They fall in love with it and purchase it."
The sticker price on the car Joe was showing: $21,040.
Report #35: Team Profile: The Lorax
Methacton High School Lorax, #45 Methacton Electric Car Club, Jeffersonville, PA
"The Lorax" is named after Dr. Suess's character whose mission was to educate people about the environment. The Methacton electric car club educates the public about alternative energy sources one car at a time, at our school, on field trips to nearby schools, and during summer camps.
Mark Krick is the advisor for this team. He said they had got the car put together just before the Tour started.
"The students have been working on this since October, to replace the batteries. The folks at Eagle-Picher donated them and we spent the last six months replacing them all through out the car, which meant disassembling the whole car. The Horizon batteries are about 5 inches by 5 inches by 30 inches long. It has been an adventure for the kids, engineering the batteries need to hold the batteries down and putting it together so we maintain the integrity of the car. It has passed all the safety inspections so far, so we are in good shape."
This car started life as the Lomax, built by John Murphy and entered in the Tour de Sol in 2001. He donated the car to the school and it returned in 2003 as the Lorax.
Team Name Methacton Electric Car Club Vehicle Name The Lorax Vehicle Number 45 Registered as Car/Truck In State Pennsylvania
Empty weight 2150 pounds Length 12 feet 6 inches Width 5 feet 2 inches Height 4 feet Frame material steel Body material fiberglass No. of people 2
Energy Storage System Manufacturer Eagle Picher Chemistry PbA No. of blocks 16 Connection series Cost 8500 Capacity 17000 Watt-hours System Voltage 192 Volts Weight 912
Charger Off-board Manufacturer Zivan Capacity 3 kiloWatts Input Voltage 230 Volts AC Input Current 13 Amperes Type transformer / rectifier
Electric Drive System Manufacturer Solectria Motor type AC induction Motor rating 8 kiloWatts continuous, 35 kiloWatts peak
Electric Control System Manufacturer Solectria Type AC 325
Tires Number 3 Manufacturer Michelin Model P 135, SR 15 Type radial
Brakes Front disc Rear drum Regenerative yes
Report #36: Photos - #45, The Lorax
Photographs from the Tour de Sol:
http://www.AutoAuditorium.com/TdS_Reports_2004/photos_011.html
#45, The Lorax
Ready for a pleasant drive around the Burlington Festival site.
A little young to be driving, don't you think?
Somehow I keep hearing the opening theme from "The Prisoner".
Rear view. Just one wide tire.
Report #37: Team Profile: #52, Eskimobile
University of Waterloo Alternative Fuels Team (UWAFT) Eskimobile, #52 University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON
The University of Waterloo Alternative Fuels Team is dedicated to the improvement of modern automobiles through the use of alternative fuels, hybrid-drive systems and fuel cell technologies. The Eskimobile is an ethanol-powered hybrid Chevrolet Malibu that demonstrates better-than-stock acceleration while exhibiting fuel efficiency 50% greater than the stock vehicle.
On the side of the car, the name is "Eski-mobile".
I spoke to Mike Zongor and Jieran O'Birne when they arrived for display at Burlington. I considered talking with them on Friday, but they were not in a good mood. "We had a little wiring problem with our motor controller. It just wasn't working, so we spent another night, like all week. We basicly rewired all the connections and make sure everything was sending and receiving the signals. We found some poor connections. So we took it all apart and rebuilt it, got the controller to connect to the laptop, monitor the parameters and tune it in for good drivability and good performance. We got 7.85 seconds for 1/8 mile, so we are really happy about that. It beat our truck from last year that took the acceleration event."
When Western Washington University has brought front-rear wheel parallel hybrids to the Tour the electric motor is in the front and the fuel engine in the rear. But on this car it is the other way around. The electric motor is between the shock towers in the trunk. The motor and controller, which sits on top of the motor, have a liquid cooling system. "The gear box extends down, and the half-shafts spit out," to the rear wheels.
"In the front we have an ethanol E85 combustion engine driving the front wheels. We started last year taking out the stock V-6 and putting in the smaller Saturn 4-cylinder engine. That was stage one for last year's Tour de Sol. It makes sense to put a combustion engine where it belongs on a stock vehicle."
The only place left for the electric motor was the rear and it fits nicely into the trunk. The battery pack is directly behind the electric motor, fully enclosed in a plastic box. Tubing goes from battery block to block. "These are hydrogen vents," to take any gas produced during charging to the outside.
Once they got the controller working, they have just been driving the car around between Tour de Sol events. "It's just one of our transportation vehicles now."
What is the control strategy?
"Right now we have independent throttles. We would like to change that in the future. We would run the engine to peak efficiency in the power band and then add the electric motor when we need the extra acceleration or for hill climbing. That would be our ideal control strategy."
"The regenerative system is part of the braking. We recover as much of the braking loss as we can there. We try to rely as little as possible on the combustion engine." They don't plug the car in. "We just recharge with regenerative braking."
When will the comput