E' Pickup at Duvall Days, 2007E' Pickup DC MotorE' Pickup BatteriesE' Pickup Battery Charger & DC-DC Conver
OwnerRandy Richmond
LocationWoodinville, Washington US map
Web/EmailWebPage email image
Vehicle2001 GMC Sonoma
Mini pickup, extended cab. Same as Chevy S-10.
MotorAdvanced DC FB1-4001 Series Wound DC
30 HP continuous, 100 HP peak
Drivetrain9" DC Motor with original 5 speed manual transmission & 4.10 differential.
ControllerCafe Electric Zilla 1K-LV
With water cooling system and Hairball interface programmed for 600 Amp (3C) battery current limit.
Batteries48 Thunder Sky LFP-200AHA, 3.30 Volt, Lithium Iron Phosphate
ThunderSky is now Winston. Made up of 12 4-cell (12-volt) batteries. All batteries are located in the bed.
System Voltage144 Volts
ChargerManzanita Micro PFC-30
Replaced Zivan NG5 which probably killed my T-145's prematurely by doing an EQ charge each cycle.
HeaterCeramic
DC/DC ConverterIota DLS-45
With IQ Charger Module. Spec shows 108-132 VAC input, but works fine on DC.
InstrumentationXantrex Link-10 (formerly E-Meter) with WinLink software for data logging. Also Manzanita BMS Scanner software.
Top Speed70 MPH (112 KPH)
70 MPH on flat road. Incline at > 55 MPH overheats Zilla cooling system and puts 250 A breaker in danger of tripping.
AccelerationAbout the same as the 130 peak HP, 2.2L 4 cyl ICE when loaded to 4000 lb.
Range75 Miles (120 Kilometers)
Higher under optimal terrain and wind resistance.
Watt Hours/Mile450 Wh/Mile
Whr/Mile figure from AC input to charger - mixture of 35-45 MPH surface streets & 60 MPH freeway, with several hills.
EV Miles
Start:76,640 Miles (123,313 Kilometers)
Current:88,640 Miles (142,621 Kilometers)
Total:12,000 Miles (19,308 Kilometers)
 
    As of 5/29/2012
Seating Capacity3 adults + 1 child
Curb Weight4,000 Pounds (1,818 Kilograms)
About 1000 lb lighter than the former 24 T-145 wet lead acid golf cart batteries. Noticably improved acceleration and range now.
TiresP205/75SR15, 44 psi, Goodyear Regatta II
Conversion Time180 hours, 4 months for original Lead Acid converstion. Completed April 1, 2007. Upgraded to LiIon Aug 1, 2011.
Conversion Cost$22,000 including $8K donor vehicle, $10,700 EV Kit, and $3300 batteries. LiIon upgrade added $12K for batteries, $3K for BMS/cables/hardware.
Additional FeaturesFeatured on front page of Seattle Times, May 8, 2007.
Featured in Home Power Mag, Issue 122 (Dec/Jan 07/08)

Used Canadian EV S-10 Conversion Kit
WebPage

Wired for extensive data logging - Link-10 (E-Meter) has RS-232 output to WinLink software, MM BMS monitors each 48 cells independently. Zilla Hairball PC interface.

Potential future addition of AC generator head operating from DC motor's front shaft for regnerative breaking.
The Upgrade from PbA to LiIon:
WOW what a difference. Doubled range and acceleration even though I reduced Ahrs from 260 to 200. Also, capacity is predicable - not dependent on how long the vehicle has sat (with PbA if it sat 2+ days capacity was about 75%) - effected little by cold temp (with PbA cold days reduced capacity to <75%). Little worry about drawing down to near zero SOC (with PbA it was a creep home under 20% SOC and potential damage to batteries). AND zero maintenance - no more watering. Best change I ever made to my EV!

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

What I Miss:
Engine compression going down hills (may add regen braking later).
AM Radio reception.

ADC FB1-4001A DC motor burned out due excess current for too many minutes, and lack of cooling. Waiting to see if HPEVS & Curtis will come out with a 75KW+ AC motor and 144V AC Controller anytime soon. Otherwise I will probably replace it with a NetGain Warp 9" DC Motor.

code by jerry