| Owner | Charlton Jones | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Washington, Missouri US map | ||||||
| Web/Email | WebPage | ||||||
| Vehicle | 1974 Porsche 914 All electric Sports Car made with an Electro Automotive Kit. I found this truly zero rust Karmenn body in Arizona. It grew up in California. Home conversion using an Electro Automotive AC VoltsPorsche kit. A successful EV project. | ||||||
| Motor | Azure Dynamics/Solectria AC24 3-Phase AC | ||||||
| Drivetrain | Azure Dynamics AC24 motor bolted to factory 5 speed through a stock clutch and a very nice Electro Automotive adapter. | ||||||
| Controller | Azure Dynamics/Solectria DMOC 445 three phase inverter with clever computer functions to care for almost everything! Parameters can be recalibrated and diagnostics can be captured with a laptop computer. | ||||||
| Batteries | 18 US Battery 8VGCHC with small L posts, 183 amp-hr, 8.00 Volt, Lead-Acid, Flooded Nice quick release caps on most cells, as the interconnects allow. | ||||||
| System Voltage | 144 Volts | ||||||
| Charger | Zivan NG3-120VAC input Has a temperature probe in the battery box to monitor charging. Takes a long time to charge, but I like to take a long time to sleep too. I think the batteries probably enjoy the leisurely charge and will reward me with extended life. | ||||||
| Heater | Ceramic heater with three speed fan from CanEV. I think it would be warmer with a higher voltage traction pack. | ||||||
| DC/DC Converter | CC Power C400 custom for 144v pack. It got sick; EA says its from regen voltage spikes. I have limited those high voltage spikes with a lower regen voltage limit in the DMOC. We'll see how that performs. | ||||||
| Instrumentation | Added State of Charge (just a truncated scale voltmeter calibrated in percent) and +/- Ammeter on left windshield pillar. Tachometer reads motor speed from DMOC controller, pin 25. Having the tachometer is extremely helpful in driving. | ||||||
| Top Speed | 100 MPH (160 KPH) estimated by Electro Automotive. I haven't measured it yet. I'm happy with freeway speed for an ocassional interstate trip at 60 to 70 mph. It's surely better than an NEV! | ||||||
| Acceleration | Acceleration is quite reasonable for me. (It won't touch Otmar's; maybe on a par with a 1967 VW beetle, which I consider a very usable performer.) I set all three power levels to 28,800 watts. (The AC24 motor is rated to 43,000 watts.) The DC amperage pegs the 200 amp gauge. (It is important to calibrate the DMOC for your needs with a laptop and the ccShell program available from AzureDynamics. Be sure to buy the connecting cable.) | ||||||
| Range | 150 Miles (241 Kilometers) estimated by Electro Automotive. I haven't measured it yet in the real world, but the EA estimate is only for favorable conditions, probably like 30mph with no stopping. So far, 35 mile trip around town hardly makes any movement in the state-of-charge (read that truncated voltmeter) gauge. A 50 mile jaunt on the interstate will drop the state-of-charge to 91%. I haven't calibrated the SOC to real volts, so I don't know what that really means. The DMOC is programmed to shut off acceleration at 126 volts to protect the pack. | ||||||
| Watt Hours/Mile | Looks like a little less than 300Whr/mile @ 50mph. Hard to get a steady amp reading because I haven't found a flat road around here. | ||||||
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| Seating Capacity | 2 adults, or one adult and groceries. There is some trunk space around the DMOC inverter/controller in the rear compartment. | ||||||
| Curb Weight | 0 The additional weight is felt in driving on a bumpy road, but with Regen. braking, the weight is hardly noticeable in stopping. It's a squeaky old convertible that still turns heads. | ||||||
| Tires | Michelin X 185/65R-15 with lotsa air | ||||||
| Conversion Time | Took about a year to get it driving; but like any good toy, it's fun to keep tinkering and perfecting. | ||||||
| Conversion Cost | about $19K above the cost of the car, but worth it! I wouldn't it trade for half a Tesla! | ||||||
| Additional Features | Range doesn't seem to be a problem because the A/C motor and computerized DMOC controller are not very hungry for amps. The 200 amp gauge is seldom at the end of its range, if I practice a light foot. The simple state-of-charge is rarely below "full". Regenerative braking is the other real advantage of this A/C system. It not only puts a little back in the traction pack, but it also saves some brake wear. | ||||||
| Electro Automotive provides a very well designed package. The layout of the battery boxes puts the maximum allowable into the space available in the 914. The design of the battery boxes is both safe and secure. The wiring instructions are good, but not a substitute for knowing what you are doing. The adapter for the motor is a pretty piece of work. It makes a wonderful alternative to the ICE. I understand mechanics, electricity and automotive design, but this was my first EV. I'm glad that I chose the Electro Automotive kit. It's a little more expensive than trying to design it all yourself, but you get what you pay for. High demand at Electro Automotive has made their deliveries very slow. I never received some of the small parts, but that isn't a problem. The design basics are great. Guess everybody wants one. I know why. Check out our EAA chapter at gatewayEV.org | |||||||
1974 Porsche 914
“Electro Cutie”
Last Updated 09-03-2008
Copyright © 1997-2008 by Mike Chancey