New Rear Suspensionskyhook in the shopPassenger compartment with gullwing doorGull Wing DoorsView of the passenger compartmentoriginal 3 wheel drive setupUnder the hoodLithium Ion BatteriesNew tail with 4 wheels and a differentia
OwnerJohn Santini
LocationColumbia, New Jersey United States map
Web/EmailWebPage email image
Vehicle1988 Pontiac Fiero
OK, so there's not much original from the 1988 Fiero. All that remains are the seats, the steering column and most of the front suspension. This is a ground-up EV project which may eventually become a plug-in hybrid. The concept is essentially the same as the Chevy Volt. However, since I decided I MUST use lithium Ion batteries, and they're so expensive, I'm also focusing on low weight and high efficiency. UPDATE: the prices of lithium ion batteries have come down dramatically. so the first step will be a straight EV. A range extending motor-generator will be a future option.
MotorABM 4DGF132Md4 3-Phase AC
This is a specially wound low voltage 3 phase AC motor
DrivetrainMy first attempt was a single speed gearbelt 6:1 direct drive to a tandem rear wheel assembly. The 3 wheel concept was problematic in wet or snowy weather, so I converted it to a conventional rear differential with an independent trailing arm suspension. The motor is direct coupled to the Toyota Supra 5.71 differential. Works great now.
ControllerCurtis 1238
3 phase AC Motor Controller. Set for maximum regen capability. Best in the business, IMHO.
Batteries30 Thunder Sky LPH200, 3.30 Volt, Lithium Iron Phosphate
I finally gott a set of 200AH lithium ion cells. I'm very pleased with them. Internal impedance is very low, and the cells seem to stay in balance within a few millivolts. I've got almost three years and over 10K miles on them now and they have stayed in balance without external balancing circuitry. I monitor each cell with an Agilent data logger. UPDATE: still good as new at the 24K mile mark.
System Voltage100 Volts
Charger MER43WRB-N54D00 (TDI Power)
These are telecom/industrial chargers made by TDI Power. Lightweight and high efficiency. 110 or 220VAC input, 54V/80A (2, one on each half of the pack)I could recharge a fully discharged pack in under 3 hours, although I only need 30 minutes for a full charge when I get to work.
Heaterpair of hair dryers (series/parallel for low/high speed)doubles as defroster. Works very well.
DC/DC Converter modified BC-1 built by EHV Systems in the '70's
The original Vicor brick lasted about 6 months, and a Syncor block lasted even less. I had an old BC-1 DC/DC converter from an SCT Rabbit conversion. I modified it with some modern FETs and Schottky diodes and it's been running fine for 2 years now.
Instrumentationdigital panel meters for volts and amps. More to come.
Top Speed75 MPH (120 KPH)
Geared and plenty of power for the top end of 75MPH. The new differential gives me a slightly higher top end which is nice when driving on Rt 80, even though the speed limit is 65...
Acceleration0-60 in 12 seconds
Range90 Miles (144 Kilometers)
90 miles by calculation but I actually tried it a few months ago and I got an actual 83 miles averaging around 50MPH in hilly NJ driving. This is a pure electric with the new lithium ion batteries. I originally planned to add a gas engine and alternator to generate 13KW continuous, allowing for continuous cruising on gasoline. I have the 250CC Honda motorcycle engine on a test stand and a permanent magnet modified GM alternator. One of these days I'll make it a hybrid....
Watt Hours/Mile280 Wh/Mile
This is based on rough road testing. Looks like its 187Wh/mi at around 45mph. I still haven't taken the time to fully characterize the car.
EV Miles
Current:31,622 Miles (50,879 Kilometers)
Seating Capacity2 adults
Curb Weight2,100 Pounds (954 Kilograms)
This is my current weight for the finished car with lithium ion batteries and the 4 wheel configuration.
TiresGeneral Altimax 185/65R14
Conversion Time3 years
Conversion Cost$23K
Additional FeaturesThe motor controller has Regenerative braking which works extremely well. I've tweaked the parameters for regenerative braking. The way I have it set up, it feels as though you're driving a car with a manual transmission in second gear. I can drive it to work (18.5 miles/30 minutes) without ever touching the brake pedal.

Had to add motorized struts to raise and lower the gull wing doors. Eliminated the door latches and associated alignment problems. Also added a driver to activate the brake lights whenever the regen current is above 60 amps. I was almost rear-ended a few times before I installed it.
This is my daily driver to work. Check out my website for the running build diary. The project started as a 3 wheel hybrid. Although it handled great on dry pavement, I had too many issues with the 3 wheel configuration (you can't straddle road kill and your drive wheels are on the dreaded center strip of the road. So I converted it to a conventional 4 wheel with rear trailing arm configuration. The single differential in the rear is chassis mounted with half shafts going out to the wheels. It's from a Toyota Supra which was available with 5.71 gears. I have a 250CC Honda Motorcycle engine and an alternator on a test stand. One of these days it'll become a Hybrid.
Reliability has been excellent. I drive it every day to work, and haven't had any breakdowns since my rear axle snapped in the 3 wheel configuration.
UPDATE: 31K miles / November 2015: Car has been running great in my daily commute. 5 years on the Lithium Ion Batteries, and I haven't noticed a decrease in range. I'm a believer in Lithium Ion, definitely worth the money. I think the car will die from rust before the batteries give out.

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