Driving on a cloud

"like driving on a cloud"--that's what one relative told me about the test drive I gave him over the holidays. "I feel like I've been to the future," said another.

As I've stated throughout this blog, the main reason I think we need to convert to electric vehicles is to stop CO2/global warming.  The second most important reason for me is to stop wars for oil.  Third is all the devastation caused by oil spills, pipelines, trailing ponds, air and water pollution, and all environmental impacts.

But most people don't buy cars based on these factors.  That's why it has been such a pleasant surprise to find out how smooth and comfortable the Volt is to drive.  And it accelerates like no car I've ever driven (including my dad's old Cadillac and my mother-in-law's Mercedes).  Of course, I expected the Volt to be quiet, but it is still a great feeling to take off with no sound from the engine.

Like most people I also feel that price is a key factor in buying a car.  I never bought a new car before the Volt, simply because used cars are so much cheaper.  But lots of people do buy new cars, and, as I've tried to argue, the Volt can actually save money if you can finance it over 15 years at today's low interest rates.  See FAQs below.

As you can see, I think the Volt is a great car!  As we Volt owners know--once you go electric, there's no going back.

How much does it cost to run? The car goes about 3.5 miles per kilowatt hour (kwh). PG&E has a special nighttime rate for charging electric cars overnight--about 6 cents per kwh (including minimum monthly fees). Dividing 6 cents per kwh by 3.5 miles per kwh means that the Volt costs less than 2 cents per mile! After running on batteries for the first 35 miles, the gas generator/engine takes over and the car then gets about 37 miles per gallon. It takes about 10 hours for a full charge using standard 110 volt house current.

How does that cost compare to most cars?
Average mileage in the U.S. is about 20 miles per gallon. At $4.00 per gallon, that comes to 20 cents per mile. So, the Volt saves about 18 cents per mile. If you drive 1,000 miles per month on the electric motor, that is a savings of $2,160 per year.

What about the cost of the car? The retail price of the Volt is $41,000. There is a $7,500 tax credit so the net price is $33,500. Assuming that a comparable gasoline engine car would cost about $15,000 less than that, the annual savings of $2,160 is like investing $15,000 and getting paid back with 12% interest over 15 years, not even counting resale value—not bad! And the price of gas keeps going up, so the rate of return will keep getting better.

The African Bull Dog ( KENYA )

Sustainable by all means.

Mombasa (Kenya) is the location where this unique prototype was conceived. Details are outlined from their Facebook page.

Completed

30th January 2011

The vehicle

The african bull dog is a Kenyan Built Off Road 4X4 Vehicle and MPV; This car is built for every day use, it can be used in farms as a produce cart, or even as an ambulance at Marsabit desert to provide emergency care to the forgotten communities and as a truck to ferry drugs to those remote places that you have never heard of!; With ample backing, the African Bulldog can do for Kenya what the Citroen 2CV did for France and the V.W Beetle for Germany!

Company Overview

Heino Autoworx is a Leading 4x4 vehicle workshop based in Mombasa at the Mtwapa Creek, Kenya. We have been involved in the maintenance of 4x4 vehicles and S.U.Vs for years and we decided to push the boundaries.

Description


The African Bull Dog is the brain child of Engineer Heino, he has a vast experience in the automotive and boat industry. The crew has been working tirelessly to ensure that we meet our target and we build a vehicle that meets the standards of the 4X4s we work on on a daily basis.

Mission


4X4 Extreme Efficient Performance!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/African-Bull-Dog/160682840649799?sk=wall

BAILEY LMP2 ( SOUTH AFRICA )

This is an African Phenomenon for 2011. Below are the stats straight from the makers mouth describing this awesome beast.

"Bailey Cars took the Bold and Brave step of building a current day Prototype car in 2009. Its taken 2 years of intense design and manufacture to produce this master piece of south African engineering.

The car has had many firsts for South Africa such as full carbon Tub, full CFD body design and building a car to the A.C.O Le Mans 24 hours regulations

The car is available to customers who would like to compete in sports car racing throughout the world in events such as ALMS, Le Mans series, Asian Le Mans Series and even the South African Le Mans Series and RSA GT challenge.

Chassis

· Carbon composite monocoque chassis

· Monocoque certified to all ACO and FIA structural and crash standards

· Adjustable pedal box and steering column

· Safety equipment includes 6-point lightweight seat belt harness

· Plumbed in fire extinguisher system

Engine

· 460hp maximum as regulated by ACO
· The engine must be made in a minimum of 1000 units in 12 consecutive months and must come, either from a grand touring car, Or from a large production car.
· Choice of homologated BMW, Lexus, Toyota or Nissan 5000 cm3 8 cylinders maximum. maximum
· Or 3200 cm3 forced induction engine with max 6 cylinders
· Diesel not allowed in LMP


Suspension

· Double wishbone layout all round

· Pushrod rocker type with damper and coil over spring all round

· Third-spring option for front and rear suspension

· Frictionless bearing seals all round

· Same upright all round

· Angular-contact wheel bearings all round

· Chromoly steel-fabricated TIG-welded wishbones

· Quick adjustable ride height, camber, and toe

· electrically power assisted rack-and-pinion



Fuel System



· 90-litre bladder type fuel cell

· Dual Low-pressure fuel lifts pump plus dual high-pressure pumps




Transmission


· Ricardo sequential-shift gearbox

· Six forward speeds plus reverse with torque input capacity in excess of 500 Nm

· Adjustable gear ratios

· Paddle shift as standard

· Gear oil cooling system



Bodywork


· All body panels of lightweight infused epoxy glass composite construction

Brake System

· AP Racing six-piston aluminum calipers all round

· 380 mm diameter ventilated discs front and rear

· Full carbon brake set up as option



Wheels and Tyres


· Wheel dimensions 11”wide x 18” diameter front

· 13” wide x 18” diameter rear

· 3 piece wheels

· Centre lock and anti loosen to FIA standards


Cooling System


· 1 water radiators

· 8-litre dry sump oil tank

· Twin engine all cooler

· Twin Electric oil scavenge pump

· 1 intercooler

· Driver air-conditioning system



Electrical System



· Military-spec chassis wiring loom

· FIA-regulation emergency power cut-off switch

· External start jump plug

· Digital dash display and with full data logging

· Xenon headlamps



WEIGHT

· Minimum weight as specified by ACO 900kg excluding driver and fuel


Bailey - Beautifully Engineered Cars

http://www.baileyedwardscars.co.za

We Don't Want to Set the World on Fire

Please check out my new parody song about global warming"We Don't Want to Set the World on Fire" to the tune of "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire".  Come on people, we can do this!

Thanks to Fred Ewing for playing the piano and coaching the singing, and to Brooks Larsen for compiling the photos!

80% less gas!

Chevy Volts traveled 15 million miles in their first year on the road, and 10 million of those miles used no gas.  (According to Jeff U'ren on the Chevy Volt Owners facebook page)  Assuming 37 miles per gallon for the 5 million miles on gas, that means the Volts got 111 miles per gallon over the 15 million miles (3 x 37).  Compared to the average U.S. car's 22.4 mpg, that means the Volt uses 80% less gas.  Given all the oil spills, air pollution, wars for oil, global warming, and the high cost of gas, it is time to make the switch to electricity for all transportation.

On The Job Roundup

Turns out Gwen Stefani is a hollaback girl after all. I’m all like “heeeeey” and then she’s all like “Holla!”.  And I’m all like...that solves that god damned issue right there! I don’t know what all the fuss was about. Anyway, welcome to the round up for the challenge we like to call On The Job...all about the vehicles we sometimes use while doing our jobs. Taxis, fire trucks, and zambonis are all the rage, so lets see what the hard working people all over the world are driving, shall we?

No, its not a fire truck/ tour bus. Its a Fiat 682/RN2 Bartoletti Ferrari Race Transporter as built by Apefight and it comes complete with fully working Power Functions remote control, opening doors, dropping tailgate, lowering top deck, detailed interior...but, as it turns out, nothing to haul.



One builder who didn’t forget the payload is TechnicFenix13 with his I-ran-out-of-black-so-also-went-with-four-other-colors low loader tow truck. Its just the perfect thing when you leave your yellow Ferrari abandoned at the scene of your LEGO worktable and need to tow it away pronto.



Back before most of us were born the hard working 1964 Ford Thames Trader brought goods to and fro in eye catching Jonathan Derksen color blocking style. That’s just chock full of classic Ford goodness right there!



Let’s face it, whether we work as a pizza delivery guy or a bikini waxer, none of us would get to our jobs if it wasn’t for fuel to take us there. This is why christophbrill built us a 30’s era old timey Octan Fuel Truck. The little minifig there...helping others get to their jobs by doing his. Do you think they had bikini waxers in the ‘30s?



While we all ponder that question we can marvel at this tan and blue Milk Float as built by Legogil. Back in the milk delivery days, we had the Divco in America, but most of Europe had the Milk Float, a quiet battery operated vehicle suited to silently deliver milk in the wee morning hours. Good stuff, Gil!



L@go built what looks like a 70’s era winnebago flattened by a truck trailer. That’s because its a Steinwinter and its a real thing! It was designed to maximize payload while giving the rest of the truck an extremely low profile.



We go from the bizarre Steinwinter to...the humble stroller as built by NK DeSign-er. Sure we’re all about big, rugged automotive vehicles here, but the stroller has an important job to to...to keep little tykes safe and happy while moms and dads go about their business. As usual for NK, this is an alternate model to the official 5867 Creator set.



When you think of the Ford Focus you think of a small fuel efficient hatchback. But Sangi13 takes it a step further and converts the little Focus into...of all things...a tow truck. I’m not quite sure how much tow capacity a Focus has but it sure does haul a big...um...double crucifix...thingy.



Here’s the scene: You’re racing across state lines in a candy apple red convertible with Johnny Law in hot pursuit. You’ve keestered a balloon full of high quality bon bons, you have a blow up sex doll in the passenger seat, a trunk load of illegally smuggled Venezuelan fruit bats and no one can explain why you’ve let a chimpanzee take the wheel. I know, we’ve all been there, right? But if you were in Australia you’d be chased by Bruce the Highway Patrolman in his ’86 Holden VL Commodore as built by Lego911



Next on the Lego911 slab is busty Sharon and her 2013 Ford Flex. You see, Sharon has the hardest job in the world...being a soccer mom. Between all the schlepping the kids to school, the puking, head lice, spilled juice, hair pulling, kid farts, and crying its a wonder she still looks as good as any of the gals from Desperate Housewives.



See, now here is a law enforcement scenario I’m much more familiar with. Take the same scene from before, only set it in the forested and rain soaked Pacific Northwest and you have yourself Sheriff Johnson and his 2009 Crown Vic Washington State Patrol Car. You also have my preferred ride home after a big night out. What with me being car-less its always nice when Seattle’s finest offers up their services for a safe ride home and the right to remain silent.



I had the right to remain silent but didn’t have the ability. That’s because I was so excited about Peter’s fourth entry, this Aston Martin V8 Vantage N24 Racer driven by Oliver Mathai. His job is being a 24 hour race car driver. Seems exciting but what if ya gotta drop the kids off at the pool? Or...yanno...take the browns to the superbowl? Are any of you getting these analogies?



I was talking about pooping, in case you didn’t know. Anyway, in case you got a hankering for pepperoni and cheese delivered straight to your door, we have Peter and his Ford 2011 Focus Trend Hatchback. Ahhh yes, that familiar red, white and blue color scheme can only mean one thing...maximum taste at minimum wage!



What travels on a track but isn’t a train? Turns out its this Western Star Brandt Power Unit built by Ricecracker. This is powerful enough to pull up to 10 loaded train cars and would make those awkward father-son road trip talks a whole lot better. You know the one...your mom used to have a hot ass but now has an ass like a bag of wet clothes.



Ok, that made no sense at all, but I wanted to slip in a father-son awkward road trip joke and none of these hard working vehicles are really suited for father-son car rides. Lets just admire DeTomaso77’s Mercedes-Benz O 317 Renntransporter "Porsche". I have no idea what its supposed to transport, but its still cool as hell.



We all know what this next build by Aaron F1 transports. I have fond memories of riding these school busses as a kid. Their bright yellow color, their green vinyl seats, their flashing lights...the stop sign that flips out to alert passers by that pint sized tikes are exiting. reminds me of that one time this kid brian threw up on the bus and no one ever saw him again.



Thats because Brian probably grew up to be a British Police Officer somehow. Its an unlikely story but how else was I going to segue from the school bus to this UK Police Ford Focus built by Ralph Savelsberg. Writing is all about smoothly segueing one idea to another. And awkward father-son car trip jokes. And dropping off the kids at the pool.



Someone else with police cars on the brain is DoktorZapp with his Jensen Interceptor Police Car. Its seen here negotiating the punishing terrain of a berber carpet. That stuff right there...the number one cause of rug burns on my knees and elbows. Don’t ask how I know this.



Peteris Sprogis delivers some fine Octan fuel to a busy minifig intersection with his Octan Delivery Truck. Cuz that’s what they do...deliver Octan to...places in need of Octan delivery. Love that brick built Octan logo. Octan. Delivery. Yep. Ok, I used up my three to five lines. Lets move on, shall we?



Felipe Descomplicado also has Octan colors on the brain and a Heavy-Duty Wrecker - Sliding Rotator Boom Truck with motion effects that I can only describe as witchcraft or sorcery. Surely there can’t be some sort of magical photo shop program to make neat effects like this!



And Raphy submits what can only be described as...a hefty bag full of a broken red LEGO mess. Travel is a harsh mistress and so is the LUGNuts round up as this is the result of a 5,500 mile journey and nearly three weeks past the deadline we have no idea what the vehicle was intended to be. Sorry dude, we’ve just gotta publish as is.



And the sole reason this round up is three weeks late is to showcase this Australian 2010 Holden Ute Camera Car built by Lino Martins. I guess you can do things like this when you’re in charge. Iron Builder, crazy hours at work and other obligations made this entry late but I asked for a random assignment and didn’t want to let Marioman3138 down. So, better late than never, I suppose.



So...what did you all think of the round up? It was alright, I guess. But stay tuned for our next very special 50th build challenge where we do something crazy. Its called The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of and the best interpretation of the weird dreamy sequence gets cool LEGO prizes! Second and third place also stands to win prizes. This is an unprecedented challenge and so far...very few entries. This could still be anyone’s game and we’re all waiting on pins and needles here. And let me tell ya, pins and needles are mighty pointy and uncomfortable! So stay tuned to see how it all turns out.

Finally, Free Time is Coming

I've been extremely busy with school and work that I haven't done a whole lot on my EV. I've been doing a few miles here and there to keep my pack charged and cycled through, and I've been slowly prepping the new Civic for conversion next year.

However, while playing with my stinky battery I decided to check up on the warranty and contact my dealer. To my surprise they agreed to replace it! I got the new one this morning and this weekend I will be cleaning up my batter pack, checking the water levels and voltages, then installing this new one once I get its voltage to the same as the others. The I can slowly start driving the EV again and get some miles under it, and possibly get it commuting once again. I have 7K miles on the pack and if all the other batteries are still fine ( they seem all fine, just that one dropped out after 10 to 11 miles) I should get another 3K out of them.

I'll post some pictures of the new Civic donor and what I've done to it when I get some time. I am also going to try an experiment this winter, I got a heated seat cover. I've done some research and other EV'ers said that a seat warmer worked much better to keep the driver/passengers warm than a heating system. We'll I guess I'll find out in a few weeks.

How much safer is a Volt than other cars?

Short answer:  "A lot safer."

Longer answer:  There were 184,500 car fires last year according to the  National Fire Protection Association.  That's one fire for every 1,380 cars on the road ( assuming 254 million cars per various sources including Wikipedia and Hedges Company).  Given about 8,000 Volts on the road today, we would expect 5.8 fires so far based on typical internal combustion engine (ICE) cars.  So if there were even one actual fire in a real collision, the Volt would still be 5.8 times safer than average ICE cars.  But since there have been NO reported fires, the Volt is actually infinitely safer!  5.8 ICE fires divided by zero Volt fires = infinity!

Response to hysteria about Volt safety

A friend told me, "I hear your Volt is being recalled."  That confirmed my feeling that the headlines about a "probe" of the Volt's safety were sure to create a firestorm (pardon the pun) of nonsense.  As one friendly blogger put it "Let the hysteria begin."  My favorite summation of the issue was the statement:  "If your Volt is completely destroyed in a collision, for safety reasons you should exit the vehicle within three days."  The point is that the fire that broke out in a Volt happened three weeks after a demolition crash test. 

Here is a letter on the issue from a Volt owners facebook page that I signed on to:

OPEN LETTER FROM CHEVY VOLT OWNERS
Why are Chevy Volt Owners Keeping Their Keys?"
Date: December 2, 2011

To the Media and Drivers Across America:

In light of the recent news stories regarding the Chevy Volt, we, as
Volt owners, would like to set the record straight.

We are keeping the keys to our Volt. We love our Volt and we feel
safe driving our Volt.

Volt owners are glad that the NHTSA, GM, and other manufacturers have
now implemented protocols for electric cars in a variety of
circumstances. Just as it is necessary to empty a gas tank after a
major impact, it is necessary to discharge a battery pack after a
major impact. This is a simple and straightforward process. Volt
owners feel assured knowing that government and industry are working
together to define and communicate this process for electric
vehicles, just as they have done for gasoline-powered cars in years past.

We have done our homework and we know that there is no other car that
offers all the advantages of a Volt. We take pleasure in the smooth
driving experience. We get a thrill from the performance and
acceleration. We feel at ease in its comfortable elegance. Perhaps
most of all, we love the convenience and affordability of driving on
electricity everyday, while also having the option of a back-up gas
generator for long distances. This is the beauty of extended range
electric drive. It's fun, it's practical, and it's the future that's
available today.

Lastly, we encourage every driver in this country to test drive a
plug-in electric car. The best way to truly know the electric car
experience is to drive one.

Sincerely,
Chevy Volt Owners (A Facebook Group of 224 Members, signers as of
Friday afternoon include:
Jeff U'Ren, Volt 349
Barry Larkin, Volt 63
Kevin Mark Rooker, Volt 2386
Craig Fisher, Volt 2473
Scott Fauque, Volt 01234
Jack Lucero Fleck, Volt 575
Kelly Hendricks, Volt 1450
Chris Blake, Volt 989
Michael DiPisa, Volt 218
Brent Waldrep, Volt 3945
Shannon Arvizu, Volt 1631
Lyle Dennis, Volt 8
Felix Kramer, Volt 9
Craig Hydrick, Volt 2077
Billy Bell, Volt 1928
Former Governor of Michigan, Jennifer M. Granholm, Volt 3748
Brad J. Horton, Volt 736
Alexandra Paul, Volt 5
Nathan Pinsley, Volt 784
Eric Rotbard, Volt 688
Ken Nelson and Mike Judd, Volt 1712
Yumiko Kato, Volt 2278
Matt Stehouwer, Volt 974
Brett Circe, Volt 169