Work Continues on the Electricfly....Slowly!

While I have been silent for over a year, I have been thinking about the Electricfly, while I await the coming Model 3 from Tesla! I am doing some surface Mods, testing ideas out, actually, a few minutes here, and there, and it it progressing very slowly, between work, and catching up on other important outstanding commitments. News Will be brought here when I have some interesting pictures, and results to share. Please don't hold your breath, but stop by once in a while, anyway!

My Electricfly and steps leading to reserving a Tesla Model 3!

If you have been following this Blog any bit at all in the past, you will have seen my continuing efforts and Struggles with the challenges of maintaining, improving, and upgrading the Electricfly!

From my discoveries about the much lower really Usable Energy Ratings of the Batteries I was using, that I bought 100 Ah Batteries, to discover they were rated at just 30 Amps for 1 hour! In any case - I was still trying to move forward, and improve the Safety of the Battery Boxes that were inside the Hatch Portion of the car; working on Body Work with the Roof, and the Hood, having more rust than I realized!

Past Experiences, and much reading had me realizing that the DC Motor in the car, while it worked, did not give me anything back, in the form of Regenerative Braking when I slowed down, causing greater use of Mechanical Brakes than should be required in an EV, so I renewed my investigation of AC Motors for Electricfly! I started Considering the largest Large Format Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) Cells for the Car that I could fit in the Empty Gas Tank Area under the Rear Seat, in an attempt to get reasonable priced energy storage, lighter weight, and more energy into the car!

I then started comparing

7 Day Sale on EV Fest 2014 Tickets!

I have opened up a special Discount for those who act quickly - and buy their EV Fest 2014  Tickets online before June 7th, 2014 at Midnight!

In celebrating the Exhibitors who have committed to exhibit at EV Fest 2014 - I am giving 1% off for Each Exhibitor Registered! 

Want a Higher Discount? Encourage others to register in this last week - Here are the choices: https://evfest2014-exhibitors.eventbrite.ca/ 

See my announcement here: 

"Over 22 Register #EVFest2014 Exhibitors (Some have multiple Exhibit Registrations!) http://bit.ly/1tyNl31"

Just use code "22Exhibitors" to get your discount - or use This Link to go directly to the ticket ordering page with the discount applied!

MyElectricfly: Old Electric Vehicles versus New Electric Vehicles: Sources & Links

Electricfly - is not (in some circles) an OLD Electric Vehicle, but - in this instance - it is (My) Old Electric Vehicle, as I am looking at two choices for it: Fix it - or Part out the EV Components and Save what I want to keep, and scrap the rest of the car!

The Challenge with Fixing it - is some of the already missing Rusted metal leads right up to the Right Front Suspension corners! Also - no matter how much I put into the car - it remains - underneath it all - a High School EV Conversion of a 1989 Pontiac Firefly (Geo Metro/Sprint/ Suzuki Forsa, etc.), and unless I create a whole new vehicle based on it - it will pretty much now always be a dying vehicle!

While the Actual Drive Train is still Strong, the car body is going to cost more and more to maintain or keep alive!

When it comes to Parting-Out the primary Electric Vehicle Components of my Electricfly - it has been suggested I put the items up for sale on the EV Trading Post, which I most likely will, but the offer will also go up here, possible first, if not at the same time! Watch for postings of GE Motor + Firefly Transmission - mated and ready to use!

Want to see what are some Really Old Electric Vehicles? Here is a timeline of Electric Vehicles that have been produced for sale: Electric Vehicles 19th Century to Today.

Also - the world of Electric Vehicles has changed a lot since I bought 'Electricfly' and delivered it home on October 12, 2006, and at that time - an EV Conversion was the only thing available, and even then - there were limited EV Conversion Manuals to guide you!

This Blog was started to follow the progress of My Electricfly - to report things done to it, and how they succeeded in making it better - or not! This Blog was not started at the time I got the car - but some time later on May 27, 2008! It has covered Battery Changes, new Instrumentation, Custom built Battery Charger packages I did myself, New Battery Management Systems, and more!

Currently found on EV Album, there are listings for 4,168 Vehicles: Some are OEM Factory Built, (a small few), but most are Electric Vehicle Conversions, Mods, or Custom Built variations. Some are two wheels, some are three wheels, but most are four wheel vehicles. Some go slow and some go fast! Some (a good number of vehicles built before the last few years) are powered by Lead Acid Batteries, but recently battery choices have increased - to offer NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride), Lithium Ion, and Lithium Manganese Phosphate and Lithium Iron Phosphate, and Flooded Nickel Cadmium Choices - each with their own set of favorite benefits - Energy Storage, Cold Weather Operation, Weight, etc.

A Lot has changed since 2006, and now we have a growing number of choices of ready to drive, factory built, high quality Electric Vehicles, with a variety of body styles and performance capabilities, all available - either for driving off the lot, or for order!

Depending on where you live - there are a growing number of electric vehicles available for purchase - and listed on sites like These (Some of which are also listing both Regular Hybrids, and Plug-in Hybrids): Hybrid Cars, CAA, Wikipedia, Green Car Reports, etc.

Since 2006 - I have also began to be involved in creating Events - Electric Vehicle Shows:
EV Show & Shine BBQ in April 2010, EV Fest Electric Vehicle Show which began in October 2010 and continues today to EV Fest 2014 - our 5th Anniversary, and also Electric Avenue 2013 - an event done in conjunction with Formula North 2013!

EV Fest 2014 is Coming! Don't Miss out!
Sign up today for EV Fest News Updates!
Also - you can Follow EV Fest on Twitter, or on Facebook!

If you live in Ontario, Canada - at present they have the strongest and best Electric Vehicle Rebates offered in Canada, and also offer Rebates on the now common Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations for Home use, if you have bought a New Electric Vehicle (or Plug-In Hybrid) (and got the Rebate).

Tesla Model S: The electric car that goes the distance, for a price

Tesla Model S: The electric car that goes the distance, for a price - CTV News http://bit.ly/16BoOQ7

“With careful, consistent driving, the P85 can do 480 km on a single charge. That's enough to drive from downtown Toronto to downtown Ottawa.”

An interesting Comment:

“@bill allen If you are aware of the Panasonic test data. The batteries will have still have 70% capacity after 2600 charge cycles. If you manage to drive it for 650,000 miles and find that 70% capacity is unacceptable, that may be an issue. Then again how many engine rebuilds will you go through during that time. Most cars last for less than 200,000 miles so the question you pose about the batteries is moot. For arguments sake, you did not need any engine/transmission repairs on your regular car, you would have spent roughly $75,000 in fuel. Even if battery prices stayed the same (they are dropping) and you didn't purchase the battery plan ($12,000), you would still make out ahead with the Tesla Model S battery ($40,000). Then again, for an average person, you would be retired by the time you reach that type of mileage so you would not need to replace the battery.”

Reading the Comments is an excellent study in people, and sometimes leads to new information, too!

While not all of us can afford to buy this car today, it is a great example of what can be done without waiting for the next generation of Batteries, in terms of making an electric  car with a good range, and with some 118,000 millionaires in Toronto Alone – there will be enough buyers to keep the car production happening for some time!

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EV Fest 2014

Planned for June, 2014

www.evfest.ca

Remember to Subscribe to EV Fest News Updates!
(Or see the Past updates Here!)