|
This Home Page last updated July 1st, 2009
Events Calendar Updated July 1st, 2009
U.S. and World Electric Vehicle News Updated June 25th, 2009
MAINE’S LATEST BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE NEWS
OUR TWO REALLY BIG CONSIDERATIONS
Climate Change - can lead to local weather pattern disruptions, more violent storms or even to an unstoppable and deadly progressive warming of the Earth.
Battery electric vehicles are the only vehicles on the market today that help fight Climate Change through zero emissions, plus they can easily be recharged using 100% clean energy from backyard solar panels or a wind turbine.
and
Peak Oil - can lead to a collapse of our economy because our massive energy supply needs will soon be disrupted by a natural decline in the worldwide supply of oil, and no energy-equal substitute is on the horizon.
Battery electric vehicles can reduce our oil consumption because they use electricity for fuel, instead of oil-derived gasoline or diesel fuel.
AND THEY’RE FUN TO DRIVE!
MAD MAX - THE MOVIE (1979)
IS THIS WHAT YOU’LL HAVE TO DO TO GET GASOLINE IN THE FUTURE?
Copyright MGM 1979
The plot of this movie is that in the near future gasoline supplies have become extemely difficult to obtain, and gangsters are now terrorizing all gasoline sources. So a good cop (Mel Gibson) is out to fix the situation.
"George and I wrote the script based on the thesis that people would do
almost anything to keep vehicles moving and the assumption that nations
would not consider the huge costs of providing infrastructure for
alternative energy until it was too late." James McCausland (12/04/2006)
THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE RALLY
IN SKOWHEGAN WAS A GREAT SUCCESS!
It took place on June 20th, 2009.
Three very different electric vehicles were present, the public enjoyed the show,
and we enjoyed our little parade around town afterward.
Here’s Iver Lofving on the left. He is the owner of this Sunn electric car and a local
high school teacher. Art Haines is on the right, and he is the manufacturer of this
low speed electric, solar-recharged kit car in Norridgework, just a few miles
down the road from Skowhegan.
Here’s Ed Miller, the proud owner of this very neat Toyota Tercel that he
converted to battery electric drive.
Here’s the neat and spacious front end of the electric Tercel.
And here’s the almost-empty trunk.
This is the Chinese Star car and its owner, Stan McGray, the local “Fries Guy.”
The driver’s area. Under the front seats are eight, six volt lead-acid batteries.
Here’s a side view of this four seater, low speed electric which, like all low
speed electrics is allowed to go up to 25 mph on roads posted up to 35 mph. The
compact town of Skowhegan is an ideal place for low speed electric cars, and low
speed electric trucks, which also become legal in Maine around September 15th, 2009.
Here’s the back end which has a very spacious stand-up trunk.
THIS FROM MARK BLACKIE OF SCARBOROUGH, MAINE
Here are a couple pictures of my electric conversion of my Dad's 1970 Skidoo Nordic 399. It's still in the Frankenstein's monster state of wiring and refinement. It's 36 volts, low speed, short range, and good for only about eight laps around the house without annoying any of the neighbors, but good fun for my three kids. I'll bump the voltage up whenever I can scrounge all the parts together. There’s still much to be done to reduce drag and extend range, if time ever allows. I've got a spare pallet jack motor and low voltage controller that I'll dig up the pictures on and take you up on the free ad. Right now they are just taking up space in my garage.
- Mark -
Here’s a photo of me and my youngest daughter riding it.
ELECTRIC CAR MEETS MAINE STUDENTS’ ASPIRATIONS
They are pre-engineering students at the Mid-Coast School of Technology
in Rockland, Maine
HERE’S THE FULL STORY Click Here
AND HERE’S THEIR CAR ON YOUTUBE
And below are a few photos of their second test run at a local airport.
The crew readying the car for its second test run series
The batteries are on both the front and the rear
Only an ammeter and a voltmeter for instrumentation
Getting ready to run
Halfway through the test run at a local airport
THANKS TO ALL FOR THE FUN
THE FIRST 2009 ELECTRIC VEHICLE ENTHUSIASTS POTLUCK BBQ OF THE SEASON WAS A GREAT SUCCESS
Here are a few of the dozen+ folks who dropped by during the day to enjoy the festivities
And here are some of the guests looking over Walter Guinion’s electric Ford Focus
COMING SOON!
A PROGRESS REPORT ON THE 72 VOLT ONE-SEATER
EVMAINE.ORG ELECTRIC AUTOCYCLE
Its official name is now the Belmont ‘Comet’
The new front ‘A’ arms, suspension and steering system under construction for the two heavy duty cast motorcycle front wheels. There will be only one large motorcycle wheel in the rear which will be the drive wheel
|
PEAK OIL - WHERE ARE WE NOW?
Copyright Albert Bates 2009
|
|
|
Special Report
NEW MAINE ELECTRIC ‘AUTOCYCLE’ BILL WAS PASSED - TAKES EFFECT AROUND SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2009
Tom Joyal in his ZAP Xebra truck in Kennebunk, Maine
The new, totally redesigned 2009 ZAP hatchback car
This new law will allow three-wheeled electric vehicles, such as the ZAP vehicles above, on Maine roads. The bill received a unanimous “Ought to Pass” vote from its second hearing at the Legislative Transportation Committee after much discussion on February 12th, 2009. The Bill was passed by the full Legislature, and Governor Baldacci signed it into law in May 2009.. The Governor had previously expressed enthusiastic support for zero emissions battery electric vehicles. The law will take effect 90 days after the legislature adjorns around June 15th, so this new law will go into effect around September 15th, 2009.
Here is the definition of an Autocycle as currently defined in this law:
1. An Autocycle is any 3 wheeled, electric-powered vehicle with an enclosed cab in which the driver sits.
2. An Autocycle must have either a sturdy roll bar, or a strong, reinforced cab structure. It must also have a seat belt for each person in the vehicle.
3. Although classified as a motorcycle under federal law because it has three wheels, Maine will not require the driver of an Autocycle to wear a motorcycle helmet inside the cab or to possess a motorcycle riders license. A regular automobile drivers license will be required.
4. An Autocycle can be driven only on Maine roads that have a speed limit of 45 mph, or less.
5. An Autocycle is allowed to be a car (passengers only), or a cargo-carrying vehicle (a truck configuration) IF all loads by the user are restricted to not more than the manufacturers’ recommended weight limits.
6. An Autocycle will display a motorcycle-size license plate with the word ‘Autocycle’ on it.
7. An Autocycle must also meet all mechanical and safety requirements as outlined in the Autocycle section of the Maine Motor Vehicle Inspection Manual of the Maine State Police.
8. A legislative review process to make sure that Autocycles are safe on Maine roads will take place in two years, and then the acceptance of electric Autocycles on Maine roads will become permanent.
Note: This bill has no effect whatsoever on traditional 3-wheeled, gasoline-powered motorcycle ‘tricycles’, which are already allowed on all Maine roads.
The person who sponsored this law (LD 152) is Representative Gary Connors. He can be reached at 207-985-5733 or through email at gary@garyconnor.org
WHAT DOES THIS NEW LAW MEAN?
Currently, there are only two classifications of battery-powered electric vehicles that can be driven on Maine roads; Low speed electric cars and highway speed electric vehicles. Low speed electric cars are allowed to go up to 25 miles per hour and are ideal for running local errands on roads posted up to 35 mph for about one and one half cents of electricity cost per mile.
Another new Maine law recently passed allows Low Speed trucks, as well as Low Speed cars after about September 15th, 2009.
Practical highway-speed electric vehicles are just becoming commercially available in this country and still tend to be quite expensive, but a few Maine early adoptors have already converted their regular gasoline-powered vehicles to battery electric drive. These vehicles are registered and driven just like any other vehicle, except they never need any gasoline. They won’t go as far as a gasoline-powered vehicle because better battery chemistries are still too expensive, until they get into in mass production. In the future highway speed electric vehicles will be in commercial production and in widespread use, barring a Great Depression, Peak Oil, an asteroid strke, etc.
However, autocycles provide a new intermediate category of battery electric vehicles for today that are very practical because they can be legally driven on most rural Maine roads because most of them are posted for 45 mph, or less.. Also autocycles can easily be configured to have a longer driving range per charge than the typical low speed electric vehicle.
So Autocycles are a way of introducing an affordable and, some would say, a more practical zero emissions electric vehicle quickly into our vehicle mix.
Battery electric vehicles are the only zero emissions vehicles on the road today, and hydrogen-powered cars, which remain basically just a Detroit distraction from battery electric cars and their low operating and maintenance costs, are still 20 years away, if ever.
EVMaine Endorsement
EVMaine.org officially endorses Autocycles and commends the Maine LegislativeTransportation Committee, the Secretary of State, the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles and the Maine State Police for their visionary support of this new law that allows these practical, affordable, safe and zero emissions vehicles on Maine roads.
And thanks also to Tom Joyal of Old House Parts in Kennebunk for initiating this bill.
Click Here
THIS IS THE WEBSITE OF MAINE ELECTRIC CARS IN FALMOUTH, MAINE, WHICH SELLS THE ZAP AND OTHER ELECTRIC VEHICLES
www.maineev.com
|
|
|
ELECTRIC VEHICLES AT THE EARTH FEST AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF MAINE AT MACHIAS ON SUNDAY, APRIL 26th, 2009
Fred and Dennis of T&S Trikes were there with several trikes for the public to
try out, including their latest model called the ‘Slipper’
Here’s the other side view of it
Here you can see the six 7 amp hour SLA batteries wired series, parallel and the
two motor controllers, one for each of its two electric motors. This first Slipper
included a pink trunk requested by Fred’s wife.
This model has a solar panel on the roof which can supply most of the
power to recharge the batteries as this student tries it out
Here another student is enjoying a sojourn in this pedal/electric trike
For more information contact
T&S TRIKES
Electric and Solar Powered Vehicles
Fred Thorne and Dennis Smith
3 Harwood Lane
Marshfield Me 04654
207-263-6529
Email them at:
TS-trikes@netzero.net or mooze@peoplepc.com
(See more of their bikes further down this page)
(EVMaine.org is not affiliated with T&S Trikes)
|
|
|
The Age of Cheap and Abundant Oil is Ending.
The Threat of Climate Change is Lurking.
Electric Vehicles Will Help Alleviate both Crises
(and keep your wallet bulging at the same time!)
|
|
A MAINE BRANCH OF THE ELECTRIC AUTO ASSOCIATION IS FORMING
Learn about the EAA and sign up here: www.eaaev.org
Let us know about your membership here: webmaster@evmaine.org
BAR HARBOR WANTS BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES
FOR THEIR JULY 4TH, INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE
Contact: The Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce
207.288.5103 or visitors@barharborinfo.com
or go to our Events Calendar Here
Another Maine Electric Vehicle Business
EAST COAST E-BIKES
“Making Portland Flat”
www.eastcoastebikes.com
SEE MAINER ED MILLER’S TOYOTA TERCEL CONVERSION
Click Here
MAINER TED PORTER’S CHEVY S-10 CONVERSION TO ELECTRIC
Carting off the gasoline engine YouTube Video #1
Demo of tilting truck bed YouTube Video #2
HERE’S THE NEW ‘SPIRIT’ PEDAL/ELECTRIC MOPED
FROM THE SUNN ELECTRIC CAR COMPANY IN MAINE
More about this further down page
Click Here
MAINER MARK KANDUTSCH’S 1972 SAAB 96 CONVERSION
I did all of the bodywork with steel, and a minimum of bondo
I had to have the transmission rebuilt, an unexpected expense
The new paint job turned out pretty good
I chose a SAAB 96 for the project for several reasons. First, I just like them.
Second, they are streamlined and lightweight, with narrow tires and a
relatively smooth under-body, and finally they do not have power steering.
The batteries are Interstate U8VGC 8 volt golf cart batteries. I
got a deal whereby the dealer sold me 17 (he had that many in stock)
for the price of 15. I had planned for 120 volts total, but all the
components can run on up to 144, so I arranged the battery boxes to
accommodate either 15 or 17 batteries. It will be interesting to see
whether the extra 2 are more weight and trouble than good, or not.
The battery boxes are vented through the black plastic hose, out
through a small vent behind the rear window. Obviously the car has
become a two seater.
The power brake vacuum pump came from E bay. I am not happy with
this and I think it will be the last holdup getting the car on the road.
For More Info
Click Here
FOR SALE: ELECTRIC ATV IN LINCOLNVILLE, MAINE
I used an ATV like the one above all summer to pull a trailer with which I watered cows
out in the pasture. It never failed me, charges up quickly, goes 35 mph and pulls
about 1,000 lbs.
Call Hayes Batten, Union, ME 207-785-5683
ATV Specs Here
More Electric Vehicle Stuff for Sale Here
|
IS THIS MAN MAINE’S NEW HENRY FORD?
Art with his original prototype solar car
THE EVMAINE.ORG INTERVIEW WITH ART HAINES ABOUT HIS SUNNev SOLAR KIT CARS THAT CAN BE SHIPPED AND ASSEMBLED ANYWHERE.
Click Here
AND THEN WATCH THE EXCELLENT VIDEO CALLED ‘INFINITY MILES PER GALLON’ ABOUT THE BUILDING OF THIS PROTOTYPE ON YOUTUBE.COM
Click Here
AND HERE”S HIS NEW TV COMMERCIAL
Click Here
The model below was shipped to the UK a while ago
TAKE A PEEK AT THE FRAME OF HIS SECOND GENERATION SUNNev SOLAR KIT CAR RECENTLY UNVEILED AT THE COMMON GROUND FAIR
Click Here
And here’s a recent solar electric pickup
And here’s his latest vehicle about to get its pickup truck bed. These are kit cars that can be put on a pallet and shipped anywhere
Another view of this same vehicle with the factory building in the background
MAINE OFFICIALS ARE NOW ALLOWING ELECTRIC VEHICLES ON THE ROADS
This LOW SPEED LICENSE PLATE was recently issued to the first SUNNev electric car to be registered in Maine. The Maine State Police issued the VIN number, and then the Bureau of Motor Vehicles promptly issued the
registration and license plates. And the owner says that insurance is only $200 a year and gasoline cost is $0.
Here’s Iver in his new vehicle. A car trunk replaced the truck bed before the vehicle was registered because the Low Speed Vehicle laws in Maine do not include trucks.
Here’s a front view of the 85 watt solar panel that helps to trickle charge the batteries.
GREAT NEW VIDEO FROM TEXAS
THE PROUD OWNER OF A NEW SUNNev SOLAR TRUCK THAT WAS MADE RIGHT HERE IN MAINE
Click Here For Her Web Page
See Her YouTube Video Here
(She proves that filling stations are good for something)
This is the New TV Commercial for Sunn Electric Vehicles
THE NEW SUNN “SPIRIT” 3-WHEELED PROTOTYPE
IT’S A SOLAR-POWERED, PEDAL / ELECTRIC MOPED
Here is the bare chassis. Enthusiastic Skowhegan High School students, under the direction of teacher and alternative energy enthusiast Iver Lofving, are helping to design this vehicle.
Here they are attaching the solar panel to the roof
This photo shows the windshield and the tilting solar panel on the roof
Here’s a recent finished view of it.
And here it is with the solar panel mounted on the roof. This and the previous photo were taken when the vehicle was being shown to students at the Ellsworth Vocational High School on Feburary 8th, 2009. It is now legally registered and licensed and insured as a moped.
The SUNN Electric Car Company
300 Father Rasle Road
Norridgewock, Maine 04957
art@sunnev.com
VISIT HIS WEBSITE FOR LOTS MORE INFO
www.sunnev.com
(EVMaine.org is not affiliated with the SUNN Electric Car Company)
|
|
If your organization or event would like a Table Display or a PowerPoint Presentation
by EVMaine.org about electric cars in Maine please contact us:
director@evmaine.org
A COUPLE PHOTOS OF THE EVMAINE.ORG ELECTRIC CAR
This is still under construction, Recent changes include new, heavy duty front wheels.
Here’s the dash that has a speedometer that has an odometer that must keep its mileage permanently, even if its power source is removed, .
This is a one-of-a-kind vehicle. There are no plans to produce it commercially.
See more photos of this vehicle here
This vehicle will be finished as a 3-wheeled Autocycle because that new law passed in Maine. So it will be allowed on roads that are posted up to 45 mph.
LOTS OF USED ELECTRIC CAR PARTS FOR SALE
FROM TOM GOCZE, LONG-TIME ELECTRIC CAR GUY
AND HE HAS MUCH MORE
Click Here
HERE ARE TWO CUSTOM ELECTRIC TRIKES FROM MACHIAS, MAINE
ON JUNE 14, 2008 AT THE SECOND ANNUAL CALAIS INTERNATIONAL
ANTIQUE AND CUSTOM AUTO SHOW
Above: Fred Thorne on his 3-Wheeler
Above: Dennis Smith with his 3-Wheeler
For more photos of these vehicles: Click Here
|
Now featuring Miles, ZAP and Zenn Electric Vehicles
Maine Electric Vehicles, LLC is Maine’s first exclusive battery electric car dealer. Contact them for their latest offers.
Call 207-233-9970 or email them at MaineEV@gmail.com
Maine Electric Vehicles, LLC
"Driving Maine's Green Future"
183 US Route One in Falmouth, Maine
See their new website at www.maineev.com
(EVMaine.org is not affiliated with Maine Electric Vehicles, LLC)
|
|
Here is a very practical idea
MAINE’S OWN JOHN HOWE, RETIRED ENGINEER, AND HIS SOLAR POWERED TRACTORS
Wasting acreage, time, effort, equipment and money creating your own biofuels is crazy when the sunlight can directly power your tractor. And certainly don’t expect french fry oil to be free forever!
www.solarcarandtractor.com
Click Here for His Youtube Video
PARTICIPATE IN THE STATE OF MAINE’S CLEAN CAR PROGRAM
When you buy your next car in Maine make sure it is the
cleanest suitable one by looking for this sticker. More details at:
Click Here
WE’RE SEARCHING FOR INSURANCE COMPANIES FOR BATTERY ELECTRIC CARS IN MAINE
Please Contact Us Now!
webmaster@evmaine.org
THE MANY ADVANTAGES OF A BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE
by Bill Drinkwater, EVMaine.org
Click Here
Don’t miss this classic documentary on DVD
Who Killed the Electric Car?
“General Motors had a great little electric car in 2003
that the public loved, but what happened to it?”
Click Here
SEND YOUR MAINE BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE NEWS AND PHOTOS TO US
send them to: webmaster@evmaine.org
GOT A RELATED-SUBJECT WEBSITE? TRADE LINKS WITH US
Copy this
www.EVMaine.org
Affordable, Fun, and Zero Emissions Driving in Maine
Be sure to tell us so we can add your link to our Links page
Webmaster@EVMaine.org
What is EVMaine.org?
We are a free, public service website encouraging the building, conversion, buying, driving and enjoyment of battery electric vehicles in Maine as an affordable, fun and zero pollution lifestyle choice. more...
We’re Green! The EVMaine.org computer is now solar-powered
|
The end of affordable fossil fuels is in sight.
How will YOU cope?
Drive Electric,
and never buy expensive gasoline again
|
|
Top of Page
|
