Lithium Ion El - Progress!

Own the fantastic City El trike ?
This is an area for you to hang out in.
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aminorjourney
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Postby aminorjourney » Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:07 pm

It really is unrecognisable as the car I had before.

There's a limit on the controller for the car itself which is stopping me from going above about 42mph - a switch on the field windings would solve that - but the car accelerates much better and can sustain a 30 to 40 mph cruising speed. I can even climb a hill outside our local supermarket laden with my own weight in shopping at 25-30 mph rather than 10 mph as it was previously.

In fact, my local Supermarket is quickly becoming a fun place in the City El. It's very difficult to actually move without wheel spinning as there is very little traction on the car park tarmac.

Although, I think we were the first supermarket in the UK to have two city els parked there while two different people went shopping! John happened to drop by to do his local shop as I was there doing mine! People certainly got a shock seeing not just one, but two of these little beasties!
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield

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anachrocomputer
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Postby anachrocomputer » Wed Jul 11, 2007 12:27 pm

Clearly, all the best EV drivers go shopping on a Tuesday evening! I think you had reached maximum shopping-carrying capacity, though! And it still got up the hill by HP at 25-30MPH? That's a big improvement.

Thinking about it, another factor in the wheel-spinning is the lower weight on the driving wheels, now that you have lighter batteries. You'll have to think of all that shopping as ballast...
1994 Suzuki Cappuccino
1992 Mini-El electric bubblecar

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pyoorkate
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Postby pyoorkate » Wed Jul 11, 2007 9:04 pm

Careful now Nikki, or you'll have to post Leaves on the road as a reason for being late to meetings ;-)

It does sound like it's made a big improvement to the car though.
Kate E

1969 Morris Minor - awaiting LHD conversion
1995 MZ ETZ 251 in bits
1996 Kanuni ETZ 251
1972 (built '71) Vauxhall Viva

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qdos
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Postby qdos » Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:27 am

Ahh the joys of being lightweight. Now you know why the Zest has skinny tyres. Of course you could try some even smaller ones on your El or try inflating them a bit more so the pressure on the contact point with the ground is higher.

Hey just think come the winter you can have great fun doing pirouettes just like the deleted scene in the original Italian Job. Hey now there's an idea for a video :lol:

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aminorjourney
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Postby aminorjourney » Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:35 am

Well, I'm already wheel spinning my rubber off when it's wet! :shock:

And Kate, I'm NEVER late :)
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield

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http://about.me/aminorjourney/bio

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ChrisB
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Postby ChrisB » Sat Jul 14, 2007 8:36 am

Only just caught up with this thread Nikki

Nice work there and by the sounds of it its made the El a REAL useable vehicle 8)

Nice bit of wiring as well, didnt realise the BMS's cost that much mind you :cry: I was at the very first meeting when Dennis first discussed the whole Li-ion thing and they where just a idea. Its good to see the production unit now mind you.

One thing I have to ask is now all that weight has gone I see you are having slight grip issues in the wet but would you say the El is more or less stable than with the LA's or about the same but just less rear end grip ??

ChrisB
I reject reality and substitute my own !!!!!!

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aminorjourney
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Postby aminorjourney » Sat Jul 14, 2007 9:15 pm

Hi Chris,

The rear is more twitchy, but the car just feels much nicer on the road. I have to go around corners slower - but the acceleration and handling just feels so much better. I think I'm not the centre of gravity rather than the 100KGs of batteries behind me!
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield

EVangelist and Media Relations Coordinator, www.ZeroCarbonWorld.org
Host, www.transportevolved.com

http://about.me/aminorjourney/bio


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