Electric vehicle

[Todd Knighton]

> I can speak from experience with electric vehicles.  I was the
> electrical man for TWO solar electric vehicles for Mankato State Univ,
> in MN for Sunrayce '93 and Sunrayce '95 respectively.  Battery
> technology sucks.  So does Solar power.

	Yes, the best electric holding cells I've seen hold about 10% less
energy per unit mass than fuel. 

> Sure electric is very clean, but
> performance is terrible.

	Well, let's work on that.

> In each instance follow the path that the power has to change states.
> Remember NOTHING is 100% efficient.  Even if the motor and generator
> were made form superconducting wire, there is resistance from the
> contact points and very very very small ohmic resistance in the wire.
> Even just using a belt or chain drive loses about 1-5% due to friction
> in the chain or belt.  We will eventually have to use someithing other
> than fossil fuels, but the technology has to come a long way.  We still
> have a lot to do with gas engines.  With all the refinements made to
> engines we only get about twice the gas mileage as compared to a Model A
> FORD.

	That's why the wheel hub Idea.  No frictional losses.  Kind of like the
mag lev trains.  where are those things getting their power from, the
tracks or the train?

> 
> I don' mean at all to shoot your idea down, I think it is great that
> someone else is interested in doing something innovative, these are just
> some of my experiences and the hurdles to overcome.
> 
> Any other thoughts??     -Ryan

	Unfortuately this is the path the government is going to force us to
take.  Regardless of what we think.  They've already implemented all the
zero emmissions laws and are trending that way.  So rather than fight
like we usually do,  let's beat them to they're act and blow they're
doors off with something that WILL COMPLY as well as be as fun and
powerful as some of the stuff we're playing with now.

Todd Knighton
Protomotive Engineering