Evaluation of Electric Vehicles as an Alternative for Work Trip and ...

1998 PostATdS
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Electric Commuter Vehicle Evaluation in Connecticut
Last updated March 11, 1999
Following the 1998 American Tour de Sol (ATdS), CT:EV-1 resumed service in daily
commuting and for work trips.
Daily data acquisition resumed in accordance with project requirements.
Fifty cycles were completed by the first week of July, 1998. A pattern was developing
in the battery management system data that indicated the voltage in battery #4 was
consistently low. On July 5, 1998 data from cycles #45-50 were sent via Email to
Neocon Technologies for their analysis.
On July 20, 1998 the two spare Electrosource 85 Amp-Hr batteries were delivered to
Neocon Technologies for testing. Testing will determine which of the 15-month-old
spare batteries is the better one to replace battery #4 in CT:EV-1.
Cycle #74 was reached on August 18, 1998. The car was operated daily during this
period. However, that evening the charger malfunctioned and the battery pack was
not recharged. Plans were made to install a new K&W charger and replace battery #4
at the same time.
By August 25, 1998 the K&W charger had been removed from the car and shipped to
Neocon Technologies for troubleshooting. Neocon Technologies shipped a temporary
replacement Solectria 3 kW charger.
On August 29, 1998 CT:EV-1 was driven 23 miles after charging on the Solectria 3
kW charger. The voltage level in battery #4 collapsed to 9.8 Volts at about ten (10)
miles into the drive, while the rest of the battery pack (12 other batteries) operated
normally throughout the drive at between 12 and 11.6 Volts. An "E-6" error message
registered on the driver display due to the low voltage level of battery #4.
On August 29, 1998, daily driving was suspended until all repairs (install a new
K&W charger and replace battery #4) are completed.
On October 29, 1998, a new K&W charger was installed. On October 30, 1998 a
replacement for battery #4 was installed. The replacement battery is one of two spare
batteries purchased eighteen months earlier and held in storage.
Daily service and data collection resumed on November 1, 1998 with five short (12to
24-mile) drives between recharges intended to bring the battery back up gently to
higher capacity usage levels.
From November 1 to 27, 1998 the car was driven on 25 days for a total of 685 miles.
Distances driven between recharges ranged from 12 to 41 miles. Two-thirds of the
drives (18) ranged between 20 and 35 miles between recharges. The four highest
distances driven were 35, 38, 40, and 41 miles. The three shortest drives were 12, 16,
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