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

Evaluation of a CSLAB Electric Car
by an
Independent Auto Testing Facility
March 1996
C-1
Appendix C
An evaluation plan was established on January 25, 1996 for an electric
vehicle (CT motor vehicle registration #EV-2) with conventional sealed lead
acid battery (CSLAB), a retrofitted 1995 Geo Metro four-door sedan. The
Connecticut Commuter Electric Vehicle Demonstration Project (CCEVD) panel
endorsed the plan and James M. Sime (JMS) of the Connecticut Department of
Transportation, Division of Research, made final arrangements with an
independent auto testing facility (IATF). The plan calls for the CSLAB car to
be evaluated twice this year. The first evaluation will be described in this
report. The second will be scheduled for warmer weather later this year when
temperatures are above 15.6'C (60'F). Based on experience IATF personnel gain
from their initial evaluation, it is anticipated they may modify subsequent
evaluations.
The car was driven to the testing facility on February 5, 1996 in
temperatures between -18'C (O'F) and -10'C (14'F). The cold-weather
evaluation concluded on February 13, 1996 and the car was driven back to the
Hartford area on February 15, 1996. During this week-long evaluation, various
IATF staff members drove the CSLAB car. The EV evaluation included:
acceleration tests; range tests; weighing the car; and, driver evaluations of
vehicle performance under normal driving conditions, the IATF's standard 48.3
km (30 mile) trip circuit, a 1.6 km (1 mile) urban-trip circuit, and for
commuter trips.
IATF personnel had just completed an evaluation of a 1996 four-door
Geo Metro and did not repeat evaluation elements common to both cars. The
IATF provided this Geo to Mr. Sime for his daily driving needs during the
period IATF evaluated the CSLAB car. The driving experience provided
useful first-hand information to Mr. Sime about the characteristics of an
unmodified Geo.