…this should have been posted back in mid-November when it actually happened, but who wants to sit at a computer when you could be playing with your new toy – before it gets cold out.

Almost exactly 18 months after it went up on jackstands, the electrified MR2 was run around the block and then some. It would have been nice if, in my haste, an improperly placed jack stand didn’t crack some of the plastic side skirting but at least it’s only visible from the underside.

At first it was a dog and I couldn’t figure out why until I flipped the low power switch off, then it scooted away nicely. I think it’s as quick as stock but it’s hard to tell as I haven’t timed it and accelerating feels different, more of a steady push in the back than quick rushes. It got to 45 in about a suburban block. It’s down while I attend to a few old car issues to make it inspection ready but I’ll have better numbers in a few weeks.

More technical information can be found on the EVAlbum here but a quick summary follows: It uses a Siemens 100kW AC motor and 264V of AGM batteries (that’s all I could fit within weight and packaging parameters) and transfers power through the stock transmission kept in 2nd gear. Ceramic heater and on-board Brusa charger. On paper it should have a 40 mile range but I need to spend a few weeks breaking in the batteries, tweaking the alignment, adding an undertray, adjusting driving style and regen, etc before I find out if that number’s realistic. The estimate is based on the high end of the 180-250 Wh/mi energy consumption number taken from others using a similar inverter/motor and vehicle size. Kokam LiPo battery donations kindly accepted!

I’m very happy that I can now cover reasonable distances without using oil. I ride my bike most places but now I can run longer distance errands while passing by the gas stations.

More pictures, movies and driving impressions to follow.

One of the highlights of my three weeks spent in India was visiting Dr. Sudarshan Maini, founder of the Maini Group that produces the Reva electric car. His residence is a few floors above the Reva showroom in Bangalore. The showroom area was under renovation but there were several models, including the new i, outside to examine. More about the Reva in another post…

As I walked into his meeting room, my first impression was how gracious and welcoming Dr. Maini was. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I immediately felt at ease. The following 20 minutes was filled with EV talk and the future of the business both for Reva and myself. Some interesting points were:

-No indigenous EV-suitable advanced battery technology on the horizon.
-They have built a supplier network and all the major components are now indigenously sourced.
-They’re tooling up a factory capable of 30,000 units/yr, but not the current model. My guess is that they are manufacturing for Tata who has announced an EV for foreign (European mostly) markets in the next few years.

I asked about building an electric autorickshaw to replace the smoky and noisy gas powered units that belch their way all around India but he mentioned their reticence at entering a market that an industrial power like Bajaj totally dominates. I had to admit some disappointment that such a huge opportunity couldn’t be taken advantage of in order to avoid political ramifications. The same story seems to play out everywhere. Disruptive technology in an industry as capital intensive as automobiles is not welcomed.