My New Electric Vehicle
Copyright 2000 Bob Wing  March 1, 2000
Non-profit Editors may copy

I have missed having an EV. I sold my electric '59 MGA Roadster just over a year ago after daily use for 27 years. In my search for a replacement EV, I found one with a sticker on the windshield that read "Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price $49,105, with no extra charge for electric motor and nickel metal hydride battery pack, $5k Air Quality Management District discount, destination and delivery total $44,810." But then it continued with  "incentive discount $30,000, with a total MSRP $14,810." I don't ever expect to see a discount like that again.

Ford no longer sells the Ranger EV but was instead was leasing these Rangers last year for $399/month. On Christmas day I saw on the internet EV discussion list that the Senator Ford Dealership in Sacramento, California, was leasing for 3 years the Ranger EV pickups for $199/month with the NiMH batteries provided free. Two hundred Ranger EVs were available in California but most went to non-profits and government agencies. After these 200 EVs are gone, the lease will be $1300/month. This new price no doubt reflects the added cost the $30,000 NiMH battery pack. There is no remainder value to me after the 3 years but I appreciate that I will have only routine maintenance to do.

My Ranger was delivered to me by flat bed truck on Feb 16 , 2000. My nearest dealer, Hansel Ford in Santa Rosa, has two mechanics trained in EVs, one who will come to the rescue if the electromotive system fails. If the Ranger cannot be repaired on site they will have an EV or gas car for me to use temporarily.

Charging can be a problem for me when I go over the hill to US Hwy. 101, as useful range is about 60 miles, just about the distance of my round trip with no side stops. There are over 250 free public charging stations in Sacramento County, thanks to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. There are also free charging station to the San Francisco Bay area but mainly on the east side to San Jose and then north to San Francisco. 

In Marin and southern Sonoma Counties there are few free public conductive AVCON stations. There is one in Petaluma and another in Novato. Several more are available for the GM EV1, which uses the inductive paddle.

The most helpful charging support would be 2 AVCON's, in addition to the already installed 2 inductive units at the Larkspur Landing Ferry Terminal parking lot for ferries to San Francisco. The charging time is 3-6 hours, depending on the discharge level -- but only for inductive now. It is ridiculous that US EV vehicle manufactures cannot get together and have a common plug-in charge system. After all, people have been plugging in conductive cords for 100 years now.

Instead of hard-wiring the EV Power Pack AVCON connecting box to the electric breaker panel, I use a stove plug 14-50 and carry the box with me to an RV park, or to EV friends with similar receptacles. I have had as many as 4 EV friends charging their cars at one time at the 240 VAC, 30 A breaker at my house. Ford recommends a 40 A breaker but 15 years ago, when I built my garage, I used underground conduit for a 30 A breaker. The 30 A breaker does not even get warm and I hope this electric supply setup lasts.

The fuel gauge in the EV is about as accurate as one in an ICE car-- do not depend on the low end reading. The best idea is to set the trip distance to zero after every charge and avoid driving more that 60 miles. 

The Ranger EV motor is 67 kW (90 hp), with swing shafts at each end driving
the two rear wheels; torque 140 ft/lbs. Use of the heater or air conditioning reduces range up to 15%. There is a radiator in the usual place to cool running temperatures of electrical components and the electric drive motor.

Here are some performance statistics and vehicle specifications from the US Dept. of Energy test of a 1999 Ford Ranger qualifying that this vehicle met all the EV America minimum performance goals:

Acceleration 0-50 mph
At 100% SOC 10.3 sec
At 50% SOC 11.2 sec
Max. Power 84.13 kW
Performance Goal 13.5 sec at %50 SOC

Maximum Speed at 50% SOC
At 1/4 mile 62.1 mph
At 1 mile 74.6 mph Ford has the speed pegged at 75 mph

Constant speed Range @ 45 mph
Range 115.0 miles
Energy used 27.81 kWh
Average power 10.94 kWh 
Efficiency 242 Wh/mile
Specific Energy 57.3 Wh/kg

Constant Speed Range @ 60 mph
Range 74.2 miles
Energy used 28.63 kWh
Average Power 21.52 kW
Efficiency 362 Wh/mile
Specific Energy 55.3 Whr/kg

Grade-ability
Maximum Speed @ 3% 67.4 mph
Maximum Speed @ 6% 58.9 mph
Maximum grade 39.9 %

Charger
AVCON inlet Connector in front near right headlight, input 187-260 VAC
Max. DC Charge Current 13.57 A
Maximum AC Charge Current 24.96 A
Time to recharge 8 hrs. 13 min 
The performance goal was 8 hrs., only test goal where the Ford Ranger failed.
Energy cost with Pacific Gas and Electric Co. at 485 Wh-AC/mile = 6.94 cents/mile

Battery pack located under the body
Panasonic Nickel Metal Hydride, 25 modules weighing 18.54 kg each, 12 V each, 
total system 300 V, capacity at C/3 rate 95 Ah. Located under the body.

Weights
Curb weight delivered 4196 lbs.
Distribution F/R 5l-49%
GVWR 5350 lbs.
Payload 1154 lbs.
Performance Goal 600 lbs.

In the rural area of National and State Parks where we live, it is great to drive to the Pacific Ocean in my new EV to watch the surf in a storm, see the elephant seals on the beach, and watch the whales go by offshore. The hills are now green, dairy cattle are in the fields, moose and deer feeding, lots of different birds, and on occasion I have seen bobcats and mountain lions.

The hills go up to 1000 feet or more so the regen braking is helpful and feeds power back to the batteries and saves brakes. There is no transmission but the selection on the "gear shift lever" provides park, neutral, and drive at freeway speeds plus an economy position to extend range with lower acceleration and provide more regenerative braking for driving under 55 mph.

Ray Roy, Fleet Sales Manager, Sacramento, was very helpful in taking my
order and making arrangements for delivery, all entirely by phone.

We now again have two EVs in west Marin County -- my EV Ranger and Jerry Hudgins GM EV1.