Upgrading Demonstration Vehicle Task Report

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Upgrading Demonstration Vehicle Task Report

J. Bryant / K. Hardy / R. Livingston / J. Sandberg

The Upgraded Demonstration Vehicles Task investigated vehicle/battery performance capabilities and interface problems that occurred when upgraded developmental batteries were integrated with upgraded versions of commercially available electric vehicles. Vehicles used in the testing programs were the Jet Industries Electra Van 600, the Electric Vehicle Associates Change-of-Pace Wagon, the Battronic Truck Corporation Volta Pickup, and the South Coast Technology R-1 Electric. Developmental batteries used included nickel-zinc batteries from Energy Research Corp. and Yardney Electric Corp., a nickel-iron battery from Westinghouse Electric Corp., and an improved lead-acid battery from Globe-Union, Inc. Testing of the electric vehicles and upgraded batteries was performed in the complete vehicle system environment to characterize performance and identify problems unique to the vehicle/battery system. Constant speed tests and SAE J227a driving schedule range tests were performed on a chassis dynamometer. The results from these tests of the upgraded batteries and vehicles were compared to performance capabilities for the same vehicles equipped with standard batteries. Conclusions from the upgrade testing were that the developmental maturity of the vehicles and batteries was insufficient to merit deploying up to 200 upgraded vehicles for a technology demonstration program. A recommendation was made to defer the demonstration and extend the research activities. (ERA citation 07:057289)