VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1916-1922 - Model 490 Electric Powered Chevy 490 !!!!!!

HEY GUYS ...It's me again, ...Dr. Brandon. Have been away from the forum for 2 months. Thought I would share this with you guys. As we know, Chevrolet is celebrating their 100th anniversary. Working along with Chevrolet, CANEV (Canadian Electric Vehicles) and support from a few other environmental groups I am taking my Chevy 490 in a slightly different direction. The Chevy 490 was introduced when automotive technology was in it's infancy, ...a pioneering era. Again we find ourselves in another pioneering era with the introduction and development of new technologies in alternative power sources, ...too many to get into here. What I noticed from joining this forum is,...all you 490 guys are true environmentalists ? Why you say ? Well, when it comes to the 2 words "recycle and reuse" this is exactly what you are doing with your vehicles ! It is the ultimate expression of recycling and reuse when you can take an early 490 near-100 year young vehicle and bring it back to life ! I think you know what I mean. So take a look at my new website (link below) and browse around. check out the gallery pages, 3 pages so far and growing. We are taking a Chevy 490 and converting to electric power using an advanced HPEV AC35 electric motor. Power source is 32 Lithium Ion cells each providing 100AmpHr - weight 250 pounds total. The car will appear totally stock. Every new component is hidden to the outside viewer. The AC35 motor is a newer AC current motor providing 52 HP and 100 lb-ft of torque. This will provide the car with same performance characteristics as the original gas engine. The motor is 12 inches long and 9 inches in diameter and weighs 86 pounds. The 32 Lithium Ion cells will give the car a range of 60-80 miles between charges. The engine will also provide regenerative power to the cells while braking or when traveling down a grade. It is truly a zero emmisions car. The 32 Lithium cells will be charged, balanced, and maintained using 2 onboard computers and 2 solar panels mounted remotely outside my shop. The car can also be charged from any 110V standard outlet when away from the solar panels. The original 6 volt system has been upgraded to 12V. The car also now has installed 12V headlights, tail lights and also brake and turn signals (using the hidden turn signal switch and hidden brake light switch). THE CAR IS ALSO PAINTED GREEN because this is what she is now. This 490 is a marriage between two pioneering eras. She will be touring the national show circuit this summer. All you 490 guys should be celebrated and recognized for your own innovative spirit in recycling these near-100 year old vehicles. It is not for the faint of heart.
Here is the site. Let me know what you think, ...Dr. B
http://www.wix.com/1916chevy/conversion

But what supplies the chugga-chugga-putt-putt. These old Chevies gotta have that part! Whirrrrrr just doesn't sound right!

If someone could provide a recording of the 490 Putt-Putt-Putt engine sound I can play it while driving ! AC35 has virtually no sound ! The onboard computer hard drive does make a little whirring sound though ??? Dr. B

Maybe a playing card in the spokes????

The 1-1/8" round output shaft of the AC35 motor is directly coupled to the the 1-1/8" square shaft of the 490's transmission with a heavyduty custom machined LOVEJOY style coupler. There is a flex joint in the center of the coupler to provide some flexion.

The clutch is not used. The cars transmission is left in 3rd gear all the time. The AC35 provides enough torque so that 1st and 2nd gear are not neccessary. The car can be driven in any gear (1st, 2nd, 3rd, or reverse) however the motor must not be turning. Reversing the car is accomplished by reversing the polarity on the AC35 motor with a small switch. DC motors can not do this. There is the equivalent of an electric "gas" pedal mounted on the floor to provide variable voltage to the motor and therefore provide traction force to the transmission and wheels. The Lithium cells are all connected in series and provide roughly 100 volts and high amperage DC current. A controller/inverter converts the DC current to AC current for the motor. The cars 12 volt lighting circuit is separate from the high voltage circuit and the negative return path is through the chassis frame. The high voltage negative return path is not through the chassis (this would be deadly), ...has it's own heavy gauge wired return path.

I kinda don't want to know but curiosity has the best of me. How much does that type of conversion cost? Sure seems like a neat thing to me. Of course there were electric powered vehicles being produced in 1918 so it is not a novel idea.

As always with electric vehicles-----very limited in range.

And an electric powered vehicle still needs an external power source to provide the power to run the battery charger.Whether it be power from a coal fired power station,nuclear power station or solar power,electric cars will always be tied to an external power source,some of it highly pollutive,far more than the pollution produced by our old cars which are driven fewer miles these days.

The range of the 490 is most likely 140-180 miles. Back in the day the mileage would be closer to the 140 or perhaps lower with the rough roads and today's mileage closer to the 180.
I can only speak for myself when I say it is about the history surrounding these old early automobiles, preserving, maintaining and enjoying the history that comes with owning such a vehicle and nothing to do with recycling & reuse. Of course recycling & reuse is an important part of my modern day life. Just this person's view.

Cheers,
Gary

The AC 490 will be charged using 2 solar panels. The car will not have to rely on power grid re Hydro, coal, gas, Nuclear, etc.
Range is calculated at 60 - 70 miles with 32 100AmpHr cells.
Will be using the car daily in the fair weather months.
As always, the batteries are the weakest link in any electric vehicle.

But some sort of external energy source would have had to have been used to produce both the batteries and the solar cells.

With approx. 28 litres in the gas tank and a use of 1,2 - 1,3 litres per 10 kilometres it should reach more than 200 kilometres before the tank is dry. I have not checked it that closely, but feel it is near to the right.

Take a 20 liter can of gas along on your ride to find out....