In November 2007 the idea of ‘recycling’ an aging work vehicle was floated by John Townshend. Was there a way for Texco to not only reduce fuel emissions and introduce an alternative energy?
The idea of an Electric Vehicle (EV) is not new. Small scale conversions have been happening for many years around the world in home garages, and even full scale commercial production has created high end vehicles such as the Tesla (see www.teslamotors.com). The use of the technology is still rare in New Zealand. With Texco’s advantage of a full workshop and skilled staff the opportunity to move beyond the small ‘backyard’ project was an exciting prospect.
The first step involved researching the feasibility of such a project. Would the time, energy and money involved justify the end product? Would it be possible to modify an existing vehicle to create something simple, reliable, of high quality and value, and able to have an appropriate speed and range before needing to be recharged?
Considerations included:
- The kilometre range of the vehicle before recharging - this is directly related to the number and size of the batteries on board.
- The type of battery to use - perhaps the hardest decision of all. The choice included considering price against battery type / maintenance required / weight / available space / charger type.
- Type of vehicle to convert. A ute was chosen so that batteries could be fit under the tray of the ute, thus avoiding filling the vehicle with batteries and reducing its available space for other items. The particular vehicle chosen had a sister vehicle, also with around 200,000km on the odometer. This would allow for valuable comparisons to be made as the performance of the EV was assessed post conversion.
- Staff. The Texco workshop, led by Roger Hay, is constantly developing and rebuilding its own machinery (see B80 story), therefore considering an EV conversion was well within their capabilities.
In March 2008, the decision was made to proceed. The donor vehicle was removed from service, and disassembly begun. The Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) was discarded, the body removed, and the vehicle given a thorough inspection to ensure all running gear was in good order ready for another 200,000km (and beyond).
The electric motor, imported from the USA, was fitted, along with 24 6volt batteries. There was considerable electrical work required, most of which was done in-house. The dash board required new dials, and the heater needed converting from water to electricity. The braking system required a vacuum pump.
Installing electric motor, imported from America.
Perspex lift up tray at back holding electrics, with electric motor situated underneath. 3 batteries housed in perspex box at front with 3 more located directly underneath.
Converting ute tray to lift up, ready for battery placement underneath.
Battery boxes fitted under ute tray.
Batteries in place.
Heavy rubber mat placed over batteries, to ensure no movement or arcing of the batteries in the event of an accident.
Late June saw the first turn of the key. From there it was a journey through the considerable paperwork and testing required, in order to get certification - with VTNZ certification, Electrical Vehicle Certification, a Warrant Of Fitness, Registration and Road User Charges.
An Electric Vehicle requires some safety modifications not normally considered for a car...
1. A reverse beeper - EVs are so quiet pedestrians often don't realise they are moving.
2. Clear labelling - so emergency services know to approach with the right equipment.
3. In the event of an emergency a large panic switch is fitted between the seats. This immediately disables the entire traction battery pack.
The EV has now been put back into the fleet, and is used every day. Feedback from staff has been very positive and plans are already unfolding for further conversion projects
