Wyrtwister

The truck cost me $6k and batteries $3.4k and all the incidentals I really never kept track. I went through a few IGBT moduals and though a few circuit board re-builds maybe another $3K.
A new Chevy Volt charger. Some body work to remove a big ding in the box.

When I get on a project like this I don't quit because that would mean every cent that I have invested to that point is wasted. Not to mention the time!!!

I could have bought a Nissan Leaf for less but I needed a small truck for my work. I really didn't think it was going to take me this long to get it operational. Although I think I have beat the leaf with performance!!

Would I do it again?? HMM with the experience I have now, it gets you thinking. I know where there is one sitting in a field. It is a really nice little truck. Hmm a little truck or infact a larger with Tesla stuff. Oh but Tesla has said they maybe manufacturing a pick-up truck in 2020. It may take me longer!!!???

The batteries don't warm much in operation or in charging and I'm drawing current from two packs so even less energy wasted in heat. The problem is charging cold batteries for the Chevy Volt Lithium maganese chemistry is a huge deal. The batteries are NEVER to be charged below 0 Deg.C. So the remedy is warming with circulating heated coolant through the cells before starting the charge. Its simple enough, just like an old block heater.!!

At this moment I don't have that equipment connected but it was in the plan and all the pieces are there. I just didn't want to deal with all that slippery antifreeze mess incase I needed to pull it all apart.

There is a lot of expert advice out there about the battery degradation for so many reasons. I don't pay any attention to that unless is credible first hand knowledge. There are a lot of individuals out there just typing themselves smart!!!

Randen

Our Leaf was a 2012 with about 34000 miles . Battery degrading had dropper 2 or 3 steps , so it is a real thing with a Leaf , especially in southern / hot climates .

I read the GM batteries , being liquid cooled , in stead of air cooled , suffer from battery degrading , to a much smaller extent .

As far as heat , depending on the charge rate , you may see more heat while charging , than driving . Especially if you are light footed .

So , you may wish to think about restoring the liquid battery management , at some point in time .

I think the Volt did heat the liquid in the winter , to get better battery performance .

Best of luck . :-) Please keep us informed .

God bless
Wyr

A little more information. I went to the scrapyard yesterday and had the truck weighed out.
The original weight with the Lead acid battery pack was 4230 Lbs. The trucks curb weight now is 3880 Lbs.

So an increase in payload envelope of 450 Lbs. by getting the lead out. The ride of course is a little firmer but nice and the handling quite nice with a better distribution of weight. The front of the truck doesn't bob and weave with that cast iron between the front wheels.

One bad behaviour of the truck is being front wheel drive with no active torque balancing transaxle "torque steer" With all that torque available on the over exuberant application of accelerator peddle one front tire will decide who will slip and the other make traction resulting in the truck pulling slightly one way or the other. And of course with the classic tire squeal.

It is noted the original control had derated the out-put from the inverter which would have moderated the acceleration and more to not stress the lead acid pack.

I should limit that output as well to not get into any trouble. It is nice to show that the little electric truck is not what you would expect.!

Randen

Dang it now I'm almost jealous. I want an electric truck with about a 150 mile range. Yours is so close...

Its been 3 weeks and I've been driving the wheels off the truck. Its performing so well. Its made many trips to my customers dropping the work off. Many errands made to pick up materials and trips to the scrap yard with all the machine turnings.

I had made a trip to the airport and its about a 50 min. ride. Cruising there at highway speeds so smooth and quiet. The acceleration is so brisk and the handling with the lower centre of gravity, making it so nice to drive. I'm thinking to myself "what was GM thinking crushing this technology?"

Gotta get those solar panels up!!!

Randen

Very cool project.
What is your range?

An easy 100 miles at highway speeds. Pluging the truck in after every day of use, recharging so its always full is really great. With my ICE truck it seamed always needing to stop at the gasoline station and spend 5-10 mins. there loading with gas. What a pain!!

The truck is going to a car show this weekend as it very unique being a OEM electric truck which is 20 Years Old!!! It still looks all original as all the new circuits are within the OEM housings.


Randen

They had no choice: it was an experiment, and the whole ev program became a political lightning rod. Watch "Who killed the electric car", that movie explains it pretty well. The cars themselves were splendid, as is the S-10 you have. When the "test driver" surveys started coming back roses and rainbows, the powers that be took notice and began slashing and burning.

That's why I drive a Saturn S-series. GM had to do something with the EV-1 chassis, so they built the original SL/SC cars. They are the original GM hybrid: they burn gas and oil!
http://insideevs.com/wp-content/uplo.../04/gm-ev1.jpg
The EV-1
http://images.nadaguides.com/Models/...SC3dr-Base.jpg
2000 SC
http://reganmotors.com/uimages/vehic...2041-2123.jpeg
1998 SC

I have had 4 of them, and the one I own now is the only one that ever let me down. I bought it knowing the engine was somewhat weak though. It drove just fine for a year doing highway commute duty, then when I switched to local stop-and-go driving, it developed a head gasket leak. Turns out the previous owner tried being a mechanic, and cracked a piston crown putting the engine back together. The stoplights and rapid heat cycling eventually turned the crack into a chip. So, not the car's fault.

To get the car back on the road quick, I found a junkyard motor locally for $400 and did a motor swap. I haven't done an autopsy on the bottom end yet, but from above it looks like previous owner tried a quickie cylinder hone and maybe re-ring. Head looks great, and I expect the bottom end to be similar. However, having the block bored and all the associated parts needed to renew the engine will definitely cost more than $400, so I might not mess with it.

The car is already saving me 10 miles per dollar of gas over the C1500 I've been driving while the Saturn was down. It really feels good not to have to stop and fill up every day! I wish I could find an S10 EV, I would drive that sucker every day, and never stop at a gas station with it!

Jeff5may

Yep seen "Who Killed The Electric Car" and the sequel "The Revenge of the Electric Car" and I'm well aware of all the conspiracy angles. But you would think a large corporation such as GM with all their highest paid, best educated with the greatest minds in business gathered around the board room table would maybe think "hey we might be on to something" only to claim bankruptcy a few years latter.

Randen

Fellow Ecorenovators

The EV grin is firmly affixed. The truck is operating very well. The warm weather is here and the car show season has begun. The truck made its first appearance to a large show and the common response was "I didn't know Chevy ever made an electric truck" and then the usual questions:"how far, how long to charge, How much to operate"

Yet is to finish and connect the solar pergola, Too many projects.!

Saving lots of bucks even though. Gasoline here in Canada still quite pricey at about $4.00/USGAL

Randen