EV Expo - Saturday May 23, 2009 in Ottawa (some pics posted)

[tasdrouille]

I met with Darin yesterday. We thought it would be fun to have a meet-up with Canadian members and maybe some people from north-eastern states. The EV Expo in Ottawa appeared to be the a good way to kill two birds with one stone.

I will be there. Anyone is planning to attend the expo?

[MetroMPG]

I'm going! I'll post a note in the ForkenSwift thread as well, so anyone subscribed will get the message.

[tasdrouille]

Bump!

OTTAWA and GATINEAU, QC, May 14 /CNW Telbec/ - The Electric Vehicle Council of Ottawa - EVCO, an Association open to all persons interested in electric vehicles, will be holding an electric vehicle display event, "EV Expo" at the Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa on Saturday, May 23rd.
The event will run on Saturday from 10 AM through 4 PM, rain or shine. Come and see all kinds of electric vehicles and meet with persons who know about and are interested in electric vehicles. Find out about attending EVCO monthly meetings, held on the last Monday
of every month at 7:30 PM at the Museum of Science and Technology. Everyone is welcome to attend. Find out about participating in an Electric Vehicle Conversion Course. Learn more about electric vehicles.
For interested radio and TV stations in respect of the above announcement, David French, a director of EVCO or an alternate representative, would be available for an interview on the radio in the week of May 20 to talk about the event and electric vehicles.

For further information: visit our website: Electric Vehicle Council of Ottawa or contact
David J. French, (613) 232-8389

[MetroMPG]

The ForkenSwift has been shined up for the EV EXPO.

Weather forecast looks great, too!

[tasdrouille]

Can't wait to see the ForkenSwift, and many other interesting EVs too! I'll be leaving early from Montreal tomorrow morning.

[MetroMPG]

The ForkenSwift is hitched to the back of my brother's old minivan. See you in Ottawa...

[stevey_frac]

Had i seen this before today, i would have gone. I'd LOVE to see ForkenSwift.

[tasdrouille]

There was not that many participants this year according to Darin. But it was nonetheless a very interesting event. I took some pictures I'll post tomorrow.

I must say that the forkenswift is one clean EV.

It's too bad I left before 4 pm, I would have loved to take it around the block, but that'll be for another day.

[MetroMPG]

I'll admit I was a little disappointed there weren't more "big" vehicles there this year (2 converted cars, one factory EV, and more converted & factory electric bikes & trikes than I counted!), but I still would have brought the car, regardless.

Highlights of the day:

• Enjoyed answering questions and explaining to lots of people why there's a big utility light under the hood: pre-charge resistor for the controller! (Apparently it's actually a conversation starter.)

• I got a chance to "try on" the Go One electric assist velomobile. Wow. Makes me drool. So. Aero.

• At the end of the day I drove a Solectria Force sedan again, this time out on public roads. I am more impressed than ever. All I can say is anyone considering doing a highway capable conversion should also shop for a Force. I've seen them sell for $10-14k, and I hear they've gone for as little as $8k, and "project" Forces have gone for $5-6k. There's just no other way to get as technically advanced an EV for that amount of money. AC drive with regen, 220v charging (3.5 hr recharge time), impressive built-in efficiency: 250 wh/mi (135 mpge) when driven pretty much like a "normal" person.

• Got to meet EM member Sayyad... well, for the 2nd time. Sayyad showed up just after you left, Martin. I had already met him at a previous EV Expo - I remember him asking Ivan and I lots of questions about the car. I eventually put 2+2 together and the light bulb went on (the metaphorical one, not the pre-charge resistor).

• Got to check out both Martin's & Sayyad's diesel Jettas & talked over the mods they've done and the mods on their wish lists.

• Took a classic (20 year old) velomobile trike for a spin. I forget the details, but the guy who owns it knows how to do proper fiberglass work, and my first thought was: oh! Maybe he'll come on EcoModder and tutor us.

• Took Sayyad for a brief spin in the ForkenSwift when the Expo closed.

[MetroMPG]

Oh, almost forgot.

A "holy grail" of the EV world appeared near the end of the day. Alan came walking over carrying what looked like a NiCad battery module. My first thought was, "from a hybrid?"

Nope.

It was an original Ovonics large format NiCad battery from a GM S10 EV - ie the same one that was in the EV1, and the same battery tech that GM sold off to Texaco/Chevron/Cobasys, never to see the light of day again (mwahaha, insert conspiratorial laugh here, if you're so inclined).

You know you're a nerd when you only take 4 pictures during the day, and two are of an old battery.