Hi gang, that's my car. I planned on doing a write up over here on the car once I got it a little further along (likely after the race when things slow down a bit), but it seems my popularity on Jalopnik might force me to spill the beans a bit sooner.
To respond to some comments above...
- Yes, the price on the S10 electric stuff was so cheap I couldn't say no. I paid $800 for the motor, inverter, and a few more bits and pieces to get freighted to me in Portland from Michigan. Anybody who fools with electric stuff knows that $800 for an 85 kw AC motor and an inverter this advanced is a screamin' deal.
- I haven't road tested it yet, but I'm almost done with the controls and I think things are going ok. The motor has a few sensors that are straight forward, it uses an electronic throttle that is common with other GMs from the same era (pickups, corvette, etc.), and there is some cross-talk with other modules. I've got it functional, as you see in the video, and have been able to fake out enough signals to make things work. It's not rocket science, just takes some patience reading through the service manual and attacking one problem at a time.
- The $2009 challenge does NOT have a claim rule. The competitors are required to have thorough documentation of their build budget, and everybody is very cool about competing in the spirit of the event. There isn't really any prize money to speak of, it's just a fun design challenge, so there's no point in cheating. The reason there isn't any claim rule is because most cars have cubic hours put into them...when you can't spend money on fancy parts, a heck of a lot of time will usually make up for it. Fortunately, the $2009 price doesn't include time, but most guys can sell their cars for more than $2000 after the race because they've put so much work into them and they look and drive great.
- I am building this car specifically for the $2009 challenge, but that doesn't mean I won't have FE improvements as a side benefit. I can add another Prius pack (which I already have) and have just about enough range to drive to work and back. I can also drive to the race track without starting the gas engine. To be fair, I'm pretty close to both locations! I will essentially be able to operate the car as either an EV/gas/hybrid as I choose. It's sort of like a super cheap extended range hybrid like the Volt, the way I see it. I can run in electric only mode for short trips without ever starting the gas engine, even if I hit the highway. If I want to drive to California, I can (and will) use the same car. If I need more POWAH! I can use both powertrains at the same time.
Bryce