Members of Rivian Owners Club Northeast to Bring Their Vehicles to Bridgeport on Saturday
The EV startup Rivian, manufacturer of the R1T pickup truck and R1S EUV (along with an electric delivery van for Amazon), will be holding a meetup and showcase on Saturday, May 14th in Bridgeport at the Brewport Brewing Company (225 South Frontage Road). There should be a half dozen or so Rivian vehicles. The meeting time is 11 AM – 1 PM.
While Rivian has had its challenges with its production startup, it has been delivering vehicles. Some of the early reservation holders have been waiting for 3 years. Now they have them, and early reports are that they are thrilled with them.
Here is a chance to take a look and ask questions. At least one of them will have his camping tent set up.
Love Your Gas Car But Hate Emissions? Time for an EV Conversion
By Analiese Mione
But I love my car. I have heard that refrain so many times when speaking to everyday people about driving electric. Now you can keep the car you love and nix the emissions and costly maintenance with an ICE to EV conversion.
ICE to EV Conversions
Appearing right to left are Jonathan Untied, co-founder, President and Chief Software Engineer; co-founder, Lead Electrical Engineer Dennis Manning, and co-founder, Lead Mechanical Engineer Joe Monasky.
This is neither a simple nor inexpensive operation, at least not yet. A visit to Inductive Autoworks in Tolland, CT to attend a VIP tour of their new EV conversion facility provided a wide eyed, in depth look at what’s involved. Dive into the video below for a quick overview and read more below about how Inductive Autoworks is bringing EV technology into the mainstream.
Appearing right to left in the video below are Jonathan Untied, co-founder, President and Chief Software Engineer; co-founder, Lead Electrical Engineer Dennis Manning, and co-founder, Lead Mechanical Engineer Joe Monasky.
Strip Out the Engine
Step 1 is to remove the gas engine, gas tank and clutch, if it has one. Inductive Autoworks’ triumvirate of founding engineers said this is the easy part and their shop does it fairly quickly.
Put in a Motor, Battery and other EV Conversion Components
Electric motor and controller/inverter on cart
Inductive Autoworks Exploded Electric Vehicle display
Niro EV Battery Pack at Inductive Autoworks
Step 2, better yet phase 2, is to add all the EV components and connect them. EV conversions are custom engineered, take time and cost more than you’d think. Think of all the parts of an EV that don’t exist in an ICE vehicle. All these need to be added including an electric motor, battery to charge the motor, on board charger, charging port, and battery management system. Learn more about batteries and other EV conversion components, and how to get them talking to one another, in the photos above and videos below.
Want to take a deeper dive into all the critical EV parts and how the Inductive Autoworks team collaborates to design, create and install them so you can drive your favorite car as an EV? Watch the beginning of the video below from fellow EV Club of CT member Paul Braren who attended their pm open house. Watch the whole video to visit each display station including the CNC and converted EV.
But for the classic car lover in particular, conversions are THE solution to keeping the car running in an environmentally friendly way. For the ROI types among us, factor into your spreadsheet the cost savings from not maintaining a combustion engine (who loves ordering rare and expensive parts from Germany?), switching to electric vs gas (50%+savings), and the priceless improvement in performance. We do want to see your analysis! For now, there is no word on whether CHEAPR incentives will apply to conversions.
Building an EV Conversion Brain Trust
Wondering about car insurance for a conversion? We are too, so more on that coming soon, but rest assured Inductive has registered and insured converted vehicles like the Mazda RX-8 below. Each time Inductive does a custom conversion for a particular ICE make and model, like the Mazda RX-8, the design and fabrication specs gets stored in a module they can reuse to convert another vehicle at a much lower cost.
Mazda RX-8 Custom EV Conversion by Inductive Autoworks
Custom Machined Parts
Custom parts are designed on a computer and fabricated in house on the CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine, thereby ensuring accuracy and consistency while ruling out human inefficiency and error. The next time they have to machine the same part, they call up the design and reuse it at marginal expense to the customer.
The CNC machine at Inductive Autoworks used to design and machine parts for custom EV conversions.
Inductive Autoworks created a custom adapter (protype shown) to allow them to mount an electric motor to an OEM transfer case.
Watch the video below to learn about their protyping, testing at the test bench, get a closeup of the Mazda RX-8 conversion and test Leaf used to evaluate how they can swap out spent batteries for new ones. The tricky part is getting the car to accept the new part, and that’s a software problem. Good thing they have a software engineer on the team.
Driving the Evolution to EVs
The team is also working towards offering kit conversions for DIYers, but this is an evolution. If you’re looking to get a new battery for your spent 2012 Nissan Leaf for example, reach out because battery replacements are part of the evolving EV ecosystem they’re building. And yes, old batteries will be used for stationary storage.
Interested in an EV conversion or other EV services? Reach out to Inductive Autoworks at inquiry@inductiveauto.com or +1 860-222-0915 and let them know the EV Club of CT sent you.
Route 7 EV Corridor Designation
Route 7 is now an EV Corridor as officially designated by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). These alternative fuel corridor (electric is only one of them) designations are intended to raise awareness among current EV owners and the public at large of the access to nearby charging. This is part of a strategy to promote interstate cooperation and a national build out of charging corridors. All corridor designations have to be re-certified every 5 years. This designation currently applies to the section of Route 7 from the I-95 interchange to New Milford.
Along with the designation, the ceremony held at Fodor Farm in Norwalk also acknowledged the donation of a level 2 charging station by JuiceBar, a Connecticut manufacturer (based in Norwalk) of EVSE.
The presenters were (left to right):
Tammy Thornton, Wilton Go Green
Barry Kresch, President, EV Club of CT
Senator Bob Duff (Majority Leader)
Carlo Leone, CT Department of Transportation
Mayor Rilling of Norwalk
Daphne Dixon, President of Live Green CT
First Selectman Dunn of Brookfield
First Selectman Marpe of Westport
Senator Will Haskell (Transportation Committee co-Chair)
Paul Young of JuiceBar
EVs Parade in Fairfield County
30 EVs Parade from Westport to Fairfield
On a glorious early fall day, the EV Club of CT in partnership with the Sustainable Fairfield Task Force held an EV parade from Westport to Fairfield, concluding with an EV showcase.
The parade was born one year ago as a way to hold an in-person event that would be safe during a pandemic. This year, the environment is somewhat better and we added a showcase as another outdoor event. This past weekend was the concluding weekend of National Drive Electric Week and a full slate of showcases and speaking events was held throughout the state. The EV Club participated as an exhibitor or speaker in several.
The Westport Police escorted the parade with their Tesla Model 3 police cruiser.
The police brought 3 of their plug-in vehicles, including a Prius Prime used for parking enforcement, and their newest addition, a Honda Clarity (above), used by the detectives.
There were three of the new Mustang Mach-E’s in the parade.
Westport Second Selectman, Jen Tooker, and Representative Jonathan Steinberg were on hand in Westport to kick off the parade.
In the photos below…
Bob Laravie returned this year with his replica 1903 Baker Torpedo. The car is able to be driven and was in the parade. The Torpedo was one of the fastest cars of its time, capable of traveling in excess of 75 MPH. It was the first car to have seat belts.
Barry Kresch and Analiese Paik are in front of the Proterra electric transit bus that belongs to Greater Bridgeport Transit. It is too small to see, but they are holding postcards urging legislators to support the Transportation Climate Initiative in the special session of the legislature.
There have always been a lot of reasons to support TCI but now there is a new and important one. If the Infrastructure and Reconciliation bills pass in Congress, there are a lot of federal funds that will come with state matching requirements. The proceeds from the carbon auction could be used for this match. In other words, TCI could be used to leverage a greater share of available federal dollars. Please contact your state representatives and tell them to support TCI now.
Westport Police Led The Way, And Will Be Again Next Week
Tesla Tech Enables Innovative Solutions to Law Enforcement Customization
The Westport Police were out in front of the market when they acquired a Model 3 for patrol car duty in December 2019.
What is becoming apparent is that their diligence and attention to detail placed them further ahead than others who made a similar move after they did.
Case in point – how does one handle the police electronics. In a conventional ICE police car, the vehicle is equipped with a heavy-duty alternator. The Tesla doesn’t have an alternator – what to do?
One option, as was done with a Model Y that went into service this past July in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, is to add a second 12-volt battery. This photo was published in DriveElectricCanada.ca. It shows the additional battery parked tidily in the frunk.
While that works, a more elegant solution was arrived at in Westport, which was to wire the police electronics directly into the large battery. The police report this being a trivial drain. It required the police and Whelen Engineering working with Tesla to do some recoding to make it happen.
The point is that there is a lot there when it comes to the potential to re-purposing the native tech in a Tesla. Westport has also been able to incorporate some of the camera and computing power into the license plate reader.
We don’t know how widely this knowledge about these opportunities to lower the cost of customization is being disseminated, though the Westport Police have more than done their part in terms of being generous with their time and sharing what they have learned.
The police have the approval for another electric patrol car, which will most likely be the Model Y.
Model 3 to Lead EV Parade
Officer Charles Sampson, who was the project leader for the Tesla patrol car, will be driving the Model 3 as the escort for the EV parade on October 2nd. There will be an opportunity to check out the vehicle before the start of the parade. The parade departs from the Westport Train Station at 10 AM. Registration is still open at https://bit.ly/GreenWheels
Drivers should arrive between 9 and 9:30 to give us time to organize.
National Drive Electric Week Events
A Selection of NDEW Events in CT
National Drive Electric Week is soon to be in full swing with a range of events throughout the state. This is in marked contrast to last year when the pre-vaccination pandemic had a chilling effect. To be sure, pandemic restrictions are in place, but with events being out of doors, a relatively high vaccination rate in CT, and masking and social distancing requirements in place, it looks to be an active, but safe, time to resume (semi) in-person EVangelizing.
EV owners requested to showcase their vehicles at all of these shows. All events are free unless otherwise noted.
You can enter a city or zip code to find events near you. Most organizers are glad to welcome more EV owners.
Westport/Fairfield – Green Wheels EV Parade and Showcase
Oct 2, 2021 10 AM – 2 PM
There will be an EV parade beginning at the Westport Metro North Train Station and ending at the Bob’s Plaza Lot 889 Post Road, Fairfield, CT. This is similar to the parade that was held last year. However, unlike last year, there will be an EV showcase at the terminus.
This event is produced by the Sustainable Fairfield Task Force and the EV Club of CT.
The East Hampton and Portland Clean Energy Task Forces are organizing the Third Annual “Electric Car Show 2021” on Saturday, September 25, 2021 at the East Hampton High School at 15 North Maple St. from 12 noon to 3 pm (Rain Date is Sunday, September 26th). The show is part of the National Drive Electric Week program. Come join them as they showcase electric, hybrid, and alternative fuel cars from private owners and various dealerships.
Willimantic EV Ride and Drive
The New England Electric Auto Association will be hosting an electric car ride and drive event at Jillson Square Park in Willimantic Connecticut on Sunday, September 26th from 12:30 to 5 pm. Several dealers along with actual EV owners will be present for test drives. A solar installer will also be present. This is a great opportunity to test out an electric vehicle in a friendly, no-pressure environment. Please go to www.neeaa.org for more information. Dinner at a nearby restaurant after the event.
The New England Electric Auto Association is hosting an electric car show and ride and drive event on Sunday, October 3rd from 1-5 pm at Harbor Park in Middletown Connecticut. Several dealers will be present for test drives. A solar installer will also be present. This is a great opportunity to see an electric vehicle in a friendly, non-sales environment. Dinner afterward at a nearby restaurant.
A lifetime ago (okay, 2 years) in pre-pandemic days, the club participated in several EV ride and drive events, called Electric Car Guest Drive, staged by the publisher of Electric Car Insider. My blog post about the first event is here. These events, typically sponsored by a utility or power authority, involve EV owners bringing their vehicles to be used for test drives (or guest drive) with the owner in the passenger seat. The drive is over a pre-planned route about 1.5 – 2 miles in length on local roads. No highway driving. Owners are paid $300 for each day they participate. Arrival is 9AM and the event runs from 10-4. Lunch is provided, as well as an optional dinner.
The test drive is casual with no dealerships or salespeople on site. Owners explain the vehicle, describe the ownership experience, and answer questions. Just conversation, no sales pressure of any kind. These events have been demonstrably successful at promoting EV ownership with 31% of test drivers buying an EV within 6 months.
Members of the public taking the drives are pre-registered and pre-screened.
If you are concerned about Covid, so are we! The event will only happen if it is safe. The organizer and the utility are watching developments closely. Drivers must be vaccinated. We await final word on protocol for the public and will update this space once we know. If you are interested, register to save the date.
Dates and locations:
September 23, 24, 25 – Middletown, NY (Orange County)
October 16 – Utica, NY
October 23 – Niagara Falls, NY
October 29, 30 – Middletown, NY
Those Utica and Niagara Falls locations are a bit far from CT, but there are a small number of folks on our list in upstate NY.
There is a registration link on that page. Or contact the publisher, Chris Alan, directly at Chris@electric-car-insider.com
Register for as many or as few days as you like. It’s a fun day!
Webinar – EV Purchase incentives and Free Charging
EV Purchase Incentives, EVSE (charging equipment) Subsidies, Free Charging
This past Tuesday, July 27th, the EV Club presented a webinar jointly sponsored with Sustainne, LLC, Sustainable Westport, and the Town of Westport on how to save money when buying and charging an EV.
The speakers were Analiese Paik, CEO of Sustainne, Paul Vosper, CEO of JuiceBar, and Barry Kresch, President of the EV Club. These were the areas we covered:
Latest changes to CT CHEAPR program of EV purchase incentives
Update: There is a recent change to the CHEAPR program not reflected in the webinar. EV buyers can now receive 2 rebates beginning with June 2021, meaning if you had previously received a rebate, you can receive 2 more. They must be spaced at least 24 months apart.
Federal purchase incentive
Newly release EV Rate Design from the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) that directs the utilities to offer a range of subsidies for residential, Multiple Dwelling Units, commercial, fleets, and municipalities. These include subsidies for the purchase and installation of level 2 or level 3 chargers and discounts on electric rates.
Many automakers offer some level of free charging with the purchase or lease of a new EV. They vary a lot and are either miles or time-limited. There are also numerous options for free level 2 public charging.
Link to the blog post with the latest CHEAPR rebates is here.
We have been receiving positive feedback. The webinar was recorded and is now available on our YouTube channel.
Aptera to Visit Westport
Aptera to Visit CT
This is still tentative but we think it will happen. This will be a cool event, so we thought we’d tease it.
Aptera is a 3-wheeled vehicle with integrated solar. Due to its lightweight design and low drag coefficient, the trim level with the largest available battery pack has a range of 1,000 miles for about $46,000. The solar array can charge 44 miles on a sunny day.
The event is anticipated to occur in mid-2021. It is a test drive event so it will be outdoors. Masking and social distancing requirements will probably still be in force at that point, but it worked out well for the Polestar event a couple of months ago.
Further information will be posted when available.
Dr. Roger Kuhns to Discuss a Carbon Tax Proposal at Next Meeting
Proposed Carbon Tax with Consumer Dividend
Join us on January 14th at 7 PM for a presentation by Dr. Roger Kuhns about a carbon tax proposal and dividend being advocated by Citizens Climate Lobby.
Dr. Roger Kuhns, CT State Coordinator for the Citizens Climate Lobby, is president of SustainAudit, LLC, and founder of the publishing/film company musicTOears Press. He has over 40 years of professional experience in geology, sustainable practices and environmental science, renewable energy, sustainable urban agriculture, and is a writer, award-winning filmmaker, and monologuist performer. He has integrated the environmental sciences, engineering, natural resources, community enrichment and economics into sustainable development work and strategic planning for changing and learning organizations.
A Zoom link will be sent to our email list. If you would like to join the list, please use the contact form on the website.
This photo was published in