1998 Chevrolet S10

Electric Pickup truck

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1GCDE14H0W8180681

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Electric

1998 Chevrolet S-10 Electric Vehicle w/NiMH Batteries: No Gas! Youre bidding on a rare factory built 1998 Chevy S10 Electric truck - just one of approximately 63 known to exist.  Although about 500 were built by General Motors in 1997 and 1998 to meet Californias zero emissions laws, most were leased, taken back by GM and apparently crushed.  Few were sold, mostly to municipalities and utility companies, as fleet vehicles.  Approximately 63 survived as of 2007.  There are probably less than 40 running today.  This is an opportunity to own an amazing piece of automotive history, as this truck has a variant of the famous EV1 drive train.  According to Wikipedia, the EV1 was the first mass-produced, purpose-designed and factory built electric vehicle of the modern era and almost all of the very few remaining specimens of that car are disabled and sitting in museums the rest having been crushed by GM (for more information about this history, see the movie Who Killed the Electric Car?). This is not a toy electric car that can only do 25 mph.  It is not a do-it-yourself project.  Many DIY EVs are one-of-a-kind, often poorly built, tend to use lower-end components, cheaper lead-acid batteries, and rarely have regenerative braking.  With this truck you have quality parts, fit & finish, better batteries, regenerative braking and a huge investment by GM to build the thing.  This truck is the real deal.  And the truck comes with a very extensive shop manual documenting its systems, and a Palm PDA, loaded with EV1 Dash software.  When the Palm is connected to the trucks OBD-II port, this software will display additional information on the Palm that the S10 dash does not display.  This is a nice looking truck that you would be proud to be seen in. The smooth acceleration (no gear shifting), nice sound system, lack of vibration and quiet electric motor make this truck a pleasure to drive!  Not to mention passing the gas stations and using the HOV lanes (in California)! Link to the Wikipedia article about the S-10EV Link to USDOE Original Specifications for S-10EV A complete set of pictures is available here:  Pictures Test drives are available by appointment. Disclaimer: This truck operates on high voltage. While it is quite safe to drive, working on the trucks electrical systems without specialized knowledge and care can be VERY dangerous.  I am not a mechanic or an expert and will try to answer all questions as best as I can.  I have attempted to describe the car as honestly as possible, but Im sure I havent said everything. It has served me well.  It is however a used vehicle and therefore comes without any warranty or guarantee, and is sold as-is, where-is.  All descriptions and representations are not to be construed as a warranty of any type.  It is the responsibility of the buyer to inspect the vehicle, to satisfy himself or herself as to its condition and value, to verify the information given here, and to bid based upon that judgment solely. Bidding: If you have less than 10 feedbacks or a negative feedback with in the past 6 months you must contact me first before bidding otherwise I reserve the right to cancel you bid. I will not disclose my reserve so please dont ask!  I reserve the right to take this listing off eBay, if I sell it via other means before the end of the auction. Payment: The winner must provide a $500 non-refundable deposit by cash, Paypal or bank wire within 24 hours of the close of the auction. Full payment must be received within seven days by certified bank check or bank wire. The vehicle must be picked up within 14 days of receiving payment. I am happy to work with you and/or a transporter service on shipping. My zip code is 92627. History: This particular truck appears to have been originally sold to the State of Georgia.  I am the 3rd owner: the 2nd owner reported that he had bought it at auction from the State of Georgia; he turned around and sold it to me, at which time I had the battery pack upgraded from lead acid to NiMH (nickel-metal hydride), by EV Bones LLC, in December 2004 (a few of these trucks were originally made with NiMH batteries, identical to the EV1 batteries).  Its been my daily driver, commuting to work (44 miles roundtrip), for the last 5 years.  However, Ive recently retired, am moving and no longer need a commuting vehicle. This car is completely original, except for upgrades to the water pump and condenser fan buffer, and upgrade of the battery pack, from lead acid to NiMH.   The original AM/FM radio has been replaced with the stock GM Delco CD/AM/FM combo.  It was registered in California in January 2005. The truck has both a ZEV Parking sticker and HOV permit. Repairs: 12/2004   The pack was converted to NiMH by EvBones, with a new mass airflow sensor. 06/2005   The APCM (Accessory Power Control Module) was replaced. 08/2005   The battery box blower motor/fan was replaced. 09/2005   The left front axle and ball joint were replaced. 07/2006   The original tires were replaced at 19.2k miles, with Sumitomo HTR H4 P215/65R15. 11/2006   Some minor body damage caused by a falling ladder while the truck was parked was professionally repaired. 05/2008   The water pump & auxiliary battery were replaced; the A/C system was serviced. 07/2008   The radiator/condenser fan buffer and fan motor were replaced (EVBones replacement buffer); a new mass airflow sensor was installed. 04/2010   The auxiliary battery was replaced (this should actually be done once/year, regardless of the expiration life of the battery). The truck now has approximately 56K miles, with about 51K miles on the battery pack. Condition: The truck runs beautifully and is very clean.  Ive never tested the auxiliary diesel fuel fired heater, as it only operates below 37°F / 3°C, and where I live in Southern California it rarely gets that cold.  The heater was tested, successfully, in 2005.  There are a few chips in the paint, which Ive tried to show in the pictures and the truck bed has scratches and wear, as you would expect with a truck.  I see no rust, however.  The interior is very clean.  The cloth seat has been covered with a protective towel the entire time Ive owned it. The batteries are 12 years old, though theyve been actively used mostly just in the last 5 years.  The battery pack shows signs of age.  See discussion below under range. Range: Depending on the load and driving conditions the range can vary greatly.  I tested the truck within the last month.  Conservatively driven between 50-60mph, under pretty ideal driving conditions (tire pressure 48psi, warm temperatures, low humidity, no hills), the truck goes 60.8 miles before the SOC (state-of-charge) battery meter re-calibrates into the red zone (see instrument cluster picture for this meter). While the truck will go further, it should not be driven after this point.  5 years ago, the range was about 72 miles. When new, GM estimated the range of the 1998 NiMH model at about 90 miles, and acceleration from 0-50 mph of 10.9 seconds at 50% charge. The truck shows the "battery life" indicator at about 40 miles. This indicator comes on when sufficient voltage differential (apparently one-half %) between the highest and lowest battery voltage is detected.  The voltage difference between battery modules tends to increase as they discharge.  The batteries with lower voltage have higher impedance and heat up more.  Heat is bad for the batteries.  For maximum battery life, it is unwise to drive after the battery life indicator comes on.  A charging cycle should be initiated to bring the lower voltage batteries up to full voltage. Higher speeds and higher acceleration cause faster discharge of the batteries and greater voltage differentials, which reduces their efficiency and the trucks range.  Lower speeds cause slower discharge of the batteries, which extends the available energy obtainable from them, and therefore increases range.  Lower speeds decrease wind drag, so increase range.  Stop and go driving decreases range.  Easy acceleration increases range. No one really knows how long the batteries will last.  This depends a lot on how aggressively you drive, how much you stress them and how deeply you discharge them before recharging.   Note that more than 2 million hybrid cars worldwide are running with NiMH batteries of various types. Features: · 85 kW (114 horsepower) three-phase, liquid cooled AC induction motor · NiMH propulsion battery pack (29 kWh when new) · Propulsion Battery Thermal Management System (cooling & heating):  because batteries are sensitive to temperature, the S10E provides a climate controlled battery box that keeps the batteries cool when charging.  It is even reported to heat the batteries when the weather is very cold - however, not being in a cold climate, Ive never experienced it doing this. · Regenerative Braking · Heat Pump Climate Control System (heating & cooling) · Auxiliary Diesel Fuel Fired Heater (for cabin, only operates below 37°F / 3°C) · Cruise Control · Power Steering · Tilt Steering Wheel · 4-wheel Anti-Lock Power Assisted Brakes · Driver and Passenger-Side Air Bags (w/Passenger-Side Deactivation Switch) · AM/FM/CD Stereo (Delco 15071233) · Daytime running lamps · Half-Bed Tonneau Cover (reduces wind drag) · OBD-II computer interface for diagnostic/repair. · Base curb weight is approximately 4200 lbs.  Payload is rated for 950 lbs. Comes With: · Owners manual · Complete set of service manuals (4 worth!) · (2) 2nd Generation used Magne Chargers, one mounted on dolly, pigtailed with NEMA L6-30 male connectors.  Heavy duty used 45 extension cord with NEMA L6-30 connectors. · 1st Generation floor mount Magne Charger, with key (recommended for spare parts only) · 2 charging paddle adaptors (small paddle to large paddle) · California HOV (carpool) stickers · California EV parking permit · Extra tires: 3 original used Tigerpaw AWP Radial tires with ¼ tread. · Palm IIIc loaded with EV1-Dash software and with OBD-II connector. Notes: · Cost to run: my best guess is based on my old commute.  The truck needed about 20 kWh of charge to go 44 miles.  If electricity costs 10 cents per kWh, that comes out to about 4.5 cents per mile, or less than $14 for 300 miles. And there are no oil changes, oil filters, air filters, spark plugs, etc.  Id recommend yearly A/C maintenance service and auxiliary battery replacement.  With oil prices continuing their longer-term inexorable rise, this truck makes good financial sense. · There is no spare wheel/tire (though the auction does include 3 extra used tires); there is no lift jack (though there is a jack mount behind the seat). · The body control module electronics has the front lights always on when the car is on and the parking brake is released. · The truck has ZEV certification and California HOV stickers, allowing unrestricted use in carpool lanes in California.  It also has a California EV parking permit, allowing parking in restricted public EV charging spaces. · As far as I know, service of the electronics is not available from Chevrolet, though some parts are still available.  There is an active web-based support group, and some members have used parts including used batteries. · The top speed of the truck is governed by its onboard computer, to no more than approximately 71 mph. · A OBD-II computer interface for diagnostic/repair is located below the instrument cluster on the drivers side.  A GM Scan Tool can be used to read the extensive list of possible codes the truck can set; read parameters, temperatures and voltages; diagnose many conditions; and separately exercise and test some of the trucks sub-systems.  Used scan tools can often be found for sale on eBay and elsewhere.  One is not provided in this auction. Shipping: The buyer is responsible for pickup or shipping.  You can pick up the car where I live in Southern California.  DAS is recommended by eBay for vehicle transport.  I have no experience with them.  Use a search engine and search "Auto shippers" to find the one that works for you. I will assist in getting the truck and all the accessories loaded at my end. Below is additional information from Wikipedia and other sources.  It is the best I have available, but is not guaranteed: Design The S-10EV is similar to a regular cab, short-box (6' bed) S-10 pickup.  GM added a few refinements to the truck body, to reduce wind resistance.  In place of the typical gasoline engine, the Electric S-10 EV was equipped with an electric motor: a 85 kW (114 horsepower) three-phase, liquid cooled AC induction motor with IGBT power inverter electronics, based on GM's EV1 electric car.  Such a motor is one of the better kinds to use in an electric vehicle, because there is no commutator or brushes to wear out, and the motor can revolve at much higher rates, eliminating the need for a transmission.  GM reduced the S-10EV's motor from the EV1s 100kW to 85kW, so as not to overstress the batteries, given the higher weight and drag of the S-10EV. Other than reducing the motor size, the majority of power electronics were carried over directly from the EV1, which required that the Electric S-10 use a front-wheel-drive configuration, unlike the rear-wheel-drive setup found in stock S-10's.  The single speed direct drive transmission is a helically cut reduction gear, integrated with the motor and differential.  The front suspension is SLA with torsion bar; the rear is a 2-stage leaf spring.  The original tires are specified as P205/75R15 (50 psi); but have been since replaced with Sumitomo HTR H4 P215/65R15 in July 2006 (at 19250 miles). Batteries The NiMH drive motor propulsion batteries in this truck were manufactured by Ovonic Energy Products .  The battery pack is located between the frame rails, beneath the pickup bed in an air-conditioned sealed box.  The NiMH battery pack consists of 26 batteries, weighing a total of 1,081 lb (490.5 kg) and have 29 kilowatt-hours of storage when new.  Each battery is composed of 13 cells, has a nominal voltage of 13.2 and a nominal capacity (at C/2) of 85 Ah (when new).  A passive battery monitoring and management system is used during charging and discharging.  This means that energy can be wasted as excess heat in cells with higher impedance.  The NiMH batteries have a very high self-discharge rate, especially for the first 10% off the top.  The efficiency of the batteries diminishes as the rate of discharge increases and as their temperature increases.  They are typically robust, but have been known to fail.  A very few failures have resulted in vehicle fires. There is one 12V auxiliary battery, recently replaced. Charging The National Electrical Code requires a separately fused circuit, and the charger requires 30A 220V.  A 40A circuit is highly recommended.  A full charge requires approximately 5-7 hours. The S-10 EV charges using an external inductive charging system produced by the General Motors subsidiary Delco Electronics, called the Magne Charger.  An inductive paddle is wired to and is part of the external charger.  During charging, the paddle is inserted into a charging port slot behind the front license place (which flips down to reveal the slot).  The system is designed to be safe even when the paddle is wet and used in the rain. There were two generations of this charger made.  (2) of the 2nd Generation chargers are included in this auction, one mounted on a dolly, and each with wired pigtails to NEMA L6-30 male connectors.  In addition, one freestanding Gen-1 charger is included, which works intermittently, and is recommended for parts only.  The paddle is the model J1773 or the 'large' paddle.  Small paddle chargers made for the Rav4-EV can also be used with a plastic adapter, allowing the small paddle to properly seat within the large paddle opening of the truck.  Two (2) of these are supplied with the truck.  The standard charger is a 220 V 30 A (6.6 kW) and requires a 40A circuit.  Recharge time varies depending on how depleted are the batteries: time from SOC (state of charge meter) at 0 to full is about 6 hours, longer if a leveling charge occurs.   A demonstration of the charging system can be seen here: GM MagneCharger Demo. Because battery performance varies greatly with temperature, the heat-pump supplies cooling to the batteries during charging when necessary.  Passive air recirculation within the battery box is used during the driving cycle to equalize variations in battery temperature. The AC cooling can be activated during the driving cycle under extreme battery over temperature conditions >150F, typically as a result of extreme battery discharge. 1998 updates While the internal combustion S-10 moved to a redesigned front fascia in 1998, the S-10 Electric kept the same front fascia as the '94-'97, with the exception of composite headlamps in 1998 verses the previous years sealed beam headlamps. The interior was also updated in 1998 along with internal combustion models, adding a passenger side airbag. Aside from this header panel, a unique lower bumper valance, and a stylized 'Electric' decal on the bottom of the doors, there is very little difference externally between the appearance of an Electric and a stock S-10. Any changes, however minimal, were reported to have had a positive influence on reducing the truck's aerodynamic resistance. These changes included a closed grille and a front air skirt, belly pans beneath the front suspension, a seal between the cab and the pickup bed, and a half-length tonneau cover over the rear of the pickup bed. Instruments Internally, the instrument cluster was exclusive to the Electric S-10, and featured only four gauges - a speedometer, a large "state of charge" (SOC) gauge which reads from 'E' to 'F' like a gas gauge, a voltmeter ranging from 220 to 440 volts, and a "power use" meter, which acts as an ammeter of sorts showing discharge during acceleration and charge during regenerative braking. The shifter lever can be placed into only park, neutral, reverse, and drive, due to the absent unnecessary transmission. Additional features Despite the truck being based on a "base" trim package, the Electric S-10 still came standard with dual airbags in 1998, a heat-pump for both air conditioning and heating, power four-wheel ABS brakes, regenerative braking, power steering, AM/FM radio, and daytime running lamps, among other items. For colder climates, a fuel-fired heater was standard, it runs on diesel fuel from small 1.7 gallon (6.4 L) tank at temperatures below 37 degrees Fahrenheit (3 °C). Because battery performance varies greatly with temperature, the heat-pump supplies cooling to the batteries during charging when necessary. Passive air recirculation is used during the driving cycle to equalize variations in battery temperature. The heat-pump can be activated during the driving cycle under extreme battery over temperature conditions >150F, typically as a result of extreme battery discharge. Pictures: A complete set of pictures is available here:  Pictures On Jul-30-10 at 18:15:27 PDT, seller added the following information: Added Notes: I just realized that Ive neglected to mention another small defect in the body of the truck.  The half-length tonneau cover over the rear part of the truck bed is held in place by two plastic rails (in which it can slide) and two metal ropes bolted to the cover.  The front end of each rail has cracked and broken over time, as the cover tended to push up against the stops that used to be part of the front end of each rail.  This does not harm the support of the cover, but it is a defect.  The cover is still held in place by the rails and is prevented from sliding forward by the metal ropes that anchor the cover to the end of the truck bed under the cover at the rear end of the truck bed.  Ive posted pictures of each rail defect at the flickr picture collection.  If, based on this new information, you would like to retract any bid made before I posted this update, please let me know, and I will be happy to oblige.