1997 Chevrolet S-10

Electric Pickup truck

Unspecified

Manual

1GCCS1446V8168891

Electric

Due to ongoing health issues I am offering a 1997 Chevrolet S-10 LS 2WD electric vehicle conversion for sale. The vehicle was converted to electric drive by Electric Vehicle Solutions Inc. and served as the company's product development test bed. The conversion was begun in November 2007 and completed in March 2008. The vehicle is equipped with (18) Trojan T-875 8V wet lead acid batteries, for a system voltage of 144VDC. The batteries provided approx. 35 miles per charge when new, but are aged and currently provide approx. 15 miles range per charge. The vehicle is equipped with a NetGain Motors WarP9 9" DC electric drive motor direct coupled (without clutch) to the original 5-speed manual transmission. This is a low mileage truck with an exceptionally clean interior, good body, good rubber (less than 1,000 mi.) and bedliner. Conversion components include: NetGain Motors WarP9 9" DC electric drive motorEVS (Electric Vehicle Solutions) CNC machined aluminum motor/trans adapter plateEVS CNC machined steel clutch-less motor couplerEVS front motor mount Curtis 1231C-8601 500 Amp DC motor controllerAluminum Finned heat Sink w/12V DC cooling fanCurtis PB6 potbox w/micro-switchEVS aluminum throttle cable clampWeigmann non-metallic control circuit enclosure box(2) Albright SW-200m (12VDC coil w/blowouts) contactors400 Amp traction pack fuse(6) position ATO/ATC control circuit fuse blockDouble row 8 position control circuit terminal blocksZivan NG3 on board battery charger (110VAC input 144VDC nominal pack voltage)2/0 Orange welding cable for battery cablesMagna Lug heavy duty 2/0 cable lugsRed & Black protective battery cable bootsAll cable connections sealed with heavy duty adhesive shrink wrapIota DLS-55 DC-DC converter (replaces alternator, charges OEM 12V battery)EVS fabricated steel battery box frames (front, two side, rear) EVS fabricated aluminum/Starboard battery boxes (with capacity for (20) GC2 size batteries)EPP (expanded polypropylene) battery box cushioning/insulation(18) Trojan T-875 8V wet lead acid batteries (GC2 size)Three gauge A-pillar gauge pod(1) 0-18VDC voltmeter (pack voltage)(1) 0-500 Amp DC ammeter & shunt (pack amperage)(1) 0-1200 Amp DC ammeter & shunt (motor amperage)Anderson SB-350 2/0 size battery connector (main battery disconnect)Anderson SB-50 10 ga battery connector (charger disconnect)First Inertia vehicle crash sensor (disables contactors in crash event)Emergency dash mushroom palm switch (manual emergency contactor disconnect)Ghast 12VDC vaccum pump & switch (maintains power braking)Tilt bed kit w/(2) 200lb gas assist liftsCoilover rear shocks and springs Q: How far can the truck travel on a charge? A. The truck originally had a working range of about 35 miles per charge, depending on terrain and driving style. Hilly terrain, or hard acceleration will decrease range. The current Trojan batteries are about 4 years old and have lost capacity. The truck's current range is about 15 miles per daily charge. Q. How much will new replacement batteries cost? A. A set of (18) new Trojan T-875 wet lead acid batteries will cost approx. $2,430.00 (based on a price $135.00 ea.) As an option, the vehicle's battery boxes can accommodate (20) GC2 size batteries. It would be possible to install (20) 6V batteries and run the vehicle in a 120V configuration with slightly reduced acceleration, but improved range. Another option would be to install Lithium batteries which would reduce weight and increase range, but at a significantly higher cost. Q. How long does it take to charge? A. The Zivan NG3 charger configured with 110VAC input (uses a standard 20 amp 110V plugin) charges the Trojan battery pack in about 8 hrs. Q. How much does it cost to charge the batteries? A. A typical complete re-charge requires about 8-1/2 to 9 kwhr. Multiply that times your local electric rate per kwhr to determine the "per charge" cost. Q. How fast will it go? A. The truck drives easily in traffic at 60mph on two lane rural NW IL highways. Driving carefully on flat to slightly rolling terrain, the truck typically consumes 350 - 400 whr per mile. Shift speeds are typically, 0-20mph in first gear, 20-40 mph in second gear, 40-60 mph in third gear, 60 mph + in fourth gear. I have tested the truck to 75 mph in 4th gear. Top speed unknown, have never driven the truck in fifth gear. Q. How do you drive/shift without a clutch? A. The truck drives and shifts very easily by shifting slowly and matching ground speed to motor speed. The electric motor does not idle at stop as a conventional gas engine would. When approaching a stop you simply leave the truck in whichever gear you were using at the time as you brake to a complete stop. Then simply place the truck into 1st gear (the motor is not rotating) and press the accelerator to drive away and then up-shift as needed to reach the desired speed. Q. How did the conversion affect the truck's accessories? A. The electric conversion control system is powered by 12VDC at "key on". Disruption to OEM wiring was minimized as much as possible. The vehicle's power steering gearbox was replaced with a S10 manual steering gearbox. The vehicle's on board "computer" was left connected. All of the vehicle's OEM lighting operates (headlights, turn signals, taillights, running lights, etc.) The speedometer, windshield wipers, heater blower fan, and radio all work. The air conditioning was disconnected and the compressor was removed so the A/C is not operable. The tachometer, cruise control, and gas gauge do not work. The vehicle does not currently have a heater, but both hot water and electric heater kits are commonly used in EV conversions and are available from EV parts suppliers. Q. How much does the truck weigh?A. The truck weighs approx. 4020 lbs after the conversion. The truck handles very well as the majority of the additional weight (1134 lbs of batteries) is located between and below the truck's rear frame rails. The rear battery frames are tied to the rear frame rails and provide rigidity. Coilover shock/spring units were utilized for the rear suspension to accommodate the additional weight. The truck's power brake system was maintained by installing a 12VDC electric vacuum pump and switch, which provide vacuum to the brake booster.