1993 Other Makes Escort Sedan

Sedan

Advanced DC Motors, Inc. FB1-4001 series-wound DC

Manual

3FAPP13J8PR185936

Clear

Electric

This is an electric car. It has an electric motor and no gas engine. It was made by a company called U.S. Electricar located in Santa Rosa, California. The company was started in 1984 and was called Solar Electric Engineering. By the early 1990’s they were one of the major producers of electric automobiles in the United States, selling several hundred cars. Today, unfortunately, they are out of business.U.S. Electricar would purchase new cars without a gas engine from the manufacturer, known as “gliders”. This car is a 1993 Ford Escort sedan. They also made electric versions of the Ford Tempo called the “Electron”, the GM Fiero called the “EV2”, and the Ford Aerostar van. They built a highly modified version of the Fiero called the “Destiny 2000” which was featured in the movie Naked Gun 2½. The company also produced their own vehicle which was called the “Aesop” which could drive at speeds up to 85 mph with a range of 70 miles.I am the second owner of this car. I purchased it in 2001 from a retired engineer from Ford who purchased it from U.S. Electricar new.The old batteries were needing replacing and were removed prior to a cross-country move. NEW BATTERIES NEED TO BE ADDED.This car has the following features:- Eighteen Trojan T-125 6-volt DC propulsion batteries wired in series for a total voltage of 108 volts. Each battery has a capacity of 235 amp∙hours and weighs 66 lbs (30 kg). Eleven of the batteries are located in a rack mounted below the floor of the trunk. The remaining seven are under the hood. This helps maintain a proper weight distribution between the front and rear axles – something that is critical for proper road handling and braking.- One 12-volt marine/RV style deep cycle battery for running the car’s electrical systems (headlights, radio, windshield wiper, etc.). - An on-board battery charger for the propulsion batteries and a separate on-board charger for the systems battery. This allows the car to be charged anywhere there is a 115-volt outlet. A 30-amp outlet is ideal, however the batteries can be recharged on as small as a 15-amp circuit. With a higher-amperage circuit, the batteries can be recharged overnight. - An Advanced DC Motors, Inc. FB1-4001 series-wound DC motor with a peak output of 85 hp. - A Curtis PMC 1231C motor controller with a potentiometer, or “potbox”, connected to the accelerator pedal. - A standard five-speed manual transmission (supplied by Ford). - An electric vacuum pump for providing the required vacuum pressure for power brakes. Answers to some frequently asked questions: - The car has a range of up to 50 miles, depending on the age of the batteries. It can travel at speeds up to 70 mph. - The batteries must be maintained by having distilled water added to the cells every couple of months to replace the water that is lost over time from the charging process. They also must be kept clean and free from corrosion. - Safety must be exercised when working under the hood, as there is lethal electrical current present. - The propulsion batteries must be replaced every three to five years, depending on how well maintained they are and how hard they are used. The average retail price for replacing them is $112 x 18 = $2016. - The car costs about the same or slightly less to operate than the gas engine version of the Ford Escort. This includes the battery replacement cost listed above. - The “curb weight” of the car is approximately 1000 pounds more than the gas engine version of the Escort. - Acceleration with fully-charged batteries is similar to that of a four-cylinder engine-powered compact car. - The transmission is somewhat “semi-automatic”. The clutch does not need to be depressed when coming to a stop or when starting, as the motor stops turning when the car is stopped. Clutching is still required when shifting between gears. - There is no air conditioning, as this type of load would significantly reduce the range of the car by robbing a lot of energy from the propulsion batteries. - The brakes must be inspected and replaced more frequently that the gas engine version due to the increased weight. - The alignment of both the front and rear wheels can be adjusted to compensate for the weight of the car. - The value of the car in 2002 was approximately $11,000. The value of a gas engine version of the 1993 Escort sedan was around $2,000. - There are no emissions from the car as nothing is being burned. - There is less maintenance than a car with an internal-combustion engine (ICE). There is no motor oil, engine coolant, spark plugs, computer, muffler, catalytic converter, fuel system, etc.