As the legal battle between Elon Musk and Martin Eberhard continues to percolate, a new/old voice has chimed in publicly on the controversy for the first time. Current Peppercom clean-tech analyst and ex-Tesla SVP of Marketing Darryl Siry has penned a piece for Wired that gives a different spin on the story. Rather than come down on the side either of the adversaries in this mess, he calls out both for the mistakes made along the way, and looks elsewhere for the real inspiration for the creation of Tesla.

Along the way over the last several years, both men have highlighted AC Propulsion and its tZero (above) as the inspiration for the creation of the Tesla Roadster. Here at ABG, we've written about the company and its projects including the eBox and its involvement in BMW's MINI E program. Siry also points to Tom Gage and Alan Cocconi of AC Propulsion as the ones who really gave birth to the idea. Unfortunately, (or not) Gage and Cocconi had other plans beyond building a production tZero and as a result we now have this battle of egos. In some respects Gage and Cocconi may end up being the EV equivalent of Gary Kildall, brilliant innovators, largely forgotten by those with a more business-oriented agenda.

Of course, being business-oriented doesn't necessarily mean that Musk will be as successful as Bill Gates. As Siry points out, winning this battle is unlikely to have any beneficial impact for Tesla, regardless of who triumphs.


[Source: Wired]

KleenSpeed Technologies, one of the companies behind the WX10-T all-electric race car has opened up their website to the public to reveal some of what went on behind the scenes as they prepared their prototype, code-named Angelina, for its unveiling. Included on the site are pictures of everything from the electric drivetrain being integrated into the chassis to shots of their new digs, appropriately located at the Ames Research Center in California. One thing we couldn't help but notice behind the drivers seat was the AC Propulsion-emblazoned controller box which is also found in the MINI E.

The company has also released some videos of "Angelina" moving under her own power. They include a short clip of the car taking advantage of a runaway near Kleenspeed headquarters, as well as some onboard camera footage shot at Reno-Fernley raceway in Nevada. That footage reveals how scary fast the WX10-T can be. Even without its bodywork and with lots of extra potential left in both car and driver, they came within five seconds of the track record set by the gas-powered version of this car. According to company officials, with the temperature "in the 100's", Angelina's computer registered a top speed of 136 mph during these trials. Perhaps we'll get a better idea of the car's true capabilities when it explores Sebring near the end of January. Hit the jump for video extravaganza.



[Source: KleenSpeed Technologies]

Looks like I wasn't the only one who wondered about the brake lights on AC Propulsion's eBox. AC Propulsion's Tom Gage responds to my post the other day with not only an answer to my question about if the hard decel that takes place when the regenerative braking kicks in triggers the brake lights, but also with a visual aid. Yes, he said, yes they do. His exact words were:

Of course the eBox turns on the brake lights during regen. We'd have a lot of bashed in rear ends if we didn't. Still it's a good question. In fact we heard it so often in test drives that we include an LED on the eBox dashboard that illuminates when the brake light comes on.

So, there you have it. One more green car mystery solved. Thanks, Tom. Now, what's next?

[Source: AC Propulsion]

A crew from Al Gore's Current TV was able to chat up Peter Scolari's better half (that'd be Tom Hanks, above) about driving his all-electric eBox, the converted Scion xB and visit the AC Propulsion headquarters for an interview with CEO Tom Gage. Current host Kristen Reeves opens her report by saying that AC Propulsion can convert pretty much any car to electric drive, but the company has focused on turning the xB into the eBox, i.e., Tom Hanks' favorite car. Watch the report after the jump.

AC Propulsion also supplied the electric drive system for BMW's 500-strong MINI E test fleet. Regular readers will know that the MINI E turns on the brake lights when the driver's foot is removed from the acceleration pedal because of the strong regen brake system. Hearing Gage talk about slowing down in the eBox in the video makes us wonder if the converted Scion does the same thing.


[Source: Current]

For three days before and during the media previews for the Los Angeles Auto Show last week, BMW had about a dozen electric MINIs available for evaluation drives. We finally got our crack at one Thursday morning at the LA convention center. The 6.5 mile loop that BMW laid out was both a terrible route to drive and perhaps the ideal route for an electric car. I don't know what downtown LA streets are like on weekend mornings, but 9 a.m. on a Thursday it's the last place in the world I'd want to be in a car. The 6.5 mile loop took us nearly 45 minutes to complete thanks to what passes for traffic flow in the area. Why anyone would actually want to drive in Los Angeles is a mystery to me, but by the time we were done it was easy to see why Priuses are so popular here. Since you spend more time in hurry up and wait mode than actually driving, an appliance like the Prius is perhaps the ideal choice. But I'm sure you already know that and would rather hear about the MINI E, something you can do right after the jump.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

In conjunction with the official unveiling of the MINI E a the LA Auto Show, AC Propulsion has confirmed that it has produced the electric drive system for the car. When BMW first released some of the details on the new battery powered MINI E a few weeks back we speculated based on the description of the drive system and battery pack that perhaps Tesla was the supplier. In fact, the Tesla system was originally based on the work of AC Propulsion. The ACP tZero prototype was the car that inspired Martin Eberhard to get the Tesla ball rolling.

ACP provided over 500 complete sets of hardware to BMW for installation into the new MINIs. The full system consists of the 150 kW motor, a 35 kWh battery pack, charger and all the electronics. The charger is capable of operating at 120V, 208V and 240V with automatic switching and bi-directional capability. That latter element is important because it means that the charger can send power out from the battery to the grid for V2G capability. The AC Propulsion press release is after the jump.

[Source: AC Propulsion]

While we were discussing the upcoming premiere of the new MINI E at the LA Auto Show, we mused that the retro-cute might be sporting a drivetrain courtesy of Tesla Motors. Now comes word via Paul Scott at the new website for the film, "Revenge of the Electric Car" that the MINI will get its gumption from the good folks at AC Propulsion. This may make the MINI spiritually related to the Tesla Roadster, as it was the ACP prototype, the tzero, that served as an inspiration of sorts for the creation of the now-iconic two-seater, but, as they will share no parts, the relationship is purely metaphysical. Indeed, the only current link between ACP and Tesla is the licensing of a "reductive charging" patent.

This revelation does tell us a little something about how the MINI E will be to drive. As those who have gripped the wheel of the ACP eBox know, the re-gen effect is quite strong on this system. While it's great for getting extra range out of the battery pack, it may take a little getting used to for some drivers. The effect is not unlike the engine braking experienced with a manually shifted car and occurs as one relieves the go-pedal of downward pressure. Once adjusted to the re-gen, the experience of motoring in the MINI E should be excellent and we look forward to being able to confirm that. For the benefit of our readers, of course.



[Source: The Revenge of the Electric Car]

We gave you a first look at the AC Propulsion eBox from the Alt-Car Expo in Santa Monica last December, now we just got news that the first one has been picked up by Tom Hanks. As a refresher, the eBox is a conversion by AC Propulsion costing $55,000 not including tax or the Scion XB that is required. The vehicle uses an AC motor driving the front wheels, and uses 625 pounds of lithium-ion batteries that enable the vehicle to run for 140-180 miles between charges. The top speed of the vehicle is 95 mph, and charging the 355 volt pack takes between 2 and 5 hours depending on the mode you choose and the available voltage to charge from. The vehicle also supports vehicle-to-grid power sharing.

Tom Hanks was quoted as saying, "There are three electric cars sitting on the moon, and now another one in my garage. The eBox makes even more sense in Los Angeles than in the Taurus-Littrow Valley of the moon. I can drive all weekend, hauling dogs and helping my friends move, and the only reason I'll need to stop at a gas station is for beef jerky and lottery tickets." Mr. Hanks sounds very pleased with his new vehicle. Thanks for the tip, Henry!

Related:

• Alt Car Expo: eBox makes public debut

[Source: AC Propulsion]

Although a bit pricey, the eBox has an advantage over other electric cars expected to compete in this category: Toyota reputation. The eBox is a Scion xB converted to run on electricity by AC Propulsion. Therefore it has all the amenities offered by Scion and enjoys the reputation of quality and durability from Toyota. Other electric cars coming to market in the $50,000 price range are based on less-known platforms.

The eBox has been seen before in various circles as it was developed. The company's Web site shows a demonstration in Taiwan. But the eBox made its first public appearance at the Alt Car Expo on Saturday. The obvious draws were the spacious interior and funky looks for which the Scion xB is know. "It's a lot of car for the money," said Owen Emry of AC Propulsion.

Another photo, more info and AC Propulsion press release after break.