January 31, 2008 by Rob.

The RAVolt and I blew a couple of hours as part of AustinEV’s showing at a Clean Tech event at the UT Business School.  I’m not sure what happened, but the outside part got very little traffic.  I think UT should change something if they are considering asking for future time investments.

Posted in AustinEV | 1 Comment »

January 13, 2008 by Rob.

We racked up nearly 20 miles driving around Westlake this weekend over 2 days.  That would be enough for me to commute, but the last few miles were very saggy so I’m reluctant to cruise 360’s hills just yet.

I think that letting the batteries chill overnight partially charged (over 80%!) may hurt my capacity more that I expected.  According to Chris R on the AustinEV list, “batteries should be recharged quickly if possible.”

Posted in Daily Use, AustinEV | 1 Comment »

November 29, 2007 by Rob.

RAVolt and sister EVs of the AustinEV group will be out in force at Saturday’s 12/1 Sustainable Shoppers’ Ball.  The ball held in conjunction with the weekly Sunset Valley Farmers’ Market at the Tony Berger Center (near 360/290 and Brodie Lane).

I know you want to come just to see me, but there is other Eco-friendly green feel-the-environment-love stuff there too.  We went (sans EV) last year and had a good time.

Posted in Green Tech, Pictures, Storyline, AustinEV | No Comments »

November 29, 2007 by Rob.

I thought that the group would like to know that I’ve been issued the first Austin Energy Electric Vehicles Rebate Program check for an EV conversion: File # EC0001 for $250.  This is proof positive of their deep conviction in supporting grid vehicles and alternative energy.   The money is great, but the sentiment is even better!  I love Austin!

I’ve scanned the letter and check for you ogle.  Many thanks to the AustinEV group for helping make this available to conversions!

Posted in Pictures, AustinEV, Legal | 3 Comments »

October 24, 2007 by Rob.

It’s no surprise that sulfuric acid is nasty, corrosive stuff; however, it’s disappointing that so much of it is spraying out of my batteries and onto the RAVolt’s sensitive skin.  I was not expecting to see this for a while, but I’d rather see it so I can fix it. Visible corrosion on a replaceable non-structural component is about as good as bad news can get.

The solution is to replace the el cheapo (that’s Latin for inexpensive) caps that come with the Trojans with some high grade Water Miser battery caps. These caps have premium organic lotus-scented bath beads that trap the escaping battery acid in a luxurious spa experience convincing them to remain within the confines of their downtown mixed-use condo. That reduces both my watering frequency and the RAVolt’s corrosion risk.

How much to treat my batteries to this lavishness? Just $22.50 per battery or $260 for the whole pack. But who can really put a price on inner peace?

Note: Special thanks to Erik w/ AustinEV for the tip. He’s using these caps and highly recommends them.

Posted in Safety, Daily Use, Improvements, Pictures, AustinEV | No Comments »

October 10, 2007 by Rob.

It’s coming fast and I’m not prepared yet. I hope to see you there. Alex will be helping convert a Prius to be a PHEV in the booth next door. Also, AustinEV will be there in force.

I’ve been hearing ads for the Faire and they sound like a lot of fun! They have cool art, food, gadgets, and science. What more could you want?

Posted in Pictures, Storyline, AustinEV | No Comments »

September 27, 2007 by Rob.

Erik with AustinEV has arranged for the RAVolt to get a lift to 8th Annual Renewable Energy Roundup and Green Living Fair in Fredericksburg.  I can’t make it, but at least the interesting part of the team will be there.

Kate helped me give the RAVolt a bath before the show.  Of course, it started to drizzle right away!

Posted in Pictures, Storyline, AustinEV | No Comments »

September 21, 2007 by Rob.

Next weekend (9/28-30) is the 8th Annual Renewable Energy Roundup and Green Living Fair in Fredericksburg.  This event is heavily attended by the AustinEV group and should be really interesting.

I’m not able to the RAVolt out there, but nearly every other Austin EV is making the trip.   I’m hoping to swing out there to see the event and will post some photos if I go.

Posted in Green Tech, AustinEV | No Comments »

September 18, 2007 by Rob.

The RAVolt and I will be attending…

The upcoming CleanTX Forum will address the impending growth and opportunities in the emerging grid-connected vehicle market.   We will address the following questions and even show you some “vehicles of the future” that are actually available today…

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Green Tech, Electric Vehicles, AustinEV | No Comments »

August 21, 2007 by Rob.

I just found out that the RAVolt (and I) have been accepted for the upcoming Maker Faire(tm) in Austin!

Posted in Pictures, AustinEV | 1 Comment »