From: kodama@alumni.caltech.edu
Date: Sat, 30 Nov 96 13:12:18 PST
Sender: dak@kodama.eanet.com
Subject: EV-1 impressions
To: "Siebert, Bob" <EESolar@aol.com>

Bob,

We finally met with the EV-1 specialist and got to take a test drive.

My overall impressions were pretty favorable with nothing really
surprising (and nothing really surprising expected), so I just
had some small points that I noted:

     1.  The software emulates an automatic transmission car
         in that it creeps forward if you take your foot off
         the gas (electricity?).  There's no option to turn it
         off.  This is fine for automatic transmission car drivers,
         but as a manual transmission driver, it annoys me.
         Apparently this was added based on feedback from the
         test drivers.

     2.  The dashboard is a bit strangely laid out (e.g. indicators
         along the bottom of the windshield with the speedometer and
         main indicators in the center.

     3.  The automatic climate control turn-on while hooked up to
         the charger works only with the 220V charger.

     4.  The 110V charger is also inductive and plugs into the same
         charging port on the car.

     5.  The windshield is strongly curved (for aerodynamics, I guess),
         and while it wasn't really distorting things, it gave me the
         same feeling I get when I get a new pair of glasses.  Jean
         didn't really notice this, though.

     6.  The trunk is roomy, but in the long and narrow sense since it
         is at the back end which tapers quite a bit.

     7.  The turn signal lights are always on as running lights.

     8.  There is a single payment option on the lease, but it doesn't
         save you much (about $1500).  The lease is for 3 years, 30,000
         miles with additional miles for $0.20/mile.  No flexibility here.

     9.  Tires aren't that expensive ($45), but only last 20,000 miles.

     10. Buying rather than leasing the charger is not a big difference
         as far as cost goes since they will guarantee to buy it back
         at the end of a lease for $300, which makes the cost a bit lower
         than leasing it.  By the way, this is hard-wired into your garage,
         rather than being plugged into a 220V socket (40 A rating).

     11. Not so unbelieveably, the state will charge sales tax on the
         portion of the cost of the car which is rebated.

Little things aside, it looks like a nice car, so I think we will go ahead
and get one.  By the way, it seems that they have about 300 "serious"
prospects (like us), with 3000 "interested" people in the entire introduction
region.  The official rollout will be Dec 5, with a big media event planned
(naturally), and lots of advertising hitting TV.  They said to watch the
evening news on Thursday.

We also got a copy of the info on different chargers which they are
offering (indoor, outdoor, 25KW, 50KW).  The 50 KW charger will get you
up to 80% charge in 10 minutes.

Dave

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