ANS -- Charging ahead

Here's a sweet little story of a man driving his electric vintage car around Australia, trying to get into the Guinness book of world records. 
If you follow the link there's a picture of the bright blue MG.  Notice, even Australia is pulling ahead of us in energy technology.
Find it here:  http://www.warrenadvocate.com.au/news/local/news/general/charging-ahead/2397863.aspx   
--Kim


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 Charging ahead 

Charging ahead

JULIE LINCOLN
19 Dec, 2011 02:02 PM
Glen George has just completed a 19,500 kilometre journey around Australia, without having to stop and fill up at a bowser.

The three-month road trip, in the 1956 MG TF did, however, require an occasional 240 volt charge, plugging in at Warren Caravan Park, one of the last stops on the final leg of the journey from Perth to Mackay.

He uses renewable sources where possible and CO2 tallies are recorded.

The trip by the semi-retired renewable energy expert was also an official Guinness World Record attempt at the longest distance travelled in an electric vehicle. He predicts electric cars will be commonplace in five years� time.

�The MG is a bit of a mongrel; I was looking for a classic car to convert from petrol,� Mr George said.

�It travels at speeds of 60 to 70 kilometres an hour towing the trailer, but the car is capable of doing 160 kilometres per hour, with 109 the top speed recorded on the GPS.�

Mr George set out from Perth on August 23 and originally intended to just travel �the circuit� around the coast and back to Perth, but decided to continue the journey to include the hinterland finishing in Mackay. His sister followed in a support vehicle for the initial part of the trip but he travelled solo for the second leg and slept in a tent.

Mr George considers the electric car to be the way of the future; something he says the Lord Mayor of Adelaide agrees with, with plans to eventually make Adelaide an electric city.

Progress is tracked by a GPS system with Mr George also visiting council offices at each stop to have his log book stamped with each council�s seal.

Apart from being �cheap to run�, the vehicle makes no sound but �will leave them at the lights��.

�Torque is at the bottom end providing immediate power,� Mr George said. �The car requires almost no maintenance; in the last 30,000 kilometres I only needed to oil the back axle.�

The vehicle can travel up to 500 kilometres on one charge with a trailer in tow increasing the capability and, as with a fuel-driven vehicle, slowing the speed increases the distance.

A member of the Australian Electric Vehicle Association, Mr George retired from the solar business in 2009. He was building the car at the same time and the idea for the trip grew from there with some sponsors also coming on board.

The vehicle is open air except for small windscreens that help keep the bugs out and Mr George also wears a helmet and goggles while driving.