I am the day, soon to be born... I am the new hope in the morning... I am the light, that will be dawn... I am the Sunrise just beginning... ("I am the Day" by Libera)
The Sunrise EV2 Project Homepage
The Solectria Sunrise
I am the day, soon to be born... I am the new hope in the morning... I am the light, that will be dawn... I am the Sunrise just beginning... ("I am the Day" by Libera)
The Sunrise EV2 Project Homepage
Welcome! We are a group of dedicated electric vehicle enthusiasts whose goal is to create an affordable, high performance electric kit car that anyone of modest skill can assemble. The Sunrise EV2 is a four-passenger pure electric sports sedan, designed to meet all the safety, performance, and comfort requirements of a modern state-of-the-art automobile.
The original Sunrise was designed by Solectria Corp. using the Hypercar principles of Amory Lovins. It achieved remarkable efficiency and range, through the use of lightweight construction, innovative design, and superb aerodynamics. Unfortunately, only a handful were produced.
We bought the last unfinished Sunrise from Solectria CEO James Worden. It is being redesigned as a kit car, along the lines followed by manufacturers of light plane kits for the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association). The steps are:
Our goal is to make the Sunrise EV2 as modular and open source as possible; like a PC clone, where many different parts can be used, from many different vendors. We'll provide the basic "box". Builders can then use any motor, controller, batteries, charger, interior, and instrumentation they like. Depending on your budget and performance requirements, your Sunrise can be AC or DC, lead-acid or lithium batteries, etc.
We look forward to having a community of Sunrise EV2 builders, where members can exchange ideas, buy/sell/trade parts, and assist others in building their cars. Check this website out occasionally to see how we're doing. I'll be regularly posting ideas, circuits, tips and techniques in the section called "Lee's EVs." If you like what you see, please contribute!
EV Circuits: The Batt-Bridge Battery Out-Of-Balance Alarm Light.
An EV's pack consists of many cells or batteries. In theory, they are all identical. In practice, they aren't. There will always be a "weak link" somewhere in the pack. That's the cell that limits your range, and limits how much you can charge before damage begins.
But it is difficult to know if you have a weak cell. Total pack voltage won't tell you until too late. Circuitry to monitor every single cell can get very complicated and expensive!
The Batt-Bridge is a quick-n-dirty "idiot light" to give you a good/bad warning when any cell in the pack goes undervoltage (dead) or overvoltage (overcharged). It works for both lead-acid and lithium packs. If a red LED lights, back off on the current until it goes out. If it stays on even at zero current, stop driving or charging until you find the problem and fix it!
How it works: The Batt-Bridge divides the pack in half, and compares the voltage of each half. When the two halves are equal (within 1 volt or less), a green LED is lit. If a cell goes dead or begins overcharging somewhere in the pack, its voltage typically changes by more than a volt. This imbalance lights one of two bright red LEDs to tell you which half of the pack is low.
R1 and R2 should be identical resistors, chosen to provide about 10ma at your pack voltage. The current sets the sensitivity and brightness of the LEDs.
Donations for the Sunrise EV2 Project Interested? Want to get involved? There are several ways you can help.
Contact us: Questions or comments? Corrections
or problems with this web site? Contact Lee A. Hart by email at
leeahart@earthlink.net, or by mail at 814 8th Ave N, Sartell MN
56377-2240.
Design: Producing the best possible EV requires the best
possible minds. The Sunrise EV2 development team has over 100 years of
combined EV experience, but we are still learning and improving as we go.
If you have ideas for improvements, can help with vehicle design,
construction, or testing; or have skills you think we can use, please
contact us! Labor: The Sunrise EV2 prototype is being assembled at
our shop in Rice MN. At present, we are building our prototype composite
body and the molds to produce it. It's very labor intensive, so if you're
in the area and have some time, please contact us about a visit. See and
help build the prototype, and in the process learn how to build your own
Sunrise EV2. Components: Most of the parts and materials to build
the Sunrise are being donated by our development team or interested
individuals. Our motor, controller, and innumerable tools and shop time
have been provided, but there is alway more. Do you have any EV related
parts that could be of use? Contact us and see!
Donations: Developing a car is an expensive project. The project is entirely funded by our development team and donations from interested individuals and businesses. Donations will be credited toward future purchases of Sunrise EV2 products. Contributors are also given special attention by members of the EV2 team! Send donations to the Sunrise EV2 Project c/o Lee A. Hart at the above address. To contribute using Mastercard Visa or Paypal, use the "Donate" button below. Every penny helps! Contributors over $50 will receive a limited edition hand-made model of the Sunrise; built, signed, and dated by Lee A. Hart! The Sunrise EV2 Project, copyright 2007-2012 by Lee A. Hart. Website created 2/4/2008 by admin. Last update 5/10/2012 by Lee A. Hart
Steven Taylor's Solectria Sunrise
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