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Today's progress photos:



I started to glue up the hatch door, today as well. It was a bit over 50F, and it will be warm until Monday, at least.

Okay, the hatch is about halfway smoothed and the opening is better, too. There is a fairly major "pinch" in the 'C' pillar area - I've got more patching to do; which is hard to do until the weather gets warm enough to glue.

I'm finding that hand sanding with a foam block and 120 grit is working well - much more controllable and accurate than the 5" random orbital sander. And when I can afford it I need to buy a couple of new tools (the long flexible sander and an oscillating saw) - and I thin I'll need the Smart ForTwo windshield fairly soon, too.

I will start making some cradle frames out of the 2" foam I bought last spring; so I can turn the car on its sides and upside down.



Full slideshow here: Approximate view inside photo by NeilBlanchard | Photobucket

I'm inside for the first time today! Woohoo!



It seems like it will be *just* tall enough - the plywood floor is about 1" higher than the finish floor and the ceiling is still rough.



Link to full slideshow

I'm still getting used to it - I'll work on the hatch and its opening and see how it feels inside with that in place... By the way, do you like my high tech bucket seat?

It's wicked cool, if I say so myself!

This is the first time I've seen it at a distance greater than a few feet, since it's been smoothed (and there is more to go!):



Then back home:


Here's a reworked version of the presentation slideshow I had running on my iMac at the Festival: Neil Blanchard Designs: CarBEN EV5 Construction

Pictures by others:



Here's a video that I took (I should have done the shake compensation in the camera, so you have to live with the slightly warping compensation in the YouTube fix):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckUMwbfROyU

Here's a longer, more detailed walkaround video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A49N2onsN64

I tried the stabilization in the camera, but it still needs the YouTube processing...

It's got it first dirty bird, and there are glue drops and runs, and rough edges... My son will be helping me move it back into the shelter soon, so I can continue smoothing. The left side in particular needs a fair bit of work. They all show up much more readily in the full light of day!

This is how I am using the longboard sanding tool I bought from Jamestown Distributors. It is a tool normally used on boat hulls, and it is nearly perfect for this, too. The swirling motion and figure 8 motion tend to avoid any gouges or divots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3d64d3_S-g

I was able to even up the surface so that the several low areas are largely gone.

I wish that my video camera had a wide angle lens - I had to position it quite far away, and I hope things so up clearly enough.

I've been smoothing the bottom and after gluing in some small patches, the diffuser fins are much more even and straight:


(click on thumbnail for larger versions!)

I need to work on the right side and then I will glue up the wheel skirts, and then start fiberglassing the bottom. A windshield (from a Smart ForTwo) will be needed fairly soon as well.

Looking really awesome, Neil! The reaction when you showed it must have been really rewarding!!

Some more pictures from the Earth Day Festival, taken by Dick H.:

It is great to see this sort of vehicle coming onto the market. It is a reverse trike model called the Elf and it is built by Organic Transit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqWeYsrfNK8


They also have a larger fully enclosed utility trike model called the TruckIt.


They are pretty serious on the production methods!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQogddZNIHY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtW_MWFMZ7w

Organic Transit is now shipping the Elf to their Kickstarter investors, which is great! They ended up raising over $223,000 which is way over their target. Here are some new concept computer models of future Elf's, including a tandem 2 seat design:



Here is an article that shows (what I think is) the production Elf:

ELF: Hybrid Solar / Pedal Vehicle by Organic Transit | Ubergizmo

ELF-Organic-Transit-01photo fromELF: Hybrid Solar / Pedal Vehicle by Organic Transit - Ubergizmo

So, about 30 miles of range, and it can be pedaled on the flats. It can charge itself in 7-8 hours sitting in the sunshine, and it doesn't require insurance or a license - and it only costs about $4,000. And you will get in shape and lose weight, too.

Awesome!

This is excellent! A solar powered car that seats at least four people:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=905HHucCkKI

The Solar Team Eindhoven (STE) of Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) presented the world's first solar-powered family car. "Stella" is the first "energy-positive car" with room for four people, a trunk, intuitive steering and a range of 600 kilometers (373 miles). This is the car being entered by the student team in the Cruiser class of the World Solar Challenge that starts in Australia in October 2013.

"Stella" was created by a team of 22 students from the University of Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Stella is the first solar car with four seats with a range of 600 km (373 miles) per charge ! It combines an aerodynamic design with lightweight materials, such as carbon fiber and aluminum.

Stella will get the official certification for road use, becoming street legal and will be for sale in Europe.

http://www.designboom.com/technology/worlds-first-electricity-producing-solar-powered-family-car/

Students in the Netherlands unveil a solar-powered family car; Tech News and Analysis

Stella is the World's First Solar-Powered Family Car! | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building








It's a solar racer car that seats four. The battery pack is the "spine" between the seats, and the range of ~370 miles - without the sun shining, I presume?

So, it is not fully equivalent to a typical car and yes the doors and the roof are obviously deflecting. I would love to see a slightly taller version - it could take a nod in the direction of the Schlörwagen, or Sven7's Linner Strømlinet Vogn.