Carrus is a brand-independent supplier of top brand carts, parts and accessories, like Club Car, E-Z-GO and Yamaha. The company, based in the region of Utrecht, the Netherlands, provides transport solutions to various markets throughout Europe, including the leisure sector, golf courses and industry. It sells its products through a European dealer network, as well as through its own online shop at www.carrus.com, where all carts and parts can be found and ordered very easily.

The purchase agreement now entered covers used carts that are still partly operational on the basis of current lease agreements. More than 2300 carts, which are currently in stock and whose lease contracts are ending, will be shipped to the Netherlands in 2010. Next year, another 1000 carts will follow, when their lease contracts have also expired. The first carts and parts have already arrived at the Carrus depot in the region of Utrecht. The carts can be modified for any given application in accordance with the customer’s wishes at Carrus’ own workshop.

For further information, visit www.carrus.com or contact us at info@carrus.com or call +31 (0)30 233 4405.

SHADY’S: BRINGING SHADE & INNOVATION TO GOLF CARTS…TO KEEP YOU COOL!
Shadys, with its beginning in the hot South Florida sun, where golfing and golf carts are a way of life, has taken away the worry of being in the sun all day.  Founder Jaime Parker, and creator Steven Horejsi, credit Jaime’s mother-in-law, Adrienne Broch, for giving them the idea.  In 2007 Adrienne, an avid golfer, received a serious diagnosis of melanoma skin cancer directly attributed to her extensive time in the sun spent playing golf.  Instead of giving up the game she loved, she decided it was time to protect her from the sun as much as possible.  If long sleeve shirts, pants, sunglasses, hats, and 50 SPF sunscreen weren’t enough, Adrienne proceeded to hang shade cloth from the sides of golf carts when she golfed in an effort to block the sun and create a cooler place of refuge from the heat…something golfers contend with on a daily basis.  Says Adrienne, “I researched other products and was unimpressed with their design and functionality, but thanks to Shadys, I no longer need to play golf only during the early morning or late afternoon hours, and I don’t need to spend time on the course trying to find shade, concerning myself with sunburns, or stressing about skin damage.  With its sporty design, Shadys let’s me enjoy golfing and driving around the neighborhood on a golf cart stress free and looking good”.

For more information about Shady’s sun shades, visit www.shadys.com

TROJAN BATTERY SELECTS NEW DISTRIBUTORS FOR CHINA
New Partnerships Strengthen Trojan’s Presence and Leadership in China
Trojan Battery Company, the world’s leading manufacturer of deep cycle batteries, announced new distribution agreements I China, a strategy that further expands Trojan’s presence and strengthens its leadership across Asia. Trojan’s new authorized distributors are Getz Bros. Hong Kong Ltd., YHI Corporation (Beijing) Co., Ltd. and ShangHai Link Trade Co., Ltd. Each distributor will be responsible for overseeing the distribution and servicing of Trojan products in their assigned territories.

“With many of our major OEM partners expanding their manufacturing facilities to China it make sense for Trojan to strengthen its presence throughout China.” Said David Godber, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Trojan Battery. “Trojan’s strategic new alliances in China will allow us to provide localized, dedicated sales and technical support services that our customers have come to expect from Trojan. Further, by expanding our distribution in China, Trojan can readily meet the demands of China’s fast-growing new industries including golf, renewable energy, floor machine and aerial work platforms.”

Emerson Fung, Trojan’s director of sales, Asia-Pacific, who heads Trojan’s Hong Kong branch, added, “The implementation of four distributors, with each distributor focusing on a small territory, makes Trojan products more readily available in China, and allows us to respond faster to customer requests. Through an increase in sub-dealer network, Trojan can increase its business significantly throughout all of China.”
For more information visit www.trojanbattery.com

CURTIS INTRODUCES NEW SOFT-SIDE CAB FOR POLARIS RANGER 400 AND 800 MODELS
Extensive mix of features for work or play at a value price
Curtis Industries, LLC has introduced the new PathPro SS soft cab system for the Polaris Ranger 2010 400 and 800 models that easily mounts to the factory installed Roll-Over Protection System (ROPS). The PathPro SS is lightweight, versatile and can be used year-round in all types of weather. A quality, value enclosure, the PathPro SS keeps you and your passenger out of the elements.

The PathPro SS features a strong, low profile textured black steel roof with acoustic liner, steel frame doors with locking handles and full perimeter bulb rubber which collectively provide for a fully weather tight enclosure. The windshield is made from durable, long-lasting hard coated polycarbonate material for added protection. This windshield is strong enough to support a wiper and can stand up to abrasion and trail debris.

Each PathPro SS cab system uses zippered 30 gauge clear double-polished vinyl windows and soft rear panel that can be rolled up and strapped out of the way in nice weather. These PathPro SS cab systems offer very high visibility in all directions.

Additional accessories include the Mega Burner heater, wiper kit, safety beacon, work lights and custom overhead console with AM/FM radio/CD player and built-in switch panel. Curtis products are available through local Polaris dealerships.

For more information on Curtis products please visit www.curtisindustries.net.

FAIRPLAY EXPANDS BRAND OFFERING
In 2009, Fairplay Electric introduced the EVE brand of street legal electric cars.  Due to the increased demand for electric industrial and commercial vehicles, Fairplay has introduced a product line specifically to serve this market.

“Many of our existing dealers are expanding into light industrial products to increase sales and make up for the slowdown in their other product lines.  We have reconfigured some of our vehicles to meet the needs for this market,” says Keith Andrews, President of Fairplay Electric Cars.  “The HOSS commercial and industrial lineup is made up of robust versions of each vehicle, including our efficient high torque AC drive systems and sealed AGM batteries.”

When you visit the all new Fairplay web site, you can see the distinction between the product lines.  “We have separate dealer agreements for our three product offerings.  This allows dealers to tie up exclusive marketing areas for brands that matter to them.  In some markets, we have one dealer with all three product lines and in others three separate dealers.”

To see the complete lineup of Fairplay Electric Vehicles and find out how you can become a dealer for the product line that best fits your needs, go to the new www.fairplaycars.com or see the street legal vehicles at www.evelsv.com.

GARIA GOES STREET LEGAL
On and off the course, golf cars have become the new standard for convenient and green transportation

With an estimated market share of over 70% by 2010, there is no doubt that smaller electrical vehicles also known as NEVs (neighborhood electric vehicles) or LSVs (low speed vehicles) are here to stay.

The Garia Luxury Golf Car, manufactured at the same factory that builds the Porsche Boxster and Cayman, is also available as LSV.

Built to the highest standards of the automotive industry, The Garia features a formula 1 inspired front suspension, a drive train built by an Italian company that also produces Ducati gearboxes, and aluminum profiles made by the same company that supplies aluminum profiles to Aston Martin, Jaguar and Volvo.

Available in August 2010, The Garia LSV is fitted with street legal safety equipment such as seatbelts and side mirrors, and it also has a hydraulic brake system.

Its small size makes it perfect for the city, and with tax-based incentives in many countries and an increasing number of states and countries that allow LSVs to be operated on roads with speed limits of 35 mph (50km/h) or less, LSVs no longer belong to the future market – they are the market.

Within the past few years, vehicles traditionally designed and used for recreational purposes are increasingly being used for non-recreational purposes. Any distinction between a golf car and an NEV/LSV has become blurred, and recent studies indicate that the number of privately owned vehicles in the U.S., mainly golf cars or modified golf cars, will increase to 118,000 by 2010 (from 98,000 units in 2006).

Contact your local dealer for pricing and info. Find your local dealer at www.garia.com.

JANE ZHANG, CEO STAR ELECTRIC VEHICLES AWADED ERNST & YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR – CAROLINAS
Jane Zhang moved to the U.S. in 1989 to complete her graduate studies, an opportunity earned from graduating on the top of her class. Jane was not only strong in Engineering; she also had strong desire to excel at other financial and general management aspects of the business. While working full time and raising her first child with her husband Jun, Jane spent her weekends for three years completing her MBA at the Clemson University’s MBA program. In late 2003, Jane left her VP of engineering post to start up JH Global Services, Inc., which was formed as a global outsourcing and distribution company. Her idea was to evaluate the U.S. market to find opportunities to export/import and distribute products and/or services where a “reason for being existed.”

Jane quickly moved to the golf car and electric vehicle segment. She knew that there would be a strong future demand for electric golf cars and other vehicles based on the green movement and the aging boomer population. In addition, she knew that the big three golf car players (Club Car, E-Z-GO, and Yamaha) all tended to focus on golf course fleets instead of individual consumers and businesses. Jane sought to source and distribute golf cars and other electric vehicles that could offer businesses a quality product at a lower price. Thus the brand Star Electric Vehicles (JH Global DBA Star Electric Vehicles) was born in 2004.

Nearly every dollar of savings was put into setting up the company and buying the initial container load of vehicles that were sourced from a leading factory in China. Star EV is quickly working on future electric vehicle opportunities. These vehicles are already in high demand by the military, universities and other government and commercial businesses with “green” ambitions. As metropolitan areas grow the “electric’ infrastructure by adding charging stations these vehicles could be used by many in their daily commute.

AUTOMATED GUSS GOLF CARTS WILL BE MILITARIZED SOON
Drones are ubiquitous on today’s modern battlefields, from Iraq to Afghanistan and every where in between. Automated, gear-lugging golf carts? Not so much. That’s about to change though, thanks to a little guy named GUSS.

GUSS, short for Ground Unmanned Support Surrogate, is a short range hauler akin to BigDog, but without the terrifying night terrors.

Also like BigDog, Guss is controlled remotely (in this case by a system called WaySight). Using its collection of sensors and computer algorithms, GUSS can traverse all sorts of terrain in the day, night, and even inclement weather.

And even though GUSS is golf cart-esque, it’s more than capable of moving 1,800 lbs. of supplies in the field. Top speed is only 5mph, so the injured troop capability also being billed alongside this cart is a bit dubious.

A prototype for now, GUSS could see service by 2015, when 30% of the U.S. military is set to be unmanned.

FAIRPLAY WEBSITE IS BIG HIT
The new Fairplay website has improved in more ways than one.  The same eye popping graphics and ease of navigation that made the EVE LSV web site famous is now found on the Fairplay site.  But the web site is more than just a pretty face.  The dealer locator has been expanded to all brands so customer’s with specific vehicle needs can access the correct dealer for their area.

Another exciting addition is the DEALER LOGIN.  Now dealers can access a huge library of technical and support data.  “We have added historic information, for example, our wiring harness has changed over the years due to continuous improvement.  So we have included versions back to our first models,” said Jim Wilson, VP of Operations.  “Through our dealer login our dealers will have the latest technical bulletins and helpful instructions right at their finger tips, 24/7.”

“We are focused and on track for our 2010 mission,” says Keith Andrews, President.  “Our mission is to reach a level of quality in everything we do that is second to none.  The improvements to the web site, AC motors, AGM batteries, extend range packages and expansion of products, is all part of achieving that mission.”

“Last year we relocated our production and assembly to Southern California.  This move improved quality, allowed us to expand our product offering, reduced delivery times and helped us control cost.  We, along with our dealers, are very excited about where we are now and even more excited about where we are going,” Andrews added. Visit the new web site at www.fairplaycars.com .

NEW KEYLESS IGNITION SYSTEM FROM ididit INCORPORATED
Lose your keys and go keyless with ididit’s affordable new Key to Keyless Ignition System that can be mounted in a new steering column or even a dash.  Simply carry the provided Key FOB and upon arrival to the vehicle the Ignition Control Module will verify its owner and will pre-authorize the ignition system. Kit contains:
One control box (small & easy to fit). Range adjustability (up to 10 feet). and 2 Key FOBs with 2 modes (Automatic or manual)

With a simple push of a button the engine will roar to life.  As always ididit products are made in the U.S.A.!

For more information visit www.ididitinc.com

CUSTOMIZED GOLF CARTS A BIT OVER PAR
Lincoln Way is no longer just the home of antiques, auctions and bluegrass concerts; it now features customized golf cars.

Owner Terry Agin, who has owned Lincoln Way since 1968, is collaborating with several others on the business venture, Lincoln Way Golf Carts. He wishes he had started it 10 years ago.

“I can’t believe how good they sell and how fun they are to work on, Agin said.

The business at 2817 Ohio 602, began by happenstance. “I had an old golf car and sold it to the first guy that looked at it. I upgraded one for myself and decided it would make a good business,” Agin said.

Agin said when the cars come in, they usually are painted green or red. Agin and his business associate, Brian Rankins, strip them and rebuild each to customers’ specifications. Chad Sweitzer does the custom paint jobs and XT Innovations installs seats.

The carts, either gas or electric, take Agin and his partners one to seven days to complete. Agin said he sells about an equal number of gas and electric models. “Campgrounds seem to buy more of the electric because of the fact the gas carts make more noise,” he said. “The cost for each is about the same depending on what the customer wants, which could run between $1,500 and $7,500.”

Deb Pinion, director of the Bucyrus Area Chamber of Commerce, said Agin’s business is unique. “This is what entrepreneurs across America are doing. They are finding a niche market, opening business and doing well,” she said. “I think Terry and his partners have a great idea and will do well.”

NIVEL INTRODUCES NEw LINE OF DASH ASSEMBLIES
Nivel Parts & Manufacturing, the largest independent distributor in North America, is proud to introduce its new line of Complete Dash Assemblies.
Superior in design and quality, Nivel’s new dash assemblies are unmatched in the marketplace with these exciting new features:
• Injection molded design.  Instead of a vacuum formed construction, these new dashes are injection molded, which provides the assemblies with a thicker, even wall thickness, superior fit, and consistency.
• Highest-quality design virtually eliminates the common dash assembly’s flaw of having weak corners. The stronger, durable construction of Nivel’s new dash assemblies provides uniform strength across the whole of the dash.
• Dash has a more durable, tactile feel that perfectly compliments the stylish design of the dash assembly’s patterned finish.
• Available in the most popular three finishes: Regal burl, Carbon fiber and Titanium.
Available for multiple golf car makes and models, the dash assemblies also include locking doors to safely store valuables and cup holders on select models.

Nivel is also extremely excited to announce that it has used its unmatched global sourcing expertise and advanced engineering capabilities to bring these dashes to our dealers not only with improved quality and stylish looks; but at a new competitive wholesale price.

The LSV tax incentives that expired at the end of 2009 seam like déjà vu, a return to the California ZEV mandate that inspired the NEV’S of the late 90’S. The State of California’s zero-emission vehicles mandate and later compromise with the big three American auto companies brought us vehicles like the Ford “Think”, Chrysler “GEM” and the General Motors “EV1 sports coup”. The majority of these vehicles were purposely built to meet the letter of the law of California Air Resource Boards zero emissions laws.  Many were leased and later crushed, as the manufactures only built them as a stopgap measure that would allow them to continue to sell there other products: gas powered automobiles. These vehicles were just a means to an end that did not have anything to do with promoting electric vehicles.

The similarity in both cases was the meteoric rise in popularity of electric vehicles that are capable of replacing a gas powered automobile. Although the ZEV Mandate was ultimately a failure for electric vehicles in California it has promoted the NEV and its close relative the LSV as a viable replacement for an automobile in other markets.

Almost ten years later, the federal and state tax incentives that expired at the end of 2009 created a mini boom in the LSV market again, although this time it was nationwide. The LSV market was on fire in 2009. Names like Fairplay, Columbia, Star, Tomberlin, and Stealth were among the early adopters, with Club Car and EZGO quickly behind. All benefited from both the popularity of the LSV and a nearly $6,000 federal tax credit incentive, not to mention some equally generous state tax credits as well. All these incentives have once again driven the LSV market to new heights.

This time, there were no two year leases, or crushing of vehicles as they came off lease because they were considered commercial albatross. What we have is a vehicle distinction that was created by tax incentives; only this distinction is a vehicle niche that is in high demand. People want these LSV cars. They have proved that by the numbers of units they bought in 2009. Are they buying LSV’S to replace cars with them or as an extra vehicle? No one knows the answer for sure. The way the media attacked the tax incentive, you would think it will not be something that will be brought back.

The problem that the LSV faces going forward will be a lack of incentives for the vehicles. The most obvious one is the tax incentive has gone from $6,000 plus state incentives to less than a thousand, unless solar is part of the deal. The next problem is the less obvious. Local law enforcement does not distinguish between a LSV and NEV or modified golf car. If it is legal for any of these, most local law enforcement will permit all of them on the road. Then there is the premium that you pay for a LSV that is properly equipped with all the correct safety gear from the factory. Why pay the premium if there are no incentives, either positive like tax credits or negative incentives like law enforcement requiring all the correct safety gear to have access to the roads…

The golf car industry and all manufactures of golf car type vehicles would greatly benefit from any program that promotes the use of LSV’S instead of automobiles. This would finally give the industry some of the economies of scale that the auto industry has enjoyed. If all parties involved could do what so many other industries do and lobby Washington to produce legislation creating incentives similar to those in 2009, everyone would benefit. Without some better incentives positive or negative, like law enforcement that makes a distinction and actually requires the higher level of safety features that are part of today’s LSV’S, the LSV will not repeat its 2009 pace. Yes, the LSV is here to stay, and many automobiles will be replaced by LSV’S every year, but incentives are needed to help return to the frenzied buying and popularity that occurred at the end of 2009. Just a thought.

TM in Alabama asks: What can I do cheaply to make an electric car run faster?

ANSWER:

TM, I get asked that question several times a day!

First, understand that anytime you are seeking speed you will sacrifice torque. What your customers need to understand is speed comes in the form of a “system”.  As I write this, there are two main systems on the market (excluding AC drive). One is a Series system, and the other is called a Shunt, SepEx or Regen system. These two differing system types do not interchange and cannot be thought of exactly the same.

Series systems are the first generation of drive controls and have been around for many years.  The name Series means just what it implies, a system that is only as strong as its weakest link.  For example, if you have an open in the system such as: a cable, solenoid, motor, controller, shifter or a battery; the car will not run.  Likewise, if you have a component that is too small to carry a given load the car will not perform up to desired performance.  Here is how that works; first, you must have a power source (the batteries), they must be able to store the energy required for the demand the motor makes.  We must be able to deliver that stored energy through the correct size conductors (cables).  Then we have to be able to turn that delivery on and off with a contactor (solenoid) of the correct size.  Next we need a device to vary the amount of energy demanded by the motor.  This device is called a controller and has multiple amperage and throttle inputs.  With all that said, the motor is the one component that actually controls the speed and torque of the system.

The speed and torque of a motor is influenced by many factors:  large tires, hills, loads, and of course heat and cold.  Say that you have a motor rated at stock OEM specifications.  You replace that motor with a speed motor (higher RPM’s) and are driving the car in adverse conditions such as large hills.  The motor will not perform; as so much torque is lost it will not climb a hill.   To support this high speed motor you must have the rest of the system!

I recommend you ask customers the following questions when selling a system:

1. How is the car going to be used?
2. Are there large hills?
3. Is the car lifted? (larger tires)
4. Will the car be used for towing?
5. Will the car be using a rear facing seat?
6. Will the car be driven off-road, and to what extreme?
7. Will the car be driven on a flat surface?
8. Will the car be used for golf and community driving?
9. How much speed?  How much torque?

By asking a few questions you can determine if the customer needs a torque system, speed/torque system or a speed system.  You never want to put a speed system on a lifted car used for extreme off-roading.  You can use a torque/speed system in moderate off-road conditions.  Speed systems are for flat surfaces and paved roads.  Yes, a higher amperage controller will help speed motors some, and is required, but torque will still remain low.  Speed and torque costs, and to do it right, sell a customer a system. However there is always that on exception.  Say the customer has a non-lifted car and just wants a little added speed/torque.  Yes there are drop-in motors for the purpose and work very well.

Again, just by asking the correct questions you can sell the correct system or motor.  This will end part one; we will continue next issue.

SUITE SEATS – A FAST, EFFICIENT WAY TO DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE THE APPEARANCE AND COMFORT OF A CUSTOM CART

When thinking of customizing a cart, the first thing that comes to mind for most cart dealers is “custom paint”. While special paint is an attractive way to customize a cart, it is time consuming. Removing accessories, disassembling body components, and scheduling time for the body to go to the paint shop can add weeks to the time before a cart is ready for sale. After the cart comes back from the paint shop, customizers usually realize that “something” needs to be done with seats, because now they stick out like a sore thumb.

For years, the usual answer was to staple on some seat covers to color coordinate the seats to the new paint, or to hide some wear and damage to the old stock seats. But while covering the old seats may help the appearance, it does nothing to improve the comfort of the cart – you still have the old, worn out seats underneath. Stock seats are designed for fleet applications, where the most important criteria are utility and being inexpensive to produce, with little attention paid to comfort or lateral stability.

Cart customizers are increasingly turning to Suite Seats to finish their carts. Manufactured in Nicollet, Minnesota, Suite Seats are available for over 12 different cart models, and are offered as stock in 72 color combinations. Because Suite Seats are also offered in custom colors and fabrics, along with custom embroidery, the options available for customizers to set their carts apart from their competition are as broad as the customer’s imagination. “My carts just never look complete without doing something with the seats”, says Charlie Roden, owner of Caddy Shack located in the Lake of the Ozarks region of Missouri. “Because Suite Seats are so easy to install there’s really nothing I can do to a cart that is as cost effective in terms of price and shop time.” According to Charlie; “Once I hit my customer’s hot button…what they are passionate about….then I am able to design a cart that they love and the additional accessory sales really help my bottom line.”

Custom embroidery on Suite Seats helps draw out what a customer is passionate about, and is a valuable sales tool for cart customizers. Sports & hobbies such as golf, football, hunting, fishing, family names & crests, or even business names embroidered on Suite Seats make the cart owner feel that the cart has been truly personalized for them.

Suite Seats bolt in just like the stock fleet seats, with no special cutting or drilling, and are made to line up with the factory mounting holes. Suite Seats are also available for virtually every rear seat kit, in both flip and stationary models. With the investment of less than a half hour of installation time, carts can quickly be upgraded and be ready for the showroom floor.

Contact United Commercial Upholstery at (507) 232-4224 or www.ucuinc.com to find out more about what many cart dealers already know – Suite Seats great looks, comfort, and ease of installation help pave the way to increased sales.

• An ongoing commitment to be the design and quality leader for windshields and accessories
• Improved shipping response time, as we add Pro Master products at Nivel locations and Pro Master Industries to our network of shipping locations
• Manufacturing control over Pro Master’s patented windshield designs, which are considered the gold standard in the industry. Efficient manufacturing will allow an increase in inventory availability to our customers along with improved cost control over our end product
• Continued commitment to provide our dealers with the best products presently available, and product development support to expand the offering to meet the changing needs of the golf car aftermarket

As you can imagine, our organization is very excited by the potential of this marriage, and hope that you will support us with your business as we integrate these companies.

KOLLMORGEN AND FLIGHT SYSTEMS INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS (FSIP) ANNOUNCE AFTERMARKET SERVICING AGREEMENT ON DRIVES AND CONTROLS FOR ELECTRIC FORK LIFT TRUCKS
Agreement provides OEMs with a lower-cost, remanufactured solution supported by world-class expertise, service and technology

Kollmorgen, a leading global manufacturer of drives and controls for electric fork lift trucks, and FSIP, a leading provider of remanufacturing services for electric vehicle control systems, have agreed to an Aftermarket Service Agreement, effective immediately.  Under terms of the Agreement, FSIP will be the exclusive remanufacturer of Kollmorgen drives and controls for the North America electric fork lift truck market.  Kollmorgen is most widely recognized under the company’s previous branding of Danaher Motion, as a supplier of drives and controls to OEMs of electric fork lift trucks.

“Partnering with FSIP helps us better support and bring additional value to our OEM customer’s aftermarket businesses in North America,” says Brian Lubin, Business Unit Director, Kollmorgen Electric Vehicle Systems.  “These customers will have ready access to a lower-cost, high-quality remanufactured drive and control solution through FSIP, and directly supported by Kollmorgen through revision control and testing.  Additionally, the Agreement will extend the availability of legacy Kollmorgen drive and control products.”

“This Agreement aligns with our strategic focus of nurturing alliances with industry-leading manufacturers of electric vehicle components and systems, and doing so allows us to provide our customers with the most recent upgrades to the control hardware and software,” explains Barry Bowman, President of FSIP.  “As the intellectual property of today’s electric vehicle controls become more complex, these alliances enable us to truly remanufacture the control and not just ‘repair it’ or ‘swap it out’ as may be the case with other repair facilities.  It also provides the market with an alternative to ‘new,’ while maintaining the integrity of the control as a remanufactured product.”

Between now and May 2010, Kollmorgen and FSIP will be sharing data, test capabilities and other important drive and control functions.  The companies anticipate that the full launch of remanufactured Kollmorgen drives and controls for electric vehicles will begin in May.

HOME ON THE RANGE!
Not sure what the deer and the antelope are doing now days to get around, but if they had the new Limited Edition EVE LSV DELUX they could roam about 60 miles.

Most customers who purchase an LSV want to know the age-old question, “What’s the range?”  Typical lead acid battery configurations in two passenger vehicles have six, eight-volt batteries and provide a range of around twenty-five miles.  Now, thanks to the efficiency of their new AC drive system with Fullriver AGM batteries; Fairplay’s 2010 Limited Edition EVE LSV DELUX has posted an impressive sixty plus mile range.

“We are very excited about the range we are seeing in this model”, says Keith Andrews, President of Fairplay Electric Cars.  “Our combination of maintenance-free batteries with our reliable AC powered motors now puts our package way ahead of the pack.”

The AC motor and AGM Full River battery package is standard equipment on the 2010 Limited Edition EVE DELUX.  However plans are to expand the offering.  “In late summer we plan to introduce more vehicles with AC power and the AGM extended range packages”, adds Andrews.

For more information on the 2010 Limited Edition EVE LSV DELUX with the extended range AGM batteries and to see the complete line up of Fairplay Electric Vehicles go to www.fairplaycars.com or www.evelsv.com.

INTERSTATE BATTERY SYSTEMS OF AMERICA NAMES U.S. BATTERY MANUFACTURING COMPANY ‘SPECIALTY BATTERY SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR’ FOR THE EIGTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR!

U.S. Battery Manufacturing Company has been Interstate Battery’s supplier of choice when it comes to manufacturing the best deep cycle and special application batteries. Providing the best quality product available is not just a request by Interstate, but a requirement that has been the basis for the Interstate Battery distributor systems continued growth year over year in their domestic deep cycle market share. U.S. Battery has taken this responsibility to heart and has worked very hard to become the best supplier possible. During this long business relationship, U.S. Battery has been awarded Interstate’s “Supplier Excellence” award for ten consecutive years. “While this may be achievement enough for some” stated Donald Wallace, executive vice president, “we were going for the gold.” To that end U.S. Battery has been chosen to receive the “Specialty Supplier of the Year” award by Interstate Battery for the past eight consecutive years as well as receiving “Plant of the Year” each year during this same period of time. The criterion used to measure suppliers consists of on-time shipping, percentage of fill rate and overall warranty.

Using Interstates scoring system, U.S. Battery has consistently been in the high 90th percentile and has actually hit 100% in two 12 month fiscal periods, the only supplier in Interstates history to do so. Wallace stated, “This year on year achievement became somewhat of an internal battle cry. We worked towards that 100% goal no matter the cost. It is always so difficult to measure the cost of good customer service so this is an area where the company chose to focus on excellence in customer satisfaction rather than the bottom line. In the process of our attempts to hit Interstates goals we were able to elevate the levels of both customer service and satisfaction to our entire customer base, while at the same time maintaining a company wide warranty rate of .14%! We constantly have the IBS distributors telling us how good the product is, where they use terms like “bullet proof”, stated Wallace.

We are proud of our long relationship with Interstate Battery Systems of America and we are deeply gratified to have helped them consistently grow their deep cycle market share by providing exemplary products and service. Every U.S. Battery employee takes great pride in being the best they can be and our continued ability to prove this by winning Interstates quality and service award is a testament to those efforts.

U.S. Battery Manufacturing Company has manufacturing facilities located in Corona California, and Evans, and Augusta Georgia. Visit www.usbattery.com for more information.

CLUB CAR CELEBRATES TWO MILLIONTH VEHICLE ON EARTH DAY
Small vehicle manufacturer doubles production in nine years

The two millionth vehicle produced by Club Car is an achievement company founders never would have imagined when they began producing golf cars 52 years ago. In fact, the low-speed passenger vehicle that came off the production line today in a ceremony marking the manufacturing milestone wasn’t even made here until last year.

Golf cars and utility vehicles dominated production at Club Car during its first half century. But the vehicle chosen to symbolize the manufacturing milestone, which fell on Earth Day 2010, was a Villager LSV, an eco-friendly zero-emission vehicle that incorporates a number of features as defined by federal regulations that enable LSVs to be driven on specified public roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less.

LSVs are the fastest growing segment in the light transportation vehicle market. They’re especially popular for short commutes, shopping, transpiration and deliveries in campus-style environments, including hospitals, clinics, schools and universities.

“One of the hallmarks of Club Car over the years has been innovation and the ability to produce vehicles that meet – and sometimes even anticipate the needs – of our customers,” said Gary Michel president and CEO of Club Car, “Zero-emission low-speed vehicles, which reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil and provide an environmentally friendly mode of travel, are an example of that ongoing commitment.”

Michel credited Club Car employees as the “champions’ responsible for producing a million vehicles in record time. “We have a great team of people who come and work with one thing on their mind every day: How to improve on yesterday” Michel said.

The ceremony was attended by Club Car associates, executives from parent company Ingersoll Rand and a number of local political and civic leaders. Augusta Mayor Deke Copenhaver read a proclamation that declared April 22, 2010 “Club Car Day in Augusta.”

The event coincided with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, the global celebration of environmental awareness. In recognition of its commitment to sustainability, Ingersoll Rand on Thursday launched its Center for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability (CEES). The center will focus on identifying and implementing best practices for the long-term use of energy and other resources for customers and communities.

Speaking at the Club Car ceremony, Jim Bolch, president of Ingersoll Rand’s Industrial Technologies Sector, said the CEES would partner with non-governmental organizations and universities, as well as technology and industry leaders to fund research, support scholarships and host seminars on the subject of environmental sustainability. “Maybe most importantly, we’ll engage and educate our won employees about ways to bring green solutions to market and to make our own organization and the communities we serve even more green.” Bolch added.

Club Car’s two millionth vehicle was produced nine years and one month after Club Car reached the one-millionth milestone.

“Our business continues to evolve as our customers’ needs and the types of customers we serve continue to evolve.” Michel said. “It’s hard to predict the vehicle that may symbolize the three millionth Club Car, but I’m sure it will be one that is right for the times.”

For more information, visit www.clubcar.com.

TROJAN BATTERY TO POWER E-Z-GO’S NEW TXT® 48 FLEET GOLF CAR
Trojan extends contract with E-Z-GO to be its exclusive deep cycle battery supplier for its newest electric fleet vehicles

Trojan Battery Company, the world’s leading manufacturer of deep cycle batteries, today announced that it has extended its contract with  E-Z-GO as its exclusive supplier of deep cycle batteries for all new electric fleet golf cars made by E-Z-GO, including the Industry-leading RXV® and the recently introduced TXT® 48 fleet golf cars. As part of this new contract, E-Z-GO will also offer Trojan’s HydroLink™ single-point watering system as an option. The HydroLink watering system will be available as an aftermarket accessory as well as factory-installed on Trojan batteries in select golf cars, like the RXV and TXT 48.

“Trojan is pleased with the extended opportunity to further strengthen our partnership with E-Z-GO,” said David Godber, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Trojan Battery Company. “E-Z-GO’s decision to use Trojan Battery in all of their fleet golf cars is an undeniable testimony to the quality products and services we provide.”

“Extending our partnership was an easy decision stemming from the outstanding collaboration that existed between our two companies,” said Kevin Holleran, president of E-Z-GO. “Trojan’s innovative battery technology has enabled E-Z-GO to integrate vital technological advancements such as the TruCourse Technology featured in our TXT 48. In addition, we rely on Trojan for its exceptional field support, which has resulted in improved efficiency and a higher level of customer service provided by E-Z-GO dealers and service locations nationwide.”

E-Z-GO’s new TXT 48 is an update of the proven TXT electric golf car platform with a 48-volt DC drivetrain and E-Z-GO’s exclusive TruCourse Technology system, offering more customization settings than any other fleet golf car on the market. The combination of the 48-volt DC drivetrain and TruCourse Technology also makes the TXT 48 10 percent more energy efficient than the previous 36-model, and its improved regenerative braking system provides up to 10 percent more power back into the batteries under normal operating conditions – lowering operating costs for the golf course operator.

As of mid-April, the TXT 48 and other new electric vehicles from E-Z-GO will also feature Trojan’s new T2 Technology, a series of refinements integrated for enhanced performance in Trojan’s most popular deep cycle golf batteries. Engineered to address the increasing performance demands of advancing OEM requirements, T2 Technology builds upon Trojan’s historically proven technology and incorporates improvements in electrochemical processing and battery design to achieve maximum sustained performance and deliver more total energy.  Improvements include enhancements in Trojan’s Alpha Plus® Paste and the Maxguard® separator design. The T2 Technology will be available to the general public in Trojan’s flooded, deep cycle batteries starting in June.

For more information visit www.trojanbattery.com

CART MART CONTINUES TO GROW ITS WORKFORCE IN SPITE OF TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES

Cart Mart is pleased to announce the hiring of Mr. Richard Cook for the new position of Director of Sales and Marketing. Cooks responsibilities will be to increase revenue across all departments, with a primary focus on new vehicle sales and in growing accounts through relationship management. He will use his extensive sales and marketing experience to develop new sales strategies and programs that will enhance our market share. Additionally, Cook will work with sales individuals in our organization to improve their sales skills, sales process’ and to develop, train and motivate.

Some of Cook’s prior sales experience includes over 20 years serving the automotive, utility vehicle, and battery industries. Cook spent 4 years in fleet sales and dealer management with Volvo Car Corporation Sweden (VCCS). As North American Sales Manager to Volvo Car Corporation, Cook was also responsible for setting up the infrastructure with Volvo Cars of North America (VCNA) and Volvo Car Corporation Sweden to handle logistics, distribution, parts and service. Cook comes to us from a recent engagement as a former Sales Consultant to the golf and utility vehicle industry, with a local lithium battery manufacturer. We are excited about his future contributions to our organization.

In 2009, the company increased it’s workforce by 18%. For more information on Cart Mart, visit www.cartmart.com.

POLARIS ON-ROAD DIVISION EXPANDS BREEZETM FAMILY OF PRODUCTS
Polaris Neighborhood Vehicles Launches 2-Passenger and Street-Legal Models

Continuing a tradition built on more than 55 years of innovative and well-built off-road products, Polaris Industries Inc. has unveiled its new BreezeTM Neighborhood Vehicle model line-up.

“Since our launch in fall of 2009, the Breeze and its MyChoiceTM  rear seat conversion capability have been very well received, so we’re thrilled to offer two new models to our customers,” said Greg Thompson, marketing manager for the Breeze family of vehicles. New to the line-up is Polaris’ first street-legal electric-powered neighborhood vehicle, the Polaris Breeze SL; and a new 2-passenger version of the Breeze.

Built by a company whose name is synonymous with redefining recreational vehicles, each new model features an advanced, adjustable suspension and plush contoured seating that delivers an extremely comfortable and smooth ride which has become the hallmark of the Polaris Breeze. Boasting an automotive look, premium cut-and-sew seat design, and metallic paint colors, each Polaris Breeze promises to stand out from other neighborhood vehicles.

“The Breeze SL and two-passenger Breeze are yet to more examples of how Polaris is offering new and exciting ways for consumers to enjoy a master-planned community lifestyle,” said Marc Tullemans, director of Polaris’ Neighborhood Vehicle business. “We’ve added the innovation consumers have come to expect from Polaris into all-electric vehicles, making every Breeze a smart and fun choice for the whole family.”

The new Polaris Breeze models will be available for test rides and purchase beginning June 1st, at select Polaris Neighborhood Vehicle dealerships. Specific dealer locations can be found at www.polarisbreeze.com. In addition to Suede Metallic, the vehicles will also be in premium metallic colors Pearl White and Northwoods Green.

“Throughout 2010, we’ll continue to expand our dealer network and product availability, and hope excitement around the Breeze thus far continues as consumers see and ride these wonderful new models we’ve added to the line,” said Tullemans.

Upon returning to the garage where his golf car has been stored for several months, the owner plugs in his automatic charger and finds it will not come on.  He did not feel comfortable leaving it plugged in for the entire off season, but now the battery charger won’t come on. This is one of the most common problems with electric golf cars left sitting for several months without a charger connected to them. They appear to be dead; next a technician is called to check it out. The typical technician will check the car over and tell customers the batteries or the charger is the problem, transport the car back to the shop where they have a method of charging batteries that are under the critical 80% discharge level (70% nominal voltage level), and or checking the charger.

There are still many automatic chargers in use today that will not come on until there is at least 70% nominal charge voltage in the battery pack. That is how they were designed; this keeps them from working if there are major issues within the system. That is why they need to have a 70% nominal charge voltage to start; it was a designed safety feature. The nominal pack voltage of a 36 volt system fully charged is around 38 volts. A 48 volt battery pack fully charged would be around 52 volts. On the low end 70% (voltage) of a 36 volt pack would be close to 25 volts and a 48 volt pack at 70% (voltage) would be close to 33 volts.

The good news is that in the last five years charger technology has improved to the point where most automatic chargers only need to detect one or two volts to start a charge cycle. Also many chargers are now built with multiple fail-safe systems. Now, if the relay fails the charger will not continue to run until unplugged as some older chargers did. The problem with wet cell lead acid batteries is they discharge at a rate of 4% per week. In higher temperatures the discharge rate is even quicker. That means 16% per month. If you do the math it will only take two months and you are below the 70% nominal voltage. Newer charger technology also allows maintenance charging for storage.

I will give you a couple of solutions to fix this problem, in order of expense. One, you can add a relay by-pass switch to an existing automatic charger (Ferro-resonant only) see following diagram

Locate timer board relay on the main PC  board. Splice into the normally open contact wire and the common terminal wire. Connect each wire to a toggle switch or push pull switch you will mount on the charger case. Plug the charger into the car and wall AC plug. Flip the toggle switch on and this will now by-pass the relay contacts. Allow charging to occur for 1 to 2 hours or more. Turn switch off and then unplug DC cord and plug back in. The timer board should now time out as normal.

Two, you can take an existing manual (timer) charger 36 or 48 it makes no difference. Put a SB50 amp DC plug on the end. This will allow you to use it with any Nivel modular DC cords we offer to fit any current DC receptacle, and a lot of old ones also. Connect the manual charger using the appropriate Nivel DC cord set and let the pack charge 2 or 3 hours which will allow pack voltage to rise to a level where the automatic timer will accept. Before completing the charge cycle, check battery cell water level and you should be good to go. A general rule of thumb is to charge the batteries every 30 to 45 days to prevent over discharging to start with. The final option is to switch to AGM batteries which have a slower self discharge rate of 1% per month. This way the car could sit for many months before needing additional help charging.

In any case I believe a good idea is to take an old manual charger and have it ready to use in these situations. A technician can put the manual charger on the car, go to lunch or another call and circle back to check on the progress. Most of the time this is all that is needed. Good luck.

How do I connect a battery gauge?

Wayne From Villages, Florida

ANSWER:

First let’s talk about what those things are. Some call them charge indicators and some call them discharge meters. So which is it? The market offers two styles of meters to monitor battery voltage. One meter is digital and one is analog. The difference between the two is the analog is basically a voltmeter. The digital meter is more of a battery discharge indicator (BDI). However, during non-use (no load) the meter can tell battery pack charge. But its real value is reading discharge voltage to prevent over discharging the batteries. The value to this is we do not want the cell voltage during discharge to go beyond 1.70 volts per cell. That will be close to 80% discharge of the battery pack. Without monitoring the amount of discharge, damage to the batteries can occur. So, how do we connect the meters?

Analog or Digital will connect the same way. It has always been an industry standard to connect directly to hard positive and hard negative. What this means is connecting as close to the main battery car connections as possible. There are several good reasons for this. One reason is the activation wiring is usually too small and does not truly represent the power side of the system. So connecting to the small activation wiring is not as accurate as connecting directly to the battery pack. Another area of concern is connecting to the key switch. I do not recommend this at all! The reason being is the key switch has resistance. This resistance will give you a false reading. The other reason for not using the key switch is not all key switch circuits are positive voltage. If a key switch activation is desired I suggest utilizing a relay in that circuit. This will allow on/off of the meter if you want to do that. However, it is not necessary to turn the meter off. The draw on the batteries is so low it will not cause battery discharge.

Note: some digital meters do utilize a third connection for key switch activation. You can use this if it is indeed a positive circuit. Still connect the other two wires to hard positive and negative.

How can I get more run time out of my ‘99 Club Car electric?

Don from Washington

ANSWER:

Assuming you have a 48-volt system you have a couple of options. One is to switch your battery pack to eight six-volt batteries. The other is to increase the capacity of the six eight-volt system.

The second option is to increase the capacity of the existing battery pack with exact size replacements. This means replace the six eight-volt T875’s with six T890’s. A T875 will have a rating of 117 minutes at 56 amps. A T890 will have a rating or 132 minutes at 56 amps.

To give you an exact amount of extra run time you will receive is hard to do based on motor size, tire size and car condition. Based on our testing with a six inch lift kit and 22″ tires, high speed and torque motor, and a rear facing seat. This is close to continuous duty driving. With a larger capacity battery system we see somewhere around an extra thirty minutes of run time. So you need to determine if the cost is worth it. As motor size and tire size decreases the amount of run time will increase. So as you can see application has a lot to do with all of this.

For a 36-volt system you will have a set of T105’s rated at 115 minutes at 75 amp load. You can upgrade to a set of T145’s rated at 145 minutes at 75 amp load. Upgrading the battery tray is not needed for the 36-volt system.

Things you can do to help run time are as follows:
1)         Run the correct tire pressure as per manufacturer recommendations
2)         Make sure there is not any mechanical binding or drag on the system
3)         Make sure the front wheel alignment is per manufacturers recommendations
4)         Make sure the batteries are being properly maintained and charged
5)         Make sure the motor system matches the application
6)         Make sure you never over discharge the battery pack beyond 80%
7)         Make sure the batteries are not being overheated during the charge process
8)         Make sure all of the cable connections are clean and tight

This article first appeared in September /October, 2004 issue of Golf Car News magazine, it has been updated, fact checked and reprinted for this issue.

Over the last few years dealers have been “beefing-up” their electric golf cars. It started with a motor or field coil change, then the controllers. Then the motors started to get even larger, and this meant larger, higher amp controllers. It soon became necessary to have 4-gauge wire to put it all together so nothing would melt.

All these modifications allow, or require higher amperage to flow through the power wiring to the primary electric components. The problem is that one part is often overlooked during this “beefing-up” process, the F&R switch.

I was speaking to the brains behind EV Parts Inc. Roderick Wilde and discussing the interesting things he has done with electric cars, mostly for racing purposes, (go to: www.suckamps.com) to come up with a hot topic for this months article. He and I both agreed that the F&R switch is the most overlooked part when “beefing-up” an electric car. Although this is not as exciting as modifying an electric postal jeep to reach speeds of over 100 MPH, it is a hot topic, literally.

Cars are often modified with the stock F&R switch unchanged except to connect a smaller gauge or thicker power wires to them. This is unacceptable and will only cause problems somewhere down the line. A mechanical F&R switch has a hard enough job as it is. It is always “on” so to speak; current is always passing through it. Your F&R switch is a circuit between the controller and your motor, and they must be capable of the same amp load. Once the switch is shifted from one direction to the other, it first passes through a natural point, so as not to arc before reversing the polarity to the field coils. Otherwise the load is constant.

These switches were designed to handle the stock amps, not the new level. Think about it, you just installed a 500-amp controller, this means that if required, your controller will send 500-amps to the motor, and that means 500 amps right through your F&R switch. The original system is capable of handling about a 350-amp peak, if that.

There are two good solutions that I know of. The simplest and least expensive is to modify a stock F&R switch to handle the load. The weakest part of these switches is the buss bars. On an E-Z-GO switch they are between the contacts on the cam, or part that moves.

These buss bars are thin and not made to carry large amps. Just replace them with some 3/16 inch thick by ½ inch wide copper bar and you’re off to the races.

The second alternative is more complex and more expensive. It requires replacing the mechanical switch with two, six terminal solenoids and a three-position control switch. For the solenoids, use two Nivel #1165 for 36-volt or Nivel #1130, both of these are rated at 200-amp continuous and 600 amp peak. This will work for most applications. As this is a more complicated set up I have made up a diagram to help.

Next time you are making a “beefed-up” electric car remember the F&R Switch. Because your “beefed-up” electric car is only as good as its weakest part, so make sure that’s not the F&R switch. Nivel now manufactures a line of F&R switches for high amp applications. Ask your Nivel salesperson for more information.