Month: March 2018

LVEVA Exhibit at GreenFest 2018 in Downtown Summerlin

The Las Vegas Electric Vehicle Association supported GreenFest 2018 at Downtown Summerlin on Saturday, April 21st from 9 AM to 5 PM. The event celebrated Earth Day.

Ray Malkewicz gets ready to drive Tesla Model 3 to lead Green Procession from Las Vegas Cyclery to Downtown Summerlin for GreenFest 2018.

The LVEVA participated in a Green Procession to kick off the event. LVEVA member Ed Malkewicz and his brother, Ray participated. Ed drove a Zero electric motorcycle while Ray drove his new Tesla Model 3, that he brought all the way from Austin, Texas.

BMW i8 plug-in hybrid electric car parked at Las Vegas Cyclery prior to launch of Green Procession.

LVEVA President LLoyd Reece, Board of Director Members Stan Hanel and Jim Katzen, Rob Lipener, and Lily and Henry also exhibited electric vehicles on Clean Energy Drive while answering questions at an informational booth: http://www.greenfestlv.com

LVEVA President Lloyd Reece exhibited his Nissan LEAF alongside an Aztec 7 kit car, that was restored by LVEVA members.

Lloyd exhibited his Nissan LEAF electric car, as well as a 1974 FiberFab Aztec 7 kit car that had been restored by LVEVA members. Rob Lipiner also showed off his customized electric bicycle.

Panamera S e-hybrid from Gaudin Porsche exhibited at GreenFest 2018.
Findlay Chevrolet exhibited a 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2018 Chevrolet Volt during GreenFest 2018.

Other electric vehicles exhibited at Clean Energy Drive included Panamera S e-hybrids and a Cayenne e-hybrid from Gaudin Porsche, Chevrolet Bolt EV and Chevrolet Volt from Findlay Chevrolet, an electric ATV and a Sentinel Personal Mobility Vehicle from Xtreme Green Vehicles in Las Vegas.

Under the hood of a 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV.
Xtreme Green Electric Vehicles Citadel Pro, an off-road all-terrain electric vehicle.

Jeffrey Price from the Las Vegas Tesla Owners club also exhibited his Tesla Model S while other members of the Tesla club, like Dan Wettlauer, participated in the Green Vehicle Procession.

Over 120 other booths at GreenFest 2018 featured information about how to live a sustainable lifestyle in the Mojave Desert, as well as family-friendly activities like bounce houses, rock climbing, pet adoption, music and Beer Garten refreshments during GreenFest 2018.

GreenFest 2018 Celebrated Earth Day at Downtown Summerlin in Las Vegas.

1970 FIAT 850 Sport Spider EV Conversion and Restoration Project

Al D’inzillo, one of the original founders of the Las Vegas Electric Vehicle Association, passed away during 2017. His family graciously donated Al’s 1970 FIAT 850 Sport Spider to the LVEVA to restore and make roadworthy again as an EV conversion project. Al and LVEVA co-founder Bill Kuehl originally designed and built the “Omanyd” electric car project (“dynamo” spelled backwards) during 1996.

From the 21st Official Newsletter of the LVEVA July 1996 (Gail Lucas, Editor):

“Thanks for the opportunity to tell my Omanyd story. It was a gratifying moment for me when arriving for last month’s Thursday meeting at D.R.I., in my new born Omanyd Electric, to be met by an unexpected mini accolade of applause by member friends. I thank them much, the moment is as much theirs as mine, for it was their encouragement to me and commitment to the environmental worth of the Electrics that led this 76 year young man to break down a 1970 classic and convert it to a 1996 Electric; Thanks to Al Sawyer, Jan Himber, Bill Yule, Bill Kuehl, (non member Bob Guthrie), Frank Timbers and my understanding wife Mary.”

“With prior arrangements made, on April 6, 1996, I drove my 1970 Fiat 850 Sport Spider for it’s last I.C.E. ride to Bill Kuehl’s excellent facilities in North Las Vegas (some 200 ft. above downtown). His shop includes a deep working bay and keeps a well fed family of wild rabbits and bunnies in the grounds, they are a pleasure to watch.”

Al and his FIAT 850 Sport Spider were featured in the online EV Album database of electric car conversions:
http://www.evalbum.com/401

New Tires Installed on 1970 FIAT 850 Sport Spider

LVEVA members Lloyd Reece, Stan Hanel and Jim Katzen were able to arrange transportation of the vehicle to Lloyd’s house, where new tires were installed. The LVEVA is currently seeking sponsorship for ten 12-volt deep cycle batteries that can be used to provide power to the Advanced DC Motor and Curtis 1221B Controller that are part of the original electric drive train that Al designed.

FIAT 850 Sport Spider with DC motor, belt drive transmission system, and battery layout within rear trunk.

To fit the electric motor and batteries into the small trunk section, Al D’Inzillo designed and custom-built a belt drive system, where the DC motor was inverted and mounted vertically above the transmission and drive shaft. The Curtis 1221B controller was modified by Stan Hanel during 2002. The original electronic components were replaced with more powerful MOSFET transistors and fast-recovery diodes that allowed more current to flow to the DC motor.

Al also experimented with his own designs for battery charging regulators, developing prototype printed circuit boards and capacitor modifications for the 120-volt DC battery system.