We’ve begun drive testing on FrogE #2, destined for a customer in Maryland. We are not done yet, but here are pictures of our progress to date. This car uses different batteries than car #1, with a goal of increased range. Below you can see the completed battery array, complete with Ferrari-like lexan viewing panels over the battery cells.
Above you can also see the heat exchanger in the radiator brackets, 220 charger (in front of the batteries) and the single master cylinder for the brake pedal. We would love to sell electric conversion kits, but the complexity is such that for now we can only do conversions in our building. Call if you would like us to pick up your car and bring it here for conversion. Our trucks can go anywhere. Until we can simplify this installation, our kits will have to wait, unless you are a very skilled installer.
Above you can see the framework Kenny designed to hold our batteries. This cage will allow the entire battery assembly to lowered in place with an engine hoist. You can see the blue AC electric motor in the photo above, in the transmission tunnel, where it lives low and aft.
Above you can see the level 2 (220) charge plug in place in the flip-up filler cap. We had to modify the cap to allow use of the charging station plug to fit, but we are very happy with the result. Car #1 had a 110 plug in the filler neck, but this charger allows both a 110 and 220 plug in the same receptacle with an adaptor. So car #2 has one recharge receiver instead of two.
Above you can see the nearly complete new blue interior. Below is how we got the car. While here, this car has received a new welded up dashboard with navy blue cover and new electronic gauges that speak to the electric systems on board. One big challenge is routing the wires from the rear of the car to the forward compartment. We built a fat box over the inner rocker panel on the passenger side which serves as a soffit for the wires. You can just see that the inner rocker panel cover is a bit thicker than usual because of the heavy wires that run inside. In this way, we can hide the wires that communicate between front and rear of the car.
New seats and steering wheel go in next! We’ll have more pictures next week of the completed car!
