Revised Rebuttal Letter

[John Wayland <dat1200@europa.com>]

Hello to All,
     Part of the reason I sent my first version of my Oregonian rebuttal
letter to the List, was to get some feedback before I sent it......I
guess it's safe to say I got some feedback!
      My friend Lee Hart took the time to rework what I wrote, and
although part of me feels that it misses important points that my first
version covered, in the end, it is a much better response. I have no
delusions that it will be printed, but at least it might be read by the
editor....here it is:

To the editor,

      I read with great interest Jerry Boone's article from the Monday
October 26th Oregonian, section C, page three, entitled 'Class Looks at
Tomorrow's Commute'. This was his coverage of Lewis and Clark College's
environmental symposium recently held at the campus.

      I was displaying two of my five electric vehicles, a '95 Toyota
XtraCab Truck and a '72 Datsun 1200 sedan, about which Mr. Boone
commented in his article, "A compact car and pickup illustrated some of
the drawbacks of older-technology full-electric power."

      I didn't get a chance to speak with Mr. Boone, so he was
understandably unaware of the particular 'mission' of these vehicles.
The Toyota truck was purposely built as a long range capable EV that
could travel up to 150 miles per charge. This required double the amount
of batteries as a standard electric-converted truck, hence the bed
filled with batteries. It can travel more than 50 miles farther than
GM's state-of-the-art EV1 sports car and can match the range of factory
EVs with exotic nickel metal hydride batteries, while costing 1/3 as
much.

        Mr. Boone also wrote, "A more refined electric vehicle was
displayed by Portland General Electric. The car is based on a Geo Prizm
and is converted by a New England company that specializes in the
concept."

        This car was a Solectria Force, a $32,000 conversion of a Geo
Metro. It represents the state-of-the-art in electric vehicles being
produced by major firms. My Datsun 1200 EV was placed next to it to
contrast the high-tech approach with present-day affordable technology.

        Both cars weigh within 100 lbs. of each other, both are based on
small sedans that as gas-powered cars were the top fuel mileage models
of their time, and both are all-electric drive with lead acid batteries.
The Solectria car has a top speed around 75 mph, and gets 40 miles per
charge, or 25-30 miles in traffic. Its performance, handling, and trim
options are the same as any other Geo Metro.

        My Datsun EV has a top speed of 100 mph, and a 30-mile range
(20-25 miles in traffic). It has enough power to impress muscle car
owners, a completely reworked suspension with beefier springs, shocks,
race-bred front and rear sway bars, a competition grade autosound
system, and numerous appearance and comfort improvements.

        I only wish I could have shown Mr. Boone how my hand built
'older-technology' EVs compare so favorably with electric cars with
three times the purchase cost, and less of everything else!

									Sincerely,


									John Wayland