Tinker 'test drives' all-electric vehicle Published Nov. 14, 2011 By Mike W. Ray Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- A battery-powered van that entered production this year can travel up to 80 miles before needing a recharge, can carry up to half a ton of cargo, produces zero emissions and requires no oil or air filters. The vehicle is powered by a 192-cell, 28 kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery pack that has an estimated life of 10 years and is concealed beneath the floor of the cargo bay. Recharge times are six to eight hours at 240 volts, or about a full day at 110 volts. The vehicle has a driving range of 50 to 80 miles between charges. "Studies indicate that most commercial vehicles travel 46 miles per day," Sales Director Jeff Hyatt said. An auxiliary 12-volt battery in the engine compartment can be used to play the radio or raise and lower the windows if the electric motor has been switched off. The cargo area has approximately 135 cubic feet of space and can carry a payload of 1,000 pounds. The interior of the passenger compartment looks exactly like a conventional van and the dashboard is nearly identical, too. However, a range gauge substitutes for the tachometer, and the fuel gauge has been replaced with a battery state-of-charge indicator. Front and side air bags have been installed to protect the driver and passenger. The vehicle has a heater and air conditioner for the passenger compartment, and is equipped with an AM/FM radio and CD player, too. The chassis and suspension system are manufactured by an American car company, and the electric motor and battery are made by companies headquartered in Michigan. Almost two-thirds of the vehicle and its components are manufactured in the United States and Canada, Mr. Hyatt said. A liquid is used to heat and cool the motor and the battery, depending upon the outside temperature. The motor and battery can operate in extremes ranging from 40 degrees below zero to 130 degrees above, Fahrenheit, Mr. Hyatt said. The vehicle can reach a maximum speed of 75 miles per hour, but "speed takes energy," he noted. The van has power steering and regenerative braking: the battery recharges when the brakes are applied. The front-wheel-drive vehicle has a gear box but no transmission; there are no gears to shift. Driving the van is "nothing like a combustible-engine vehicle," said David Davenport, the Vehicle Control Lead for the 76th Maintenance Support Group's Vehicle Control Office. "It's quiet and smooth" and accelerates quickly. "It's also comfortable and has a tight turning radius." Assembly operations started in April, and more than 400 of the all-electric vans have been ordered in North America and Europe, Mr. Hyatt said.