The Solectria Force is a

Geo Metro The Geo Metro was a variation of the Suzuki Cultus available in North America from 1989 through 2001 as a joint effort of General Motors (GM) and Suzuki. In the US, the Metro carried a Geo nameplate from 1989 through 1997, and a Chevrolet namepl ...

, professionally converted from a new, motorless chassis (known in the industry as a glider) by

Solectria Corporation Solectria Corporation was responsible for the design, engineering, and manufacturing of energy management components for industrial applications, including electric vehicles, parallel hybrid drivetrains, and power generation applications. It was fo ...

of Wilmington, Massachusetts, starting in 1991, becoming a

battery electric vehicle A battery electric vehicle (BEV), pure electric vehicle, only-electric vehicle, fully electric vehicle or all-electric vehicle is a type of electric vehicle (EV) that uses electrical energy exclusively from an electric vehicle battery, on-boa ...

. Solectria subsequently was acquired by

Azure Dynamics Azure Dynamics Corporation was incorporated under the laws of Alberta, Canada, having been spun out of BC Research Inc. Azure was headquartered in Oak Park, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The company's principal business was in the development ...

Corporation in 2004, it is no longer in production. Approximately 400 vehicles were converted in total.

History

The Force was introduced in March 1991, and the first nine were delivered by October to

Arizona Public Service Pinnacle West Capital Corporation is an American utility holding company that owns Arizona Public Service (APS). It is publicly traded on the New York Stock exchange and a component of the S&P 500 stock market index. APS is the largest utility co ...

Sacramento Municipal Utility District The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) is a community-owned electric utility serving Sacramento County and parts of Placer County. It is one of the ten largest publicly owned utilities in the United States, generating the bulk of its po ...

, and

Southern California Edison Southern California Edison (SCE), the largest subsidiary of Edison International, is the primary electric utility company for much of Southern California. It provides 15 million people with electricity across a service territory of approximate ...

. The North Jersey District Water Supply Commission procured a 1996 Solectria Force that is still in service today. The original thirteen 12 volt lead–acid gel cell batteries lasted until April 2011, when they were replaced with nearly 10,000 miles. In 1997, the base price of the car was $33,995 with lead–acid batteries which gave it a range of 50 miles at 45 miles per hour and a top speed of 70 miles per hour. Solectria also offered the Force with a nickel-metal hydride battery pack with an MSRP $88,895. This battery pack gave the Force a range of 100 miles at 45 miles per hour, and the same top speed as the lead acid model at 70 miles per hour. The city of Morristown, NJ used Solectria "Force" models as "station cars" in a three-year pilot program ending in 2001.

Technical

For the display card on the example shown below: * Base vehicle: 1996 Geo Metro * Top speed * Range - * Three phase AC motor * Single-speed gearbox * 156

volt The volt (symbol: V) is the unit of electric potential, Voltage#Galvani potential vs. electrochemical potential, electric potential difference (voltage), and electromotive force in the International System of Units, International System of Uni ...

battery Battery or batterie most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source * Battery indicator, a device whic ...

pack (thirteen 12 volt lead–acid gel cells) * Zero emissions at the

tailpipe An exhaust system is used to guide reaction exhaust gases away from a controlled combustion inside an engine or stove. The entire system conveys burnt gases from the engine and includes one or more exhaust pipes. Depending on the overall syste ...

In 1994, the Force was available as a four-seat or two-seat model, with the two-seat model gaining additional range. The standard storage battery used lead–acid chemistry, and a nickel-cadmium battery was optional. The base price of the four-seat, lead–acid Force was , rising to for the two-seat, lead–acid version and for the two-seat, NiCd battery. Rated range varied from . By 1998, the NiCd battery option had been dropped in favor of the NiMH battery. The traction motor had an output that varied by the battery pack fitted; at 156 V, output was , increasing to at 180 V. The observed energy consumption was at a steady . Image:SolectriaForceFrontCompartment.JPG, Image:SolectriaForceRearCompartment.JPG,

References

External links

Solectria Owner's Website

Solectria Force at a Glance

Electric car likely cause of garage fire
Electric cars Cars of the United States Production electric cars Electric car models {{Modern-auto-stub

History

Technical

See also

References

External links