Agenda

• Introductions by new attendees
• What’s new in the EV world
• Thoughts on Caterham’s plans for EV
• Seven Conversions
• AOB

Attendees: 
    - JohnM
    - Simon
    - Paul
    - Dan
    - Rob
    - Adam
    - Jonathan
    - Martin
    - Tom

Apologies Mac

[JM] Project V youTube Walkthrough videos and deep dive with Bob announced for 17th November on the Caterham YT channel. 

[John] Top Gear and Harry's garage videos were worth watching. Probably stretching things a bit to say that anything they come up with could last as long as the Seven has.

[Dan] Looks like selling price is creeping up?

[All] Consensus that it'll need to be quicker if hot-hatches are going to leave you for dust at the lights. Also general opinion that its tough to see who will buy Project-V... can't see Seven owners buying one... and can't see the sort that buy Caymens etc. buying a Caterham. There'll be lots of interest in it because its a really good design, but will that turn into actual purchases? Caterham probably need to be offering a range of Project V... single motor, dual motor, ludicrous, beast (!) etc.

[JM] Did people see Tom Ford from TopGear trying to sit in the rear of Project-V... clearly only meant for storage or small children.

[Rob] Managed to sit in Project-V at local dealership. Thought it was quite comfy. Legs up seating position is like Seven.

[JM] A couple of books I've been reading:
- Deep Dive EV Conversion by Johannes Hubner, Udo Kessler and Philip Schuster (Good intro to EV conversion issues but too focused on converting a Volvo to be more than a casual read) (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deep-Dive-Conversion-Udo-Kessler/dp/398250631X)
- AC Motor Control and Electrical Vehicle Applications, Kwang Hee Nam (Very good graduate level theory book. But not for the feint hearted and could probably do with an intro chapter before it gets into the heavy theory. Assumes you've just passed an Electrical Engineering degree and are fully up to speed with a lot of degree level maths) (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Motor-Control-Electrical-Vehicle-Applications/dp/0367732866)

[JM] Project V does move. It's got a golf cart motor and battery in it. Allows them to move it around more easily. Does 15kph. 

[JM] Word has it that CC have the green light to go to next stage with Project V. i.e. looking for funding for it. They have said they'll ultimately need to make 3,000 to 5,000 cars a year be commericially viabe.

[Martin] Not senseing that any of the 9 on this call would buy one, so where's their market?

[JM] Still not sure that the electric Seven isn't the more important car for them. Continues the Seven DNA without the need for 3000 sales a year.

[Simon] Thniks there's a business converting Sevens. 

[JM] Yes, sure of it, and its something JM has thought about doing. You can imagine 20+ people a year wanting to convert their Seven over then next 20 years or so?

[Simon] Might need to be a track only car though?? The sound of driving on the road won't be there, so perhaps more appealing as a track car?

[John Martin] 20:23:43
Yeah, I think they might be. Over the next 20 years, you can imagine. 20 people a year wanting to convert a car.

[?] Would a chinese company buy CC for the Project V design. 
[?] Hasn't that already happened with a Japanese company buying CC?
[?] But the economics is tricky... 3000 cars to be profitable?

[JM] Seven EV doesn't seem to be making much progress still. Hopefully CC can get that going soon, but probably distracted by factory move and Project V.

[All] Discussion around EV market, in general, slow down. Price correction for market. Perhaps big companies slowing down their race to EV. Though many have already re-tooled their factories away from ICE. Needs next level of battery tech so EVs can regularly do 400 mile range. Also charging infrastructure needs to be radically increased - no good having 10 chargers at a motorway services, needs to be multiples of that number, and soon. Last mile to homes is also going to be a problem, local transformers aren't up to the power delivery needs, not V2G requirements.

[JM] Little progress on his EV conversion. Club stuff been getting in the way, but that's changed now.

[JM] Reminder to download the EV SIG Calendar onto mobile etc, that way all these meetings will be in your diary. (https://www.caterhamlotus7.club/events/77-special-interest-electric-vehicles-sevens/)

[Martin] No progress to report on his EV project.

[JM] December meeting will be 8PM on Tuesday 12th December.