BLOG MOVED TO http://yty.vox.com !

I have moved my blog to

http://yty.vox.com

eCorolla 3D measurements to Google SketchUp

I made a small script to convert point clouds to Google Sketchup format. It's installation is easy, just drop it in the Plugins-folder of SkechUp and you are ready to rock.

I'm going to use the script to manipulate 3D measurements taken from the eCorolla motor-mountings. Google SketchUp is just fine for just seeing and manipulating the measurements a bit.

Kick Off at Riihimäki

I recently noticed from eCars.Now mailing list that soon there will be some sort of gathering in Riihimäki area. It's supposed to be projects "Kick Off", to start actually building the prototype for the conversion. Everyone is invited to join, so I booked myself to participate. 

In the gathering we made some plans for the first prototype, named eCorolla. We made some rough estimations about components and skills needed. Alltogether there were perhaps 15-20 attendees in the KickOff meeting, all very nice and enthusiastic people.

I also 'had my feet wet' in the EV-cars - I drove my first EV ever ! It was Citroen Berlingo, front with original motor and back filled with new Lithium batteries. Although little short, it was quite nice ride !

1999: First Contact

1999 - I made my first contact to Finnish Ministry of Transportation. I asked - 

'What's the reason to tax electric vehicles like they were running on Diesel ?' 

I didn't get proper answer, only someone telling me that my inquiry had been forwarded to Minister of Transportation. I thought "Wow, that was quick and efficient. I'm getting my answer soon ... "

Days passed. Then weeks, months and then years.  After a while, I forgot the whole EV-matter.

Spring 2008 - I'm reading some magazine, and suddenly see something interesting. There is a small article about this non-commercial Finnish project which is trying to make EV-cars by following the Open Source-mentality. No big money, no proper project organication, no factories - just some hobbyists and some EV-gurus joining together aiming to make

"500 EV-conversion cars by the end of 2009 !"

 They gotta be kidding. Car manufacturing is for Big Boys, it needs lots of cash and large investments. It's not for hobbyists. So I thought, and I have been proven to be wrong. The project is known as 'Electric Cars - Now!' and it's starting to get together itself.

By the way -  the law basically same today as it was back in 1999 - both Diesel and Electric cars get the same tax-treatment, yearly tax called 'Käyttövoimavero'.