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AC Propulsion is a San Dimas, California, USA company founded in 1992 by Alan Cocconi that specialises in alternating current-based drivetrain systems for electric vehicles.[1] Tom Gage is currently the company's CEO. The company produces goods such as electric vehicle drive systems and their top of the line electric sports car, the AC Propulsion tzero. They also test prototype electric vehicles such as the "Plug Bug", a Volkswagen Beetle modified to run on electric power.
Founder Alan Cocconi designed and built the controller used in the original GM Impact, which later became the GM EV1. ACP introduced the first AC-150 150 kW (200 hp) integrated drive system in 1994. The AC-150 has been used in a variety of applications, such as a biodiesel hybrid. AC Propulsion also produce Vehicle to grid or V2G systems, with their second generation AC-150 drivetrain offering a bidirectional grid power connection.
In addition to pure electric vehicles, the company built a prototype gasoline-powered motorcycle-engine-based Genset trailer to extend an EVs range. In the process of testing the Long Ranger, they confirmed that emissions for a gasoline engine optimized to run at a constant RPM were far below those of conventional vehicles.[2][dead link]
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Vehicles using an AC Propulsion electric drivetrain [link]
- AC Propulsion tzero
- AC Propulsion eBox
- Volvo 3CC
- Venturi Fetish
- Courreges EXE
- Courreges ZOOOP (with lithium polymer batteries)
- Wrightspeed X1 (based on the Ariel Atom)
- Tesla Roadster (Tesla has licensed technology from AC Propulsion)
- Mini E[3][dead link]
- Peraves E-Tracer[4]
Electric aircraft [link]
Cocconi built an unmanned aircraft of 16.4-foot (5m) span, and in 2005 demonstrated its ability to fly 48 hours nonstop, propelled by solar energy alone. This was the first around-the-clock flight of such a propulsion system, carried only by solar energy collected and stored in onboard batteries.[5]
See also [link]
References [link]
- ^ Zorpette, G. (1997) Profile: Alan Cocconi – Electric Cars and Pterosaurs are my Business, Scientific American 276(5), 32-36.
- ^ https://www.acpropulsion.com/releases/11-13-1997.htm The emissions of a gasoline engine optimized to run at a constant RPM are far below those of conventional vehicles.
- ^ https://www.acpropulsion.com/press_releases/ACP_Powers_MINI_E.pdf Press release from AC Propulsion
- ^ https://www.monotracer.ch/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=70&Itemid=153 Technical Data (scroll down for English)
- ^ Solar Impulse website: Solar Aviation History
External links [link]
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