“Ahead of Driver” EV Digital Instrumentation Now Available with MiMod EV

MiMod EV from EV Instruments Stays “Ahead of Driver” with New Custom Digital Instrumentation Package.

 

Customizable and Flexible System Perfect for EV OEMs, Conversion Companies. Multi-Screen Capable for Exceptional EV Monitoring and Control.

The MiMod EV monitoring and control system for electric vehicles from EV Instruments (www.evinstruments.com) has been elevated to a new level of technology and performance as it now has the ability to provide a completely digital “ahead of driver” instrumentation screen for speed / RPM, direction, state of charge, range / fuel level (remaining charge), turn signals, lighting, hazard warning and virtually any other desired EV read-out.

MiMod "Ahead of Driver" Digital Instrumentation for EVs

The large screen retains a look and feel normally associated with a traditional ICE vehicle. Since the MiMod system is custom configured, customers can specify the type of instruments, read-outs, warnings, colors and other graphics they would like to have incorporated into their MiMod EV in either digital or traditional analog formats.

Touch Screen Offers Total Control and Monitoring

In addition to the digital “ahead of driver” instrumentation with MiMod EV, the driver of a MiMod equipped EV typically has real-time access to battery and other EV performance parameters and controls through a large, dash-mounted touch screen interface featuring enhanced and customizable graphics. 

Drivers operating a MiMod equipped EV must first enter their password for access to the MiMod system. Multiple drivers can be authenticated. The MiMod software functions within a Microsoft Windows embedded operating system in the MiMod micro-computer, which also features a number of connectivity ports and WiFi capability.

MiMod EV Touch Screen In-Dash is the Virtual Operating System for an EV

MiMod’s customizable logic provides for the graphical display of switches for operator touch screen manipulation of vehicle relays and sensors controlling lighting, wipers, wireless broadband, signals, door locks and entertainment systems like Sirius Radio and MP3 players. Operators can easily switch back and forth between screens. The MiMod system also supports USB connected devices such as a keyboard, mouse or joy stick.

MiMod Touch Screen for In-Dash Mounting in an EV

MiMod provides in-depth monitoring of the heart of any EV – its batteries and / or Battery Management System (BMS). EV Instruments is working with BMS manufacturers to allow MiMod to read their CAN systems’ data for display and monitoring purposes. MiMod has the ability to store the data and/or transmit to a remote location with available WiFi for follow-up analysis.

MiMod Battery Management Touch Screen and Monitor for EVs

EV Battery Compartment Temperature Monitoring and Control

MiMod EV is capable of completely operating a vehicle’s HVAC through system monitoring and control.  Pre-set parameters can be established for individual drivers. In addition, temperature control in the battery compartment, especially important with Lithium, can be minotored and controlled.

MiMod EV HVAC Temperature Control and Monitoring Screen

For safety, any number of back-up cameras can be incorporated into MiMod EV. With a WiFi connection, vehicle views can be remotely monitored.

The MiMod System is Unique in the EV World.

The MiMod Electric Vehicle Control, Monitoring and Instrumentation Systems from EV Instruments are like nothing else available on the market for OEMs, EV conversion companies, dealers and EV technology centers.       MiMod’s customizable software and ultra-compact design provides EV engineers and designers increased flexibility and potential cost savings as fewer mechanical switches and single-function screens are needed. For EV drivers, MiMod means total touch control and instant access to all vehicle functions and system performance readings in real-time. A number of standard-sized touch screens are typically available in sizes of 6″ to 12″. A wide variety of small to large screen sizes are available to accomodate the unique needs of ”ahead of driver” instrumentation. MiMod EV Mobile App in the Works. EV Instruments is now working on a mobile application of the MiMod software that will allow drivers to access their EV remotely via a handheld telephone device to monitor state of charge and other EV systems. The easily installed MiMod system can be configured to fit and work in any EV, NEV or other electric powered transportation product environment. Click here to view the operating schematic. For additional information on the MiMod EV, contact MIMod EV at 1-877-348-1822 or go to www.evinstruments.com. MiMod EV System Includes MiMod Fusion Controller, Micro-Computer with Embedded Windows-Based Operating System and Touch Screen Monitor

 

MiMod™ EV Monitoring and Control System is now part of the FUN (as in the affordable ECOS Motors FUN EV)

MiMod EV is a PC-based EV monitoring and control system with small footprint and minimal electric draw.  It is now part of the new FUN EV from Ecos Motors. With lithium ion power, the FUN EV offers up to 60 miles per charge and 80 mph top speed.  Price at $24,995 for the lithium ion version and $19,995 with AGM batteries, the FUN EV is affordably priced to appeal to a wide audience of EV enthusiasts. 

 

 

The ECOS FUN EV with the MiMod Monitoring and Control System

 

Kansas City based EV Instruments, a company started in 2009, manufactures the MiMod™, a monitoring and control system for electric vehicles.

What started as a hobby for one of the company’s owners, Troy Lentz, has turned into a full-fledged enterprise with inquiries and orders coming in from around the world.

“When I was developing my Bradley GT EV and thinking through what I should include in it, I came up with the idea for the MiMod, which is primarily a battery and electrical control and monitoring system for the car.  But, because it’s PC-based, it can control many other onboard systems besides monitoring the batteries including satellite radio, back-up camera and GPS,” says Lentz. That led me to the idea of making MiMod EV into a commercially viable product.  We’ve now done that thorough our new company EV Instruments. 

The latest EV to sport the MiMod is the FUN EV, manufactured by ECOS Motors of Springfield, MO (www.ecosmotors.com). 

The ion lithium powered ECOS ”FUN” EV uses the MiMod System to monitor and control the batteries, accessories, entertainment systems, back-up camera, other devices as well as displaying GPS Speed and tracking vehicle performance.

All of the FUN EV’s systems can be operated from the MiMod in dash touch screen monitor.

MiMod EV Monitoring and Control System

 

Lentz believes the ECOS FUN EV, at only $24,995 for the ion lithium version ($19,995 for an AGM battery version), will be a big hit with prospective EV owners.  The low price, compared to other similarly equipped EVs, pulls it within reach of a much larger prospective EV customer base.

The MiMod equipped ECOS FUN EV will be on display at the St. Louis Earth Day celebration, Sunday April 25.

Link to the FUN EV: www.evinstruments.com/Categories/7/EVINews.aspx.

Link to the St. Louis Earth Day: www.stlouisearthday.org/.

MiMod was first introduced to the public at the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas in the new high performance ECOS Harbinger sport scar also made by ECOS Motors.

MiMod provides the EV driver with touch screen controls and the user interface is completely customizable based on the needs of the vehicle owner.  Touch screen monitors are available in different sizes and can be mounted either in-dash or on-dash. 

A version of MiMod for commercial fleet EV trucks is also available from the company. A feature important to EV truck fleet operators is the ability of MiMod to store operating data from the EV, such as battery performance, and download the data through a broadband connection to the fleet operator’s central computer.

For additional information on the MiMod, contact customer service at EV Instruments, LLC at 1-877-348-1822 or log on to the company’s Web site, www.evinstruments.com.

EV Instruments is currently providing small EV OEM companies with MiMod so they can provide their EV customers with the latest technology in electric vehicle monitoring and controls. With a growing distribution network, the company is also looking for additional qualified distributors.

FUN EV FEATURES

• Convertible soft top
• Zero emissions, low maintenance
• Street legal on  ALL roads and highways
• Suitable for all-weather driving conditions
• Electric heater, fan and defrost
• Onboard smart charger can accept both 110v and 220v, so it can be recharged anywhere
• 1,000 lb. capacity payload is the biggest ever for an EV. Also has light towing capabilities (up to 1,000 lbs.)
• Comes equipped with a rear PTO (Power Take Off), making it useful in industrial and agricultural    applications
• Optional equipment includes heated seats, air conditioning and extended- range battery pack (for up to 100 miles per charge)
• 3-year/30,000-mile warranty (whichever comes first) serviceable at any auto maintenance facility. 

FUN EV SPECIFICATIONS

• Aluminum chassis with Kevlar-reinforced composite body
• 4-wheel independent suspension with coil over shocks
• 4-point seatbelts
• 15 KW lithium ion battery pack and Net Gain Impulse 9 motor, 1000 amp    Zilla Controller, onboard rapid charger (< 6 hour recharge time) accepts both 110v or 220v
• 4-speed transmission, 4-wheel disc brakes
• Up to 60 miles per charge, 80 mph top speed, $0.02/per mile operating cost

MiMod – A PC-based EV monitoring and control system with small footprint and minimal electric draw now available.

EV Instruments, a company started in 2009 and based in North Kansas City, Mo., manufactures the MiMod™, a monitoring and control system for electric vehicles.

What started as a hobby for one of the company’s owners, Troy Lentz, has turned into a full-fledged enterprise with inquiries and orders coming in from around the world.

“When I was developing my Bradley GT EV and thinking through what I should include in it, I came up with the idea for the MiMod, which is primarily a battery and electrical control and monitoring system for the car.  But, because it’s PC-based, it can control many other onboard systems besides monitoring the batteries including satellite radio, back-up camera and GPS,” says Lentz. That led me to the idea of making MiMod EV into a commercially viable product.  We’ve now done that thorough our new company EV Instruments. 

MiMod was first introduced to the public at the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas in the new high performance ECOS Harbinger sportscar made by ECOS Motors in Springfield, Mo.

MiMod provides the EV driver with touch screen controls and the user interface is completely customizable based on the needs of the vehicle owner.  Touch screen monitors are available in different sizes and can be mounted either in-dash or on-dash.  A version of MiMod for commercial fleet trucks is also available from the company.

For additional information on the MiMod, contact customer service at EV Instruments, LLC at 1-877-348-1822 or log on to the company’s Web site, www.evinstruments.com.

EV Instruments is currently providing small EV OEM companies with MiMod so they can provide their EV customers with the latest technology in electric vehicle monitoring and controls. The company is also looking for qualified distributors.

Plugging In, in Lee’s Summit, Missouri

Plugging In, in Lee’s Summit, Missouri

Troy Lentz rebuilds a 1969 Bradley GT II Electra-25.  Totally EV, with MiMod EV Control and Monitoring System

By Dave Eckert, Tribune Lifestyle Editor

The Los Angeles Auto Show, often viewed as an indicator of the direction of the world’s auto industry, concludes tomorrow.   Pardon the pun, but this year’s show has been “electric.”   Alternative fuel cars and trucks, at least in prototypical form, have been around for decades.   But this year, in the midst of the continuing recession and with gas prices hovering around $2.50 a gallon, the idea of electric cars is gaining new momentum.   The Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf, both 100% electric cars with zero emissions, are inching closer to market, and many other manufacturers and models are sure to follow.    

Troy Lentz, of Lee’s Summit, standing by his 1969 Bradley GT II Electra-25 – Tribune Photo/Fred Poese

All of that’s fine by Lee’s Summit’s Troy Lentz who already owns an electric car (an EV, or electric vehicle, in the vernacular), belongs to a local EV club, and is a partner in a company, EVInstruments, that, among other things, creates software for EV battery management systems (BMS). 

 I spoke with Lentz the other day to talk about his love of electric vehicles and the future of EVs in the U.S. and beyond. 

“I used to race electric cars when I was a kid, and the technology is basically the same from a smaller car to a larger one, just bigger and more expensive,” Lentz told me. “After my kids were grown and left the house, I started looking for something else to do.   I tossed around some ideas with my friends and EV’s came up.   I wanted to see if I could do this on a larger scale.” 

So, Lentz went to Southern Missouri and bought a Bradley GT2, hauled it back to Lee’s Summit, and started assembling his electric vehicle.

“I got in trouble with the city for working on the car in my front yard, so I moved it out to White Tail Pumpkin Farm, and that’s where we built it,” Lentz told me.  

 “I worked out a deal with Batteries Plus, and had the car painted by Dave’s Roe Body Shop, two Lee’s Summit businesses.   I bought parts from all over Lee’s Summit, basically everything but the engine, which I purchased in Kansas.   I’m a Lee’s Summit kid, so it was important for me that as much of the money I spent on the car stayed in town.   There were so many people who helped me make this happen, and I just want to say thank you to everyone who pitched in. The car turned out GREAT!”

“When I was developing the Bradley and thinking through what I should include in it, I came up with the idea for the MiMod EV, which is primarily the battery and electrical control and monitoring system for the car.  Because it’s PC-based, it can control many other onboard systems besides the batteries including satellite radio and GPS. But its main function is monitoring and control of the batteries, which are the heart of any EV,” Lentz told me.  

That led me to the idea of making MiMod EV into a commercially viable product.  We’ve now done that thorough our new company EVInstruments.  In fact we had MiMod installed in an exotic new high performance sportscar called the ECOS Harbinger that was displayed in early November at the big auto show in Las Vegas.  It really drew a lot of attention and has gotten a lot of press from all over the world,” Lentz says.  

We’re now working with other EV manufacturers to put MiMod EV in their cars.  We’re also working on a version of MiMod for commercial EV trucks, which are now becoming very popular as delivery and urban transit trucks.  In fact, Kansas City has a new company called Smith Electric Vehicles that’s now building these electric trucks out near the airport,” Lentz told me.  
 
It took about a year to get the car up and running.   Lentz says he uses it primarily as alternate transportation-trips into town and the like.    “I take it to a lot of  “green” functions, and attend a lot of parades,” Lentz says.    

Along with the lack of emissions, and the fact you don’t have to plunk down $40 or $50  in gas every week, Lentz says there are other advantages to his EV.   “It has great torque, and it’s silent, so you can hear and really appreciate the things around you when you drive it.”   As for drawbacks, there’s the 40-50 mile limit to the batteries he is using and the fact that there aren’t a lot of places to recharge EVs.   “People think you’re using a lot of energy when you recharge an EV, but you’re really not,” Lentz claims.   “A dollar or two a day would be about the maximum you’d spend to keep your battery charged.” 

As for the big boys getting into the EV business, Lentz says he’s curious as to the response they’re going to get, but hopeful it will help in one big area.   “I would think with the bigger manufacturers getting involved, that we’d wind up with more charging stations where we can recharge our vehicles efficiently and inexpensively,” Lentz concluded.    Until then, Troy and the other EV aficionados will be plugging in at home, and for Lentz, that means his home, Lee’s Summit.  Visit www.evorbust.com and www.evinstruments.com for more information.

MiMod‐EV™ System Brings New Levels of Monitoring and Control to Commercial Electric Truck Fleet Managers and Drivers.

MiMod‐EV™ System Brings New Levels of Monitoring and Control to Commercial Electric Truck Fleet Managers and Drivers. www.evinstruments.com

EV Instruments, LLC has just introduced the MiMod‐EV™ Commercial Fleet Management System (CFMS) PC-Based monitoring and control system for electric trucks.

The MiMod‐EV™ is a relatively inexpensive minipc-based system for public and private truck fleets that provides the commercial truck EV driver with touch screen controls and customizable functions for complete monitoring and storage of an EV’s battery usage and other vehicle functions including GPS, speed, satellite radio, infrared back-up camera, entertainment systems, wireless internet and much more.

It can either be installed in the EV truck by the OEM or as an aftermarket accessory by EV truck dealers or fleet shops.

The MiMod‐EV™ Commercial Fleet Management System brings several advantages to fleet operations including:

• Real-time battery monitoring, by battery cell or banks of cells
• Maintenance scheduling and monitoring
• Cost analysis and control
• Generation of statistical data for projecting fleet costs and improving efficiencies
• Enhanced safety
• Easier driver communications and vehicle tracking

Additional system monitoring and control features can be programmed into the unit based on the needs of the fleet including:

• MiMod‐EV™ Vehicle Movement and Tracking – GPS based detailed information about the movement of vehicles delivered via the Web for enhanced fleet management and security (i.e. number of stops, length of stops, locations of stops).
•  MiMod‐EV™ Vehicle Scheduling and Onboard Navigation – PS based Route scheduling for improved driver and fleet performance.
•   MiMod‐EV™ Messaging and Voice Communications – Bluetooth connectivity for driver communications by voice or keyboard via the Web.
•  MiMod‐EV™ Safety – Back-up camera.

MiMod‐EV™ is a product of EV Instruments, LLC, Kansas City, Mo. Their Web address is http://www.evinstruments.com.

Exceeding Expectations in Missouri. The ECOS Harbinger™ brings eurosports styling, sports car performance and the MiMod‐EV™ monitoring and control system to electric vehicle market.

ECOS Harbinger with MoMod-EV Monitoring / Control System

The big EV companies in California and efforts coming out of the auto OEMs with their fat wads of stimulus money have nothing over a couple of small Missouri companies working behind the scenes and starting to make big waves.

ECOS Motors, Springfield, Mo., unveiled its ECOS Harbinger™, a new high‐performance, sports‐style, zero‐emissions electric vehicle during SEMA 2009, November 3 6, 2009 in Las Vegas.

Visit a shot video shot at SEMA on Nov. 5.

The Harbinger™—a two‐seat sports coupe—combines an enhanced lithium ion battery configuration and high‐output electric controller/engine for performance car power and acceleration. It also mixes an Italian‐inspired composite body design with German‐engineered aluminum frame and suspension system to provide exceptional handling and response on the road.

The heart of the ECOS is the MiMod‐EV build by EVInstruments, LLC, Kansas City, Mo.  It’s a relatively inexpensive minipc-based system that provides the EV driver with touchscreen controls and customizable functions for monitoring an EV’s battery usage and other vehicle functions including GPS, Satellite Radio, Infrared Back-up Camera, entertainment Systems, Wireless Internet and much more.

ECOS Motors, a designer and manufacturer of electric vehicles, has been in business since 2008. The Harbinger ™is the first electric vehicle release by ECOS Motors who plan to release a second EV—a sports SUV—in 2010. Their Web address is http://ecosmotors.com.

MiMod‐EV™ is a mini PC‐based electronic monitoring and control system for electric vehicles that provides complete battery monitoring and reporting as well as fully customizable touchscreen control of onboard vehicle systems. It is a product of EV Instruments, LLC, Kansas City, Mo. Their Web address is http://www.evinstruments.com