Corbin Sparrow
Encyclopedia
The Myers Motors NmG is a single-passenger, three-wheeled
, battery electric vehicle
designed specifically for commuting
and city driving. It was initially produced by Corbin Motors and now by Myers Motors
. It is a Personal Electric Vehicle (PEV).
The Sparrow is powered by a 20 kW
(continuous) 156-volt DC
or 3-phase AC electric motor
and has a range of 32 to 64 km (20 to 40 miles) and a top speed of 112 km/h (70 mph). Fuel efficiency is approximately 130 W·h/km (4.8 mi/(kW·h)), which is equivalent to 162 mpg (US) or 194 mpg (UK) (1.45 L/100 km) using the DOE
conversion.
Two models were produced: the original "jelly bean" model and then a hatchback model, which was nicknamed "pizza butt" because it was designed for use by Domino's Pizza
.
Several Sparrows were featured in the movie
Austin Powers in Goldmember
.
In June 2008 the website listed a price of $29,995 without taxes or shipping. In 2009 the NmG began to use lithium batteries which Myers Motors claims doubled its driving range to 60 miles (96.6 km) between charges.
AC
Three wheeler
A three wheeler is a vehicle with three wheels, either "human or people-powered vehicles" or motorized vehicles in the form of a motorcycle, All terrain vehicle or automobile. Other names for three-wheelers include Trikes, Tricars and Cyclecars...
, battery electric vehicle
Battery electric vehicle
A battery electric vehicle, or BEV, is a type of electric vehicle that uses chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs. BEVs use electric motors and motor controllers instead of, or in addition to, internal combustion engines for propulsion.A battery-only electric vehicle or...
designed specifically for commuting
Commuting
Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...
and city driving. It was initially produced by Corbin Motors and now by Myers Motors
Myers Motors
Myers Motors is a small automobile company operating in Tallmadge, Ohio. Their vehicle, the Myers Motors NmG is a single-passenger, three-wheeled, battery electric vehicle designed specifically for commuting and city driving. It was initially produced by Corbin Motors as the Sparrow and now by...
. It is a Personal Electric Vehicle (PEV).
The Sparrow is powered by a 20 kW
Kw
kw or KW may refer to:* Kuwait, ISO 3166-1 country code** .kw, the country code top level domain for Kuwait* Kilowatt* Self-ionization of water Kw* Cornish language's ISO 639 code* Kitchener–Waterloo, Ontario, Canada...
(continuous) 156-volt DC
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
or 3-phase AC electric motor
Electric motor
An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.Most electric motors operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate force...
and has a range of 32 to 64 km (20 to 40 miles) and a top speed of 112 km/h (70 mph). Fuel efficiency is approximately 130 W·h/km (4.8 mi/(kW·h)), which is equivalent to 162 mpg (US) or 194 mpg (UK) (1.45 L/100 km) using the DOE
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
conversion.
Two models were produced: the original "jelly bean" model and then a hatchback model, which was nicknamed "pizza butt" because it was designed for use by Domino's Pizza
Domino's Pizza
Domino's Pizza, Inc. is an international pizza delivery corporation headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America. Founded in 1960, Domino's is the second-largest pizza chain in the United States and has over 9,000 corporate and franchised stores in 60 countries and all 50 U.S....
.
Several Sparrows were featured in the movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
Austin Powers in Goldmember
Austin Powers in Goldmember
Austin Powers in Goldmember is a 2002 American spy comedy film and the third installment of the Austin Powers series starring Mike Myers in the title role. The movie was directed by Jay Roach, and co-written by Mike Myers and Michael McCullers. Myers also plays the roles of Dr. Evil, Goldmember,...
.
In June 2008 the website listed a price of $29,995 without taxes or shipping. In 2009 the NmG began to use lithium batteries which Myers Motors claims doubled its driving range to 60 miles (96.6 km) between charges.
Electrical system
The Sparrow electrical systems in a Corbin Sparrow VIN28 is composed of three isolated sections. "Defanging" is the process of changing the circuit to disconnect the high voltage from the low voltage.Line voltage
110 / 220 VVolt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
AC
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
- Battery chargerBattery chargerA battery charger is a device used to put energy into a secondary cell or rechargeable battery by forcing an electric current through it.The charge current depends upon the technology and capacity of the battery being charged...
( on-board charger made by Zivan). It can be replaced by a Manzanitamicro PFC-20 or PFC-30 - Line voltage sensor.
High voltage
156 V DCDirect current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
- A 20 kW (continuous) 156-volt DCDirect currentDirect current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
traction motorTraction motorTraction motor refers to an electric motor providing the primary rotational torque of a machine, usually for conversion into linear motion ....
(Advanced DC Motors 8 inches (203 mm) diameter, part #203-06-4004) - Motor controllerMotor controllerA motor controller is a device or group of devices that serves to govern in some predetermined manner the performance of an electric motor. A motor controller might include a manual or automatic means for starting and stopping the motor, selecting forward or reverse rotation, selecting and...
(Zark VIN 28, DCP or KiloVac EVCL controllers). - Energy is supplied by a battery packBattery packA battery pack is a set of any number of identical batteries or individual battery cells. They may be configured in a series, parallel or a mixture of both to deliver the desired voltage, capacity, or power density...
composed of thirteen 12-voltVoltThe volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
deep-cycle lead-acidLead-acid batteryLead–acid batteries, invented in 1859 by French physicist Gaston Planté, are the oldest type of rechargeable battery. Despite having a very low energy-to-weight ratio and a low energy-to-volume ratio, their ability to supply high surge currents means that the cells maintain a relatively large...
Optima batteries.
Low voltage
13.5 V DC- DC to DC converterDC to DC converterA DC-to-DC converter is an electronic circuit which converts a source of direct current from one voltage level to another. It is a class of power converter.- Usage :...
- Accessories: this includes cigarette lighter outletOutletOutlet may mean:* An electrical outlet* An outlet store or outlet mall* The pelvic outlet* A type of instance variable used for graphical user interface programming in the OpenStep / Cocoa environment* Outlet, Ontario, a community in Canada...
, radio/CD player, ignition switchIgnition switchAn Ignition switch is a switch in the control system of an internal combustion engined vehicle that activates the main electrical systems for the vehicle...
, cabin fan and heater, speedometerSpeedometerA speedometer is a gauge that measures and displays the instantaneous speed of a land vehicle. Now universally fitted to motor vehicles, they started to be available as options in the 1900s, and as standard equipment from about 1910 onwards. Speedometers for other vehicles have specific names...
, hornHorn (acoustic)A horn is a tapered sound guide designed to provide an acoustic impedance match between a sound source and free air. This has the effect of maximizing the efficiency with which sound waves from the particular source are transferred to the air...
, turn signals, automotive lightingAutomotive lightingThe lighting system of a motor vehicle consists of lighting and signalling devices mounted or integrated to the front, sides, rear, and in some cases the top of the motor vehicle...
(headlampHeadlampA headlamp is a lamp, usually attached to the front of a vehicle such as a car or a motorcycle, with the purpose of illuminating the road ahead during periods of low visibility, such as darkness or precipitation. Headlamp performance has steadily improved throughout the automobile age, spurred by...
s and stop and backup lamps), door switch, seat beltSeat beltA seat belt or seatbelt, sometimes called a safety belt, is a safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result from a collision or a sudden stop...
, brake alarms, power windowPower windowPower windows or electric windows as well as electric or power window lifts are automobile windows which can be raised and lowered by depressing a button or switch, as opposed to using a hand-turned crank handle.- History :Packard introduced the first power windows in the 1940 Packard...
s and windshield wiper.
Other microcars and 3-wheel electric/hybrid automobiles
- List of microcars by country of origin
- HMV FreewayHMV FreewayThe H-M-Vehicles Free-Way was a three wheel microcar manufactured in Burnsville, Minnesota, from 1979 to 1982. These small commuter cars had a single seat and were powered by a 12 or 16 horsepower gasoline engine or a 4 hp electric motor. A diesel engine was offered, but none were ordered with...
- Messerschmitt KR200Messerschmitt KR200The Messerschmitt KR200, or Kabinenroller , was a three-wheeled bubble car designed by the aircraft engineer Fritz Fend and produced in the factory of the German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt from 1955 to 1964.-History:...
- Aptera 2 SeriesAptera 2 SeriesThe Aptera 2 Series is an upcoming high-efficiency passenger three-wheeled automobile produced by Aptera Motors. The California-based company opened a pre-ordering process for residents of California, but stopped taking deposits in July 2011, and on August 12, 2011, Aptera announced it will return...
- Venture Vehicles
- Commuter Cars TangoCommuter Cars TangoThe Tango is an ultra-narrow electric sports car initially designed and built by Commuter Cars, an American company based in Spokane, Washington, that sells this car worldwide for $108,000....
- ja:Fuji Cabin
- VoituretteVoituretteVoiturette is a word mostly used to describe a miniature automobile; however, it has several nuanced meanings, depending largely on the usage date.-History:...
- CyclecarCyclecarCyclecars were small, generally inexpensive cars manufactured mainly between 1910 and the late 1920s.-General description:Cyclecars were propelled by single cylinder, V-twin or more rarely four cylinder engines, often air cooled. Sometimes these had been originally used in motorcycles and other...