Solved - NEH 1874: Prototype Electric Car made at UCD University, Dublin

[Carnut]

ANYONE CAUGHT GIVING ANSWERS GLEANED BY USING GOOGLE SEARCH BY IMAGE WILL BE BANNED FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD!

For 1 point tell me what this car is, who built it, where and when?:

[pftnbr]

Is that a Mini-Marcos?

[Carnut]

Is that a Mini-Marcos?

Sure looks like one but the builders never admitted to using a Mini-Marcos shell.
The answer to the puzzle is nothing to do with Mini-Marcos.

[Carnut]

Experts?

[Oswald]

It's a prototype for an electric car, obviously based on a Mini Marcos shell (Mk3 I think). It was built in Ireland.

[Carnut]

It's a prototype for an electric car, obviously based on a Mini Marcos shell (Mk3 I think). It was built in Ireland.

What you say is largely correct, but isn't nearly specific enough even for a lock yet!

[geology]

the building is one of the Government buildings on Merrion Street in Dublin, the one where QEII visited a couple of years back.

put Merrion Street + Photo + Electric Car into Google, it's the first image on the list!!

leads to the following description

"An unusual vehicle on the courtyard in Merrion Street in the late 1960s and early 1970s was the electric car designed by Jim Lacy and Professor John Byrne of the department of electrical engineering. The car was initially conceived as a research vehicle for Byrne's research into low-loss drive systems and Lacy's into control systems, but became a substantial project in itself, attracting support and interest from a number of companies. Extensive research was carried out into ways to minimize loss mechanisms, and the car incorporated regenerative braking.

The car was declared roadworthy, taxed and insured, and Lacy used it for his daily commute. A newspaper article pointed out that this daily 20 miles cost three pence, the equivalent of '480 miles to the gallon of petrol,' and the top speed was just over 30 miles per hour. Ultimately the vehicle was limited by the battery technology available at the time, with the heater proving a particularly heavy load on cold mornings."

(apologies to Oswald)

[Carnut]

All correct again!
But you still haven't mentioned the crucial bit.
Where in Dublin was it built?  Where did Jim Lacy and Prof John Byrne work?
This time it is worth a lock!

[geology]

University College Dublin?

[Carnut]

University College Dublin?

That's it, yes!

Here's the original picture:

[Wendax]

the building is one of the Government buildings on Merrion Street

Fascinating identification abilities you have. 

[Oswald]

That'sit, yes, I couldn't find it soon enough. 

[geology]

the building is one of the Government buildings on Merrion Street

Fascinating identification abilities you have.  

I lived in Dublin for year and now go back on average twice a year

[Oswald]

Those steps are strange.
Did they raise the building or dig around it?