http://www.3news.co.nz/Film-maker-builds-electric-car/tabid/1160/articleID/289554/Default.aspx [image] Film maker builds electric car By Jenny Suo 08 Mar 2013
[ http://www.3news.co.nz/Film-maker-builds-electric-car/tabid/1216/articleID/289554/Default.aspx An NZ film maker has found a way to convert a petrol car into an electric car, and filmed the three-year process along the way. ] Theo Gibson and his electric car Nowadays, filling up your car usually involves emptying out your wallet. But an Auckland film maker has found a way around that by converting a petrol car into an electric car, and filming the three-year process along the way. Theo Gibson’s 23-year-old Toyota Sera could be the car of the future. “So I’ve got some batteries inside the boot, and I’ve got some just at the back there behind the drivers seat, I put them in the big box. It's high voltage and that's what powers the motor.” Mr Gibson doesn't need to worry about the rising cost of petrol. His electric car plugs into the wall, and costs 12 dollars a week to run. The Mt Albert film maker was inspired after watching the 2006 documentary "who killed the electric car" - which explored the creation and destruction of electric vehicles in the US. “People who control the market place today - the oil companies - have a strong incentive to discourage alternatives. They make too much money with their engines.” So without a shred of automotive knowledge, and no funding because no one believed he could do it, Mr Gibson began his journey and documented it on camera. “I was always a tinkerer. My grandad – he’s 98 now - but he built a three-wheeled car out of a motorbike in his 30's. So he was a bit of an inspiration.” And the 3 year process had it's ups and downs. All together, the car cost about $30,000 to convert - with some help from sponsors. “It's now my daily driver – I drive it in every day, plug it in, charge my car up and then drive home again.” The car can do around 110km per charge and the batteries will last 8 years. Mr Gibson hopes his car inspires more people consider the cheaper, greener option. It was a 3 year journey that obviously didn't frighten him too much - he's already planning the second one. [© 2013 MediaWorks TV All Rights Reserved] For all EVLN posts use: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/template/NamlServlet.jtp?macro=search_page&node=413529&query=evln&sort=date Here are today's archive-only EV posts: EVent: Westport Woman’s Club promotes EV Rally 9a 4/27/2013 EVLN: Footballers Forest Green Rovers using a squad of Leaf EVs EVLN: How the future of plugins looked in 1973 EVLN: Chinese Science & Technology Minister is promoting EVs + EVLN: £24k Tata Indica Vista EV set for UK production r:160Km (video) {brucedp.150m.com} -- View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/EVLN-Auckland-film-maker-Gibson-s-EV-conversions-tp4661904.html Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Nabble.com. _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
