It is cheaper and easier than expected http://cars.chicagotribune.com/fuel-efficient/news/chi-electric-car-conversion-20130708 DIY electric car conversion on a budget By Malissa Stark, Special to the Chicago Tribune July 8, 2013
[image http://www.trbimg.com/img-519d0856/turbine/chi-electric-car-fueled-by-social-media-201305-001/620 Converting a gas car to electric can take time but it will save money over the long haul. 1967 Karmann Ghia was converted to an all-electric car by high school students. Using old parts from forklift engines and reusing batteries can save money on converting a gas car to electric. (Eric Looney, Instagram ) ] While the sticker price and lease rates of new electric cars are dropping to be more competitive with gas cars, they are still more expensive. There is a more cost-effective option than buying a new electric car: Converting an existing car to electric. “If you have the talent and resources it’s a great project,” says Craig Van Batenburg, CEO of ACDC, a company that specializes in hybrid and electric vehicle care. It is cheaper and easier than expected. This conversion works best on 5-speeds, and specifically on small economy pickup trucks like those made by Nissan, Mazda and Toyota. Cars with automatic transmissions are less suited for electric capabilities because the motor runs almost constantly while it is on, unlike motors in manual transmissions that shut off when the clutch is pushed in. Automatics will drain the battery much quicker. Pickup trucks work best because there is more room for the battery packs. If you are creative, a conversion can be done on any car, but it would require a lot more energy and money. “The real trick is to find kits made to certain makes and models,” says Norman Smith, a member of the Electric Auto Association. Smith has done approximately fifty conversions in his twenty years of working with electric vehicles. These conversion kits will come equipped with all the parts needed for the conversion at a higher cost. For example, Wilderness EV offers four different kits, each for different battery voltages. They recommend their 72 Volt kit for 45 to 50 mph as your top average speed. The kit comes with all the components including: adapter plate, shaft coupler, voltmeter, battery charger, and much more. It retails at $3,250 and does not include the battery. The battery is the biggest expense for new electric cars but it doesn’t have to break your conversion budget. Buy used whenever you can to reduce the cost. Car batteries are the number one most recycled item in the United States. With 98 percent of all batteries being recycled, the auto industry advocates strongly for recycled parts as they remain efficient and cheap. “The battery (brand new) lasts a year and a half with everyday use,” says Van Batenburg. A lead acid battery used in a conversion will need a replacement every year or so. Reusing old parts is another way to dramatically lower conversion costs. Project Forkenswift is an online group that is dedicated to finding a cheap way to perform conversions by using old forklifts. The only parts they couldn’t get from a $700 forklift were battery cables, 6-volt deep cycle batteries, an adapter plate, motor controller, potentiometer, ammeter and shunt, and an LED battery pack gauge. These days, Ebay and other online resources are the best for finding deals on these kinds of parts. Another option is buying a used golf cart, like the fellows at Forkenswift. Once you have all the parts and the forklift taken apart you are ready to start the conversion. The following instructions are considerably condensed. Thorough research is needed in order to successfully complete this project. We’re providing the basic steps to give you an idea of the scope of the project. The first thing you’ll want to do is drain all the fluids from the car into approved containers. Be sure to recycle the oil and coolant. Removing the engine and the exhaust system, which comes next, will most likely require some help. (www.fixhybrid.com is a great resource to finding reliable help.) Recycle or sell the exhaust system. Next, remove all the gunk and clean the engine compartment. Remove the gas tank and position the motor and transmission assembly. You’ll then mount the batter rack where the gas tank was. The fun stuff comes next: installing the new parts. Be sure you or someone you know is installing each part correctly in order to get the car running smoothly. The tiniest slip up could mess with the efficiency. Start by mounting the brackets for the motor with the transmission adapter. Follow that by mounting the controller, then the motor transmission coupler. Mount the vacuum pump next. Route the wiring to the power and vacuum hose as well as to the power and brake booster. Finally, you’ll end with installing the new motor and transmission. Although Smith, the EV conversion veteran, has completed a conversion, with help, in eight hours, expect about a week’s worth of work. When it’s time for the maintenance, Van Batenburg’s website help to locate mechanics who have the skill to help with this semi-new technology. The homepage of the website gives a brief description of what qualifies a shop to work on these cars and helps locate professionals who can give advice on the conversion process. Typing in a zip code will find the nearest shop. The benefits of electric motors in vehicles have never been hidden: no exhaust fumes, no noise pollution, no freezing in sub-zero temperatures, zero fuel costs, and no engine oil maintenance. The usage costs are considerably lower than a gas car, too. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the cost of charging an electric battery is $2.64 for a 100-mile charge. Filling a standard gas tank, with a range of 300 miles, can cost between $50.00 and $75.00. Electric engine conversions are not for amateurs, however. It requires quite a bit of know-how and a lot of research. If you’re savvy about buying used parts, selling old parts and asking around for donations and help, this conversion can be done for around $1,200. When you consider the estimated annual savings of an electric car is $1,300, according to fueleconomy.gov, then the cost of a conversion would be paid off in a year. [© trbimg.com] http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/EVLN-Minddrive-Teen-built-67-Ghia-EV-powered-by-Tweets-Facebook-posts-video-tp4663240.html EVLN: Minddrive Teen-built '67 Ghia EV powered by Tweets & Facebook-posts (video) ... encouraged to keep a record of their progress in words and pictures. "We teach them about math and science, technology and environment through hands-on projects," says Stephen Rees, Minddrive CEO. Starting with a busted 1967 Karmann Ghia, the 21 students from five Kansas City-area schools stripped the... May 26 2013 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: EVLN: Danish EV owners organize, Forenede Danske Elbilister (FDE) EVLN: Tesla-S wins 2013 BC2BC West Coast EV rally race EVLN: 475-Million+ L1 outlets that you can plug into EVLN: British Gas launches free Home EVSE & POLAR membership scheme + EVLN: Reflections of a very-early EV adopter {brucedp.150m.com} -- View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/EVLN-DIY-67-Ghia-EV-conversion-on-a-budget-tp4664209.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)
