Since my driving habits have changed and civilization (stores) has come to my area(good and bad), I am toying with the idea of an all electric car. I'm thinking max 30 miles per day for the errand car. Don't need a hybrid, it seems they are not effecient at high speed anyway.

Any ideas on who converts what, forums, experiences etc? I remember the electric cars from the 70's with the lead acid batteries, haven't seen anything on the topic for decades.

I'll still keep my Diesel for longer trips

97,

In Vegas they rent an all electric car, so they must be available to purchase somewhere. Sorry, that's all I know about the electric car, except it does have a motor, not an engine.

P E H

I read a great article in a trade magazine I receive that showcased the "T-Zero". It can hit 85 mph, and accelerates 0-60 in 4 seconds. It's range is 300 miles and weighs about 2000 lbs. Of course it's just a 2 seater, and a prototype, doubtful it will be produced.

But it uses a 200hp electric motor, with the motor windings doubling as inductors for the switching power supply used to charge the battery. The battery technology is Lithium-Ion, which needs work, as the pack used only lasts 2-3 years (uses computer laptop cells).

Battery technology is still improving. I would expect to see many similar developments along these lines.

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'83 240D with 617.952 and 2.88
'01 VW Beetle TDI
'05 Jeep Liberty CRD
'89 Toyota 4x4, needs 2L-T
'78 280Z with L28ET - 12.86@110
Oil Burner Kartel #35

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...oD/bioclip.jpg

Yikes,

Li Ion - that's expensive. My laptop battery cost $70!!

I think I'll look for lead acid energy sources, but you guys are on the right track. Two seats, light duty

you could drive an EV1, GM's electric car.......oops, they crushed all those, never mind .

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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

Check out these guys, they make conversion kits:

http://www.electroauto.com/

A good platform is the older VW Rabbits.

You might also want to keep your eyes peeled for a used electric car to take advantage of somebody else's cost in doing the conversion.

I've pondered this project myself and I think a Fiat X1/9 would be a great car for it: plentiful, cheap, fun, handles good, targa top.

__________________
'81 300TD turbo <<sold 12/05 to another diesel nut

The problem with those things was the stupid inductive charging loop. The car might still be in production if they'd just put in a charge cord to plug in your home outlet.

__________________
'83 240D with 617.952 and 2.88
'01 VW Beetle TDI
'05 Jeep Liberty CRD
'89 Toyota 4x4, needs 2L-T
'78 280Z with L28ET - 12.86@110
Oil Burner Kartel #35

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...oD/bioclip.jpg

I had an electric car for a year actual it was a truck I used it to run to the corner store for groceries. But I mostly used it for walking or running the dog and serious off road use in the foothills and creek across the street from our house. The dog loved to chase it. It was a 1998 EZ GO Golf utility vehicle Gross vehicle weight 750 lbs cargo 2 passengers with a pickup bed. I rolled it on its side once. completely rolled it over twice injured once. It used a Mazda 323 suspension. DOT regulated top speed allowed as I recall 14 mph modified to 23mph. Would climb very steep hills as well as go down hair raising drop offs leading to STEEP decent. Problems sheriffs would smile and waive SJPD (city cops) would hassle endlessly we have 2 golf courses by us and even though this thing was 4 years old and had no body, a welded on role cage and KC day lighters they would stop you for up to an hour swearing it was stolen. Major problem would not quite fit in our front court yard gate causing a very ticked off wife with mashed flower garden. Most memorable moment other than terror of rolling it I was waved to the side of the road by city cop, I took off down walkways instead then doubled back made it in our closed front court yard before he figured out he had been duped into going the wrong way. Hours spent laughing about cop having to admit he was outrun by an electric golf cart. Total cost $0 but a lot of work removing it from the big 40 yard dumpster we found it in and getting it in a mini pickup took hours. Hop up parts less than $100 roll cage motor shunt tranny fluid for rear end battery acid welding rod already had KC day lighters. After police chase, wife thru down the towel it had to go sold it to farmer that uses it as a trailer for an ATV. Fun PRICLESS
DHS

Great story. I want one of those!

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'81 300TD turbo <<sold 12/05 to another diesel nut

There is a golf cart site like this one but for golf carts people spend thousands fixing them up one guy is running his on 72 volt NiCad’s he claims it will do wheelies up to 30mph and will out run the 500cc gas carts now that would be fun. I might be getting another one from a local company if I do we are going to try to cut it down the middle making it about 25 inches narrower. I really miss the thing which surprises me. You don’t know what you have till it is gone. The looks on people’s faces as I went by smoking a big presidential cigar with the dog running along side well they always grinned as they watched us go. We have a ton of streets that are blocked in the middle with a walkway across the street to keep traffic from using the neighborhood streets as short cuts. This cart was so tuff I could hit the curb head on and just bounce over it. Oh yes great fun indeed.
Dave S

I've thought of that too. How'd you like an electric W115.

The real problem with electric cars is not the motor--electric motors have plenty of go power. The problem is the batteries. Your choices are: lead-acid, nickel metal hydride, and lithium polymer ion. Any of these are either expensive or don't store enough power or some combination of both.

Here's some links:

http://www.megawattmotorworks.com/default.asp
http://www.evparts.com/
http://www.cafeelectric.com/
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/5565/civic/civic.html
http://www.metricmind.com/ac_honda/main2.htm
http://www.proev.com/
http://www.evworld.com/general.cfm?section=directory&page=links
http://www.cloudelectric.com/generic.html?pid=66
http://pw1.netcom.com/~fw/index.html

http://www.gaia-akku-online.de/ENG/SEITEN/action.lasso?-Token.Menu=Produkte&-Token.Link=Link1&-Response=produkte.html

http://www.dcpowersystems.com/
http://www.geocities.com/hempev/Battery.html
http://www.adcmotors.com/products.htm
http://www.madkatz.com/

this is my fav: http://www.ohler.com/ev/spyder/
or this: http://evcl.com/914/

And bicycles: http://www.greenspeed.us/wavecrest_electric_motor.htm
And a compressed air car: http://www.theaircar.com/howitworks.html

The upside to electric is that it literally costs pennies of electricity to run. The downside is expensive batteries that have an energy capacity of about 1 gallon of gas (if you're lucky).

Sholin

__________________
What else, '73 MB 280 SEL (Lt Blue)
Daily driver: '84 190D 2.2 5 spd.

Stefano,

"Internal combustion Motor"" Ain't any such thing!! But an Internal combustion engine there is.

P E H

Lithium Ion batteries have come a long way. I read an article in the latest "Switching Power" magazine that showcased a 2000lb 2 seater with a 200hp motor that runs for 300 miles on a charge and goes 0-60 in 4 seconds. The only drawback is the battery pack, designed with laptop cells, currently will only last 2-3 years of normal use. Very interesting stuff.

__________________
'83 240D with 617.952 and 2.88
'01 VW Beetle TDI
'05 Jeep Liberty CRD
'89 Toyota 4x4, needs 2L-T
'78 280Z with L28ET - 12.86@110
Oil Burner Kartel #35

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...oD/bioclip.jpg

World book dictionary 3rd definition for "Motor" - "an internal-combustion engine" . "Motor" can be either electrical or internal combustion...also wind, water etc. Also , how abouit General "Motors" corporation , Motorcycle, Motorboat etc. ? So ist.

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Diesel-guy

Yes, motor is a generic term for anything that produces mechanical work. An engine is specific to burning fuel.

__________________
'83 240D with 617.952 and 2.88
'01 VW Beetle TDI
'05 Jeep Liberty CRD
'89 Toyota 4x4, needs 2L-T
'78 280Z with L28ET - 12.86@110
Oil Burner Kartel #35

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...oD/bioclip.jpg