EVcast #234: Suck Amps, Baby!

John is fast but most of us don't have his skills.

Nissan is starting to sell their new 2010 electric for 20K, the federal government will give you a $7,500 incentive. They have lithium batteries with a 100+ mile range. You lease the battery at 2-3 cents a mile.

I could never build one that good. Only 4 US cities are in the start up but many could be added. I'll gt one as soon and they are available ! 

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Absolutely,

But some people don't like the look of the vehicles on the market right now - or the ones due to reach market sooner.

Or, if you just want to be different, you know that there's at least no chance that someone will take your own converted car away on a lease buy-back scheme.

It's just another option to getting an EV and an EV grin. How you get there is up to the indidvidual. :)

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Nikki,

I'm not a gun nut but I have to ask this question. Is the Enfield electric vehicle made by the same company that made the famous Enfield bolt action rifle?

Rick, from the oil capitol of the world, Houston, TX.

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This is my favorite evcast show to date, I am a FYI guy. Would like to see conversion show every two weeks or so.

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I subscribed to this podcast when it first came out but to be honest I lost interest a while ago & haven't made it through a whole show in some time now. The reason, I'm a DIY EVer & don't see myself buying a production EV any time soon. This episode caught my eye though & boy am I glad I tuned in. This was a GREAT session, right up my ally.

I agree with tbone, I'd love to hear more about conversions in future episodes. Cheers,

Nodd
1985 VW Cabriolet - 120v leadacid - 9" motor - 40 mile range

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Thanks for the positive comments, guys.

I suspect both Adam and John would love to come back to do a future show. I plan to do one soon about plug in hybrids and DIY stuff there... While it's not exactly a full electric vehicle some of the stuff carries over...

Rick - The Enfield was not created by the same company as made the motorbikes - at least, I don't THINK they did.

Nikki.

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Nikki,

I have to third the kudos to your program. I liked the diy program and I think as much is it would be nice to plunk money down on the Chevy Volt or the Ford Focus EV I'm not sure that the Volt is something I can afford and the Ford Focus is a way for Ford to reach the new EPA mileage standards for the US fleet while still holding onto the huge Ford Expeditions and the like. If Ford can build just enough EVs to tip the balance in its favor it can continue with business as usual. Ford doesn't even have to sell them to the public. They can sell them only to commercial car fleet purchasers and exclude the general public. No wonder they don't want any bail out money. What car company wants its CEO fired and then to be told that it can no longer make anymore Fuel Sucking Pigs or FSPs as we call them here.

So I was gratified to hear John "Plasmaboy" Wayland talk about and advocate common sense strategies for converting to electric with out the appeal to magic batteries or free energy ponzie schemes to power the cars. One thing I would probably beg to differ with John on though is that he said that modern cars would be more difficult to convert and he discouraged it. I think this is wrong for three reasons.

First, newer cars are safer cars. Older cars like the Volkswagen Rabbit of the 1980s have no airbags, reinforced steel doors or headrests that absorb whiplash and are therefore death traps in a car accident. It's not a trivial matter here in the US because upwards of 32,000 people die per year in accidents. Part of it is undoubtedly due to the driving while cellular syndrome which is a pox on the nation.

Second, newer cars do not have to be harder to convert. I saw a website of a beautifully converted electric Yaris that I drooled over. It was so well done it looked factory. The Yaris came out around '06 so it has all the CANBUS paraphernalia in it and yet it was converted successfully with the best parts availably like a Netgain Warp 9 series DC motor, a 1000 amp Cafe Electric Zilla controller and Exide blue maintenance free batteries. The car was brand new when it was converted so it can be done if you choose a car without all the bells, whistles and goo-gahs onboard. A Yaris fits the bill. http://www.go-ev.com/Mark_Dutko_Album_files/

Third, with the exception of the Chevy S-10 which is still an excellent conversion choice even if GM goes into the drink, most of the older cars that John talks about converting like the Rabbit of the '80s will undoubtedly have difficulty obtaining replacement parts for things like CV joints, tie rods, springs, tail light lenses, seats, etc. So when choosing a car its important to choose one that you can get replacement parts for or you're in for a world of hurt like the president of our EV club was until he found a practically pristine 1980 Plymouth Horizon he could cannibalize for parts for his factory converted Horizon called the Jet Electrica 007.

There was just one other minor point. I have both books, "Convert It" by Michael Brown and the original "Build Your Own Electric Vehicle" book by Bob Brant and I liked the Bob Brant book more because it explains the advantages of each type of battery and electric motor in detail. It also places great emphasis on the proper choice of vehicle to convert based on vehicle curb weight, wind drag coefficient and capacitiy for storing batteries. But then I'm a ham radio operator so I think now you know why I like Brant's book more. But John has a valid point. Michael Brown's book is an easier read and I feel that most people who read the book who have also done shade tree mechanic work, like replacing a steering rack arm or replacing a water pump, can do this.

Rick, From the oil capitol of the world, Houston, TX.

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Nikki,

Ooops! I was wrong on the availability of parts for the Volkswagen Rabbit. It turns out the Rabbit was much loved, (by everyone but me but only because I had to fix my girlfriend's, now my wifes old Rabbit ICE engine when it broke otherwise its a fun car ) and so a cottage industry has evolved around the Rabbit. Here's some links if you need door handles, side view mirrors, etc.

http://www.autopartsdeal.com/volkswagen/rabbit/parts.html

http://www.autohausaz.com/vw-auto-parts/vw-rabbit-parts.html

http://www.autoguide.net/apf/volkswagen-exterior_parts/rabbit-catalog.html

Rick, from the oil capitol of the world, Houston, TX.

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Nikki,

Great show.  It is because of guys like John Wayland, KiwiEv, and many others that have done conversions that inspired me and I am sure many others to do there conversions.

Because it seems like it takes forever for the manufactures to catch up with private garages it is people like this that keep the fire going for ev's.

Also on the subject of Morris Minors.  We also had the Hillman's sold here in the U.S.

I had a 1959 Hillman Husky when I was a teenager and I sure wish I still had it.  It would have made a really fun sleeper to take to the races IMHO. It was very similar to the Morris Minor.

I am glad to rub it in but because I am an Oregonian I will get to see the White Zombie run the July at Portland International Raceway.  Woo Hoo

Anyways great show keep up the good work

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Fantastic! Are you going to the Invitational?

Nikki.

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This is a nice video..Nice discussion on the best vehicles to be converted electric..Well, this needs a lot of modification on car parts but would really be a good thing to do...

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They have lithium batteries with a 100+ mile range. You lease the battery at 2-3 cents a mile.
http://www.uguggs.com/

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