Electric Cars ... EV Conversion - Everybody's Doing it!

So, you want to build an electric car? Me too. Still reading my first book on the subject, and heavily surfing the internet for more electric car information.

One thing that really gets my juices flowing is looking at all of the conversions that have been around since before I even considered doing one myself.

If you are like me, you are going to love looking at the electric vehicle conversions that others have completed, and be itching to start your own.

First, I like to look at the electric cars for sale, and I always start here:
Austin EV A.K.A The E.V. Tradin' Post

But even better, there are lots of EV enthusiast that have complete project diaries of thier conversions - compoleted as well as ongoing.

Its fascinating to see the choices these folks have made regarding their conversions.

Here are a few to whet your whistle...
1988 Jeep Cherokee1999 & Mazda b2000
1995 ford probe
Saturn
1996 Honda Civic
Porshe 914
Dodge Daytona

(this is the "short-list" if you have favorites, please let me know about them by adding a comment - I can't wait to see thm!)

To me, there is nothing more satisfying than the hope and inspiration offered by these brave souls who have gone before me. Enjoy. (I have to go, I'm tearing up)

Electric Car Conversion - Where to Begin ... Books

Electric Car Conversion Books

OK, I have been hopping around from site to blog trying to get my head around this whole electric car conversion thing. Due to the homegrown, grassroots nature of the electric car movement there are some really great sites out there, with a lot of information.

Which, for a guy like me, just make the process that much more confusing. I need an overview, then some really great specifics.

Looks like I need a book or 2 ... or 10.

Of course, the one book I saw that I really wanted won't be published until October. Not a whole lot of help there, but considering how "green" I am I'm thinking almost any book will do.

Oddly, many of the (what seem to be, anyway) most popular books on the subject are over 15 years old. Part of me feels that they will be somewhat outdated due to the pace at which technology moves ... the other part of me knows that any information I can get my hands on at this point will helpful.

Below are a handful of the books I keep coming across in my search. Has anyone out there read them? Any reviews? Does anyone out there who has done a home conversion have anything that they can recommend? Please.

I want to Build / Convert an Electric Car - The Dream Begins

OK, so I am all hepped up on this dream of building an electric car.

I am not an engineer. I am not a mechanic. I am very possibly in over my head.

I need a place to gather and store my research as I go, seeing as I truely don't know what I am doing. (I like to think I'm a pretty smart guy, but that remains to be seen.) A blog seemed like a good place to do so, as it may attract folks to help me out

Gas is at an average of $4.25 today in Las Vegas. Who wouldn't want an electric car, huh?

Again, I am at the tip of my research. Let's talk about some of the things I want to accomplish...

• Four Passenger Vehicle


• Range of 50 miles per charge


• Top Speed of 65


• $10,000 all inclusive budget


• I really want to do a Ford Bronco II

Lofty goals? At this point I am unsure.

What I do know is that my current vehicle averages 17.6 miles per gallon and as an 18 gallon tank- That's 316.8 miles for about $76. If I used a tank of gas per week, that's 45 miles per day - about what I'm looking for in an EV. If I'm correct - thats about $4000/ year - just in gasoline. Never mind all of the other maintenence/repairs in an older gas engine.

Ford Bronco II photo courtesy of The Ranger Station