George asks…
Why no electric cars by the big companies yet???
I saw on the internet that there’s a company that makes a kit that turns hybrid cars into plug in hybrids. I think I read those modified hybrids can then go up to 30 or 40 miles on electric power alone. Given, those kits cost about $4000. Here’s my idea…. If a company can build a kit like that to upgrade an existing car, why can’t one of the big automakers build an electric car that goes 30-50 miles on a charge? They just have to market it as a “30-50 mile a day” car because there’s always those people that whine “but you can only go 50 miles….”. What percentage of the population actually drives more than 50 miles a day – maybe 10%? That means the “50 mile a day car” is useable by 90% of the driving population (other than people who use pickups, but they could make those too). Plus, electric cars are much simpler which means they’re more reliable and less expensive to manufacture. I guess my question is why doesn’t any of the big car companies build one already? Who agrees with me?
Yeah, the batteries take up alot of space – so? Build the car in such a way it can accommodate those the battery. And I’m not taking about HYBRIDS – I’m talking about a strictly ELECTRIC CAR.
I don’t think “hondab” can read – I said 30-50 miles a day. And those kits I mentioned, it said it would raise your electric bill 65 cents a day…
And that $100,000 figure the big car companies threw out there – I’m sure that was for a car with a 200 or 300 range. Make one that only goes 50 miles a day….. I know it can be done for less than $20,000.
admin answers:
Have you seen the film “Who Killed the Electric Car”? It will explain it better than I can. The car makers had electric cars on the road but in pursuit of greed they destroyed them. Believe me the car makers weren’t playing fair. I’m including a link to a video on Comedy Central, listen to what happened to this guys electric car.
GM is trying to get a car on the road called the Volt. It’s a 40 Mile Per Charge (MPC) electric car with a gasoline powered range extender. Compared to their previous product, the EV1, it is pretty crappy with less than half the performance. The 1999 EV1 could go an EPA certified 140 MPC and now GM wants to make a 40 MPC electric car (improvment?).
Plug In America has the graph with the stats you’re reviewing in your question. GM thinks it will sell lots of Volts based on the statistic 85% of the people drive less than 40 miles a day.
It’s not uncommon for a well made elctric car to get 100 MPC. In 2010 Mitsubishi plans to bring its little iMiEV electric car to the US. It can go 70-80 MPH and 100 MPC and never use a drop of gas. Nissan is building the Denki Cube a larger car like the Scion xB (2006 and erlier) with better specs. Also in 2010.
It only cost more to make an electric car because they don’t come off an assembly line. The way the EV1 was built: you place the chassis on a stand, 2 guys pull up a cart full of parts. After mounting the parts they go get another cart full. There was no assembly line, no robots, no single task work station etc. When you build cars this way they are going to be expensive. This is how they build Bentley, Rolls Royce and Ferrari cars.
Laura asks…
What is the best, or most up to date north american company that converts combustian engine cars to electric?
What is the best, or most up to date north american company that converts combustian engine cars to electric, or where can I get the most up to date “Do it yourself” kit?
admin answers:
To my knowledge, the only conversion that I have heard of is to convert gas or diesel cars to natural gas (not electric). To create an electric car, because of the size of the required batteries and the electrical engines typically located near each drive wheel as opposed to the central energy source of the internal combustion engine, retrofitting or conversion is generally unwise. Todays electric and hybrid cars were designed that way from the ground up. Unless you are willing to pay someone to re-engineer your cars suspension and drivetrain (or you are capable of doing this yourself) you will not be successful in your efforts to create an electric version of your vehicle. The biggest testament to the difficulty of this task is the mere fact that I have never personally seen one successfully completed. I have followed the annual ‘sunrayce’ where engineering schools create electric cars to compete over various road courses and never have I seen them start with a ‘combustion’ vehicle. – Good Luck
Helen asks…
how can i create an electric minature car that i can modify to increase speed?
i am planning to create a miniature electric car.. i need the car to be small like those mini cars that you see on science kits.
and i want to be able to modify it to increase speed.
this is a project and its due in 3 weeks… lol so yeh
admin answers:
You could start with a something like a remote controlled or slot car. Starting from scratch will take longer.
To make it “faster” do you mean increase the top speed or increase its acceleration?
If you are only interested in acceleration.
Acceleration =Power/weight
Improving power to weight ratio will make it accelerate faster. Increased power or decreased weight.
Four things will make any vehicle faster.
Reducing wind resistance.
Reducing rolling resistance.
Increasing power.
Optimum gearing
Wind resistance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_resistance
To decrease wind resistance you can decrease the cars cross-sectional area, improve its shape or both.
To simplify if you arrange your components so that the least area can be seen from the front you will have the best cross-sectional area.
Adding triangular shape twice as long as it is wide to the rear and a semicircular shape to the front of parts on the car will get close to the best shape possible.
Rolling resistance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_resistance
Reducing weight will make the most improvement in rolling resistance. This needs to be experimented with as removing aerodynamic shapes could have a greater affect.
A lighter battery of the same voltage will increase speed but decrease range.
Slick tyres of higher pressure generally offer improvement also.
More power.
Simple enough just make sure that the percentage increase in power is larger than the percentage increase in weight.
Gearing.
Selecting the right gear ratio to match your motor will give a higher speed. Too low and the car will accelerate well but the motor will peak out short of its optimum power. Too high and the motor will not have the torque required to reach its optimum speed.
Good luck. Some people spend a lifetime on this sort of thing not just three weeks
Richard asks…
is there an electric car kit you can build that’s legal to drive?
admin answers:
Have you looked on Popular Mechanics magazine?
David asks…
Do you think a Jaguar XJS would be too heavy to convert into an electric car?
I’m not sure what the limit is, but I see kits for really small cars usually, would it be too difficult to convert a Jaguar XJS 1988 HE, or is it possible? Thanks!
admin answers:
I think it would be fine. Reason being most of the weight in an XJS is under the bonnet. Also when you take out the petrol engine you have an engine bay the size of a double bed.
Love XJSs.
Nancy asks…
Is there an established company that converts gas cars to electric in Los Angeles?
Please provide links. Don’t want a DIY kit. Want a company with a good reputation to do it for me. Thanks!
admin answers:
Contact KTA Services and they should be able to send you the right direction. Do an online search for conversion shops via google.
Paul asks…
What is the best R/C Electric Car Starter Kit I can buy?
I want to start a new hobby with R/C cars. I dont want a nitro because its more expensive and complicated so that is why i want a Electric R/C. Now i just want to know of a place i can buy a cheap starter kit. so that i can build my car. I dont want a car that is slow im think around 15 mph. The faster the better. I need a website or a name of a store. or if u already know of a starter kit that is great please help. THX
admin answers:
You said cheap. Wow you must be new to the hobby! You will get tired of a car that only goes 15, trust me. I would suggest buying a Losi Mini-T. I think the Pro version is a build to suit model. An RTR model is like 150$ and the stock replacement parts are cheap. If you want to make it faster or upgrade to aluminum/ fiber there are a ton of parts out there. Mine started out stock and is now totally aluminum, I’ve had it up to 45+ mph.
Susan asks…
Electric Car question…?
Is there an electric car kit that uses the technology of the new Tesla? If so, do you know who sells it and at what price ? Oh, and if you know these things, I’d like to know them too.
Lee J, would Stanford or MIT be the place to look for this information, or if neither, where?
admin answers:
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It is possible to convert a gas car to electric, and there is help doing so here:
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http://www.austinev.org/evalbum/build
and here:
http://electroauto.com/
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However, getting something like the technology in the Tesla is going to be an advanced project. First you need an AC electric drivetrain, which can be found here:
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http://metricmind.com/
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Next, you’ll need suitable lithium batteries, which can be hard to come by, but some EV hobbyists have been able to obtain and use these batteries from China:
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http://www.everspring.net/product-battery.htm
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You will have to design a suitable charging system and BMS (battery management system) though, because it is not a ready-made item. Here’s someone who is working on one:
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http://www.solarvan.co.uk/bms.htm
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Best of luck!
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Thomas asks…
trying to find a company that will convert my car to electric?
I want to buy a kit car that has no engine and I want to find a company that I can hire to put an all elec engine in it. I am told that there are many but, upon searches I only find cos that sell kits for you to do it yourself.
admin answers:
This is not a real possability unless the vehicle is offered as a electric hybred
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