(Photo by kokeshi on Flickr)
The Electric Vehicle Association of Greater Washington D.C. (EVA-DC) projects the costs of an electric-vehicle conversion at $7,926 based on a limited budget. While these costs and the weeks spent converting a vehicle to electric may seem excessive, the advantages are clear to anyone familiar with electric vehicles. Instead of running to the gas station to pay for overpriced fuel, an EV driver can simply plug his car into a household outlet at night to recharge for the next day. The conversion process can be a grind for the uninitiated with obstacles that need to be surmounted to create a greener vehicle.
EV converters need to complete some calculations about vehicle and battery size before commencing. The EVA-DC notes that pickup trucks can handle 26 6-volt batteries while compact cars can handle about 20 batteries. Most EV conversions utilize as much space as possible for batteries to get the greatest range possible per charge.
The life blood of an electric vehicle is its battery pack. First-time converters should look at 6-volt flooded batteries or 12-volt sealed batteries as their two options. The NiMHs and lithium-ion batteries used by automakers are far too expensive to be used in a home conversion. Drivers who are more concerned with durability than size can use flooded batteries from US Battery. Since the average flooded battery tips the scales at 70 pounds, a GNB 12-volt battery can be used to keep EVs lighter by sacrificing a bit of range.
Once an EV’s battery is chosen, the resourceful driver needs to gather the right components for the task. The components necessary to start an EV project include a DC motor, motor controller, adaptor plate, main contactor and a half-dozen additional parts. The Internet has made EV conversions simpler by opening up niche stores and websites with EV conversion instructions for EV enthusiasts.
The buzzword that should be uttered frequently during each EV conversion is deliberation. EV aspirants need to learn how to wire propulsion, charging and display systems under the hood to avoid shorts during operation. Since the majority of the wiring is similar to a gas engine, an experienced mechanic can likely offer some advice on this process. Drivers should err on the side of safety throughout the conversion process, starting with a good pair of goggles and the common sense to shut off power before doing any work.
