Environment Articles - The Best Electric Car Conversion Guide


by BRAD GENTRY - Date: 2009-08-04 - Word Count: 1365 Share This!


Electric Car Conversion Guide
Quite a few of the more environmentally aware celebrities, such as George Clooney, Danny DeVito and Matt Damon driving electric cars, you have to ask yourself, "is it because they can not afford to fill them up with gasoline?" I think not.
Electric Car Conversion Guide
Why the conversion to electric then?

Aside from no longer having to pay the cost of gasoline, the other benefits include a much smoother ride, less upkeep, a cleaner and quieter engine, a lot less pollution and tax incentives.
Electric Car Conversion Guide

If there is such a thing as a "best way to proceed", then you still need to choose between your options, buying a working electric vehicle outright, using an electric vehicle conversion kit, or building your own from scratch.

I don't think you will have any trouble finding a vehicle that will make a suitable donor. The most obvious choice is a small truck or SUV, as they have more cargo space to house the batteries. You can also convert small cars as well and enjoy much faster speeds and better performance over the long haul when fitted with a proper electric car conversion kit.

I am sure that it has crossed your mind that this project is beyond your skill level, and that you will not be able to manage to convert your car to electric, what you need is a detailed plan. Even if you are not mechanically inclined, there should be no issues. These can be found online, at your local library, and some of the electric car conversion forums around the internet. There is a shortage of good electric car conversion kits these days, if you manage to lay your hands on a good manual for one, consider yourself lucky!
This project will cost you a few dollars, but the investment will be well worth it in the end. The average cost of converting your own electric car by using an electric car conversion kit will cost you less than 2 months worth of gasoline. Should you decide to do the smart thing, the list of advantages is long indeed. Lower maintenance cost, huge tax incentives, reduction of your carbon footprint, and reduced CO2 Emissions.
Now if you are thinking that the price is too high, and that you will not be able to afford it, please consider all the advantages I have mentioned!

The solution to your worries? We call it an electric car conversion kit! Again, do not be intimidated by the techinical aspects of this undertaking, you can easily manage it.

I have already mentioned the vehicle, now you will need a space to work in. A garage or covered driveway is recommended for protection from the elements and you must also have ready access to your tools.

If you can keep yourself focused, and break the larger parts of the task down into smaller parts, it really is quite manageable.
Is it beyond your ability or too hard for you? I don't think you will have to worry about that, if you can follow simple instructions, then you will soon have your own electric car conversion kit rolling down the road!
You will find that there is no need to be a mechanic or engineer to convert any car to electric, as you can find many articles on electric car conversion kits on the internet.
Your maintenance cost for your car will be greatly reduced after you convert it into electric car. The distance that your car can go will also increase that means your cost per mile is also reduced.
Besides, you won't have to worry when gasoline prices rise and you can help save the earth by reducing the greenhouse gases that your produce, as well as your carbon footprint.

So, now that you have decided to do your own electric car conversion kit, you have some choices to make. You can either install an AC motor, or a DC motor. I have done both and the AC motor wins hands down.There is only one small disadvantage to using it, and that is far outweighed by its advantages. Alternating current motors are far lighter for the amount of power output; they come standard with controllers, and have regenerative braking (most models).
The unit cost is slightly higher, simply because of these advantages. The slightly more expensive unit is the only disadvantage to using AC motors over DC motors for your electric car conversion kit.


What will you need to start?

Plans (detailed) for an electric car conversion kit.
A workspace- garage, shop or some similar place, or even your driveway.

A simple set of common tools.

Most importantly, a reliable helper for the heavy lifting.

You will first need a donor vehicle; a list of the best cars and trucks to use is available in the plans. Proven through three conversions, small trucks and sport utility vehicles are the best.We used an older model Nissan truck for our last electric car conversion kit and it worked out very well indeed. The small trucks are very light, and there is ample room to place the batteries in the frame, or should you desire, a box in the bed of the truck.All of the gasoline engine and exhaust parts must be removed from the donor vehicle, once you have decided on one. Some wrecking yards will sell you a donor vehicle with the engine already removed, or will remove it for a small fee.You will save a lot of time and quite a bit of expense that way.
Now you will begin using the electric car conversion kit. To supply the power to the drivetrain, the motor is bolted to the transmission with an adapter kit.Battery placement is the most difficult part of the project, and you should follow the detailed plans in this area.It's important to balance the weight of the batteries with your carrying capacity. You will sacrifice cargo capacity and room for passengers for a longer driving range, or more time between charges.The choice is yours depending on your driving habits.

After your electric car conversion kit is done and you take your first drive you won't be able to stop smiling, especially when you drive by a gas station and don't have to stop.With a range of over 200 miles and top speeds of 50 mph your electric car will drive just like any vehicle on the road, except it requires no gas!

Think about it for a moment, isn't it time you did something about this situation for you and your family? Let's get started!

For your electric car conversion kit, you will have to follow these four essential steps:
The Best Electric Car Conversion Guide for you!
1.You must purchase detailed plans. If you want to do a conversion on your own, you will need a Electric Car Conversion guide. This is the most important step. There is nothing difficult about it, if you purchase a good plan, you will suceed
2.Find a good car. The right vehicle for your conversion is also very important. I suggest that you take a small truck. Why small trucks? Small trucks offer a lot of space for the batteries. Actually I had 24 batteries in my first electric car. Furthermore small trucks aren't too heavy. You have to consider the weight of the vehicle. The heavier the car is the faster you'll have to recharge your car.
3.Follow the plans and buy the parts and tools which you'll need. This part of the Electric Car conversion is the easiest in my opinion. The parts and tools can be bought in every store actually. There's nothing special needed. You'll need drills and wrenches and some other tools which you probably already own anyway.
4.Build it! Follow the plans and you will be fine. I did my first electric car conversion kit in less than two weeks. There really is nothing complicated about it.
What are you waiting for? Gasoline is not getting cheaper!
More Links of interest:
Electric Car Conversion Kit Information
Electric Car Conversion Guide Information
The Best Electric Car Conversion Kit Advice
The Best Electric Car Conversion Guide



I am an electric car enthusisast, and I am currently working on my fourth electric vehicle. I enjoy working on things with my hands, but this whole internet thing is new to me.



Related Tags: guide, car, electric, conversion

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