We are all looking for ways to reduce our cost of living. One of the ways we can do this is to switch our car to electric. However these vehicles can be expensive, but did you know you can drive an electric vehicle (EV) without changing your car. You can do this by performing a conversion yourself at home. There are many comprehensive plans available to help, the basic steps are outlined below, and should help you to decide if the project is right for you.
Any car can be converted:
It is better to choose a light compact car to convert, but almost any fuel powered vehicle is convertible. With the proper instruction manual it is a surprisingly simple task. The motor simply drives the existing axle with the brakes etc remaining the same.
An electric motor requires no transmission, so the gear shift is no Entergy longer needed, and the accelerator becomes a power switch. You can reverse simply by reversing the polarity of the driving current.
Finding a Suitable Electric motor:
Large electric motors produce massive torque from switch on, which is why no transmission is required. The most popular type is a series wound DC or direct current motor. There have also been cars produced with AC or alternating current motors, but the best for the home converter, and the most common is DC.
These lumps last forever and you may be able to pick up a suitable used one quite inexpensively.
Finding Batteries:
You have two options when looking for batteries for your project. The most likely, and currently the best, is using a bank of deep cycle lead acid batteries. These work in the same way as the normal automotive starting battery, but are designed to do many more, and deeper discharge, recharge cycles, than their automotive cousins.
You will find them in golf carts, wheelchairs, and certain marine applications. It is possible to pick up free or very cheap used ones from golf clubs or boat yards that you can recondition yourself.
In the future it may be possible to pick up large format Nickel-metal hydride Ni-MH automotive batteries, similar to the ones in the Toyota prius. These are much lighter and can carry more charge, but at the moment are either unavailable to the home builder, or prohibitively expensive.
You really can drive an electric vehicle without changing your car. Converting your existing vehicle is a realistic home DIY project. It can be completed with only basic technical ability by using a good instruction manual. Plus you will be saving money and the environment too.