Buying An Electric Car

 How To Convert Gasoline To Electric Car

 You’ve decided to learn how to convert gasoline to electric car of your own. It’s not that difficult of a project either. You just need to follow these simple steps-

• Find a vehicle (any vehicle will work)
• Get detailed plans on how to convert gasoline to electric car
• Obtain deep cycle batteries and a large DC motor for power
• Various parts and accessories

how to build an electric car

The nice part of this whole process is that you don’t need any special tools to do the conversion. Regular tools found in any home work shop will work. You will need a garage or shop to work in although you can do the conversion outside in your laneway if you have to.

Learning how to convert gasoline to electric car is really about matching your DC motor used to power the car with the available battery supply.

In order to achieve the desired range between charges of over 200 miles you will need about 20 deep cycle batteries. You can even find free batteries and free DC motors that will work great for your electric car conversion if you follow the detailed plans carefully.

The DC motors are large and heavy but easily last the lifetime of your electric car, and possibly a second installation as well.

Try and find the lightest small car or truck that you can find for the conversion. This will insure good range between charges.

What we were really amazed at was the acceleration and speed of our new electric car. This is not a slow electric golf cart you are building. It is quick, responsive and smooth.

At stop lights you will be able to keep up with any vehicle off the line.

Although most Electric cars are designed for in town, you will find that you can travel easily at 50 mph or more on the highway too.

The whole process of learning how to convert gasoline to electric car takes about 2 weeks or so to complete depending on your abilities and persistence.

That’s not bad, considering you will not have to stop at a gas station ever again.

Did you know that gas prices are expected to top $7 per gallon next year?

Isn’t it time you did your own electric car conversion? Let’s get started.

Learn (How To Convert Gasoline To Electric Car) is the best place to start to learn all there is to know about doing this yourself, and producing renewable energy to power your car, it’s easy to figure out how to convert gasoline to electric car for yourself.

Electric cars and their advantages versus their disadvantages are an ever-increasing debate. In a country that is so dependent upon petroleum products and convenience it is hard to convince people that there are alternatives to the way we use transportation.

For instance do we really to travel at 75 to 80 miles per hour? If you owned a car that was powered by electricity that you converted yourself from a gas-powered car, you would still get to where you were going just at a bit of a slower speed maybe 50mph instead.

The trade offs to an electric car are, a bit of a slower speed but in turn no emissions, fewer moving parts to wear out, no muffler or fuel tank. You would also have a limited range of about 100 miles between charges. I really don’t need to drive more than 100 miles per day unless I am going to go out of state and then I can always rent a vehicle.

In order to understand the potential benefits of hybrid cars and electric cars, it is important to distinguish the main differences between them.

Hybrid cars are those which use both battery power and an internal combustion engine. It uses gasoline and electricity for fuel. Hybrid cars combine the power of a traditional motor, with the efficiency and cleanliness of electricity.

Ads by Google
In doing so, the hybrid vehicle is able to boast higher miles per gallon than gasoline powered cars.

Since the hybrid is a combination, the power train is slightly more complicated that that of a vehicle that runs only on gasoline. The power train consists of the the following:

Engine
Motor (electric)
Generator
Batteries
Transmission

One of the most notable features that differs between a hybrid and an electric car, is the battery. Batteries in a hybrid are such that they not only provide energy, but they can store it as well. Through a process called regenerative braking, the energy resulting from the friction associated with braking can be stored in the batteries. This is why a hybrid does not need to be connected to an external energy source when the batteries run down. By contrast, an electric vehicle’s battery has no way of being recharged except to be plugged in to some source of power. Recharging the batter in this way is time consuming.

Another major difference between hybrid and electric vehicles, is that hybrids are categorized as “Low Emissions Vehicles” or LEVs. This means that the amount of carbon monoxide (a pollutant of particular concern with regard to global warming) emitted from the tailpipe as the result of burning fuel, is less than 3.4 grams per mile traveled. This exact amount may be slightly higher or lower depending on how much of the driving is powered by the electric batteries, and how much from the fuel tank.

Electric vehicles are “Zero Emissions Vehicles” or ZEVs. Because they burn no fossil fuel, they emit no products of combustion in the form of pollutants.

The folllowing is a list of some of  the best 10 electric cars that can be seen or will be seen in the near future on our roads.  

At the recent 2009 Detroit Auto Show there was great buzz around the place for all things electric.  So much so you would of thought that within a year or so almost everybody out there will be going out to purchase an electric car and that gas stations across the country will be a thing of the past….well not quite, unfortunately.

However, although the desire and demand is out there to own an electric car mainly due to the fact that owners  will be paying around 3 cents a mile on their daily commutes, the choices for electric cars are, at the moment, severely lacking.

Although the promise of the 2009 Detroit Auto Show highlighted the fact that we still have a long way to go before eletric cars are readily available  it’s not all doom and gloom. Believe it or not, there are a handful of notewothy electric cars, both all-battery and extended range plug-ins, that will reach US markets in the next two years.

So with a little bit of patience and if you really find yourself longing for the cheapest, quietest, and most earth-friendly commute you could imagine, take a look at this list… electric bliss is closer than you probably thought.

1. Aptera 2e

If you’re up to speed on the world of electric car start-ups, you’ve most probably heard of Aptera.   This car looks like it should be on the set of the Jetsons but its  intention of reaching volume production never came to fruition by tehe end of last year.   The Aptera 2e though lives on. Recent reports though suggest you can expect to see this car hitting the roads in “volume” by October of 2009.

When: Late 2009 (California Only)

How Much: $20-40K, depending on various extra options

How Far: 100-120 Miles on one charge

2. ZAP Alias

Like the Aptera 2e, the futuristic “sport” design  conjured from the bowels of an alien spaceship. Although ZAP just commenced construction on the facility that will build the Alias last September, the company is determined that the first of these cool 3 wheelers will start rolling off the assembly line by late 2009.

When: Late 2009

How Much: Under $35K

How Far: 100+ Miles on one charge

3. cityZENN (Powered by EEStor)

Although not exactly sexy and maybe a choice for the housewife or retired bingo player , it may just appeal to the sensible buyers too as the energy storage device on board may not be the prettiest kid on the block… but does a 5 minute recharge time coupled with a 250 mile range which is very tempting…no ?  However, I´ll be suprised if ZENN actually meets the stated delivery date on this one, but if they do… then get used to seeing this car is your rear!! 

 When: Late 2009

How Much: Under $30K

How Far: 250 Miles on one charge

4. Think City

Perhaps the most cost effective of all straight up electric cars coming to the US in 2009, the Th!nk City will more than likely introduce sport a battery lease program which will save the punter on upfront costs and allow you to get a new battery without paying out the big $$$ when the old one dies a death. Even though Th!nk  has been experiencing  severe financial difficulties of late, it appears that they’ve been given enough breathing space to make it through the world credit mess — although their target US release date may be somewhat affected by cuttings costs on labour and R&D.

When: Sometime in 2009

How Much: Under $25K

How Far: 110 Miles on one charge

5. Plug-in Toyota Prius

With the introduction of the new 2009 Prius at the Detroit Auto Show, Toyota also announced a suprise package – a plug-in version of the prius will be available to their ranks by October of this year. Although this initial release is only a dummy run, I’d imagine that we will see these plug-in Priuses hitting the general consumer market sometime in  2010. Don´t get too excited at the moment though early tests indicated that these test mules can only go 10 miles on battery power alone.

When: Limited release October 2009; general 2010

How Much: Unknown, but expect it to be around $28-30K.

How Far: 10 Miles on battery power alone, unknown mileage after battery is drained but probably better than the standard Prius’ 50 MPG.

6. Chevy Volt

If you live in the US, unless you’ve been living in a cave, I´d be willing to bet  that you’ve heard of the Volt.    This ingenious piece of machinery is the sole hope that for GM to convince the US taxpayer to fund a bailout.   The Volt actually looks like a very impressive work of engineering and to be honest from research it’s the only car from a major US automaker in the last 30 years that many would actually consider buying. If GM makes can stick at it and the Volt finally reaches the showrooms,  there will be an added incentive to go out and purchase this electric mean machine , new federal tax credit of 7,500, which to many will make the difference of making the purchase a reality.

When: Late 2010

How Much: Estimates have fallen somewhere between $30-48K (then subtract $7,500 for the federal tax credit)

How Far: 40 Miles on battery power alone,  around 50 MPG after that.

7. Fisker Karma

Although the Karma is truly a play toy for the rich , one must admit, if you had the cash to buy one of these beauties, you have a family, and you are concerned with emitting less pollutants into the air, this may be the perfect car for you. Having just opened a huge design centre in Michigan, Fisker seems to be in a good position to deliver on its promises.

When: Second half 2010

How Much: Around $87K

How Far: 50 Miles on battery power alone, total fuel economy of more than “100 MPG.”

8. Tesla Model S

Another play toy for wealthy, the upcoming Tesla Model S promises to be a cheaper follow-up to the popular and recognizable Tesla Roadster. Adding two doors and making it more family friendly at the same time knocking a ton of money off the price of the Roadster, the Model S has the potential to be a hit with the upper middle class. Tesla has hit a bit of a rough patch with cash flow recently, which again may delay production and actual delivery date of the Model S.

When: Late 2010

How Much: Around $60K

How Far: 240 Miles on one charge

9. Nissan Electric Car

Not very many details on this one yet, but Nissan has recently revised their business model  to include a huge focus on electric cars including releasing electric cars in the US by 2010.   

When: Sometime in 2010

How Much: $22-25K

How Far: At least 100 miles on one charge

10. BMW/Mini Electric Car

Many though that the Mini E would be the next electric car to be produced by BMW, however, it turns out that this model was just a testing bed for an upcoming BMW branded electric car and no further models of the Mini E will be produced.  No details have been released about any of these future BMW electric models.

When: Sometime in 2010

How Much: Unknown

How Far: Unknown

With the buzz and popularity of Electric Cars worldwide their advantages versus their disadvantages are an ever-increasing debate. In a country that is so dependent upon petroleum products and convenience it is still proving difficult to convince people that there are alternatives to the way we use transportation.

People are still obsessed with speed and getting to A-B as quickly as possible.  Electric Cars are more useful for urban roads than to go on long countryside trips.  Therefore speed is not really that important especially with the traffic congestion problems in some of our major cities.    Do we therefore really need to travel at 75 to 80 miles per hour where most speed restrictions are at 50?

 Ok, in areas where you can put your foot down and reach 80 mph the trade offs for using an electric car are, slower speed but in turn no emissions, fewer moving parts to wear out, no muffler or fuel tank.   On the normal electric car you would also have a limited range of about 100 miles between charges.   Most commuters though  really don’t need to drive more than 100 miles per day unless going to go out of state and then I can always lease a vehicle or tkae public transport.

At the moment a disadvantage is the cost for a new electric car as most are starting at around 20k $  However, if you have some spare time on your hand and enjoy a challenge then why not convert your existing car using used parts for under one thousand dollars.

Don’t forget the savings in fuel costs. Electricity is a cheaper fuel that gas so you will be driving miles for pennies instead of dollars. This alone would offset the expense of leasing a car for longer trips on occasion.

These are just a few of the advantages and disadvantages of owning an electric vehicle.  At the moment it is still difficult to convince the majority but with time when manufacturers will be forced to mass produce electric cars for the public you will be seen a little odd driving your gas guzzling vehicle.    Surely helping to save the planet is worth the extra dollars and sacrificing a little on speed.. ?

An electric car is, quite simply, a vehicle that is powered by electricity. From the outside at least, nowadays most electric cars look almost the same as their  gas guzzling counterparts.  

 However, there is one thing that so many users of electric cars differentiate between their old gas guzzler and that is …..   noise. Even before opening the bonnet to view the obvious differences – the major difference is that electric cars are practically silent. 

The major difference when opening up the bonnet is that an electric car  has an electric  motor and a controller for powering the motor. Rechargeable batteries are used to provide power to the controller. In comparison to traditional cars, electric cars have more wires then petrol-driven cars which have  have an abundance of hoses, pipes, and fuel lines.

A popular misconception with electric cars is that they are a new invention when in fact they have  been around for many years.  Electric cars were among the first vehicles and dominated the market for a period of time. In the early years of the twentieth century, electric cars held records for both speed and distance over land.

As more and more people are concerned with rising petrol prices and  climate change and its subsequent effect on our planet and our health the electric car is gaining in popularity once more.   

The one major barrier to entry for many people wishing to purchase an  electric car is  price  in comparison to traditional gas-powered vehicles.   Costs will for though for sure  decrease in response to higher production volumes and improvements in the manufacturing process.   Many World Governments are now finally waking up the fact that our planet is living on borrowed time and more has to be done to increase production of electric cars and the necessary “re-charging” stations that will be needed in major towns and cities.

If you’re interested in purchasing an electric car, an option many are considering is to buy one that has been converted from a petrol-powered vehicle.   Click here for further information on companies that specialize in converting cars, as well as businesses that sell electric car conversion kits.

Within these manuals extensive research has been carried out  to ensure that the converted vehicle meets federal crash safety standards.

The electric car offers many advantages over the petrol driven car. The main advantage is the fact that a car powered by electricity does not require the purchase of high-priced petrol . Instead, an individual owning an electric car need only pay to recharge the vehicle’s batteries.

Over the next few years there will undoubtedly be more electric cars on our roads.    Many people eager on owning an electric car will need to be patient though and wait for mass production and for prices to decrease.

At this year’s Oscars celebrities aren’t just decked out in gold, but arriving in green as well. At the pre-Oscar gala, hosted by Global Green USA, stars such as Penelope Cruz, Orlando Bloom, and model Petra Nemcova graced the cameras and the green carpet (literally).
In addition to the party, Global Green has lined up thirty vehicles for stars to arrive in, instead of gas guzzling limousines. One such car is the brand new, fully electric Tesla that is said to be “faster than most Porsches.

Good Morning America’s Sam Champion was at the green gala Wednesday night and was able to get a few words with the above mentioned personalities. Check out the video below for that interview.
About that wicked fast car — News website iTV.com reports Global Green USA’s CEO Matt Peterson as saying, “The past years we only worked with the hybrid cars and this year we really wanted to promote alternative fuels and different
technologies that represent what’s next.” The car that everyone will want to arrive in is the Tesla Motors Roadster. George Clooney and 330 other Hollywood hipsters have already signed up to buy the electric car that does 0-60 in in four seconds!
The base price on this bad boy is $92,000, not including the $30,000 it takes to reserve the 2008 model so I guess I won’t be getting mine any time soon. What about you?