Does anybody know how I can go about converting a gasoline powered car to an electric car?

Question

I've heard that some hobbyists do this, but just in the essense of saving time, I'd like to ask you if you have any solutions or know of a person or company that does this. Of course feel free to add in any other information that you think would be helpful; stuff like price, battery types, I'm all for excess information.

Answer 1

Sure, but pick the car you convert carefully, don't just convert your favorite because that might not give a very good car.

There's a lot of custom engineering and fabrication that goes into an electric-vehicle conversion. So you can
- learn to design and weld, and do this yourself
- pay a craftsman/shop for a totally custom conversion for you
- find a shop that has standardized how to convert cars like yours, so they can just "bang out" another one using their existing design.

After that, expect to spend $5000-$50000 depending on how exotic you want it, how much power, range, features etc. Try

http://www.electroauto.com/
http://www.evconvert.com/
http://www.electrictransport.net/
http://www.solarenergy.org/workshops/workshop.php?id=45

Answer 2

I think your coming from the mindset or illusion that their is some "free-lunch" in the universe. There is no such thing even remotely as a ZERO-emmision anything, because to make batteries(is extremely toxic and harmful to the environment), to charge those batteries take energy from a coal/fossil fuel buring plant, etc.

It all sounds good to politicans, and the public, but they have an extremely limited understanding of fundamental science. The Hybrid is also soon to be going away...back in 2000, industry analyists stated it was just a stop-gap, and the Mercedes Blue-Tec technology is already coming on like a vengence.

Oh, and that hydrogen proposal? That also takes electricity to break apart those water molecules, and ethanol has less latent energy than a gallon of gas(and MUCH less than a gallon of clean diesel), and to make that corn ALSO produces a lot of waste.

Lot's of "feel-good" stuff out there, but in reality, there are no easy answers/solutions to the worlds greatest problem:the virus know as the Human race...

Answer 3

You can order a kit... Motor controller, batteries and instructions for $10,000 to $120,000 depending on the car and performance level desired.

Answer 4

ive seen some kit ones done and its pretty difficult unless your a pretty good mechanic ive heard 6 to 10 grand but the one my friend has, has broken down over and over and his was done by a professional, i wouldnt do it, a hybrid car sounds alot better to me right now until they get these kit electric cars up to snuff

Answer 5

My friend, don't invest that kind of money to convert. Sell your car to a dealership and use that credit towards a Prius or the like. You'll be much better off!

Answer 6

Bob brandt's book "build your own electric vehicle" is a good starting point http://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Own-Electric-Vehicle/dp/0830642323/ref=pd_bbs_3/002-2606701-8306446?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183037120&sr=8-3

and the yahoo group http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/diy_ev_cars/ could put you in touch with local groups - in the UK see http://www.batteryvehiclesociety.org.uk/wordpress/

Answer 7

Why would u want to do that??? U want to reduce your Corbin footprint?? Well Mother nature introduced plants to auto recycle our fossil fuels ,so we will never run out of fossil fuel.