big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
Fuel is $4.50 a gallon here and climbing. It may be $5.00 by July 4th. They are already talking $6.00. It's choking the country to death. Across the border in Mexico it's $2.00.
Making my own electric car.....
- Thread starter mrvette
- Start date
Fuel is $4.50 a gallon here and climbing. It may be $5.00 by July 4th. They are already talking $6.00. It's choking the country to death. Across the border in Mexico it's $2.00.
Twin_Turbo
Der Maulwurf
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2008
- Messages
- 7,579
almost 10 here and rising daily
69427
The Artist formerly known as Turbo84
You are correct. It's a losing deal.
I once had a long, frustrating conversation with an otherwise bright guy who suggested putting a couple alternators onto the motor of an EV so it can recharge the batteries as you go down the road. Despite my explanations of conversion efficiencies (always less than 100%) and increased vehicle mass, he was just fixed on this as a "range extender". As he was the guy who signed my check at the time, I didn't think it prudent to keep pushing that I was right, and he was wrong.
In addition to some PV panels in the truck bed, I had one additional item I was pondering, but too "shy" to mention earlier, as it might look rather "Bubba-ish". With a five or six foot bed on the truck, you could put a small fold down wind turbine in the back. If it's a windy day while the truck is parked for the day at work, just prop the telescoping base up and let the turbine recharge the batteries until you leave work. (Just remember to fold it back down prior to driving away.)
ps: I'm interested in the name of the (electric motor) book you recommended.
thanks,
Mike
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
hehe....snicker, YOU drive 100 miles and you changed countries about 4 X allready....:stirpot:
on the battery weight...figger 50 lbs/cell at conversational level so that is about 300 and at MOST 400 lbs.....the engine and exhaust weight that along....and i"m pulling out a tranny and cooling system, I think the car will loose maybe 200 lbs for the conversion....maybe that's optimistic....
:stirpot:
turtlevette
The Turdle
its easy to sit here and bs about building this thing, but its going to be a really difficult thing to attempt.
Once you add up all the time you'd spend on it you'd be much better off buying a new Hydrid. Damn things are only 20 grand.
Once you add up all the time you'd spend on it you'd be much better off buying a new Hydrid. Damn things are only 20 grand.
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
Cherry
DREAD NAUGHT
Well, lets look at this problem.
Solution # 1
Buy a friggen Horse,, a chain, a couple long ropes,, and yes a shit catcher.
Solution #2
Buy a mule for low end torque, a chain, a couple long ropes,, a shit catcher.
Solution #3 Note This takes balls, yet it will be the new America sport car model.
Buy a chain, a couple long ropes, forget the shit catcher
Buy a cattle prod,,, ""this is only used for passing gear.
Hook the wife to the chain. Then tell her """Your seeing her sister"""!
Solution # 1
Buy a friggen Horse,, a chain, a couple long ropes,, and yes a shit catcher.
Solution #2
Buy a mule for low end torque, a chain, a couple long ropes,, a shit catcher.
Solution #3 Note This takes balls, yet it will be the new America sport car model.
Buy a chain, a couple long ropes, forget the shit catcher
Buy a cattle prod,,, ""this is only used for passing gear.
Hook the wife to the chain. Then tell her """Your seeing her sister"""!
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mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
Cherry
DREAD NAUGHT
I like your invention, Mine are workable solutions, real time adjustments. You just don't understand being hen pecked! and I didn't need a EE, or a BSOBS.
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saudivette
Clueless In Sandland
Outrageous, I know. It might be cheaper and easier though to build a small refinery and buy your own crude...Fuel is $4.50 a gallon here and climbing. It may be $5.00 by July 4th. They are already talking $6.00. It's choking the country to death. Across the border in Mexico it's $2.00.
big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
SmokeyVette
Adrenaline Junkie
I think it can work, especially if it's basically a shell of a car with the batteries and running gear.
Just so y'all know, this is the type of generator I was talking about.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/industry/4224763.html?series=37
If you have enough of them, it just might work...
Just so y'all know, this is the type of generator I was talking about.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/industry/4224763.html?series=37
If you have enough of them, it just might work...
SIXFOOTER
Well-known member
Why not start out with a Golf Cart and just Pimp it out?
Taller wheels from a motorcycle or something, bigger motor maybe, add in the curtains for weather if they didn't come with.
Virtually all the engineering done, might need to play with the gearing a bit.
Seems to me that converting a regular car (even a saturn) it would still be carrying a lot of weight and mass you don't need, just a guess. Interesting thread, something I have concidered several times, like everytime I gas up my truck.
For the running around local, groceries, small stuff at HD, maybe out to dinner close by it would be great.
For the highway it might be scary tho.
The PV cells and even the wind turbin off a sailboat would still work
Taller wheels from a motorcycle or something, bigger motor maybe, add in the curtains for weather if they didn't come with.
Virtually all the engineering done, might need to play with the gearing a bit.
Seems to me that converting a regular car (even a saturn) it would still be carrying a lot of weight and mass you don't need, just a guess. Interesting thread, something I have concidered several times, like everytime I gas up my truck.
For the running around local, groceries, small stuff at HD, maybe out to dinner close by it would be great.
For the highway it might be scary tho.
The PV cells and even the wind turbin off a sailboat would still work
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mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
Well, around Clay Co. FLORIDA where I live, they seem relatively lax about golf carts of secondary roads, but NEVER have I seen one on a major road, even crossing a major road....
so the issue is to have something that is street legal, and therefore you can drive the damn thing without problems....couse in a state like Kalifornia, or Faryland where they are super anal about things, you would have problems at some 'inspection' station.....they probably would find a way to take the tags, bet on it.....:shocking:
so then the use of a lightweight CAR as a starting platform makes more sense , to me anyway....
much less the thing is allready designed....by the time all that gas engine oriented crap is outta there, I bet there is enough room for most ANY drivetrain concept....much less at nearly 1/2 the weight...
big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
Yep. No tags for golf carts in Kalifornia. Must meet DOT safety standards, and be able to cruise above 35MPH.
That Gem car, Iacoca's do da, is street legal, but only allowed on side streets.
That Gem car, Iacoca's do da, is street legal, but only allowed on side streets.
turtlevette
The Turdle
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
MY target price is 1/6 the only price I spotted there at 12 grand....
it is impossible to anyone to make, distribute, sell, pay the light bill, and warrenty ANY damn car in this country for less than ten grand.....
were as I can MAKE one that's just as good for way far less....
:clobbered:
big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
Bad link :quote::quote:
SIXFOOTER
Well-known member
Thats a golf cart with a fancy shell on it
Gene, you may be onto something, but I think there may be better choices than a Saturn: Suzuki Samarui, Swift, (whats them small jeep looking things?)