Creating An Experimental Electric Car At Home

Book Preface

This book is not a complete step by step guide to building an electric car. This book documents my electric car and the story surrounding it. There are countless ways to build an electric car and the results will depend on the builder. Retrofitting an old car will mean that nothing fits until you find a way to make it fit and, some of the car’s original parts will be difficult to replace when needed. The builder may want a fast vehicle, a long range vehicle, an inexpensive city vehicle, or a vehicle capable of attaining highway speeds. An EV could be large or, small and it could have two wheels, three wheels, or four wheels, etc. My desire was for a small, lightweight and aerodynamic car that could get up to speed on the highway and get me to work and back home. In most respects, my car looks like any other car on the road.

Why? (This is the question that I am asked most often.)

You did it to save money right?

It is really slow isn’t it?

You can’t go very fast can you?

Don’t you think that it is much more convenient to buy gasoline?

Are you some kind of Liberal green freak?

And then, I try to explain it-

OK- because I have always been interested in the concept of a car that does not use any gas.

No, it cost me some big money to build it, but when you have a dream it makes sense to see it done.

I drive it on the highway and it is fast enough. It is a little slow from a complete stop since the motor is only equivalent to approximately 75 horse power. It was built for maximum range more than speed.

I remember signs that stated that there was no gasoline that day, how convenient was that?

I really don’t mind plugging the cord in when I get home.

Politics has nothing to do with it, but yes, I am a freak and perhaps a little green.

I like to think that mankind will still find a way to keep civilization moving after the supply of oil runs low. Oil comes from the war torn Middle East and electricity comes from my Sun drenched back yard. Any more questions?