Well I couldn't sleep (0235 AM) when I wrote this post um-----
While I was at the pumps the other day, I was just getting irritated while pumping out regular fuel of 3.33 per gallon
I spent fourty dollars on 11.98 gallons. I also realize that in other countries like Europe and Japan for example pump prices are much higher than the U.S, even though wholesale is roughly the same. It is also heavy taxes that discourage consumption over there.
Prices over at the Netherlands are $6.73 per gallon, imagine paying double per gallon.
The U.S. has the lowest tax on gasoline on any industrialized country. Oil is now $101 a barrel.
This would be the time to make and produce quality and efficient electric vehicles.
How do you obtain products that are efficent and reliable enough to mass produce.
I am actually planning on buying an EV soon, I am not sure whether I want a small EV car or a scooter.
However I want something that I can commute with to and from work and school etc with enough range etc.
After spending some time on the forum I have some ideas of what to buy for an EV.
Alias,
I to would like to have an EV for commuting to and from work. I was curious about what you are planning to purchase. here are my needs for an EV, 50 MPH top speed, 60 mile range at an average speed of 35 MPH. What are your requirements?
Chas S.
Hi Chas, thanks for writing I appreciate it
So far, I have been looking into new Zapino's that are for sale. I am not sure where else to look
I would appreciate it also if you have any other places that you know of.
To be honest, I do a lot of freeway driving (from home, work & now school).
I'd love to own an EV and be able to use that as my transportation instead of using my Honda so much.
I suppose if I purchase a new ev with the type of range it would have, I could drive the side streets and have
about 1/2 of the freeway distance. My requirements I am hoping to have atleast 50 mph.
I have been looking at some of the scooters that are for sale and there is a scooter that does have top speed of
55 mph + and that one is the 150cc Lance Vintage Zapino.
What can I say ---> speed freak
Oh crap there is one problem that I may run into with this, at my work I am not sure if we have EV charging outlets
is there an alternative for this???? It's flippen ironic because I work for an auto-parts distributor (wharehouse)
You know what would be awesome, if I could purchase a Mini cooper and make it electric; that would be sweet
I think a Mini would be great too. I have done some deep research into conversions. Here are the high points of what I have found.
1. Find a vehicle which can carry the extra weight of the batteries. (The Chevy S-10 is the best recommendation)
2. Use a vehicle with a standard transmission
3. Don't try to use cheap components as they will just cause problems which will cost more in the long run.
4. Get the vehicle before you buy any other components
5. Try to find a conversion kit sized to give you the performance you want
6. Purchase all the components up front
7. Take the time to check all the wiring in the vehicle which is reused, Lights, door switches, dash lights, etc. Don't assume it is all good. A short with lots of battery power could have you rewiring the entire vehicle.
8. Take your time.
Chas S.
I couldn't help but like your Chevy S-10 conversion, in fact I love Chevy S-10 pickup's especially the early 80 years.
(just for kicks, I have also used a lot of chevy S-10's for patrol vehicles so I know them well).
Hahaha this would be a perfect conversion for a starting project; why????
I was just smiling over the fact that my shop (Dayton Automotive) still has a Running Chevy S-10 early 1990's pickup
and it even has a 1/2 cab. Early on the shop was using that to transport customers for service rides.
While under-going new management decided to purchase a newer more comfortable vehicle.
That truck was just not suited for the purpose for that shop and it wasn't something that we wanted to represent our
shop with. The point that I am getting at is, I think the shops plans on selling that truck because it's no longer
needed. I will ask and find out how much they want for it and see where I can go from there.
The mini cooper conversion is a great idea but you would be spending more money on just buying the vehicle alone
if you buy it new atleast. Mini coopers are atleast 20k New.
These are the type of trucks that if you have problems starting them and it's a fuel pump problem sometimes you can lightly bang on the fuel pump with a hammer and it starts :) (obviously you'd eventually would have to replace it)
chas_stevenson wrote
You know after doing some serious thinking just now about the S-10 conversion it would just be very interesting.
In fact It would probably be a less inexpensive conversion because the Chevy S-10's are usually worth about
$600 and up for just the truck alone (running or not).
If I had more money I would love to buy a mini cooper and convert that but, like I said before you would literally be spending $20,000 on a new vehicle nonetheless probably another $5,000+ on componets and converting it.
Though it would be a smaller conversion and probably easier than the S-10 probably less batteries???
This is something I could grasp and start working on with the S-10 in fact I will be getting in touch with our
service writer to see how much she wants to sell it for ;) I have some extra income coming my way and WoW.
In fact it would be silly of me to purchase a brand new $1600 scooter if I have this S-10 that is possibly
available. Thanks Chas for the great idea :)
I've got a list of places to buy used EV's on 7gen.com but the two best are http://www.austinev.org/evtradinpost/ and http://www.evfinder.com/classifieds.htm .. And there are a couple EV's listed there in the bay area right now.
- David Herron, The Long Tail Pipe, davidherron.com, 7gen.com, What is Reiki
Hi David, thanks for the weblinks. I especially checked out Evfinder.com :)
I am still interested in purchasing an EV (one day) and being able to use it as my transportation.
I apologize for not responding I just got home at 2200 hours because I started school this evening right after work.
I happen to be from the Netherlands and i have a car, the fuel price for regular fuel is now 1,55 euro per liter :S a galon is 3,8 liters ? so that would make 5.89 euro per gallon with the current dollar rate that would mean $8,54 getting close to three times your price ^^
btw of the 1,55 we pay per liter 1 euro+ is tax >.<
I can just hope they get fuelcell/electric cars on the market soon for a reasonable price with prestations that can match normal cars meaning: 0-60mph in +/- 12sec top speed of about 110mph and a radius of 300miles and able to fill it up again in about the same time it takes to fill your car with loads of money worth of fuel. BMW already made several 300bhp + engines running on hydrogen so the technology is here. Now someone needs to guts to bring it on the market and say fack you against the big oil concerns
Jesse wrote
Wow, ouch! I am not sure how ya'll handle that especially with folks who have low minimum wage jobs.
I'm a poor student and I think i sell my car soon, i drive a Suzuki swift GTI great fun driving it 0-60mph in 8,6sec top speed of around 130mph. But as a student in the Netherlands you get a card so you can use all public transportation(which gets you really every where in the country) for free but taking the car saves me around 15-30 mins but selling my car will save me at least 2500$ a year. So yes for a poor student like me its expensive to have a car >.< especially since every thing here is more expansive then it is in the USA i have been in the usa and i was wondered how cheap everything was ^^ just healthy food was quit expansive :P
Jesse wrote
I can understand that as a student you can get a public transportation card and it would be free
especially for those who don't work, which would be convienent. Hey, I just became a student again after twelve years
so it's kinda interesting :) However in my case I need my car
again and I am driving more. Sigh sixteen hour days are fun!!
I wish it was EV so I won't be spending so much on fuel, ugh. That would be awesome if I could charge an EV at both work and school,wonder if they even have charging facilities there?? hmmm but ya that would solve my problems for spending too much on fuel and bad for the economy hmmm.
No kidding even around here it's expensive even tofu blah. :sick:
Sorry Jesse but I totally disagree. I have to believe that the person you spoke to simply did not understand the very business that they are in....which is not uncommon in that industry!
First, many "new" parts are being added to autos today that have absolutely nothing to do with combustion engines. And they are very expensive parts...and will need routine replacement.
Next, hydrogen is so many years away if it were even feasible considering creating distribution systems, etc. We don't have that long even if...
Third, if one only uses basic common sense we know that electricity is the only feasible alternative that is present today. We already have distribution systems basically speaking. We have a "fuel" that is as "green" as we can expect now...even considering coal burning power plants (the figures have been extrapolated).
Fourth, we have little to no control of the price of gasoline TODAY and we do not have the next twenty years to study other alternatives. We have to begin, as we are seeing, to use what we know works. That is electric.
I compare what you write about this to, once again, what folks here in the USA were saying many years ago when the first gasoline crisis came about and Japan had the forethought to already start making small, affordable, gasoline burning cars. It didn't take many years, comparably, till those small cars showed up everywhere here in the USA. And, they literally changed a vast amount of the "thinking" at that time about exactly what people wanted in an automobile. Why? Because they made the ONLY reasonable difference at the time considering oil shortages, etc.
We are really at a turning point today. We don't have the next 30 years to "try" alternatives...to create complex infrastructures for delivery, etc. We have to begin now to move quickly away from oil. The only existing technology that is feasible right now is electric....period. We know how to do it...and I assure you before you see gasoline at $10 gallon in the USA you'll see at least half of all automobiles here become electric, or some hybrid with electric being the total drive source.
As I always like to say...I could be wrong...but I honestly don't think so!
Gushar
Gus