Wanna build an EV car?

I like the idea of using a kit car as a platform for an electric. I'd like to see more kit car manufacturers provide the basics for creating an EV from their kit(battery trays, motor mounts, etc.). Here is my current fantasy platform. I'm guessing it would be around $40K to build, not including labor. Maybe not the most practical, but LOTS OF FUN! Maybe better than a Tesla . . .

The owner is a friend of mine, his name is Dave. He is located near Pittsburgh, Pa. Give him a call if you are interested in a Sterling.

I have seen some Porsche 356 and MG T series replica kit cars electrified already. It makes good sense, because they come without a power plant anyway, and are light weight, and you start with new components. My guess is that you will see full electric kits being offered as options on these cars from the suppliers. I like the idea of combining classic looks with a modern electric drive train. Getting kit cars registered and smogged with ICE engines can also be a big problem, and is always at least a minor headache.

I've thought kit cars would be a good start for an ev myself. This leads me to what I was about to mention in another thread but I'll just offer the info here...

I just got off the phone with a representative of our power company here in my area of Florida. I got an email this morning from this fellow. An email I sent to another rep in the company was passed as well along to him. My email regarded this other person's appearance on a recent local (PBS) program about electric cars. I mentioned this recently under another thread here...about the fact that I was surprised there were others in my community that were electric vehicle enthusiasts. And, while I shouldn't have been surprised I guess...the local power company has some direct involvement in this. Anyway, I sent an email back to the guy and gave him my office number and he called me this morning.

We talked for about an hour and I have finally made a direct contact here with not only someone who is extremely knowledgeable of electric conversions...but because he works for the power company informed me of many areas in which the power company is "encouraging" electric vehicle development, etc. And, it turns out that they are "quietly" helping a Korean electric vehicle company scout this area for a potential manufacturing site. For obvious reasons they are fairly "tight lipped" about this and he said he could tell me more about it if things developed further. Anyway, this fellow developed an entire program for the power company...several years ago...putting electric vehicles in their company fleet....including converted Chevy S-10s and they as well leased the EV1, Rav 4...etc. This guy was really interesting to talk to (an engineer). He told me about the fact that the power company has been contacted on numerous ocassions by this or that "company" who wants to partner or sell some innovation in electrical technology. He told me of an instance where he met with such folks in Atlanta who had supposedly developed a battery of sorts that was supposed to be this great breakthrough in technology...and that his company signed confidentiality agreements, etc...to see this technology demonstrated...and that ultimately it turned out, once inspected by their engineers, to be a total fraud. He said there are alot of folks especially now both legitimately...and some fraudently...touting developments and products that really only work on paper and not in actual applications. Anyway, he seemed optimistic that "electric vehicle" development is moving faster than most realize...and yet (as I've come to believe) not from the "big boys" but rather these smaller companies, i.e., Korean, Indian, etc. He also told me that the US was not the major market for some of these companies. That surprised me. But it was a great conversation and I intend to be talking alot more with this fellow.

Folks, if the power companies are involved even to this extent (and why wouldn't they be!)...then I'm thinking there may not be any need for "home" conversions in the not to distant future!

Gushar

Due to what I read about GM/Chevron tying up patents that allow mass-production of EV's and plug-in hybrids, Im very annoyed right now.

I now believe that the only EV's that you will be seeing in the real world will be conversions. Most families have one family member that only drives a short distance to work, so there's a huge market, but to start a company it's David against Goliath.

Rutan made "Long-EZ" home-built plane kits. Venture capitalists showed him he could turn a profit by building complete planes, but he didn't want to wrestle with lawsuits and pressure from Cessna, etc.

I heard somewhere that over one-million EV's could be put on the road before any new infrastructure needed to be built, and thats without any advanced solar PV panels getting cheaper for home generation.

Some juristictions allow a cheaper electric rate from a special node installed in your garage. If charging during the night there is much unused grid capacity. Can also bypass in power outage so hospitals and police have first dibs on back-up power.

I talked To Doug from EV Tech (an expert in automotive EV's) about making electric kit Cars. He told me you can only do a couple here and there, and only once and a while, otherwise you become a "car manufacturer" in the eyes of the government. Then you need a million dollar crash test program, air bags, etc. That is why 3 wheel EV's are more of a possibility, as they are considered motorcycles.

I was thinking about small $12,000 car I posted about earlier linked below. I can't see how that thing has passed the necessary requirements to be registered here in the USA as a 2008 model year 4 wheel vehicle. Without the batteries, the car weighs in at about 500 pounds. How could it pass the crash and safety equipment tests needed to be sold as a new 4 wheel vehicle? They need to lose a rear wheel on that thing to sell it here as a trike.

http://visforvoltage.org/forum/4085-neat-looking-highway-cabable-100-mile-electric-3-wheel-car-11999-delivered

Well at least there are a few electric vehicles on the road now, and from the sales of them looks like they will become a very popular choice for everyone. Hopefully they can ramp up the production of these pure electric vehicles as id love to stop riding my electric bicycle everywhere and find a more viable alternative. And as production continues, and popularity continues the price will become great.