Some days you discover things and wonder if you've been living under a rock. When one of my colleagues asked me if I knew anything about converting her car to an EV, I laughed and said it would be a big call because the whole engine would have to be replaced as well as the petrol tank, radiator and exhaust system. Well it turns out that is exactly how it works.And there is a whole industry converting people's cars, 4WDs, vintage cars, anything really, into EVs. Companies like Oz DIY Electric Vehicles make it sound like it's as simple as taking the dog for a walk after you hand over $17,000 or so, but I suspect that dog might turn out to be rather a big doggo with a few conditional training issues. The $17,000 might sound like a lot, but if the body and parts of the car in conversion is in good shape, which it really needs to be, you are effectively getting yourself a new car that won't cost you petrol money to run or pollute the planet with emissions. While there is an avalanche of new EVs about to hit the market, there still aren't many under $50,000 so a conversion is a seriously good option. (Please correct me if you know differently, but Hyundai’s Ioniq Electric seems to be the cheapest at around $45,000.)
Apparently it is the most economical to convert manual cars that are around 900 kg curb weight (weight of car with no people in it). Think small vehicles like a Barina, Festiva, 131, Metro. Which probably knocks your beautiful old Chevvy off the cheap option list. Anything around 20 years old costs next nothing to buy and is still young enough to have an excellent body. Bear in mind that with a new motor, your car is going to last a long time so check everything that is going to need to last like wheel bearings, springs, computer system.As noted above, if you know what you are doing, you can buy kits from places like Oz DIY Electric Vehicles, who seem awfully helpful and enthusiastic, but personally I can't believe I lasted this long before looking for the 'Get Us to Install' button...Instructions....Calculate your maximum allowable payload. You are going to have to weigh everything. Remove all Auto parts that are no longer required for your Conversion Motor. Radiator– exhaust system and Fuel Tank. Remove the gearbox as well. You will need the gearbox to assemble with the electric motor. Keep the clutch plate as its part of your coupling Don’t cut any wires from the electrical harness. When removing e.g. starter-alternator....... snoozing now.If you, like me, are trying to decide between giving your old car to your 16 year old or getting a cheap new one, investing in converting the old car to an EV is an excellent way of doing both at the same time.
This comment was made where I posted this article to a Facebook page and I think the information is excellent!: Ten years ago, we had our car converted to 100% electric. The conversion costed $25,000. We saved that amount over the ten years by not buying petrol ($50x52 weeks/year) We drove at least 12,000km a year and when we sold it to buy the 100% Hyundai Kona, in 2019, it still had 70% of the original battery capacity. The buyer was very happy to have it as a second car to drive to the shops etc and we have had our expectations surpassed by the Kona. 500Km on a full change. Thursday, 14 May 2020
This is exciting and I imagine it'll be like solar in terms of pricing coming down and whole new industries being created. I know for one I love my manual Subaru Liberty (which is now an oil guzzler at 15 years old) so I would love to give her a new lease on live while doing good for the planet (apparently cars make up 86% of emissions of which 46% are local trips so it's a great option for the second family car especially!). Thursday, 30 January 2020