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  #1  
Old 09-26-2005, 12:15 PM
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NapaBavarian NapaBavarian is offline
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Anyone here into electric cars?

I'm scratching my head wondering about building one from a spare car I have lying arround, but I can't find any sites that have much usable information on them, mostly just sales flash, trying to figure out how to build something with a sixty to eighty mile range, have an old VW golf and thinking about using that as a base...
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  #2  
Old 09-26-2005, 02:42 PM
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Sorry, can't help you but I've seen these cars in person:

http://www.itiselectric.com/
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  #3  
Old 09-26-2005, 03:02 PM
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You know that in in 1979 Subaru made an electric van. In fact there is one on sale in pretty condition upstate New York in the Berkshires by Pittsfield Massachusetts.

Either that or look on Ebay for one. Or you can use Ebay to search for a good electric motor.
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  #4  
Old 09-26-2005, 03:30 PM
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If you're gonna build one yourself, I don't know...

If you look at the cnn site main page of the biz site today, it's probably not a smart way to go with hybrid car("at this point"), it costs more for the maintenance in the long run for the money you save on gas....
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  #5  
Old 09-26-2005, 04:36 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SSSVX
If you're gonna build one yourself, I don't know...

If you look at the cnn site main page of the biz site today, it's probably not a smart way to go with hybrid car("at this point"), it costs more for the maintenance in the long run for the money you save on gas....
I haven't read the article but it sounds as though another journalist talking from where he should be doing something else. I'm hybrid certified with Ford and Honda platforms. It is really too soon for anyone to say yay or nay to their reliability and in regard to maintenance the reporter is waaay off base. Actually Ford's hybrid takes way less maintenance than a conventional vehicle. Oil changes are @ 10,000 miles (due to it not running constantly) and they battery pack is warranted 8/100,000 or 10/100,000 - depending on what state you live in. Brakes will last quite a bit longer (double or more, but nobody's bragging yet) due to regenerative braking, the generator absorbs most of the energy to recharge the batteries. The transmission consists of one planetary gearset and requires no maintenance.

IMHO the reporter is a genuine dumbass. The maintenance is less. The price of a hybrid Escape is ~$2700 more than a comparable gas model. Subtract a $2000 FedTax credit, more if you happen to live in a locality that also chips in.
A gas powered Escape will usually do ~17mpg in town, a hybrid will return ~35+mpg. It shouldn't take long to recoup that $700 difference after doubling your mpg, should it? If you can get your hands on one, and are in the market for a vehicle in that niche, you'd be nuts not to go hybrid.

If your local dealer has one available take it for a test drive, they're amazing. Between the 4 cylinder engine and the elctric drive there is more power available than with the V6. The hybrid can actually bark the tires. Then there is 'stealth' mode, perfect for sneaking into the garage late at night. Just taking it easy on the go pedal will keep it full electric up to 25-30mph and it's stone quiet. By the time you comer to a complete stop the engine has already been shut off. Lifting your foot from the brake pedal will allow the car to creep forward without touching the gas pedal, just as an automatic trans would do. They really did their homework to make the vehicle as free from changing habits as possible.

Sorry for the hijack, I'm just really impressed by the new technology. It's about time someone produced something new and useful - besides electric running boards and rain sensors that turn your wipers on for you.
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  #6  
Old 09-26-2005, 07:50 PM
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Well, first off let me say that by no means am I about to believe that electric means free energy or zero polution, I just wanted an electric car to putt arround town in, I did find a VW kit, but I'd wind up spending $10,000 to convert the car when I wanted to spend arround 3-4k, so that may be out
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  #7  
Old 09-26-2005, 08:02 PM
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You'd probably have a better go at dressing up a golf cart for that money.

In regard to future technology I'd be putting my money on very small turbo diesel hybrid tech. Many cars require less than 20hp to maintain 60mph. A small turbo diesel could do that easily but acceleration would suck, that's why it would be a hybrid. The electric motor would kick in at the low end for more grunt and the diesel would be rated for cruising speeds. Add in bio and reclaimed veggie oil fuels (don't forget the dead cats.) Expect mpg in the 70-80mpg range. Those interested in investing should keep their eyes open....
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Last edited by Beav; 09-26-2005 at 08:13 PM.
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  #8  
Old 09-26-2005, 10:20 PM
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Funny you should mention that since a friend and I were talking about that last night... What about using an AWD car and converting it to front diesel/rear electric? The biggest problem I see is that people in this country just don't seem to want to embrace diesel technology/engines for various reasons, more a sales reason than anything else. Perhaps an SVX would make a great diesel hybrid
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Southwest members, click here to check in!CA,NV,AZ,UT,NM,OR,CO
Wanted...your busted SVX! Watch out Earl, I'm comin to getchya
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1.8 SVXi and a laguna blue spoiler...somewhere
I decided to quit drinking, but I didn't like it so I quit not drinking.
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  #9  
Old 09-26-2005, 11:33 PM
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I suppose you need to see and understand how the technology works. Splitting the system in two and spreading it out just doesn't make sense, plus the parasitic loss of additional drive components hampers economy. I'll see if I can dig up some stuff to post over the next couple days.
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  #10  
Old 09-27-2005, 12:43 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Beav
You'd probably have a better go at dressing up a golf cart for that money.

In regard to future technology I'd be putting my money on very small turbo diesel hybrid tech. Many cars require less than 20hp to maintain 60mph. A small turbo diesel could do that easily but acceleration would suck, that's why it would be a hybrid. The electric motor would kick in at the low end for more grunt and the diesel would be rated for cruising speeds. Add in bio and reclaimed veggie oil fuels (don't forget the dead cats.) Expect mpg in the 70-80mpg range. Those interested in investing should keep their eyes open....
Or even THIS

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If I would be a young man again and had to decide how to make my living, I
would not try to become a scientist or scholar or teacher. I would rather
choose to be a plumber or a peddler in the hope to find that modest degree
of independence still available under present circumstances.
-- Albert Einstein, The Reporter, November 18 1954
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  #11  
Old 09-27-2005, 12:53 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NapaBavarian
Funny you should mention that since a friend and I were talking about that last night... What about using an AWD car and converting it to front diesel/rear electric? The biggest problem I see is that people in this country just don't seem to want to embrace diesel technology/engines for various reasons, more a sales reason than anything else. Perhaps an SVX would make a great diesel hybrid
Maybe a little like THIS?
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If I would be a young man again and had to decide how to make my living, I
would not try to become a scientist or scholar or teacher. I would rather
choose to be a plumber or a peddler in the hope to find that modest degree
of independence still available under present circumstances.
-- Albert Einstein, The Reporter, November 18 1954
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  #12  
Old 09-27-2005, 03:53 AM
Bipa
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Forgive me if I'm posting old news.

September 23, 2005
Subaru Parent Sets Timeline for Electric-Car Development
http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/alterna...ent-127242.php

Subaru’s parent Fuji Heavy Industries has released a one-year schedule for development of a new electric car. In concert with Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), FHI will develop and manufacture 10 prototype vehicles based on the Subaru R1e concept. Tepco will use the cars in its service fleet, while studying their performance and economic viability. Fuji had earlier touted a new type of lithium-ion battery it had developed, expected to last for 15 years or 150,000 miles. For that reason, the EVs will likely serve as a test bed for the battery, which the company wants to market to hybrid carmakers as well as launch its own, homegrown hybrids. Tepco, on the other hand, will use its R&D base in charging systems to develop a kit capable of charging the batteries to up to 80% capacity within 15 minutes. Check out the cars’ specs after the jump.

Fuji/Tepco EV:
· Two-seater
· Driving distance: 80km (city-driving with the battery capacity of 8kWh)
· Rapid charging: 15 minutes with AC200V outlet (filling up to 80% of the battery)
· Normal charging: 8 hours with AC100V outlet
· Battery capacity deterioration tolerance: within 20% lower than the initial capacity (after seven-year use, over 70,000km)

Development schedule:
· September-December 2005: Joint design work on the EV prototype
· Mid-October 2005: Completion of the first prototype and delivery
· March 2006: Completion of the 10th vehicle and delivery (When each vehicle is completed, it will be delivered to and field-tested by TEPCO)
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