A car running on an internal combustion engine is notorious for being uneconomical. More than half the energy extracted from burning gasoline is lost through heat and friction. When gas prices reached its peak in mid 2008, several people are seriously wandering if they should keep their vehicle. Some have began looking for a more economical energy source such as electricity. Since a brand new electric vehicle (EV) is still relatively expensive, several car enthusiasts have started converting their gasoline driven car to electric. How practical is it to construct your own electric car at home? This article will give some information on electric car conversion from home.
The idea of constructing your own EV is to remove the internal combustion engine and replace it with a DC electric motor. Since the engine is gone, all the associated components such as radiator, fuel lines, gas tank and exhaust pipe are dismantle as well. The electric motor is connected straight to the existing transmission. To power the motor, a series of acid flooded batteries are utilised. On a full charge, the electric car is capable of traveling approximately 150 miles. The actual mileage will depend on the condition of the batteries, the power rating of the motor, the weight of the car and also the driving condition.
To fully charge the batteries, it will take about 8 hours running on a standard home power socket. During off peak hour, it will cost about $1 to charge the batteries. Imagine traveling 150 miles in your car and only costing you one buck. Compare to a conventional automobile, an electric car definitely comes up on top. From the running cost alone, building your own electric car is definitely worth considering.
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