In Australia most of our electricity is generated from coal so there are not many advantages to using electric cars here.

 

That's one of the great myths of electric cars. Yes, the electricity used to charge your batteries might be generated in a "dirty" power plant, but remember that coal fired power plant is more efficient that the ~25% or so that an internal combustion engine is. I've been thinking about building an EV myself, but I'm not sure what I'm going to use, that is a very slick adaptor plate there, makes a Subaru seem like a pretty decent platform.. I was thinking about using a Toyota pickup since with a pickup you can put the batteries in or under the bed, and not have to fabricate a sealed, vented enclosure like you do if it's in a passenger car.

 

10k is pretty good, most of the systems I've looked at are anyhwere from 12k to 20k depending upon what you get (the more efficient motors and controllers are more expensive, even more if you go with an AC system, although the AC systems can have regenerative braking, which extends the range.

Quoteth the Nipper

"When we installed fuel cells in existing electrics"

 

Please sir, will you link to these installs.

 

I bow to your overwhelming knowledge and experience!!

 

I, for one, would like to see this technology in existence in present day technology.

 

Your input is most appreciated, sir.

Quoteth the Nipper

"When we installed fuel cells in existing electrics"

 

Please sir, will you link to these installs.

 

I bow to your overwhelming knowledge and experience!!

 

I, for one, would like to see this technology in existence in present day technology.

 

Your input is most appreciated, sir.

 

Sadly i wish i could give you afordable information, but i can't. The install is actually physically easy. The cost of the technology is through the roof. I worked for a fuel cell mfg that got swallowed up by Plug Power in Lathem NY (and is getting in political hot water). I worked for H-Power Corporation in NJ.

 

I don't think we will ever see fuel cell cars do to the extreemly high cost of the stacks, and the mass production models really dont bring the price down all that much.

 

The two most expensive parts of the system were the fuel cell stack itself and the dc/ac converter. One of the difficulties were heat management, because there so little of it, but it could easily be overheated by outside thermal loads. No one really knows the cost of the Hydrogen, as a single source has yet to be picked. At the very least it will be the same cost for an equivilant gallon of gasoline.

 

Toshiba just made what may be a huge battery breakthrough, which may help everyone else that uses batteries, from cell phones to cars. If this is true, then the Internal combustion engine may have a serious challanger for the first time in a long time

 

http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/technology-and-science/toshiba-scib-battery-breakthrough.asp

 

I can go into detail here or prvitaly, as i dont want to steal the thread.

thats really intressting

Thats pretty cool. Just need to work on the range IMO but otherwise ideal.

Awesome car.

Wait for this to be available in larger batteries and you're golden!

this thread seriously just changed my entire outlook on every project i have in mind for the future.cheers, brian

this thread seriously just changed my entire outlook on every project i have in mind for the future.cheers, brian

 

It only gets better. There are good sources of info and parts for all this on the net

 

nipper

or find a way to get a deal on 6800 Li Ion

laptop bats like the Tesla Roadster has.

NICE:banana: I'm about a third the way through an electric vehicle project right now -- not one of my subarus, but a 1974 Ford Courier pickup. I've thought about doing my '82 GL though...

 

Nipper et al, I hear you about the funds and time.... for a long time I had plenty of time and no money, now I've got the money, and not as much time... and no garage (makes it impossible to any work on my cars for about 5 months when the snow buries everything...)

 

For fun..

http://www.plasmaboyracing.com/whitezombie.php

An old Datsun 1200 converted to electric that beats built up muscle cars in drag races.

http://www.proev.com/

Electric Impreza race car.

My current big project is a serial hybrid 68 F100 turned into an Expedition-style full sized SUV. I -should- be able to get 30mpg out of a vehicle that can take my wife, kids, dogs, stuff, and have enough room for me to tag along too!

I'll be using similar systems to what White Zombie has, just not quite as light and fast. And with a 4cyl Kubota and generator under the hood.

People don't realize the power potential electric cars can have if done properly and with modern materials.

My current big project is a serial hybrid 68 F100 turned into an Expedition-style full sized SUV. I -should- be able to get 30mpg out of a vehicle that can take my wife, kids, dogs, stuff, and have enough room for me to tag along too!

I'll be using similar systems to what White Zombie has, just not quite as light and fast. And with a 4cyl Kubota and generator under the hood.

People don't realize the power potential electric cars can have if done properly and with modern materials.

The real trick to that is to keep the genset running at a fixed rpm. Thats how a the new hybrid NYC MTA transit buses are set up. It is actually more efficient to do it that way from a layout point of view if you have the space..

 

nipper

I have an extra 360 sedan sitting around. I thought of putting an electric motor in it. Somebody has already done a 360 van and it came out good. But the sedan is so small, nowhere for the batteries. Maybe someday there will be tiny lightweight batteries.

Laptop batteries are not that big

see post #34

Wow that thing is rad, and 40 miles range, thats good for a home made electric mobile, great work.

I have an extra 360 sedan sitting around. I thought of putting an electric motor in it. Somebody has already done a 360 van and it came out good. But the sedan is so small, nowhere for the batteries. Maybe someday there will be tiny lightweight batteries.

 

With a little imagination, you would be surprised. The first thing you have to figure out is what do you want it to do reasonably.

 

nipper

i was going to ask why someone wasn't using a generator of sorts to provide recharge of the battery.why not put some type of fan setup in the front hooked up to some old gm generators through a converter?i have been tossing around the idea for wind power machines,but the application does not matter.

 

i do not pretend to know about any of this.so please bear with my statements.i can read and read and read,but until these hands make it work sometimes it just does not click.

and i just keep thinking about how bad rump roast independant suspension would be if you had a motor for every wheel.hmmmm.....

 

 

 

cheers, brian

cool, a prius ru. lol

 

good job:clap:

i was going to ask why someone wasn't using a generator of sorts to provide recharge of the battery.why not put some type of fan setup in the front hooked up to some old gm generators through a converter?i have been tossing around the idea for wind power machines,but the application does not matter.

 

i do not pretend to know about any of this.so please bear with my statements.i can read and read and read,but until these hands make it work sometimes it just does not click.

and i just keep thinking about how bad rump roast independant suspension would be if you had a motor for every wheel.hmmmm.....

 

 

 

cheers, brian

 

I would love to if you can explaine it a little better.

 

nipper

Very cool....

I've been wanting to do this for years....

 

cudoo's to you:headbang:

well, i was a little slow on this ,but here goes,why are people not utilizing some sort of mobile in car charging unit like an alternator?if the batteries in system can take more amperage than the alternator is putting out it would be essentially charging them right?of course having whatever regulation you would need for the amount of amperage you would be dealing with.

 

i mean , how do you figure out what size motor you utilize for the whole setup.i understand there would be standards for tranny driven units,but what about direct drive for an individual wheel?cheers, brian

I will Love to see Bigger Pics of the Electric Subie... Could somebody post `em here Again?

Thanx!