MIT Students Convert Porsche 914 to Electric

MIT Students Convert Porsche 914 to Electric

The most wonderful car I ever owned was my 1972 Porsche 914. It was a bomb, figuratively and literally; it handled fabulously but it was a mid-engine and you drove with nothing but a tank of gas between you and the front end. Now some lucky kids at MIT are converting one into an electric car. According to MIT News, their goal is "To demonstrate the viability of advanced electric vehicle technology and to help clarify what research and development has yet to be done." They appear to be filling the trunk (in the front) with "lithium phosphate rechargeable batteries, which are lighter, last longer, charge up faster, have a longer lifetime [than lead-acid batteries] and don't pose a safety risk." To make the conversion, the students replaced the original engine with an electric motor, 12 of the batteries, the battery-management system, various relays and a controller that makes all the components work together. They say it will have a top speed of 70 to 100 miles per hour and go 100 miles before charging. I hope it handles as well as the original did and isn't front-heavy from the batteries. ::MIT News via ::BoingBoing