High School Homework: Make an Electric Car
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 02.11.08
We don't remember doing cool stuff like that in high school... Seems like we missed all the fun. Students of Napoleon High School in Jackson, Michigan, will convert a 1995 Saturn SP1 into an electric car this spring. The automotive-technology students have partnered with two area businesses (Nicholls Electric Car Co. and Tech Tooling Specialties) to build the center's first electric-conversion car. "It's the future,"' said Kyle Henry, a Napoleon High School senior. "It's what we're going to be doing."
Tom Nicholls, owner of The Nicholls Electric Car Co. in Brooklyn, is the project's sponsor and is footing the bill. Nicholls purchased the 1995 Saturn SL1, the electric motor and the components for the conversion for about $7,000. When finished, the car could be worth as much as $12,000.The first car should be finished in the spring, and three others are in production. The project's goal is to get student mechanics familiar with electrical components.
The students have already spent 50 hours to remove the gasoline engine, and they're expecting to take about 250 hours on top of that to connect the electric motor and its components to the transmission.
Battery range for the car is expected to be about 70 miles (115 kilometers), but the knowledge and inspiration given to the students will surely be priceless. ::Students converting car from gasoline to electricity.
See also: ::How's The Google Plug-In Hybrid Fleet Doing?, ::Mitsubishi Keeps Testing, Improving i MiEV Electric Car, ::XS500 by Miles: $30,000 $60,000 Electric Car in 2009 [Updated], ::First Production Electric Tesla Roadster Delivered
Only $12,000 with a 70 mile range? . . . If it can go 55 mph, I'm almost ready to buy. I'd prefer a smaller vehicle, but I'm tired of waiting for the major car companies to come up with a reasonable electric car.
I wish there was some good "tutorial"/DIY sort of website that could describe the basics & details on how to convert a car to an electric car. There's a lot of people, with a lot of free time, but no technical know-how to pull off something like a conversion. Is there a Mr. Skin to my fleshofthestars (sorry... bad "Knocked Up" reference) ?
Where can I find good info on how to convert my small pickup to an electric? I understand about setting up the batteries but what do I need after that?
it seems to be not so fast, but looks great. I like this car!