Electric Cars Lighting Up Again

By Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — There are growing signs that the electric car, once on the road to extinction, may jolt back to life.

Several small, independent automakers are juicing up electric cars as an environmental statement amid renewed concern about global warming and dependence on imported oil.

The latest is a Silicon Valley start-up called Tesla Motors, which is taking orders for a $100,000 electric high-performance sports car that it hopes to deliver by next spring.

PHOTO GALLERY: Electric cars coming back

Tesla unveiled its roadster, billed as capable of a Ferrari-like zero to 60 mph in four seconds, last week in a converted aircraft hanger here. The cocktail-swilling crowd featured an odd coalition of environmentalists and sports car enthusiasts. Even California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Hummer-loving Republican, took a spin.

Observers say the varied assortment of vehicles in the new electric-power generation — from racing-style cars to around-town jalopies — have a shot at success if they can create some excitement.

"There's no question" that success is within reach, says Dick Messer, director of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, which has chronicled the attempts at electric car production through the years. "Nobody has connected the dots."

The winner will be the company that ties together the finances, engineering, battery range and other assorted technical features to make a sustainable business, Messer adds.

Among the companies trying to lead the charge:

•Tesla. The car was designed in California but will be built by Lotus in Great Britain, which is basing it on its two-seat Elise model.

The company says its sophisticated lithium-ion battery will allow a range of 250 miles on a single charge and a top speed of 130 mph.

Tesla is largely bankrolled by PayPal co-founder Elon Musk, who says he kicked in about half the $60 million capitalization, so far. Musk, Tesla's chairman, also has a rocket company called SpaceX.

By producing expensive cars in a small quantity to start, the company hopes to bankroll future production of more-affordable, mass-produced electric cars. Musk compares next-generation electric cars with the personal computer industry in its infant stage in the early 1970s.

"Our goal is to become one of the great car companies of the 21st century," producing a car that's competitive against Porsche and Ferrari. And "by the way," Musk adds, "it's electric."

•Wrightspeed. Another Silicon-Valley-based start-up hopes to produce its own, $100,000 high-performance car within two years. It will have about a 200-mile range.

Ian Wright, who heads Wrightspeed, is a former computer-industry engineer and amateur racer. He says electric cars promise "extreme performance" through advanced electronics and software.

He says the new breed of electric cars could have three times the energy efficiency of gas-electric hybrids.

"You can build something that's seriously fast and a lot of fun to drive," he says. "We're building different cars aimed at different people."

•Zap. At the other end of the performance spectrum, specialized-auto importer Zap last month started selling a three-wheel electric "city car" imported from China that it says is capable of a top speed of 40 mph.

Priced at $9,000, the Xebra has a range of about 40 miles using a conventional lead-acid battery. So far, it's being delivered to five dealers on the West Coast and Florida.

Xebra seats four — and even has four doors — although it is classified by regulators as a motorcycle because of its three wheels. It comes in four colors, including a zebra-striped version.

•Tomberlin Group. An Augusta, Ga.-based company plans to sell three versions of electric cars.

The E-Merge E-2, a two-passenger car, is expected to be on sale early fall, followed by E-Merge E-4, a four passenger, and Anvil early next year. Prices will range from $5,000 for E-Merge E-2 to $8,000 for the four-seat Anvil.

Anvil's speed will be limited to 25 miles an hour, and because of that, it must be driven on streets with speed limits less than 35 mph. But "it handles like a Corvette," says Tomberlin Vice President David Hamilton. "It pulls a corner that will blow your mind."

Marketed as an "aggressive neighborhood vehicle," Anvil will go about 50 miles between charges. It will be sold through a network of about 450 dealers, Hamilton says.

The electric revival comes as an opinionated new documentary film, Who Killed the Electric Car?, has started playing in theaters in selected cities around the country.

The movie alleges that big automakers, oil companies and the government sank promising electric-car technology that was taking root in California in the mid-1990s.

At the time, the state was mandating that automakers make zero-pollution cars available for sale — and electricity was the only technology at the time that filled the bill.

The film singles out General Motors for special grief for having created a futuristic electric car that became a Hollywood enviro-darling despite its limited driving range and other drawbacks. When leases ran out, GM collected its Saturn EV1s and sent them to the crusher.

Fighting back, GM has bought a paid-search link on Google.com that shows up whenever the name of the movie or one its stars is typed into the search engine. The blog item says the EV1 was a commercial flop and that its engineering advances are being incorporated into GM's next wave of hybrid and other advanced vehicles.

Buyers were passionate, "but there were never enough of them," GM spokesman Dave Barthmuss said in an interview.

"They were forced to make too many tradeoffs" in convenience and range.

So far, major automakers are showing limited interest in a new round of electric cars. DaimlerChrysler has a fleet of vans converted to run on electricity.

Toyota's U.S. chief, Jim Press, says the Japanese automaker is "pursuing" a plug-in hybrid, which can be charged overnight to extend the range of the electric motor part of its gas/electric powertrain.

But Micky Bly, engineering director of GM's hybrid programs, says the lithium-ion batteries required by the plug-ins drive up costs, making them difficult to market.

For the most part, automakers are showing more interest in other gas-saving technologies, such as ethanol and fuel cells.

But guests at Tesla's unveiling were enthusiastic about the possibilities of a new round of electric vehicles, especially the high-performance ones.

"I love it," says Bradley Ross, a Los Angeles business manager who drives a turbo-charged Porsche. Going electric "is not a big compromise."

And Alexandra Paul, a former Baywatch star who has become an electric-car activist, says performance electrics will change minds, blowing the notion "to smithereens that an electric car is pokey or doesn't have range."

17 Electric Cars You Must Know About

by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07.14.08

Update: See also our slideshow on 23 Electric Cars that are Driving the Revolution!

Electric Cars: You Want 'Em? We've Got 'Em!
Over the past 3 years, we've written about many electric cars here on
TreeHugger. We think it's time to look in the rearview mirror, so here's an overview. If you see anything you like, just follow the links to see the original articles.

Electric Roadster by Tesla Motors

The electric car that made a lot of people do a double-take (in a good way). Yes, it's expensive, and yes, it's only a two-seater, but it can make people want it like few other green cars, and someone has to pay the early-adopter 'tax'. Our first post about it was in two years ago. Since then, we've written about the opening of the first Tesla Motors store in California, about what happens to a Tesla battery pack at the end of its life, and recently about Tesla's hiring of a new VP of Engineering and Manufacturing. Update: The Tesla electric Roadster has just started shipping to customers and Martin Eberhard Blogs About Getting his Tesla Roadster.

Model S by Tesla Motors

We don't really know much about Tesla's second car yet, so no picture. It used to be known as the 'Whitestar' but is now the 'Model S'. A 5-seat, 4-door sporty sedan in the vein of the BMW 5. Should sell for about $60,000 and manage 225 miles on a charge.

E6 Electric Car by BYD

BYD is China's biggest battery maker, and that gives them an edge over most automakers when when it comes to electric cars (the battery's always the big challenge). The E6 electric car was introduced at the 2008 Beijing International Auto Show. We don't know yet when the company will start selling it, but its F6DM plug-in hybrid is scheduled for 2010 (probably to be followed by the F3DM plug-in hybrid). Range for the E6 should be 300 km (186 miles).

XS500 Electric Car by Miles

When we first wrote about the XS500 by Miles, it generated quite a bit of excitement because of its relatively low price tag for a highway-capable electric car: $30,000. We then got more information about the XS500 and confirmation that the target price was now "$30,000 to $35,000" for the 2009 XS500 in the US. The XS500 should have an all-electric range of about 120 miles.

i MiEV Electric Car by Mitsubishi

We've written a lot about the cute little i MiEV electric car by Mitsubishi. It seems relatively close to commercialization. Mitsubishi even announced that it was 1 year ahead of schedule, and it has plans to sell it globally. For more, you can see photos of the i MiEV at the New York Auto Show and three Japanese commercials.

R1e Electric Car by Subaru

The R1e by Subaru is kind of a cross between the i MiEV above and Toyota's iQ urban car (spy shots of the Toyota iQ here). For more, you can see photos of the Subaru R1e driving around New York City, and more info about the two R1e electric cars that will be tested by the New York power authority. Our guess is that the R1e won't be commercialized - it's probably a learning platform for Subaru - and the Subaru G4e electric car has more chances of making it to market.

Electric Supercar by Hybrid Technologies

This one is still a concept, and who knows if it will ever be sold, but we're told that a prototype should be on the road next Autumn. It was designed by Hybrid Technologies and doesn't seem to have a name yet. They have planned two version: All-electric, and plug-in hybrid. The latter will try to compete in the Automotive X Prize.

Electric Minis by PML and BMW

This is actually two different electric cars. The first one is a normal Mini that was modified by PML (pictured above). They added electric motors in the wheels and it could apparently do 0 to 60 in about 4 seconds! The second version of the electric Mini has been announced by BMW, but unfortunately they're only going to sell them in California, and they're only going to make 500.

EV1 Electric Car by General Motors (RIP)

Next we have the now defunct EV1 electric car that was manufactured by General Motors between 1996 and 1999, and leased in California and Arizona. A good way to get more background info on it is to watch the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?. Some people have questioned how good it actually was, but even if it had big flaws, that's a little beside the point. It was a first, and should have opened the floodgates for more. Instead, the cars were crushed and even removed from museums.

Electric Car by Mercedes (2010)

We don't yet know what this one will look like (pictured above is the F700 concept), but Mercedes has announced ambitious plans to eliminate fossil fuels from its car lineup by 2015, and that includes an electric car in 2010. We'll have to wait and see.

Electric Car by Nissan (2010-2012)

Similarly to Mercedes, Nissan has announced an electric car to be introduced in 2010 and mass-produced in 2012. We don't know yet what it will look like or what it will be called. Pictured above is Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn in front of a test-car (not electric).

REVA Electric Car

When we dig a bit deeper in the archives, we find the REVA electric car. It's not exactly going to set the mainstream car market afire, but it has the benefit over many other electric cars to be available now. In fact, you can probably see some driving around London.

ZENN Low Speed Electric Car by Feel Good Cars

According to the makers of the ZENN electric car, the name is actually an acronym for "Zero Emissions, No Noise". It is a "low speed neighborhood vehicle" with a top speed of 25 mph and a range of 40 miles.

Tango Electric Car

Mostly known as "That small electric car that George Clooney drives!", the electric Tango is faster than you might think: With a 0 to 60 time of 4 seconds, it can smoke quite a few sports cars. Bonus: You can park 3-4 of them side by side in a regular parking spot.

Eliica Electric Car by KEIO University

A few years ago, this 8-wheel electric monster got segments on evening news all around the world. Even Japan's then prime minister went to have a look. The Eliica electric car is a true speed demon. In the right conditions, it can do 400kph (250mph), and 0 to 100km/h (0 to 60 mph) in 4 seconds. It is powered by li-ion batteries, and the only thing is can't do is go back to the future.

Wrightspeed X1 Electric Car

The fastest electric cars mentioned above can do 0 to 60 mph in about 4 seconds. That's fast, really fast! But that's not enough, apparently: The X1 can do 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds, leaving the competition in the dust. There's even a popular video of the electric car beating a Ferrari and a Porsche.

Saturn SP1 Electric Car Conversion by Students of Napoleon High School

It's no the prettiest of most high-tech electric car featured here, but we've got to give some kudos to teachers and students of Napoleon High School in Jackson, Michigan. This 1995 Saturn SP1 was converted to run on electricity as part of a school project for the automotive-technology students. Now that's the kind of homework we wish we had in high-school!

Hybrid and Electric Cars Slideshows
New 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid (3rd Generation)
23 Electric Cars Driving the Revolution

Electric Car Conversion - Follow These Four Steps and You'll Do Great

For your first Electric car Conversion you'll have to follow these four crucial steps:

1. Buy Detailed Plans. Obviously if you do an conversion on your own you need a step by step instruction. I can tell you that this step is the most important. If you don't have enough details in your plans you will fail. Building your new electric vehicle is not that easy. But if you follow good and detailed plans you will succeed.

2. Find a good car. The right vehicle for your conversion is also very important. I suggest that you take a small truck. Why small trucks? Small trucks offer a lot of space for the batteries. Actually I had 24 batteries in my first electric car. Furthermore small trucks aren't too heavy. You have to consider the weight of the vehicle. The heavier the car is the faster you'll have to recharge your car.

3. Follow the plans and buy the parts and tools which you'll need. This part of the Electric Car conversion is the easiest in my opinion. The parts and tools can be bought in every store actually. There's nothing special needed. You'll need drills and wrenches and some other tools which you probably already own anyway.

4. Create your own electric vehicle with your detailed plans! Follow the plans step by step and you'll do great. I've done my first electric car conversion within two weeks. Really there's no rocket science.

So I suggest that your start right now! It is really not that hard!

"Electric Car Conversion Lists" is the best place to learn a lot about electric car conversions and detailed electric car plans.
They even offer a complete plan for converting you car into an electric vehicle.
Click Here to visit "Electric Car Conversion Lists"!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Edgar_Suppes

Consumer Energy Tax Incentives

What the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Means to You

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 extended many consumer tax incentives originally introduced in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT) and amended in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-343). Businesses, utilities, and governments are also eligible for tax credits.

See the summary of the energy tax incentives included in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.

About Tax Credits
A tax credit is generally more valuable than an equivalent tax deduction because a tax credit reduces tax dollar-for-dollar, while a deduction only removes a percentage of the tax that is owed. Consumers can itemize purchases on their federal income tax form, which will lower the total amount of tax they owe the government.

Fuel-efficient vehicles and energy-efficient appliances and products provide many benefits such as better gas mileage –meaning lower gasoline costs, fewer emissions, lower energy bills, increased indoor comfort, and reduced air pollution.

In addition to federal tax incentives, some consumers will also be eligible for utility or state rebates, as well as state tax incentives for energy-efficient homes, vehicles and equipment. Each state’s energy office web site may have more information on specific state tax information.

Below is a summary of many of the tax credits available to consumers. Please see the ENERGY STAR® page on Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency for complete details.

Home Energy Efficiency Improvement Tax Credits
Consumers who purchase and install specific products, such as energy-efficient windows, insulation, doors, roofs, and heating and cooling equipment in existing homes can receive a tax credit for 30% of the cost, up to $1,500, for improvements "placed in service" starting January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2010. See EnergyStar.gov for a complete summary of energy efficiency tax credits available to consumers.

Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credits
Consumers who install solar energy systems (including solar water heating and solar electric systems), small wind systems, geothermal heat pumps, and residential fuel cell and microturbine systems can receive a 30% tax credit for systems placed in service before December 31, 2016; the previous tax credit cap no longer applies.

Automobile Tax Credits
Hybrid Gas-Electric and Alternative Fuel Vehicles
Individuals and businesses who buy or lease a new hybrid gas-electric car or truck are eligible for an income tax credit for vehicles “placed in service” starting January 1, 2006, and purchased on or before December 31, 2010. The amount of the credit depends on the fuel economy, the weight of the vehicle, and whether the tax credit has been or is being phased out. Hybrid vehicles that use less gasoline than the average vehicle of similar weight and that meet an emissions standard qualify for the credit.

This tax credit will be phased out for each manufacturer once that company has sold 60,000 eligible vehicles. At that point, the tax credit for each company’s vehicles will be gradually reduced over the course fifteen months. See the IRS's Summary of the Credit for Qualified Hybrid Vehicles for information on the status of specific vehicle eligibility.

Alternative-fuel vehicles, diesel vehicles with advanced lean-burn technologies, and fuel-cell vehicles are also eligible for tax credits. See the IRS summary of credits available for Alternative Motor Vehicles.

Plug-In Electric Vehicles
Plug-in electric vehicles also qualify for a tax credit starting January 1, 2010. The credit for passenger vehicles and light trucks ranges from $2,500 to $7,500, depending on batter capacity. The first 200,000 vehicles sold by each manufacturer are eligible for the full tax credit; the credit will then phase out over a year.

Plug-In Hybrid Conversion Kits
Hybrid vehicle owners who purchase a qualified plug-in hybrid conversion kit are eligible for a 10% credit, capped at $4,000, through 2011.

* Sources: ENERGYSTAR.gov and IRS.gov
** The IRS will determine final tax credit amounts. As more information becomes available, it will be posted on our website.

Electric Cars Lighting Up Again

By Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY
SANTA MONICA, Calif. — There are growing signs that the electric car, once on the road to extinction, may jolt back to life.

Several small, independent automakers are juicing up electric cars as an environmental statement amid renewed concern about global warming and dependence on imported oil.

The latest is a Silicon Valley start-up called Tesla Motors, which is taking orders for a $100,000 electric high-performance sports car that it hopes to deliver by next spring.

PHOTO GALLERY: Electric cars coming back

Tesla unveiled its roadster, billed as capable of a Ferrari-like zero to 60 mph in four seconds, last week in a converted aircraft hanger here. The cocktail-swilling crowd featured an odd coalition of environmentalists and sports car enthusiasts. Even California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Hummer-loving Republican, took a spin.

Observers say the varied assortment of vehicles in the new electric-power generation — from racing-style cars to around-town jalopies — have a shot at success if they can create some excitement.

"There's no question" that success is within reach, says Dick Messer, director of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, which has chronicled the attempts at electric car production through the years. "Nobody has connected the dots."

The winner will be the company that ties together the finances, engineering, battery range and other assorted technical features to make a sustainable business, Messer adds.

Among the companies trying to lead the charge:

•Tesla. The car was designed in California but will be built by Lotus in Great Britain, which is basing it on its two-seat Elise model.

The company says its sophisticated lithium-ion battery will allow a range of 250 miles on a single charge and a top speed of 130 mph.

Tesla is largely bankrolled by PayPal co-founder Elon Musk, who says he kicked in about half the $60 million capitalization, so far. Musk, Tesla's chairman, also has a rocket company called SpaceX.

By producing expensive cars in a small quantity to start, the company hopes to bankroll future production of more-affordable, mass-produced electric cars. Musk compares next-generation electric cars with the personal computer industry in its infant stage in the early 1970s.

"Our goal is to become one of the great car companies of the 21st century," producing a car that's competitive against Porsche and Ferrari. And "by the way," Musk adds, "it's electric."

•Wrightspeed. Another Silicon-Valley-based start-up hopes to produce its own, $100,000 high-performance car within two years. It will have about a 200-mile range.

Ian Wright, who heads Wrightspeed, is a former computer-industry engineer and amateur racer. He says electric cars promise "extreme performance" through advanced electronics and software.

He says the new breed of electric cars could have three times the energy efficiency of gas-electric hybrids.

"You can build something that's seriously fast and a lot of fun to drive," he says. "We're building different cars aimed at different people."

•Zap. At the other end of the performance spectrum, specialized-auto importer Zap last month started selling a three-wheel electric "city car" imported from China that it says is capable of a top speed of 40 mph.

Priced at $9,000, the Xebra has a range of about 40 miles using a conventional lead-acid battery. So far, it's being delivered to five dealers on the West Coast and Florida.

Xebra seats four — and even has four doors — although it is classified by regulators as a motorcycle because of its three wheels. It comes in four colors, including a zebra-striped version.

•Tomberlin Group. An Augusta, Ga.-based company plans to sell three versions of electric cars.

The E-Merge E-2, a two-passenger car, is expected to be on sale early fall, followed by E-Merge E-4, a four passenger, and Anvil early next year. Prices will range from $5,000 for E-Merge E-2 to $8,000 for the four-seat Anvil.

Anvil's speed will be limited to 25 miles an hour, and because of that, it must be driven on streets with speed limits less than 35 mph. But "it handles like a Corvette," says Tomberlin Vice President David Hamilton. "It pulls a corner that will blow your mind."

Marketed as an "aggressive neighborhood vehicle," Anvil will go about 50 miles between charges. It will be sold through a network of about 450 dealers, Hamilton says.

The electric revival comes as an opinionated new documentary film, Who Killed the Electric Car?, has started playing in theaters in selected cities around the country.

The movie alleges that big automakers, oil companies and the government sank promising electric-car technology that was taking root in California in the mid-1990s.

At the time, the state was mandating that automakers make zero-pollution cars available for sale — and electricity was the only technology at the time that filled the bill.

The film singles out General Motors for special grief for having created a futuristic electric car that became a Hollywood enviro-darling despite its limited driving range and other drawbacks. When leases ran out, GM collected its Saturn EV1s and sent them to the crusher.

Fighting back, GM has bought a paid-search link on Google.com that shows up whenever the name of the movie or one its stars is typed into the search engine. The blog item says the EV1 was a commercial flop and that its engineering advances are being incorporated into GM's next wave of hybrid and other advanced vehicles.

Buyers were passionate, "but there were never enough of them," GM spokesman Dave Barthmuss said in an interview.

"They were forced to make too many tradeoffs" in convenience and range.

So far, major automakers are showing limited interest in a new round of electric cars. DaimlerChrysler has a fleet of vans converted to run on electricity.

Toyota's U.S. chief, Jim Press, says the Japanese automaker is "pursuing" a plug-in hybrid, which can be charged overnight to extend the range of the electric motor part of its gas/electric powertrain.

But Micky Bly, engineering director of GM's hybrid programs, says the lithium-ion batteries required by the plug-ins drive up costs, making them difficult to market.

For the most part, automakers are showing more interest in other gas-saving technologies, such as ethanol and fuel cells.

But guests at Tesla's unveiling were enthusiastic about the possibilities of a new round of electric vehicles, especially the high-performance ones.

"I love it," says Bradley Ross, a Los Angeles business manager who drives a turbo-charged Porsche. Going electric "is not a big compromise."

And Alexandra Paul, a former Baywatch star who has become an electric-car activist, says performance electrics will change minds, blowing the notion "to smithereens that an electric car is pokey or doesn't have range."

Advantages and Disadvantages of Electric Cars

Electric cars and their advantages versus their disadvantages are an ever-increasing debate. In a country that is so dependent upon petroleum products and convenience it is hard to convince people that there are alternatives to the way we use transportation.

For instance do we really to travel at 75 to 80 miles per hour? If you owned a car that was powered by electricity that you converted yourself from a gas-powered car, you would still get to where you were going just at a bit of a slower speed maybe 50mph instead.

The trade offs to an electric car are, a bit of a slower speed but in turn no emissions, fewer moving parts to wear out, no muffler or fuel tank. You would also have a limited range of about 100 miles between charges. I really don't need to drive more than 100 miles per day unless I am going to go out of state and then I can always rent a vehicle.

There is also the added advantage of not having to get a tune up or a new muffler. A disadvantage is the cost for a new electric car it is at least in the twelve thousand dollar range. But, if you are even a bit handy you can convert a car using used parts for under one thousand dollars.

Don't forget the savings in fuel costs. Electricity is a cheaper fuel that gas so you will be driving miles for pennies instead of dollars. This alone would offset the expense of renting a car for longer trips on occasion.

These are just a few of the advantages and disadvantages of owning an electric vehicle.
http://www.squidoo.com/prosandconsofelectriccars has some more pros and cons and links to other information about converting your own electric car.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Partha

The Car that was GM’s Electric Car: EV1

I found a great article about GM and the electric car at this site...written by Ashley A. Icamen http://www.articlepoint.com/authors/50/Ashley-A-Icamen

ENJOY!!

30 electric car companies ready to hit the road!

It’s official: Green car madness has taken over. After seeing more electric and hybrid vehicle startups than we could keep track of, we finally decided to start keeping count.

We’ve compiled a list, below, of 27 (update: the list has reached 30; thanks for the comments) startups, listed according to their release date, with additional information on fuel type, range, top speed and price. Most haven’t yet taken venture funding, but where applicable, we’ve listed financial backing.

While we’ve got some overall favorites (Miles, Tesla, Think) and a few favorite oddballs (Aptera, Commuter Cars, Eliica), we’ve for the most part withheld judgement. Still, if you have any of your own predictions about which companies will succeed or — far more likely — fail, we’d encourage you to make them known in the comments.

A note on our method: While most manufacturers are planning more than one model, we chose the one that seemed either most commercially viable or closest to release, depending on our own (discretionary) formula. We didn’t included well-known consumer models like the Toyota Prius or Chevy Volt, or startups like AC Propulsion that only do battery conversions for consumer vehicles. We also rounded the price to the nearest thousand.

All details are taken from the companies, so we haven’t independently confirmed things like range and top speed details. In case we missed any, mention them below and we’ll add them to the list.

americanelectricvehicle.JPGAmerican Electric Vehicle — Kurrent
Update: Defunct, according to a comment below, although they seem to still be for sale. We’re looking into it.
AEV advises its potential drivers to “Slow down,” which seems like wise advice, given the golf cart-inspired design. Still, it’s ridiculously cheap.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $10K
Range / top speed: 40 miles / 25mph
Release date: Available now

commutercars.jpgCommuter Cars — Tango T600
The Tango is even odder than three-wheeled designs, in some ways: It’s less than half the width of a normal car, and two can fit in a single lane. It also accelerates like a bat out of hell. Future versions are planned to be much cheaper, and have longer ranges.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $108K
Range / top speed: 80 miles / 150mph
Funding: Less than $1 million in angel backing; open to venture funding.
Release date: Available now

dynasty.JPGDynasty Electric Car Corp. — IT Sedan
This Canadian company actually sells five different models, although they all look relatively identical, minus or plus a few pieces of frame.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $19,000
Range / top speed: 30 miles / 24mph
Release date: Available now

elbil.jpgElBil Norge — Kewet Buddy
Somewhat reminiscent of the Think (see below), the Buddy is currently only available in the same country, Norway.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $28K
Range / top speed: / 56mph
Release date: Available now

flybo.jpgFly Bo — 6000 / 2
This vehicle, which bears a strong resemblance to the Smart Car, is produced in China. Spark (see below) distributes it in the United States.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $10K
Range / top speed: 60 miles / 35mph (w/ limiter)
Release date: Available now

geme2.jpgGlobal Electric Motorcars (GEM) — e2
GEM is actually a division of Chrysler, the company has the look and feel (not to mention, apparently, the limited funding) of a startup. Its vehicles resemble golf carts, and are likely used for many of the same functions.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $7K
Range / top speed: 35 miles / 25mph
Release date: Available now

modec.JPGModec — Electric Van
These aren’t actually cars, or even consumer transportation. These electric van / trucks resemble the delivery vehicles you might see bringing vegetables to your local grocery.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $41K
Range / top speed: 100 miles / 50mph
Release date: Available now

myers.JPGMyers Motors — NmG (No more Gas)
Another three-wheeled design, with room for only one passenger. Odd-looking and doesn’t go far, but you can order one today, if you like.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $35K
Range / top speed: 30 miles / 75mph
Release date: Available now

reva.JPGReva — G-Wiz
Despite its distinction as the most-produced electric vehicle around, having been in production since 2001, the Indian-produced Reva isn’t available yet in the United States. It’s considered extremely unsafe at high speeds, so it may never make it over.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: £8K ($16K in US dollars)
Range / top speed: 70 miles (for 2008 model) / 45mph
Release date: Available now

smithev.JPGSmith Electric Vehicles — Edison
The Edison, a large van designed for local deliveries, is Smith’s smallest model, meaning drivers don’t need a special license to operate it. The company, based in the United Kingdom also makes several much larger delivery trucks.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: Unconfirmed
Range / top speed: 150 miles / 50mph
Release date: Available now

twike.JPGTwike — The Twike
Some effort seems to have been put towards making this vehicle look like an insect. Of course, the look worked for the Volkswagen Beetle, and it may be working for Twike; the company sold out its 2007 line last year. It’s based in Switzerland, but sells in several other countries, including the United States.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $27,500
Range / top speed: 80 miles / 53mph
Release date: Available now

venturi.JPGVenturi — Fetish
Another high-end electric sports car, the Fetish is manufactured in Monaco. High labor costs, anyone? The company is also developing two more models, the Ecletic and Astrolab.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: €297K (about $435K dollars)
Range / top speed: 155 miles / 100mph
Release date: Available now

zap.JPGZap! Electric Cars — Xebra Sedan
Update: While Zap! cars really do exist, the company appears to have made itself out to be much more than it is. Check out the Wired.com expose piece on Zap, and think twice before ordering one (or signing up to be a dealer).
We chose to list the Xebra because the two higher-powered versions Zap is working on, the Zap-X and the Alias, don’t have firm release dates. Zap also has numerous retail locations in the United States, and sells cars made by other manufacturers.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $11K
Range / top speed:
Release date: Available now

zenn1.jpgZenn Motors — Zenn NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle)
As with some other available electric vehicles currently available, this vehicle is strictly for short ranges and slow speeds.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $12K - $15K
Range / top speed: 35 miles / 25mph
Funding: This company is publicly traded on the TSX.
Release date: Available now

lightning.JPGLightning Car Company — Lightning GT
The United Kingdom’s answer to Tesla. This will likely remain a boutique vehicle, but the company has plans for cheaper mass-produced models later.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: £150K ($293K in US dollars)
Range / top speed: 250 miles / TBA (but fast)
Release date: First half 2008

sparkev.jpgSpark Electric Vehicles — Comet
Update: Like Zap (see above), it seems Spark is either a scam company or simply incapable of carrying out its plans. Michael Papp, the brain behind Spark, has been arrested and faces trial for taking payments for vehicles he failed to deliver.
Spark has nine models, most made by Fly Bo (listed above). Here, we list the one they designed and manufactured themselves in the United States (most of their vehicles are much slower and cheaper than this one). They distribute their vehicles in Colorado, Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $33K
Range / top speed: 200 miles / 90mph
Release date: First half of 2008

tesla.JPGTesla Motors — The Roadster
The most-publicized, most-hyped electric car company around. Tesla’s high-performance electric vehicle is reportedly a blast to drive, but various production problems have set the release date back.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $98K
Range / top speed: 221 miles / 125mph
Funding: Backed by Bay Area Equity Fund, Compass Venture Partners, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Technology Partners, VantagePoint Cleantech Partners, and VantagePoint Venture Partners, as well as various angel investors (including Elon Musk).
Release date: First quarter 2008

think.JPGThink — City
A pre-existing company whose older cars are still driven in Norway, this European manufacturer will release its new model in Europe this year, and in the United States a year or two after. Business 2.0 had an extensive story on the company.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $34K in Norway, $15K - $17K in US (projected)
Range / top speed: 112 miles / 62mph
Funding: Backed by DFJ Element, British Hazel Capital, Canica, Capricorn Investment Group, CG Holding, RockPort Capital Partners and Wintergreen Advisers, as well as various angels.
Release date: First half 2008 in Europe, but not until 2009 or later in the US

phoenix.jpgPhoenix Motorcars — Sport Utility Truck / SUV
No cars here, just trucks and SUVs. The company will have an extended-range battery option for 250 miles later in 2008.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $45K
Range / top speed: 130 miles / 95mph
Release date: Mid-2008

aircar.JPGMoteur Developpment International — The Air Car
These tiny, odd little vehicles are powered entirely by compressed air. You won’t be likely to see one Stateside just yet, but India’s Tata Motors has plans to begin production on them this year.
Fuel type: Air!
Price: TBA
Range / top speed: 120 miles / 70mph
Release date: 2008 (month TBA)

porteon10.pngPorteon — Porteon
Reportedly to be sold alongside houses in small Mexican communities. Like other companies, this one plans to roll out higher-speed models later, but they haven’t gotten back to us yet with more details, including the official name.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $7K - $9K
Range / top speed: TBA / 25mph
Release date: 2008 (month TBA)

spyder.JPGUniversal Electric Vehicles — Spyder
UEV’s Spyder has a sporty design, but the company itself doesn’t seem as slick and polished as some of the competitors. We’re not sure whether that means anything, though.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $70K
Range / top speed: 150 miles / 100+mph
Release date: 2008 (month TBA)

aptera.JPGAptera — Typ-1e / Type-1h
The Aptera Typ-1 is a three-wheeler (two front, one back) available in two configurations. We’ve covered the vehicle here.
Fuel type: All-electric or hybrid, depending on configuration
Price: $27K electric, $30K hybrid
Range / top speed: 120 miles electric, 600 miles hybrid; top speed TBA
Funding: Backed by Idealab and an angel investor, the CEO of Esenjay Petroleum, Michael Johnson.
Release date: Late 2008

obvio.JPGObvio — 828e
Sold in the United States by Zap, the diminutive but high-powered Obvio could almost race a Tesla. It’s designed and manufactured by a Brazilian company that is also working on a cheap combustion engine version.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $49k
Range / top speed: 240 miles / 120 mph
Release date: Late 2008 or early 2009

fisker.JPGFisker Automotive — “Eco-Chic” (Working name TBA)
Fisker will be showing off the first productions models of its cars on January 13th, at the Detroit Auto Show. Created by a world-renowned auto designer, these will compete in Tesla’s high-end market niche.
Fuel type: Hybrid
Price: $80K
Range / top speed: 620 miles / TBA
Backing: Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers has invested more than $10 million in Fisker.
Release date: Mid-2009

flytheroad.JPGVenture Vehicles — VentureOne e50 / Q100 / EV
We previously suggested that some might call this vehicle a “glorified scooter.” The company does have supporters, though, who gave us plenty of heat — for a chuckle, check out the comment thread below our story. The three models listed are actually one car with different configurations.
Fuel type: Two hybrids, the e50 and Q100, and the all-electric EV
Price: $20K - 25K
Range / top speed: e50, Q100 and EV respectively: 350 miles / 100mph; 300 miles / 120mph; 120 miles / 75mph
Backing: Backed by NGEN Partners.
Release date: Second quarter 2009

miles.JPGMiles Electric Vehicles — XS500
Founded in 2004, this company already makes and sells two low-speed electric vehicles which are manufactured in China. We chose to list details for its upcoming highway-speed model, which should have a mass market appeal, if the price is low enough.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: TBA
Range / top speed: 120 miles / 80mph
Release date: 2009 (month TBA)

Bonus: Concept cars

We’ve picked out a few companies that represent next-generation thinking in EVs. As noted below, there are many more.

eliica.JPGEliica (The Electric Lithium-Ion Car)
A concept car created by Keio University in Japan, the Eliica has an odd eight-wheeled design and has come close to breaking speed records for combustion-engine cars. The team plans to sell a couple hundred eventually.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $255K
Range / top speed: TBA / 230mph

velozzi.JPGVelozzi
An X-Prize contestant, Velozzi is most notable for claiming that their car will have a 0-60mph acceleration of under 3 seconds. Other details are pretty thin, though.
Fuel type: Hybrid
Price: TBA
Range / top speed: TBA / 200mph

wrightspeed.JPGWrightspeed — X-1
Wrightspeed admits that its scarily fast prototype is unsafe, and will never be mass-produced. The company is planning a commercial model with the same high performance, but hasn’t given any real details yet.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: Probably high
Range / top speed: <100 miles / 112mph w/ electronic limiter (but it’s still in first gear when it hits that speed)

There’s also the Automotive X-Prize competitor list, which had grown to 45 teams at last count — a few of which are included on this list, but many not. Most are concept cars.

DIY Electric Car Conversion Manual!

Great Product For People Looking For Electric Cars, Saving Gas, Saving The Environment.

Here it is! A great manual for learning how to convert your own car to run on electricity! A fool-proof version, it comes with a 60 day money-back guarantee! And free bonuses!

Click Here!

Get Paid to Drive Your Car!

Just found this - looks interesting and wanted to pass on the opportunity! TheFreeCar.com will enable you to drive a new car for free OR pay you to drive the car you already own! Up to $3200 per month! Check it out!

click on this link! -(then tell me what you think!) - Drive a Free Car!

How Much Does It Cost to Convert?

How much does it cost to do an electric car conversion? Well, it used to cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000. But not anymore. New electric car technology has made it much cheaper. The conversion is also easier to do than it used to be. You no longer need to be a super-mechanic.

This is a great time to convert your gas-guzzler into an electric powered vehicle. The New York Times just reported that an electric car infrastructure covering the whole country is in the works right now. Not only that, but you'll be able to specify which source of energy you want. "Will you have wind, sun, or coal energy power your car battery, sir...?" It might sound crazy, but Forbes magazine says this scenario could become a reality in as little as two years!

But you can build your own electric car right now. There are many electric car conversion kits available online. They cost anywhere from $35 to $50. These sets of instructions are easy to download, so once you purchase one you're ready to start work immediately.

Next you'll need to find the right tools and parts. You can actually get a lot of the necessary equipment for free, or at very low cost. The manuals show you how. If you follow the directions closely, you'll be able to do the whole electric car conversion for as little as $300 (excluding the price of the manual).

When you're finished, your car will look the same. It will be able to go at speeds of 50 mph. You can travel 100 miles on just one charge. When your battery runs low you simply plug it in. Imagine never stopping at a gas station again! In addition, your car doesn't give off any pollution or make unpleasant noises. Electric cars are wonderfully quiet.

One of the best parts about driving an electric car is the huge rebates. That's right. State and federal governments will pay you to drive a renewable energy vehicle. When you add the rebates to all the money saved on gas, you begin to realize that electric car conversion isn't expensive at all. In fact, you'll come out ahead!

It can also be a lot of fun. And you'll learn about batteries. Big batteries that can hold lots of electricity are the next big industry. They're the cornerstone of clean-technology.

It seems pretty clear that gas-powered cars belong to the past. Electric cars are the next big thing. It's an amazing future, and by performing your own electric car conversion you can become part of it right now!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_M_Henderson

Homemade Electric Car - The Ultimate Alternative

The homemade electric car has become the alternative solution to the conventional car due to the pollution and possible harm it could cause mother nature. It has been known that the so-called EV or Electric Vehicle, alternative energy was reanimated because of this threat. Apparently, for those technical persons gifted with innovative hearts and minds, they still consider electric cars established models. Despite the problem they encountered as a negative effect of the electric car innovation, they remained pursuant of the endeavor. Challenged by these negative results, these innovators, particularly, the automakers, came up with the decision to design cars with inward inflammable engines using fossil fuel, which is known to be a limited energy source.

The good thing about this electric car innovation is that even your old model cars and trucks can still be modified and be made even more useful. Aside from the fact that you were able to make use of your soon-to-be junks, you also save more from it. Save your old resources; save on petroleum products, and most importantly, save more money. Though, you may consider the issue of not being so knowledgeable about engine mechanics. What if you do not know how to do this science project? Well, in that case, you need to take a look around and find someone who knows how.

Lots of people around are becoming so interested in how engines work. There are lots of machine enthusiasts who have acquired the knowledge and are capable of innovating homemade versions of electric cars. You are always free to seek assistance from these people. Of course, you do need to pay a one-time charge for the effort but at least the output is worth your money. If you are an enthusiastic beginner who loves to become part of these innovative automakers, take time to learn the basics on how engines work.

The fact that making a hybrid car is just bundling it with 12 volts of batteries for cars; you also have to find ways on how to power them up using smaller types of engines - enough to keep your car on the go. Analyzing diagrams and wirings is already important for you to know the "how's" and "where's" of hybrid car structures. Online websites also offer relevant articles to help you. If you hesitate to do it with your own self-study method, then you can avail of a kit for building electric cars available in the market. With this, you can follow the given instructions and procedures as your guide and then convert your car into an innovative electric car! These kits, if followed properly, will give you very satisfying outputs with your own and original homemade electric car.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Darwin

A Brief History and A Look To The Future for Electric Cars

A Brief History and Look to the Future for Electric Cars

A Brief History and What's Next?

The Beginning

At the end of the 19th century, any vehicle not pulled by a horse or mule was considered an alternative power vehicle, powered by steam, electricity or gasoline. But oil was discovered in Texas in 1901 and by 1920, gasoline fueled internal-combustion engine vehicles dominated the marketplace. Electricity and steam powered vehicles became distant also-rans. Oil was cheap, effective, readily available and easily transportable. It was also dirty, noisy and smelly but these characteristics were minor in comparison with its cost and availability.

Electric cars were introduced in the first half of the 19th century. At the end of the 20th century, electric vehicles held most world speed and distance records. They were cleaner, quieter, easier to operate and easier to maintain than steam or gasoline fueled cars but had a fatal weakness: battery technology limited the driving range of electric cars to between 40 and 50 miles before needing a 6 to 8 hour charge. Electric vehicles continued to be manufactured in the U.S. through 1939.

The ZEV Mandate

No electric cars were produced in the U.S. between 1939 and 1996. That changed when General Motors produced the EV1 in response to California's 1991 zero emission vehicle mandate which required 2% of all new cars sold by major auto manufacturers in California in 1998 to meet 'zero emission' standards. The first EV1 autos used lead-acid batteries. Second generation GM EV1 cars had a range of 160 miles using nickel metal hydride batteries. A total of 4-5,000 electric vehicles were sold in the U.S. under the ZEV mandate.

In 2001 GM and Daimler Chrysler sued California for regulating fuel economy in violation of U.S. law, after which California relaxed the zero emission vehicle mandate. In late 2003, GM cancelled the EV1 program and other manufacturers soon followed suit. The film "Who Killed the Electric Car?" suggested that GM's EV1 program was canceled once California relaxed its zero emission vehicle mandate because 1) production was no longer essential; 2) electric cars impacted the oil industry; and 3) sale of electric cars adversely affected GM's replacement parts after-market. Virtually all EV1 cars, leased to the public, were recalled and destroyed by GM who estimated that they invested $1 billion in development of the EV-1. General Motors recently announced that the electric Chevy Volt (hybrid electric vehicle) will be available for sale in the U.S. in 2010.

Enter the 21st Century

According to the US Department of Energy, more than 60,000 electric cars are in use in the US with more than 15,000 operational in California. More than 800 vehicles (mainly Toyota RAV4 EVs), produced during California's zero emission mandate have survived with several logging more than 110,000 miles, proving durability and maintainability.

What's next?

Although there is no zero emission mandates in place, the marketplace has spoken. The combination of high gasoline prices, global warming and the absurdity of U.S. dependence on Middle Eastern sources of oil has inspired development and manufacture of electric vehicles.

• Five low-speed (neighborhood) model electric vehicles and six expressway capable electric vehicles are currently in production.

• In addition to Chrysler, Ford, GM, Toyota, Nissan, VW and Renault, a dozen or more new auto firms have introduced or plan to introduce electric cars by 2010.

• The industry is rapidly moving towards new battery technology. Tesla Motors and Miles Electric Vehicles amongst others are now using Lithium-ion battery technology.

Europe and Japan

Since the first oil embargo in 1973 Europe has shown a continuous interest in electric vehicles. Today, electric cars are being built across Europe from Norway to Italy. Not to be left out, Mitsubishi and Subaru announced that they would be manufacturing lithium ion-powered cars before 2010. Toyota and Honda and Nissan will also have production models available in the U.S.

Neighborhood Electric Vehicles

43 states and Washington D.C. allow operation of Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) that can travel on streets which have a maximum 35 mph speed limit. Local jurisdictions have the right to ban their use or may require licensing and liability insurance. NEVs must have seatbelts, four wheels, windshield safety glass, windshield wipers, headlights, taillights, and turn signals but airbags aren't required. NEVs cannot legally travel faster than 25 mph. They're usually equipped with lead acid batteries offering a range of about 30 miles. Prices range from around $6000 to more than $14,000.

Freeway Electric Vehicles

Aside from Toyota RAV4 EVs, most electric vehicles operating in the U.S. in 2008 are NEVs. Freeway capable vehicles are expected to be readily available by 2010. In addition to Tesla, Chevy (Volt), Mitsubishi, Nissan, Honda (hydrogen fuel cell technology) and Toyota, we can look for electric vehicles from Think (Norway), Smart EV (Mercedes) and Zenn (Toronto).

Electric Vehicle Benefits

• Pure electric vehicles are true zero emissions vehicles. No greenhouse gases are emitted during vehicle operation.
• Gasoline is eliminated, replaced by grid sourced electricity generated from traditional and increasingly renewable sources. Many electric vehicles have factory installed or aftermarket solar panels installed on roofs.
• Fuel cost (electricity) per mile is 20-25% of gasoline or flex-fuel cost.
• 95% of the energy used to recharge EVs comes from domestic sources. Dependence on foreign oil is reduced.
• Very low vehicle operation and maintenance costs.
• Self energy generation through regenerative braking.
• Simple battery recharging through standard household 110V outlets and recharging stations.
• Electric vehicles are in production and available today at prices in a similar range to that of traditional gasoline and hybrid cars. A few models are also available in the luxury price range.

Limitations

• 250-300 mileage range using Lithium-ion batteries
• Battery cost, weight, disposal
• Few commercial battery recharging stations
• At-home battery charging is not practical for apartment dwellers and those who cannot park near their home

Overcoming limitations

• EV mileage range will increase as battery technology improves.
• Battery footprint, cost and weight will be reduced through new technology.
• Battery recharging stations will spread as EV production increases

Implications and Consequences

• Physical vehicle characteristics and conveniences will change. Vehicles will take on non-traditional appearances
• Vehicle reliability and durability will increase
• Vehicle operating costs will decline as fuel costs, repair costs and replacement parts costs will all decline
• Reduced congestion due to smaller vehicle footprint
• More consumer choices
• Reduced dependence on fossil fuels, imported oil

Stan Gassman, BSC Sustainability Services, Copyright 2008-2009

Stan Gassman is a co-founder and principal of BSC Sustainability Services, http://www.bscsustainabilityservices.com a consulting company devoted to helping clients increase marketplace value by incorporating sustainability within their culture and operations.

Contact Stan via email, sgassman@bscsustainabilityservices.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stan_Gassman

How Electric Cars Work

by Brain, Marshall. "How Electric Cars Work." 27 March 2002. HowStuffWorks.com. 28 April 2009.

Inside this Article

1. Introduction to How Electric Cars Work
2. An Electric Car Example
3. Inside an Electric Car

4. Electric-car Motors and Batteries
5. Battery Problems
6. Charging an Electric Car

How Electric Cars Work

• More Auto Videos »

Electric Car Image Gallery

STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images
The Subaru R1e electric car can be charged overnight on an ordinary household current. It has a range of 50 miles and a top speed of 62 miles per hour. See more electric car pictures.

Electric cars are something that show up in the news all the time. There are several reasons for the continuing interest in these vehicles:

• Electric cars create less pollution than gasoline-powered cars, so they are an environmentally friendly alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles (especially in cities).
• Any news story about hybrid cars usually talks about electric cars as well.
• Vehicles powered by fuel cells are electric cars, and fuel cells are getting a lot of attention right now in the news.

An electric car is a car powered by an electric motor rather than a gasoline engine.

From the outside, you would probably have no idea that a car is electric. In most cases, electric cars are created by converting a gasoline-powered car, and in that case it is impossible to tell. When you drive an electric car, often the only thing that clues you in to its true nature is the fact that it is nearly silent.

Under the hood, there are a lot of differences between gasoline and electric cars:

• The gasoline engine is replaced by an electric motor.
• The electric motor gets its power from a controller.
• The controller gets its power from an array of rechargeable batteries.

A gasoline engine, with its fuel lines, exhaust pipes, coolant hoses and intake manifold, tends to look like a plumbing project. An electric car is definitely a wiring project.

In o­rder to get a feeling for how electric cars work in general, let's start by looking at a typical electric car to see how it comes together.

An Electric Car Example

The electric car that we will use for this discussion is shown here:

­ A typical electric car, this one has some particularly snazzy decals. This vehicle is owned by Jon Mauney.

This electric vehicle began its life as a normal, gasoline-powered 1994 Geo Prism. Here are the modifications that turned it into an electric car:

• The gasoline engine, along with the muffler, catalytic converter, tailpipe and gas tank, were all removed.
• The clutch assembly was removed. The existing manual transmission was left in place, and it was pinned in second gear.
• A new AC electric motor was bolted to the transmission with an adapter plate.
• An electric controller was added to control the AC motor.

The 50-kW controller takes in 300 volts DC and produces 240 volts AC, three-phase. The box that says "U.S. Electricar" is the controller.

• A battery tray was installed in the floor of the car.
• Fifty 12-volt lead-acid batteries were placed in the battery tray (two sets of 25 to create 300 volts DC).
• Electric motors were added to power things that used to get their power from the engine: the water pump, power steering pump, air conditioner.
• A vacuum pump was added for the power brakes (which used engine vacuum when the car had an engine).

The vacuum pump is left of center.

• The shifter for the manual transmission was replaced with a switch, disguised as an automatic transmission shifter, to control forward and reverse.

An automatic transmission shifter is used to select forward and reverse. It contains a small switch, which sends a signal to the controller.

• A small electric water heater was added to provide heat.

The water heater

• A charger was added so that the batteries could be recharged. This particular car actually has two charging systems -- one from a normal 120-volt or 240-volt wall outlet, and the other from a magna-charge inductive charging paddle.

The 120/240-volt charging system

The Magna-Charge inductive paddle charging system

• The gas gauge was replaced with a volt meter.

The "gas gauge" in an electric car is either a simple volt meter or a more sophisticated computer that tracks the flow of amps to and from the battery pack.

Everything else about the car is stock. When you get in to drive the car, you put the key in the ignition and turn it to the "on" position to turn the car on. You shift into "Drive" with the shifter, push on the accelerator pedal and go. It performs like a normal gasoline car. Here are some interesting statistics:

• The range of this car is about 50 miles (80 km).
• The 0-to-60 mph time is about 15 seconds.
• It takes about 12 kilowatt-hours of electricity to charge the car after a 50-mile trip.
• The batteries weigh about 1,100 pounds (500 kg).
• The batteries last three to four years.

­To compare the cost per mile of gasoline cars to this electric car, here's an example. Electricity in North Carolina is about 8 cents per kilowatt-hour right now (4 cents if you use time-of-use billing and recharge at night). That means that for a full recharge, it costs $1 (or 50 cents with time-of-use billing). The cost per mile is therefore 2 cents per mile, or 1 cent with time-of-use. If gasoline costs $1.20 per gallon and a car gets 30 miles to the gallon, then the cost per mile is 4 cents per mile for gasoline.

Clearly, the "fuel" for electric vehicles costs a lot less per mile than it does for gasoline vehicles. And for many, the 50-mile range is not a limitation -- the average person living in a city or suburb seldom drives more than 30 or 40 miles per day.

To be completely fair, however, we should also include the cost of battery replacement. Batteries are the weak link in electric cars at the moment. Battery replacement for this car runs about $2,000. The batteries will last 20,000 miles or so, for about 10 cents per mile. You can see why there is so much excitement around fuel cells right now -- fuel cells solve the battery problem (more details on fuel cells later in the article).

Inside an Electric Car

The heart of an electric car is the combination of:

• The electric motor
• The motor's controller
• The batteries

A simple DC controller connected to the batteries and the DC motor. If the driver floors the accelerator pedal, the controller delivers the full 96 volts from the batteries to the motor. If the driver take his/her foot off the accelerator, the controller delivers zero volts to the motor. For any setting in between, the controller "chops" the 96 volts thousands of times per second to create an average voltage somewhere between 0 and 96 volts.

The controller takes power from the batteries and delivers it to the motor. The accelerator pedal hooks to a pair of potentiometers (variable resistors), and these potentiometers provide the signal that tells the controller how much power it is supposed to deliver. The controller can deliver zero power (when the car is stopped), full power (when the driver floors the accelerator pedal), or any power level in between.

The controller normally dominates the scene when you open the hood, as you can see here:

The 300-volt, 50-kilowatt controller for this electric car is the box marked "U.S. Electricar."

In this car, the controller takes in 300 volts DC from the battery pack. It converts it into a maximum of 240 volts AC, three-phase, to send to the motor. It does this using very large transistors that rapidly turn the batteries' voltage on and off to create a sine wave.

When you push on the gas pedal, a cable from the pedal connects to these two potentiometers:

The potentiometers hook to the gas pedal and send a signal to the controller.

The signal from the potentiometers tells the controller how much power to deliver to the electric car's motor. There are two potentiometers for safety's sake. The controller reads both potentiometers and makes sure that their signals are equal. If they are not, then the controller does not operate. This arrangement guards against a situation where a potentiometer fails in the full-on position.

Heavy cables (on the left) connect the battery pack to the controller. In the middle is a very large on/off switch. The bundle of small wires on the right carries signals from thermometers located between the batteries, as well as power for fans that keep the batteries cool and ventilated.

The heavy wires entering and leaving the controller

The controller's job in a DC electric car is easy to understand. Let's assume that the battery pack contains 12 12-volt batteries, wired in series to create 144 volts. The controller takes in 144 volts DC, and delivers it to the motor in a controlled way.

The very simplest DC controller would be a big on/off switch wired to the accelerator pedal. When you push the pedal, it would turn the switch on, and when you take your foot off the pedal, it would turn it off. As the driver, you would have to push and release the accelerator to pulse the motor on and off to maintain a given speed.

Obviously, that sort of on/off approach would work but it would be a pain to drive, so the controller does the pulsing for you. The controller reads the setting of the accelerator pedal from the potentiometers and regulates the power accordingly. Let's say that you have the accelerator pushed halfway down. The controller reads that setting from the potentiometer and rapidly switches the power to the motor on and off so that it is on half the time and off half the time. If you have the accelerator pedal 25 percent of the way down, the controller pulses the power so it is on 25 percent of the time and off 75 percent of the time.

Most controllers pulse the power more than 15,000 times per second, in order to keep the pulsation outside the range of human hearing. The pulsed current causes the motor housing to vibrate at that frequency, so by pulsing at more than 15,000 cycles per second, the controller and motor are silent to human ears.

An AC controller hooks to an AC motor. Using six sets of power transistors, the controller takes in 300 volts DC and produces 240 volts AC, 3-phase. See How the Power Grid Works for a discussion of 3-phase power. The controller additionally provides a charging system for the batteries, and a DC-to-DC converter to recharge the 12-volt accessory battery.

In an AC controller, the job is a little more complicated, but it is the same idea. The controller creates three pseudo-sine waves. It does this by taking the DC voltage from the batteries and pulsing it on and off. In an AC controller, there is the additional need to reverse the polarity of the voltage 60 times a second. Therefore, you actually need six sets of transistors in an AC controller, while you need only one set in a DC controller. In the AC controller, for each phase you need one set of transistors to pulse the voltage and another set to reverse the polarity. You replicate that three times for the three phases -- six total sets of transistors.

Most DC controllers used in electric cars come from the electric forklift industry. The Hughes AC controller seen in the photo above is the same sort of AC controller used in the GM/Saturn EV-1 electric vehicle. It can deliver a maximum of 50,000 watts to the motor.

Electric-car Motors and Batteries

Electric cars can use AC or DC motors:

• If the motor is a DC motor, then it may run on anything from 96 to 192 volts. Many of the DC motors used in electric cars come from the electric forklift industry.

• If it is an AC motor, then it probably is a three-phase AC motor running at 240 volts AC with a 300 volt battery pack.

DC installations tend to be simpler and less expensive. A typical motor will be in the 20,000-watt to 30,000-watt range. A typical controller will be in the 40,000-watt to 60,000-watt range (for example, a 96-volt controller will deliver a maximum of 400 or 600 amps). DC motors have the nice feature that you can overdrive them (up to a factor of 10-to-1) for short periods of time. That is, a 20,000-watt motor will accept 100,000 watts for a short period of time and deliver 5 times its rated horsepower. This is great for short bursts of acceleration. The only limitation is heat build-up in the motor. Too much overdriving and the motor heats up to the point where it self-destructs.

AC installations allow the use of almost any industrial three-phase AC motor, and that can make finding a motor with a specific size, shape or power rating easier. AC motors and controllers often have a regen feature. During braking, the motor turns into a generator and delivers power back to the batteries.

Right now, the weak link in any electric car is the batteries. There are at least six significant problems with current lead-acid battery technology:

• They are heavy (a typical lead-acid battery pack weighs 1,000 pounds or more).
• They are bulky (the car we are examining here has 50 lead-acid batteries, each measuring roughly 6" x 8" by 6").
• They have a limited capacity (a typical lead-acid battery pack might hold 12 to 15 kilowatt-hours of electricity, giving a car a range of only 50 miles or so).
• They are slow to charge (typical recharge times for a lead-acid pack range between four to 10 hours for full charge, depending on the battery technology and the charger).
• They have a short life (three to four years, perhaps 200 full charge/discharge cycles).
• They are expensive (perhaps $2,000 for the battery pack shown in the sample car).

In the next section we'll look at more problems with battery technology.

The EV Challenge­ The EV Challenge (www.evchallenge.org) is an innovative educational program for middle and high school students that centers around building electric-powered cars: Middle school students build and compete model solar-powered cars. High school students convert full-sized gasoline-powered vehicles into electric vehicles. It's a complete conversion project, as described in the previous section of this article. Students learn about electric technology throughout the year and then come together for a two-day finale. In addition to building the electric vehicle, high school students compete in autocross (speed and agility) and range events, vehicle design, oral presentations, troubleshooting, Web site design, and community involvement. The EV Challenge gets a majority of its funding from corporate sponsors and government organizations, including Advanced Energy Corporation, CP&L/Progress Energy, Duke Power, Dominion Virginia Power, the NC Energy Office, the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the EPA. Jon Mauney (whose car is featured at the beginning of this article) is on the steering committee for EV Challenge. According to Jon, CP&L started the EV Challenge program in North Carolina. The program then spread to South Carolina, Florida, Virginia, West Virginia, and Georgia, and is now spreading nationwide. Thousands of students have participated in the EV Challenge. If you or your school would like more information on the EV Challenge program, please see www.evchallenge.org.

­

Battery Problems

­ Y­ou can replace lead-acid batteries with NiMH batteries. The range of the car will double and the batteries will last 10 years (thousands of charge/discharge cycles), but the cost of the batteries today is 10 to 15 times greater than lead-acid. In other words, an NiMH battery pack will cost $20,000 to $30,000 (today) instead of $2,000. Prices for advanced batteries fall as they become mainstream, so over the next several years it is likely that NiMH and lithium-ion battery packs will become competitive with lead-acid battery prices. Electric cars will have significantly better range at that point.

When you look at the problems associated with batteries, you gain a different perspective on gasoline. Two gallons of gasoline, which weighs 15 pounds, costs $3.00 and takes 30 seconds to pour into the tank, is equivalent to 1,000 pounds of lead-acid batteries that cost $2,000 and take four hours to recharge.

The problems with battery technology explain why there is so much excitement around fuel cells today. Compared to batteries, fuel cells will be smaller, much lighter and instantly rechargeable. When powered by pure hydrogen, fuel cells have none of the environmental problems associated with gasoline. It is very likely that the car of the future will be an electric car that gets its electricity from a fuel cell. There is still a lot of research and development that will have to occur, however, before inexpensive, reliable fuel cells can power automobiles.

Just about any electric car has one other battery on board. This is the normal 12-volt lead-acid battery that every car has. The 12-volt battery provides power for accessories -- things like headlights, radios, fans, computers, air bags, wipers, power windows and instruments inside the car. Since all of these devices are readily available and standardized at 12 volts, it makes sense from an economic standpoint for an electric car to use them.

Therefore, an electric car has a normal 12-volt lead-acid battery to power all of the accessories. To keep the battery charged, an electric car needs a DC-to-DC converter. This converter takes in the DC power from the main battery array (at, for example, 300 volts DC) and converts it down to 12 volts to recharge the accessory battery. When the car is on, the accessories get their power from the DC-to-DC converter. When the car is off, they get their power from the 12-volt battery as in any gasoline-powered vehicle.

The DC-to-DC converter is normally a separate box under the hood, but sometimes this box is built into the controller.

Of course, any car that uses batteries needs a way to charge them.

Charging an Electric Car

Any electric car that uses batteries needs a charging system to recharge the batteries. The charging system has two goals:

• To pump electricity into the batteries as quickly as the batteries will allow
• To monitor the batteries and avoid damaging them during the charging process

Charging Current

When lead-acid batteries are at a low state of charge, nearly all the charging current is absorbed by the chemical reaction. Once the state of charge reaches a certain point, at about 80 percent of capacity, more and more energy goes into heat and electrolysis of the water. The resulting bubbling of electrolyte is informally called "boiling." For the charging system to minimize the boiling, the charging current must cut back for the last 20 percent of the charging process.

The most sophisticated charging systems monitor battery voltage, current flow and battery temperature to minimize charging time. The charger sends as much current as it can without raising battery temperature too much. Less sophisticated chargers might monitor voltage or amperage only and make certain assumptions about average battery characteristics. A charger like this might apply maximum current to the batteries up through 80 percent of their capacity, and then cut the current back to some preset level for the final 20 percent to avoid overheating the batteries.

Jon Mauney's electric car actually has two different charging systems. One system accepts 120-volt or 240-volt power from a normal electrical outlet. The other is the Magna-Charge inductive charging system popularized by the GM/Saturn EV-1 vehicle. Let's look at each of these systems separately.

The normal household charging system has the advantage of convenience -- anywhere you can find an outlet, you can recharge. The disadvantage is charging time.

A normal household 120-volt outlet typically has a 15-amp circuit breaker, meaning that the maximum amount of energy that the car can consume is approximately 1,500 watts, or 1.5 kilowatt-hours per hour. Since the battery pack in Jon's car normally needs 12 to 15 kilowatt-hours for a full recharge, it can take 10 to 12 hours to fully charge the vehicle using this technique.

By using a 240-volt circuit (such as the outlet for an electric dryer), the car might be able to receive 240 volts at 30 amps, or 6.6 kilowatt-hours per hour. This arrangement allows significantly faster charging, and can fully recharge the battery pack in four to five hours.

In Jon's car, the gas filler spout has been removed and replaced by a charging plug. Simply plugging into the wall with a heavy-duty extension cord starts the charging process.

2008 HowStuffWorks
Opening the gas filler door reveals the charging plug.

2008 HowStuffWorks
Close-up of the plug

Photo courtesy Jon Mauney
Plug the car in anywhere to recharge.

In this car, the charger is built into the controller. In most home-brew cars, the charger is a separate box located under the hood, or could even be a free-standing unit that is separate from the car.

­