Get Paid to Drive Your Car!

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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.

­

How Electric Car Conversion Kits Work

Electric powered cars are becoming quite popular these days and for good reason. These vehicles run on batteries and don't cause harmful emissions and pollution. Also they are much more cost efficient because they can help eliminate gas consumption. Running your vehicle on electricity can help you improve horsepower and eliminate your gasoline bill altogether.

By converting your car to run on electricity you can:

• Stop paying for gasoline and save hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year.
• Reach speeds of 50 miles per hour.
• Receive tax refunds for using green energy in your vehicle.
• Stop emitting carbon greenhouse gases and protect the environment.
• Drive for up to 150-200 miles per charge.
• Reduce your maintenance costs.

Instead of paying a professional to convert your car, which may cost you thousands of dollars, you can do the conversion yourself with the help of a diy guide.

If you plan to turn your automobile into an electric one, you must keep a number of things in mind. The lighter the vehicle, the easier it is to convert it and the car must have enough room to place the batteries.

First, you have to replace the internal combustion engine with an electric motor. You will also need: a power controller, fuses, miscellaneous nuts and bolts, rechargeable batteries and power conductors. These materials can be found at your local hardware and are in general very affordable. There are also some basic tools you going to need like: screw drivers, cordless drill, various wrenches and sand paper.

Building an electric car is something anyone can do regardless of skill. A high quality diy manual can provide you with step-by-step instructions that will make the conversion process very easy.
Do you want to save more than $1,000 on gas per year, every year?

Read a review about the top 3 Conversion Car Kits and find out exactly how to make your own Electric Powered Car.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_M._Watson