Electric cars were born over a century ago in the barns and garages of backyard tinkerers, so it is perhaps no surprise that their modern day descendants are doing the same thing. The good news is that youre not running on a wheel, but on a bike and youre using your muscles for powering a 24 volt generator attached to your wheel. Generate your own electricity openlearn open university. Electric vehicles have become one of the hot topics of discussion in todays reality. I jacked the car up in back, laid the motor which was now on the ground on its back, making it shorter, and slid it out from the. Or even buying a hybrid car, or what about the hydrogen car, the so called car that runs on water. If youve been paying attention over the last few years, that image may be. Gavin is a young chap from new zealand with a passion on electric car. How to convert a car to electric diy conversion kits asq. The electric current could also be made to produce mechanical energy, which is what happens in an electric motor.
When an electric current flows through a wire, it generates a threedimensional magnetic force field around the wire, similar to that surrounding a bar magnet. Motiv is a tiny, electric, autonomous vehicle with a race car heritage. By the way, did you know that majority of the electric cars on road today are built at home and this should give you some motivation to move on. My diy hybrid car project was a series hybrid, with a propane generator and an electric motor. We started this facebook page to provide a space for sharing updates in the ev market as well as share interesting and inspiring stories about electric vehicles.
We make it easy to learn how to make anything, one step at a time. I actually performed a diy electric bicycle conversion on a tandem bicycle and it was a hoot when i could find a partner to ride it with me. It is easy to add your own unique modifications to any plan, or mix and match several plans together to create completely unique diy projects. Going diy on an electric car conversion is possible and popularif you know what youre doing, i hasten to add. The best diy books for you sometimes when youre planning, or working on a doit yourself home improvement project you find that you just need a bit of quality information on how things work in order to proceedlike electrical, plumbing, or basic construction. Replacing car parts that test good remains a big problem for auto mechanics. These are the electrical codes diyers and pros mess up most often. Here are a couple of suggestions for further reading. Convert 2 ev guide starts of by showing you how to choose the right donor car for your conversion project. If you can turn a wrench and operate an electric drill, you can. Fast electric bike how to build a 50mph electric bike.
Turn a car alternator into alternative energy by building this cheap and easy homemade wind generator. For example, the first three chapters are 84 pages of introduction and covers topics such as this the netherlands is building its own ev and electric vehicle history. The bestselling electric vehicle ev so far is the nissan leaf, which has sold more than 100,000 vehicles globally about half of those in the u. Why not build an electric car via diy from your home garage. Open source diy electric car can be built in less than an. Although not intended as a diy manual, nonqualified persons will also find this book useful reading.
Ev conversions are a very addictiveobsessive hobby. Building your own battery packs for your diy electric vehicle. Not all car models are suitable to be electric retrofitted. When do it yourself car mechanics tackle problems on their own vehicle it often starts with a blown fuse. I took out the engine, which i had no idea how to do. Apr 17, 2018 i believe the future of diy lithium battery building is incredibly bright for hobbyists and makers in the green energy field. I hatched a plan a few weeks ago with the guys at the electric car company of utah to buy and mount a used dc motor. Diy wind turbine renewable energy mother earth news. An average weekend warrior, armed with basic tools and about 250 hours of spare time, can build a hot rod, a midengine supercar, or a replica shelby. Build a highperformance electric vehicle in a week make. Used cars that make great electric car conversions carfax.
How to convert a car to electric diy conversion kits. But do remember that some parts might be reused so do not remove them let it be in its respective location. We encourage diy mechanics of all skill levels to keep a copy of car electric codes lying around as a reference. Electric car conversion books are the place to start if you want to build an ev, or convert a gas car to electric. Jim also invented the zappy micro scooter which sold more than 30,000 units. Build your own electric car authors note, july 9, 2017hi everyone, there been a lot of views on this project lately. Arguably one of the most important cars of this century so far, the nissan leaf is one of the most talked about cars in the world. The book build your own electric vehicle by bob brandt. Instructables is a community for people who like to make things. Before commerciallyavailable evs were common, though, the electric car was largely the domain of the doit yourself converter. Electric car conversion books electric cars are for girls.
Build your own electric vehicle, third edition seth. This book, written in 2015, is designed to help new and prospective electric vehicle owners develop their range confidence. This book contains almost no useful information on how to build your own electric vehicle. This video series covers one lowtech and simple way of converting a car to electric.
For this project, we used a serieswound dc motor originally salvaged from an electric forklift. What started as an idea to produce our own simple, fun, affordable electric vehicle has evolved into a diy project easily assembled by nearly anyone. This makes it possible to drive on battery power alone on trips of about 40 miles 100 miles when built as a pure battery electric vehicle with additional batteries installed in place of the engine and transmisison. These tips clear up the confusion and help you pass an electrical inspection. Apr 21, 2018 i actually performed a diy electric bicycle conversion on a tandem bicycle and it was a hoot when i could find a partner to ride it with me. An excellent book for anyone willing to take on the challenge of building a conversion. Jan 08, 2016 jan 8, 2016 diy vehicle diy electric car for children stay safe and healthy. How to convert cars, trucks, motorcycles, and bicycles includes ev components, kits, and project vehicles warner, mark on. A better understanding of your vehicles electrical systems through the use of our detailed manuals will help you use diagnostic tools, read the diagnosis and determine the best way to troubleshoot or make repairs. But do remember that some parts might be reused so do not remove them let it.
Everywhere i ride people are constantly stopping me to ask questions about it. But assembling your ride from a kit offers rewards that buying off the lot cant match. The book also dips into the nontechnical areas of electric car ownership, reducing dependence on foreign oil, environmental costs, reduced cost of ownership etc. Usually, when you think of hybrids or electric vehicles, you think of tiny, two seater geekmobiles or soccer moms in awkward chunky cars with cup holders full of pumpkin spice latte. Open source diy electric car can be built in less than an hour.
Essential reading for serious diy, electrical installation, plumbing, heating systems, tv and security alarm installation. Welcome to the diy area of our website where youll find some of the worlds most exciting projects that you can build from plans. Electric motors are also 98% efficient so you will not need to shift as much. The once forgotten battery operated cars have made a spectacular comeback and they are all over the world already. We encourage diy mechanics of all skill levels to keep a. Many were distributed exclusively by popular mechanics, mechanix illustrated, or other publications. It takes you by the hand through the entire process of converting an internal combustion car to electricity, from choosing a donor car through removing the internal combustion system, installing the electric system, and all the way to driving, charging, and maintenance, as well as nontechnical issues such as registration and insurance. I believe the future of diy lithium battery building is incredibly bright for hobbyists and makers in the green energy field. Tadpole trike plans, chopper plans, delta trike plans, recumbent bike plans, electric bike plans, electric tractor plans, poultry tractor plans, and many more.
We strongly recommend that you undertake further research before undertaking your ev project. Lots of detail about the workings of electric vehicles and some instructions. Im a mechanical engineer that has spent years working in the ebike and electric vehicle industry. First step remove the gasoline engine, fuel supply lines, fuel tank, exhaust system, radiator and other unwanted parts from the car which is of no use to an electric vehicle. You supply the vehiclethey provide the conversion in 3 to 4 months. From the stovetop to the workshop, you are sure to be inspired by the awesome projects that are shared everyday. Build your own electric vehicle book green living guy. Think of a factory five kit car as the ultimate adult lego set. And you can also easily build an electric vehicle by following these simple step by step instruction laid out in the downloadable pdf book and videos given below. Dont pay attention to publishing date, not much has changed in last 15 years if you plan to use lead acid batteries, also nice to know your hobbys history. Homemade electric car conversion plans top electric vehicle. The manual is very easy to follow with lots of pictures and diagrams. The 8 most common national electric code violations diyers.
A 68 mustang fastback makes the perfect diy electric car. I jacked the car up in back, laid the motor which was now on the. The only downside of riding the electric bike, if you can call it that, is the bike is an incredible attention magnet. Garagetime rent a diy garage or lift work on your car or. Build a cheap electric car yourself by removing the the car engine, replacing it with a forklift motor, and adding batteries. These projects are designed to the highest quality standards.
This video is one segment of an instructional video i created in 2010 from a homebuilt electric car i made in 2008. However, if you do your own electrical repairs you can solve this problem with one inexpensive tool. Mother shows you how to build the 75 mpg hybrid electric car. Many of these same ideas and techniques still apply to gokarts, motorcycles, boats, and lots of other projects. This highperformance electric vehicle kit can be built in a week. Diy conversion kits how to convert a car to electric website how to convert a car to electric diy conversion kits after three years of trial and experimentation of australias first ever electric car in western australia, it was discovered that australia was fit for electric vehicles.
Jul 29, 2015 what started as an idea to produce our own simple, fun, affordable electric vehicle has evolved into a diy project easily assembled by nearly anyone. Yeah, you can build your own electric car, if you can manage to change your own oil and wiper blades. Diy liion battery building kit opens door for homemade. The switch defines a new class of auto a lightweight, highcapacity, versatile electric vehicle ev that requires minimal resources to construct, assemble, and drive. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Much has changed since i originally built this car, including the fact that there are a lot of great commercially. Sep 22, 2016 think of a factory five kit car as the ultimate adult lego set. Wilderness electric vehicles located in utah, this company specializes in electric car conversions. How to convert cars, trucks, motorcycles, and bicycles includes ev components. Then i got a book on vws, and it explained how to do it.
Diyguru has prepared a oneof akind job assisted electric engineering certification course of 90 days in partnership with emobility companies providing you with online courses and handson workshops. However, there were some technological barriers to the adoption of these cars since no electric cars existed at the. Heres a stepbystep guide to making your own generator. If not, i urge you to get an electrician to do the final wiring and check everything. Driving an ev with a gear shift is easier then with a gas car because evs dont idle so there isnt a problem with stalling. Our programs have been recognized and availed by robert bosch, suzuki, and hyundai to name a few. This page is only a rough guide to the process of converting your car to electric. When set up as a hybrid, the xr3 is a plugin hybrid.
Why would you choose to do an electric car conversion instead of buying one. Youll also find out about the wide variety of evs available for purchase and how theyre being built. It takes a little knowhow, but its not rocket science. As you think about how your life would change, let me tell you about a book that contains the solution to both problems making electricity and making your own biodiesel fuel from used cooking oil or homegrown vegetable oil along with several other alternative energy solutions like methane and passive solar. He started electrathon racing in the early 90s and founded zap zero air pollution, the first electric bike company in 1991. The ultimate doityourself ebike guide build your own. Find space to work on your car search garages garagetime is a network of home and commercial garages, allowing auto enthusiasts to rent diy workspace, lifts, and specialty tools in their neighborhood. The howtoguide for home wiring to professional standards. How to do an electric car conversion electricity book. After three years of trial and experimentation of australias first ever electric car in western australia, it was discovered that australia was fit for electric vehicles. If you are looking for an electric car conversion guide, you should check out the electric conversion made easy e book by gavin shoebridge. You also need someone who can weld and fix things in place with brackets and stuff. He has a website and a video course, too, with a lot of diy electric bike info. Thoroughly revised and expanded, build your own electric vehicle, third edition, is your goto guide for converting an internal combustion engine vehicle to.
Learn how to repair or maintain your car with our doit yourself videos and stepbystep instruction guides at cars. An average weekend warrior, armed with basic tools and about 250 hours of. This comprehensive howto goes through the process of transforming an internal combustion engine vehicle to electric or even building an ev. This is the real hamster running on wheels project, but this time youre the hamster.
Whether youre building a solarpowered toy or an electric race car. Faster, cheaper, more reliable while saving energy and the environment empowering people with the tools to convert. Electric car conversion guide 2016 how to do it yourself. It is the worlds best selling electric car, a former world car of the year winner and one of the most environmentally friendly cars you can buy today. An average weekend warrior, armed with basic tools and about 250 hours of spare time, can build a hot rod, a midengine. Build an ev electric vehicle association of greater washington, dc. Ive been tooling around in a loaner to see what life with an electric car is like.
Come explore, share, and make your next project with us. Rather than focus on the ways that an electric car is limiting, we can focus on the process of bypassing the limitations. The e book was written for someone who has no knowledge on electric car. When a current flows through a wire, electrical energy is converted into other forms of energy, like heat in a heating element, light from the filament of a bulb, or sound from a loudspeaker. We offer a place to find the newest electric cars and e cars. I suspect all the information gathered for this book was from wikipedia. Ive worked everywhere from ebike shops to electric vehicle start up companies. Micah also has an earlier book, the ultimate diy ebike guide, which steps you through the process of adding electric power to your bicycle, a nice introductory project to electric drive systems and maybe something to do before taking on an electric reverse trike. Best diy books plumbing, electrical, construction books. Electric cars are effective, ecofriendly substitutes to our gas guzzling automotives.