Many people ask me if it is really possible to convert a car from gas to electric power. It is not only possible, but it is easy and relatively inexpensive to do.
Now there are several ways to convert a car to electric power from gas. For example there might be mechanics around that will do it for you, but you might as well try to find a new one for the price they'll charge you. You can also buy a kit, which will run you between $3000 and $8000. A kit usually comes with all the electrical components and instructions. Be aware though that purchased conversion kits never include the batteries you need. Since an electric car won't run without batteries, you must figure on another $1000 or more for those.
A far better solution and my favorite method is to do it yourself using inexpensive reconditioned parts you can get second hand. You have the choice of using a DC electric motor or an AC electric motor. DC motors are heavier and don't produce as much power as AC. However, DC motors are much less expensive than AC and a lot easier to install.
For this reason, we always choose a used DC motor. A decent DC motor that you can get very cheap (and free in a lot of cases) will outlast just about any car you put it in, so it makes no sense to spend the extra money on a new AC motor for your electric car conversion.
Your DC motor will need to be in the 9 to 13 inch range. A motor of this size will have enough power to achieve a top speed of 50 MPH or more. The amount of current that flows from the batteries to the motor determines how fast the car can go and this flow is regulated by a controller, which is also necessary. The controller is connected to your old gas pedal linkage for smooth vehicle control.
The conversion requires an on board battery charger in order to charge your batteries between trips. Just plug it in to any common household AC circuit and simply charge it up overnight. To achieve a range of 200 miles between charges, the car will need about 20 deep cycle batteries. There are a number of sources for acquiring these very cheap and often free.
This type of battery will discharge further and charge more quickly than regular car batteries, which is why they are named deep-cycle, because they permit and stand up to greater and more frequent draining, as opposed to the battery used by gas powered vehicles. Deep cycle batteries can regularly be discharged down to 30% before they need to be recharged.
Always remember to select a car that is small and light to enhance performance, but not so small that you cant fit the necessary batteries inside the storage area(s). Common sense I know, but still - you might be surprised how many people overlook this detail.
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