QUESTION ON ELECTRIC CAR CONVERSION?

6 Comments

1. j2 says:

   May 12, 2009 at 9:58 am

   First what kind of shop do you have? If your good at wrenching then you can convert it's not hard. As for a business, Maybe, I'm still thinking of doing this professionally but it opens up a can of worms as far as customer service. selling them is not a problem but if you plan on doing more than 12 a year you'll need a dealers license. Once converted they're retitled as home built and remain called what they originally were, in other words you can't call it the anthonymobile unless you pick 1 model negotiate with the manufacturer for a license fee and absorb this into the cost. This is what Tesla did, it's actually a Lotus espree they pay around $30k per unit plus the cost of the raw chassis for the privilege of renaming it that's why it costs $99k. On the other hand building from scratch is not easy either, ever hear of the 35 mph crash tests, insurance companies kind of insist on this, then you'll need to set up dealers make all chassis repair parts available. etc but if you did your grand kids would be rich.
2. Tom A says:

   May 12, 2009 at 9:58 am

   I think there is a small market for it, but widespread conversion opportunity's will not happen until higher energy density batteries become available at a competitive price.
3. maliciouso1b says:

   May 12, 2009 at 9:58 am

   You would be better off making them from scratch.

   You would have to take the engine out, mount a bank of batteries, mount a electric motor, figure the transmission and differential out.

   Oh! and don't forget that you have to plug it in at night to charge, and the power companies burn coal… So forget about calling it "green"
4. Nata T says:

   May 12, 2009 at 9:58 am

   There are very few old cars that could be retrofitted. The donor car should have mechanical brakes, not power, mechanical steering, not power, and no AC.