# Why an SUV and an EV make the perfect combination.



## mattW (Sep 14, 2007)

Many people seem to think that EV enthusiasts want everyone to drive a generic efficient car and lose their individuality and hobbies. What they don't think about is how having an electric car would actually benefit their recreation time. That's right *having an electric car can actually make your SUV better* and I don't just mean better in the nerdy 'more efficient' kind of way, I mean better in the world-conquering, give-me-a-mountain-and-I'll-show-it-who's-boss kind of way.









How you ask? Well an EV perfectly takes away the tasks that turn a fierce off-roading machine into something soccer mums use to pick up the kids. The thing that makes an SUV tame is that they have too many jobs to do. Yes they have off-road capability but it has to be watered down in their attempt to get better highway mpg or 'car-like handling'. Its like trying to get an Olympic sprinter who can also do your taxes, at trying to do both they don't end up very good at either. Electric cars are make extremely good speciality commuters- they cost almost nothing to run or maintain, they don't use any fuel when stuck in traffic, they'll keep running till the chassis falls apart and have fantastic low speed acceleration for moving between traffic lights. By having a specific commuter you can also have a speciality recreational vehicle too. And that's good news; because you'd spend next to no money (and CO2 if you are so inclined) on 'fuel' during the week you could afford to have a vehicle that doesn't get great mileage while rock-crawling. And you can justify getting the bigger suspension and off road tyres since your only going to use it for climbing every mountain and fording every stream. Sure its a bit of an odd combination but they compliment each other so well.

And don't think an EV commuter means a dinky shoe box either. Just about any car you like can be converted to an electric drive train to make a good commuter. Older classics make for EV with unique looks and reliability to be proud of. Pick a car and chances are someone has already converted it to electric. Not an SUV fan? Well the combination of an EV works with any recreational car; a classic, track car or just a head turner, using an EV for your daily driver frees up cash and fuel for your weekender of choice. So if your a car nut why not make your next project an EV conversion, its one of the few projects that might actually save you money and means that the one after can be made that much better!


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