# Favorite donor car



## Dan Frederiksen (Jul 26, 2007)

I'm hoping to someday make an EV based on an Audi A4/A6
maybe something like this:


















doesn't have to be white. probably silver or black.
I like the Audi designs a lot. has an air of sophistication and elegance unlike any other that I think will go great with the EV philosophy. much better than small ugly and weak as we see too much of.
Audi are bastards because they don't make EVs themselves but they do great design.

which would you like?


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## rbgrn (Jul 24, 2007)

I think an A4 with a blown engine would be a great donor car to start with. I'm a big fan of sport/luxury cars. The A4 is slightly lighter than the A6 as well, so that's a plus, and it has plenty of cabin room.


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## Dan Frederiksen (Jul 26, 2007)

there are the occasional good deal on one with a blown engine yes but that gives transportation problems instead (I have to get the car from germany 400-1000km away). also the engine parts couldn't be sold as working but I considered it. if somehow they could ship the car to me and I could buy it without seeing it first then it might work.


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## KiwiEV (Jul 26, 2007)

I've always (since the model came out) liked the shape of these:










With their light weight, they'd make a snazzy looking EV.
They seem to have rescued Suzuki's dull sales too.


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## Mr. Sharkey (Jul 26, 2007)

Each of those Audi vehicles weighs in at over 3,700 pounds. Most conversions gain weight in the process of being converted into an EV, so imagine what the end result of starting with a lead sled is... There's a reason that many EV conversions are built from "small, ugly, and weak" econo-box donor cars. Those cars have a much more favorable power-to-weight ratio without having to go overboard on motor, controller, and battery specs. That and the fact that a used A4/6 donor car even with a blown motor is going to fetch a price high enough to pay for the entire conversion costs of an economy model. Lug around an extra 1,700 pounds of heated seats, power mirrors, load-and-terrain adjustable susupension, etc, and you'll soon see that lighter is better.


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## Dan Frederiksen (Jul 26, 2007)

not sure where you got your info but actually we have versions of the A4 that weigh less than 2800lbs. maybe some deranged americana 4 liter version weigh that much but the 1.6L version weigh just under 2800 (1270kg) including motor and all its supporting parts
further I intend to use a small lithium pack so it might end up at stock weight. maybe even less if you count a tank of gas.


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## xrotaryguy (Jul 26, 2007)

I would really like to start with an extremely light station wagon like a Mini Traveler or a Morris Minor. Unfortunately, these are rather expensive to start with here in the US since they were never imported. Also, most parts for these cars need to be ordered on line or fabricated, so that is a hassle. Another thing that makes these cars impractical is their not-so-aerodynamic or boxy shape. That's why I am planning on building a Ford Escort wagon. It is still a wagon, so I can take the wife, the kid, the dog, and a bunch of stuff, the donor car can dirt cheap, parts are super available, and the car is fairly aerodynamic, and it is reasonably light. Too bad Ford Escorts look so boring.


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## rbgrn (Jul 24, 2007)

Being that weight and space are the big issues, I actually see an S-10 sized truck being a great option. It's fairly light and you can fill half of the bed with batteries.


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## Coley (Jul 26, 2007)

Whatever is chosen, front wheel drive sure makes it easy to install. They handle well and have great traction.


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## Dan Frederiksen (Jul 26, 2007)

I _really_ don't get the fascination with trucks 
to me it's like taking a wife because she has big hands so she can lift the tractor out of the mud when it gets stuck. where is the sophistication, the elegance. I just don't get it.


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## Coley (Jul 26, 2007)

I would guess that the truck suspension would be already set up to carry more load.
And putting the batteries under the bed means cleaner battery boxes, (cleaner) as in all in a row, with shorter cables etc.


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## xrotaryguy (Jul 26, 2007)

Yep, I think that's the attraction to EV truck conversions. "Strong on plow!" Also, if you need a truck... well, you should convert a truck right.


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## Wirecutter (Jul 26, 2007)

I've been doing some thinking on this, and I've learned how hard it is to find weight comparisons of various cars.

There's a guy here whose name escapes me right now that likes the VW pickup of the early-to-mid 80s. What I liked (and remember) is that he'd done several of them, and he used a clothes dryer plug and a big honkin' diode for a charger. It sounded mostly like breathing new life into a beater car, and using it to whirr (I was going to say "putt") around town on the cheap.

I used to have an '81 Jetta, and I had it weighed once. It was 1990 lbs with me in the driver's seat and half a tank of gas. That meant that empty, the car was under 1800! Does that sound a bit light to anyone else here? I mean, I know it was a light car, and it went plenty fast with an 80HP gas engine, but ????? I don't know how sturdy it would be for an EV conversion, and unfortunatly, they corroded pretty badly and few survive today.

I'm very interested in hearing others' experience with the weight vs strength (and therefore, suitability) of various existing car platforms for EV conversion. I've only done gokarts so far, but I've managed to learn a little. Unless you have piles of money, you'll probably wind up using SLA batteries or some related variant for power, so there's a big weight issue. Even if you _do_ have piles of money, the batteries are bound to represent a lot of weight.

Veering back closer to on-topic, however, I'd have to say that I like the Lotus Elise form that Tesla uses. In the slightly more affordable realm, I really like the Smart Roadster, and to a lesser extent the Smart Car, but I don't know if they have the needed "beef". They're also very rare and expensive here in the US. Locally, I'd have to say I like some of the Scion stuff, although the Shoe Box (XB) isn't my cup of tea. I've noticed that old Datsun 1200 cars are pretty rare, despite their proliferation "back in the day" - perhaps this is inspired by Plasma Boy and the (in)famous White Zombie. I have to admit that if I found a 1200 in decent condition (aside from the motor, which I don't want), I'd probably snap it right up.

-Mark


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## rbgrn (Jul 24, 2007)

Is there a chart that lists all major makes/models by weight? I'd be curious to see this data and maybe put it up on our wiki.

The elise is an excellent car. I have one and drive it a few times a week. People have asked me if I'm going to convert it, but I think it'd be a pain and cost just as much as buying the tesla to get it to equiv. performance. The cool thing about it is that it's under 2000 pounds, but that means there's very little space to work with. You'd have to be very, very crafty in how you engineer your battery pack to fit it in there.


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## Wirecutter (Jul 26, 2007)

Dan Frederiksen said:


> I _really_ don't get the fascination with trucks
> to me it's like taking a wife because she has big hands so she can lift the tractor out of the mud when it gets stuck. where is the sophistication, the elegance. I just don't get it.


 Depends on what "does" it for you. Do you like "sexy", or do you like "useful"? (Ok, in my case, I'll concede that "sexy" ="useful", but you know what I mean.  )

It's like asking "what's your favorite car/vehicle"? Do I have to pick just one? If I could afford it, I'd have a sports car for just me, a nice sedan for me +friends, and a wonderful truck for utility. (I particularly like the railroad maintenance trucks with heavy payload, build-in welder, 6000 lb lift boom, locking tool boxes, pintle hitch, crew cab, etc.) But what do I drive? A Nissan sedan. It does the job.


-Mark


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## jstack6 (Jul 26, 2007)

Some of the best EVs I have seen are based on a Saturn SL or SC. These are very light yet the SL has 4 door and room for real driving. I thinks it's about 2,200 lbs before you dump the old ICE engine , exhaust , gas tank etc.

Check the best performers in the Tour De sol and you'll see they are very practical.
You can get them very cheap,and parts are available.


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## xrotaryguy (Jul 26, 2007)

VW Rabbits were VERY light cars. 1800lbs does not sound unrealistic. I'm sure that's one of the biggest reasons why the Volts Wagon came into existence. Another good one is the old Chevy Sprint at 1700 lbs. By buddy's 3cyl Sprint Turbo is only rated for 70hp, but it hauls butt!

I too like the idea of a smart car, but like you say, the price is unreasonable.

The Saturns are also nice since they are reasonably light, they're made out of all GM stuff, so parts are easy to get a hold of, and they're aerodynamic. I really want to build a wagon though, and the Saturn Wagons hold their value pretty well. I'm going to look for an Escort wagon instead for this very reason.

Wikipedia often lists weights for various cars.


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## KiwiEV (Jul 26, 2007)

I'd have to agree with Dan. I'd love to use a car that looks, well, like a car!
The only reason I'd consider a ute/truck would be for simpler layout of batteries, certainly not styling!


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## xrotaryguy (Jul 26, 2007)

Actually, a stylish looking cross-over sport-ute with car type lines would be nice and could potentially handle the additional weight of batteries. Unfortunately, cross-over utes are still pretty spendy compared to any number of 10 or 20 year old cars. maybe a Hyundai SantaFe with a blown motor could be affordable. Shoot, those things look funky though.


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## moldiebrownie (Aug 29, 2007)

Honda CRXs ...especially the "HF" version which stands for "high fuel efficiency". Basically, Honda stripped down the CRX of all the extra weight they could to make the lightest car possible. Wiki says this about the "HF" version of the CRX, "The original 1.3 liter car and the later American-market *CRX HF* model could reliably achieve better than 50 mpg, more than a decade before gas-electric hybrids appeared on the market". 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_CR-X
Another tidbit from the net, "The lightest of all CRXs are the HF models. Designed with the singular goal of exceptional gas mileage, the HF is in many ways the low-tech spiritual predecessor to the Honda Insight."
Lots more from this website on the HFs http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/projectcars/0012scc_project_honda_crx_part_1/index.html

One of the most high tech conversions around is Victor Tikhonov's CRX HF 
http://www.metricmind.com/ac_honda/main2.htm 

And if this is not enough!...there are TONS of aftermarket upgrades for CRXs. You can go nuts and get a superlightweight carbon fiber hood, fenders, header panel, even the rear hatch! Brakes, suspension, lights, interior stuff...components galore! Lots of lightweight and fun pimped out parts to maximize your bling factor.


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## Mike D EV (Sep 11, 2007)

I may be biased, but I think the Honda Insight is a great donor car.
Aluminum and plastic construction, low rolling resistance tires, light and strong.
I have been driving mine with over 300 lbs of lead, and an 80 lb EV drive system.
http://www.99mpg.com/Projectcars/mikesinsight/

As far as I know only a few have been turned into pure EV's.
Mike


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## hopefulhenry (Sep 12, 2007)

I like the style of both the Honda Insight and the CRX, but I have been leasing an auto. trans. 2005 Toyota Matrix (same as Pontiac Vibe) for nearly 3 yrs. This car fits our needs (family of four) for size and flexibility; its a small wagon with a front passenger seat that folds flat. I've been told there is lots of room beneath the cabin for a battery tray. Has anyone any thoughts on the potential of, say, a 2003 std. trans. Matrix or Vibe for ev conversion?


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## moldiebrownie (Aug 29, 2007)

I really wanted an Insight to work with because I was aware that it is mostly aluminum (extremely rare for production car) and very light and aerodynamic. However, I was on a budget and could not find a cheap one with a blown engine. I bought the 87 Civic DX hatchback because it was lightweight (although not quite as light as a CRX) and only $300.00 (US dollars). Another reason was because it was my first conversion and I had apprehensions about hacking up a newer good running car. I'm still waiting and looking for a good Insight donor though...one of these days I'll nab one! 
Heres an interesting webpage of a engine teardown ..lots of pics. http://www.artsautomotive.com/InsightEngine.htm


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## Mike D EV (Sep 11, 2007)

From the info I saw, there were only 15K insights sold in this country.
They are getting rare, but are still available. Used 2000's with over 100K are still selling for 5-10K based on mileage and condition.
I have the red (batmobile),that I bought new, a silver 2000 that was a salvaged flood car, and a Blue CVT that was also a salvage car with some serious front end damage.
The CVT components ended up on a test stand, so the blue body is totally stripped and waiting for me to get started on the conversion. Only need time to do it.
Mike


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## LoCaL MaChInE (Sep 12, 2007)

*Robert Green, I have a 1998 Toyota Tacoma 4 cyclinder truck and I want to convert it to electric although it is Auto transmission will it be a good or bad conversion??? What if I am not a mechanic would I be able to convert my truck to electric???? How much would it cost me to convert my truck to electric???*


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## Mike D EV (Sep 11, 2007)

LoCaL MaChInE
If you are not a mechanic, you will likely not be able to convert your truck.

To build Ev's , you need a good mix of mechanic and electrician.

This place sells books and kits:
http://www.kta-ev.com/

Mike


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## KiwiEV (Jul 26, 2007)

Well I wouldn't say that exactly!
You don't really need a _whole_ lot of knowledge to convert a vehicle to electric or need to be a mechanic. I was hoping that I'm living proof of that!


As for the automatic transmission, that could be tricky. Auto gearboxes aren't designed for the rev range and torque of electric motors. You'll find that once your EV has got up to speed, the auto box will change gear to something unsuitable, sucking too many amps and slowing performance. I'd really recommend getting a manual gearbox!
You also have the problem of keeping the auto gearbox spinning at traffic lights which wastes lots of power. It's really not worth it when you think about it as most EV's are driven like automatics anyway. I've even taken out the clutch in my car - I'll never need it.

The hardest part IMO of the conversion process is mating the motor to the gearbox. If you can, find a manual or "stick shift" gearbox for that car you want, and the rest will be straightforward... ish.


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## mattW (Sep 14, 2007)

rbgrn said:


> Is there a chart that lists all major makes/models by weight? I'd be curious to see this data and maybe put it up on our wiki.


I've started a wiki subject with some useful information about some cars I was researching the two main problems being:
1. I don't know how to make tables on a wiki
2. I only had enough time to look up the specs for 2 cars
But other than that i'm sure if people contribute other common donor cars it will turn out to be a pretty good resource for future converters. If you don't have all the imformation just start with what you have and let others fill in the gaps. 
Cheers


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## mattW (Sep 14, 2007)

I've now worked out how to make a table and added 2 more cars so its looking a bit better. If you have any requests i can go research the specs for other cars too. Enjoy!


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## KiwiEV (Jul 26, 2007)

mattW said:


> I've now worked out how to make a table and added 2 more cars so its looking a bit better. If you have any requests i can go research the specs for other cars too. Enjoy!


I have the pre-conversion details for my Tredia but I have no idea how to add to that wiki. There must be an easier way, like a wiki-code to english converter because when you click "Edit" it's like reading HTML.

The details of the Tredia for that wiki are:

Make.......................weight (lbs)..(kg).....CdA.............MPG........L/100km
Mitsubishi Tredia (1.6L).....2119.....960.......7.5 (approx)....27.3.......8.6	

Conversion Link: http://www.austinev.org/evalbum/1114


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## mattW (Sep 14, 2007)

Just added the details of your Tredia. Yeah its a bit disappointing how tricky it is. I might make a how to 'how to add cars in the wiki'. If anyone else wants to add another car just post it in this thread and i'll add it.


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## mgd_only (Sep 25, 2007)

ok i haven't done an ev conversion but i love the crx used to drive one for 3years and they are very light but another car that i think would be a good option for a conversion is the 1987 toyota mr2 mk1 








heres my baby like her crx rims with the engine,tranny,driver and full fuel tank her weight is 2300 lbs. it has two trunks one in the front thats the big one and one in the rear as it is a mid-engined rear wheel drive car and the fuel tank ran down the center of the vehical in a cavity under the car








and one more pic sorry i don't know how to resize them yet
the reason i pulled every thing is cause this one is getting a 350 hp engine as its my track car but i'm thinkin about geting another one to do an ev conversion .


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## mattW (Sep 14, 2007)

Added the mr2 to the table. Looks like a very good car for a conversion! Thanks for the heads up.


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## mgd_only (Sep 25, 2007)

thanks i guess i'll have to do a conversion now !!! i just have to learn all thats involved


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## Greenflight (Sep 13, 2007)

I really like my current project- 1992 Toyota Tercel.  Great little car. Light, too- 2015 lbs. according to Wikipedia.


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## veperformance (Aug 17, 2007)

I decided to use a transam for my conversion , i admit it's heavy (3300lbs factory) but on the other hand after you remove ice component you get the strenght of a small truck , good aerodynamic and plenty of space to put motor and batteries.the only disadvantage in my setup is the differential since i have to run the motor 3.27x the wheel speed.


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## KiwiEV (Jul 26, 2007)

That Transam's a good looking car but still quite a heavy sucker. 
I'd recommend going for a 144V system at the very minimum and a Zilla Z1k controller. 
When people look at your Transam EV, they will probably expect gasoline V8 performance so do what you can to squeeze every bit of juice out of your electric car setup. No point making a Transam EV if it can't keep up with a little Xebra "trucklet":








Otherwise I reckon the Transam looks great and will stand out!


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## John (Sep 11, 2007)

veperformance,

If you are planning on direct drive you should read the Cafe Electric FAQ on Direct Drive if you haven't already. http://www.cafeelectric.com/blog/?cat=3


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## veperformance (Aug 17, 2007)

Thanks for the advice , in my case i drive the shaft directly but i designed the motor for low rpm and high torq.since the differential is 3.28 i need about 2633rpm for highway speed.i'm looking forward to test the output with 10 agm batteries.the most interresting results will be current drain since most average ev seem to drain over 100amp at highway speed wich i'm trying to bring down by making a more efficient setup.as for performance it will be my next goal after i achive range.but dont worry i'll make shure the zebra dissepear behind.


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## KiwiEV (Jul 26, 2007)

I'll tell you one car I'd love to convert if I won the lottery:









Completely impractical, very heavy and as aerodynamic as a photocopier but MAN do they look good.
I've always had a thing for this styling since it came out. I even like the US version slightly more than the UK version (an absolute first in my entire car loving history) as it has the "twin" circular headlights.

Weighing in at 1.8 tonnes (4000 lbs), it's not a light car by any means and would be completely inefficient - but I'd _still_ love to stick a Zilla 2000 Amp controller, a pile of high performance batts, and couple of FB1-4001A's motors in there. 
It'd cost me $30k but wouldn't it be STUNNING!

Sigh, Ok, back to the Tredia.


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## Mr. Sharkey (Jul 26, 2007)

....









Eh, it would probably _still_ manage to leak oil, even after converion to a pure EV...


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## KiwiEV (Jul 26, 2007)

You must be mistaking that for some other British oil sieve. 
You have to wonder if Big Oil had a hand in the construction of BMC Vehicles, the way they ran through oil like it was going out of fashion.
Oh wait, it is!


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## Mr. Sharkey (Jul 26, 2007)

I hope you're planning on keeping a pan under your EV to catch the electrons that leak out of the open contacts when the car is off. At least they stay clean enough to be poured back into the cells and reused...


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## Greenflight (Sep 13, 2007)

OK, probably showing some major naivete here, but...

WHAT IS IT?!???!!?!!!!!


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## KiwiEV (Jul 26, 2007)

Augh! (Major Gasp)

It's a Jaguar XJS. Or as yanks often say, "jag-waar". Hehehe
Many of them are powered by 4 litre, 12 cylinder engines. They're British cars so as you can expect, they spend half their life at the mechanic, and the other half on the side of the road broken down. 
Having said all that, they're smoother to drive than the Smoothmobile GLX, they have an engine note that's indescribable (it's the "purr" of a Jaguar), and they are exceptionally quick for their age & weight.
To see one in action, and for a laugh, watch this clip.

Be warned, you may become addicted to that show. It's quite good fun. The 1500 pound challenge videos continue here, then here, and finally here.

Enjoy!


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## Greenflight (Sep 13, 2007)

Geez, do I ever feel like an idiot. I figured you were going to say it's one of those few mammoth unpronounceable-name sports/luxury cars from across the pond, and all it is is a "Jag-wire."

Dialup over here, so I won't try to watch the vids until I've got a few free months on my hands...


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## ev3k (Oct 4, 2007)

I just watched the video clips, they were hilarious...I wish I could find them as a download so I could keep a copy for off-line viewing later on...

Steve


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## Craig (Aug 30, 2007)

Hehe great videos, I try to watch whatever bits of the show I can find. You should watch the arctic race (can't find the link, but it's on youtube). It's Hammond with sledge dogs against May and Clarkson in a Toyota Hilux - very fun 

But to get back on topic, what do you think about a 1996 Chrysler Voyager? I can get it for 1600$ (without counting negociations  ) The transmission is shot, but that doesn't really matter, since I _should_ be using a motor with a single-speed gearbox/differential. Now the thing is, I don't know if I'll have the money to get lithium batteries, so I hope it can withstand the weight of lead-acids, just in case. I heard minivans were the worst donor cars because of the suspensions, can anyone confirm that?
But at least, there are advantages. It's big, so I've got lots of space for batteries, people and skis in winter. Well, that's about it ^^


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## KiwiEV (Jul 26, 2007)

Craig said:


> Hehe great videos, I try to watch whatever bits of the show I can find. You should watch the arctic race (can't find the link, but it's on youtube). It's Hammond with sledge dogs against May and Clarkson in a Toyota Hilux - very fun


I saw that episode! It was brilliant! I was laughing all the way to the north pole!
Team Gin & Tonic drove to the North Pole in a car. That's so Clarkson.


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## mattW (Sep 14, 2007)

Yeah top gear has the ability to make any car/concept interesting. I hope the guys at tesla are brave enough to send them a roadster to test on the top-gear track. The one episode i have seen where they featured an electric car (i think it was a zap or G-wiz) had it drive at very slow speeds against someone running and then "run out of batteries" before the finish line... lets just say they weren't very objective. But it would be great testimony if the tesla could just knock them off their seats, i wonder how it would do on the top gear track...


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## mattW (Sep 14, 2007)

If i was to choose an EV purely on emotional grounds i would go with an Austin-Healey Sprite:








They are such beautiful, stylish cars. I have had a thing for them for a while now and would love to do an EV version one day. And if my budget got even less realistic i would go with a Jaguar E-Type:









These E-types are pretty serious collectors items now but they have such lovely lines...


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## Greenflight (Sep 13, 2007)

Well now that we're talking unlimited budgets, I'd have to go with a Lotus Exige S. They're very lightweight cars, tuned to the max (or nearly so) from the factory, plus they have a comparatively simple system (as opposed to, say, a Ferrari).

And they look SOOOOOOO COOOOOOOOOL!


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## mattW (Sep 14, 2007)

If you want a lightweight car checkout this website, Crazy Isle of Man people!


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## Greenflight (Sep 13, 2007)

Man, that Berkeley is awesome! Really, really cool little car. What I wouldn't give to get my hands on one of those.


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## EVplasmaman (Jul 26, 2007)

Mike D EV said:


> I may be biased, but I think the Honda Insight is a great donor car.
> Aluminum and plastic construction, low rolling resistance tires, light and strong.
> I have been driving mine with over 300 lbs of lead, and an 80 lb EV drive system.
> http://www.99mpg.com/Projectcars/mikesinsight/
> ...



I totally agree with you Mike, I am making plans to convert my Insight to pure EV because my IMA battery has bit the dust and I would rather put $3k towards a real EV rather then get a new battery @ $3k per 1kwh


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## david85 (Nov 12, 2007)

I'm a little late to jump in on this one, but I'll try anyway.

I still can't figure out why they stopped making the honda insight in the first place, it wasn't an EV so why did they kill it? As far as I'm concerned, the insight was the closest thing ever to a true hybrid, in that it actually got good MPG (unlike the prius).

Love the E-type though, one of the few cars that is aerodynamic and looks good at the same time. Minimizing drag near the rear of the car is always a challenge, but they got it right with the E-type.

A little ironic that in their day they were actually fairly cheap to buy compared to other high performance cars (comparable to the ford mustang of the same era).


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## houseoffubar (Nov 18, 2007)

Greenflight said:


> Man, that Berkeley is awesome! Really, really cool little car. What I wouldn't give to get my hands on one of those.


 If you enjoyed that, check out this Top Gear video of the Peel... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH7_cDD0KBw Money back if you don't love it!!


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## MitchJi (Dec 14, 2007)

Hi,

My favorites are:
Porsche 912 - 2,095 lbs 
Great sports car with excellent aerodynamics, poor mans Tesla?
Cons: 
$6k to $10k for one in good condition
Probably would not easily accommodate a bunch of batteries
40 years old
scarce and expensive parts

BMW 2002 - 2,225 lbs - $2k to $5k for one in good condition
Cons:
40 years old
scarce and expensive parts
shoe box aerodynamics

VW Rabbit Pickup - 1,830 lbs! 
Easy Conversion, can accommodate 18 or 19 batteries under the bed
Cons:
The pickup might not handle as well as the sedan which has excellent handling.
30 years old
shoe box aerodynamics

Miata - 2,216 lbs
Modern Japanese technology and reliability
Cons:
Might not easily accommodate a bunch of batteries
Handling probably not as good as the 912 or BMW

Honda CRX - 1,970 lbs
Modern Japanese technology and reliability
Cons:
Handling probably not as good as the 912 or BMW


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## Thalass (Dec 28, 2007)

Anything subaru, would be my favourite! But then I'm biased. 

The Liberty sedan I plan on converting has a CoD of 0.337, and weighs 1375kg (aroundabout - I haven't gotten one on the scales yet), and should have room for a decent amount of batteries. 


Though I think with an unlimited budget, I'd want to convert a Carver, or something similar. (there were plans for a similar vehicle that converted into an autogyro! *That* would be awesome)


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## pandaran (Nov 13, 2007)

houseoffubar said:


> If you enjoyed that, check out this Top Gear video of the Peel... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH7_cDD0KBw Money back if you don't love it!!


XD I want one!! Although you really couldn't get anywhere out here going only 35 mph.


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## Alex Everett (Dec 26, 2007)

I have an Aunt with a 2001 Lincolon Town Car (ex series) and she is looking to dump it (cluttering up her yard she says). I do not think that would even come close to the Audi in sex appeal but it is a good looking vehicle. It would really be rough toting around 2000 lbs of batteries in THAT.


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## Dan Frederiksen (Jul 26, 2007)

I have a new favorite if one has a bit more money but wants big bang for the buck










Porsche Boxster 97/98 they can be found in germany for around 15k euro and around 14k$ in USA. there is a nice looking one in portland oregon on autotrader.com now for 13k$. if you are going to spend 10k$ on the electric parts why not spend a little on the car if you have it.
with 4 second electronics that would be one heck of an EV statement for relatively little money


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## david85 (Nov 12, 2007)

You can get a porsche ready converted in the $60k range, and more recently they are offering liPo power. http://www.electrictransport.net/shop/item.asp?itemid=42


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## Dan Frederiksen (Jul 26, 2007)

65k$ is a bit on the steep side, especially with lead batteries 
I'm hoping to make a lithium conversion for a lot less, even if based on a Porsche.


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## MitchJi (Dec 14, 2007)

Hi,

Great choice except that Boxster's are a little heavy (about 2,800 lbs) for EV conversions. 

For about the same amount of money you could probably find a 912 or a 911 of similar vintage in good condition. The 912 weighs about about 2000 lbs.

Mitch


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## Alex Everett (Dec 26, 2007)

I do not think he was looking for weight reduction issues, I believe his main theory is *SUPER SEX APPEAL*. That vehicle would fit the bill. That car is pretty much all engine with a body around it and being a fluid cooled engine (has a radiator) the weight reduction of removed equipment would still put it in the acceptable range.


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## MitchJi (Dec 14, 2007)

Hi,

Estimate 800 lbs engine and transaxle (don't understand how he expects to connect the EV Motor with no transaxle):
[h2]My Electric Boxster[/h2]
By John Stonier 

Episode One: John Stonier picks the donor car for this electric car conversion project. 
http://www.evworld.com/article.cfm?archive=1&storyid=1331&first=3611&end=3610
"My (non-Porsche Dealer) Porsche mechanic estimated the engine/transaxle combination to be at least 800 lbs, which would bring my glider weight now down to the 2000 pound range prior to adding the new EV components."

Mitch


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## Alex Everett (Dec 26, 2007)

Probably the same as I will do with my (MUCH HEAVIER ) Grand Caravolt project. Direct drive to the C.V. axles with a reduction gear assembly.


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## Caffe (Nov 26, 2007)

I really like older, tuned cars in great condition. So here's my favourites for a conversion:









The Volvo Amazon -67









The volvo PV 544 -61









The Volkswagen Golf I -75









The Opel Manta A -75









The BMW E30 Coupe -88

Right now I'm driving a BMW E30 318i Coupe -88 so maybe someday....


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## aeroscott (Jan 5, 2008)

i saw in san jose a 928 (4000 lbs) made into electic .racing seats,no interior ,hand operated windows,etc. came out 200 lbs heaver then a 914 ev.so what is better a 3800 lb. 914 or a 4000 lb 928.he said the engine weight was 750 lbs.its hard to believe.aluminium hood,front fenders,doors?,suspension has lots alu.he and i like the audi a8


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## david85 (Nov 12, 2007)

Hey Caffe, thanks for posting that list, I really like the Opel, nice lines all around.


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## MitchJi (Dec 14, 2007)

Alex Everett said:


> Probably the same as I will do with my (MUCH HEAVIER ) Grand Caravolt project. Direct drive to the C.V. axles with a reduction gear assembly.


Hi Alex,

Don't you need a differential to connect one electric motor to two C.V. axles?

Are reduction gear assemblies an item you can purchase or do you need to have one made up?

Thanks!

Mitch


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## Alex Everett (Dec 26, 2007)

I will be using two smaller motors, one per C.V. axle. Yes you have to get these made as they are not readilly availiable. The company I have contacted ( Ramsey Chain ) informed me that It would be best to use a doubble reduction set to achieve the six to one reduction I need so that would be four gears and two chains on each motor. If I went with a single reduction,( one chain and two gears per ) one of the gears would be so large it would make it a bear to install.


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## MitchJi (Dec 14, 2007)

mattW said:


> If i was to choose an EV purely on emotional grounds i would go with an Austin-Healey Sprite:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/car/536826123.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/car/529306546.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/car/531283906.html


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## MitchJi (Dec 14, 2007)

Thalass said:


> Though I think with an unlimited budget, I'd want to convert a Carver, or something similar. (there were plans for a similar vehicle that converted into an autogyro! *That* would be awesome)


Hi,

You could just purchase (assuming they actually get produced) the EV version of the Venture One:
http://www.flytheroad.com/


> The VentureOne
> 
> Introducing the VentureOne, a revolutionary 3-wheel, tilting, plug-in Hybrid vehicle. This unique 2-passenger flex-fuel Hybrid vehicle will achieve 100 miles per gallon, accelerate from 0-60 in 7 seconds with a top speed of over 100 mph, yet at a retail price of under $20,000.
> 
> ...


Proposed Designs:
http://flytheroad.com/blog/forums/topic.php?id=495&replies=252


> Oh, as long as I have you here... I mentioned that on December 20th, 2007, our design partners presented us with the full-sized models of the two final candidate designs for the VentureOne. Here are a few images from that event:
> Design presentation:
> http://www.flytheroad.com/1_4_07_post/3.jpg
> http://www.flytheroad.com/1_4_07_post/19.jpg
> ...


Mitch


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## Thalass (Dec 28, 2007)

Cool! I didn't see the Venture One before! 

Can't put a reservation in, though. My state isn't listed in the drop down menu! 

Stupid america-centric websites. blarg. 


Other than that, niiiice.


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## erknjerk (Apr 27, 2009)

One thing about the CR-X HF is by the time you upgrade the suspension and brakes [(they suck to begin with)(replace due to high mileage)} you'll put back the main things Honda took out to make the care lighter. Not to mention the weight of the motor also adds to the "bulk" of the SI

If I go FWD it'll be a CR-X SI so I can get disc brakes all around along with better interior. If I go RWD I'm thinking about the E30 BMW 3 series.


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