You will find articles organized by categories, along with recent comments, along the right hand column of the website. If you are just getting started with the idea of converting a gas car to electric be sure to check out Your First Electric Car .
Welcome and enjoy!
-Jerry
Boxed In · 14 October 05
Last night I brought home a bunch of scrap cardboard with the one goal in mind of making a cardboard battery mock-up so I can start experimenting with battery placement in Eve.
Nothing is ever that easy.
“Lessee,” I mumble to myself, “What size of battery am I going to use? I know, let’s check the internet!”
EV Batteries · 29 September 05
Now that the engine and most of the extra parts are out of Eve I’m starting to think about next steps. Right at the top of the list is figuring out what kind of batteries to use, how many, and where to put all of them.
On the first EV I went with lead acid and the more that I look into the types (and prices) of batteries these days the more I’m starting to think that I’ll be using lead acid again.
Or will I?
Swapping Batteries · 3 September 05
Mike wrote the other day to suggest a setup where you have a couple battery packs. Instead of parking the EV to recharge you replace the drained pack with a charged one and the old pack recharges while you are away.
What about Hybrid pushers: for cars or bikes? Instead of hauling all of the unused gas components around every day you leave them at home until needed. Another reader suggests making an EV pusher for existing gas cars.
Batteries · 20 August 05
Batteries can be the hardest item to decide on for a new EV. Do you buy huge, deep cycle batteries for the utmost in range or spry, lightweight “new tech” batteries which cost more but promise snappier performance?
Our first EV started off with twelve Trojan SCS225 deep cycle batteries. Even though I treated them rather badly (a charger failure and a missed watering) they lasted for three years. The next set ended up being a slightly cheaper set of generic deep cycle marine batteries and they barely lasted a year. After that it was back to the SCS225.
For longer battery life a 12v deep cycle isn’t the optimal choice. It is better to go with an 8volt, or better yet 6volt deep cycle battery, which are rated for 300-500 80% discharge cycles.
Here’s a list of FAQs, information, and suppliers.
- Battery Glossary
- Deep Cycle FAQ
- Ultimate Battery FAQ
- Battery User’s Guide
- Battery Info
- Simon’s Battery Info
- Uve’s Battery Page
- Trojan Batteres
- Optima
- Evercel
- NiZn Batteries
- Ultra Capacitors
- Thundersky
- Avestore
- Valence
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