.
Parting thoughts…

Naysayers are quick to scoff at medium-speed electric vehicles as “useless”, arguing that they’re too slow and don’t go far enough on a charge (OK, they say that part about almost all EV’s).  What these people fail to understand is that their vehicle needs are not the same as everyone else’s vehicle needs.

Tens of thousands of people in North America and elsewhere have already bought and are using low- and medium-speed electric vehicles for local driving, from actual golf carts, to NEV’s (neighbourhood electric vehicles), to faster cars such as the classic Citicar/Commutacar, to the newer Zap Xebra.

And now they’re building their own, on the cheap!

Feel motivated?  Well then, here’s what we learned about budget EVs from the 3 amigos, both in general and specifically:

In general…

Be realistic

Understand that you probably can’t build a highway capable EV with a 40+ mile range on the cheap.  (But if you’ve done it, drop us a line!)  Each of these cars tops out around 45 mph, and a more realistic “working” top speed is probably low to mid 30′s.  Steep hills are to be avoided.

No experience required

- two of the builders had zero experience with electric vehicles
- one had little experience working on cars in general
- all you need to know you can learn on the Web

Reuse & recycle

Read the build threads for these vehicles and you’ll discover lots of creative low-cost recycling ideas.  “Repurposed” parts in the ForkenSwift, for example, include bits from a dead inkjet printer, old tricycle, dead 12v cooler, old bed frame, used welding cable and more.

Patience is a virtue

The challenge of buying used parts and scouring eBay for killer deals is that it will probably take some time to find the things you’ll need.  If you’re an impulsive type prone to temper tantrums when you can’t get something you want RIGHT NOW, a budget EV project is probably not for you.

Let no parts go to waste

Just because you’ve decided the internal combustion engine is useless for your purposes, doesn’t mean it’s actually worthless.  In the case of both Metro projects, slightly more money was recovered by selling good parts (fuel tanks, radiators, working engines) than the cars originally cost!  As well, hundreds of dollars were recovered by selling the forklift chassis after stripping the electric parts.

More specifically …

Go light

By definition, a medium speed budget EV is not going to need to carry a lot of batteries or generate a lot of power.  Which means you should try to find a lightweight host car to keep the overall power to weight ratio manageable.

Forklifts and golf carts and used parts, oh my

The biggest fleets of EV’s in the world are found in warehouses and on golf courses.  The companies that sell/service/repair these vehicles are potentially a good source of affordable used parts, particularly if you take an entire old unit off their hands.

The 72 volt threshold

The lower your system voltage, the lower your component and battery costs.  That said, a 48 volt 400 amp subcompact car is just barely workable in what most people would consider normal driving, and only on flat roads.  A 72 volt setup is more realistic, and as it turns out, motor controllers that can handle 72 volts seem to be just below a threshold where the price goes up significantly.

A 48-72 volt battery pack (assuming lead-acid) also keeps you closer to the weight limit that a smaller host vehicle can carry without exceeding its gross vehicle weight limit (affecting suspension & braking ability).

Used batteries

Second hand batteries can be a viable option, which is good because along with the motor and motor controller, the battery pack is one of the 3 costliest parts of an electric conversion.  Depending on your range needs, it is possible to find used ones that may meet your minimum range goals.  Two of the three cheap EV’s featured in this series are running on batteries from other EV’s owners which were either upgraded, or replaced once they no longer met their minimum range needs.

Connect with experts & people with experience

Electric Vehicle Discussion List – evdl.org
EValbum – evalbum.com
EcoModder Fossil Fuel Free forum – ecomodder.com/forum/fossil-fuel-free.html
DIY Electric Car forum – diyelectriccar.com

Well – what are you waiting for?

]]> http://ecomodder.com/blog/dirt-cheap-diy-electric-cars-part-5/feed/ 3 http://ecomodder.com/blog/dirt-cheap-diy-electric-cars-part-4/ http://ecomodder.com/blog/dirt-cheap-diy-electric-cars-part-4/#comments Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:39:34 +0000 Benjamin Jones http://ecomodder.com/blog/?p=747

Electric cars don’t have to be prohibitively expensive.  In fact, they can be surprisingly affordable for a resourceful tinkerer.  In Part 4 of this 5 part series, Paul Holmes answers ten questions posed to him about his $2200, 1971 Volkswagen Beetle electric conversion, and the lessons learned from the experience.

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1) How much did it cost?

The total cost was $2200. The batteries were $1500, and everything else was about $700. I could have gotten a good deal on some used Deep Cycle batteries, but my wife applied for a Sears Card, so we got six Platinum Die Hard Deep Cycle AGM batteries.

2) How far can it go on a charge?

I estimate that it will go 20 miles at 25 mph (totally dead battery pack). The maximum I have driven it was about 12 miles in a day, and it still had plenty left.

3) How fast can it go?

The top speed is about 50 mph. The fastest I’ve gone is 45 mph. The front of the car shakes if I go over 35 mph (the Super Beetle Shimmies – still working out some bugs). I typically cruise at 30 mph. No one gets angry at me, and it keeps the current draw from the battery pack down to about 70 amps.

4) Why did you do this?

My wife and I rented the movie “Who Killed the Electric Car” a while back. Around the same time, I watched “An Inconvenient Truth”. I converted my bike to electric and began using it as my commuting vehicle to various substitute teaching jobs. As I would sit in traffic behind cars, it would make me choke sometimes. I started to see all those cars as stink bomb factories. They were everywhere, everyday. I noticed that it smelled really nice for about an hour after it would rain, and then the stink would slowly take over once again. I imagined what it would be like if all the cars were electric. Sitting at lights in total silence. No stink being emitted. It could smell beautiful and fresh every day, assuming we could generate the electricity in a clean way. Well, I wanted to be the change that I wanted to see in the world. I decided to attempt a cheap conversion, even though I had no idea how.

5) Where did you get the idea/motivation?

I knew a cheap conversion could be done after reading Dr. Larry Tillman’s conversion blog (part one, part 2, EV Album). Then I saw some videos of the ForkenSwift. $680? Heck! I could afford that! Also, after riding an electric bike around for a while, I just had to drive in an electric car. Also, gas was $4.00/gallon.

6) What do you typically use the car for?

I use it to drive to school every day, each time I get groceries, every time I go somewhere that is not freeway driving.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96Wlm4CXnWs

7) What’s the coolest response you’ve had to the car?

I incorporated it into a math lesson for algebra students. We went outside to the parking lot and when I turned the car on, they thought it was very funny that it made no sound other than a click of the contactor. Only when I started to back up did they really believe me that it was on. They started taking out their cell phones and snapping pictures. When I pulled back into the parking spot, the crowd of students parted and then enclosed the car in a circle once I was back where I started. Everyone was offering congratulations and asking how they could do it too.

8 ) What is something unexpected you learned/discovered from your project.

I didn’t really think it would work once it was done. Except for a few minor things, everything worked exactly as I hoped it would. It was EASIER than I thought it would be.

9) What was the hardest part of the project?

The hardest part was connecting the motor to the transmission. Specifically, making the spacers for the adapter plates was very difficult. They had to be exactly the same length, and they needed a hole drilled down their center, which was hard.

10) Any advice for anyone else considering doing something like this?

You don’t need to know anything about cars to convert a car to electric! I knew NOTHING about cars!!! I’m not demonstrating false humility here – I knew NOTHING!!! If you keep it simple, it can be a fairly straightforward and cheap process. Also, get a professional to mate the motor and transmission. It will be like $500, but it’s really, really annoying making those spacers! Pay the dang money.

Thanks, Paul!

Links to more info about Paul’s car:

• Read the project’s build thread in the EcoModder forum
• Vehicle specs at DIYelectriccar
• More vids on YouTube showing this electric car

Next in this series:

> Part 5 – Parting thoughts

Electric cars don’t have to be prohibitively expensive.  In fact, they can be surprisingly affordable for a resourceful tinkerer.  In Part 3 of this 5 part series, Darin Cosgrove answers ten questions posed to him about his $955, 1992 Geo Metro electric conversion, and the lessons learned from the experience.

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1) Tell us about the build cost.

First, can I just say that even though I’m usually the “mouth” of Project ForkenSwift, it was actually a two person build: my friend Ivan and I split the cost and the work.

The cost:  Well, we had it on the road for under $700 Canadian pesos.  But since then we’ve upgraded the motor controller (more power!), and bought a “new” set of used batteries (better performance, more range), and a few other bits and pieces.  So now we’re at $955.

The TOTAL cash outlay was closer to $2100, but we got a lot of that back by selling a bunch of stuff:  $400 for left over car parts that were in good shape – engine, radiator and gas tank; we got $364 in scrap metal prices for the stripped forklift, and sold the main drive motor to another EV builder.

We also had a couple of generous donations or deeply discounted prices on used parts from other EV enthusiasts.

See the car’s full cost breakdown here: Project ForkenSwift EV conversion costs.

2) How far can it go on a charge?

With the latest pack of “new to us” batteries, the farthest I’ve gone on a single charge was 44 km (27 miles).  But that was under ideal conditions: warm weather, fresh off the charger, good traffic conditions.

If you draw things out over the course of a few days or a week with multiple short trips, with more stop & go, I’d say 25-30 km (17 miles) is more typical before it starts to get tired.

In the winter, take maybe 40% off that distance, mostly because the battery pack isn’t insulated and lead acid batteries hate being cold.

3) How fast does it go?

It’ll hit 50 km/h (30 mph) in normal driving just fine, but it doesn’t get there particularly quickly.  On a fresh charge it takes about 21 seconds to hit that speed.  My 7 year old nephew could out sprint the car in a drag race for a good 5 car lengths!  So we stay on the side roads.

75 km/h (47 mph) is the absolute fastest I’ve had going.  It could actually go faster than that, but at that speed it’s accelerating so slowly that I’d need something like the Bonneville salt flats to get the distance required to max it out!

More performance information: How fast?  How far?  How much?

4) Why did you build it?

Because Ivan built a new garage/workshop, and he put a beer fridge in it, so we needed a project! Both of us had seen some electric conversions on the web and basically thought they were cool and unique.  We’re both basically gearheads – we’ve worked on cars a fair amount, but neither of us knew the first thing about EV’s.  So we started reading, crunched some numbers and agreed to go for it, figuring it probably wouldn’t cost much more than about $2k.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBQWXyxSTyU

5) Where did you get the idea/motivation?

Specifically from two other EVs: I read about a Yugo converted to electric for $800, good for 35 mph and 13 miles range.  That guy is a resourceful builder!  He even made his own charger. He’s since blown up the first motor and put a bit more money into it, but it’s still impressive.

The other car that proved a low-tech, medium speed EV can be practical for some drivers is the classic Citicar / Comutacar.  They sold over 1000 of them in the 70′s and 80′s.  Funky electric doorstops.

6) What do you typically use the car for?

I use it mostly when the weather is crummy and I don’t feel like riding my bicycle.  I call it “the electric umbrella”.  I’ll use it in nice weather too if I’m feeling particularly lazy.  And sometimes it gets used to haul larger stuff that I can’t carry on my bike.

Since finishing the EV, my gas car pretty much sits for weeks at a time between trips.  It’s become a highway-only vehicle – I hardly ever use it for local driving any more.

7) What’s the coolest response you’ve had to your car?

The mailman LOVES the car.  He watched me tinkering on it in the driveway quite a bit and saw the project progress from beginning to end, and always stopped to talk to me about how it was coming along.

Ivan’s house is on a different mail route, and even HIS mailman had the same response.  The guy even brought his kids over one day after work so they could see it.

We’ve had more than a couple of people contact us online, out of the blue, and ask if they can come see the car – including CBC national news.

Canadians (only) can watch this CBC News item

8 ) Tell us something unexpected you learned/discovered from your project.

Two things: First, I had no idea it would be so much fun to drive.  Who knew going this slow could be such a blast?  I love how quiet it is – and there’s something almost sneaky about driving somewhere not burning any gas.  Google “EV Grin” and you’ll find out what I’m talking about.

Second, I was totally blown away by how generous people were when they found out about the project.  When they saw we were seriously doing this, they wanted to help!  The “EV community” – online and in real life – is pretty amazing in its willingness to offer professional level advice, answer questions, loan tools, donate parts… you name it.

Even the guys at the local lift truck shop where we bought the forklift were great.  When I brought over the car to show them – all cleaned up for an EV car show – the manager was so blown away, he made us a standing offer to sell batteries at cost if we ever decide to go for a brand new pack.  (Probably won’t!)

9) What was the hardest part?

Technically, the hardest part was deciding how to mate our oddball motor to the transmission, and lining it up perfectly.  (The motor has an internally splined female shaft – normally you’d use a male shaft for this kind of thing.)  So we had a machinist fabricate a custom coupler and drill all the holes in the various parts so they lined up 100%.  Then he gave us a discount because he liked what we were doing.

10) Any advice for anyone else considering doing something like this?

General advice: It’s not hard to build an affordable medium speed EV.  As long as you understand what you’re going to end up with and have realistic expectations – obviously this kind of vehicle doesn’t work for everyone.  As your “minimum goals” for performance (speed/acceleration) and range go up, it gets harder and harder to find inexpensive or used parts that will do the job.

Specific advice: start by surfing the EV Album to see what other people have built to get an idea of what you want to do.  That’s an incredibe resource.  If you get stuck on specifics, the EV Discussion List (EVDL) is the grand-daddy of electric car discussion groups where you can talk to real experts and get help.  Also check out the plucky upstart: DIY Electric Car forum.  And of course, if there’s an actual EV group in your area, go check it out.

Thanks, Darin!

Links to more info about Project ForkenSwift:

• Web site: Project ForkenSwift: electric car conversion on a beer budget
• Follow the project’s extensive build thread in the EcoModder forum
• EV Album entry: Darin’s 1992 Geo Metro ForkenSwift
• More YouTube videos showing this electric car

Next in this series:

> Paul Holmes’ $2200, 1971 VW Beetle

Electric cars don’t have to be prohibitively expensive.  In fact, they can be surprisingly affordable for a resourceful tinkerer.  In Part 2 of this 5 part series, Ben Nelson answers ten questions posed to him about his $1200, 1995 Geo Metro electric conversion, and the lessons he learned from the experience.

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1) Tell us about the build cost

I put about $1200 into the project all together, and that includes buying the car in the first place. I spent $500 to get the car, but then got back $550 in parts that I sold off of it. That means I got the “glider” for free.

Other parts were mostly purchased used. Some were salvaged, and a few were donated. I bought my motor for $50 out of a guy’s garage.

I paid almost $400 for a bunch of work by a local machinist. It was all worth it, as I had NO experience or the right tools for that. But if I had been able to do that work myself, the whole project would have only been around 800 bucks.

Considering that many EV conversion kits start at around $6000, I think I did pretty well. I saw a guy a few weeks back doing a very nice high-end truck conversion. His battery CHARGER cost more than my ENTIRE PROJECT!

The battery pack could be the most expensive part of a
cheap EV. Two of the three EV’s in this series (including
this one) are running on used batteries.

2) How far can it go on a charge?

The farthest I have gone is 20 miles. My batteries are slightly used, but purchased at “core-charge” cost. I only have 6, 12V, 100AH batteries, so it’s a pretty small pack in electric car terms. But considering most my trips are only about 10 miles, it’s more than enough.

3) How fast does it go?

Fast enough to get a speeding ticket! The car can get up to 45 mph. Typical driving is around 35 mph. Acceleration is good from 0-30 and pretty slow from 35-45.

4) Why did you build it?

I wanted to have a vehicle that was cheap to run. I also just wanted something much more efficient on short trips. Short trips are the absolute worst for internal combustion engine efficiency.

The more I learn about oil production, and its true cost, the less I want to use any of it, period. My car runs on renewable electricity, not power made from coal or oil.

5) Where did you get the idea/motivation?

I don’t think I ever would have even attempted something like this without at least a little electric vehicle experience under my belt. Last year, I converted a motorcycle to electric. That gave me the confidence to try an automobile.

Each of the cheap EV’s in the trio is driven by a used
forklift motor.  Ben disassembled and cleaned his,
having never worked on an electric motor before.

6) What do you typically use the car for?

The car gets used a lot for all those little errands that always add up: quick trips to the grocery store, to get take-out food, to go to the post office. We also used the car a few times for pickup up and dropping off my wife at her carpool. Take-out pizza seems to be a theme in how I used electric vehicles.  I also used it for hauling wood for my annual bonfire in October.

7) What’s the coolest response you’ve had to your car?

I did get a good one a while back: I showed it to the husband of my wife’s co-worker. After a brief tour, he said “A knucklehead like you can build something like this? Why can’t Detroit?” I just had to ask him right back, “I don’t know, why can’t they?”

On another occasion, I was riding back from some out of town work with a guy, and was getting dropped off at a parking lot, where I had driven the Electro-Metro to meet him in the morning. I had made it there first, so he hadn’t seen the car drive yet. During the day, we chit-chatted about what I had done converting a car to electric. When we finally made it back to my car, I told him I would show him the car in action. I was planning on just driving a loop or two around the parking lot. The instant I had the car in reverse, and started backing out of the parking space, he burst out in uncontrollable laughter! I really don’t think he was expecting how quiet it was, the fact that it could move without an engine, or that I had built the thing!

Another time, my high-school-school aged younger brother and his three friends showed up un-announced at my house. They came to see the “cool electric car”. I was excited to know they thought of my Metro that way. Unfortunately, they were there to see my 1977 Citicar! None the less, since the Metro is a four-seater, I was able to take all three of the friends for a ride around the neighborhood. Try fitting 4 people in a Citicar!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntwje4ZiFsg

8 ) Tell us something unexpected you learned/discovered from your project.

I guess a big thing is that I didn’t realize how many new people I would meet, and become friends with. I had no idea how many people were quietly working on similar projects in their backyards and garages. A group of us have an informal club going now, working on each other’s electric vehicle projects. We have even talked about building a group project, maybe auctioning it off for charity. There’s lots of amazing people out there, doing incredible work, and it’s not the sort of thing you hear about on the nightly news.

9) What was the hardest part?

The hardest part of this project was forging ahead at times where it seemed like I hit a dead-end. A part didn’t work. I didn’t know how to do something. I didn’t have the right tool.

There have been too many things in my life I haven’t completed. I wasn’t going to let this be one of them. I seriously did pull the engine out with LITERALLY a clothes line. I negotiated an unbeatable deal on a second transmission at the junk yard when I found the original wasn’t going to be usable. I tore down and rebuilt a forklift motor, even though I had never done anything like that before.

When we learn new things and work on projects like this, we really aren’t building machines, we are building ourselves. When we get together with friends, we forge bonds of friendship as much as we weld steel.

10) Any advice for anyone else considering doing something like this?

You are crazy! But that’s ok. Just decide to do it. Make the choice, then throw your heart into it. Make new friends. Go to the library. Learn all you can. Get support. Find other people who are interested in it. Join the Electric Auto Association. Brag about it. Revel in success and learn from setbacks. Take pride in something you can do yourself, even if it’s rusty, even if it only goes 25 mph.

99% of all the advice I get on my project comes from people who have never done anything similar to it. The other 1% – they’re my new friends – comrades in greasy hands, busted knuckles, and EV grins.

Thanks, Ben!

Here are some links to more info about Ben’s Electro Metro and his other EV projects:

• The detailed Electro-Metro build thread in the EcoModder forum
  
• Quite a few YouTube videos documenting the conversion
• Its EV Album entry: Ben Nelson’s 1996 Geo Metro
• Here’s his DIY electric motorcycle (and here, and here), plus the classic electric CitiCar he picked up this fall to restore
• He’s also working with another EV builder on a video series about the electric conversion of a Dodge Neon.  He posts updates on his blog site

Next in this series:

> Darin Cosgrove’s / Ivan Limburg’s $955, 1993 Geo Metro “ForkenSwift”

So you want a 100% electric car for commuting or running errands in your town or small city.

Maybe you’ve dreamt of whipsering down the road in a clean, quiet Tesla roadster … and then you woke up screaming at the thought of the $109,000 U.S. price tag.

In that case,  may we present the other end of the EV spectrum: a trio of street legal electric cars converted from gasoline to battery power for an average price of $1450 each.  (No, that’s not a typo.)

.

We have written previously about Project ForkenSwift, the electric Geo Metro made from forklift and golf cart parts for the princely sum of $672 (its build cost has since crept up to  $955 – details in part 3).  At that time, it might have been easy to dismiss that low-cost grocery getter as an unrealistic one-off, assembled by obsessively cost-conscious builders.

But since then, two more affordable, electric runabouts (their motors also sourced from used forklifts) have hit the streets.  Which lends proof to the idea that electric drive does not have to be prohibitively expensive for the motivated tinkerer (note that we specifically didn’t say “experienced” or “skilled” tinkerer).

To be clear, nobody is pretending for a moment that these cars can go even remotely as fast or as far as a Tesla.  But compare on “cost per range” or “cost per MPH”, and they’ve got the roadster beat!

(Tesla image: Tinou Bao)

OK, OK, so the average motorist won’t be lusting after these cars for their range & performance specs (or their looks, for that matter).   They probably wouldn’t even meet the current daily needs of the motoring majority.  But that doesn’t mean “medium speed”, relatively short-range EV’s can’t be practical for some drivers.   Used in the context they were designed for, the owners of these cars each report that they are useful and fun vehicles.

In this 5 part series, we’ll find out how they did it, what lessons they learned along the way, and what advice they have for others thinking about inexpensive EV conversions.

Next, the three EV amigos:

Part 2: Ben Nelson’s 1995 Geo Metro “Electro-Metro”

Total build cost, including car: $ 1200.00
72 volts / 400 amps
Wisconsin, USA

Part 3 – Darin Cosgrove’s 1992 Geo Metro “Project ForkenSwift”

Total build cost, including car: $ 955
48 volts / 400 amps
Brockville, Ontario, Canada

Part 4 – Paul Holmes’ 1973 VW Beetle

Lacey, Washington, USA
72 volts / 300 amps
Total build cost, including car: $ 2100

Part 5 – Parting thoughts

—

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Every so often, we at EcoModder get asked if we’re ever going to get into the business of making production, bolt on ecomods. Even though it makes sense, we’re much more interested in sharing information and encouraging crowd-sourcing within the EcoModder community. A prime example of that can be seen with the MPGuino, a piece of open-source instrumentation that has been developed and supported by some great forum members.

Well, now it seems like ecomodding has trickled down as far as the aftermarket gas mileage nuts in Japan. These days, for as little as 171 bucks you can buy an undertray for your Honda Fit. Undertrays improve aerodynamics and therefore gas mileage, and are a common addition for many ecomodders. However, it’s rare to see a part with such polish coming out on the aftermarket.

As the original forum poster notes, it’s not a direct fit, but it definitely can fit and looks good when installed:

This of course brings up that age-old question: how much money will you spend to save on gas? Is it really worth $171 bucks for a little bump in fuel economy? Over the life of the car, it’s likely that you’ll come out ahead, which is why many manufacturers have been adding larger and more complete undertrays to their cars. However, you’ve got to consider that this is the aftermarket ecomodding, and the cool factor definitely kicks in. Don’t you want to be the first on the block with a professionally made undertray?

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With winter fast approaching we’ll be seeing a lot more of this sort of thing.  We’ll also see our MPG drop off. This is normal. You will get lower mileage in winter, its just physics. However, there are a few things you can do to fight it. Here is my winterization list along with a few ideas from others on our forum. It includes ecomods and general winterization tips.

Use a block heater.
In colder weather it takes even longer for your engine to warm up. A block heater can totally negate this penalty of winter. It also gets you heat a heck of a lot sooner! Put it on a timer to reduce electricity usage.

Install or beef up your grill block.
Last winter I ran my Matrix with a FULL grill block. The upper and lower grills were both completely blocked off and I never had any problems with coolant temps spiking at all. Depending on your climate, you might be able to do the same. The more you can block off the faster your warm up times will be and the more aerodynamic your vehicle becomes.

Install a radiator block.
If you don’t feel up to the task of installing a grill block, you can still speed up warm up times with a radiator block.  These are extremely easy to make with a simple piece of cardboard.  Just cut it to size and slide it in front of your radiator.  Size it accordingly and watch coolant temperatures to be safe.

Use thinner oil if possible.
Some manufacturers specify thinner oil to be used at colder temperatures. Check your manual to see if you can run thinner oil. This will help your car start easier in the cold and reduce power losses to friction in the engine especially during warm up.

Use a warm air intake.
Similar to our all around warm air intake ecomod, its use is even more dramatic in the cold months.
“Higher intake charge temperature has been found to increase the flame speed, the combustion reaction rate, the uniformity of the fuel-air mixture and reduce the heat transfer rate though the cylinder walls. This all adds up to the engine using more heat for physical movement and less being wasted.”

Use an 110V AC heater to preheat your cabin.
If you like jumping into a warmed up car, don’t go out and idle your car or use a remote start. A better way is to go pickup a small space heater. Plug it in 10 minutes before you go to get into a nice warm car. If you don’t even want to go out into the cold, I saw some remote plug units the other day at the store for turning on Christmas lights. Warm your car from the comfort of your home without using gas!

Get those snow tires on.
If you live in an especially snowy area, winter tires can literally be a life saver. Last year was the first year I’ve used snow tires, and I was very happy I put them on. My wife drives around a lot for her job, so its good to know she can get around better than before.

However, you will take a hit in rolling resistance when going to a snow tire. They are generally made from a softer rubber that will increase rolling resistance. Add that to the fact that they’re made to grip in snow and you have a tire that isn’t the most MPG friendly. So, this is your call. Just make sure to be safe out there.

Adjust tire pressure.
Again, this will be your call. Higher tire pressure is pretty much great for spring through fall. Its downside is definitely winter though. A hard tire is not going to mold well to an uneven surface like a snow covered road. So, it is advisable to think about decreasing tire pressure in the winter. You don’t have to lower it a ton, just find a pressure you are comfortable with.

Check and/or replace your windshield wipers.
You don’t want to find out your wipers are bad that first morning you wake up to a freezing cold vehicle. Its much easier to take a little initiative and check them while its still relatively warm out. Pickup a set of winter wipers. They have a softer rubber that doesn’t streak as much as normal wipers will.

What do you do to prepare for winter?

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I’m always excited when I run across a group of people excited about the same things that get me excited. It’s only natural, right? That’s why I was particularly intrigued when I saw this blog dedicated to the ecomodding of two Hyundais for max mileage.

What’s more exciting is that these mods are being undertaken with the goal of quanitifying and evaluating the affect that they have on fuel economy. The basic premise is that the bloggers have taken two stock Hyundai Sonatas and are sending them to a place called Illuminati Motor Works to have them ecomodded. The bloggers will then keep track of fuel economy and do a cost benefit analysis.

The real problem, though, which I guess these guys have yet to realize is that fuel economy testing is highly variable. Take a look at this and tell me if you see anything suspicious:

Josh and George are out on our second run of the day, we’ve replaced the oil with fully synthetic, Royal Purple, which claims increased engine performance and mileage from using their product.  Our average highway mileage prior to changing the oil to Royal Purple was 30.5 MPG; which happens to be the highway mileage for both vehicles, the average highway mileage with Royal Purple was 33.5, a 10% increase above our baseline.  Now that the Royal purple is in and we like the results, we’re leaving it in the vehicle for the rest of today’s testing.  Currently we are testing a voltage stabilizer which claims it can increase your engine performance and mileage by stabilizing the voltage in your electrical system….we’ll see.

Yes? I thought so! I wonder how much the temperature, wind, and traffic conditions changed between the first and second run. I wonder how much they actually drove to get this mileage data. I wonder if anyone really thinks synthetic oil can increase fuel economy 10%. And most of all, I wonder if they really think they’ll get any respectable results by stringing together dubious modifications while just comparing each one to the last.

I don’t mean to seem like a downer, but wouldn’t you be a little suspicious if the EPA did their mileage testing by driving around town a bit and writing down a number, then just moving on to the next car? I’m not trying to challenger their ideas, just their methodology.

What do you think? Will you be taking their advice or are you just too skeptical?

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A few months ago in a post about A/C alternatives I promised you I’d try some of the gadgets and get back to you. Well, summer has finally hit and in between sweaty drives around town I’ve been doing a little research. Here’s what I’ve learned:

1. the A/C shirts, according to some cycling reviews I’ve read, are kind of uncomfortable and don’t last very long. Coupled with the high price, I let this one pass;
2. this was the cheapest option, and therefore first on my list, stay tuned for more info;
3. seems like it would work better than #1, but again, cost is a factor. I might give this a try later;
4. definitely still on the to do list, expect an update on this before I shell out for #3;
5. this is definitely next up with the beaded seats already taken of, when I return from HybridFest this is my next mod.

Before thinking about these tricks for alternative A/C, I’d always thought those beaded seat covers were for weirdos. Luckily, the other founder of EcoModder told me that they did a great job of keeping you cool in the summer. I was a little skeptical, but when he showed me his beaded covers and I realized I could get a pair for just $26 dollars (shipping included), I figured it was worth a try.

The Komfort Beads showed up on my doorstep the day after I ordered them, and I went right ahead and threw them on both my passenger and driver’s seats. It wasn’t very hot outside, so I couldn’t tell how they worked during short trips around town, but today they got their first real trial.

The Date

When I removed my A/C (most of you will think I’m a fool, but it never worked anyway), I decided that the ultimate replacement would be found when I could go to a date and take a date in my car without showing up a puddle of sweat or reducing her to one. Today I got to put this to the test, as it was extremely sunny and blisteringly hot on the way to an engagement with a lady caller.

I won’t get into the date, but the beads were a success. When I showed up I was a little toasty, but my back felt much nicer than usual and wasn’t a pool of sweat. The seat was still slightly uncomfortable, but it was definitely refreshing to have my back feeling good. When she got into the car, she agreed. I’m sure she’s used to A/C, but I didn’t hear any complaints about the heat. The only negative seemed to be that the beads could tug at longer hair.

Success!

Yep, I’m going to call it a success. The beads don’t put you in a 70F paradise, but they greatly improve summer driving and reduce sweat. Especially for just $26 for a pair, this was a great deal. Does anyone have any other beaded seat cover brands they can recommend?

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If you haven’t heard by now, there’s a guy named Mike Turner who’s doing what most people would at first think impossible: getting 95 MPG in an old Civic. How did he achieve such an outstanding feat? Ecodriving and aeromodding.

An Ecomodder.com Forum member, Mike is well known for being one of the first to step out on a limb and make some radical modifications to his car. And better than just radical modifications, Mike’s had radical results, “95 mpg is what I typically get while driving at a constant speed from 30 to 65 mph on a flat road in 80 degree F temperatures with well broken-in tires.”

The most shocking thing, when hearing the 95 MPG figure, is perhaps that Mike is driving a 15 year old car, which was built long before hybrids even saw the market.

It would certainly be fair to say that Mike is now famous within the ecomodding community for his extensive modifications. Many of us (myself included), just don’t have the guts to go the extra mile, and we applaud his efforts for showing us how worth it it can be.

Mike combined highly-honed ecodriving skills with innovative aeromods to get the full package. At first, he began with engine-off coasting, driving with load (setting a target fuel economy and attempting to reach it at all costs), feathered acceleration, and plain old slowing down.

On the aeromodding side of things, as you can see in the original thread, Mike has decked out his car from the nose cone to the side skirts to the full boattail. For more pictures, see the bottom of the post.

Related links:

• More photos (19) of the Aerocivic
• Ecomodder Forum
  
• Ecodriver’s Ed – driving techniques
  
• Aerodynamic modifications discussion
  

From behind:

The nosecone:

What do you get when you cross a Geo Metro with an electric forklift, a golf cart, and a bunch of used batteries? You get the “ForkenSwift” (see web site), a ridiculously inexpensive, home-built, street-legal electric car.

This battery powered grocery getter was built by Darin Cosgrove and Ivan Limburg, of Brockville, Ontario. The friends were looking for a project to do in Limburg’s new workshop, and set their sights on building an EV after reading about a couple of DIY electric car conversions on the web.

Since neither of them had tackled anything quite like this before, they were wary of breaking the bank on what amounted to a rolling science project with a questionable outcome. So they bought all their parts & supplies second hand, and scrounged a few for free. They even recovered some of their costs by selling left over parts as they went along…

• They sold the Geo’s engine and its recently replaced gas tank through an online ad – you don’t need either of those in an EV!

• Most of the electric parts came from an old, used forklift they bought for $500. After removing its four DC motors and control module, they got most of their money back by selling the 16,000 lb chassis to a metal recycler, and one of the extra motors to another EV builder.

They caught a big break when it came time to get the car’s lead acid batteries.

“We met another EV owner who liked what we were doing, so he gave us a bunch of used batteries he had just replaced in his own EV,” says Cosgrove.

But the second hand lead has a downside: they probably could have doubled the distance the car could go on a charge if they had bought new.

The Metro’s small 48 volt battery pack is a major clue as to how they were able to keep costs so low: Cosgrove and Limburg built the car with ridiculously modest specs. With just eight 6 volt batteries and a motor controller from a golf cart, it’s an understatement to say the electric Metro doesn’t go very fast or very far.

But they say it does just fine as a neighbourhood runabout on the quiet streets of their small city. And by aiming low, they were able to avoid the pricier components and extra batteries needed for a more powerful, highway capable EV.

Their forklift motor driven Metro passed inspection and went on the road a few months ago. Since then it has gone more than 650 kilometers (400 miles) without using a drop of gas… or oil (hey – it was a 16 year old Geo engine after all).

Cosgrove reports a top speed of 65 km/h (40 mph), a range of 15 to 25 km (9 to 15 miles) on a charge, and says it costs about 3 cents per km (4.8 cents per mile) to run on renewably sourced, clean electricity. (For comparison, Limburg figures his gasoline powered compact pickup truck costs 12 cents per km to drive.)

While it’s fair to say the electric Metro’s performance won’t cause any worry over at Tesla Motors, you can also be sure its builders aren’t losing much sleep about car payments either.

More information about the $672 electric Metro:

• Visit their web site: www.forkenswift.com – electric car conversion on a beer budget
• Read the detailed conversion journal and see more photos at EcoModder forum
• Get all the technical specs from the car’s EV Album entry
• See it on YouTube: motor test #1 and #2; first electric test drive; “it’s legal & on the road!” … See all ForkenSwift videos
  
• Related: It’s a Trend!  3 Dirt Cheap DIY Electric Cars at EcoModder

A 1997 Ford Escort Wagon with a stock 2.0L Split Port Induction engine and Manual transaxle was purchased with the express intent to showcase/implement numerous fuel saving modifications. The goal of the project is to effectively DOUBLE the EPA fuel economy ratings.

Please take a few minutes of your time (or a few hours) and help design this MPG vehicle that will incorporate as many viable modifications that can be utilized in this ‘real world’ and ‘real budget’ venture.

Contest —>>>
An incentive of $100.00 will be offered to the ‘best’ submission.

-also-

Free EcoModder sticker/decals will be awarded/mailed out randomly (after they have been printed/obtained) to numerous contributors to this thread.

You must be a member of EcoModder.com to submit. If you are not a member, take a minute to join…it’s easy and free, then you can post in the forums/threads (including this one). Submissions must be posted in this thread.

Submission will be judged on numerous factors including how comprehensive/complete the design/plan is thought out (engine, trans, rolling resistance, aero, paint etc.). Pictures/Drawings are not necessary, but recommended. The longer and more complete the list of modifications the better. ‘Best’ submission will be judged by Xfi and any moderators of EcoModder.com that have not officially submitted a design.

Also, please start your submission by naming the ‘UnNamed Wagon’. Then follow with any and all information/pics/drawings/ideas that you desire. If submitting a ‘paint job’ with your pics/drawings please include ‘EcoModder.com’ at least once with the design.

Submission must be based on a 1997 Ford Escort Wagon 2.0SPI 4cyl Gasoline Engine with a Manual Transaxle. Any other modification/improvements are at your discretion.

The contest will run through February 29, 2008. This will give time for more members/viewers to submit their design information.

By submitting a design, you agree that all ideas submitted are public knowledge/info and can be used my any and all members/viewers of EcoModder.com.

This contest supersedes any and all previous contests. I reserve the right to change any and all rules pertaining to the contest without notice.

There will be no minimum number of submissions. Someone will receive the $100.00 in FREE GAS even if there are only a few submissions.

$100.00 will be paid via PayPal or Gas Card (to agreed upon station) sent via USPS with delivery confirmation.

Thanks again for your interest and being a part of this EcoModder project. Have fun with it and submit your best ideas for the opportunity to win $100.00 plus an EcoModder.com decal/stickers to display on your Ecomodded vehicle!

Sample Design Started Below…
Feel free to start with this information and add to it!

The UnNamed Wagon
Submitted by Xfi
00/00/2007

1997 Ford Escort Wagon MPG Project
2.0 SPI 4cyl Gasoline Engine
Manual Transaxle

Engine:
-Factory 2.0 SPI Engine
-Headers & Free Flowing Exhaust
-50% Under Drive Crankshaft Pulley
-A/C Delete
-Power Steering Delete (Manual Rack Conversion)

Trans:
-2.88 Final Drive Transaxle from 80’s Pony Escort Model

Exterior:
-Undercarriage Tray/Paneling
-Side Mirrors Replaced with ‘Fold In’ Mirrors
-Grille Block
-Rear Door, Rear ¼ and Rear Hatch Glass replaced with Plexiglas for weight savings.

Interior:
-All Carpet and Sound Deadening Material Removed (weight savings).
-Interior Gutted…Everything behind driver’s seat removed (weight savings).

Suspension/Wheels:
-Front Lowering Springs
-Suspension Swap with Earlier Model?(reduce rotating mass/weight)

Other:
-Synthetic Fluids
-Hot Air Intake
-Solar Panel Mounted Flush on Roof for Additional Battery Charging

You may have seen the Aerocivic already, but it certainly deserves even more attention than it has already gotten. Sure, it may be a little rough around the edges, but I’ll tell you why the aerocivic is worth so much talk: it’s not innovative.

It may get great gas mileage, but it’s not innovative.

Why then all the fuss?, you might ask. Well, the answer to that is a little bit more interesting. The aerocivic is a great display of very old knowledge finally being put to use. We’ve known for decades that aerodynamics plays a large roll in automotive design, so it’s really shocking that we never see aerodynamic concepts put to good use.

Basjoos is achieving great numbers with this car, as can be plainly seen in his fuel log. I know several people with Civic Hybrids, Prii, and other high mileage cars. But I don’t know anyone who consistently gets gas mileage like that at high speeds on the highways, do you? In effect, Basjoos has taken the road block that is major auto manufacturers out of the picture and ecomodded his own superior mileage machine.

The results speak for themselves:

The end result is a car with such low drag that the results of coastdown testing is linear out to 90mph (it coasts almost as well at 80mph as it does at 50mph). I have to get it over 90mph before I start to feel the wind load from high-speed driving. OEM max speed was 95mph. I have had it up to 100mph with plenty of power remaining at that speed (estimated top speed of about 140mph). Wind noise is much reduced from stock. Approximate mileage on a flat road at 85F, 95mpg at 30 to 65mph, 85mpg at 70mph, 65mpg at 80mph, 50mpg at 90mph.

So, indeed, kudos to you, Basjoos. Your vehicle is a shining example to individual ecomodders and even the stubborn auto industry.

Ecomodding is what “green gearheads” do – and Ecomodder.com is where we gather to share information and gain inspiration.

• We’re passionate about efficiency. “High performance” means miles per gallon, not miles per hour.

• We’re interested in vehicle mods & tweaks that improve fuel economy. To name just a few examples: weight reduction, better aerodynamics, improved gear ratios.

• We’re also serious about adjusting the nut behind the wheel. Ecomodders often apply super-efficient driving techniques, also known as hypermiling or eco-driving.

People are drawn to ecomodding for many reasons…

• The “eco” in ecomodder suggests concern for the environment & conservation;

• But “eco” also points to the economic factor – the desire to save money through reduced energy consumption;

• Many are concerned with issues surrounding energy independence & security;

• In true gearhead fashion, some enjoy the considerable technical/mechanical challenge of improving a machine & its driver;

• And some revel in the sheer sport of it! Squeezing the greatest distance from the least amount of fuel is an ongoing game against ourselves and other like-minded efficiency enthusiasts.

Of course, no two ecomodders are alike. People bring different combinations of interests & motivations, and there’s a place at Ecomodder.com for the full spectrum.

What ecomodding is not

• ecomodding is not the unquestioned adoption of snake-oil concoctions, dubious additives or magic bullet add-ons;

• ecomodders value the experimental method, and are skeptical of those who make claims and draw conclusions from observations made in uncontrolled conditions

Practice safe ecomodding

You may read about modifications and driving techniques which may be illegal in some areas and could be potentially dangerous if improperly applied. Some modifications could damage your vehicle if not performed correctly and monitored after the fact. No one should undertake a mechanical task beyond his/her understanding or abilities.

Behind the wheel: avoid developing new techniques in traffic, respect local laws, and always strive to be courteous and aware.

Wrench smart – drive smarter – save fuel.