Why don't you own an electric car?

[Christ]

I'd love to have a classic like that, but I'd never drive it, and that's against my rules.

I especially like the front mount car seat... must have cost a fortune?!

[adamj12b]

You need a poll answer for "My wife wont let me build one right now..."

She thinks it will be too expensive and doesn't want a small car....I keep telling her I could go the easy route with Lead batteries and a forklift motor, but it keeps coming back to a small car....

We ride together all 5 days a week to and from work. The trip is 15.2 Miles each way totaling 30.4 miles plus some running to the store on the way home...So total is about 40-45 miles a day...

-Adam

[gone-ot]

...lack of RANGE!

...26 miles to work and 26 miles back and NO place to "plug-in" at work!

...gotta have at least 60-80 mile range for my needs.

[Daox]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

...lack of RANGE!

...26 miles to work and 26 miles back and NO place to "plug-in" at work!

...gotta have at least 60-80 mile range for my needs.

Thats completely doable, you'd just need a lithium pack that costs ~$8k.

Quick run down:

80 miles @ 300Wh/mile = 24000 Wh pack capacity

LiFePo4 is currently $.34/Wh

24000 * .34 = $8160

Ironically, this is the exact pack capacity as the Nissan Leaf which is very comparable size wise to a Vibe.

[alohaspirit]

my hill has a steep grade, it wouldnt make it up at the speed required (30+)


plus i would build mine not buy it
(which makes that first part even more applicable)

[vpoppv]

Oddly enough, the reason I built an electric car was to ease the burden on my ICE: short commute is hell on an ICE and terrible for gas mileage. Another negative was that the ICE didn't get warm enough to give me a comfortable ride unless I let it sit for longer than it would take me to get to work! The electric has almost completely eliminated my need for the ICE to get to work. I think I took my ICE to work twice in the last two months. I think that, for its intended purpose, it is a far superior vehicle in most repects. I can't wait to get my 2nd one done so that I can rely on my ICE even less than I do now....

[roflwaffle]

Originally Posted by Daox

LiFePo4 is currently $.34/Wh

Where? The best I've found is $.45/Wh.

[NeilBlanchard]

The Th!nk City will have a ~120 miles range, and it will be made here in the USA. Should be on sale later this year (units made in Finland to US spec), and the Indiana made units should be here next year.

The Nissan Leaf will also be available in a similar time frame, and have ~100 miles range.

Hopefully, at some point next year, we will see the Aptera 2e with a 120 mile range.

[Daox]

Here is one site: http://www.evcomponents.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=28

ThunderSky cells are going for $44 for a 3.2V 40Ah battery and $110 for 3.2V 100Ah. Sky Energy is slightly more expensive.

[roflwaffle]

Don't forget to add 10% for freight as well as port fees and duties. There may also be another 6.5% and gas money if someone picks them up on site, or freight if the batteries are being shipped to you. The cheapest I found 'em was from evcomponents, but after import costs and gas, assuming I don't have to pay the 6.5% local sales tax, they're about $.40/kWh. For most people w/ freight I'm pretty sure they'll approach $.45/kWh.