[GRLUG] OFF TOPIC Electric Car

[Adam Tauno Williams]

On Wed, 2008-11-19 at 10:56 -0500, Casey DuBois wrote: 
> I have dreamed of taking a car with a blown engine and building an
> electric car for a couple years.
> While talking with MM it seems that others share my dream.
> Who else in the GRLUG has interest or expertise to add?

I suspect acquiring the electric motor(s) required to accelerate a full
size car would be the expensive part;  I've heard of people using
forklift motors <http://www.mrsharkey.com/rabbit.htm>
<http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7598&highlight=forklift>.  [I work for a forklift dealership] If the motor isn't DC then your going to need a monster of a power-inverter,  which might cost more than the motor.  But with DC you've got no regeneration and while you can 'over-clock' them for short burst they are also less efficient overall than something like a three-phase AC motor.

And your going to need a fully-equipped machine shop in order to
retrofit them onto the transmission.

I think it is actually more interesting to consider building a home-brew
hybrid;  have a small diesel engine running at a constant RPM turning a
generator.  Much like the concept of a diesel-electric locomotive.
You'd probably still get a significant increase in fuel economy as an
engine at a constant RPM is more efficient than one that idles and revs.
Plus you could always go short distances on just the batter.

> Does anyone know of any local groups that may be into electric cars?

I'm not aware of any.