Anyone ever electrify a Car?

[mayfly]

that is, take out the gas motor and replace it with an electric motor.  For example, on a gen 1 VW bug.

I know there are a lot of on-line stuff out there on this subject which I've already looked at.  I'm much more interested if anyone on the forum has direct experience.

 

[Cagey]

I remember a lot of stuff was written on it years ago, long before production electric vehicles existed. Usually, the big drawback was weight and lower-tech batteries than we have now. A standard gas-powered car is typically much heavier, which requires more power to move, and this was when battery power was less available. End result was prohibitively short travel ranges. Not much use for a vehicle that takes 12 hours to charge but will only travel 10 miles. Then, the power cost differential was dramatic, too. 12 hours of charging cost a lot more than 1 gallon of gas. Finally, a car that runs on electricity is essentially running on coal, so if environmental concerns were an issue, the coal powered car was much harder on things than one that ran on gas. This is still true today, even with EVs designed to be EVs.

 

[swarfrat]

No but I've daydreamed for years about doing it to a riding mower. Since it never travels more than 1 yard away from home (ha hah), I figured I could keep two battery sleds, and always have one charging. Pull up and swap. 

It seems like a much more doable task on a couple fronts:
1) no heater to suck batteries down (since you're in Canada this is a biggie)
2) A couple HP for wheels and a couple HP for cutting ought to do it.

 

[mayfly]

Finally, a car that runs on electricity is essentially running on coal, so if environmental concerns were an issue, the coal powered car was much harder on things than one that ran on gas. This is still true today, even with EVs designed to be EVs.

Actually, in my part of the world it's all powered by Hydro.  so there 

 

[rgand]

I remember a lot of stuff was written on it years ago, long before production electric vehicles existed. Usually, the big drawback was weight and lower-tech batteries than we have now. A standard gas-powered car is typically much heavier, which requires more power to move, and this was when battery power was less available. End result was prohibitively short travel ranges. Not much use for a vehicle that takes 12 hours to charge but will only travel 10 miles. Then, the power cost differential was dramatic, too. 12 hours of charging cost a lot more than 1 gallon of gas. Finally, a car that runs on electricity is essentially running on coal, so if environmental concerns were an issue, the coal powered car was much harder on things than one that ran on gas. This is still true today, even with EVs designed to be EVs.

Not to mention the environmental concerns when you have to replace those batteries and dispose of the old ones, which is inevitable.

 

[mayfly]

No but I've daydreamed for years about doing it to a riding mower. Since it never travels more than 1 yard away from home (ha hah), I figured I could keep two battery sleds, and always have one charging. Pull up and swap. 

It seems like a much more doable task on a couple fronts:
1) no heater to suck batteries down (since you're in Canada this is a biggie)
2) A couple HP for wheels and a couple HP for cutting ought to do it.

Actually I was going to make this a summer only car.  Based on that I'd probably use a bug convertible.  No power steering, no power brakes, no need for heat, no need for AC  :headbang:

 

[mayfly]

I remember a lot of stuff was written on it years ago, long before production electric vehicles existed. Usually, the big drawback was weight and lower-tech batteries than we have now. A standard gas-powered car is typically much heavier, which requires more power to move, and this was when battery power was less available. End result was prohibitively short travel ranges. Not much use for a vehicle that takes 12 hours to charge but will only travel 10 miles. Then, the power cost differential was dramatic, too. 12 hours of charging cost a lot more than 1 gallon of gas. Finally, a car that runs on electricity is essentially running on coal, so if environmental concerns were an issue, the coal powered car was much harder on things than one that ran on gas. This is still true today, even with EVs designed to be EVs.

Not to mention the environmental concerns when you have to replace those batteries and dispose of the old ones, which is inevitable.

Well that's a good point actually.  I'll follow up on that one.