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dagimp Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2008 Posts: 282 Location: Philly
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Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 2:28 pm Post subject: |
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http://www.betterplace.com/
Here you go. What you've just described is being done on a small scale.
As for my Thing. I have a good 10+ years left on my engine (hopefully...). But after that I'd like to do an electric conversion. Hopefully, by then, there'll be some cheaper and higher capacity batteries to use. And when considering cost, electric motors can run for a very long time, are easy to maintain and use cheap parts... how about a lifetime engine, anyone?
Really cool idea, keep us posted! _________________ Buck
1973 Orange VW Thing, "Otto". |
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GeorgeL Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2006 Posts: 7346
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Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 2:43 pm Post subject: |
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that site wrote: |
By scrambling to erect roadblocks to new market entrants that threaten their hegemony, oligopolies are only doing what comes naturally to an organism under attack by an existential threat. |
Holy Thesaurus Batman!
(I also don't think the writer has a firm grip on the meaning of "existential") |
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vwern1 Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2009 Posts: 3 Location: oregon
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Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2010 8:46 am Post subject: Electric car conversion |
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I've been reading all the post about converting a thing from gas powered to electric powered. I don't have a thing, but I do have 12 bug, 3 buses, and a bradley gt 2, I have recently started a company called voltwagen epc, (electric peoples car). I have converted a 1974 super beetle to fully electric, using a 120 volt dc motor, a curtis controller, and 10, 12 volt lifeline AGM batteries. You can see it at www.voltwagenepc.com
Wright now gas prices are 3.00 a gallon and it will take some time to pay for the conversion at these prices, however if gas prices go up to 4.00 a gallon or higher, which is possible. It will pay for itself much quicker.
Here in Oregon we are part of a 6 state test to see how elelctric vehicles do in different terrains and different enviroments. The goverment has givin a 1.14 millon dollar grant for installing charging station on the freeway, from Seattle all the way down though Arizona. And the state of Oregon has a nother State grant for a addition 1200 charging station on the highway in rual areas.
The solution is not batteries but ultracapacitors. They are going to be being developed here in Oregon, and they will have a unlimited life cycle ability. And you will be able to pull in to a station and have a bank of capacitors removed and installed in short amount of time.
Electric cars are coming, and gas prices will go up. Its just that simple, Its about innovation, not the inviroment, allthough it will be better for the enviroment. |
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Captain Spalding Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2005 Posts: 2519 Location: . . . in denial.
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Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2010 11:06 am Post subject: Re: Electric car conversion |
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vwern1 wrote: |
The solution is not batteries but ultracapacitors. They are going to be being developed here in Oregon, and they will have a unlimited life cycle ability. |
For the end user, the distinction between a capacitor and a battery is largely a matter of semantics. While capacitors don't have the same type of limitations vis a vis prescribed number of charging cycles, they hardly have an unlimited life. There is lots of nastiness in batteries that makes them problematic at the end of their lifespan. I wonder what nastiness resides in a capacitor.
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And you will be able to pull in to a station and have a bank of capacitors removed and installed in short amount of time. |
Yes, this type of system is the only thing that will make electric cars worthwhile for the average Joe. It's complicated though. The battery will have to be standardized. How are you going to get all the manufacturers to play ball? Will a battery that is adequate for a compact car also be sufficient for a van or pickup? When I buy an electric car, am I buying the battery too? Or will I buy the car but lease the battery? If I buy it, no doubt it will be expensive. Exchanging a shiny new-ish propane bottle at the DIY store and receiving a tatty one in return is one thing, but exchanging an expensive newish battery for a degraded battery that some kid has been running in his modded spark-rocket is not a thought that I relish.
If we are headed toward the replaceable power supply paradigm, it's a shame to waste all this money on the installation of charging stations.
Even with the idea of replaceable batteries, you'd still have to get at least 100 miles on a battery to be practical.
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Electric cars are coming, and gas prices will go up. Its just that simple, Its about innovation, not the inviroment, allthough it will be better for the enviroment. |
I'm all for the environment, and I love the idea of the electric car, but I fail to see why tax dollars should subsidize it. A buyer of a $33k Nissan Leaf, for example, could pay only $13k after subsidies. That's a subsidy of $20k per car! For every 100,000 cars that are sold, the taxpayer is on the hook for $20,000,000. Does the taxpayer really see a benefit of $20k for every electric car sold? This social engineering stuff really chafes.
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Here in Oregon we are part of a 6 state test to see how elelctric vehicles do in different terrains and different enviroments. The goverment has givin a 1.14 millon dollar grant for installing charging station on the freeway, from Seattle all the way down though Arizona. And the state of Oregon has a nother State grant for a addition 1200 charging station on the highway in rual areas. |
Tell me again why taxpayer dollars are funding this? Why aren't the auto and utility companies doing this R&D? In the end, it is they who will benefit. |
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GeorgeL Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2006 Posts: 7346
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Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2010 1:59 pm Post subject: Re: Electric car conversion |
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Captain Spalding wrote: |
Tell me again why taxpayer dollars are funding this? Why aren't the auto and utility companies doing this R&D? In the end, it is they who will benefit. |
Because this is one of those issues where the interests of industry and of the environmentalists align. Industry gets the public to pay for their infrastructure (even if it is turned to other uses later on!) and the environmentalists get to feel green.
The same thing is happening with the "social engineering lanes" on California freeways. The original purpose was supposedly to promote carpooling, then the purpose morphed to promotion of hybrid vehicles and the writing is now on the wall is that they will become revenue-generating toll lanes to allow the rich folks to whiz past the proles even if they don't have a passenger or a smugmobile.
It's a neat trick to get the enviros to push huge highway construction projects to line the pockets of Granite Construction! Both groups give a few thousand dollars to the politicians involved and reap millions in benefits. It's as American as apple pie! |
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Captain Spalding Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2005 Posts: 2519 Location: . . . in denial.
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Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 12:31 pm Post subject: Re: Electric car conversion |
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GeorgeL wrote: |
It's as American as apple pie! |
Forgive me if I'm not so willing to accept it. |
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jingram Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2006 Posts: 157 Location: where the streets have no name
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Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 9:22 pm Post subject: |
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Wright now gas prices are 3.00 a gallon and it will take some time to pay for the conversion at these prices, however if gas prices go up to 4.00 a gallon or higher, which is possible. It will pay for itself much quicker. |
How's that electric conversion working out for you now?
And how do I get one of your kits??
Better yet, how do we get rid of Muammar Kaddafi (sp?) ??? |
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happyjourneys Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2014 Posts: 1 Location: South Carolina
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Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 2:47 pm Post subject: |
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What was the outcome of this idea? I know OP was years ago, but I am looking to convert my 79 Bus and I'd love some input from someone who has already done it. Thanks! |
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