The Basics

The electric car conversion is all finished and the vehicle has been running smoothly since the BMS (battery management system) has been tweaked! When most people see the car for the first time, a lot of them ask similar questions so I put together a little document to give a quick overview of the project

It runs!

Now I am cleaning things up, but the car does work! It is also registered and licensed, so it is street legal. This is a clip of me taking it on my first test drive. The engine compartment is exposed so that I could make small changes without much hassle, but at the end of the day I closed that up.

While everything works, I still have some work left to get all of the subsystems setup properly and talking to one-another. For example, the BMS (battery management system) is setup as a standalone system at the moment, but soon I'll be able to integrate a feedback system with the charger so that they work together to keep the batteries healthy.

Final wiring

The last step was wiring everything together. I placed most of the components in the engine compartment and figured out how to hook it all up. Definitely the most fun part of the project!

The yellow box is the charger for the main battery pack

This is the vacuum pump that runs the power braking

This is the hydraulic pump which provides power steering

Here is the layout of the remaining components. The two green boxes on the left are the Zilla 1K controller, which directs the correct output from the main battery pack to the electric motor.

View of the engine compartment with the controller installed

This was the view with everything installed (and running!) before I cleaned up the wiring.

Batteries

The batteries I ended up using are Sinopoly 180Ah Lithium batteries. I am using 34 of them wired in series, so with a nominal 3.2V each, the total pack has a nominal 109V. This gives me a 19.6kWh pack, which should give me between 80-100 miles of range depending on driving conditions. I am splitting the batteries into three boxes. One is in the trunk, one under the trunk where the muffler used to be, and one in the front where the gas tank used to be. The weight of these batteries and the new electric motor is equal to the weight of the gas engine that I took out.

The 34 batteries

The three aluminum boxes that hold the batteries

Batteries in the trunk

Beginning wiring

Both rear boxes in the car, one in the trunk and one behind the bumper

Trunk batteries with copper straps connecting them

Installing the Electric Motor

The electric motor was the first main component that I installed in the car. I used a Netgain Warp9 DC motor. To connect the motor to the old transmission, I used a custom made adapter plate, using the original clutch and flywheel. After the motor was coupled with the transmission outside of the car, getting it in place in the car was relatively straight-forward. I just slowly worked the 250 lb system into place. The motor mounts were the first things that I constructed, using 1/4" thick angle-aluminum to secure the motor to the original mount. The transmission mounts support the rest of the unit's weight.

The Netgain Warp9 DC motor

This is the adapter plate that allowed me to bolt the old transmission to the new motor

Installing the flywheel in the transmission

Electric motor with the adapter plate attached

Electric motor coupled to the transmission

Placing the motor and transmission into the car

Making a motor mount

Top view of the motor being supported by the mounts

Components

Throughout the process of preparing the car for new, electric parts, I have been researching exactly the parts I will need. Here are the main parts that go into an electric conversion.

• Electric motor, replaces typical engine
• Batteries, provide energy for motor
• Controller, regulates the flow of energy from the batteries to the motor
• Charger, recharges the batteries

In its simplest form, this is what a conversion comes down to: these four main parts. Of course there are other things necessary like a throttle potentiometer, main contactor, electric steering pump, vacuum pump for the power brakes, and gauges for measuring the battery pack, but these are minor details in the concept of an electric car. As for the components that I have chosen to use:

• Warp9 motor. This is a DC brush motor. Weighing about 150 pounds, it will replace the 550 pound engine that I just took out.
• Thunder Sky 200AH LiFeYPO4 Batteries. This is some of the newest technology as far as batteries go, and should provide me with the greatest range, as well as the lowest weight.
• Zilla 1k controller.
• Elcon HF/PFC 3kW Charger

Warp9 motor

Thundersky 200AH battery

Elcon 3kW charger

Zilla 1k controller

Gas Tank Removal

The gas tank was not easy to remove. It was placed so that it couldn't be simply taken out with out removing  the steering column (something I didn't feel comfortable doing). So I took the easy way out, or so I thought. With various saws and other cutting tools I chipped away at it piece by piece until it could slip out. Clearly the gas tank was specifically designed to not puncture so this was not as easy as I had anticipated. It took about four days to get it out.

Top of the gas tank.

Bottom of the gas tank, after I got through with it.

Notice the odd shape and how nicely the coolant lines fit into it. The tank was designed to maximize every tiny bit of space available to use. That's the beauty of German engineering!

Complete system

Tools I used to cut through the thick plastic.

This is the space that the gas tank used to fill up. I will be putting batteries here instead.

Engine Removal

The next step was to prepare the car for the conversion by removing all components that won't be needed in the final product. This includes:

• Engine
• Gas Tank
• Muffler
• Radiators
• Fuel/coolant/AC lines

Here are some highlights of removing the engine. I did this over a couple of weekends with the help of my dad.

After removing the rear bumper for better access to engine compartment.

This is a view from the rear of the car showing the transmission, still attached to the rear wheels.  Because the Boxster is a mid-engine car, the engine is directly on the other side of the transmission.

View of the top of the engine.

Removing the transmission was difficult because it is about 100 lbs, but the process is pretty straight forward. Just unbolt it and pull it away carefully.

Again a view from the rear of the car, this time after the transmission was removed.  The  circular object in the center is the flywheel, which spins with the engine and transmits power to the transmission, which then transmits this rotating power to the wheels.

The engine is removed from the bottom, so this tool helps to  lower it . By twisting the handles at the top, the chain gets lower and the engine drops with it. I also had multiple jack stands set up below the engine (it weighs 550 lbs!)

Me where the transmission used to be. The flywheel is also removed in this picture.

With the engine completely lowered, we still needed to raise the car  higher than the jack stand would go, which we  did  by putting the stand on pieces of wood.

My father and I with the removed engine.

View of the engine compartment after the engine was removed.  You can see all the way through the car to the  passengers seats.

Newspaper Response

Last week I read an article in the local paper that described some benefits to driving electric cars. It cited the reduced carbon emissions and the lower cost of operation. The article, however, received some negative comments, and so the author asked a few people to respond with their thought, me being one of those people (I had not met him, but I had a connection through one of my teachers).

         In addition to adding my own comment on the article, I wrote a letter to the editor that I think presents some more key points on the issue. Here is a copy of my letter (which was published in the Princeton Packet on March 2nd!):

         The benefits of driving an electric car go far beyond the most obvious. We have heard that electric cars are emissions free, less expensive to fuel, and come with impressive acceleration and handling. These are all legitimate arguments, but the implications of not relying on oil are hidden in this oversimplification. Furthermore, other arguments regarding pollution have clear and convincing evidence that support the electrification of the automotive industry. The benefits of electric cars simply outweigh those of their standard alternatives in a multitude of ways.

         The reliance that Americans have on foreign oil is staggering. We represent 2% of the world’s population yet consume 25% of the world’s oil. Another way to look at this is that in 2011, we consumed 18 million barrels of oil per day[1], of which up to 70% was imported[2]. Great tolls come with placing so much dependence on other countries to supply us with resources. We spend well over $500 billion on our military each year, which is due in no small part to the protection of oil supply routes that our addiction necessitates. Since 1976, for example, the United States has kept aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf. Their mission has explicitly been to secure oil shipments in that area. Keeping these aircraft carriers patrolling the Gulf has cost $7.3 trillion over the last three decades[3].But we also pay for gas indirectly in other ways, such as tax subsidies to oil companies. With a current national debt over $15 trillion, it is clear that we cannot afford to continue protecting our supply of foreign oil for much longer. As oil is a finite resource, spending will only increase at the rate we are going. Getting more electric cars on the roads would serve to reduce this dependency and it could eventually eliminate our need to spend such enormous sums to receive this oil.

         The idea that driving electric cars simply moves the source of pollution is not true because it is incomplete. Yes, more than half of the electricity produced in the United States comes from either coal or fossil fuels. However, in many places renewable energy sources represent the majority of electricity production (including the states Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, and Rhode Island, in which over 99% of electricity comes from renewable resources)[4] and the use of these resources will continue to grow until we reach a sustainable plateau. Also, electric motors are far more efficient than standard internal combustion engines. While electric cars can utilize around 90% of its stored energy, gas cars can only use about 30%, the rest being dissipated as heat. This means that electric cars are three times as efficient. This coupled with the fact that an increasing amount of electricity is being generated by renewable resources means that electric cars contribute to the releasing of far less CO2 per mile driven. It varies depending on factors such as car and driving style but, as an example, driving a Tesla Model S in California results in the emission of about one-quarter of the CO2 than would be released by a standard car. The concerns around the lithium used in newer battery packs have been similarly blown out of proportion. Lithium, along with being cheap, is recyclable. As long as we are aware enough not to release it back into the environment in a harmful manner, it can be recycled and used to make new batteries in a safe and non-polluting way.

         For any other doubters left out there, I will add that driving an electric car is thrilling. Having driven both a Nissan Leaf and a Tesla Roadster, I can honestly say that they are not ‘compromises’ to a standard car. While they are currently outside of a reasonable price range for most Americans, prices are rapidly falling and will continue to do so as the technology improves and the demand increases (early computers cost $500,000 after all). In addition, they are stylish, cheap to maintain and operate, fun to drive, and they are fast (in fact, the Roadster drastically outperforms similarly priced sports cars like the Porsche 911). Many people hesitate after seeing a range limited to around 100 miles, yet 90% of Americans drive their cars less than 30 miles per day. The Tesla Model S also offers an optional 300 mile range battery pack, showing that this fear of a limited range will virtually disappear in the coming years, especially with the increasing availability of charging stations. Additionally, plugging in the vehicle each night is by no means a burden. It takes just a few seconds and saves money compared to filling up with gas. It is much more convenient than going out of your way to stand at a pump.

         As the incorporated technologies continue to improve and become cheaper as gas prices rise, electric cars will inevitably see a rise in demand. Projections differ, but many people expect to see millions of electric cars on the roads by 2020. This is a great opportunity for the United States to again dominate the car industry if they act quickly. We have Tesla and the Chevy Volt, yet there is still major hesitance within American car companies to invest in the technology, while companies like Toyota, Nissan, and Honda threaten to lead the market. The Chinese government is ambitiously investing $15 billion over the next five to ten years to develop electric cars, while the U.S. is investing less than one-fifth of that. This market has huge potential, yet the longer we wait, the more ground we lose to competitors who realize this. It is not just the job of the market to give us what we want, but it is our responsibility as consumers to make mindful and educated decisions with full awareness of the effects of our actions. And be assured, there are very real consequences that come with our actions.

Moving Forward

Moving forward, I plan on using this this blog as a journal to keep written track of my progress, along with relevant pictures. I hope that this project will further the discussion on electric vehicle use in the near future, so please feel free to contact me at any time (my email is robhrabchak at gmail.com) or leave a comment.

Tesla Roadster

Starting at the beginning of the story, I was first introduced to the concept of an all-electric car by an NPR broadcast on a car conversion convention that was taking place in Missouri with the guys from EVTV.me. On this website, two self-proclaimed average men keep video logs of conversions that they are doing, with the intent of persuading others to undertake their own projects. After doing extensive research, I would say that I was a skeptic. Yes, there are shocking statistics that support the movement away from petroleum products (Americans represent 4% of the world’s population, yet we consume 25% of the world’s crude oil, most of which is imported) but could the characteristics of electric cars allow them to meet our nation’s automotive demands? Given the hesitance of the general public to embrace this new technology, I wasn’t convinced. But after being given the chance to drive both a Nissan Leaf and a Tesla Roadster, I was easily persuaded. These cars are both incredible innovations, and after being behind the wheel, there is no doubt in my mind that this is the technology of the future. They are simple to use, fast, quiet, and efficient, all with the added benefit of being cleaner than any other available cars.

I decided that I want to do my own electric conversion because this industry has incredible potential, and I want to get my foot in the door before everyone realizes it. Electric cars have been likened to the internet in the 1980’s; no one thought it would be useful to any true extent. And now it is a multibillion dollar industry. It is my hope that America can capitalize off of this potential before it’s too late, so one of my goals is simply to raise awareness.

Spyder 550

At first I wanted to use a Beck Spyder 550 replica as the conversion platform. This car has a fiberglass body and no frills. It lacks power steering, power brakes, heating, and air conditioning. Furthermore, it weighs only 900 pounds without an engine. After learning more about the car though, it seemed more like a weekend car than anything. I would like to prove that electric cars could be economical though, so the spyder was ruled out. However, Porsche’s Boxster is essentially a newer, more practical version of the spyder, so I decided that this would be a suitable alternative. It is still relatively light, yet it has power steering, power breaks, and a superb sound system. After weeks of looking for one with a blown engine, I found it on December 28, 2011. My parents and I drove up to Long Island to check out the car and bought it that afternoon. It was a black 1999 Porsche Boxster with a bad engine. The owner didn’t want to deal with fixing it, so he sold it as is. It seems most likely that the IMS bearing wore out, and we found some evidence to support this. Cosmetically the car is in great shape. It has 90,000 miles on it, but both the interior and exterior look flawless. Electronically the car is fine and there aren’t any problems with the brakes, steering etc.

My Boxster

I haven’t ordered any parts yet but the tentative plan is to use a Warp9 DC motor with a Soliton 1 controller. For batteries I was recommended Sky Energy 180 Ah LiFePo4 batteries. 

The Modern Electric Car

In a New York Times article, the electric car has been revered as “the ideal solution” to the problems presented by gasoline powered vehicles. In addition to being “cleaner and quieter” it states that “The electric car is also much more economical.” This article, written shortly after Thomas A. Edison had invented a new high-capacity battery, was published on November 12, 1911.

Just over 100 years later, the electric car is still struggling to see any large scale commercial production. The electric car succumbed to the internal combustion engine in the early 20^th century as gas production became more developed and cheaper. By 1931, gas cost just $0.17 per gallon, and the electric car simply couldn’t hope to compete. However, with steadily rising gas prices and increased awareness about ecological impact, electric cars have been slowly regaining prominence. Not only does gas average $3.39 per gallon today, but the U.S. acknowledged spending $366 billion to defend oil supplies in the Middle East between 1980 and 1990. This was just one territory, and at a time before America began fighting a major war there. Now we have accumulated well over $14 trillion in national debt, and no small part of that can be attributed to protecting our oil supplies (experts conservatively reported an estimate of $7.3 trillion of peace time spending over the last three decades to protect oil supplies with at least another $3 trillion in the invasion of Iraq). This has, reasonably, led us back towards the prospect of electric cars.

Today, there are few fully electric production cars available in the U.S. They include the Tesla Roadster and the Nissan Leaf, both of which are groundbreaking vehicles in terms of concept, but they are still only the beginning of this automotive revolution. As the public is beginning to become aware of, electric cars present convenient solutions to so many problems that we are facing today. These vehicles produce zero emission, and are much more efficient than standard internal combustion cars. This new industry has the potential to create many new jobs and even help revive the economy. These cars are cheaper to run, with about 10 times fewer moving parts to maintenance and about $3 per 100 miles worth of fuel. These benefits come without the compromises that many seem to hesitate over. The Nissan Leaf can travel 100 miles on a single charge, and the new Tesla Model S boasts an optional 360 mile range. As the Roadster proved to us as well, these cars are no golf carts. With a top speed of 125 mph, the Roadster accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 3.7 seconds, rivaling many performance cars of any type. The electric car is the solution to a struggling automotive industry.

                My name is Robert Hrabchak. I am a high school student in New Jersey with a passion for problem solving, and I am undertaking the task of converting an internal combustion engine to a fully electric car. Besides for the many perks that come with owning an electric car, I am taking a stand against the notion that we have to spend $50 a tank and send our neighbors overseas so that I can make my daily commute. I will be posting my progress on this blog and I openly invite you to join me on this exciting journey.