Nowadays, we have to spend a huge amount on fuel for driving our vehicle on the road. Time has come now, when you can drive a distance for over 80 miles, at a speed of 90 km/h, without the trouble of stopping at a gas station and without causing any environment pollution.

All these have become possible with the arrival of electric cars that are now becoming more and more user-friendly and widely favored in the United States and all over the countries in the world.

By use of electric cars, a lot of money can be saved on fuel in everyday life. Another great advantage is that the carbons emissions from internal combustion engines that seriously contribute to atmospheric pollution, can be curbed to a considerable extend, if electric cars are favored over the conventional ones.

If you have no definite idea about converting your car into a fuel saving pure electric vehicle (EV), it is better that you get necessary guidance from a step-to-step manual released for the purpose.

You should never attempt to convert your car without getting properly guidance with the help of a manual meant for the purpose. As a preliminary step, you have to remove the entire internal combustion engine or modify the conventional internal combustion engine of your vehicle into electric propulsion.

This will indeed make your automobile feel almost like a plug-in hybrid electric car. The truth is that thousands of people around the world have taken over EV conversion as a hobby to get their conventional cars converted into an electric one. If you want to identify yourself as one amongst them, it is advisable to get familiarized with the process of substitution of engines with a high torque electric motor.

Most DIY EV enthusiasts now prefer to use an electric car conversion kit that helps them go through various steps of conversion without many hurdles. This tool is very much helpful for installation and going through the entire process.

A person who is aiming at reduction of fuel expenses by installation of electric motor should first try to familiarize himself with the so-called electrical car kit or seek expert opinion on making use of each tool in the tool package, so as to facilitate the transformation process with ease.

You should keep in mind that there are two major types of conversion kits in use, the customs type and the universal type. The difference is that the customs type is specifically designed for particular types of vehicles, while the universal types can be applied for many vehicles in common.

What you should know is that by possession of a guide that enlightens on conversion of a conventional car into electric one with minute details, the entire process would become much easier and hassle-free. Practically everyone can afford to have it and what is important is to get the right type of manual for the EV conversion project.

A general opinion of the experts is that any new attempt for conversion of a vehicle into electrical one, should begin on light vehicles like Nissan Sentra or Honda Civic. Light trucks are also usually ideal for electric conversion for the reason that the transmission of electrical impulses becomes more effective on them than the heavier ones.

If you ever seriously consider reducing your gasoline expenses by usual means, better abandon the idea and go straight for transforming of your vehicle into an electrical one.

We all blame the oil companies and the oil exporting countries for the unlimited rise in the prices of gasoline. The present scenario of the economic downturn and the rising prices has almost affected everybody especially the low and medium income groups, even rich have also started feeling the pinch of rising prices.

People have started compromising with their life styles, some of the people have started trying to commute in unbearable conditions and the rich have also started flying in the classes which they used to avoid earlier. Though all this seems strange but there is a solution, but people have ignored it and have only opted for compromise with their life styles.

There is a way out; you can beat the rising oil prices by building your own electric car. You may think it to be a joke but it is actually possible and it is not at all difficult. Once you have built your own electric car, you do not have to compromise with your life style any more.

You will have to search an old car which runs on gas, some tools and an electric car guide book. People often say that it for the manufacturers to build an electric car, it not true; you can own one build yourself. It might be slightly difficult for those who have no or little mechanical knowledge about automobiles.

But there are electric car guides, which can be great help to you, you can build your own electric car that too step by step. If you are apprehensive of doing the dirty work, you can ask someone to help you; it can be a friend or a mechanic.

It is really unfortunate that big car manufacturers are more interested in gasoline cars as compared to the electric cars. Most of the countries in the world are dependent on oil producing countries to meet their gasoline demand, the United State is no exception, and everyone has to pay for crude oil.

We all have to find a way to be away from these greedy oil producing countries, which have been looting us for decades. The best option is to build own electric car, which in turn can save a lot of money which is spent on gasoline. You can comfortably visit the places along with your family using your own electric car.

You have to charge your car so that it can run for 150 to 200 miles trip without having to worry about recharging and breaking down. You do not need to have degree in mechanical or automotive engineering, the guide will show you everything and you can build your flawless electric car.

Electric car conversion is no more a secret, anybody who can read the guide can do it. Your building the electric car will not only prove to be money saver but you can also save the planet which is already doomed with the carbon emissions and noise pollution. This will be a great contribution by people like you to this planet as you will cut on both air pollution and noise pollution.

With ever increasing prices of gasoline, car owners have been constantly on the lookout for cheaper source of energy to power their vehicles. Thanks to many technological inventions, these people need not worry any longer about steep increase in the prices of gasoline as electric cars have re-entered the markets with a bang after going off the roads for a long time due to lack of demand.

Buoyed by the amazing popularity for electric cars, many people are enthused by the idea of converting their gasoline-powered cars into electric vehicles. It is not at all difficult to construct an electric car by replacing the current gasoline-powered internal combustion engine with an electric motor. A few technical details regarding car conversion and small amount of expenditure are all that are required for electric car conversion.

Many people may not be aware that electric cars were first introduced in the beginning of 1900s, when gasoline was very costly and that forced people to start driving electric cars. During that time the technology of gasoline-powered cars was primitive and there was no key to ignite the engine. People had to painstakingly turn on a lever in front of the car to start the engine.

Gasoline-powered engines emitted plenty of smoke and also had very deafening mufflers. With the passage of time, several innovative technologies were developed and people adopted easier and more productive methods to extract gasoline. Later versions of cars incorporated electric starters and the gasoline-powered cars could cover more distance than electric cars.

With these advantages, gasoline-powered cars soon became the most popular mode of transport. However, with gasoline prices at the peak at present and vigorous campaign all over the world for a pollution-free, green environment by reducing emissions of harmful gases, people have now begun moving towards popularizing electric cars once again.

An electric car does not need gasoline at all to power the engine as they are run by the electric current produced by the batteries. Electric car motors are equipped with 12 to 24 volt batteries for each electric vehicle. However, these batteries are required to be charged during the night by plugging it into an electric outlet.

By the time one gets up in the morning he will find the car with the batteries fully charged. A single charge will easily cover a distance of up to 200 miles before it needs recharging again. The main advantage of conversion of the existing traditional car to an electric one is that it will obviate the need to fill gasoline in the vehicle thereby saving a lot of money.

The money saved can be utilized for various other purposes. By owning an electric car, one can also participate in the ‘go green movement’ to cut down the harmful effects of global warming. There is no need to convert the entire vehicle. There are a number of do-it-yourself (DIY) electric car conversion kits available in the market or DIY electric car conversion kits that can be downloaded from the online websites on the internet It is worth buying these guides that give step by step instructions for building an electric car from a gasoline vehicle.

These DIY guides are reasonably priced and facilitate conversion of the present gasoline vehicle into a cost-effective Eco-friendly green car

It is not at all a time-taking or a very tough job to change a homemade electric car battery cables. However, those not familiar with battery-operated vehicle, a glance inside the battery storage box is enough to make them perplexed seeing an assortment of wires scattered haphazardly inside the compartment.

There is no specific pattern in which cables are connected to the several terminals. However, you need not get alarmed seeing so many wires. With a systematic procedure, you can change the electric vehicle (EV) cables without any difficulty.

EV cable connections to the terminals can be either serial or parallel systems. It is the way in which the cables are connected to the terminals that decides whether the system is series or parallel. Some uncommon design of EV battery pack will have both serial and parallel systems, known as series/parallel connections.

If sufficient time is devoted and all other conditions are fulfilled, it is necessary to change all the power cables inside the battery compartment at some point. The running efficiency of the DIY electric car will drastically come down, if the power supply from the batteries to the vehicle drops down considerably. This happens when the cables are either damaged, worn out or the insulation is snapped.

This will have an adverse effect on the speed of the electric car even on a flat ground and when climbing a hilly terrain, it further slows down to a drag. Under such circumstances, there is no other alternative, except to change the wires. If a systematic maintenance schedule is followed to check the wiring and insulation, there will not be any scope for emergency situations.

It is a simple job to change all the cables of EV battery provided the instructions detailed in the owner’s manual are meticulously followed. There are also two important points that one should bear in mind while changing the worn out cables of the battery.

Firstly, one should replace old cables only with well-matched new cables. For example, if old six-inch, four gauge wires are being replaced, the new wires that one buys for replacement should correspond to the same measurements of six-inch, four-gauge.

Secondly, you should not take out all the cables at a time to avoid errors in case you forget the procedure of connecting the new cables to the terminals while replacing the old wires. It is, therefore, advisable to disconnect one cable at a time from the terminal and substitute it with a new wire and then only one should proceed to replace the other cables one by one.

This eliminates erroneous connections and the work can also be completed quickly. In case of any doubts or confusion, it is better to consult the owner’s manual or if necessary, visit the concerned website and look for online instructions on the correct procedure for connecting wires to the terminals by means of illustrations.

It is essential to ensure that there are no errors in the connection as this can damage the batteries or cause explosion. After it is ensured that all the wires have been correctly connected, the cover of the battery compartment can be closed and the electric motor started.

It is also necessary to ensure that the lights and turn signals are functioning properly before the electric car and is taken out for a test drive. An excellent way to increase the working life of the power cells in the batteries and enhance the functioning of the EV is to replace old and damaged battery cables with a new set of cables at the right time.

An electric car conversion kit will allow you to run your car which otherwise you will drive using gasoline into an electric vehicle. Most of the kits are available in the market with vendors; you can get all the components if you are interested in retrofitting your automobile to run on electricity. These kits can be installed by you without any outside support.

Before you actually go to buy the kit, you must research well and find the cars which are more suited for such a conversion. After having installed the electric kit, your car should run as per your needs.

Before you actually decide to convert your vehicle into an electric vehicle (EV), here are some tips which you should keep in mind so that you get the most out of your “green” car.

Majority of the cars have a limit of driving from 30 and 100 miles, this is affected by the driving conditions and weight of the car. The car suits those who have to commute in this range and conversion will highly benefit them.

There are other options also as those who have two cars and one is used only for short trips, conversion to electric kit is the best alternative. This will save a huge amount on the costs of gasoline annually.

For those who have to commute more than 30 miles one way and the terrain are rough and hilly, the conversion will not suit you. But for those who have a driving needs of around 20 miles and the road is good and other conditions are normal, the conversion can be really beneficial for them.

Remember that electric cars have to be charged overnight so that you can use it next day. For charging you need a garage or a carport which has suitable electrical outlets. Most of the car can run up to 25 miles per gallon ratio; the top speed is as good as that of gas powered vehicles and can accommodate four passengers comfortably.

The normal cost is within $10,000 but batteries need to be replaced annually and the cost is around $300 each. Before you go for conversion you must keep all these expenses in mind. Those who are interested to know about the conversion of their vehicles into pure electric vehicle, they can attend various schools which teach the subject of EV conversion.

Such courses are quite useful and will help you to reduce the mistakes when installing the electric conversion kit. They also give you a fair idea about the total cost and actually help you in finding the suitable kit.

If you find it difficult or do not have mechanical ability, you can seek the help of an expert mechanic who can help you in the installation process. There are many companies which are in the business of converting your car to an electric vehicle; if budget permits you can also seek their assistance.

There is a lot of material available on the internet, you may browse online and get the desired information. Once done, you will have great satisfaction in terms of saving money and also contributing to the environment.

For more information on homemade electric car, check out the  Convert2EV ebook by Les and Jane Oke.

The Okes are from Canada and they have been living a green lifestyle for more than 15 years. The guide was written based on their experience on retrofitting automobiles to run purely on electricity. For more information on electric vehicle conversion, click on the link below to visit the Convert2EV web site.

==> Click here to visit Convert2EV now!

How do you save cost and yet get the most driving mileage out of your homemade electric car? Many Do It Yourself (DIY) electric vehicle enthusiasts utilize Sealed Lead Acid Batteries (SLA) mainly because they are relatively much cheaper than lithium-ion batteries. However, the SLA’s life span is about half that of lithium batteries. Then again, current lithium batteries used on EVs cost an arm and a leg.

Even with lithium-ion batteries, lithium iron phosphate batteries, known as LFP are comparatively stable than the cobalt-based lithium batteries manufactured for a few commercial vehicles. While cobalt-based lithium batteries are more efficient in operation due to ‘higher energy density’, the cycle life of this type of battery is much less than the lithium-ion batteries with phosphate or magnesium compounds as cathodes or even polymers.

Moreover without proper maintenance or supervision, the cobalt-based battery may get overcharged resulting in a fire, a condition called ‘thermal runaway’. On the other hand, lithium batteries with phosphate compound based cathodes have better chemical properties that protect the batteries in case of overcharging.

Most of the lead-based batteries used in electric vehicles do not have any provision for regulating the charge. In such situations, the batteries just get fully charged. However, a proper management during charging will be a good idea since you don’t want to damage the expensive batteries that you’ve invested.

In some of the battery packs, it suffers the risk of being fully, and yet it has not attained the full-charge state. This is not a good thing because it will decrease the plate area in the battery and in turn reduces its charge capacity.

A good battery management system (BMS) is essential for your DIY electric car if you are using deep cycle batteries.

Do you know what is the usual percentage of charge when the battery is in idle condition?

While a number of people are of the view that the idle charge for lithium batteries should be 45%, others do not agree with this percentage. The idle charge of batteries depends upon several factors, such as environment, ambient temperature, quality of battery and others. Many people feel that the charge for lithium battery lasts longer even if it is charged partially.

It is a bit challenging to determine accurately at what percentage of charge for batteries when in idle condition. Nevertheless, you can reasonably conclude that 85% charge for a battery in idle condition is adequate. Thus, if you go on a holiday trip for a couple of days, set your BMS to charge the batteries at this level. When you return, your EV batteries will still have most of its juice.

It is not clear why the ‘lithium substrate’ gets worn out when left idle in almost fully charged condition, especially when it is hot. This characteristic is fairly well recorded for cobalt batteries, it is not certain how much does this apply for phosphate-based lithium batteries.

The batteries would last longer, if you drive short distances and recharges the batteries only partially but doing it frequently. Whenever possible, it is better to charge the batteries during the day, when you haven’t been using your EV for long distance driving which will deplete the batteries to a low level.

In conclusion, as the owner of a homemade electric vehicle, your driving habits and lifestyle will determine how often you should recharge the battery pack. Charging the battery pack every day as a matter of routine is very important to ensure long life for the battery.

With ever increasing prices of gasoline and other petroleum products, using an electric car is much more economical than conventional vehicles with an internal combustion engine power plant. Contrary to what many people believe, charging the battery pack all night just to retain top voltage is not at all necessary.

The best way to preserve batteries is to charge them regularly, ensure that they are not overcharged and utilize a systematically battery management system (BMS).

Your environment friendly homemade electrical vehicle (EV) might have clutch and whether you carry on with it or not, is entirely up to you. However, there are advantages as well as disadvantages to any method that you adopt.

You are going to feel that with the help of a clutch, you can change gears of your EV faster during emergencies or even otherwise; however, setting up the gears can prove to be too complicated for you.

You might feel that without clutches you reduce the weight of your vehicle by 25 pounds, which allows you to install extra batteries without exceeding the vehicle’s permissible weight.

But this might again make you feel that you are taking double the time to shift gears and therefore, take your decision after considering as to whether you want to have your vehicle clutchless or not.

To drive your DIY electric car without clutch, you have to connect your car engine directly to the gearbox. For this purpose, an adaptor made from old clutch plate can prove to be useful. It connects the motor shaft tightly with the gearbox input shaft, thus nullifying the chances of the engine getting disengaged.

Remove entirely the assembled clutch section – the flywheel, peddle, etc. since in modern manual transmission method none of these are used and instead a system called syncro’s is in place between each gear. This system does the work of a clutch for the gears.

When you press or release the gas pedal of your car, these syncro’s create a perfect synergy to match the speed and crunch-free meshing before the gears come into contact, thereby bringing the gears to the correct speed. The fact that electric motor has very little mass as compared to an internal combustion engine; it enables the syncro’s in the gearbox to match the internal speeds quite quickly, thus allowing the proper gears to be selected.

If you want to change gears of your vehicle, first take your foot off the accelerating peddle and then put the leaver into the neutral mode. After this, introduce the gear leaver to your desired gear; however, you should do this gently and slowly and should not exert too much pressure.

Allow the syncro’s to match the gear speed and as the gear falls to the desired place, you can feel the gears meshing. Then starting accelerating and enjoy the ride.

Though, initially, you might find this process a bit complicated; however, with practice you can master it and you are going to find out that changing gear with this system in place, actually takes you a second or two longer than changing with a clutch. The most important thing is that you need to be patient.

Try out this process with some normal ICE cars; however, there you have to concentrate harder, since you need to use the gas pedal efficiently to match the motor speed with the speed of the gearbox.

Since the ICE motor has much more mass than the electric motor, it is tougher for the syncro’s to overcome this hurdle and therefore, cannot match the speeds. Here, the role of the clutch comes into play; since it nullifies the motor mass leaving the syncro’s to deal with clutch plate mass only.

Though an electric motor has lesser mass than ICE motor; however, it has more than the mass of a clutch plate and for this reason you need that extra second to shift gear in a clutchless EV.

Maintaining the electric motor and the deep cycle batteries on your DIY electric car, of course, is necessary for its efficient performance; but if you leave the car exterior uncared for, it does not impress anyone.

When you think of selling your electric vehicle for a change or any other reason, an unkempt exterior look is sure to bring down its resale value tremendously.

In this regard, a well maintained body with paint and glasses in good condition may score even over the overall performance of the EV. First impression lasts, doesn’t it?

Used car sale professionals do first lift up the external look before presenting a car for display. That may be an expensive proposition and is avoidable if you regularly take the very basic cleaning care like giving it a thorough wash with a pressured water hose, without trying too hard to remove dirt stuck to the body, from time to time.

The areas that are not easy to clean are generally those where tar and sand granules have got stuck. These will not clear up without using specific cleansing products available at auto stores. Following the directions for use given with the product is important so that car paint is not damaged in the process.

After this part of the process is over, the car is ready for being polished. A caution here is worth a million!

You must ensure that you pick up a good brand of car polish, albeit a little costlier. Cheaper polishing material works faster; but it is at the cost of your paint!

In fact, cheaper polish products are most certainly likely to contain some abrasive compound rubbing with which is sure to remove the upper paint layer; if used regularly the paint may get worn off with the primer coat showing. This will then need a re-paint.

Once you have completed the polishing job, the electric car surface should glisten; the areas where it doesn’t need to be polished again. Now, if left exposed to weather like this, the shine won’t last for long. This may bring your painstaking effort to a naught.

The remedy lies in applying a protective substance, most commonly carnauba, to the body surface; that’s it!

You will find that the protective layer is impervious to dirt, sand etc. so the shine lasts much longer. Some of the very well known names in car care products are Meguair’s, Turtle, Mothers, Zaino and so many more; these are all good and serve the purpose very well.

Of course, you have the right to choose from these brands depending on your own judgment about the quality of your car looks. One more tip here; always use terry cloth towels or fresh micro fiber for applying polish and giving it a shine.

Old used fabric from domestic waste for the purpose will actually do more damage than saving! You must have noticed that some cars you come across on the road though shining, appear as though coated with cobwebs when seen from some angle; this is the result of polishing with used cloth.

If you consciously find time to carry out the above cleaning process even once every two months, the paint on your homemade electric vehicle will surely not wear out for much longer.

If you are planning to start your own Do It Yourself (DIY) electric car conversion project, you need to head over to the golf course. No, I am not suggesting you play a round of golf there, but rather, head over to the golf carts service station.

Like any admirer of the game of golf; you too are sure to be acquainted with the expensive batteries that are required to power your homemade electric vehicle. However, if you think that you can simply pick up the used batteries, recharge them and use again, you are in for an unpleasant surprise and will find that the job is not that simple.

After you are through with these, the costly replacement of the exhausted and inefficient batteries is going to put a strain on your purse. But everything is not lost and you can take some necessary steps to make the second hand golf cart batteries work more effectively and serve you for a considerable length of time on your EV.

The first and foremost thing to consider is how the old golf cart batteries were maintained which will determine their life span and will eventually help you to not only cut down your expenses on replacement batteries but will also help your DIY electric vehicle runs efficiently. Remember to check the batteries and ensure that there are no leakages.

If you find the batteries are damaged, take necessary steps, which will not will give a longer life span to these but will also provide optimum power to your EV and cater to your entire satisfaction. You should regularly check for any cracks and defects with the batteries as well as the terminals.

After you have setup the batteries on your electric car, you should make the cleaning of the terminals an integral part of your maintenance routine and ensure that these are free of dust, dirt and water to prevent corrosion. However, to avoid any health hazard you must adopt the necessary precautionary measures while performing your maintenance routine.

This is of utmost importance since direct contact with acid batteries can harm your skin. To remain safe, you should always use distilled or de-ionized water for maintenance and cleaning purpose. Do not forget to check the manufacturer’s maintenance instructions of the batteries, which will lead to a longer life span of your batteries and bring down your replacement expenditure.

Acquaint yourself with the tried and tested measures of cleaning your electric vehicle power source, since this will ensure that your batteries work properly and also last longer. Follow the recommended maintenance routine and while performing this, ensure that the vent caps are tightly fitted.

Always use the recommended equipment and tools for maintenance and cleaning. You should also be mindful of the fact that proper charging of the batteries will ensure their optimum performance. You need to exhaust the batteries before charging and should always fully charge these; however, keep a keen eye and ensure that the batteries do not get over charged, since this will harm the batteries.

Last but not the least, filling your batteries with water up to the right level is a very important function that will ensure proper functioning of these over a long period and hence, as soon as the plates get covered stop filling water to your batteries.

If you follow these simple steps and the recommended maintenance schedule, you can ensure extended life span for the batteries on your custom made electric car, thereby reducing the necessity of early replacement of these and the associate cost, too.

An electric car is a plug-in battery powered vehicle. Many people prefer electric cars to gasoline-powered vehicles not only because they are environmentally friendly but also because an analysis of running and maintenance expenses of both types of cars indicates that electric cars are much cheaper and more efficient than gasoline-powered cars.

Sometimes people are faced with a dilemma of whether to convert their present gasoline-run car into an electric car or buy a new electric car or better still, go in for a used electric car. In case the decision is to opt for a used electric car, it is necessary to follow certain steps in order to ensure that one purchases a proper electric car on the best possible terms.

Some of the important factors that you should consider when purchasing used electric cars are:

Determine your needs.

Determine the type of electric vehicle that is most suitable for your needs. Many models of electric cars, such as the Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt are now available in the automobile market.

The Leaf model vehicle is a pure electric vehicle and has a range of around 100 miles, depending upon one’s driving experience and road conditions. The Chevy Volt car is an electric vehicle, equipped with a gas engine as a stand by.

The combination of the two enables a travel up to 300 miles. While the Volt model has most important basic features, the Leaf model is more suitable for travelling.

The purpose of buying a used electric car.

It is important to understand the purpose for which you intend to buy a used electric car. If the plan is to use this vehicle for driving long distances, like going out of the town to the forest or a visit a family located away from the city or town, the battery will get discharged before you realize, resulting in lots of problems for the driver.

Approach a new vehicle dealer.

Quite often new vehicle dealers also sell used cars. It is better to check with them if they have any good used electric cars in stock. If they are not readily available, register with them in the waiting list by paying a little extra charge. It is a very good option and worth considering.

Type of residence.

Some people realize after purchasing an electric car that they do not have proper place to park the vehicle during nights. Electric cars are required to be plugged-in at night. For those living in an apartment, this may not be possible.

Warranty on the EV.

Check about the type of warranty available for the used vehicle. It is necessary to ascertain before buying a used electric car, whether it is out of the certified pre-owned programs and if so, check whether batteries of the used car are covered by a warranty. Batteries of hybrid vehicles usually have a warranty of eight years or 100,000 miles whichever is earlier.

It is very essential to gather every detail about the condition of the battery of the used electric vehicle, particularly if there is any damage to it. For instance, as the battery gets older and the vehicle is used frequently, the life of the battery will accordingly get reduced.

Weather has also an important bearing on the vehicle’s battery. For example, hot weather conditions affect the battery’s life than cold weather.

Buying used electric cars pitfalls.

Electric car technology is still new and the cars are manufactured on large scale. Being ‘first generation’ electric vehicles, they may have some deficiencies. This aspect should be kept in mind before buying a used vehicle, though these problems can be ultimately rectified. That is why warranties are very important, particularly in case of first generation cars.

Hire an electric vehicle.

There are a number of vehicle rental agencies that offer electric cars on rent. It is better to consider renting an electric car for some time and get a feel of it, before investing on a used electric car.