Are you on the search for a second-hand Volkswagen Beetle? My search is very recent and was like you on the lookout for it. Let me share my piece of mind on modus-operandi followed to get my crazy small car.

1) Searching Online.

The initial way was to look it out in the local Canadian website by name Auto Trader. The Canada is the place of my residence and there must be one at US to offer the Volkswagen brands of car to you. I was on a frenetic search initially for the Volkswagens.

I was not too choosy as to go for Jetta or Beetle. My option was open for Golf too. When I was on the full swing in finding one, I was swayed by the plan to have a Beetle. My memories on Herbie, the love bug were fresh and my interest was always to become an owner of Beetle as I become a blonde girl.

2) Timing Belt Issue.

Whenever I was trotting for my car, my intimate was with me. Since I am naïve of cars as well as not an expert in haggling in for a best second hand car, my intimate did it all. The knowledge with the second-hand dealer sales man on the timing belt status of the resale car is vital. Unfortunately, they lack knowledge about it.

The timing belt requires a makeover after the car has crossed 15K. So, our knowledge about is necessary and this will save $700 for us, since a new timing belt may require that much amount.

3) Finding a Car in Good Shape.

When you are up to a second-hand, it requires a thorough home work. We have to thrash out a lot. What are all that are here down?

- A nice body – The rust are the enemy of the car. Rust are the beginning and it spreads quickly, so do not go for such cars. The scratches and dents may be traced and noted. We are not here to get a car of cent percent perfect but it should be in a nice shape at least.

- Tires not so old – It is very basis that tires are costly and going for a new tires is not an easy proportion at once. Therefore, look for cars with tires are in a proper shape.

- A recently changed Timing belt – When this point is a repetition, the stage of the timing belt is vital and ensures that it needs no replacement.

- Comfortable interiors – A poorly maintained interiors may not augur well. It may reflect on the condition of the car as well as the poor maintenance of the other parts of the car too,

- Lesser kilometers travelled – Lesser kilometers intend a meaning of lesser wear and tear for the vehicle. The budget for my car was in between 150 – 200K.

- The person from whom you can confidently buy – It may be frightful to get a second-hand car from strangers. It may find you in a tight corner on whom to believe. Here, the dealer was a member in the Used Car Dealers Association (UCDA).

This membership gave me the confidence to buy from him as well his 14 years expertise in the business of selling second-hand cars reinforced my belief on him. Now what all read above are the basics for you to go and grab a bug. I bid adieu with best wishes to get a nice and suitable Volkswagen New Beetle catering your needs.

Homemade VW Beetle Conversion Guide

Are you thinking of converting an old VW Beetle into a pure electric car? If you are, check out the Convert2EV ebook written by Les and Jane Oke.

The Okes are Canadian and they have been living a green lifestyle for more than 15 years. To keep their carbon footprint low, they use homemade electric cars. The Convert2EV manual is based on their years of experience retrofitting old conventional automobiles to run on electricity. Click on the link below to visit their web site right now.

==> Click here to visit Convert2EV!

If you are in the market to buy a second hand car, here are a few reasons why you should consider buying it online rather than offline from a dealer. All you need is to learn how to finalize a deal online and you will end up with very good benefits.

Usually people who wish to buy a used car approach a used car dealer to get what they want because this is the tried and tested method of going about it. In spite of all the headache and paper work involved, we find that people still prefer an offline old car dealer to an online purchase.

This is essentially due to two major reasons. One is the fact that people have no idea of the market availability online as well as the fear that visiting an online store may be difficult and complex and beyond their reckoning.

Secondly, we tend to hear more and more about internet scams and so many people who find themselves in a dilemma about what to believe would just like to stay clear of such a situation. Basically, there are two things that you need to take cognizance of: One is the fact that if you are familiar with the internet, it is not at all difficult for you to approach a good online store, verify about its credibility and make a successful deal.

If you are not familiar with the online market and are planning to get a used car online, here are some tips to help you along. To ensure that you get a very good deal, your first step should be to make a thorough online research.

No beginner can afford to bypass this very essential step of making an online research. Reading up reviews by car experts and going through the popular web portals thrown up by your search engine will quickly provide you with all the necessary information that you need.

Many online classified websites carry the advertisements of people wanting to sell their used cars. Based on your requirements, you could consider replying to those ads. Make sure that all the necessary information about the car have been provided and don’t rush to make the deal until you get everything that you need to know about it.

Once you have the relevant facts about the car, check to see if the price quoted by the owner is reasonable by doing another online research about it. If you feel that the price factor is alright, you can come to the final stage.

The last and final step in buying a used car is to take it for a test drive to find out whether it functions as promised by the owner. Drive it on all kinds of road surfaces and observe its road worthiness carefully. Take other factors into consideration such as the efficiency of the engine, smoke, noise, etc.

If the car meets all these criteria and is priced reasonably, you can close the deal and make your purchase. Looking for a donor car for your homemade electric car project is now much easier with the help of the internet.

If you are passionate about cars and have kept your eyes open, while out on the streets, there are high chances that you had come across one of the new Volkswagen Beetle cars. The new Volkswagen Beetle is refreshingly different from its ancestor and has become a favorite to most of the Americans in the past 5 – 6 years.

However, the credit goes to its manufacturer, which is actually a German company. Though it is rumored that Volkswagen Beetle was invented by Adolf Hitler, however, it is not exactly that way. Adolf Hitler did have his inputs in the implementation of this car; however, it is incorrect if the entire credit is given to him solely.

With time, though many cars had changed their original design and have developed low fenders, sleek lines and super high powered engines; however, this does not hold true for the new Volkswagen Beetle. Decades have passed but the Beetle has not changed much, i.e. it has not become bigger in size than the original 1930s version, which is an all time favorite.

It has maintained its small and compact size and the fuel efficiency as well as its rounded design has remained its integral part; all of which have remained more or less unchanged in the face of the evolutionary process that it had experienced. Volkswagen Beetle is a people’s favorite for various reasons; one of these being its visual appeal.

It is reminiscent of the lifestyles of beautiful and confident ladies as well as well-to-do gentlemen; it reminds us of the warm summer days and over and above all these, being fuel efficient, it has become a darling in today’s world where the ever-increasing gas price and stagnating wages are taking their toll.

The rounded lines and the headlights that resemble eyes are the most adorable and standout features of this classic Volkswagen Beetle. I am sure, you still remember Herbie – the anthropomorphic Volkswagen Beetle that featured in several Disney motion pictures starting with the 1968 classic, The Love Bug. Herbie played a very important part in making Beetle such a favorite and a part of the popular American culture.

If, deep down, you have a burning desire to own a Volkswagen Beetle, you can explore a number of alternatives for this. You can acquire the recently released new Volkswagen Beetle or can even try out one of the older versions. These are great for restoration projects and can also be found restored; though, it is a bit time consuming process that can test your patience.

It is true that Volkswagen is not an American- made car, but, like you and me, Americans do love it. These adorable little devils had caught people’s fancies and desires even before the World War II and by the way things are spanning out, it seems this love affair is here to stay.

So hurry, scan your local newspaper or go online to check out the offers on numerous Volkswagen Beetles, restored and ready to be restored and get the one you like best. Look out for your Volkswagen Beetle, either new or old, and you might land up on an exciting offer.

If you are thinking of start a DIY electric car project and you are looking for a donor vehicle, an old Volkswagen Beetle is actually a perfect candidate. This is because of its light weight, ample storage space for on board deep cycle batteries and rear wheel drive.

To start converting a conventional Beetle to run purely on electricity, check out the ConvertEV guide written by Les and Jane Oke.

Volkswagen is known for its classical cars, the Volkswagen Beetle is another classical car which has been on roads for more than seven decades. It is a well-established icon in the car industry. Through proper search, it is possible to get a used VW Beetle that too in good condition of your electric car conversion project.

My personal preference has always been 20 years old VW Beetle as compared to a newer car. This brand become so popular that the company re-established the brand and Beetle is still available in the market.

The idea of manufacturing Beetle was initially given by Adolf Hitler, who wanted a car for masses which in actual terms can be considered people car. It was also a step to eradicate unemployment after World War 1. Hitler had two point agenda, one to give people a car which they can afford, and to generate employment for the people.

It was in 1930 that Hitler started a project to build a car for every citizen of Germany, so the birth of Volkswagen took place. In Germany Volkswagen word means “people’s car”. The original model of beetle was designed by Ferdinand Porsche, who became famous later for Porsche range of cars which are still being manufactured and marketed.

Porsche designed a car which had engine in the rear side, it had air cooled four cylinder engine, these specifications were given by Hitler, who thought these cars, would be quite inexpensive. He wanted that everyone should be able to afford this car and it should able to seat two adults and three children.

Over the rest of the century, Volkswagen became the most popular classical car and still is, it has created waves across the world due to its technology and pleasant drive. Thousands of cars were manufactured and marketed, because it offered the most inexpensive and simple motoring which lasted for ever.

Most of the German advertising promotional films shot were full of amazing Beetle, driving at top of a steep or in sand dunes, rolling and then running again. This was to show the toughness of Beetle; even now people can find and buy Beetle which is strong as ever.

There are many owners who have upgraded their VW to classical condition, this give them edge over other car owners as they are proud owners of Beetle. You can find car clubs which are based exclusively around VW Beetles, there are many frames and chassis built to other hand built on vehicles.

Some of the examples are many dune buggies built entirely on VW Beetles. If you are fond of cars Beetle can provide you with excellent choice. Market for Beetles is very strong but good news is that there are plenty of supplies also, that makes your choice more clear and you will not get disappointed. Sourcing the Beetle as your EV conversion donor car would be a pleasant experience.

Once you decide to be proud owner of Beetle, you can always boast to be proud owner of Beetle even though it is powered by an electric motor. Beetle today is the most popular brand of Volkswagen across the world. People who own it are really happy to enjoy the smooth driving of this car.

Do It Yourself Electric Car Conversion Manual

Do you want to know how to convert a conventional gas guzzler to a clean electric vehicle? If you do, check out the Convert2EV manual by Les and Jane Oke.

The Okes are true green enthusiasts and they drive a homemade electric car to keep their carbon footprint small. The ebook was written based on their experience retrofitting normal cars to run on electricity. Click on the link below to visit their web site right now.

==> Click here to visit Convert2EV now!

The threat of global warming and impending danger of natural disaster constantly threat all of us. To minimize this, many petroleum-fueled car owners are interested to convert their vehicles to environment-friendly electric cars.

These electric cars came into existence in the mid-nineteenth century and throughout that period as well as the early twentieth century, these vehicles had gathers prominence. Instead of internal combustion engines, these automobiles use unconventional fuel and use electric motors and motor controllers to get the required driving force.

These cars are also called the battery electric vehicles since, batteries form the integral part of these cars and provide the necessary power for plying. Many people are converting their traditional vehicles into these electric cars from the comfort of their homes; however, there are some salient points that have to be considered always, while doing this conversion at home.

Essential Components Of An EV

A DC controller and a DC motor are required for conversion and the person involved with this job should choose the accurate voltage at which the system will work. Though the voltage is usually between 96 and 192 volts; however, this decision is primarily determined by the number of batteries, type of motor and the type of controller that the car is supposed to use.

Though a person has plethora of choices regarding the battery technology, he will be best served if he uses lead-acid batteries. Marine deep-cycle lead acid batteries, golf cart batteries and high-performance sealed batteries are the other battery options available to a person.

These batteries are generally flooded, gelled or may even be made from absorbed glass mat electrolyte; flooded batteries being the least costly but at the same time these have the lowest peak power.

After arriving at the final decision regarding the motor, controller and the batteries, one can proceed for the electric car conversion.

Parts Of An Homemade Electric Car

To carry out the DIY electric car conversion process in a smooth and efficient manner, you should first understand the important terms and procedures related to it.

• The controller delivers the power from the batteries to the motor for the vehicle to ply.

• Batteries act as the storage compartments for energy required for these electric cars.

• The attraction and repelling motions created by the magnets of electric motors or DC motors enable the engine to start and provide the necessary force for the car to move.

The following points serve as basic guide or step-by-step process of the conversion that you need to follow while converting your traditional vehicle into electric car, at home.

The EV Conversion Process

• First, remove the engine, gas tank, exhaust system, clutch and the radiator from your conventional vehicle that you want to convert.

• Before mounting the new motor in the vehicle by using custom mounting brackets, connect an adapter plate to the transmission system.

• You should create a gear reduction system by pinning the existing manual transmission to the 1st or 2nd gear. This will allow optimum efficiency of the electric motor.

• After the above are done, you can mount the controller.

• Build brackets, which will enable the batteries to stay in place and will complete their installation process.

• Use a welding cable to wire both the batteries as well as the motor to the controller.

• After this install a charging system and should also remember to install a DC-to-DC converter to charge the spare battery.

• You should also install a volt meter to keep a track of the charge in your batteries.

Last but not the least, you should install a contractor or a large relay, which will enable you to connect or disconnect the battery pack to and from the controller.

If your vehicle has a power steering, remember to install an electric motor for that power steering pump, too and if it has an air conditioning unit, a separate electric motor has to be wired up and mounted for the compressor.

Install a vacuum pump so that you can operate the brake booster of the power brakes and it may even be necessary for you to install some reverse switches to the controller, depending on the conversion. Now your vehicle is ready and you can rewire the ignition switch to take your environment-friendly vehicle for a test drive.

DIY Electric Car Conversion Guide

Do you need help with your EV conversion project? If you do, check out the Convert2EV ebook by Les and Jane Oke.

The Okes are from Canada and they have been living and green lifestyle for more than 10 years. To maintain a small carbon footprint, they convert conventional automobile into pure electric car in their home garage and use the homemade EV to move around.

The Convert2EV guide was written based on their experience throughout the years retrofitting more than a dozen cars into EV. Click on the link below to visit the Oke’s web site right now.

==> Click here to visit Convert2EV now!

A person has many assessments to make when deciding whether to use an AC or DC motor when doing an electric vehicle conversion. Both have features and issues to consider when choosing. Which will fit the bill better for you? Here are some points to assist in the decision.

What are the meanings of AC and DC?

The meaning of AC is alternating current and the meaning of DC is direct current. The majority of commercially manufactured hybrid or electric vehicles make use of an AC motor, which has the advantage of being lighter than a DC motor.

Additionally, an AC motor has the capability of providing a charge to the battery, as the vehicle slows down, if it is fitted with the proper equipment. It does this by generating a current, as it spins, and passes that current back to the battery pack.

When an AC motor takes advantage of this function it is called regenerative braking, the very motor that powers the car can be utilized to reduce its speed. AC motors are very expensive to purchase, which is the reason most builders choose DC motors.

Some additional cost reducing, considerations are:

- Because electric motors only have a single moving part, opposed to a gas or diesel engine that has 100’s, they can remain in good working order for a very long time.

- Another feature that contributes to their long life is that they generate almost no heat, so they do not need any cooling, and since no parts rub or scrape together, it does not require any lubrication.

These are some of the reasons DC motors allow builders to save considerable amounts of money, if they are purchased used. A very compelling variable when choosing these motors is, that since there is so little that can go wrong, there is a much higher probability of getting many years of worry free use.

In regards to motor size, take weight into consideration, the lighter the better. A completed vehicle has a higher degree of practicality and usability if it is lighter.

Overcapacity is one thing that contributes heavily to the potential weight of the motor, exercise care when considering if this is something that would add enough value to make it worth the extra weight. In addition, the size of the motor has a direct correlation to the amount of batteries required in the storage bank.

Batteries add weight as well. The equilibrium between range and performance, versus weight of the motor, is a decision that deserves a considerable amount of thought. To make the proper calculations read the conversion plans for the required information. The right decision will save a lot of anguish down the road.

Deficiencies in speed and range are very difficult to rectify after completing the build, so spend the time to focus on an ideally balanced motor selection. Do it yourself (DIY) electric vehicle conversion projects offer a great degree of fulfillment.

Especially when a person uses the best motor for the job. All in all, it helps the environment, pays much less than they would if they bought off the showroom floor, and motoring costs, in the long term, are much lower.

Car suspension is the term used to describe a structure of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a car to its wheels. A suspension system contributes not only to the car’s road-holding or handling but also its braking, safety and comfortable driving experience, insulated from bumps and vibrations.

Though it may appear incredible, the designs of first suspensions for automobiles were motivated by the horse-drawn carriages, which were the most popular mode of transport prior to the introduction of first batch of automobiles. These were, primarily, ‘beam axles’, in which a sturdy beam was connected through leaf springs to the vehicle’s chassis and the wheels were fixed at the ends of the beams.

Even though solid beam axles functioned quite efficiently and are actually still used in commercial and heavy-duty vehicles, need to provide better travel comforts forced car designers to consider suspension designs that provided superior ‘ride and handling’ characteristics.

This is the period when designers used ‘swing axles’ and ‘trailing arm suspensions’ in an effort to provide cars better features in terms of withstanding bumps and enhanced steering and handling comforts. While the Corvair is a fine example of a car that adopted swing axle suspension, the design of VW Beetle was based on a trailing arm suspension.

One of the major suspension designs developed was the MacPherson strut. This design was first adopted by Ford in the 1950s soon after it was developed. It is extremely popular with car makers for its simplicity and compactness and automobile companies producing cars on a large scale employ this design extensively.

Cars based on the MacPherson strut are cheaper because of the simplicity in design and its compact design facilitates a drive axle to move across the steering knuckle that the strut is connected to. In view of these features, it became, in effect, a norm for all front wheel drive cars in the 70s and is adopted quite extensively even now.

Although it is a popular choice because of its simple design, compactness and low manufacturing costs, the MacPherson strut was not considered suitable for superior- performance cars in terms of quality of ride and handling. Automobile engineers specialized in suspension designs, in search of better control and handling, came up with the ‘double A-arm’ or dual ‘wishbone’ suspension that enables a vehicle to achieve peak ‘cornering force’.

Even these days, the solid axle is used in the rear for very powerful cars. As in the case of front suspension, leaf springs were used for rear suspensions as well. Several cars produced on a large scale used this rear design until the early 80s.

However, leaf springs are no longer popular and instead, coil springs or struts are now being used extensively. Positioning of the solid rear axle is achieved by trailing links and lateral control rods that control the movement of axle during acceleration and while applying brakes.

There are other designs for linking and controlling the movement of live axle. However, the 4-link is generally the most common and popular design being employed for cars still using a solid rear axle.

However, very few manufacturers, these days, use a solid axle for the rear suspension of the car. Separate rear suspensions are generally used these days, irrespective of whether a car is a front wheel drive, rear wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

The design of rear end suspension of front wheel drive cars is, normally, a modified version of front suspension. These designs are, normally either a MacPherson design suspension or an A-arm system. On the contrary, rear wheel drive cars generally employ separate designs for front and rear suspensions.

The use of ‘multi-link’ rear suspensions to permit a smooth drive without comprising on quality of handling is quite common these days. With all-wheel drive cars, the usual type of suspension design adopted is the MacPherson strut or uneven length ‘double A-arm’. All-wheel drive cars are normally known for superior performance and their suspension tuning features ‘handling over ride quality’.

Now that you know the science and history of car suspension, you will know what to look for when you are choosing a donor car for your DIY electric car conversion project.

For more tips and tricks on EV conversion on a budget, checkout the Convert2EV ebook by Les and Jane Oke. The Okes have been living a green lifestyle for more than 15 years. One way of keeping their carbon footprint small is to use a homemade electric vehicle. The Convert2EV manual was written based on their experience converting old gas guzzlers to pure electric cars. Click on the link below to visit their web site right now.

==> Click here to visit Convert2EV now!

In most electric car conversion projects, there is always scope for wielding work as most of the bracing, electric motor supports and other vehicle components are made up of metals and may undergo breakage or require welding after certain period of time. Welding has become a specialized skill and welders who are experienced and best in the business are hired in order carryout all kinds of welding work required.

The welding is a process that has to be carried out very carefully. There are chances of accidents and since it involves dealing with high temperatures, welders need to be very careful. The welders are supposed to carry out the welding work in an area where there is no traces of water. The place where welding machine is placed and welding is done must be properly ventilated.

Welding is a process of heating the work pieces and joining them with a molten metal that forms a strong join after cooling. In order to heat the metals, energy sources like a gas flame, a laser or an electric arc can be used.

Due to the welding process, chemical fumes are emitted which are poisonous. The welders need to protect themselves from the poisonous emissions by masking their face. Thus, there is a great need to take have a proper air circulation system where the welding machine is placed.

Apart from the risk of inhaling poisonous gases, there are chances of fire accidents and visual impairment as well. A welder needs to wear personal protective equipment in order to protect himself. When you are welding, you should wear a long protective jacket and must protect your hands from burns by wearing leather gloves.

Your eyes are very sensitive and when exposed to bright arcs may lead to a condition called “arc eye”, where the cornea undergoes inflammation because of ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet rays emitted during welding process can cause damage to the cornea and retina in the eye. In order avoid damage to your eyes, you should wear goggles or welding helmets.

Not every homemade electric car projects require a welding machine. So before buying the welding machine there is a need to evaluate whether to buy or rent a welding machine. If the welding work is frequently being done in a period of time and there is further scope of use, you may consider buying a welding machine for your workshop. In doing so, investing in a new machine versus hiring skilled welder will prove to be a better option in the long run.

If welding is done infrequently, then renting a welding machine or hiring a welder will be apt. There are different costs associated with the welding works which are welding machine cost, labor cost, equipment cost, energy source cost, material cost and maintenance cost.

The welding equipment cost depends upon the methods being used. The cost of material is nothing but the cost of the metals that are used in welding can be quite expensive. The energy source cost can vary based on the source. Normally, gas flames are inexpensive when compared to laser or electric arc. The maintenance cost is the cost incurred to maintain, repair or service the welding machine.

Now that you know what’s involved in a welding process, you can now decide if you have to buy a new welding machine for your garage or outsource the welding work to a professional.

Electric cars have become very popular once again, after a long gap, because of low carbon emissions and consequently, less pollution. Many car owners prefer to undertake conversion of gasoline-powered car into an electric or hybrid vehicle at home instead of buying a new one as converted cars are much cheaper compared to buying a new electric car.

Electric car conversions are normally treated as Do It Yourself (DIY) projects. Those interested in conversion of their vehicles into electric cars can either purchase pre-assembled kits or complete do it yourself instruction manual for conversion to electric car.

Certain parts of the car need not be changed during conversion to electric vehicle. These include body of the car, brakes, parts that are meant to enhance the safety of the car and several components other than the engine.

Conversion of gasoline-run car into electric –powered one has several advantages as well as disadvantages. It is, therefore, advisable for those contemplating to switch over to an electric car to consider a few aspects before actually taking up the conversion work.

Electric Car Conversion Advantages

In electric cars, the carbon emissions will be minimal and therefore, are eco-friendly. One need not to go to a gasoline station to fill up gas. What is required is to plug-in the car battery to run the electric car.

The cost of conversion from gasoline-powered engine will work out to less than $ 15,000. The greatest advantage of electric car is that the maintenance costs are very low compared to vehicle powered by gas.

Electric car is much more efficient than an internal combustion car. Although the conversion process involves certain mechanical skills, it is still quite easy to do with the help of ‘do it yourself’ manual.

The conversion process will not take much time, if step by step conversion instructions are followed. One can drive an electric car up to a speed of 65 miles per hour.

Most of the people are able to convert their cars by themselves, though the conversion depends on the weight of the car and how many batteries does the car require. Charging the car batteries is not costly. What is required is only plug in the car for charging. There is no sound pollution from electric cars. Electric cars are safe and comfortable to drive.

Electric Car Conversion Disadvantages

Electric car conversions are not usually undertaken by authorized service dealers for normal vehicles. Conversions are normally carried out by the car owners themselves at home.

Financial benefits, such as tax rebates, incentives from government etc. are available only to new electric cars and not to the converted ones. Electric cars are more difficult to repair, if a familiar mechanic is not available and regular maintenance could be even more difficult.

The electric car conversion kits are not standard ones and are not approved by car manufacturers. Converted electric cars need replacement of batteries every few years, which is an additional maintenance cost.

Converted electric vehicles cannot normally run for more than 200 miles without a charge. Though traveling short distances is not a problem, for long trips converted electric cars may not be suitable.

After evaluating all the advantages and disadvantages and you are still keen to start your own electric car conversion project, the next step is to get a DIY electric car conversion manual. One of the EV conversion guide that I really like is the Convert2EV ebook by Les and Jane Oke from Canade.  Click on the link below to check out their web site.

==> Click here to visit the Oke’s web site!

How well do you know the tires used on your DIY electric car? Green product, fuel saver and low rolling resistance, these are all the jargon used when you are introduced to tire designed with silica.

Generally, they all are fundamentally the same thing and refer to performance and advantages achieved by adding silica to the tread compound of tires. Yup, it is pretty technical stuff and the significant advantage of adding silica is reduced drag and at the same time maintaining performance and essential qualities such as wet grip. In other words, the tires are safer and you can reduce the discharge rate of the batteries on your homemade electric vehicle (EV).

Tires containing silica have been in the market for over a decade. Where silica has actually been widely used in tire design plans since last few years or so. The use of silica is today widespread.

Use of silica by leaders such as Michelin in the Michelin Energy and Continental in the ContiEcoContact CP and EP tires was considered to be an actual breakthrough in tire technology.

Question is why low rolling resistance tires are so revolutionary in design and how does a consumer benefits from what it offers? Solving the compromise is a major problem that is faced by tire designers who have traditionally solved the compromise between low rolling resistance and wet grip.

Rolling resistance is the amount of energy a tire absorbs caused by revolving and deflecting. The lower the rolling resistance the lesser the energy needed propel the vehicle forward thus lower power consumption from the electric motor.

However, lowering the rolling resistance has traditionally meant a reduction in wet grip performance which obviously is unacceptable. What’s the use of having power in the battery bank but you’ll end up in a ditch every time you take a corner in your EV?

This problem has been worked out by replacing certain quantities of carbon black with silica in the tire’s tread compound which enables manufacturers to produce tires that provide wet skid properties, better winter performance and lower rolling resistance, all at the same time. All in all, it is a good thing!

The reason why this technology has been considered to be revolutionary is best described as follows: Grip is affected the degree at which a tire is distorted at higher frequencies, in other words the degree to which it hits the small stones and unevenness on the surface of the road.

Grip is also served by rubber compounds that absorb higher level of energy (high hysteresis compounds). Rolling resistance, on the other hand is affected by low frequency distortion that is the deflection of tire as it revolves. It also requires compounds which absorb low quantities of energy (low hysteresis compounds).

This contrast is the reason to why it has been impossible in the past to provide tires which can reduce rolling resistance and increase in wet grip. Again, it is very technical but kind of interesting if you are a science freak.

Tire engineers however have been able to produce compounds which are high hysteresis at high frequencies and low hysteresis at low frequencies with the addition of silica. The use of silica can cause a reduction in rolling resistance by 20% and more.

Assuming correct tire pressures are maintained and making allowances for changing speeds together with different driving characteristics, a 20% reduction in rolling resistance equates to 5% fuel savings on conventional gasoline driven automobile.

The use of silica can also improve wet skid performance. By adding silica to their winter tire range, Vredestein claim to have improved wet skid performance by 15% and at the same time substantially improving, braking distances.

Silica also provides substantial benefits with winter tires and all-season tires. Compounds using silica are more elastic and flexible at lower temperatures that allow better grip and braking during cold weather.

Therefore, when you are looking for a new set of tires for your electric car, get the type with silica designed. With this type of tires, you can extend your EV effective driving mileage and much safer at the same time.

DIY Electric Car Conversion Manual

If you are looking for a good Do It Yourself (DIY) electric car conversion book, check out Gavin Shoebridge’s Electric Conversion Made Easy guide.

Gavin is from New Zealand and he has converted his old 1987 Mitsubishi Treadia into a pure electric car in his garage.

Gavin is also well known in the homemade electric car realm. This is because of all the videos he took when he was converting his Tredia to EV.

==> Click here to read more about Electric Conversion Made Easy!