ABSTRACT
Introduction
The goal of this project is to build an electric car at a relatively low [American] cost. Typically electric cars are sold to the public at prices ranging from roughly $40,000[1] to $109,000[2]. This leaves many people unable to afford these new, more energy efficient vehicles, and are left to cope with a wild petroleum market. However, with a little time and at an affordable cost, an electric car can be built that is capable of fulfilling most daily commutes or errands.
Understanding the Market
Project Goals
- Certifiable in California street legal.
- Capable of traveling from Arcata, CA to Fortuna, CA (Roughly 30 miles)
- Maintain a low budget.
Design
Describe your design here.
Gathering the Parts
Since this is a project on a tight budget, not a lot of priority is given to getting 'just the right part'. Most parts were obtained by prowling eBay and searching locally. Retail store purchases were avoided when possible with the intention of saving money.
Motor
The first motor purchased was a 24 volt Advanced DC Motors that was apparently pulled from a scissor lift. I probably jumped too quick on buying it, as 24 volts isn't much more than go-cart power. At 24 volts and pulling 400 Amps, the motor would be putting out less than 13 horsepower. To top things off, the motor was badly damaged in shipping. By making some modifications to the motor, I was able to salvage it. However, these modifications necessitated the purchase of a $20 drill bit. I was able to find another motor, 97 volts, that was roughly the same price. However, the shipping cost on this second motor was $50 more. This second motor will be the one used in the car. The time and cost associated with making a mounting plate are too great to start with an underpowered motor.
Motor Controller
The motor controller that will be used initially for this project is the Curtis 36V, 400A DC controller. This will allow for getting things figured out and will allow me to get the car moving without spending lots of time and money on batteries. After everything is set up with this controller, it shouldn't be too hard to switch over to a larger controller and add more batteries.
Donor Car
Through watching Craigslist for a couple of weeks, I found a 1980 Geo Prism for sale in a nearby town. The seller was asking $500 in the original post, the car had a broken radiator and a cracked head. Since an extended time went by with no interest, the seller agreed to donate the car to the cause. Now, all that needed to be done was to get the car from McKinleyville to Fortuna, where the work would be done. Easier said than done apparently. To keep a long story short, a couple of days were spent trying to find a way to get the car moved. In the end, I ended up using a tow dolly from U-Haul. The move took a couple of hours. Since the car didn't run, it had to be pushed around the driveway with low tires. It was quite a work-out.
The Build
Stripping the Car
Costs
This table breaks down all of the costs related directly to the project.
Auxiliary costs such as food, electricity, travel, etcetera are not included.
- (Parentheses) indicate positive cash flow, such as selling parts from the car.
- If an item was ordered from a retailer, the shipping cost is either included or marked as:
- 0 - Free if there was no shipping charge.
- 0 - Local if an item was obtained locally.
All values are given in Dollars (US).
| Item | Purchase Date | Quantity | Cost Per Unit | Shipping | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curtis D.C. 24-36V 400A motor controller | 2008-12-11 | 1 | 202.50 | 0 - Free | 202.50 |
| Motor - ADM DB8-4001 24V | 2008-12-11 | 1 | 78.00 | 25.00 | 103.00 |
| Twist hand throttle 5k Ohm | 2008-12-15 | 1 | 5.50 | 4.00 | 9.50 |
| Motor - 97V | 2008-12-17 | 1 | 78.00 | 75.00 | 153.00 |
| 1980 Geo Prism | 2008-12-23 | 1 | 0.00 | U-Haul Cost | Total Cost |
| 500 Amp Digital Ammeter W/Shunt | 2008-12-23 | 1 | 22.99 | 9.50 | 32.49 |
| Digital Volt Meter | 2008-12-23 | 1 | 18.99 | 8.00 | 26.99 |
| Item | Date | # | Cost | Shipping | Total Cost |
| Total | $25.00 | $205.50 |
Discussion
Buying the Parts
For the most part, I was able to buy most things off of eBay for fairly good prices. Shipping prices on motors can be outrageous. I was lucky with my purchase as the shipping charge was $25 for me, yet the seller ended up having to fork out $69 at the post office. For someone willing to wait, these items would probably pop up in a scrap yard at some time or another.
Next Steps
The next steps.
Conclusions
Your conclusions.
Related Reading
- Guides/Cars
- Discussions
References
Contact details
Joey Hiller <layout name="Project" />