Would You Ever Build Your Own Electric Car?

[ElectricEV]

I came across this crazy 3 wheeled electric car called the Doran. The most interesting detail I found out about this car is the company sells the plans to actually build the car yourself. Imagine trying to build a Ford Focus Electric. This Doran electric of course is a lot simpler but it seems like it would be pretty daunting (and awesome) to build your own electric vehicle. Anyone ever thought about building their Focus EV a little sister?

http://www.doranev.com/Doran-Electric-Car-3-wheel-EV.htm

 

[j79guy]

I did. As a mental excercise, two years ago I converted a 1998 Chevy Cavalier to DC electric. 144vdc nominal system, using 12 AGM automotive batteries. 1kW Zilla controller. Mazanita Micro charger. Warp 9, 9" dc motor. Kept the original flywheel and 5-speed transaxle. No kit for a Cavalier existed, so I purchased a "kit" specified for the Chevy S10 pickup, and modified it to work in the Cavalier. I have a short, 9km commute from home to work, and the system works well for this distance. I sacrificed range for performance, and the performance is quite good. Overall, I gained no extra weight, over the IC engine, gas tank, exhaust, ect., that was removed and sold.
This car has given me the bug for more, so a new Focus Electric is on order. I could have went with a Nissan Leaf, or Mitsubishi, but for the simple, single reason; They are just too damn ugly.

Robin Sipe.

p.s., the Cavalier will be for sale, as soon as my Focus arrives!

 

[Rick]

If I had the engineering skills I would consider building myself a big brother to my Ford Focus Electric. It's a nice car, but it could use a pizza oven for those long trips. In truth though I probably would miss out on all the design that ford is so good at putting into their cars like the focus ev.

It would be fun to try and make my own though, although it would never replace my ford focus electric.

 

[Trielectric]

I remember that 27 years ago Caterpillar had a 96 volt electric forklift that ran 8 hours with a power steering pump and hydraulic pump constantly working and have thought many times that when I win the lottery there would be an electric forklift dissassembled in my garage and siamesed with a car or pickup of my choosing. Is Jay Leno listening?

 

[yakers]

AFAIK the most common conversion is/was a VW Rabbit kit. It uses lead acid batteries and you lose the back seat for people, still rom for parcels. Enough have been done that the bugs have been sorted out. As I remember a couple years ago it cost about $6K for the conversion + the car, not counting your labor. Nice package for those with mid level or bettter mechanicl skils, the interest and a place to work on one. Not much for creature comforts, no air conditioning, don't remember about heat. But as doable as a VW kit car. Range was about 60 miles. I'm glad the FFE is such a good product, and my wife is estatic. Oh, my mechanical skils are not up to the level to try a conversion.

 

[jpc1818]

I was very interested in doing this conversion on a porsche boxster; however, for me it didnt make good $$$ sense.
First, the cost of the LI po 4 batteries would run 10-15k, car would be 8k, controllers/motor and electrical goodies would be another 15-20k.

For that price, i decided that a brand new FFE would be the way to go.

 

[dorislindsey]

Building my own electric car is really impossible for me cause of the fact that it is complicated on building it.Well this 3 wheel electric car was really something amazing however i did not seen it yet.

 

[DuncanWatson]

I have considered conversions but I wasn't looking at doing the work myself. I work on bikes not on cars.
djw