Low-Cost Electric Conversion

For under a thousand dollars, a mechanic in Illinois has converted his pickup truck into a battery-powered vehicle.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• hybrid
• electric
• conservation
• environment
• battery
• cars
• trucks
• vehicles
• energy

[assignearth]

Thanks for your comment! The technology does have a long way to go, but it is really cool that people are working to develop lower-cost alternatives. Thanks again!

[assignearth]

Thanks for your input, @paytontech, and thanks for watching!

[assignearth]

I think it's probably because the perception is that only a few of us would be willing to pay $3000 to convert our cars, so they don't think there's a real market for it...hopefully this will catch on and be more available in the future.

[assignearth]

We'll be looking for more stories like this to cover in the future!

[assignearth]

Don't know for certain, but like John Root, the renewable energy consultant, says in the report, doesn't it seem like developing lightweight batteries that would hold a longer charge would be a good investment of R&D money? Trying to get an update on this story-wondering if he did successfully convert his wife's car.

[assignearth]

I will ask our producers if we have an update on this story, and let you know! Thanks for your comment!

[heliocarbunclo]

realy nice we need more people like this guy

[sharon102645]

U got it going on man! Super

[fairyheli2]

@electra4554 but lead acids are cheap! personally i like nickel iron batteries, but you just can't get them. until lithium gets safer and cheaper I will continue to use nickel and lead

[fairyheli2]

wow! a pickup looks like the perfect vehicle to convert. by the looks of thing he is using a standard manual transmission, good idea!

[ilililhy1]

Everybody is off on the battery thing,forget that path,go more for Generating the Electric while the wheels are turning,less dependence on batterys,more on Generation.

[tayl0r011]

What batteries did you use?

[hipofalcon]

Excellent work! I wish that battery development would be placed ahead of finding more oil. We will always need oil, but a lot less of it if more vehicles were electric. Eventually, my ESCORTEV will have lithium batteries, but for now, they are way too expensive. The lead-acid batteries work, but are too heavy and don't have a long life-cycle. The biggest problem with electric vehicles is the batteries - everything else is easy. Thanks for posting this, and good luck with future projects. Ken.

[caden0316]

25 miles out of 11 battery's that only go 45mph?? plus you have to wait for it to charge. that's not even worth it. there's no a/c, no heat, no amenity's at all and it cost 1000 bucks and that was with used parts. I like the idea, but the technology has a long long way to go.

[enticed2zeitgeist]

Hell yea old school yankee engineering! Early usa used to be number 1 for nifty tech!

[mexicanbuttholegravy]

@woodfit yeah and people in europe make more money than us so they're not really paying more.

[DanFrederiksen]

yeah we need lithium batteries to come down in price.

and more suited electric motor and electronics products

then we are golden.

EV is so simple and elegant if done right