Will an EV fill my need?

EV Small Talk
1

Hi, this is my 1st post.

I am strongly considering doing an EV conversion but wanted to discuss my needs.

Please consider my driving habits. My current vehicle is a 2004 Honda Civic Hybrid CVT, EPA rates at 46MPG. I’ve been hypermiling it since new (2004) with a personal record tank of 1004 miles for 75MPG. I’ve scaled back my efforts and now average just over 60MPG tank to tank. Most folks average mid-upper 40’s MPG for the same vehicle.

I am hoping that my efficiency skills will also have an effect on a future EV range.

I live in a warmer climate: typically high 90’s summer and sometimes below freezing in Jan-March. My car parks outside under a carport.

I commute 50 miles to work, almost all freeway but typically have 15-20 miles gridlock stop/go traffic. Unlike most folks around here, I can live without AC in the summer: I did my 1004 tank in the heat of August with bringing a cooler with ice water and washcloth.

My car stays parked in a secure garage at work without an outlet.

Our other vehicle is a 2001 Grand Caravan my wife uses to take our 3 kids to/from school. The round trip is about 30 miles. Unlike me, she is not willing to drive without AC or heat and can’t drive a stick.

I am considering buying a small car (Civic etc) from salvage, hiring a local shop to do the heavy conversion work and replacing at least one of our vehicles.

I don’t think an electric would be suitable for my wife, given her requirements but I was wondering if it at all would work for myself as a commuter car. I would need a comfortable reserve range and have max speed of about 70MPH. Typical speed would be above 60 for about 20 miles, about 55 for another 20 and just over 50MPH for another 10.

If so, can anyone estimate the cost of such a project from start to finish, preferably someone who’s already done this?

What does this community think, and if so, How should I start the project?

Thanks in advance
-Steve

2

so you need to get 100 miles a day? don’t use lead, thats for sure.

You’ll need lithium and lots of it, and a deep pocket. It won’t be cheap.

3

[QUOTE=frodus;3800]so you need to get 100 miles a day? don’t use lead, thats for sure.

You’ll need lithium and lots of it, and a deep pocket. It won’t be cheap.[/QUOTE]

Yes with out a plug at work this is pretty much impossible with led acid. I am afraid you would have to do what I am doing and shell out 40,000 grand.:eek: To go a 100 miles on lithium with quality batteries it would be maybe 40,000 dollars and that would be in a big group purchase just for the batteries.
I was thinking of building one out of led acid. They have an open source kit going for a Honda civic they are trying to keep cost down. It will only go about 40 miles. I wanted to build one that would go sixty miles and use quality Semen’s components. I would have 25 12volt batteries and AC motor. It would charge faster than the one I have on order now and have similar performance.