<VV> Converting a Corvair to electric viable?

[Alan and Clare Wesson]

a) pointless because the carbon footprint actually increases unless the 
electricity is sustainably sourced, and at the moment it isn't (hence my 20 
years comment).

b) massively heavy because of the batteries, so somewhat inefficient in 
terms of the power needed to move it along.

c) the pollution caused by the enormous number of batteries that would be 
needed (making them, transporting them and disposing them - so on three 
counts!) more than cancels out any environmental benefit.

d) they never have any room in them because they are full of batteries - 
most are two seaters, which in terms of CO2 per passenger mile makes them 
way less efficient than a good small diesel, and so completely pointless 
(the old Audi A2 1.2 TDi did 100 mpg in its most economical form, and that 
was 10 years ago. So with 4 up it is doing 400 people miles per gallon. 
There's no way you are going to approach that with a two-seater powered by 
batteries which are charged by American coal burning!).

e) (this is a biggie, and I think I am the first to mention it) what when 
the batteries run down? If you are on an unlit rural highway at night you 
suddenly become an unlit obstacle. Now, my wife has trouble remembering to 
put diesel in her Beetle every 600 miles. Imagine if she has to remember to 
keep an eye on how much range she has before the batteries go dead, and we 
are talking 50-100 miles. No chance! It'd be carnage, with people stopping 
their unlit (no batteries, remember) cars round blind bends and being 
ploughed into the back of.

f) from what I have read, the choice on battery run-down seems to be sudden 
death (in which case you become a traffic obstacle as above) or gradually 
diminishing power (in which case you electric car will only do 40 mph for 
the last 50 or so miles of its range). Some choice.

g) at the moment (although not if the infrastructure were improved - but see 
again my '20 year' comment) the charge-up time is way too long. Yes, if 
there were some kind of infrastructure where you could call in at a gas 
station and exchange your discharged battery cassette for a fully-charged 
one, it might be better - but that ain't going to happen fast. And what 
about the pollution caused by making and moving all those batteries?

h) as has been widely reported, the range is rubbish. Top Gear (the BBC 
motoring programme) tested a Tesla last month, and it died on them after 50 
miles. Yes, it was because they thrashed it senseless - but that's what 
happened in the real world. With their lead feet they managed to reduce the 
range of the Tesla from 150 to 50 miles, which is a scary thought when the 
car can die at any second if it is getting low on power. Nerve-racking or 
what?

h) what about trucks? I haven't heard anyone even suggesting electric 
trucks!

To sum up, despite the advances in battery tech recently, in my opinion it 
is no accident that history went with the IC engine when the choice was a 
Detroit Electric or a Redbug, and I don't see that changing any time soon.

Cheers

Alan


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bryan Blackwell" <bryan at skiblack.com>
To: <Donnellyf7 at aol.com>
Cc: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 4:54 PM
Subject: Re: <VV> Converting a Corvair to electric viable?


> I'll disagree with the naysayers - but you have to define your
> goals.  I think a "city car" could be relatively doable, especially
> with the controllers and motors becoming more reasonably priced.  The
> Chevy Volt motor would be especially useful, and it would still be a
> Chevy :-)  A Corvair is really a pretty good platform for the project
> since it's fairly light.  As long as one of your goals is to have fun
> it should work out well.
>
> --Bryan
>
> On Dec 29, 2008, at 9:45 PM, Donnellyf7 at aol.com wrote:
>
>> When electric cars become common in the next 5 years, will it be
>> possible to
>> convert a late model Monza to electric for a realistic some of
>> money?  On
>> another subject, I'm still  looking for  a Monza hopefully in
>> Virginia or
>> Maryland.
>
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