Getting Insurance For A Conversion
If you’ve tried calling around for quotes for a conversion, you’ve already discovered that insurance companies recoil violently from the word “modified” when it comes to cars.
You’ve probably been flatly refused several times. We have the fast and furious crowd to blame for this: for hopping up their rides and then driving like idiots, crashing at high speed into orphanages and busses full of nuns and whatnot.
One EV owner I know says it’s just a matter of the language you use when inquiring. Never say the word “modified.” Say, “converted to alternative fuel… like a propane conversion.”
“What alternative fuel?”
“Oh – electricity.”
I had zero luck cold-calling different companies in the yellow pages. I only got results after finding a broker who seemed genuinely interested in helping. The broker’s fee probably means the policy probably costs a bit more in the end, but it was worth it.
FYI, we simplified our approach by only asking for liability coverage we had no interest in sorting out the value of the car, post-conversion.
As for specific companies: TD Melloche Monnex will insure a converted EV in Ontario. They may require that the vehicle is inspected by an electric vehicle specialist before issuing a policy. In Ottawa/eastern Ontario, REV Consultants is such a specialist.
Which Car Models Can Be Converted To Electric Vehicles
Australian EVS are working with Electric GT from the USA to bring the latest EV systems to Australia. The powertrains are designed for use in millions of vehicles, offering great performance and looks to match. The Electric GT E-Crate systems are complete, turn-key “EV System Swaps”…. Batteries included!
Where To Put The Batteries In Project X
The biggest challenge was packaging in the 400-volt lithium-ion battery packs. There’s four of these prototype super-secret batteries powering X, and together they weigh in right around 700 pounds, but weight over the rear axle isn’t really a bad thing. Oh, 400 volts DC is no joke and will kill you dead, and it will hurt the whole time you’re dying. Given this shocking fact , safety was the No. 1 rule in the shop.
Thanks to the 3-D scan of the car, the team came up with a battery plan. Back when GM rebuilt X, it narrowed the frame rails to fit the batteries, they needed to be put back in the original locations while allowing X to keep its massive rear tires.
So new frame rails were added, starting right behind the rear tire well. The Cagnazzi team also made a support to handle the two upper batteries. All of this was designed in CAD, the parts CNC cut out and then welded up. Again, the time spent 3-D scanning the car really saved valuable time during the build. The batteries provide 400V with 30 kWh of energy. High Voltage thermal management and charging systems are carried over from the eCrate Connect & Cruise Kit, which is already developed and planned for releaseâa great demonstration of versatility of the eCrate package.
From the bottom you would never know there’s no gas tank in X, and 700 pounds along with the instant torque of the electric motor should make doing wheelies pretty easy. We’ll find out after the 2021 SEMA Show when we get to the testing stage.
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Electric Vehicles Of America
New Hampshire-based EVA is the ultimate resource for drivers interested in converting their vehicles to electric power. Their site features books, technical papers, spec calculators, a parts catalog and more.
Thanks in part to their dedicated customer service team, EVA has earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, and you can rely on their products and advice to help you successfully convert your car, truck, tractor or boat.
Changing Registration To Electric To Get An E
When ownership of a used vehicle is transferred in Ontario, the vehicle must pass an emissions test before plates are issued to the new owner. After that, it must be re-tested every other year.
Since conversions are rare, you can be pretty sure that no one at the licence bureau will know what to do when you walk in with your fresh safety certificate and insurance slip in hand, looking for your e-test exemption and your new plates.
Anticipating this, I called ahead. Three times. And got 3 different answers about what I needed to do, the most plausible-sounding one of which was: “bring a letter signed by your mechanic, which says the vehicle no longer has an internal combustion engine.”
Again, Billings Automotive to the rescue. Dean wrote up a letter.
Turns out even that was not needed. When I showed up with all the required documents, the bureau employee looked in the “help” section of their computer system for instructions about changing fuel types on the registration, and it simply said they could change it at the owner’s request.
I definitely recommend calling ahead anyway, asking what they require, and taking the person’s name so you have someone to refer to should things go sideways. But apparently, anyone can walk into the licence bureau and state that their vehicle has been converted to electric power, and Bob’s your uncle! No more emissions tests. Better not let that get out…
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Electric Car Converts Explains:
Converting a classic car to electric power is no simple task, however, the post-conversion benefits are definitely worth it – performance, cost to run and reliability are all vastly improved. An electric car conversion involves replacing the petrol or diesel engine in your car with an electric motor. The electric classic car is powered by a battery pack, which is connected to the motor and motor controller, along with a whole load of other bits and bobs. Converting a classic car to electric power gives it instant acceleration due to its maximum torque from a standstill, making your classic car light on its feet and great fun to drive.
Diy Electric Car: Home
A 68 Mustang Fastback makes the perfect DIY electric car. Usually, when you think of Hybrids or electric vehicles, you think of tiny, two seater geek-mobiles or soccer moms in awkward chunky cars with cup holders full of pumpkin spice latte.
If youve been paying attention over the last few years, that image may be highlighted by a sleek luxury car that costs as much as your house. The last thing you probably think about is the fastest classic muscle car in history. Lets just say Tesla wasnt the first to make EV sexy.
The Zombie 222 is a work of art in itself, a jet-black 68 Mustang Fastback with lime green racing stripes and a menacing rear-spoiler that, unlike that flashy import that putted alongside you on the freeway, actually serves a purpose.
Like with just about any shiny classic rebuild, you want to look under the bonnet and see how big her valve covers are. Well, open up this hood and youll find yourself staring at the oddest motor setup youve probably ever seen, and that includes a slant six drag car with triple Weber side-draft carburetors.
What you first mistake for valve covers turn out to be twin speed controllers and that narrow cylindrical big block is actually a pair of 11NetGain Warp-Drive electric Motors done up in lime green to match the racing stripes. The twin cold-air intake is for cooling the motors, and theres a noticeable lack of pumps, belts, and other accessories that you would find on a regular vehicle.
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Electric Car Conversion Industry
Electric car conversion has gone from being exclusively conducted by hobbyists and enthusiasts, to a rapidly growing industry.
Spurred on by the climate crisis, electric vehicle conversions address the shortfall in new EV availability and also offer a more affordable route for many, as new electric vehicles remain more expensive than their internal combustion engine counterparts. This has also seen the EV conversion industry diverge away from only converting classic and high-end cars.
As of early 2021, it is now possible to convert a petrol, diesel or hybrid vehicle to run as a battery electric car for around £6,000 .
The industry has worked closely with regulators across a number of countries to establish safety protocols and to ensure that annual vehicle inspection tests on electric conversions are conducted in the same way that any other electric vehicle would be.
The biggest barrier to the widespread success of the EV conversion industry is the availability of batteries and motors, as vehicle manufacturers are not eager to sell their technology for this purpose. However, an open source community has grown alongside the electric vehicle conversion industry to enable batteries and motors from different manufacturers to work in unison in order to lower costs and overcome availability issues.
Zero Labs Series Iii Classic
Like some of the above options, Zero Labs allows you to provide the donor vehicle of your choice, meaning that almost any classic can get an electrified refresh. Currently, they offer a four-format platform thats available in 4×4, muscle, two-door coupé, and pickup configurations. Once buyers submit their car for conversion, its completely disassembled, with every one of the previous components replaced by modern upgrades. Just 30 days later, out pops the final product, mated to a new all-electric drivetrain, and riding on a markedly improved independent front and rear suspension. Making some 600hp courtesy of a motorsport-derived HV power system, builds can be specced with either an 80 or a 100kWh battery for up to and over 235 miles of range.
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Where To Have An Ev Conversion Done
Now, an EV conversion on a classic Chevy isn’t like building an RC car. It’s also something that hasn’t been done very often and a task that requires a certain specific skill set. To make this even more challenging, the ’57 Chevy had to be done for the 2021 SEMA Show in Vegas, an event that was just five weeks away. To tackle this Herculean task, X was shipped to Vic Cagnazzi Racing in Mooresville, North Carolina. Cagnazzi had just started a new branch of his racing business called E-Crate Solutions, and GM felt he had the manpower, skill, and equipment to pull off this transformation in just over a month.
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The car had been sitting in the corner of a warehouse, and when it showed up, it was a bit of a mess and would barely idle. Project X has changed so much over the years that about the only part of the car we can guarantee is original would be the rear license plate it has always run. Well, true to form, it was time for X to change once more, this time with a proof-of-concept propulsion system to demonstrate what the next generation of eCrate Connect & Cruise may offer.
Before the team at Cagnazzi could get started figuring out the new parts, it had to strip off the old stuff, which started, appropriately, at the gas tank.
Eventually the team worked its way forward to the blown LS engine.
Ev West Beetle Conversion Kit
For those who want to give their Beetle a battery-powered refresh, you cant go wrong with this convenient kit from EV West. With the exception of a battery system, it features everything you need to perform the conversion for yourself, including a charger, a programmable controller, as well as an AC motor with regenerative braking and all of the necessary drivetrain adapters. Assuming you happen to have a different air-cooled German icon, EV West also makes kits for Porsches, Karmann Ghias, and Microbuses too.
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What Is The Difference Between An Ev Car Conversion Kit
When it comes to EV car convert kit, there are several main differences that they can be compared with an anV car convert kit and an EV car convert kit. On top of that, they are basically the same as an EV car convert kit and an EV car convert kit are in terms of power compared to an EV car convert kit. where an EV car kit is used with, it is basically the same as an EV car convert kit and compared to an EV car kits kit.
They are hard to find, including battery cars and EVs.
Since they are prone to damage, the harder the need to maintain, and less fuel for them. On the other hand, an EV car kit is far more expensive to be used because they are harder to maintain, and hard to drive the battery.
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Leave It To Electric Car Converts Or Do It Myself
The conversion process is difficult and requires extensive technical knowledge. Some try to convert their cars to electric power themselves, but we recommend avoiding the hassle and letting the experts do the work. If you’re not comfortable working on cars or with high-voltage electrics, it’s probably best to leave the conversion process to Electric Car Converts. However, if you have a deep understanding of how cars work and how electricity works and you’re handy with tools and have the specialist equipment required, you can always try to convert a classic car to electric power yourself, perhaps with our conversion kits and guidance. Ultimately, the bulk of the cost of a conversion is in the parts, so you may find that you dont actually save yourself very much money in doing the work yourself.
An electric car conversion is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and save money on petrol or diesel. Electric Car Converts are experts in this field and will be more than happy to chat about converting your classic car to electric power!
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Choose An Electric Motor
An important aspect of an electric car conversion is choosing the right electric motor for the classic car. There are a few different types of motors that can be used for electric car conversions, this can be anything from a used front or rear drive unit out of any Tesla model, an old industrial motor or our favourite, a 3 Phase AC, Synchronous Reluctance Internal Permanent Magnet Motor. The main difference between the different types of motor is power and efficiency, but there are also important things to consider such as the connection to the wheels and its mountings . The motor you choose will greatly depend on the classic car being converted to electric power, will it need power? Is there space for it? Will it be mounted safely and securely? All motors suitable for an electric car conversion have high torque and high efficiency , compare this to a petrol/diesel engine which are between 20-30% efficient!
Can You Convert Any Car To Electric
The conversion process can be done on just about any car. However, some cars are better suited for electric car conversions than others. In general, the less electronics and driver aids in the car, the easier it is – this is because you dont have to deal with automatic breaking systems, power steering or onboard computers and ECUs.
Here at Electric Car Converts, we love converting classic cars to electric power, creating the perfect harmony of heritage and 21st-century technology. We believe that converting a classic car is valuable and rewarding, and would always recommend classics as the best options for conversion. Classic cars are also a lot easier to convert to electric power, as they have a simple design, and are therefore more economical.
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Register The Ev With The Dvla
When changing the drivetrain of a vehicle you need to let the DVLA know, this is so that you can reap the benefits of owning an EV now! This process is complicated, involves a lot of paperwork and is something worth leaving to an expert, its much easier for classic cars than it is for more modern ones. The DVLA needs to know lots of the technical information about the conversion and may even need to do an inspection of the vehicle.
For Smaller Cars Lower Voltage Systems Are Most Economical
Smaller, light vehicle have the advantage of providing the best opportunity for successful conversions, and the most economical. You can expect dutiful and reliable powerplants from lower voltage components available. Using horsepower as a comparison the EV Configurator motor options top out at approximately 130Hp or about 100KW. This is primarily limited by battery pack voltages that range up to 150 volts DC. These solutions are more than adequate for most passenger cars and light duty trucks.
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What Are The Benefits Of An Ev Car Conversion Kit
There are many benefits associated with an E car convert kit, such as an EV car convert kit, an EV car convert kit, or any EV car convert kit, there are many benefits associated with it. There are many types of EV car convert kits, including battery cars and an EV car convert kit.
Even though an EV caroline kit is equipped with higher voltage ) , it is more connected to the electric vehicle , and is more environmentally friendly. Even though an EV caroline kit may not be equipped with an internal combustion engine or an internal combustion engine. Even though an EV caroline kit may not be equipped with this power, it is more convenient to use and rely on EVs. Additionally, an electric-powered caroline kit can also boost the performance of an EV car system.
The fuel voltage is higher than that of an EV car convert kit. Moreover, an EV kit has a higher voltage of fuel and it has a higher voltage of fuel. This makes it easier to maintain and run more power than an EV car convert kit.
