Product Description

Electric vehicles have many advantages over their gas-powered counterparts. They're ecologically sound, much cheaper to operate, and require almost no routine maintenance. Drivers can enjoy the clean-running convenience and economy of an electric vehicle for as much as it costs to buy a new car. This illustrated guide explains step by step how to build an inexpensive EV from a kit or convert an existing internal combustion engine. Build Your Own Electric Car begins with an informative history of electric vehicles, current international advances in EV technology, and a look ahead at the future of EV development. Then, author Bob Brant gives a building-block description of each EV component-motor, drive train, controllers, power supplies, chargers, and chassis-and how to put them all together to make a working vehicle. He also gives valuable advice on where to find affordable EV components and systems, how to get the most out of EV driving and ownership, and how to make the best buy, build, and conversion tradeoffs.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1764 in Books
• Published on: 1993-09-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 310 pages

From Booklist
The advantages of electric vehicles (EVs) are well-known: nonpolluting operation, a renewable power source, safety, and low cost of operation. The disadvantages include limitations on speed, operating range, and convenience as well as the high cost of converting existing vehicles to electric operation; while acknowledging such other disadvantages as lack of effective heating, air conditioning, and power steering, EV advocate Brant says some of the best-known ones are myths. Speed, for instance, is related to body weight, and less weight means more speed. (Weight is, however, also a factor in safety: lighter weight often means less safety, especially in collisions, and Brant doesn't mention the collision factor.) Brant provides comprehensive instruction in converting a vehicle to electric power. It is not for the casual hobbyist, though, as is evident in such features as formulas for divining the potential top-end speeds of specific EVs--a precise system to answer questions of speed, but hardly the simple ballpark figure casual readers interested in exploring EVs' possibilities might want. Mike Tribby

About the Author
McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide

Customer Reviews

Very helpful!
I read the book because I was interested in converting a car. At times, it became waaay more technical than I bargained for. But it gave me the confidence to go ahead with my project.

I later learned that what I wanted to build was going to be so expensive, that I would not be able to afford it. This led me to see the book on a different light. For example, I would have liked it to be more specific info on the ranges and speeds one could get with a certain system. I did not find that... maybe I skipped it when I blew off the extremely technical info.

But other than that I thought the book was AWESOME. I would not recommend anyone to start a project like this without first talking to people who have done it already. (That is how I found out that I was being too ambitious).

I have not converted a car yet, since I decided to wait until batteries get better so I can get the range and speeds I need. But when the time comes, I going to pick up this book again. This puppy is NOT going to the used-book bookstore.

Out of date
This book was written in the early 90's. It's so out of date that it's almost usless. Whish I had know before I spent $$$.

Electric Views
In general I found this book of value as a technical reference volumne but was extremly disappointed in the bias shown toward hybrid vehicles and larger cars of all types and the attitude that EV'S are for short shopping runs and you should use an ICE for anything else. This attitude has been what has slowed the uptake of EV's and kept the creation in the hands of mainly gifted amateurs. Yes I certainly will be using the formulae in the book but will be looking beyond the USA most of the electrics and electronics for my electric touring car