Want "cash for clunkers?" You may be able to save more cash by turning your clunker into a highly efficient electric vehicle (EV). Before they ran out of money, the government program, dubbed C.A.R.S., provided up to $4500 credit for an older running vehicle toward the purchase of a new fuel-efficient one. Unless you've already taken advantage of this program, you may have missed out. But before you run out and buy a new vehicle, remember that you are still going to pay $20,000 to $40,000 for that vehicle even if you qualify for the rebate. If you finance for any length of time, you are going to be paying thousands more over the life of the loan. All that for a vehicle that gets as little as 4 miles per gallon (MPG) more than what you're getting now.
Instead of putting out money that you really don't have to spend, why not convert your "clunker" into a cash-saving machine? You would be surprised how easy it is, not to mention how little it would actually cost you. Sure, you could order a kit for $10,000, or for between $500 and $2000 you can actually piece together your own vehicle using free or dirt cheap parts that you can get from salvage yards, auctions and wholesalers. There are many people who have done this successfully and are enjoying quiet, clean, efficient driving, and paying next-to-nothing for fuel and maintenance. All you need is a good set of plans, some basic tools, and a place to work on your car.
Don't get scared off by the nay-sayers. Of course your range is limited to the size of your battery pack, but it is really not that difficult to design and build a vehicle that will handle as much as 90% of your day-to-day driving. Keep your gas-guzzler for longer trips, and now you have something better than a hybrid, you have two cars that get better gas mileage combined than any hybrid on the market -- and for tens-of-thousands less!
If you're concerned about keeping up with traffic, don't be. Just make sure you get a motor that is powerful enough to counteract the weight of your vehicle, including the batteries you are going to install. Electric motors have a lot more torque available, so acceleration is not a problem. This is not a slow electric golf cart you are building. It is quick, responsive and smooth. At stop lights you will be able to keep up with any vehicle off the line.
Although most Electric cars are designed for in-town driving, you can design your vehicle to get up to highway speeds too. This may require a more expensive AC motor, rather than the standard DC motors in most conversions, and a high voltage battery pack. You can get deep cycle golf cart batteries or boat batteries and restore them to save money, or you can buy new ones that will last longer. If you decide to buy new batteries, I would recommend getting the sealed gel or AGM variety, as they have better performance and should last at least 5 years if you take care of them by keeping them properly charged and limiting full discharges.
If you need more details about the actual conversion process, or if you are ready to get started but need direction, there are lots of resources available in print and on the Internet. You can visit my website for some suggestions.
Remember, if it's fuel efficiency you are after, going electric is a better, cheaper solution than going out and buying a new car that gets a little better gas mileage, even if it's a hybrid. If you really calculate it out, it'll take you many, many years to recoup the cost in gas savings, even if you did qualify for the C.A.R.S. rebate. If you convert to electric, you could recoup your cost in as little as one year and from there you could be literally be saving thousands per year. Now that's something to get excited about!
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Thanks for your comments Teresa. You're right, you have to know your way around a wrench, and of course the more mechanically inclined you are, the easier it will be. Finding a good guide is half the battle. There are examples on the Internet of people who knew next to nothing about fixing cars did this in their own garage. Gavin Shoebridge of New Zealand is one of them. He did it himself with no prior experience and posted his progress on YouTube. He just recently developed a comprehensive instructional guide to get you on the same track - no matter what your experience. I won't go into detail here, but you can read about it on my web site if you're interested. Feel free to leave comments while you're there.
Great article, JD. I bought a new vehicle, but missed out on the Cash for clunkers as my trade-in was too fuel efficient to qualify. We just paid cash for ours to cut out the 'middle man$$'. And now we've moved into town so we are closer to everywhere we need to go and have bought a couple of small scooters that get 125 mpg, so what the hey! Enjoyed your article at any rate.
Thanks Sandra. You're on the right track, though. Electric vehicles are not for everyone, but the more people that see them as an option, the more we'll see on the roads. Safe driving!
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