Build your own electric car!

An intriguing letter from a reader, Mike:

"Great to see you give electric vehicles a mention. Their many advantages are becoming more obvious as our planet warms but current choices are still too dear for most to buy, though very cheap to run.

We do need to keep in mind that a traffic jam of electric cars is just as stupid (almost) as any other kind. New Zealand's electrical supply situation offers EV users some "moral high ground" because of its renewable mix. Our 230 volt mains supply allows lower-current household charging than is the case in countries like USA. A standard 10amp household outlet should actually be sufficient for most people's energy interface. For those needing more, heavier wiring and/or connection to a three phase 400 volt supply is technically simple. The biggest barrier to electric cars is not technical – it is in heads filled with machismo marketing propaganda .

Prices of current commercial offerings suggest they are "on show" rather than on sale. A vehicle with comparatively simple engineering and few moving parts should cost less to build that of its highly complex internal combustion counterpart. That it at present does not comes down to lack of economy of scale – and reluctance to break ranks from the safe herd mentality of the current motoring paradigm. It is a "chicken and egg" situation with rational need being sidelined by vested-interest marketing pressure and lack of sound consumer information. Batteries for electric cars are often quoted as a huge extra cost but they're also a big "red herring" – they may not need to be the kind that costs that much, or be that big unless you are driving an enormous electric army tank – don't laugh, I photographed one recently in South Africa, a country just starting to pragmatically plan for building a significant urban electric vehicle fleet powered by solar energy...

Decades of experience have shown me that when parking an obviously-electric car in a busy public place strangers first ask how fast it will go, then how far it will go and what it costs. An occasional helpful soul will suggest attaching a generator to the wheels so you can charge the batteries as you drive along – it works going downhill and your modern electric car probably does it already. Better science education seems often called for..

I have long felt that it would be helpful to remove electric cars completely from the grip of the motoring industry with it's image, ego and status complications, allowing form to truly follow function.

"Electric Transport Appliances" sold alongside fridges and washing machines might help thoughtful choice. Indeed the acronym ETA might help focus on the true purpose of the purchase, namely getting from one place to another with minimum cost, fuss, environmental impact and in good time – which for most NZ drivers means travelling from home to work and back with occasional detours to the local shops etc..

Building an electric vehicle yourself, or more realistically, converting an existing suitable internal combustion candidate is an option for some. A vehicle tailored to your specific needs and costing a negligible amount to run can be achieved for much less than you'd pay for a current commercial offering. As petrol prices continue to rise I expect the New Zealand DIY electric car fleet to quietly expand. For those wanting to attempt this there is plenty of help and advice available. Ultimately, I believe, the motor industry will be forced respond to public demand and deliver a range of electric solutions at sensible prices  – something well within their technical ability to do. But they won't do it unless we ask. And, yes, it could in some instances theoretically be solar powered from an array on your garage roof.

Mike Brown

PS. The photo shows my (then) 10-year-old daughter Harriet Spoelstra about to depart from Auckland in the rain as the first ever passenger in the (German) Bochum university solarcar as it starts its NZ leg of the first solar-powered global circumnavigation by road."