Under HoodUnder Hood
OwnerBrett Scott
LocationEthan, South Dakota United States map
Web/EmailWebPage email image
Vehicle1997 Ford Escort LX
wagon. 209,000 miles of pollution came to an end.
MotorGeneral Electric WDG series, 36/48v, serial PJ-9-28-PJ Series Wound DC
The motor is out of a Hyster forklift, purchased off eBay. It is rated 9HP @ 36v. I plan to run it 120v for 22HP.
DrivetrainOriginal 5 speed transmission, clutch-less
ControllerCurtis 1209-6402
This is a temporary controller bought off eBay.
Batteries6 Dynasty UPS12-475FR, 12.00 Volt, Lead-Acid, AGM
The batteries are surplus UPS batteries that are designed for a 10 year life under controlled conditions. They are rated at 134 amp hour @C20
System Voltage72 Volts
Charger AT&T Lineage with digital display.
I am using a Telco rectifier because of it's clean no ripple DC output. It is also fully automatic. It is rated 220vac @13 amps with an output of 54vdc @ 50 amps.
HeaterTwo 1500 watt ceramic elements
InstrumentationCurrent meter only at this time. I am building a circuit to convert battery voltage to resistance so I can use the factory fuel gauge for % of charge.
Top Speed55 MPH (88 KPH)
The car does 35 Mph really well in second gear. keep in mind I'm only running 72 volts @100 amps or less. It does not seem to matter how many people or how much cargo I am carrying.
AccelerationGood for in town, I am very optimistic that acceleration and speed will be good when the voltage is increased to 120.
Range25 Miles (40 Kilometers)
That's 25 miles at 70% DOD. I have a lot of these batteries so it was valuable test.
EV Miles
Start:209,467 Miles (337,032 Kilometers)
Current:210,599 Miles (338,853 Kilometers)
Total:1,132 Miles (1,821 Kilometers)
 
    As of 3/12/2009
Seating Capacity4 adults and a small dog.
TiresToyo, Spectrum
Conversion TimeI have been collecting parts patiently for about a year. eBay has been a good source. The actual mechanics only took a few weeks working a couple hours a day.
Conversion CostMy original budget was $3000 but it's growing to $3500 because I am replacing to worn components of a 200,000 mile car. I have installed 4 new struts, ball joints, tie rod ends, rack and pinion.
Additional FeaturesNo additional features, just the inherent features of an EV (zero emissions, quiet, and cheap to operate). I do plan on keeping the air conditioning, but it is not operational yet.
Be sure to check out my web page. I plan to continue working on the car and make updates the this web site and my web page. I am certainly not the first person to convert their car to run on electricity, there have been many before me. It is these people that have given the inspiration. If you've ever thought about it, the best advise I can give is "JUST DO IT" and you will know what an EV Grin is all about.

code by jerry