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.
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Great book for the money Comment: I've done a basic EV conversion and wanted a source to explain some of my performance results. This book does a very good job of explaining how your EV will perfrom, especially the 30% rule. EV converstions are not the simplist of jobs to do, this book provides a good summary of what to expect. His product sources references are very good for followup by any interested future EV converter. Customer Rating: Summary: A great place to start Comment: This book gives you the information you need to start an electric car project. I'd recommend that you read this before you start your conversion, then use it as a reference book when you go shopping for components. The information is both general and specific. It's current too. Customer Rating: Summary: EV Bible Comment: This second edition of Build Your Own Electric Vehicle is an updated version of the original book by Bob Brant. It brings you up to speed on the vast number of improvements that have been made in EV technology over the past dozen years. If you have the necessary mechanical skills, this book will guide you through the EV building process. The only negative that I could find, was the downgrading of the LogiSystems controllers by stating that they have a high failure rate(pg.161). In my experience they are a quality product, custom built in the USA by a group of highly skilled electronic engineers. Customer Rating: Summary: Build your own Electic Vehicle Comment: I ordered this book after reading the reviews that were mostly positive. When the book arrived I was surprise to find that it has been update in 2008 by Seth Leitman. The reviews I read suggested that some of the information in this book was dated. Please be informed that this book is up to date.
This is a very good book with the right information to get the job done right. The math helps you to understand the reasons for the different options and decision that need to be made, but if you do not need that form of understanding the book gives a summary after each section of the best chooses without having to understand the math.
Customer Rating: Summary: have 1stEd. ordered 2nd... Comment: The first edition has saved me much heartache in my building a converted vehicle. I used the basic schematic for laying out the system (with slight modification, being I don't use a DC/DC charger for my 12VDC low volt system). As for the technical aspects, we as a 'modern tech society' I think too often that we must 'have it all handed to us' and sometimes an author realizes that people working with such tech, will have to research other sources for more in depth study. I would hope ANYONE going into even thinking of converting an ICE to an EV, would plan on learning a lot of math, formulae, some battery chemistry, have a basic understanding of physical principles and be ready to study a whole lotta 'lectronics! But the end result is in my mind that you continue to learn and study... We are at a critical juncture in society, the world condition and this field of EV conversion/building technology. Thomas Freidman made the comment recently,"We need all kinds of people in their garages working on this (EV, green-hybrid) technology!" (my paraphrase). And Bob Brandt's book, is the book that set me forward. There are many other books appearing and that are selling for a couple hundred dollars! And that want you to buy this or that or subscribe to this ideology or 'set of facts'... THIS BOOK, is 'well this is what ya do here...', plain and simple it lays out an outline of what you need to do and consider. Buy THIS BOOK! And you won't be sorry, of course it will be the first of many....
