How to Build an Electric Car – Five Things You Need Before Converting Your Car Into an Electric

While a good guide is absolutely essential if you want to convert your vehicle into an electric car, there are a few other things you need too. So here’s a list of things you need to have before starting on your regular-to-electric car conversion project:

1. KNOWLEDGE IN CAR THEORY
To build your own electric car, you must have at least a working knowledge on how cars work, how they operate, what makes them run; in other words, a knowledge about the basic theories of cars.

The internet has lots of resources available pertaining to this particular subject. You can also buy guides or manuals online to help you convert your regular car to electric. Another great way to gather knowledge is to join car forums and interact with car experts and other car enthusiasts.

2. PRACTICAL BUT COMFORTABLE WORK SPACE
You must have enough work space before proceeding with your project. A recommended working area must be:

a. large enough for the car;
b. spacious enough to accommodate the parts that will be taken out as well as for the new parts that are waiting to be installed;
c. has enough leg room;
d. big enough for at least two people to fit in and work together comfortably (you might need to ask for some assistance in carrying and lifting heavy parts, cleaning, or even for just an expert’s advice while you work);
e. reasonably dry and has space that is sheltered from rain or cold weather (you may want to work outdoors but some mechanical parts may need to be kept indoors to avoid getting wet and rusty);
f. well-lighted

3. RIGHT DONOR VEHICLE
You must have an appropriate donor vehicle in mind. To come up with the best vehicle to transform into an electric car, take your travel needs (mileage, space, speed) and compare it with the general rules in picking a suitable donor vehicle.

Take note of these few simple rules before deciding on your choice of vehicle:
o A lightweight and spacious car is advisable.
o Avoid choosing vehicles that are older than 10 years for the main reason that you might have a problem looking for parts this old.
o On the other hand, avoid vehicles that are new or exotic, for the same reason as in old vehicles.

4. NECESSARY PARTS
Parts needed to build your own electric car are fewer compared to those of a regular car . Here are the major parts of an electric car that you absolutely must have:

o Motor
o Controller
o Batteries
o DC-DC converter
o Vacuum brake pump
o Battery charger

To get these parts together, you may need to scout for them or you can try logging on to forums that concentrate on topics about electric cars. You may find very useful links to dealers and suppliers of conversion kits (mechanical parts to build an electric car). You can also inquire if they do custom fitting of parts for your specific vehicle type.

5. NECESSARY TOOLS
To build your own electric car, you’ll have to deal with tasks such as metal works, electrical wirings, welding, and even a little bit of carpentry. You must be equipped with the right tools. It doesn’t matter if you buy, borrow, or rent these as long as you have everything you need. But it might be a good investment for you to buy the major tools especially if you’re planning to build electric cars on a regular basis.