From the Electric Seat

10 Signs Your Next Car Won’t Be Electric

Just read a good list of obstacles facing the new electric car market. Fortunately, not all those obstacles apply for those interested in converting existing cars to electric. ;)

Delta Highschool building an Electric Dragster

A local Canadian highschool drag racing team is building an electric race truck from a Toyota pick-up:

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/03/canadian-schoolkids-build-a-diy-electric-drag-racer/#more-33348

A Tesla Roadster Story in Beautiful BC, Canada

This is a fantastic story.  Kudos to Vincent and Maggie Argiro for taking a big step in the right direction!

A Perfect Fit for Electric Vehicles

What vehicle takes short trips,  starts and stops very often, and always knows how much range is required?

Answer:  The Mail Delivery Truck.

Used in urban areas, at low speeds and for short and mapped distances, these vehicles are ideal for electric conversions, and the US Postal Service is starting another project, this time to revive it’s aging fleet.   Bravo USPS!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/03/AR2010030304085.html

This is thinking outside the box!

When manufacturing capabilities change, the answer to an age old question asked again can be quite different from what we’re already accustomed to.

This is a forward thinking design for off-roading allowing full range of motion for the wheels, absolutely amazing:

More >

Are Electric Vehicles Unsafe Because They Are Slient?

I was reading a post by a fellow EV enthusiast who raised the concerns over EV safety and their lack of “noise”. Figured I would throw in my 2 cents.

I find the issue raised against the silent nature of electric cars to be genuinely humorous.  For one, it’s a problem easily solved, and I wish we could say the same for war and pollution.

Second, it’s a common sense issue, if people aren’t paying attention, bad things will happen.

Anyone who’s driven a Mercedes, a Lexus, or a Bentley can attest that even Gas powered vehicles can be whisper quiet.

My Electric car is far from Silent, More >

Are Electric Cars Bad For The Economy?

I’ve heard people say they are concerned that the advent of Electric Vehicles will crush the oil & gas companies, kill off the automotive service industry and put mechanics out of work. It’s time I address this issue and throw in my 2 cents.

Did the computer change things? Yes it did, but no one cried for the guys making typewriters.

What about cell phones? How many people still have multiple land-lines in their homes, if any home service at all?

Times change, and business that do not adapt are left behind and deserve to fail to make way for the next wave. But for some reason instead of helping to “build the new ship”, our governments have chosen to pour our money into the “sinking ship” we’re currently stuck on. More >