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Build Your Own Electric Vehicle [Paperback]

Seth Leitman (Author), Bob Brant (Author)
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews) |
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Book Description

Publication Date: September 23, 2008 | ISBN-10: 0071543732 | ISBN-13: 978-0071543736 | Edition: 2

Go Green-Go Electric! Faster, Cheaper, More Reliable While Saving Energy and the Environment

“Empowering people with the tools to convert their own vehicles provides an immediate path away from petroleum dependence and should be part of the solutions portfolio.” – Chelsea Sexton, Co-founder, Plug In America and featured in Who Killed the Electric Car?

“Create a superior driving experience, strengthen America, and restore the planet’s ecosystems…that’s the promise of this book and it’s well worth a read!” – Josh Dorfman, Founder & CEO – Vivavi, Modern Green Furniture Store; Author, The Lazy Environmentalist: Your Guide to Easy, Stylish, Green Living.

This new, updated edition of Build Your Own Electric Vehicle contains everything that made the first edition so popular while adding all the technological advances and new parts that are readily available on the market today.

Build Your Own Electric Vehicle gets on the expressway to a green, ecologically sound, cost-effective way that even can look cool, too!

This comprehensive how-to goes through the process of transforming an internal combustion engine vehicle to electric or even building an EV from scratch for as much or even cheaper than purchasing a traditional car. The book describes each component in detail---motor, battery, controller, charger, and chassis---and provides step-by-step instructions on how to put them all together.

Build Your Own Electric Vehicle, Second Edition, covers:

  • EV vs. Combustible Engine Overview
  • Environmental and Energy Savings
  • EV Evolution since the First Electric Car
  • Current Purchase and Conversion Costs
  • Chassis and Design
  • Today's Best Motors
  • Battery Discharging/Charging Styles
  • Electrical Systems
  • Licensing and Insurance Issues
  • Driving
  • Maintenance
  • Related Clubs and Associations
  • Additional Resources

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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The advantages of electric vehicles (EVs) are well-known: nonpolluting operation, a renewable power source, safety, and low cost of operation. The disadvantages include limitations on speed, operating range, and convenience as well as the high cost of converting existing vehicles to electric operation; while acknowledging such other disadvantages as lack of effective heating, air conditioning, and power steering, EV advocate Brant says some of the best-known ones are myths. Speed, for instance, is related to body weight, and less weight means more speed. (Weight is, however, also a factor in safety: lighter weight often means less safety, especially in collisions, and Brant doesn't mention the collision factor.) Brant provides comprehensive instruction in converting a vehicle to electric power. It is not for the casual hobbyist, though, as is evident in such features as formulas for divining the potential top-end speeds of specific EVs--a precise system to answer questions of speed, but hardly the simple ballpark figure casual readers interested in exploring EVs' possibilities might want. Mike Tribby --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Seth Leitman, (Briarcliff Manor, NY) is currently President and Managing Member of the ETS Energy Store, LCC, which provides energy efficiency, electric transportation and organic, natural, and sustainable products for business and home use (from energ-efficient bulbs to electric vehicle conversion referrals). Previously, he worked for the New York State Power Authority and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, where he helped develop, market, and manage electric and hybrid vehicle programs serving New York State and the New York metropolitan area. Seth is the consulting editor for a series of upcoming titles called the “Green Guru Guides,” which focus on implementing environmentally friendly technologies and making them work for you.

Bob Brant was the forward-thinking author of the now classic first edition of Build Your Own Electric Vehicle

Product Details

  • Paperback: 327 pages
  • Publisher: McGraw-Hill/TAB Electronics; 2 edition (September 23, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0071543732
  • ISBN-13: 978-0071543736
  • Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #90,715 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Seth Leitman
Bob Brant

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
41 of 43 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This 310 page book is more than its title implies. It is an
excellent source of information, even if one is just
interested in learning more about the subject of electric
vehicles. Mr Brant's credentials include a degree in
engineering, and having worked on the Lunar Rover.

He begins his book by exploring the appropriateness of the
electric vehicle from an environmental standpoint. He
then quickly reviews the history of the EV, from the
mid 1800's to the present. He does a good job of surveying
the current (as of late 1993) crop of electic vehicle
producers, as well as the plans of the major auto makers
for electrics.

Brant devots a chapter to the options available to the
person who wants to own an electric vehicle today: Buy
a ready to run car from a manufacturer or converter, have
one built or converted for you, or do the conversion
yourself. One option that he seems to largely discount is
the option of buying a used EV. Although such vehicles
can be somewhat hard to find, especially away from large
cities on the coasts, they can put a person into an EV
for much less money and work than any other alternative.

As you might expect from the book's title Brant favors
the self-conversion option. He compares the various types
of motor vehicles as conversion options; passenger cars,
vans, and small pickup trucks. His conclusion, that a
small pickup truck might be the easiest to convert, while
giving the best range, seems a valid one, as long as a
small pickup meets your needs, and suits your style.

Chapter 5 is an excellent reference listing suppliers,
EV clubs, and various converters and manufacturers.

With Chapter 6 Brant begins the real meat of the book.
He presents formulae and charts that allow you predict
the performance of the vehicle you choose for conversion,
and pick the size of motor and batteries that you will
need.

The next chapters are devoted to each of the unique
systems of an EV in some detail: Electric motors,
controllers, batteries, and chargers. To this reviewer,
these chapters are the most valuable, and make this book
useful to anyone with an interest in Electric Vehicles.
The current state of the art is reviewed for each of these
systems in some detail and with an eye toward practical
maintanence and selection, and upcoming technology is also
covered.

Surprisingly, only one chapter of the book covers
the actual conversion process. Although there is probably
enough detail here for the experienced home mechanic or
mechanically inclined individual, someone who has never
pulled an engine out of a car, or done other major repairs
on his own, will probably need more help; especially if
his conversion is not of a small pickup truck.

All-in-all there is a lot of good information in this
book, and it is a vital addition to the library of any
would-be electric vehicle converter, owner or pipe
dreamer..
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
66 of 78 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I think Bob Brant really wants to help you build an electric vehicle. I feel, however that his engineering background causes him to "talk down" to the reader, who thinks " It can't be really as complex as all this ! All these formulas , etc ! " How do we know the "flux level" for a motor we buy at a garage sale ? I am too old to get an engineering degree !
Lots of "shade tree" mechanics ( like me ) will have to look further for more practical information.Such as - a 10 HP motor in a Geo Metro will be fine for trips to the grocery store but no good for highway use. Also errors have crept in, and the schematic diagrams are incomplete and puzzling. Of course, the book was published nine years ago, and technology has advanced in the EV industry, as in everything else
Was this review helpful to you?
25 of 29 people found the following review helpful
By Bromo
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book is a great reference for anyone interested in the trade offs when creating an electric vehicle.

This is focussed on someone who wants to convert an internal combustion car to an electric vehicle, but if you are interested in understanding EV's in general it is a good resource, though it is pretty detailed and technical.

If you are not technically inclined you shouldn't despair, though it is clear that if you are not handy, EV conversion might be VERY difficult. This book will allow you to at least begin to understand the tradeoffs and how to create a conversion system.

All around great reference.
Comment | 
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Build your own Electric Vehicle
I was certain I would like to see how a electric car was constructed but i was disappointed
to see actual hands on construction was not shown,basically what the components do... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Gerald Alan Richards
Outdated
Bateries and chargers and controler options have changed too much in the last 20 years. Some usful information,but I couldnt find a more updated book.
Published 13 months ago by Todd Spinti
Build your own electric vehicle
The book was OK, but I expected a step by step of how to build an electric vehicle not an over view of what goes in to building an electric car. Read more
Published 13 months ago by PS
Limited usefulness
I am interested in a from scratch build, and I have undergraduate level knowledge of EM physics and EE.

Very folksy style, lots of preaching. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Richard Clay
quite informative
If you are considering converting a vehicle to electric drive , this book gives the equations needed to optimize the motor to body and battery capacity needed . Read more
Published 18 months ago by William A. Mackenroth
great information guide
This book gives a clear understanding of Electric vehicles and every subject concerning E-vehicles is talked about in a clear way. Highly recommended
Published 19 months ago by Markcycle
Invaluable information!
Information galore! I found this book to very interesting and easy to read. The perspective on how the electric vehicle is beneficaial from an enviornmental standpoint is... Read more
Published 19 months ago by suk bong yoon
Build Your Own Electric Vehicle
This book goes in great detail on how to build your own electric vehicle(EV). They go from designing your own chassis to conversions. Great book! Read more
Published 20 months ago by Mario Bermudez
Few changes from the first version
This is a great guide and the first edition would be rated much higher by me. I consider this to be the best book on conversions. Read more
Published 22 months ago by David J. Hrivnak
Pretty good
This book is pretty good. It covers the basics of EV building. My main issue with it is that it has become woefully out of date. Read more
Published on May 1, 2010 by J. J. Marino
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wheel torque, lunar rover, own electric vehicle, electric vehicle conversion, equalizing charging, internal combustion engine chassis, electric vehicle manufacturers, throttle potentiometer, electric vehicle today, pickup conversion, rolling resistance force, internal combustion engine vehicles, incline force, main contactor, conversion vehicle, shunt motor, internal combustion vehicles, compound motor, aerodynamic drag force, charging cycle, accessory battery, electric vehicles, total drag force, battery weight, conversion today
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Build Your Own Electric Vehicle, United States, Ford Ranger, Paul Little, World War, Electric Auto Association, General Motors, New York, California Air Resources Board, Tesla Roadster, Jim Harris, Services Inc, Department of Energy, Honda Civic, Electric Vehicles of America, The Zivan, Bob Brant, Henry Ford, Geo Metro, San Diego, Santa Rosa, Energy Information Administration, Middle East, Standard Oil, Detroit Electric
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