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23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Informative and Inspirational - Excellent Book!, April 8, 2008
This review is from: The Zero-Carbon Car: Building the Car the Auto Industry Can't Get Right (Paperback)
This 544 page book captivated my attention and drew me in. On numerous occasions I found myself wanting to "high-five" the author for candid observations that hit the mark. The Zero-Carbon Car is a modern alternative to the EV books of yesteryear. Those interested in information about and solutions to today's transportation challenges will appreciate its depth of coverage.
The first 250 pages are loaded with sobering charts and facts about energy challenges in the transportation sector. Kemp and his team of contributors poured in a ton of research effort and it shows. The book discusses everything from the political, environmental, financial and health ramifications of oil dependency to the hype surrounding fuel cells. The Zero-Carbon car provides the best situational overview that I have seen to date.
The Zero-Carbon Car is uniquely special because it offers up a workable solution to the problems identified in the first few chapters. As far as I know, this is the first title to describe steps necessary to convert a gasoline vehicle to a plug-in series hybrid biodiesel-electric. A full 137 pages of detailed photos and information document the process of transforming an old 2000 Mazda Miata into a futuristic car similar in function to GM's Volt concept car; primarily electric with additional power supplied by an engine when necessary. The biggest difference is availability. Using guidance found in the text you could commence production of your own Zero-Carbon car today. Why wait years for Detroit to do it for you?
Anyone contemplating a DIY hybrid or electric vehicle should definitely get a copy. The details will inspire, guide and shave weeks off similar efforts. Quite often books like this get tangled up in theoretical academia or political dogma. Unlike those, The Zero-Carbon car does a good job of balancing theory and practice. Readers will find before and after dyno test results, torque curves, ladder logic, circuit diagrams, info about battery charging algorithms and cycle life. Important engineering considerations are presented which could make the difference between a rolling science project and something you'll enjoy.
Even if you're just curious about the nuts and bolts of a modern electric vehicle conversion this would be a good book to add to your collection. Older electric vehicle titles are still in print but in dire need of updates. Pure electrics like the Tesla Roadster, Commuter Car Corporation's Tango and Myers Motors NmG are mentioned, but not high-powered racing electrics like the Killacycle, the Buckeye Bullet, or the Current Eliminator.
The book crosses the finish line after another 100 pages of biofuel info. It provides solid lessons on zero carbon electricity and especially biodiesel. The author has published other books on renewable energy and has a knack for presenting these issues from a practical engineering perspective.
Kemp's book and his Zero-Carbon Car project are shining examples of what can be done when teams of talented individuals roll up their sleeves and get busy. They've thumbed their noses at hesitant automakers and blazed a trail for others to follow.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Must Buy!, August 29, 2009
This review is from: The Zero-Carbon Car: Building the Car the Auto Industry Can't Get Right (Paperback)
80% of EV car conversions end in failure. This book is cheap insurance that you will fall into the 20% success side of the ledger.
I purchased another book, "Build Your Own Electric Vehicle". It got the only bad review I have ever written. How it got published is literally beyond me.
Hemp's book is THE definitive book you want if you are considering or even remotely interested in doing an EV. Just to give you a quick flavor, instead of saying batteries don't hold charges in the cold, Hemp details an insulated and automatically heated and inexpensively built battery box.
Hemp's book is a super read. I have read one of his other books and while it was an okay read his style of writing in this book is beyond impressive. Reads like a well written novel. Short, concise, informative, and easy to understand and NOT the least bit dull. I never made it past college. I'm not stupid, I am an ex-airline captain, I've built several homes, but this book, unlike Leitman's and Brant's is understandable.
The first half of the book addresses things that 99.99999% of economist overlook, what [...] "Crash Course" call's the Three E's. Energy, Environment and the Economy. Most people don't get that the economy is based on unsustainable growth. No matter what your thoughts are on AGW it is indisputable that peak population is depleting ALL the natural resources. Hemp gets this. While he doesn't claim this car is the answer he makes it clear that this technology is the necessary band aid until better technology is developed.
After the first half the second half details how to convert a vehicle. A diesel electric/series hybrid made such common sense to me that when I "Googled" it I was shocked to see all the nay-sayers out there on many popular EV blogs. I ordered the plans from Mother Earth for a car that was converted in the 1970s. I knew if a diesel hybrid was possible then at a time before EV's had access to off the shelf components it had to be not only possible today but easier to do today.
And it is.
Thank you William Hemp for not only doing this but making it open source and writing such a great read on how to do it.
The world needs more William Hemp's and less GM's. BTW Brant and Leitman should go work at GM on their Volt.
I would encourage all to watch "A Crude Awakening", Google "Crash Course," Google Dr. Albert Bartlett's the most important video.
Take care
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Zero-Carbon Car, September 15, 2008
This review is from: The Zero-Carbon Car: Building the Car the Auto Industry Can't Get Right (Paperback)
This book is a good read. Anyone planning on trying a project like this must read this. Even if you are just curious and want to know "how'd they do that", you will be entertained with a wealth of information and you don't have to be an engineer to understand it.
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