Building An Electric Car - By: Tauqeer Hassan

The technology behind building an electric car is fairly simple. An electric motor powered by a battery drives the wheels. An addition of gears will improve the efficiency of the motor. The battery can be recharged by including a solar panel although this is a slow process. It would be best to build a first electric of a simple basic design. The final product would be in a form of a go-cart rather than a regular automobile. However the experience of building a simple model will give a confidence for making a more advanced electric car with rich features in the future.

The building process has to be started with a wooden or steel frame and of course wheels. This is the basic for building the simplest kind of electric car. An electric motor, battery and a switch for turning the electric power on and off will have to be added. The switch will act as an accelerator like it does in a conventional car. The motor’s capacity must be sufficient for driving the load of the components, frame and at least one person. The person who sells the motor will be able to needed power.

The simple way to transfer power from the motor to the wheels is a pulley and belt. A body made of fiberglass and Styrofoam can be added although this is not necessary. One can just drive around in an open area. Seating for 1 to 2 people is normal. A windshield preferably made of unbreakable plastic is also included by some people. Various parts of the car have to be connected through wiring. All the things need to build an electric car will be completed by a steering mechanism.

The eyes and ears have to be protected when constructing the electric car. Protective clothing can be used and an open space with enough lighting and ventilation has to be preferably chosen. One can begin by comparing the size of the chosen wooden or steel frame. It may need to be cut so that it can pass through a structure like a doorway or an arch through which it has to be driven. The battery, motor, seats, drive train and steering mechanism has to be assembled on the frame and the switch has to be connected to the battery and the battery has to be connected to the motor. The wheels have to be attached to the frame, body and windshield. Now it is ready to drive.

Local laws exist for governing the use of electric cars in public areas which include roads. The vehicle also needs a registration. These laws have to be kept in mind before driving beyond one’s private property. The limited battery capacity should be kept in mind and drive lengths and routes have to be planned that would help in enabling to the battery to be recharged in time.

There a number of limitations in electric cars preventing them from becoming alternatives of conventional automobiles. This is the important disadvantage if the limited battery capacity, time and effort need to be recharged. Electric cars are mostly used nowadays as a hobby or novelty. A hybrid car has more widespread use that uses both electric as well as fuel power. Such mixed power is already used by railroads and military tanks.

About the Author

Now you have learned the basics of building electric car, you might want to know how to build a trailer and also how to build a rat rod.

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