The latest issue of MAKE has a great story: “Homemade electric vehicles.” It offers a peek into the growing world of DIY electric conversions. It seems that you can convert the average econo-car to all electric power with a range of 40 miles for around $7,000 US. That in itself is amazing, but when it goes on to say that, with a little help from the experts, it can be done by those of us with minimal mechanical skill, it really becomes newsworthy.

I know from my own experience that many of us in urban and suburban America travel a lot less than 40 miles each day. With today’s gas prices, it sounds pretty inviting. I started to look into the electric offerings from Ford, Honda, and Toyota and for some reason they feel the American public is not ready for true electric vehicles. Their answer? Hybrids.

While hybrids seem to be a leap forward, they are really only a small step. The problem is that while you do get advantages like lower emissions and better gas mileage, you are still saddled with a complex drive train, dependence on foreign oil, and wallet depleting trips to the gas pump. The saddest part is that the decision to build hybrids and not true electric cars was not a technical one; it was a marketing decision. The automotive decision makers have come to the conclusion that no one will buy a reasonably priced electric vehicle that can only go 40 miles on a charge and needs to be plugged in at night. I think the grassroots popularity of electric conversions may just prove them wrong. Would you rather drive to the gas station or plug in at home? I know I look at used economy cars in a different light than I used to. Maybe I will get my MAKE on.

[Jorgie]

Tags: hybrid, electric car, make magazine, gas, oil independence, electric conversion, green energy