Open Source Civic EV Kit

APRIL 7, 2008

After spending the past year and a half converting a Porsche 914 to an electric vehicle, I decided to expand my horizons by designing an open-source electric vehicle (EV) conversion kit for a commonly used car. There are already commercially available kits with excellent, detailed instructions for how to convert a vehicle.

Kits 185

Kits Conversion Golf Cart Saturn 185

Porsche 914 EV Conversion

FEBRUARY 18, 2007

I'll have to modify the circuit with a voltage doubler in the final stage to work with 8-volt golf-cart batteries for the 914 EV kit. By clicking on the images, you can get a much larger version of the pictures. Any feedback on how to improve the circuit would be welcome.

Golf Cart 147

Golf Cart Batteries Battery Kits 147

Porsche 914 EV Conversion

JANUARY 20, 2007

Over the past few weeks I've been trying to contact the folks at Electro Automotive to get the status of the EV 914 kit. They finally responded last night and apparently they're completely buried under the demand for EV conversion kits. He got one of the earlier DC motor kits for the 914 from Electro Automotive.

Golf Cart 100

Golf Cart Kits Conversion Volt 100

Porsche 914 EV Conversion

MAY 1, 2007

The 914 AC kit uses 8V golf cart batteries and I'm wondering if different batteries like Hawkers or Optima Yellow-Top batteries would be better. Both US-Battery and Trojan have 8-volt golf-cart batteries. With the AC system, I'll probably be pulling less amps and am looking forward to the extended range.

Lead Acid 100

Lead Acid Golf Cart Batteries Battery 100

Porsche 914 EV Conversion

FEBRUARY 20, 2007

If you hadn't read before, the 18 8-volt golf cart batteries add 800 pounds to the weight of the car, so the suspension needs upgrading. The real gamble is how fast the rest of the kit shows up. I received the suspension parts from ElectroAuto today.

Golf Cart 100

Golf Cart Kits Volt Batteries 100

Porsche 914 EV Conversion

JULY 23, 2007

These high-capacity 8-volt golf-cart batteries are 70 pounds apiece. I got this battery strap at a Yamaha golf cart dealer. A modification of the prior strap is basically what is suggested in the DC kit instructions. I found a funny shaped link in the kit, but could simply not get it to fit anywhere in the system.

Connect 100

Connect Connected Golf Cart Kits 100

Porsche 914 EV Conversion

MAY 5, 2007

One of the other 914 kit converters questioned why the accessory battery couldn't stay in the original tray, but I decided to remove it anyway and have the accessory battery up in the front trunk near the DC/DC converter. It's a pity that we have to remove this, but the size of the golf-cart batteries clearly interfere with the latch.

Golf Cart 100

Golf Cart DC Kits Lead Acid 100