DISCLAIMER

While I own and run Metric Mind Corporation, this conversion project is my own private work, unrelated to my business. I want to raise awareness of what's possible and hope to inspire and encourage people out there do something on their own. Use information on this site just as an example. Use common sense and duplicate at your own risk. I have mechanical skills and as an electrical engineer I understand well all principles and implementation of the hardware. Therefore many usual challenges associated with converting a gasoline vehicle to an electric seemed easy solved, but your mileage may vary. This is my third EV conversion and I'm sure I will make new mistakes and discover new challenges. But I will not repeat my old ones, that's for sure. People learn from mistakes, and I may suggest, if you can, learn first from someone else's mistakes rather than from your own. This vehicle will use 400kW drive system, about 740VDC system voltage and lithium polymer battery as propulsion pack. There is nothing scary about high voltage number itself - you just pay respect to the electricity and observe basic rules it requires. 740VDC sure can kill you but so can 36VDC if conditions are right. Don't cut corners and save a buck on proper insulating, fusing, safeguarding, interlocking and similar measures. But don't be paranoid either - after all it is just an electric motor running your car from a battery - identical concept to any electrified toy car every kid loves - only power levels are scaled up. (After all, we're all kids inside, only toys have changed...). If you understand what you do, learn enough about it, apply common sense and act accordingly, you will be fine. Don't be afraid to admit you don't know or don't understand something - ask advise! It pays big time. Better ask and re-do [before turning things on] than face consequences of ignorance or silly and avoidable human error everyone prone to.

This is high end conversion using top notch and expensive hardware. While cost is important, it is not a priority for this project. I will not waste money needlessly - I will shop for best deal for, say, copper washers but will not compromise them for steel or aluminum ones if copper will do better job. That's the principle I will maintain throughout the project - whatever final cost turn out to be. I just want to demonstrate what is doable and if along with converting the car I can convert few skeptics into a firm believers and possibly followers, I would consider such outcome well worth the effort of detail documenting and creating this site.

Please keep in mind, the project such as this one is not suitable for a beginner. If you're just starting and looking for inspiration and fresh ideas, look at my [now way outdated] traditional simple conversion with a DC system as quick example or, better, at numerous conversions done by many other people  More advanced and much better detailed conversion [also a bit outdated] can be found here.

This web site is structured as living blog which will be updated as the project progresses. There is no commercial goal or interest, no completion deadline. All I know that it will be completed no matter how much time and money it will take I don't believe anyone (including big three) will build for me what I want to drive. The process being described here is only an example how I do it - it is to satisfy your curiosity, perhaps educate, and hopefully inspire. It is definitely NOT a set of instructions or guidance how it should be done. Welcome to use information here for your own projects if you find it useful, but remember - there are many ways to achieve the same result. If you will use links or images from this site, please credit original source (this site) and provide links to it. As my previous web site, this one is geared toward presenting as much detailed information as I have about the project while keeping the site slick, with only relevant stuff, simple layout and thus downloadable fast even for dial-up connection. Each page consists of only text, with links to numerous photos and other graphic material. No Java applets, no flashy animations and nothing that I believe would not contribute to the essence of the site. The pages that are already done may occasionally get updated later, so keep coming back once in a while to not to miss new and potentially useful for you information.

With that in mind, let's get started!

April 04 2008