Would you like to buy an 'O'? Round, and neat: a nearly perfect circle, tidy and complete...
Seriously, I'm selling my EV. I'm moving, and I don't have the time to fix it up and take it with me.
The entire saga of Silent E's rise and fall are detailed on this very site. It's cost me more than $9000 to make, with around $7000 dollars of good parts in it. Not to mention a new paint job. I'm asking $5000.
More details? Sure, read on.
Silent E was built to be safe, reliable, and indistinguishable from a normal gasoline-burning car. Driving this EV is virtually identical to driving any other stick-shift, with two caveats: you can't stall (seriously, it's impossible), and you should never over-rev an electric motor.
She seats five people (and with its tall roof, they can all be adults) and has a big trunk in back. I've used it to cart the whole family to the swimming pool, to get groceries, and to commute to work (6 miles each way, five days a week) in all kinds of weather. It's quiet, smooth, and just downright enjoyable.
Silent E is a 1988 Honda Civic Wagon converted to a 144V electric vehicle. Mechanically speaking, the engine was replaced with an Advanced DC 9" series-wound motor, the AWD shaft and differential were removed, the gas tank and other gasoline parts were removed, the power steering was replaced with a manual rack, and the clutch was upgraded to a lightweight racing clutch. The only other mechanical modification was the new 15" aluminum rims with low-profile tires that very nearly exactly match the original 13" tire circumference (the speedometer still reads true).
New batteries will be required. Silent E was originally outfitted with 12 Optima YellowTop D34 batteries. 8 of the batteries fit in the back, under the seat (which lifts up to reveal them); the other 4 are in a rack under the hood. These batteries are the originals: before installation, they were left long enough to self-discharge, leading to damage that was never rectified. On these batteries, the car got 12-15 miles on a single charge. The current wiring uses the original automotive connectors: I believe this led to a persistent problem with power lines overheating and further ruining the batteries. I recommend converting to marine/screw connectors. Or lithium batteries, if you've got the money.
The charging system is a Manzanita Micro PFC-20, with a plain 15A plug mounted under the fuel door. The car can be charged from practically any electrical outlet (and has been). A 50-foot, bright yellow, 20A electrical cord is also included -- to charge from a conventional 15A plug, an adapter (or separate extension cord) will be required. The batteries were outfitted with Rudman Regulators to protect from overcharging, but the remaining 8 regulators should not be considered reliable.
Provided Parts (and estimated value)
- Advanced DC 9" FB1-4001A series-wound double-shafted motor, rebuilt and kevlar wrapped by Jim Husted, with brushes pre-adjusted to run in Honda/backwards direction ($1500)
- Curtis 1231C-8601 "squealer" 500A controller ($500)
- Manzanita Micro PFC-20 charger, not buck enhanced ($1500)
- Electro Automotive custom machined aluminum motor adapter plate with taperlock hub fitting to flywheel. ($1000)
- Electric heater, providing instant heat any time, installed ($100, but more on cold days)
- Brand new paint ($satisfying)
- E-Meter electricity gauge and isolated power supply, redundant relays, safety breaker switch, impact disconnect switch, 2-0 power wire, and generally everything else you need to have a working EV ($1000)
- 1988 Honda Civic Wagon glider with 6-speed manual transmission and pre-built insulated battery box ($1500)
Parts You Need (and expected cost)
- Batteries -- runs the car. 12 of the linked D34M marine batteries (blue top with marine terminals, but otherwise identical to the YellowTops i've got now) at $180 each ($2160)
- Battery management. This will depend on the batteries you get. Flooded golf cart batteries don't need them. There are some really cheap ones you can build yourself. The Rudman Regulators are $75/battery; you'll probably want to use my existing 8, and I'll provide the other 4 boards if you want to get them repaired or something. ($300)
- A DC/DC convertor -- turns 144V into 12V to help the accessory battery to run the lights, radio, wipers, etc. Mine burned up due to under-voltage. I'll include a 12V charger so you can charge the accessory battery separately, in case you don't want to buy this. ($250)
That's it. For only $5000, you get about $5000 worth of EV parts, in a $1500 shell, ready to turn into a working EV: just add batteries.
This has got to be the easiest way to get the EV grin!