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Electric car a reality for Caroline resident
Caroline man converts old Geo Metro into a zippy electric car that can go up to 50 miles on a charge
Date published: 5/19/2009
By RUSTY DENNEN On the outside, Mike Russo's green 1996 Geo Metro looks like most other compact cars. On the inside, not so much. The gas engine is gone. The back seat, gone. And in the front and back sit rows of connected golf-cart batteries. The tipoff that this is not your typical Geo is the yellow "electric vehicle" lettering along its flank, and that when it's running, the only sound is a muted "eeeeeeeee." Russo, an industrial mechanic who lives in Caroline County, is on the cutting edge of a movement to create more energy-efficient and less polluting vehicles. "I'm very pleased with the way it's worked out," said Russo, preparing one day earlier this week to take a spin near his Lake Land'Or neighborhood. He began working on the car last July, finishing the project in November. Russo, 50, first got interested in electric cars as a golf cart mechanic, then whetted his interest while working as an auto mechanic. He moved here from Rhode Island in 2003. "I was very interested in electric motors and how they ran, and reading about people building them. Electronics is a hobby of mine," he said. With the Geo in his driveway as a spare vehicle, he thought he'd try a conversion. "I figured something lightweight would work out the best," he said, because he would need less power. The gas motor, exhaust and fuel systems had to be removed before he could begin the transformation. "Golf cart batteries, I thought would be awesome" to power it. He bought 16 of the 6-volt batteries to configure the car's 96-volt system. Six are in the front, 10 in the back. He welded in reinforcements to support the weight of the batteries, which weigh about 75 pounds each. A small 12-volt battery runs the lights, horn and electronics. Russo went online to find an electric motor (D&D Motor Systems) and a controller that runs the system's components, including hardware, relays and gauges. He also had to buy a built-in battery charger and an adapter for the Geo's five-speed transmission. He put about $6,000 into the car, not counting many hours of labor.
Read more stories about Caroline Date published: 5/19/2009
All these folks don't realize the Electricity come from Coal
(posted by
WoodinVirginia
, May 20, 2009 8:07 am)
We burn coal mostly to produce electricity, very little comes from Hydro Electric , very little comes from Gas Turbines cause it is $$$expensive.
Look at your electic bill at .08 c-.10 a kilowatt & Frame it. I guarantee if you start having electric cars that rate will be going up!
the theory is that you won't need more plants
(posted by
larryg
, May 19, 2009 5:15 pm)
because you'll be recharging the cars at night when most
people are asleep and not using as much electricity.
so ... do you want to buy oil from the Arabs or electricity
from us?
here's what I don't understand
(posted by
homercles82
, May 19, 2009 11:59 am)
If we are pushing cars to be electric all the while we are wanting to cripple coal power plants, and not build any new nuclear power plants how are we going to get all this electricity to charge these pieces of crap? Solar is not an option, wind farms don't produce enough electricity to replace coal or nuclear and neither does hydro.
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