3. In the trunk for size comparisonHole for battery box4. Logisystems 156AFXHole for battery box, from belowEngine hoistEmpty engine bay
OwnerA F
LocationGrand Prairie, Texas United States map
Web/EmailWebPage email image
Vehicle2002 Hyundai Elantra GT
5-door hatchback with a Prius-like rear
profile
MotorNetgain WarP ImPulse 9 Series Wound DC
Quite a versatile and powerful motor.
Recommended by "Build Your Own Electric
Vehicle", second edition (2008), by Seth
Leitman and Bob Brant.
DrivetrainWill use the existing 5-speed manual
transmission.
ControllerLogisystems 156AFX
This controller can take 144-156 volts
at up to 750 amps. This is probably
overkill for my car. I could have gone
with the 120-144 volt 550 amp
Logisystems controller, but decided to
go with the higher numbers. This way (I
hope) the controller will be under less
stress, operating at the lower end of
its range.
Batteries12 Trojan T-1275, 12.00 Volt, Lead-Acid, Flooded
I decided to use lead-acid for my first
battery pack, due to lower cost and to
get more experience with the system.
When that pack dies I may get something
more expensive.

I chose the Trojan T-1275 for several
reasons: a) Trojan has a good track
record in EV applications; b) I need 12
volt batteries to get my desired voltage
without far exceeding 1000 lbs of lead;
and c) according to my calculations,
this battery should provide the range I
want, at a battery cost of about $0.04
to $0.05 per mile (that is, just the
cost of replacing the battery pack
factored over the expected miles).
System Voltage144 Volts
ChargerNetGain Controls 3000W HF/PFC
NetGain Controls, Inc. 3000W HF/PFC
charger
HeaterNot sure, but for convenience I would
prefer to use the existing stock tubing
and systems, and install a small
electric water heater in the engine bay,
rather than replacing the heater core
with a ceramic heating element. This
may be too expensive though.
DC/DC ConverterIota 501-DLS-110-55-K
108VDC - 190VDC 55A DC/DC Converter Kit

I paired this with a small 12V lawn-mower-
tractor battery for the 12VDC system.
InstrumentationI hope to re-use as much of the stock
instrumentation as possible, but this
may be more work than it's worth. The
existing tachometer and speedometer
work; I bought a speed sensor from KTA-
EV that ties into the tachometer. I'd
like to use the fuel gauge as a SOC
meter; and I may replace the temperature
gauge with an ammeter. I also need
warning lights for motor over
temperature and motor brush wear. I may
re-use existing lights, such as the
"Check Engine" light, for things like
this.

I also have the PakTrakr battery
monitoring system, which is nice.
Top SpeedGoal: highway speeds

Have not yet gotten it onto the highway.
AccelerationGoal: it should feel similar to the
original

Currently, accelerates sluggishly
sometimes and at other times it jumps.
I think I still have to learn what gears
to use, and also I need to adjust the
controller.
RangeGoal: at least 40 miles

Just got it on the road. Have not yet
tested the range.
Watt Hours/MileNot yet determined
EV Miles
Start:103,467 Miles (166,478 Kilometers)
Current:103,484 Miles (166,505 Kilometers)
Total:17 Miles (27 Kilometers)
 
    As of 8/28/2010
Seating Capacity5 adults
Curb Weight0
Stock weight is 2635 lbs according to
online specs. It is just a tad bit more
than a 2002 Civic 4 door EX, the other
car I was looking at, yet it feels much
larger inside and outside.

Problem: I had it weighed on 2008-10-11
and the scale said it weighs 3100 lbs,
as-is, stock. I highly doubt the scale
is accurate; it was a CAT truck scale,
and I think they overcompensate on the
weight to avoid trucks getting fined for
being overweight. Anyone know a better
way to weigh cars?
TiresStock. When these wear out, I'll probably
get low rolling resistance tires, but I
don't plan to change the rims/hubs.
Conversion TimeI have been planning and ordering parts
since October 2008. Due to my job
situation, I didn't start the conversion
until October 2009. I finally got it on
the road as of August 2010.

I did not track the hours spent.
Conversion CostI have not run the numbers recently, but
budget was $7K for conversion, plus about
$2.5K for batteries. The car itself cost
me about $4K. Total: about $13-14K.
Additional FeaturesHas power brakes using the kit from evsource.com.

Hoping to restore the A/C and power steering. For now, I'm
saving the existing power steering pump and A/C compressor,
and plan to run at least the A/C off a pulley on the tail
end of the motor. There are some tradeoffs to doing it this
way, but should be good enough. If it doesn't work very
well I'll have to replace with all-electric systems.
For my first conversion, I started by researching highly
rated used cars. To my surprise, the 2001-2006 Hyundai
Elantra was picked as the "used car best bet" by
Edmunds.com (
WebPage
) in the Compact Sedan category, for its reliability and
overall value. I was expecting to see a Civic in that
slot. However, as I have researched it more, it seems an
ideal candidate for conversion.

I wanted something clean and relatively recent, as I hope
to use it for many years to come and I don't want to
bother with reconditioning the vehicle. (Converting it is
already a big enough commitment!) The Elantra GT is
sporty, yet affordable enough that I could get one with
leather, power everything, moonroof, and still in great
condition. It is a five-door hatchback, with a profile
that looks almost like the Prius in the back. This
profile seems to be more aerodynamic, with a drag
coefficient of 0.33, probably contributing to its good gas
mileage. This profile also gives lots of trunk room for
batteries and still leaves storage room for other things.
The car is light, almost as light as the Civic I was
looking at, yet much more roomy inside. The rolling
resistance seems low. Overall it seems to be almost made
for this conversion, as long as the reliability holds up
as the reviews have said.

Many thanks to North Texas Electric Auto Association
(NTEAA; WebPage ) for all the help and tips.

code by jerry