| Owner | Eric Starmer | ||||||||
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| Owner's Other EV | Personal Electric Automobile POD | ||||||||
| Location | Mosier, Oregon United States map | ||||||||
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| Vehicle | 1963 Renault R8 When I bought this car ten years ago, it had already been converted to electric,using 1960's technology (a generator from a San Francisco trolley, together with a series of starter solenoids connected to a bunch of batteries} | ||||||||
| Motor | Advanced DC L91-4003 Series Wound DC | ||||||||
| Drivetrain | 4 speed manual with clutch | ||||||||
| Controller | Curtis 1221c-7401 | ||||||||
| Batteries | 10 Everstart 27DC-6, 12.00 Volt, Lead-Acid, Flooded | ||||||||
| System Voltage | 120 Volts | ||||||||
| Charger | K and W BC-20 Together with LB-120 Boost Transformer | ||||||||
| Heater | Ceramic | ||||||||
| DC/DC Converter | Am using a 15 watt solar panel to charge auxiliary battery (cheaper than a DC/DC converter) | ||||||||
| Instrumentation | Voltmeter, ammeter, state of charge meter. | ||||||||
| Top Speed | 70 MPH (112 KPH) I have had it up to 68, so far (flat road , no wind, Renault speedo - there was still a little pedal travel left | ||||||||
| Acceleration | "Reasonable" | ||||||||
| Range | 25 Miles (40 Kilometers) Longest trip so far is 27 miles, half at 60 mph, the rest at 35 or so with some fair hills | ||||||||
| Watt Hours/Mile | 150 Wh/Mile | ||||||||
| EV Miles |
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| Seating Capacity | 4 adults | ||||||||
| Curb Weight | 2,200 Pounds (999 Kilograms) Estimated | ||||||||
| Tires | Firestone 135/R15 radials | ||||||||
| Conversion Time | 10+ years (I started about ten years ago, then after a couple of months I got "distracted" by other projects, and when gas reached $4 a gallon I decided it was time to get it on the road. | ||||||||
| Conversion Cost | About $5000 | ||||||||
| I've discovered that the R8 has both pluses and minuses as a conversion - it is quite light (partially due, no doubt, to the sheet metal being beer-can thick); it was the first production car to have 4 wheel disc brakes, to help stop that lead, and it has a fair amount of room for batteries front and rear; on the other hand it is quite a rare vehicle in the US, and parts are hard to find. After driving a few miles have encountered a couple of problems - need beefier suspension in rear. | |||||||||
1963 Renault R8
“Electric Frog”
Last Updated 07-21-2009
Copyright © 1997-2024 by Mike Chancey