Local Motors' Latest Creation...........The Strati!

[BJoe]

Made in Chicago: World’s First 3D Printed Electric Car | WGN-TV

https://localmotors.com/

[The Violator]

Electric cars have just not quite gotten there yet. This one is no exception.


I have had a project I inherited from a friend of my pops.

It is an older Speedway T-bucket truck kit. Real bare bones kit. The guy converted it to electric. He used a rather large motor and a mechanical speed controller of some kind. Motor sits where the standard engine would go. Its connected to a 2 speed transmission that is closer to a gear vendor overdrive than a tranny. Really only high and low vs. gears. In the bed, it has a dozen car batteries. I know it drives, he moved it around, but not quite road worthy yet.


He designed it as something he could "drive to coffee" with the other old men. He hoped to get 40 miles of range. Not exactly sure where it fell. It will spin the tires, it does go 50 mph. At least that is what he told me. This guy has cancer, his wife died, he told me I could have it, just need to run up to Northern Cali to get it.

[BJoe]

Does that use Li drill batteries by chance? Somebody on NAXJA was involved in an electric T-Bucket build that ran a bunch of drill Lithiums some years back, they even drag raced it some.

[wings_of_fire]

The best thing about electric vehicles would be when they are reasonably priced for the masses. But that is not gonna happen.

An even better thing would be if people come together with funds and start a small battery manufacturing plant. Use the same batteries for their cars and be self sufficient. Battery manufacturing is rocket science?? Not really.

[binaryterror]

Originally Posted by wings_of_fire

An even better thing would be if people come together with funds and start a small battery manufacturing plant. Use the same batteries for their cars and be self sufficient. Battery manufacturing is rocket science?? Not really.

Manufacturing isn't really the biggest hurdle right now. It's that Lipos suck for cars. Better than anything before, but no where near what is needed to revolutionize and standardize electric cars for the majority.

Technology has surpassed batteries, you need more Graphene and Super Capacitor technology work before you worry about building batteries. Not to mention of the EPA and other agencies basically stopping the US from making current and future batteries.

[Natedog]

Originally Posted by BJoe

Made in Chicago: World’s First 3D Printed Electric Car | WGN-TV

https://localmotors.com/

That's badass, recycle, customizable, etc!

Originally Posted by The Violator

Electric cars have just not quite gotten there yet. This one is no exception.


I have had a project I inherited from a friend of my pops.

It is an older Speedway T-bucket truck kit. Real bare bones kit. The guy converted it to electric. He used a rather large motor and a mechanical speed controller of some kind. Motor sits where the standard engine would go. Its connected to a 2 speed transmission that is closer to a gear vendor overdrive than a tranny. Really only high and low vs. gears. In the bed, it has a dozen car batteries. I know it drives, he moved it around, but not quite road worthy yet.


He designed it as something he could "drive to coffee" with the other old men. He hoped to get 40 miles of range. Not exactly sure where it fell. It will spin the tires, it does go 50 mph. At least that is what he told me. This guy has cancer, his wife died, he told me I could have it, just need to run up to Northern Cali to get it.

While they are not quite there yet, they are vastly improved and good for around town. We have to start somewhere. Sorry to hear about your pop's friend, but go get that T-Bucket and get it running on some sweet batteries.

[BJoe]

Yup, if that's not your T in the video I posted, might see if you can get ahold of the guy who posted it to fi d out what all they did for.the batteries in in.

[The Violator]

Originally Posted by BJoe

Yup, if that's not your T in the video I posted, might see if you can get ahold of the guy who posted it to fi d out what all they did for.the batteries in in.

He had 12 Optimas when i saw it. Nothing too fancy, but he was looking more at transportation vs racing.

[gooba]

Big oil will never allow electric cars to fully take off. Sad but true fact and since they throw billions at the government they won't do anything either. That being said this is a cool idea especially from a hobbyist perspective as I'd be making go carts like crazy.

[WHITE-TRASH]

The only place electric cars make any sense is in big cities and in the immediate area surrounding them. The trouble is that it just so happens that most big cities have solid mass transit already available making them pretty pointless.

My neighbor across the street has a leaf. It only leaves the house when he goes to work, otherwise they take her little crossover pos gasser every single time they go anywhere.

[wings_of_fire]

Originally Posted by gooba

Big oil will never allow electric cars to fully take off. Sad but true fact and since they throw billions at the government they won't do anything either.

That too has a time period after which there will be no alternative to electric or other power source methods. All governments know that. And liberating economy from oil will mean people would have more money to spend. But that will create inflation. That will also make the governments loose control on the economy. So the base line is to have control on the people and maintain the current cycle where they(public) are not to strong to revolt and not to weak to die.
When electric cars flood the market, the price of electricity is going to go up and some other illogical reasons will increase the cost of running an electric car. So everyone will have to shell out the same amount of money from the pocket as they are doing today.

It all boils down to having control on the people and not letting them be a loose canon.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Where is Tony Stark? I want to buy that little shining bulb on his chest. Will pay in Dollhair. Paypal ready

[Crawlin' Lobster]

Google white zombie ev. This guy in Portland Or has been racing and driving an electric datsun since (edit)94. He has smoked a new Nissan gtr down a drag strip.

Here's a link to the vid on YouTube.
http://youtu.be/7rVTIpS5zb4

His other car the "Blue Meanie" he has been driving under electric power since the 80's.

[RaleighRCer]

Almost all states tax gas to pay for road improvements. As more electric cars replace gas cars, where are the taxes for roads going to come from? It is a cost that most people don't think about.

[BJoe]

Originally Posted by RaleighRCer

Almost all states tax gas to pay for road improvements. As more electric cars replace gas cars, where are the taxes for roads going to come from? It is a cost that most people don't think about.

In Illinois we pay $101 a year to keep plates on our vehicles then pay taxes on each gallon of fuel bought (be it Gas, E85, or Road Diesel) and there are toll boths on a number of the major highways. Since EV's bypass the gas tax, we're eventually going to need to tax the charging devices, increasing road tolls (which would hurt all of us, not just those drivers), or charging more to register and license hybrids, EREV's, and pure electrics based on how much less fuel is used.