# Cheap Electric Car: Costs for Building Your Own

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2008/04/costs-for-building-your-own-electric-vehicle/
- Published: 2008-04-02T19:58:00-04:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

## General Motors CEO says affordable electric cars needed to shift market

So I learned from the Associated that General Motors Corp. Chief Executive Richard
Wagoner says global warming is not going to be solved with $100,000 (€64,000) [electric cars](https://greenlivingguy.com/2007/03/reva-is-highest-selling-electric-car-in-the-world/).
Do and his company is focusing on a cheap vehicle more consumers can afford. Haaaa
versus focusing on building cheap electric cars.  A foolish move.

Wagoner spoke to the Commonwealth Club of California on Thursday on the topics of
global warming, ethanol availability, and rising gas prices.

Global warming needs a solution that can “significantly shift the fleet of vehicles
to different fuels or different propulsion technologies fairly rapidly,” he said
after the event.

### History and Who is Killing the Electric Car?

Source: The Panelist

As I mentioned on The Panelist…

With the race to launch the world’s first commercially viable zero-emission vehicle
now in full swing. Yet it would be kind of fun to take a short trip down memory 
lane to see the genesis of this race and how we can formulate our expectations going
forward.

The story can be traced back to the early 1990’s, when General Motors (GM) was developing
its all-electric vehicle (EV) technology, slated to launch in calendar year 1996(
for the 1997 model year). Using decades-old, proven lead-acid battery technology,
GM came out with the EV1. GM released 200 vehicles in its inaugural year in Arizona
and California and consumers could only drive them as a lessee.

#### Electric Motors

The return of the Electric Car!

##### Donor Electric Car

SIf you have a donor car, here is what you can expect for costs to budget for the
components alone on a [cheap electric car](https://greenlivingguy.com/2011/02/chevy-volt-electrically-equipped-for-winter-driving-gm/).
(
Source: [Grassrootsev.com](http://www.Grassrootsev.com))

Alot cheaper for

 1.  Non-speeding highway driver
     War P 9″ Motor$1,395.00
 2.  Z1K-LV Controller
     $1,775.00
 3.  SW-200B Contactor
     $ 128.00
 4.  PB-6 Pot Box Accelerator
     $ 76.50
 5.  PC-30 DC to DC Converter
     $ 175.00
 6.  A13X400-4 Safety Fuse
     $ 21.50
 7.  e-meter with complete setup
     $ 286.20
 8.  PCF- 20 battery charger
     $1,499.00
 9.  Total – $5,356.20

So I ask? Aren’t those cheap parts for an electric car?

 

⌊Cheap electric car⌉⌊Cheap electric car⌉
Build Your Own Electric Vehicle 2nd edition
by Seth Leitman and Bob Brandt on Flickr.

Check it out @tab_diy

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 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
expert, and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an Author,
Radio Host, Reporter, Writer and an Environmental Consultant on green living. The
Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides
and more. Seth's books range from: # Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brant
and Seth Leitman (2nd and 3rd editions) # Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid Electric
Vehicle by Seth Leitman # Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle by Carl Vogel # Green
Lighting by Seth Leitman, Brian Clark Howard and Bill Brinsky # Solar Power For 
Your Home by David Findley # Renewable Energies For Your Home by Russel Gehrke #
Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audits by David Findley # Build Your Own Small Wind Power
System by Brian Clark Howard and Kevin Shea # and more green living books to follow.

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