Just to inform about French car (EV include) inspection: Once your car is 4 years old, you have to pass inspection of near 70 control points, in case of echec for about 40 of them, you have to repair and pass a repair control inspection. Cost is about 45euro for first one and 15 second one.
too boring for a complete list but quickly: too much rust > holes, rusty door falling ;^), note that in some switzerland countries they don't want rust at all. pollution control brakes state and efficiency security belts tires state springs state and efficiency ....and a lot more About french conversion: its near impossible because you have to obtain the constructor agreement and/or conversion controle and they don't want to ! So you have to register it as prototype which is very hard to complete, expensive and....of uncertain success. Philippe Et si le pot d'échappement sortait au centre du volant ? quel carburant choisiriez-vous ? http://vehiculeselectriques.free.fr ----- Original Message ----- From: "1sclunn" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, October 12, 2002 9:52 AM Subject: Re: EVs and Europe/conversions > I now remember somebody from Europe telling me that the rust on my car would > not be allow were he was from. I guess I really am in EV heaven . We have > NO inspection, ever here in Florida USA. There's a guy down the street who > makes 3 wheelers , front end motorcycle back end car and has one with large > V8 and back seat (size of a car). Motor cycles don't even need insurance > here. With all you have to go through I don't see much hope for conversions > there. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Janez Svetlin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Friday, October 11, 2002 2:02 PM > Subject: Re: EVs and Europe/conversions > > > > 1sclunn wrote: > > > > > > What about conversions ? Are there people doing conversions in Europe? > > > what's the price of gas there ( in dollars ) ? When I heard that the > think > > > was $27k I started to understand why they aren't selling . What I want > to > > > know is why I haven't sold my EV Mazda truck (best conversion I have > ever > > > done) for $10 k if there are all these people out there wanting thinks > and > > > EV-1's. > > > > Conversions are rear. It is hard to register any (even gas) conversion > > because of legislation. For every adaptation of chassis (or any other > > part of the car) you have to get few written (positive) opinions from an > > expert of the field. That ain't a problem but costs money. Next follows > > an inpection. More money down the drain. All critical parts have to have > > appropriate suitability tests (stamped a-test mark/number). Every part > > of conversion process must be documented/explained. There are special > > standards for electrical conversions including requirements for > > measuring emissions :) and maximum power (road tax is based on power). > > Wiring must folow certain CE/SIS standards. And so on. > > > > Well it can an it has been done - converting to electric that is. I know > > of two local conversions. First a small pick-up. Lead / AC. Lead VESNA > > deep-cycle sealed VRLA batteries. High cycle life, low power. ISKRA > > inverter. I believe 20kW peak and continuous. About 40 miles range. > > Second is a small 4 seater. Some ADC motor and forklift controler. > > Didn't have the chance to look at it closely yet. > > > > A new car can be had for about 6500 USD on. > > Gas is about 78 cents /l (about $3 per gallon i believe) > > Diesel is cheaper at 68 cents / l ($2.5 per gallon) > > My car does uses about 7l/100km (33 mpg). > > > > Optima yellow top costs about $180. > > Vesna 55Ah/12V VRLA about $120. > > Flooded lead is cheaper but nothing is available under 150Ah (forklift > > cells). > > Golf cart batteries are quite expensive, costing almost as much as > > sealed per pound. > > > > Saft Ni-Cd cannot be imported because official distributor decided that > > importing their small lithium cells is enough. They don't do flooded > > Ni-Cd they said. Transport hazard. > > > > Considering the prices of lead batteries and the cost of gas, electric > > is more than twice as expensive as gas (per mile). > > > > > > > Reasons to buy a conversion > > > 1 cheaper that factory (1/2 to 1/3 the price) > > > > There is no factory EVs here. > > > > > 2 available > > > > Depends on who you ask. Around here, conversions stops at larger > > exhaust, cut spings and alloy rims. > > > > > 3 easy to fix ( not some computer nightmare ) > > > > That is a large benefit of an EV. I know some EV forklift tehnicians. > > Watering/Brushes/controller/battery replacement is all they do. > > > > > 4 service available (the guy who made it can fix it ) > > > 5 they go faster/further ( because a conversion is not tied down to some > > > safely standard, we can put more batteries in there and a big ass > > > controller) > > > 6 could use a Porsche 9/11 body and have a real nice car still less that > > > $20k (I'll sell my 924 for $10k now) > > > 7 Be part of a special group of people on the cutting edge of something > so > > > new and exciting (EV madness)you'll want to tell everyone you meet. > > > 8 You will make some back yard EV car converter very happy who will hold > > > your hand through your EV experience (and may give you a full refunds if > you > > > aren't happy). > > > > Things aren't happening here. You're on your own. > > > > > 9 You just recycled one of the biggest pieces of trash thrown out today > and > > > stopped more from being made. > > > > Another nice surprise here. Every car older than 12 years must go to > > inspection twice a year. Our country likes us to buy new cars and trash > > the old ones. > > > > Nowadays every decent dealer has offer like: We'll add $1500 to your old > > car if you replace it with a new one. They squash the oldest ones. > > > > > > > Reasons not to buy a commercial EV from a car maker > > > > > > 1 coast 2 to 3 times what a conversion cost > > > 2 not available . can't find them or have to wait/beg ect > > > 3 Not easy to fix. It will be so complicated that you/they may not be > able > > > to fix them(you have heard the stories) > > > 4 You will have to take it to were they say to take it for repair. Leave > it > > > as long as they tell you to . Deal with people who thinks your nuts for > > > buying one (because they won't own one) > > > 5 There performance is not what a conversion will give you /for the > money > > > even at 2 time the price > > > 6 Pick any model/year gas car then convert it Compared to some brick > (ev-1 > > > was nice looking I will give them that)of a car. > > > 7 You are nothing special with your factory EV and in the eyes of the > > > company who sold it to you ,they hope they never see you again. Do you > think > > > if you call them and tell them how much you liked there car they would > > > care( I love those phone calls) > > > 8 Your interest in an EV ,viewed from the bottom(sales man who wants to > sell > > > you a gas car instead) to the top (board members ) is viewed as a > problem. > > > "If you would just buy a regular car" .No refund here if your not happy. > > > 9 You didn't recycle one of the biggest pieces of trash made today . > > > > I would still like to be able to buy a EV car the normal way from the > > dealer someday. > > > > Janez Svetlin > > > > >
