A Bit of Background

I'm a true believer that the best way to learn is by doing... and that sort of thinking is exactly what landed me in this mess! For a while I have been a proponent of electric powered vehicles, and not for the usual ecological ideals, but because, from an engineering standpoint, it's the way of the future. Very simple electronic sensors, controls, and actuators are able to perform actions that we as humans cannot begin to perform on our own. For a simple example, manual transmissions may be fun for die-hard car buffs, but in the long run a computer can be faster, more accurate, more repeatable, and fundamentally better performing than a human ever will be at such a mundane task. Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) is present in almost every vehicle on the road today. Anti-lock brakes (ABS) have been required on new vehicles in the EU since 2007. In my opinion, eventually the burning of hydrocarbons in an engine will probably be replaced by the silent and efficient interactions of electromagnetic fields in a motor.

So what does any of that have to do with a Porsche 996? Well, as much as I would like to try my hand at an electric vehicle conversion, I don't think the time is quite right, at least for me. Whatever car I rebuild, I want it to be "fun" at the end... think a 0-60 mph time of around 5 seconds, with good handling, while practical enough to be used as a commuter car (a range of >25 miles). After all, if you rebuild a junker car, at the end of the project you would still be left with a junker, which isn't quite as motivating as something more fun to start with! I spent a bit of free time over the course of a few months to analyze what it would really take, both technically and financially, to do a conversion, and most of the problems I encountered were related to batteries. Getting the range with a battery pack is quite easy with today's (2013) technology, but having enough instantaneous power from the pack to deliver 200-300 HP requires a lot more batteries... unless you don't mind getting a new pack every year. Which brings me to the main problem: a properly sized pack would cost upwards of $20k, which is about what I had in mind for the whole project. This is a very simplified version of the study, but the takeaway message is the same: I have a bit of a wait until batteries make the SWaP-C (size, weight and power - and cost) point for me.

Some of the electric vehicle calculations

So for now, it looks like gas is the way to go unless you're Tesla (or can afford one!), so why not learn what I can about current vehicles and go from there! Since my formal background is in electrical engineering, I figured a good place to start would be a car with a ruined electrical system, but hopefully okay mechanics. While I can machine, CNC, and make puddles with a welder, I know very little about engine internals or the like. That's all about to change!