914 gang: There's a new posting on a less "worldly" 914 club site, featuring Otmar Ebenboech, the power behind Electro Automotive, which makes the "VoltsPorsche" electric conversion kits, and the electric early-Rabbit kit as well (see his 914 at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl9uejKnMFQ --his does 1/4 mi in 13-something and top speed at 140 mph!. Good interview.) This could become a VERY important source of mobility for some of us should the Saudi "King" either move to a radical position (see his condemnation of the US in today's -Mar 29- papers) or, worse, be overthrown by the Wahabbists who control the madrassas in Arabia. Or war with Iran, now or later! (Or revolution in Nigeria, or an angry Hugo Chavez transferring most of his sales to China, etc.) SO: HOW ABOUT A 914 "HYBRID" ?
For those interested in cleaner power and keeping our cars on the road further into the new century, could hybridize the 914 as follows: Keep a small motor-- the 1.7, or even replaced with a 1500 squareback motor-- set up for max mpg. Should be able to get near 45 mpg. (Or better yet, a small clean "new" diesel if we could get those that are made by VW for European sales--like out of wrecks, to keep cost low.) THEN: Put in an old-Rabbit front end, with the volts-Rabbit kit attached, in place of the whole 914 front end. (Yeah, probably a little fabrication of steering linkage needed.) For long range driving--trips: cruise on electric throttle, add fossil power on uphills, passing. Drained batteries after long mileage, idling in traffic jams or after doing extra errands?? -Go fossil till you get home. Commute on ELECTRIC ONLY. Those in cold climates could leave the boxer motor idling, and run the heater air over the exhausts with little loss. (And those who have to have AC, run the motor at idle with a bigger belt-pulley for the compressor--modern compressors don't steal much power anyhow.) If you want to show off at a stop light, -use dual power: independent f and r power (might need balance/tuning). Use Otmar's smaller (no 13 sec. 1/4 mile unless you use dual power) motor option to keep battery requirement as modest as possible. And there'd be no fancy electric braking like Prius, and no fancy extra controls for that). Just a double gas pedal--the one you've got and a second thing, maybe hanging down from above, able to be moved into place with some kind of slide-lever.
Issues, as I see it: A bit of structural fabrication/ welding to accept the slightly alien Rabbit front end/ steering/ motor ass'y. Maybe a modification to the orig gas tank--make it smaller, with batteries in part of that area. Additional battery placement? - more batteries over the r. axle, just behind the existing motor/trunk wall, presumably scatter others around. And if much of the front trunk is lost to the electrics,--its OK, we've got some trunk in the back, even with batteries. Final issue: how much battery weight (and cost!) will be needed for this mixed system? ASK OTMAR-- his interview says the lithium is getting cheaper and more long- lasting, finally, after over 25 years in development.
What do people think about the idea? And what does Otmar think, in particular, building on his experience? Anyone interested in making the first one--maybe he'll support you with stuff at cost. [And Otmar--are there any volts-Porsches or -bunnies that you've sold here in the mid-Atlantic area for me to look at?] This could make the 914 the car of the next 35 years! Lets talk it over. -Chris, in DC 'burbs

A lot of 914's have been converted to electric. Otmar's 914 is only good for 25 miles. He has it setup for racing. Most will get 100 miles per charge. Batteries are the big problem. Lead acid is heavy. You need to beef the suspension and brakes. I would love to make one even at these limitations. Not in the cards just yet. Maybe when the lithium batteries are available.

I'm not sure why you would need to convert the front clip to a rabbit, unless you want the front engine bay?

It would be easier to take the engines out of a prius or other small hybrid and put them in the 914 engine bay. That way you don't need to fab up some sort of frankencar.

I would go electric for my 914 and use it for commuting if the range was longer. As it is my daily commute totals 90 miles. That is too close to the 100 mile range of most electric conversions, especially in the winter.

Zach

I've been looking at that Electro Automotive kit for years...I'd love to put one in, but $10,000 is a lot of money!

Zack--not sure if you mean keeping the boxer motor and adding the electric to the rear axles as well, or just replacing it. My project suggestion is for a functioning, high-gas-milage 914 boxer-4 with a second power source, using batteries, for shorter range use, to keep the boxer shut off much or most of the time. Thus the front end drive rabbit transplant. -Chris

since our oil supply comes primarily from our own nation (40%) and canada & mexico (35%), only 25% of our cars will need to be converted to electric.

the thought of building a small electric car is what drew me to 914s in the first place. the conversion cost (8-10k) threw me, but i bought a 914 anyway.

~a

I recently sold a 914 to Tim Kutscha for a EV conversion. Here is his blog. http://914ev.blogspot.com/ This is going to be one of many. I have had a lot of inquirys from people wanting a 914 for EV conversion.
CCLIN914NATION

CCLINNOMOREMISSINGLINKY




Found it

I got my 914 for an EV conversion, but fixed it up, got hooked on driving it, and will likely get another roller and use #2 for the EV...unless I blow my $$$ on a AX engine first!

Another, simpler approach is to build a nice AC power all electric 914 and add gas powered electric generation. Having a small Honda portable generator running in the trunk is one idea I've seen floating. Not sure about balance between charging input and driving output, but should greatly increase range and you coulf actually just leave the generator running while the car is parked so you could come back and drive another 60+ miles after it sits and charges for 3-6 hours. The Rabbit front end idea HAS been used for a "hybrid", I read somewhere they got a Rabbit front end (it might have been biodiesel!) and hooked up a remote start button and throttle. The front end was not welded in, it was made into a trailer! Then the EV could hook up the trailer for long trips, remotely turn on the engine, and the Rabbit engine powered up the batteries in the EV while driving. Of course, the trailer would influence the handling characteristics of your 914, but so would a franken-car.

PS - thanks for that blog link! Awesome system he got - AC is much more efficient!

An easy option for adding a generator to an all electric car is to use a single wheeled trailer. The trailer connects to two points on the cars bumper (one right, one left) and then has a single wheel directly under the trailers platform. Kinda like one big shopping cart wheel. With this type of setup you wouldn't have to worry about maneuvering with the trailer. You would just have to remember to leave some extra space when backing.

As for the size of the generator, you would just have to measure the systems draw at crusing speed and then just have a generator with a likttle more juce than that.


Jim

The easiest conversion is to use LPG or natural gas. LPG would be the best bet, since it is easier to convert. It also allows you to build the engine to higher compression, since it has the equivalent of 115 octane. Natural gas would be cheaper to run, but requires larger tanks in the vehicle. Then again it does have the advantage of being refilled at home. The other option is to run the car on E100. This would be a very easy conversion, since mostly you need to change out the hoses, and do some timing and mixture adjustments. Set up a still in your backyard, and make some moonshine for you 914.

Not only that...but these new Enviro-Natzi new fangled cars are bad for the environment. Where do you dispose of the batteries when the car is totaled or worn out? I hope Al Bore isn't listening.

What about doing a reversible generator? You mount up a large enough motor directly to the engine for power assistance, and starting. And it could kill the engine every time you stop or cruise (no idle.) And then start the engine again when you get back on the gas.


EDIT:And when the engine is driving the car, then it's also charging the batteries. Easy!

Thank you I added the link.
CCLINEV914NATION

Can't tell if you're joking or not, but you don't dispose of lead-acid batteries, you recycle them. True of your starter battery, too. Note the special place your landfill has you place car batteries...

Disclaimer: I'm building one of the Electro-Auto AC Voltsporsche kits as well... an extreme solution to the "gas smell in the cabin" problem

LPG be where it's at. Most gas stations sell propane by the container as well (well, around here). What kind of mileage could one see on LPG? I guess that would depend on how many tanks you could fit in your front trunk. I'd load up 6 or so (three behind the front firewall, three in the front trunk).

[quote name='racunniff' date='Mar 30 2007, 07:54 AM' post='881617']
[/quote]Disclaimer: I'm building one of the Electro-Auto AC Voltsporsche kits as well... an extreme solution to the "gas smell in the cabin" problem
[/quote]

I'm turning my '74 to an EV as well, using the ElectroAuto Light AC vehicle kit. Saved a bit of $$ not getting the larger torsion bars and springs I already have. Plus the VoltsPorsche kit comes with a huge side graphic I don't want (at least the DC kit did). After looking at Otmar's battery layout, (Following in the footsteps...) I decided it would be better to keep the COG as low as possible, and to use sealed batts.

(Rust is something I do NOT want to deal with AGAIN!)

12 12V's is 144V, vs 18-8V's or 20 6V's (like the DC kit), but the real difference is in the mass. The 12V weighs about 53.6LBs for group 24 (643.2 LBs) The 8v batts weigh 64.5 or 69 LBs each (1161 or 1242 LBs. Half of those go in front, taking up the spare tire well and the gas tank well, with some of the rest mounted ABOVE the motor in a side-to-side box. All the boxes have to be sealed and ventilated during charging to prevent hydrogen buildup, so a bit more weight there too. My setup has 3 12V's in the front fuel tank well, and 9 mounted around the motor, none higher than the top of the motor. Open racks with just a layer of insulation for padding.

It should still handle like a 914!

Range will be limited to about double my daily commute, so the batts should last a while, hopefully.

Check out my post on RoadGlue for pics, I'll try to add some more when I get a chance.

http://www.roadglue.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62 Click to view attachment