Converting a Conventional Vehicle into an Electric Vehicle (EV)

Abstract

The electric vehicle (EV) is not a recent invention. Between the end of the XIX century and the beginning of the XX century, most motor vehicles were electric, due to their superior reliability and cleanliness, compared to that of vehicles driven by internal combustion engines (ICE). However, with the development of ICEs and the reduction of their price, electric cars were forgotten. Only almost a century later, they returned in the market due to a significant increase in fossil fuels prices, as well as to a growing environmental concern. EVs present a number of advantages over ICE vehicles: they are simpler and require less use and replacement of parts, resulting in lower maintenance costs; moreover, they do not release pollutants into the environment. However, their production cost is still much higher than that of ICE vehicles. In order to verify the possibility of converting a conventional vehicle into an electric one at a reasonable cost, achieving a good performance and a good kWh/km ratio, an ICEpowered Mercedes-Benz Class A 190 was converted into an EV. The results of several tests indicate that the conversion is feasible, as the car reached an average travelling cost of 0.16 R$/km, assuming a price for the energy of 0.63 R$/kWh. Moreover, this cost could be as low as zero if solar radiation is utilized to generate electricity through photovoltaic panels, which is an even more environmentally sustainable solution..

Evaluation of Electrification of 4W Light Commercial Vehicle

“…The high initial cost issue can be resolved by converting the existing ICE vehicles into electric vehicles. This process is both cost-effective and eco-friendly in operation [6].…”

Integration of a Pilot PV Parking Lot and an Electric Vehicle in a University Campus Located in Curitiba: a Study Case

“…When an electric motor is started, it absorbs about 90% of electrical energy and turns it into torque, the process of converting energy into work result in mechanical power [21]. The Electric Vehicles are currently an alternative to internal combustion engines.…”

“…For studies purpose, a market research was done in the EVs catalog, and Nissan Leaf was used as an object for analysis and comparison. Based on technical parameters, other EVs in the same category can have lower electrical consumption compared with the study case, but the Nissan Leaf has the autonomy of 175km and can run 7.3km for each kWh consumed by the electrical motor [24].The values are related to autonomy, corresponding to the number of kilometers that the vehicle can travel without recharging the battery [21].…”

Proposed solution for the electrification of a motor vehicle formerly powered by an internal combustion engine (case study: Oltcit)

“…On the other hand, low-cost solutions that make use of dependable components that are already on the market might also be presented [2,3]. Consequently, the transformation of cars powered by internal combustion engines into electric vehicles is an appealing option for the interim time of coexistence.…”