Tim Nolan’s Electric Truck Conversion Project – A very cool website created by Tim Nolan, a full-time electrical engineer and a part-time electric vehicle conversion hobbyist.

Be sure to visit Tim's website where we found this image.

Mark Hazen’s Electric S-10. The story behind converting a 1996 Chevy S10 to run on electricity only.

Steve Solarazza’s Electric S-10. Steve says it costs $3.55 to drive 50 miles. Not bad for a pickup.

Your First Electric Car. A nice, short primer for anyone seriously considering building their own electric vehicle. Lots of good tips for first timers and some good links too.

Randy Richmond’s Electric GMC Sonoma conversion. A really cool article from Home Power magazine about a Sonoma conversion.

Of course, you should probably learn how electric cars work before you build one, right?

Check out Electric Automotive for some good universal conversion kits so you can start pricing everything out…

Finally, before you begin, it’s time to find and build a support network. Check out the forums at DIYElectricCar.com

If you haven’t talked yourself out of it yet, good luck!

FYI – for anyone considering converting a Tundra to electricity, count us in as a sponsor.

Check out this list of available Toyota Tundra shocks

Fortunately, there are a number of companies that now offer turnkey electric conversions directed at pickup truck owners. Both the United States and Canada have seen an explosion of entrepreneurs tuned into the electric vehicle movement. These organizations offer professional installations of a complete electric driveline, along with service plans and warranties to help preserve peace of mind while tooling down the highway.

Rapid Electric Vehicle F150 Electric Conversion Specs

Rapid Electric Vehicles Technologies (REV) is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are focused on both individual and fleet conversions of the Ford F-150 full-size pickup truck, the Ford Ranger compact truck and the Ford Escape SUV. The F-150 is classified as a plug-in hybrid because the company leaves the original gasoline engine as-is and adds an electric motor powered by a lithium battery. This gives the truck a 40 mile range on a single charge. What’s more, the battery itself can be charged by either the truck’s gas-powered motor or regenerative braking.

The Ford Ranger / Escape electric platform is a pure electric conversion, which entails removing all mechanicals associated with the original engine. This means that REV strips out more than 900 parts, including fuel lines, the radiator, and the exhaust system, and replaces it with an electric motor and charging system that has less than 10 moving components. This represents an incredible simplification of the truck’s running gear. The compact pickup or SUV has a top speed of 105 miles per hour with its new electric motor, and it can drive for 125 miles between charges. Each charge requires between 2.5 and 5 hours, with the fastest charging times resulting from the use of a 220 volt outlet.

REV offers the original Ford warranty on any vehicle it converts, and it also guarantees its battery packs for up to 3 years of use. None of the safety equipment originally included with the trucks is touched or altered in any way, and REV claims that their redistribution of weight from the front to the lower middle of the vehicles actually improves handling and lowers the vehicle’s center of gravity.

Rapid Electric Vehicles Technologies is just one of a number of vehicle conversion outfits popping up all over the continent. Hybrid Electric Vehicle Technologies offers a similar F-150-based product, although the range of the electric-powered drivetrain is restricted to 15 miles. Ampmobile Conversions takes a case-by-case approach to converting individual cars and trucks, and are located in North Carolina.

While electric conversion might not be for everyone (and no one is converting Tundras yet), it is clear that the technology exists to produce a pure, commercially viable electric pickup that doesn’t sacrifice utility or capability for the sake of fuel mileage. While it may not be inexpensive to switch over from gasoline to electricity in your vehicle, the long term benefits of unshackling from fossil fuels are hard to deny both in terms of cost and environmental impact.

Let’s go Toyota – we want to see what you come up with!

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Truck type: Until recently, smaller trucks were preferred over their larger cousins due to weight issues, but advances in battery technology had enabled even full-size drivers to take advantage of an completely emissions-free ride.

Electric Truck Conversion - a "short" guide.

Battery Options: Inexpensive conversions typically use lead acid or absorption glass mat (AGM) batteries – just like the battery under your truck’s hood right now. It’s not uncommon for amateur conversions to fill the truck bed with as many as two dozen 6 or 12 volt lead-acid or AGM batteries to go full electric. If you want to preserve your pickup bed for hauling (go figure), batteries can also be located in the passenger compartment, under the hood, or anywhere you can make them fit.

If money is no object, then nickel / metal hydride (NiMH) batteries, which are identical to those used in vehicles like the Toyota Prius, can be used for conversions. If money is really no object (and that’s not just an expression), then ultra-high end lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries can be used. Both Li-ion and NiMH batteries may require special cooling systems, but they are lighter than lead-acid and AGM batteries and take up far less room in a typical conversion.

Battery Location: For full-size trucks, it’s best to mount the batteries between the frame rails in order to make sure that the added weight doesn’t negatively impact vehicle stability. While removing the gasoline engine and transmission saves some pounds, it is not unusual for an electric conversion to add thousands more thanks to the weight of the batteries.

The propulsion system: Once the power storage needs are squared away, it’s time to talk propulsion. The electric motor itself is usually installed where the original engine used to be. In addition to an electric motor, a power controller – which essentially acts as a throttle between the energy contained in the battery packs and the motor – is a key component. Upgraded, conductive wiring between all components and vehicle accessories is often needed as well. Special instruments to monitor the system – like the battery pack temperature(s), remaining charge, rate of charge/discharge, etc. are necessary as well. Finally, a charging system designed for the battery system is also required.

Some may choose to install more than one electric motor, or even locate the motors at the wheels themselves. More complex installations can even include devices which capture the kinetic force released during braking and use that to help keep the batteries charged while driving.

Converting a pickup from gas-power to electric is an achievable task. It does require a certain set of skills, however, which is why many are turning to professionals for complete, warranty-covered installations which use the latest technology to keep things as reliable as possible. As far as the financial benefits and drive-ability sacrifices…let’s just say that your truck isn’t going to drive near as far between “fill-ups”, and all those batteries are going to reduce your payload and tow rating.

Still, for a lot of truck owners, it beats going to the gas station.

Check out this list of available Toyota Tundra shocks

While automakers are developing plug-in hybrids, it’s important to note that most of the plug-in hybrid vehicles being introduced are sedans and coupes – not trucks. Automakers have yet to embrace the concept of a plug-in pickup, and some green types are using this fact to argue that the days of big pickups are over. However, the fact is many people need a truck for work and/or their daily lives. So why haven’t automakers started producing plug-in pickups? It’s not size…at least not completely.

Where is the Electric Toyota Tundra?

Pickups are big, and their larger dimensions might seem to be the reason that automakers aren’t producing hybrid versions. After all:

• Most hybrid electric vehicles on the market are small.
• It takes a more powerful electric motor to get a big pickup rolling.

However, size isn’t really the problem…kind of. Part of the reason that small hybrids are popular with automakers is because they represent the easiest sales opportunity. Small car buyers are already interested in fuel economy, so making a super-fuel-efficient small hybrid makes marketing sense. Small hybrids are also easier to design, less expensive to produce, and not subjected to the abuse that a typical truck would endure.

photo credit: dsix

Small cars, like this Toyota Prius, are ideal candidates for hybrid conversion. But what about trucks?

As for big electric motors being needed to move big pickups, it’s true…but big motors are getting cheaper every day. In fact, it turns out that pickups, with their big frames, heavy-duty suspensions, and extra cargo space are actually quite suited for hauling lots of batteries, a prerequisite for any plug-in electric vehicle. Trucks are built to haul the battery power they need.

Since trucks are built to haul and tow, they thrive on torque. By nature of their design, electric motors provide almost infinite torque, meaning that electric motors are ideally suited to most pickup truck applications. Unfortunately, infinite torque requires a LOT of energy…which means you need a lot of powerful batteries to get the job done. Which brings us back to size. It’s not the size of the truck, so much as the amount of power that a truck needs to do it’s job.

Why Automakers Aren’t Building Plug-in Pickups

Money. Part of the issue is that the costs associated with electric vehicle components have only recently begun to fall. For most of the last 15 years, the idea of equipping any vehicle with a reliable battery pack that was big enough to hold lots of power for a plug-in pickup was a pipe dream. Today, battery pack costs are falling and reliability is increasing.

Battery capacity. Again, just like costs, only recently have powerful, large-scale battery packs become technologically feasible. Up until a few years ago, it simply wasn’t possible to create a battery pack that would propel a large pickup – at least not without weighing thousands of pounds.

Wear and tear. Pickup trucks are used and abused. Every automaker over-designs their trucks to make sure they last. Plug-in technology isn’t quite mature enough to handle the abuse…but it’s close.

The good news for all you truck owners is that you don’t have to wait for an automaker to build a plug-in pickup. With some know-how, some minor sacrifice, and a big fat wad of cash, you can go electric all on your own. We’ll have more on Electric Pickup Truck Conversions later.

Check out this list of available Toyota Tundra shocks

NOTE: Toyota backed off their commitment to build a diesel version of the Toyota Tundra as well. Follow the link for more info.

So Toyota’s stated goal of offering a hybrid version of each of their vehicles by 2012 is officially off the table. Some environmental groups are dismayed that Toyota has backed off their plan – Toyota has long been a leader in the field of hybrid drive trains and environmentally friendly vehicles.

As far as we’re concerned, it’s very disappointing to learn that Toyota will simply follow other automakers with their plans to develop light diesel truck engines instead of offering a true hybrid. Of course, if Toyota’s new diesel Tundra (confirmed on Sunday) gets more than 25mpg, we’d learn to live with ourselves…

There is one other possible explanation for this latest announcement…Toyota intends to hide the fact that their new diesel Tundra will also be a hybrid. Here’s to hoping.

Related Posts:

• Tundra accessories like the K&N air filter for the Tundra can improve fuel economy
• 7 ways to improve your Tundra’s gas mileage
• Learn why cold weather hurts gas mileage

Check out this list of available Toyota Tundra shocks

A day.

That’s enough fuel to fill-up all the Tundra’s sold in June 07′. It’s enough fuel to coat a standard football field in 17 inches of fuel (trying running a sweep in that mess). It’s also enough fuel to drive your new Tundra for the next 720 years.

In other words, it’s a lot. Too much if you ask the US Army. Considering that 70% of what the Army hauls to the battlefield is fuel (not ammo, not food, but fuel), any opportunities to reduce fuel consumption are investigated seriously. That’s why the Army gave Quantum Technologies of Irvine, CA a $4.88 million contract to develop this prototype:

Just kidding — that’s the Warthog from Halo. Here’s the REAL prototype:

You can see how we might get the two confused.

The prototype, known as the U.S. Army Alternative Mobility Vehicle (AMV) Aggressor, is powered by a battery pack that is charged by a yet-to-be-determined diesel. While the main benefit of having a battlefield hybrid is fuel savings, the Aggressor also has a “silent” battery-only mode that allows the vehicle to move with little or no noise. Unlike most consumer hybrids, the Aggressor is fast. O-40 in about 4 seconds. We know — it’s not as fast as a new Tundra — but it’s not bad. Besides, does your Tundra have a S.A.W. attached to it?

What does this mean for us? A few things.

1. When the military develops a battlefield diesel hybrid, we’re all that much closer to seeing one parked in our own driveways.

2. Hybrid technology is powerful and durable enough to be considered for a vehicle used in combat. That means the whole “hybrid” thing is probably here to stay.

3. Toyota currently produces a diesel hybrid for sale in Japan and Australia. It’s called the Hino Dutro Hybrid. Coincidence? Definitely. But it’s easy to imagine a diesel hybrid Tundra someday soon.

Check out this list of available Toyota Tundra shocks

Here’s a link to listen to the ad that says we’re going to lose our trucks.

Here’s the link to listen to the ad that says we’re going to lose our big, safe SUV’s.

When I first heard the ads, I thought they were right. After all, if fuel economy must improve, then maybe cars will have to get smaller. Smaller vehicles weigh less, are more aerodynamic, and don’t need to be as powerful. Smaller engines usually mean better fuel economy. It makes logical sense, right?

Wrong.

Making a vehicle smaller is one way of improving fuel economy, but it’s not the only way. Better technology, like hybrid drive systems, hydraulic or pneumatic energy storage, plug-in battery packs, or alternative fuels are all ways that fuel economy could be improved. Not to mention simpler market-ready technologies like lightweight materials, turbochargers and superchargers, and direct injection. The fact is, these technologies could be easily implemented in vehicles and improve fuel economy without dramatically raising new vehicle costs. But according to the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (which includes GM, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, Toyota, VW, Mazda, BMW, Mitsu, and Porsche), any gains in fuel economy must come from making smaller vehicles.

In other words, bye-bye trucks and SUVs.

Why are these automakers trying to scare us? History has shown that every time the government has mandated newer auto regulations we’ve all benefited. Seat belts and airbags were resisted by automakers, but we all know how that turned out. Now we’re supposed to believe auto manufacturers when they say that tougher fuel economy standards mean that our kids’ lives are going to be at risk riding in the backseat of a Ford Festiva and that we’re going to do our hauling in Toyota’s that look like this. (See the story behind that photo here.)

I think the radio ads are misleading. For argument’s sake, let’s say that new cars got more expensive…so what? If a new car costs $2000 more, but it saves you $800 a year in gas, doesn’t that make sense? I think auto manufacturers are against this bill because it will hurt their profits…if their costs go up, their margins will go down.

What do you think?

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###

It is the firm belief of everyone here at TundraHeadquarters that a hybrid version of the Toyota Tundra will be available no later than 2010. We have come to this conclusion after careful study of Toyota’s product announcements and of the Tundra itself.

Specifically, we’ve found the following clues that have led us to this conclusion:

• Masatami Takimoto,a V.P. of power train development at Toyota, stated that current efforts by Toyota’s design teams to reduce costs of the key hybrid components will most likely result in the cost of hybrid powertrains to be equivalent to that of a gasoline powertrain by 2010.

We think this may be a little gamesmanship by Toyota. For years, competing automakers have argued that Toyota is selling its hybrid vehicles at a loss or for very little profit. However, if you look at Toyota’s projected hybrid sales this year (expected to be just shy of 1,000,000 vehicles) it’s clear that Toyota certainly isn’t losing money. If you consider the fact that the Prius currently is being sold with a cash incentive, it becomes obvious that Toyota is making money on ALL of their hybrid powertrains now. The writing between the lines is that all current powertrains could be produced in a hybrid configuration right now at roughly the same cost, if the market would support them. Currently Toyota’s production of hybrids is limited only by demand.

• Officials at Toyota have also been quoted as saying that expensive lithium-ion battery packs are available for installation in a hybrid vehicle at “any time”, and without a substantial cost penalty.

This is the next evolution of hybrid technology — lithium ion battery packs can hold 2 or 3 times the energy of the current nickel-metal-hydride (NMH) battery packs, will last longer, and will weigh less. Most importantly for future Tundra owners, the use of lithium ion battery packs allows economic charging from a much larger engine than the current technology. Currently a V8 is too much engine for a hybrid — a V8 can generate more power than a decent sized NMH battery pack can store. But with new lithium ion packs a large V8 could be used in a hybrid without sacrificing any efficiency. The extra storage capability of a decent sized lithium ion battery pack would prove useful in towing and hauling situations, something that can’t be said about the current NMH packs which would need to be huge to be able to offset fuel consumption for much more than stop and go traffic.

• Toyota and Isuzu are expected to make an announcement about an Isuzu diesel hybrid powertrain in July of this year.

Toyota has all but admitted it will be developing a diesel engine for the Tundra (with Isuzu’s co-operation). The upcoming announcement will most likely be simply the debut of a prototype diesel hybrid powertrain for one of Isuzu’s medium duty trucks. But that technology could EASILY be integrated into a 3/4 ton Tundra (due out in 2009). Even if Toyota doesn’t debut a diesel hybrid Tundra by 2009, the transmission used in these trucks could be adapted to a Tundra.

• On October 26th, 2005, Toyota admitted to studying the feasibility of creating a hybrid Tundra. But the finding was that the value of a hybrid powertrain is reduced for a vehicle engaged in towing and hauling due to the current NMH battery packs inability to store more than a few minutes of power.

Toyota’s admission that they have a lithium ion battery pack ready for hybrid use is an indication that an oversized battery pack could be installed in a Tundra and offer its owner improved fuel economy over a long trip, even if towing or hauling. Remember, lithium ion battery packs can store 2 – 3 times as much energy as the current technology.

Some other facts to consider:

1. The Tundra has been designed to haul at least an extra 2000 lbs in just about every configuration available. Toyota could insert a fairly large battery pack into this vehicle without substantially reducing the payload rating or performance.
2. The debut of the FT-HS, a 400hp hybrid sports car concept, is proof that Toyota has a transmission capable of handling a very powerful hybrid motor. The kind of powerful hybrid that would be needed in a Tundra.
3. Toyota’s oversized brake system lends itself to being replaced by a regenerative braking system.
4. There are a lot of indications the Tundra was designed to be as lightweight as possible, even if the expense was greater. The frame isn’t fully boxed, special (and more expensive) coatings were used on all the wiring, aluminum is used in many places on the vehicle where steel (which is cheaper) would have been good enough, etc. Obviously, light weight is key in a hybrid.
5. Dodge’s new Hemi will debut in 2008 with a hybrid option. Ford’s new F150 rolls out in 2009, with the expectation being that the segment leader will bring a hybrid option to the table as well. Finally, the GM products are expected to offer an upgrade to the hybrid system currently available to fleet users within the next year or two. Toyota must respond.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, conservative estimates of U.S. gasoline prices show that a gallon of fuel will cost $3.50-$4.50 by 2010. The market demand for a hybrid truck, even if it only improved fuel economy by 25%, would be HUGE. Remember that Toyota said by 2010 all of their current gasoline powertrains could be replaced by hybrid powertrains at no additional cost? That’s Toyota’s way of saying they could bring a hybrid Tundra to market at the same cost as the current Tundra. Put another way, Toyota’s risk of developing a hybrid Tundra is reduced if they don’t have to charge a premium for the technology. After all, if a consumer can buy a hybrid for the same amount of money as a gas engine, most will do so. As long as the hybrid option sells in volume it will be a profitable choice for Toyota.

We think the first hybrid Tundras will be CrewMaxs. They are the most profitable and are also the vehicles most likely to be used as a commute vehicle. Since the value of a hybrid Tundra will be limited for anyone doing constant towing and hauling, you’ll still see the 5.7L non-hybrid as an option. Also, expect to see the smaller single cab Tundra V6 offered in a hybrid. There is no reason that a lot of the current systems can’t be adapted to a 2wd Tundra single cab, and the fuel economy gain would be significant for a lot of fleet users. However, Toyota’s fleet sales will have to skyrocket for this option to appear before the more consumer oriented Tundra CrewMax hybrid.

Bottomline: A hybrid version of the Tundra will debut in 2009 as a 2010 model. It will feature the 4.7L V8 and a hybrid charging system that will give the truck 400hp and limitless torque. We think the fuel savings will vary by user, but expect the fuel economy rating to be about 20mpg city, 25mpg highway.

Our recommendation: Lease your next new Tundra for 2 or 3 years.

Sources:

http://autoshow.autos.msn.com/autoshow/detroit2007/Article.aspx?cp-documentid=2223841

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,2128283,00.asp?kc=ETRSS02129TX1K0000532

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18615741/

http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9720051-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

TundraHeadquarters.com is not affiliated with Toyota Motor Company.

Check out this list of available Toyota Tundra shocks