Joined
·
70 Posts
So I thought it would be fun to post a thread for those who have had more than one EV in their lives, partly to show how much cars have come on in the intervening time.
In the interests of getting us started, I'll go first.
Two Terrible Electric Scooters
Side of bike - with new pedals. by aminorjourney, on Flickr
It was early 2006. I'd just sold my 1.8-litre K-series Morris Minor Hotrod, my 1965 morris minor was being stripped down to be converted into an electric car, and we needed some transport.
So I got myself an electric scooter -- and my wife got one too.
They were the pedelec type -- you know, the ones with a limited top speed of 15 mph. They were awful, but they managed to get us the bug.
All finished. Yup - it really is that small... by aminorjourney, on Flickr
...And one wonderful bike
I also had a really love electric bike, but I can't remember where I put the photos. It rocked.
The Flying Banana
Built in 1998, this particular CityEl was used by Ffyfes as a promotional vehicle. When I purchased it in 2006, it had travelled less than 1,000 miles in its life. The batteries were shot, and it was in need of some TLC.
Front by aminorjourney, on Flickr
Over the two years I owned it, I converted it from 36V lead to 42 V lithium, added remote monitoring.. (yes, I'm that sad) and managed to tweak its top speed from 35 mph all the way upwards to about 50. (it hit 60 once on a hill...)
Remote charge status by aminorjourney, on Flickr
It also had the unique property of requiring no wheel jacks when it came to changing a tyre (which happened a lot because those tyres were high pressure).
Up with it's head! by aminorjourney, on Flickr
It was sold when I realised that I needed to do some body repair (the previous owner had used the wrong brake fluid and it was eating away at the bottom tub... and I didn't have the skills needed to fix it.
Velma, the plug-in Prius
Velma marked the move from slow electric vehicles to full-size plug ins. She rocked, and I converted her myself into a plug-in Prius.
Battery and charger from above by aminorjourney, on Flickr
(Don't panic about the insulation tape -- that was just part of my colour coding process, so I knew which pack was which (The rest of the pack was in the spare wheel well)
Sadly, I omitted the whole 'thermal management' system and she died in 2009 after a battery thermal runaway on a particularly hot July day left the batteries popping like popcorn.
She lived with Daphne, our other Prius. (Yes, we're sad. Yes we were a two-prius household. Smell our farts...)
Twins... Velma and Daphne by aminorjourney, on Flickr
It was the day before Tesla opened its UK store, and I remember going to the launch event a little woozy and off-piste due to inhaling battery fumes the night before. Not good.
Yes, I was an idiot.
Tigger, the CityStromer EV
I was approached by someone in 2009 with the opportunity of buying a really rare CityStromer Golf. Essentially a 1985 Golf built by VW to be an electric vehicle from the factory, it was (I learned a lot later) one of only three made in RHD.
Two vehicles charging by aminorjourney, on Flickr
You'll note that Tigger is next to Velma in this photo. That's because I decided not to buy Tigger, and a friend did instead. He then sold me Tigger when Velma went to the scrap heap in the sky.
Rear end
by aminorjourney, on Flickr
Tigger was my wedding transport, but sadly blew her motor (for the second time) shortly afterwards. With no money to fix her, she sat on my driveway looking quite forlorn for a number of years. Then, after mentioning to Volkswagen at an EV press even that I owned her, I was begged to sell her back to Volkswagen for full restoration.
She's now back to the original white, but hasn't got moving yet due to some missing power train components. And no, I didn't make any money on the sale: I sold her to VW's heritage fleet for the same price I paid for her.
Here is what she should look like when she's finished:
VW Heritage Electric Car Fleet by aminorjourney, on Flickr
There's still the free G-Wiz, scary, scary scooter (which I owned for three days) the Renault Twizy, Nissan LEAF and Chevy Volt to go. But I have to take the kids to school.
So perhaps I'll pick this up later?
In the interests of getting us started, I'll go first.
Two Terrible Electric Scooters

It was early 2006. I'd just sold my 1.8-litre K-series Morris Minor Hotrod, my 1965 morris minor was being stripped down to be converted into an electric car, and we needed some transport.
So I got myself an electric scooter -- and my wife got one too.
They were the pedelec type -- you know, the ones with a limited top speed of 15 mph. They were awful, but they managed to get us the bug.

...And one wonderful bike
I also had a really love electric bike, but I can't remember where I put the photos. It rocked.
The Flying Banana
Built in 1998, this particular CityEl was used by Ffyfes as a promotional vehicle. When I purchased it in 2006, it had travelled less than 1,000 miles in its life. The batteries were shot, and it was in need of some TLC.

Over the two years I owned it, I converted it from 36V lead to 42 V lithium, added remote monitoring.. (yes, I'm that sad) and managed to tweak its top speed from 35 mph all the way upwards to about 50. (it hit 60 once on a hill...)

It also had the unique property of requiring no wheel jacks when it came to changing a tyre (which happened a lot because those tyres were high pressure).

It was sold when I realised that I needed to do some body repair (the previous owner had used the wrong brake fluid and it was eating away at the bottom tub... and I didn't have the skills needed to fix it.
Velma, the plug-in Prius
Velma marked the move from slow electric vehicles to full-size plug ins. She rocked, and I converted her myself into a plug-in Prius.

(Don't panic about the insulation tape -- that was just part of my colour coding process, so I knew which pack was which (The rest of the pack was in the spare wheel well)
Sadly, I omitted the whole 'thermal management' system and she died in 2009 after a battery thermal runaway on a particularly hot July day left the batteries popping like popcorn.
She lived with Daphne, our other Prius. (Yes, we're sad. Yes we were a two-prius household. Smell our farts...)

It was the day before Tesla opened its UK store, and I remember going to the launch event a little woozy and off-piste due to inhaling battery fumes the night before. Not good.
Yes, I was an idiot.
Tigger, the CityStromer EV
I was approached by someone in 2009 with the opportunity of buying a really rare CityStromer Golf. Essentially a 1985 Golf built by VW to be an electric vehicle from the factory, it was (I learned a lot later) one of only three made in RHD.

You'll note that Tigger is next to Velma in this photo. That's because I decided not to buy Tigger, and a friend did instead. He then sold me Tigger when Velma went to the scrap heap in the sky.

Tigger was my wedding transport, but sadly blew her motor (for the second time) shortly afterwards. With no money to fix her, she sat on my driveway looking quite forlorn for a number of years. Then, after mentioning to Volkswagen at an EV press even that I owned her, I was begged to sell her back to Volkswagen for full restoration.
She's now back to the original white, but hasn't got moving yet due to some missing power train components. And no, I didn't make any money on the sale: I sold her to VW's heritage fleet for the same price I paid for her.
Here is what she should look like when she's finished:

There's still the free G-Wiz, scary, scary scooter (which I owned for three days) the Renault Twizy, Nissan LEAF and Chevy Volt to go. But I have to take the kids to school.
So perhaps I'll pick this up later?