Electric Car Fancy

Jan 8 2011 

Today is the first day of the planning stages for the conversion of my 1995 XJS convertible. I am not sure if this car is an ideal candidate for an electric conversion, or even plausible but that is what we are going to explore on this page. According to all of the books and articles I have read the ideal candidate for a conversion should be as light as possible. The curb weight for this car is 3800 lbs... a little over weight, never the less a very sleek design. This brings us to aerodynamics. An electric car should be aerodynamically designed. I would have to say that although this car is not "water drop shaped" it can be considered aerodynamic.

Should this car be converted, it will need a different transmission, one that is not automatic. Also, plenty of room for a lithium battery pack or two. I am thinking right around 170 Volts worth or about 54, 200Ah lithium cells. Next I will need a vacuum pump for the brakes, a means of converting the existing heater to function in an electric car and of course air conditioning.  This vehicle is a 2+2 which means it has a little tiny back seat  which is no good for anything except being able to tell the insurance company that this car is a four passenger vehicle not a sports car. Putting the batteries in the gas tank compartment just above the rear axle and in the rear "passenger" or "+2" area would put my batteries between the axles which is ideal for an electric car. 

 I figure by removing the motor, transmission, exhaust system, Gas tank and rear passenger area I can lose 1500 lbs. Then by adding the 54 batteries (902 lbs) I can quickly replace the removed weight. Still I should be able to go 100mi on a charge. If I increase my amp hours by putting two strings in parallel I can increase range but since I am adding weight I will increase it accordingly. Still using these guesstimates I believe this project should be looked into and some real values applied to the equations. Bottom line It would sure be a cool electric car. 

01/10/11
After careful thought and consideration, I have decided to keep the little tiny back seat unless I absolutely cannot find room for the batteries.I believe there will be plenty of room for batteries even with the seat in. The only way to really tell is to start dismantling her.

 This is the "Little Tiny "+2" Area as you can see it is pretty useless for seating. 

The gas tank can be accessed through the trunk., in front of the spare tire. Once removed, it will provide space for a lithium battery box. I would like to have some storage space as I plan to use this car for going to the grocery store and work... and back!

Temporary Retraction

After careful consideration and examination of my bank account, I have decided to shelve this behemoth of a project for the time being as I am saving for a LiFePo4 battery pack and converting one of my little Porsche's instead. Anyone interested in purchasing  a "really heavy roller?"