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ForkenSwift: Electric car conversion on a beer budget

ForkenSwift: Electric car conversion on a beer budget

Posted Jan 13th 2007 10:41AM

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Don't know where these guys are located (their Web site isn't up yet) but their first two videos covering the electric conversion of Geo Metro are worth watching. The project is called ForkenSwift and the crew is using a hydraulic motor salvaged from a forklift. The first video showed a quick power-up using one battery. Now the team has added two more batteries and a controller from a 48-volt golf cart. They seem to know what they're doing and it looks like they've got a hit series out of their garage. Can't wait to see more of the conversion.

[Source: YouTube]

Category: EV/Plug-in, Green Culture, GM

Tags: forkenswift

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10 Comments

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sara_ronie

I'm very much interested in converting my VW Bettle into an electric car.

April 25 2010 at 12:49 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Fred Tan

From Malaysia - Saw your project -fantestic - I am a retired mechanic 64 years, but I know I can do it if I try, but the laws and regulations will have to be studied first, different from western laws.
Do you have a list of the specs of the equiptment you installed, I may not get the same parts here but can be sourced out. Most of our cars are front wheel drives (Proton Sagas-Made in Malaysia)How about a sort of wireing/schematic diagram later on What was your greatest challange during the assembly.
Keep up the good work
God Bless you Fred

March 09 2009 at 3:13 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Delores Dougan

I am full agreement on not using the fork truck EV-1 drive panal,as it will be too costly in amp draw,and repairs.Question? Why not use a battery condition meter for your fuel guage?I also recall that most gulf carts have a reverse on them,and that would drop the need for a trans.What are the batterys on the front floor for?

March 05 2008 at 8:59 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

rbgrn

We host a forum for those converting their cars to electric. It's at http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/ See you there!

September 10 2007 at 4:04 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Darin

ForkenSwift update: first electric test drive vid posted at YouTube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDERyAILOak

Yes, to appropriately mark the occasion, beer was drunk afterwards.

April 15 2007 at 10:06 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Darin

(Just adding this comment so I can keep keep tabs on this page with the new "E-mail me when someone replies to this comment" feature. Nice option to have, ABG.)

January 28 2007 at 10:07 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Darin

Location? Ontario, Canada.

My buddy and I have been tinkering on this project for not quite a year now. (Beer budgets require patience and resourcefulness ;-) )

It's basically a fun project to make a grocery getter / commuter EV (live in a very small city). From the outset, our goals were: 1) low cost, 2) low cost, and 3) low cost. Which means we'll end up with a "Metro NEV", not a garage-built Tesla.

Putting up the ForkenSwift web site is pretty far down the to-do list, but if you want ALL the gory details NOW - from the day the proverbial light bulb went on, to the present - there's a (long) running thread on our progress, at GasSavers.org:

http://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=386

As for boosting the prices of the Metro/Swift variants? More likely we're boosting scrap metal prices! Everything we've used has been snatched from the jaws of the crusher and given a new lease on life.

January 13 2007 at 2:00 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Darin's comment

Cliff

Hi, I would love to do an electric conversion on my car. Where did you guys manage to score such a sweet deal on the motors? I've been looking everywhere and $2500 for a new electric motor is way to much for my meager budget. Is there any particular place to get used forklifts cheap here in ontario or was it just pure luck?

July 16 2008 at 6:08 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Educated in NY

Ah another crazy garage effort that will boost prices of the maligned metro/swift. With Koni struts and Jackson Racing bars, it was quite a decent handling car. Hmmm, it was 1600lbs with a 55bhp combustion engine. Should be closer to 1300-1400 without it. And the idea of mating a torque heavy low rpm motor to the 5-speed might be a good combo. How much motor is the electric good for 25bhp? Now where are the lithium ion batteries so it can go 100 miles between charges?!? Sounds like a fun time and can't wait to see the finished project.

January 13 2007 at 12:57 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

brad

thanks for this informtion

January 13 2007 at 11:20 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply