Daniel's EVPorsche 911 conversion

daniel · 05-07-2009, 03:52 PM

Moderator's Note: Split off from here: Conversions in Florida
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This seems a good place for my first post. I have an electric Porsche on order from Paul. I've been waiting a very long time, due to various delays, but they tell me it will be shipped tomorrow. I'll believe it when I'm driving it. So many time-related promises unfulfilled that I'm skeptical now of promises.

However, he has been converting Porsches for a long time, and has a reputation for doing very good work.

A big difference between Tesla Motors and Paul, is that Tesla is a production company, currently turning out 15 cars a day, if I've been told correctly, with plans to ramp up production and expand to lower and lower priced electric cars. Paul's is a conversion shop that takes existing cars one at a time, and converts them.

The price comparison can be misleading, because if you are on a budget you can buy a very old, relatively cheap donor car, and install smaller components for less range and power. But if you want a car as beautiful, as new, as fast, as a Tesla Roadster, and with the same range, The Tesla itself would probably be cheaper than a conversion.

The car I'm getting is a recent model Porsche 911 in very nice condition. To my eye, it's as nice looking as the Roadster, but of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder. From the promises Paul has given me, and based on his reputation I have no reason to doubt these, my Porsche will have about half the acceleration of a Tesla (0 to 60 in about double the time) and about half the range (125 to 140 miles). I am happy with these numbers because I'm not a speed freak, and I never drive more than 75 miles in a day unless I take a 300 to 400 mile road trip. The 911 has about double the interior space of a Roadster, and the 911 is MUCH more comfortable to sit in. (I have sat in a Roadster, and was given a ride, though I've not driven one.) Price was in the same ballpark. The Roadster is very small. Zero space behind the seats, and a microscopic trunk, the size of one golf bag. Batteries do take up space. The Roadster uses lithium-ion batteries with a liquid cooling system. My Porsche will have lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, which are thermally stable and do not require cooling. They are supposed to be good for 2,000 cycles, which would be 250,000 miles; the life of the car.

I'll post pictures once I have the car. Knock on wood that it actually comes. (*Raps knuckles on head*) Below is a picture of the car at the used car dealer before conversion.

Daniel

JRP3 · 05-07-2009, 04:03 PM

Cool, I hope it works out for you and I'm interested to hear a report on the vehicle. The one thing that sort of bothered me about these guys is I've seen very little mention of their products in the EV community, good or bad.

vfx · 05-07-2009, 04:16 PM

If anything you are a great argument for why some will buy a Focus EV or a Model S, a Nissan EV02 or a Mini EV.

Everyone has different tastes, budget, needs like range and speeds and trust in the maker.

I think it's cool too.

TEG · 05-07-2009, 04:45 PM

Forum member SByer recently switched from a Porsche to a Tesla Roadster so hopefully he chimes in on the pluses and minuses of the change in experience.

(Although it sounds like he would have rejected the Porsche conversion over 0-60 time without even considering other factors.)

JRP3 · 05-07-2009, 05:18 PM

I wonder what the 0-30 time will be. With all the torque available off the line it could be impressive.

SByer · 05-07-2009, 06:43 PM

You also have to consider that I think the 911 is too big. I like smaller cars - I went from an MR2 to the 911. But yeah, the Roaster has very little storage area in an odd-shaped trunk (volume wise, it should fit 3 cases of wine, but fits just one and a half).

But yeah, I'm guilty of liking the 0-60 time a little too much ;-).

And, I know this is probably heresy among Roaster owners, but compared to the factory 911 stereo (model year 2000), the JVC unit is nice. FM reception is crap, but I really don't listen to FM much anymore.

There are definitely things I'll miss about the 911, though.

daniel · 05-07-2009, 08:20 PM

BTW, my present car (shown in my avatar) is a Zap Xebra SD with an aftermarket LiFePO4 battery pack. As someone remarked above, everyone has their needs and/or preferences with regard to size, range, and performance. I bought the Xebra about two years ago, after looking at and riding in a prototype of the Roadster and deciding I didn't want to wait a year to go electric. And the Xebra was a lot cheaper.

The Xebra goes from zero to 35 in 31 seconds. Not exactly powerful. But it's a 4-door, 4-passenger sedan (well, the aftermarket charger/BMS occupies one rear footwell) and with its 40-mile range (due to the bigger battery pack) is all the car I really need most of the time. But I really want to be able to go on the freeway and make it to Coeur d'Alene and back, which the Xebra won't do.

Maybe the reason Paul is not better known is that his is a one at a time conversion shop. His cars are out there, but there are not a lot of them.

The zero-to-30 time in the Porsche should be pretty good. Probably about double the time the Roadster takes. Paul recommends driving it always in 4th gear. Starting out in second I'd probably burn rubber. I don't intend to try that. As I said, I'm not into speed except that I'd like to be able to go on the freeway, and keep up with the flow of traffic in town, which the Xebra does not do.

daniel · 05-07-2009, 08:27 PM

P.S. With regard to the sound system, a plain-Jane stereo is all I need. I had the cheapest Kenwood CD/FM unit put into my Xebra, and I plug the iPod into it, or listen to FM, and I'm happy.