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A gauge on the dashboard shows the charge status
Mike Russo, an industrial mechanic, has turned a Geo Metro into an electric car that will go 50 miles on a charge.
Ten of the 16 total golf cart batteries take up the entire trunk compartment of Mike Russo's electric-powered Geo Metro.
The 6-volt golf cart batteries that power the electric |
By RUSTY DENNEN
On the outside, Mike Russo's green 1996 Geo Metro looks like most other compact cars.
On the inside, not so much.
The gas engine is gone. The back seat, gone. And in the front and back sit rows of connected golf-cart batteries.
The tipoff that this is not your typical Geo is the yellow "electric vehicle" lettering along its flank, and that when it's running, the only sound is a muted "eeeeeeeee."
Russo, an industrial mechanic who lives in Caroline County, is on the cutting edge of a movement to create more energy-efficient and less polluting vehicles.
"I'm very pleased with the way it's worked out," said Russo, preparing one day earlier this week to take a spin near his Lake Land'Or neighborhood.
He began working on the car last July, finishing the project in November.
Russo, 50, first got interested in electric cars as a golf cart mechanic, then whetted his interest while working as an auto mechanic. He moved here from Rhode Island in 2003.
"I was very interested in electric motors and how they ran, and reading about people building them. Electronics is a hobby of mine," he said.
With the Geo in his driveway as a spare vehicle, he thought he'd try a conversion. "I figured something lightweight would work out the best," he said, because he would need less power.
The gas motor, exhaust and fuel systems had to be removed before he could begin the transformation.
"Golf cart batteries, I thought would be awesome" to power it. He bought 16 of the 6-volt batteries to configure the car's 96-volt system. Six are in the front, 10 in the back. He welded in reinforcements to support the weight of the batteries, which weigh about 75 pounds each.
A small 12-volt battery runs the lights, horn and electronics.
Russo went online to find an electric motor (D&D Motor Systems) and a controller that runs the system's components, including hardware, relays and gauges. He also had to buy a built-in battery charger and an adapter for the Geo's five-speed transmission.
He put about $6,000 into the car, not counting many hours of labor.
Russo says he designed it for distance, not speed, though he's had it up to 65 mph. He usually cruises at around 45. The Geo is street legal and Russo recently had the required state inspection to have the title changed to reflect its rebirth as an electric vehicle.
"They were very impressed with the work I did," he said. He's driven it about 1,000 miles, mostly on errands and shopping trips to Fredericksburg. Russo's car was one of the exhibits at
He'd drive it to work in Richmond, but he's not yet worked out a plug-in arrangement with his employer. The car charges overnight, plugged into a standard outlet. (A three-prong plug dangles from where the gas cap used to be.)
It gets about 50 miles per charge.
When he's on the road, he'll plug in at friends' homes, and businesses with outside outlets.
His electric bill at home ran about $350 a month over the winter. He suspects that up to $50 of that is from charging.
On the road, the Geo is a different driving experience.
The stock version weighs about 1,800 pounds. The batteries add another 1,200 pounds.
Still, "When the light turns green and you step on the gas, it's pure torque," says Russo. It has a standard transmission.
When he's stopped at traffic signals, the most noticeable thing is silence. Pressing the accelerator engages the electric motor, which has a distinctive low-pitched whine.
He smiles, "I think you could sell these on just how much fun they are to drive."
One thing he has yet to re-engineer is the power brakes. Stopping the Geo requires some heavy legwork.
Russo takes neighbors and relatives for rides, and he loves to talk about its green qualities. It uses no gas, no oil or antifreeze and has no emissions.
"I wanted to spread the word that the technology exists. We don't have to wait for manufacturers."
Numerous conversion kits are available online, along with how-to books, he says. One title he has is "Convert It!" by Michael Brown.
"You just have to spend a little time at it. Someone who's handy around the house can do it," Russo says.
"I think people should be able to have an all-electric car for a reasonable price."
Rusty Dennen: 540/374-5431
Email: rdennen@freelancestar.com
| Though there have been attempts over the years at producing electric cars for the masses, the nearest things currently on the market are gasoline-electric hybrids such as Toyota's Prius.
General Motors plans to roll out its all-electric Chevy Volt, with a range of about 40 miles, next year. It will have a price tag of about $35,000. Tesla Motors of California is taking orders for the Model S, an all-electric family sedan that carries seven people and travels 300 miles per charge. Prices start at around $50,000. Ford has announced that it would debut a next-generation, battery-electric Focus by 2011, priced at around $35,000. --Rusty Dennen |
