You can convert a Miata much more easily than that. Several companies make adapter plates that fit any electric motor with a NEMA B faceplate pattern (almost all motors sold for conversions use this pattern). An NA or NB is one of the easiest cars to convert.

There is such a thing as a solenoid “piston” engine, but it’s horrendously inefficient, and wouldn’t really be feasible on the scale of a real car. Fascinating to watch in miniature, though.

You don’t need to. Hook up a DC-DC converter (available from any EV parts vendor) and you’ve got 12V accessory power without the mechanical complexity of an alternator.

There are some good forum sites. DIYElectricCar.com and Endless-Sphere.com are probably the biggest ones.

Electric motors can spin in both directions. All motor controllers have a “reverse switch” you can program to tell the motor to spin the other way. That’s how factory-built EVs do it.

It’s not that simple.

Just don’t try to “rev” it while shifting and you should be fine.

Seconded. Electric GT is another good shop.

lol... that would be hilarious if it could actually do that. In practice, going into a higher gear means less torque to the wheels, and with electric motors, the torque does taper off once you get into higher RPMs. Past a certain point, air resistance will exceed available torque and you won’t go any faster. I’d…

“a teen-looking kid on a bicycle who rode by and yelled “Ugly-ass Mustang” at me while I drove by”

Happy trails, Aaron!

You’re welcome! If you’re on Facebook, this is an excellent group:

Absolutely. It’s actually easier to drive than a regular stick - since it doesn’t idle, you can start off from a stop without using the clutch pedal. This would really save your left leg in stop-and-go traffic, and you’d still be able to shift whenever you want.

It’s much more difficult with Tesla motors because they’re not designed to be separated from the gearbox.

For a Charger, it would be easier to use a more modular motor. NetGain Hyper9 motors (the ones Electric GT uses in some of their crate engines) can be coupled end-to-end. One Hyper9 makes 120 HP (feels more like 180 due to the torque curve) and about 170 lb/ft of torque. Three of those together would be a heck of a…

That’s totally doable. Check out this manual Porsche conversion:

Leaf motors are becoming more popular in the DIY EV community. They’re very cheap (often under a grand) and there’s a company that sells a $600 gizmo that basically makes it plug-and-play. They will run on any 300-400V battery pack, which is pretty much the standard these days.

Electric motor HP feels very different from gas engine HP. They make full torque from zero RPM, and peak torque/HP happens at a lower RPM than it does with a gas engine, so the same amount of actual torque delivered over the entire rev range gives you a much lower horsepower reading.

My thoughts exactly. I test drove a Model S a few years ago, and while the Autopilot was a fun party trick, I couldn’t see using it on a regular basis. I test drove a new Leaf a few weeks ago, and the lane-keep assist on that now is about at the point where Tesla was then. Tesla calling their system “full…

Very well said! I was all over Tesla five years ago when they were the hottest thing on the block, but the rest of the industry has moved on and they... kinda haven’t. Hyundai, Kia and Chevy all have EVs with more range for less money than the equivalent Model 3 (and, except maybe Chevy, better build quality). Not…