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Backstory: Saving the planet, one car at a time
Switching an old convertible to run on plug-in power is tricky, expecially in front of an expectant crowd. Part 2 of two.
from the March 20, 2007 edition
Page 2 of 3
Gadget has performed about a dozen conversions to date. In his shop, he can convert a car in four to five days. He charges about $20,000 a conversion. Batteries are included, which, at $6,000 to $7,000 a set, are considerably more than your average AA purchase, even at Costco. Twenty grand may seem like a big outlay, but just a couple of booths away is a fully electric minivan built by AC Propulsion that is priced at nearly $60,000. One aisle over is a sporty car called the Electrum Spyder, also for $60,000.
Still, the real payoff comes at the pump or, in this case, the outlet. Cars are usually charged at night when electricity is cheapest. The utility cost is equivalent to a 60-cent gallon of gas, aficionados estimate. A final dividend comes in lower maintenance costs. With few moving parts, electric cars rarely break down. "I still stop at gas stations," says Gadget, "but only to get candy."
By the end of the day, Gadget is far behind schedule. Worse, tomorrow he will not have any of his crew to help him.
Sunday, 11:30 a.m.: Gadget has finally solved the pin problem. Here's what remains to be done: install the batteries and his "box" – the brains of the assemblage – and wire everything together.
He spends the morning lining the bottom of the trunk with batteries. They are the key to electric cars and, at this point, something of their Achilles' heel. On the downside, you need a lot of them, which is expensive. They also take hours to recharge, and because the best ones haven't been in cars very long, no one knows just how long they'll last. The upside is that they provide cheap power and produce zero emissions.
1:20 p.m.: Gadget is mounting a metal tray over the motor, where he will place another half-dozen batteries. He is down to his last 2-1/2 hours. "All going smoothly," he says, although I notice he's working with more intensity.
He is also not breaking for lunch. Instead, a tall, slim woman in a denim jacket is feeding him forkfuls of salad. I ask about her link to Gadget. "We're going to be getting married," she says.
This is Charlotte Jackson. She is a painter who specializes in stylized frescos made to look centuries old. She met Gadget two years ago when she rented studio space from him. "It took him two years to convince me, but now I'm madly in love." (She's from London and thus is licensed to use the word "madly.")
2:40 p.m.: Former CIA Chief James Woolsey wanders by (OK, I buttonholed him after he gave a speech at the expo). He is particularly impressed that the job is being done without power tools. "This is a wonderful demonstration of ingenuity," he says.
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