Getting off oil became a priority to Lancaster, PA resident, Brandon Hollinger. He began researching the various vehicle technologies and after some trial and error with a few found his passion in the Electric Vehicle (EV). In fact, the documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car" (AMERIgreen movie review blog post) was the motivator sending him head-long down the EV path.

 

Hollinger is formally trained as a musician and never really had considered himself a car lover. One mention of EVs and Hollingers' face lights up, you'd never know he was a former non-mechanic.

 

In the winter of 2009, Brandon decided to convert a 1970 and 1968 Saab into one sleek EV. With the help of the Internet, a "board of directors" and his brother - the Saab took form. When riding in the vehicle you hear tire humming and the creakings of a vintage frame, but otherwise - it is silent.

 

Brandon continues to devote a large amount of time converting gas vehicles into EVs. He remains a wealth of knowledge and excitement about Electric Vehicles and beyond. His website: www.ampREVOLT.com is also a great resource for all things EV.

 

 

I interviewed Hollinger and attempted to tap into the top 5 questions people have about EVs to share with all of you. Check it out!

 

 

Environmental - Depending on how electricity is produced where you live, EVs will reduce or even produce zero emissions.  It is far more energy intensive to bring a gallon of gas to market than the equivalent in electricity.  Transporting this form of energy does not result in oil spills from tankers or wells.  Converting an existing car to electric represents the epitome of recycling, in my opinion.

 

Personal Financial - If you're spooked by the current sticker prices of EVs, consider the ultra-low operating costs.  Driving a mile in a gas car costs around 13 cents, whereas the same in an electric car costs around 3 cents.  There is also minimal maintenance, and therefore labor, too.  Far fewer things need to be replaced or maintained.  Also, with regenerative braking, the motor acts as a generator on demand to slow the vehicle which prolongs the life of your "normal" brakes dramatically. 

 

National Financial - Considering the personal savings, it's easy to understand why the country, as a whole, would benefit from the widespread adoption of EVs.  I understand we spend a billion dollars a day on oil, much of it foreign…  

 

Energy Independence - …which brings us to this topic. These days it seems our biggest export is our own money, as so many things purchased are coming from outside our borders.  Heavy reliance on foreign oil, however, impedes national security, putting a strain on relations between the US and the Middle East.  Though we have artificially cheap oil to thank for a century of unparalleled economic growth and prosperity, EVs can remove one major component of this dangerous co-dependent relationship.

 

Decentralized Power - EVs bring a new approach to the transportation sector and the automotive industry.  The elegance and accessibility of electrified transportation technology and renewable energy solutions have already begun to spur countless small start-ups and create new jobs.  

 

 

 

Upon designing my car I considered my every day driving needs, in terms of range and top speed, and then doubled that number to account for any other factors.  To my surprise range has not been an issue.  The 50-mile range of my electric SAAB really does satisfy 90% of my trips.  My gas car gets driven about once or twice a month and sometimes I worry that its battery will go dead from inactivity.  In the spring and summer I can do three days of 18-mile commutes to work.  When the car is upgraded to lithium-ion batteries the range and performance will double and batteries should last 10 or more years.  I charge almost exclusively at home although I've been invited to charge at work and at the homes of friends and family.  A full, overnight charge costs less than $2.

 

 

 

Multiple studies have concluded that, with nighttime or "off-peak" charging, the U.S. grid already has the capacity to accommodate the charging of about 75% of our cars, light trucks, SUVs and vans.  There is an interesting development now occurring that will allow vehicles plugged in during the day to actually help supply grid power during peak hours.  It's referred to as "vehicle-to-grid" technology and could turn your car into a revenue-producing asset, like solar panels on your home.

 

 

 

Even with the current national grid mix relying 50% on dirty coal, EVs reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and most other pollutants.  A complex question, though, often begets a complex answer.  You can read the summary of more than 40 studies on this topic for more information.  Looking forward, as the grid gets cleaner, it's much easier to clean up hundreds of power plants than it is 250 million tailpipes.  

 

 

 

I invested about $10k in my electric car conversion and enjoy a maximum of 50-mile range.  The urgency I feel to move away from oil is so great that I would have paid $20k for 25-mile range.  Today, though, I can build a car in my garage for that price that can travel about 100 miles.  And that will only increase.  Oil is finite, filthy and largely foreign and has deadly implications on so many levels.  Electric vehicles are domestically fueled, four to five times more efficient, smoother, quieter, quicker, cleaner and much cheaper to operate.  For me, the choice is obvious.

 

Shameless plug, check out Brandon's website: www.ampREVOLT.com.   

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