Thursday, February 14, 2013

1981 Mazda RX-7 (Electric)

Stan Dyer of Arvada, Colorado, converted his 1981 Mazda RX-7 into an electric model. This was accomplished by attaching 18 six-volt batteries, hooked in series, which supply 108 volts of electricity to the 9" series wound motor.

The RX-7 has a separate 12-volt system that supplies power to all of the original 12-volt accessories, like the windows, wipers, heater, and lights.

According to Stan, the Mazda has a range of 50 miles, (depending on grade and conditions), and has been driven for over 500 miles on $11 worth of electricity.

The car is now charged by a bank of photovoltaic solar panels, and that "free" solar electricity sure is nice, with gas prices soaring through the roof.