Revolutionizing Your Commute EV Conversion Tips for Gas Car Owners

Converting Your Gas-Powered Car to Electric

Upgrading from a gas-powered car to an electric vehicle (EV) comes with many benefits. Not only are EVs better for the environment, but they also last longer, and customers can save money in the long run after making the switch. Sometimes, however, there are barriers to putting down that initial investment, and potential buyers are turning to EV conversion for a more cost-effective option.

How is a gas-powered car converted into an electric one, you ask? It almost doesn't seem possible. The truth is that it is a complex processbut it's manageable and a route that a growing number of people are considering for both their wallets and the planet.

This guide will give you a run-down on how a gas-powered car can be converted to electric, whether it's worth the cost, which cars are best for it, and more.

How Does EV Conversion Work?

Electric conversion involves replacing the pipes and hoses used for a combustion engine with wires. The entire internal combustion engine, transmission, gas tank, and exhaust system must be removed and replaced with an electric motor, controller, and EV battery.

This type of work requires a lot of mechanical and electrical experience. Most people don't have these skills, so they hire a company to handle the conversion or purchase a kit that contains all the parts and walks them through it.

Benefits of EV Conversion

The average driver in the United States spends between $150 to $200 on gas monthly. American families spend around $5,000 on gas annually, which is over 2.% of their monthly income. And besides being at the mercy of fluctuating gas prices, there's also the burden of maintaining an internal combustion engine, which includes regular oil changes.

Electric cars require no gas and less maintenance, they have better resell values, and they're more reliable overall because there are fewer parts to fail. Most of the components are solid-state electronics with no moving parts. The engine of an electric car has a virtually infinite lifespan; the components will probably outlast the chassis.

The only real expense that comes with EVs is the electricity itself and the batteries, which need to be replaced about every three to four years. You can expect your converted vehicle to have a range of 60 to 80 miles, a top speed of 50 to 90 mph, and good acceleration capabilities. It will take about six to 12 hours to completely recharge the car. All of these factors vary based on the weight of the car, the engine, and the battery.

Cost of an EV Conversion

Converting to an EV costs about $6,000 in parts and about $1,000 to $3,000 for batteries and installation. A more expensive retrofit could set you back $20,000 or more. But, for all this, you'll get a low-emissions vehicle that costs only a few cents per mile to run. Your electric car will also be more reliable and require much less maintenance than a conventional one.

And as one of the great tenets of sustainability reminds us: The greenest option is the one you already have.

Which Cars Can Be Converted?

What type of car is the best candidate for an electric conversion? A light car (around 2,000 to 3,000 pounds curb weight) with a manual transmission is ideal. Heavier vehicles can restrict the range of the electric engine, and automatic transmissions use up too much power because they require the engine to be constantly idling.

As far as body style, you need something that can hold all the batteries you'll be installing. Experts recommend a car that is light and roomy like a Volkswagen Rabbit, Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra, Ford Escort, or light pickup truck. The ideal donor car will have a good body and interior and sound transmission but could have a dead engine. Converting a gas-powered car to electric is a great way to give the body of an older car new life.

EV Conversion Kits

There are two types of electric conversions kits available: custom kits, which are tailored to specific vehicles models, and universal kits that can be installed in a variety of vehicles. Universal kits contain all the essential drive-system components but rely on the builder to create custom parts like battery racks or boxes. Custom kits include the entire drive system and battery racks and boxes, customized to suit a particular model.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How much do electric vehicle conversion kits cost?

  The cost of EV conversion kits vary, but generally you can expect to pay a minimum of $8,000 not including the battery, which is another $1,000 to $3,000. It's pricey but still much cheaper than hiring a conversion company, which could easily charge the cost of a new car.

• Are electric vehicle conversions legal?

  After-market EVs are legal so long as they "meet emissions and safety standards instituted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and state agencies like the California Air Resources Board," according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Other rules and regulations around conversions are made at a state level. Most states require that a vehicle be re-registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles as a converted EV.

• How long does it take to convert a gas-powered car to electric?

  Converting a gas-powered car to an EV takes three months or longer. Conversion companies often take six months to complete the job.

How to Convert Your Car to Electric: A DIY Guide

EVs have lower running costs, and they require almost no maintenance. However, the biggest temptation for many to convert to an EV is getting rid of the fuel costs. While it is true that electric cars present many benefits over gas-powered vehicles, they have a higher initial price.

A cheaper way of shifting to electric vehicles would be to convert your existing car to electric. It wont be a high-quality or high-performance EV, but it will do the job. However, several considerations must be kept in mind about how to convert your car to electric.

Well review a general methodology or approach for the DIY conversion of a gas-powered car to an electric car using an electric car conversion kit.

Electric Car Conversion Kit DIY

Step 1: Conversion Objectives

Before starting the conversion to electric cars, it is important to define the conversion objectives. Answer these questions:

• What type of vehicle do you want? A family car, urban, or sports vehicle?
• What is the maximum load and expected number of passengers?
• What are the performance benchmarks for the converted electric car?
• What should be the range of the converted electric car?

There are several other questions that need to be answered. However, this must give you an idea.

Step 2: EV Design Considerations

This is the part where you should have a high level of expertise in electric vehicles. Because if you arent a professional, things can get a bit messy. This is probably the most critical and technical step in all conversion process. Here you will design your new EV. In a professional setting, a team of skilled engineers does that. But here, you will need to decide on things like motor arrangement, number of motors, drivetrain, battery capacity, and everything that has to do with EV design.

Step 3: Selection of Vehicle

In the case of existing car conversion, you dont have much of a choice. Theoretically, any gas car can be converted to electric. However, some cars are more suited for conversion to electric than others. Make sure that you have a car that will support the conversion to electric. If you dont have a feasible car for conversion, Id recommend replacing your car if you want to build a reliable EV.

Step 4: Selection of Electric Car Conversion Kit

If you set your conversion objectives straight and you have a sound EV design, selecting an electric car conversion kit should not be a problem. You must select an EV conversion kit that is in line with your design power, battery capacity, and other considerations. We have already covered the best electric car conversion kits on the market. You can read that article to find some great options.

Step 5: Dismantling the Internal Combustion Engine

The first real step in the conversion to an electric car is the dismantling of the existing internal combustion engine. It is important to understand that an ICE drives three major components of your car. These include the driveshaft, compressor, and the cooling pump. Now, for a fully functional EV, you will need at least two different motors.

One to power the drivetrain and the other to power the compressor. You can skip powering the cooling pump, as there will be no need for that in the absence of an engine block. In the first phase of dismantling, you need to carry out steps such as professionally storing the dangerous air-conditioning gas and draining the coolant, engine oil, fuel, and gear oil.

In the next phase, detach the exhaust piping, oil and fuel filter, and catalytic converter. Once you have done all these things, you can finally start taking the engine out. Check that you have removed all the hoses, belts, and pipes exiting the engine block. The engine block is held in its place using engine mounts. You will need to open these mounts and lift the engine out of the engine bay.

Step 6: Installing the EV Motor

Once you have dismantled the engine, proceed to the most critical step of your EV conversion. You need to install the EV motor of your conversion kit onto the driveshaft of your engine. Mind you that the motors with some electric car conversion kits need to be installed on individual axles rather than the main driveshaft, so you will need to check that.

In addition to that, the EV motor might not fit on the same platform as the engine. You might need to fabricate your own hardware for mounting and installation. You must keep in mind that an EV motor will produce a lot of vibration and heat while in operation. So, the mounting must be stiff and coaxial to avoid any permanent damage to the drivetrain.

You can identify the types of motors used in EV.

Step 7: Mounting of Batteries and Charging System

The last step of your EV conversion is the mounting of batteries and the charging system. Most EV conversion kits come with a lithium-ion battery pack. Batteries are very heavy, and they represent more than half the weight of an EV. The placement of batteries is a critical issue. Batteries must be placed centrally, and their weight should be divided evenly.

Again you might have to fabricate supports or bracing for mounting the battery pack. As far as the charging system goes, I would recommend getting rid of the fuel tank and installing the charging port under the fuel lid. There are a bunch of sensors that are attached to the charging system. These also include over-charging, over-current, and over-temperature protection.

Final Word, How to Convert Your Car to Electric: A DIY Guide

There are many benefits of converting your conventional car to electric. However, Id not recommend doing it yourself until you have expertise in automotive. If youre not well-versed in electric vehicle and gas-powered vehicle design, seek professional help.

It would be wiser to get a professional mechanic onboard for a successful conversion. The methodology to convert your car to electric in this article is rather general. There are a lot of things that cannot be discussed in a short blog.

Still, Ive tried to be as detailed as possible within the scope of this article. What are some other things I should have mentioned in this article?

EV vs. Gas: Which Cars Are Cheaper to Own?

Update 10/28/2022: We have updated this story with the latest data and information to best represent the costs associated with owning the example vehicles.

Some EV aficionados might tell you that electric vehicles are cheaper to fuel and maintain, therefore they must be cheaper to own and operate. EV skeptics will counter with the premium pricing of many EVs, something that's quantifiable when a brand sells both a gas-powered and full EV version of the same vehicle. So, are EVs really less expensive over the long haul of ownership? Sort of. Sometimes. As they say, its complicated.

To investigate whether an electric vehicle truly is cheaper than its gas counterpart to own and use as daily transportation we chose two models in the U.S. market that are available with both powertrains: The Hyundai Kona and Kona Electric, and the Ford F-150 and F-150 Lightning. We compared as much about their running costs as we could dig out from credible sources.

Three-Year Cost Analysis

We decided on an examination of the first three years of overall ownership cost. And we stuck with the numbers we could pin down. For the purposes of the clearest comparison possible, we are not including either financing costs or insurance premiums. How you choose to finance your vehiclethe term of the loan and the interest rate, or whether you decide to leasecan have a significant impact on your total costs. And insurance costs are widely variable as well, depending on your state, your driving record, and the coverage you choose.

Initial Purchase Price

Our journey starts with the purchase price. For the Hyundais, we used the most basic trim, and for the F-150s we used the XLT trim, which is a step above the most basic work truck trim in each model. We also equipped the Lightning with the Standard-Range battery. Any applicable Federal tax credits for the two EVs are figured in later in the calculations. The cars' purchase prices (including destination charges) are as follows:

Hyundai Kona: $22,595

Hyundai Kona Electric: $35,295

Ford F-150: $40,960

Ford F-150 Lightning: $54,769

Miles Driven

For annual miles driven, we went with 15,000the de facto average mileage stat for U.S. drivers for decades. Both the electric vehicles included have EPA-estimated ranges near the industry median258 miles for the Kona Electric and 230 for the F-150 Lightningwhich should get owners to that number just fine. The result was a three-year mileage count of 45,000 miles.

Maintenance Costs

To calculate maintenance costs, we used AAAs 2022 Your Driving Costs analysis. It determines how much you pay per mile in maintenance to drive a vehicle. The costs are placed into market segment silos (sedan, SUV, Pickup, EV, etc.) for service items such as tires, brakes, oil changes, and repairs over a five-year period. Yes, thats longer than our three-year timeline, so in this case, the pre-mile figures might be inflated beyond what you would likely experience with these cars in three years. And these maintenance costs are higher than we experience in our long-term 40,000-mile tests. But AAAs data gives us a solid basis for comparison, and all the subject cars are treated equally. As expected, without oil changes or other engine maintenance, the EVs are cheaper to maintain. Maintenance costs per mile and over the full 45,000 miles are as follows:

Hyundai Kona: $0.0984 per mile / $4,428

Hyundai Kona Electric: $0.0794 per mile / $3,573

Ford F-150: $0.0933 per mile / $4,199

Ford F-150 Lightning: $0.0794 per mile / $3,573

Energy Usage

To calculate the energy usage of both types of cars we used the EPAs gallons and kilowatt-hours used per 100 miles. For both of these units, the lower the number, the more efficient the vehicle. As you can see below, both the Hyundais are more efficient than the F-150s, which is to be expected for the subcompact SUVs versus full-size trucks.

Hyundai Kona: 3.1 gal / 100 mi

Hyundai Kona Electric: 27 kWh / 100 mi

Ford F-150: 5.0 gal / 100 mi

Ford F-150 Lightning: 48 kWh / 100 mi

Gasoline Costs

For gasoline costs, we used the national average price of gas in September 2022: $3.70 per gallon for regular, which both the Kona and the F-150 take. As you likely know, gas prices are quite volatile these days, with inflation, the Russian Invasion, and other factors both raising the price and making future prices hard to predict. Nevertheless, the price of gas has trended downwards recently and may continue in that direction, though its unlikely we see pre-pandemic prices anytime soon. Still, for the sake of math, lets assume it stays at Octobers price for the foreseeable future. Here is the cost to drive the gasoline-powered Kona and F-150 for 45,000 miles.

Hyundai Kona: $5162

Ford F-150: $8325

Charging Costs

Charging costs are tougher to determine. First off, many charging stations charge per minute instead of per kilowatt-hour. This way of charging can be frustrating for EV owners. Fortunately, there are changes coming, and Electrify America, one of the largest charging station networks, charges $0.43/kWh for DC fast charging and Level 2 charging in our home-base state of Michigan. Some of Electrify Americas units can charge at a rate of up to 350 kW, but most EVs cant accept charging that fast. Still, paying per kWh evens the playing field cost-wise between electric cars that charge slower and faster.

To determine at-home charging costs, we took the average rate of $0.1546/kWh in the United States for July 2022, the most recent rate available. Electric utility rates in the United States vary wildly. In 2020, Louisiana paid only $0.0751 per kWh while Hawaii's electric rates are a wallet-busting $0.2755 per kWh. So the price of charging at home is dictated by where you live.

Another piece of the EV charging puzzle is the split between at-home and on-the-go charging. A June 2021 study on EV consumer behavior by the Fuels Institute found that 7080% of charging occurs at home or at a workplace parking lot. We went with an 80/20% split between home/public charging for our calculations.

We threw all these numbers on charging into a bucket to determine the amount it would take to keep the two EVs charged up enough to cover 45,000 miles.

Hyundai Kona Electric: $2548

Ford F-150 Lightning: $4529

Depreciation

The final piece of data affecting the cost of ownership of any vehicle is a big one: depreciation. It's a knotty subject, as predicting depreciation is an educated guess based on past experience, customer demand, vehicle availability, brand reputation, and, for all we know, the phases of the moon. A quick look at the numbers and its clear that EVs depreciate quicker than their gas counterparts. Cari Crane, Director of Insights at ALG (which used to be known as Auto Lease Guide), told us that the high cost of electric vehicles contributes to their steeper depreciation. "Dollar wise, we do see a premium on top of a compatible ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicle comparably equipped in age. It's just that price point that's really causing that steeper depreciation." We landed on the following numbers for three years worth of depreciation using the source of AAA's depreciation metrics, Vincentric.

Hyundai Kona: $9,795

Hyundai Kona Electric: $15,305

Ford F-150: $13,981

Ford F-150 Lightning: $15,738

Three-Year Ownership Cost Comparison

After three years the grand totals give some insight into the question, "are EVs cheaper?" Based on fuel, maintenance costs, and depreciation over a three-year period here's what we've found for the cost-of-ownership of our subject vehicles:

Hyundai Kona: $19,385

Hyundai Kona Electric: $21,426

Ford F-150: $26,505

Ford F-150 Lightning: $23,840

EV Tax Credits

There are still additional variables, such as a $7500 tax credit on the table for both of the electric cars if you buy them new. Whether theyre eligible is a bit complicated. The Inflation Reduction Act signed into law on August 16, 2022, creates new rules for EVs purchased after that date. Firstly, the 200,000 manufacturer unit cap will be lifted by the end of the year, meaning brands that have sold a lot of EVs will once again be eligible for the credit.

However, there are also a few new criteria. First, the vehicle must have its final assembly in the U.S. The Lightning is manufactured in the U.S., and Hyundai has plans to start manufacturing EVs in the U.S. as well. In addition, to qualify for the credit, the buyer must have an income below $150,000 or $300,000 filing jointly, and the price of the EV cannot exceed $55,000 for cars or $80,000 for SUVs and trucks. While we cant say whether your income qualifies, we can say that the MSRP of the electric vehicles weve looked at are both under the cap, though in the case of the Lightning, certain trims and options can lift the truck above it.

Still, the Inflation Reduction Act also stipulates that, in order to receive one-half of the credit, a certain percentage of battery materials must be sourced from the U.S. or countries with which the U.S. has free-trade agreements. To receive the other half, the battery must then be manufactured stateside. Using any battery materials sourced from a foreign entity of concern makes a vehicle ineligible for the credit.

All of that is complicated, and with different rules being phased in at different times, receiving an EV tax credit if you buy a car in the next year will only get more complicated. However, many manufacturers, including Hyundai and Ford, have plans to source and manufacture EV batteries in the U.S. in the near future, so for the sake of this math, lets assume your particular car was sourced domestically.

Here, were awarding both vehicles the full $7500 new-car credit to calculate the new three-year cost of ownership, but we cannot guarantee that that will actually be the case. For more information, you can check the IRSs page about the credit and use the NHTSAs VIN Decoder to see where a particular vehicle was manufactured.

Hyundai Kona Electric: $13,926

Ford F-150 Lightning: $16,340

Which Is Cheaper to Own?

So, by our calculations this makes the electric F-150 $2664 cheaper to own and operate over the first three years than its gas counterpartand thats without the tax credit. With it, its a substantial $10,164 less. The Kona Electric, on the other hand, is more costly than the gas version by $2041 without the tax credit, but $5459 cheaper with it. There can also be state and local incentives for EVs to factor in if those are available. Plus, as the years progress the lower costs of operating an electric vehicle (fuel and maintenance) continue to accrue.

The current hitch is that not all new EVs are eligible for the $7500 incentive. As it stands, despite manufacturers plans to manufacture EV batteries in the U.S., the vast majority of batteries out there do not meet all the requirements listed in the Inflation Reduction Act. In fact, many vehicles will not be eligible at all, because their battery includes materials from China, which controls 76 percent of global lithium-ion battery production capacity as of 2020 and is likely considered one of the bills foreign entities of concern.

The other complicating issue is that comparing EVs and gas vehicles isn't a straight comparison for most electric cars on the road. There are no Tesla Model 3s or Ford Mustang Mach-Es that run on gas. Buyers have to pit them against approximately similar gas vehicles. When you do that, the calculations to see which gives you the best bang for your buck can be even more headache-inducing than what we've attempted here. But there's a better way.

Do Your Own Comparison

If youre interested in figuring out the cost difference between an EV and a gas vehicle, theres a handy tool on the US Department of Energys site that compares the overall cost of multiple vehicles at once based on your yearly driving habits, EPA data, and even loan information. It also takes into account your state so that it can adjust the fuel-cost data to fit the gas and electricity prices of your area.

So is owning an EV cheaper in the long run? All signs point to possibly. Maybe. Sometimes. But as we said, at this point in time, its complicated.

Roberto Baldwin spends a majority of his time talking people into buying either EVs or sport wagons with manual transmissions. After over a decade of covering technology in Silicon Valley, he's finally escaped to the glorious world of Car and Driver, where he'll be covering car tech in Silicon Valley.

Sasha Richie is a local of the Detroit area, so cars have always been a big part of her life. Some of her fondest memories include driving her dads 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am in the Woodward Dream Cruise the summer after she got her license and going to drag races with her grandpa. Currently finishing a Bachelors in Russian at Duke University, where she is the Sports Managing Editor of the Duke Chronicle, Sasha is excited to join the Car and Driver team for the summer.

Dave VanderWerp has spent more than 20 years in the automotive industry, in varied roles from engineering to product consulting, and now leading Car and Driver's vehicle-testing efforts. Dave got his very lucky start at C/D by happening to submit an unsolicited resume at just the right time to land a part-time road warrior job when he was a student at the University of Michigan, where he immediately became enthralled with the world of automotive journalism.