Calera man converts gas-guzzler into an all-electric automobile

By Ja’Rena Lunsford

Published: June 26, 2007

CALERA — Mike Barkley is no mechanic. In fact, he's a computer technician who can change his own oil.

But when he realized his gas guzzler was slowly dying as gasoline prices were steadily rising, he decided a change was needed — an electric change.

Now four months later, Barkley is turning heads in the Lake Texoma area as he drives around town in his all-electric 1994 Mitsubishi Eclipse.

The compact white car with red side designs and a blown engine was junkyard bound when Barkley bought the vehicle for $200 at an auction. Now the former Eclipse is on the road, powered by 13 golf cart batteries as Barkley drives by gas stations without thinking about stopping.

"It costs a little less than 75 cents to charge,” Barkley said. He put about $2,000 in the project, which includes the cost of the car and the batteries — about $55 each.

Barkley turned to the Internet to research how to build his electric vehicle. Online he learned about the best types of cars to convert, types of batteries to use and different parts needed to complete the project..

"Three cylinders are ideal,” he said. "The lighter it is the better.”

Barkley labored intensely in his garage on weekends for four months while he converted the car.

An aircraft generator takes the place of the motor, while the 6-volt batteries take up the back seat. The batteries that power the generator are linked to a charger, while a smaller charger operatesthe lights.

"It was a fun project to build,” Barkley said.

Barkley is not alone among drivers converting vehicles to electric use.

"I have been seized by calls from people who are tired of waiting on Detroit,” said David Goldstein, president of the Electric Vehicle Association of Washington, D.C.

Goldstein said rather than wait on manufacturers to make electric vehicles a priority, many consumers are opting to build their own EVs.

"It's not hard to do, but it takes a certain amount of dedication and time,” he said.

Goldstein said although only 1 out of every 10,000 people will choose to build their own EV, the number of builders across the nation is still significant and rising.

"It's representative of America's pioneering spirit,” Goldstein said. "The people who are building electric cars are the leading edge.”

Bill Moore, publisher of EVWorld.com, said most drivers don't realize how easy it is to build an EV.

"The technology has always been around,” he said. "This has been a hobbyist movement now for decades.”

Barkley admits that his friends and family weren't so sure about his newfound hobby.

"They looked at me kind of funny,” he said. "Everybody kept saying that it was going to be as slow as a golf cart, but it spun the tires out in first gear.”

Barkley's EV can get up to 65 miles per hour. The vehicle has been driven only on city roads, but Barkley plans to take it on the highway once he encloses the batteries in the back seat. The rebuilt car can go about 30 miles before it needs another six- to eight-hour charge.

"My ultimate goal is to get it to go 36 to 50 miles so I can drive it to work in Texas,” Barkley said.

Barkley keeps the car about 75 percent charged. An outlet in his garage is the power source. He's even talking to some retailers in his area about providing a parking spot near an electric outlet.

Moore said accommodations such as electric parking spaces at grocery stores are a sign that electric cars are not a thing of the past.

"Everybody thought that the electric car was dead,” he said. "But in reality it was just on life support for awhile.”