Electric Model A's

[nkaminar]

A Model A that has been converted to electric drive is advertised today on Craigslist, Vancouver. It looks like a nice installation. One gear drive, no shifting, as is the case with all EV's.

Are there any other electric powered Model A's out there?

Price and range were not quoted.

https://vancouver.craigslist.org/van...731185091.html

[nkaminar]

On a side note, there was an article in the news today about how manual gear shifting is going the way of the dodo bird. EV's have only one gear and no shifting. Same with hybrid vehicles. The modern automatic has 9 gears and accelerates better, has better fuel economy, and less pollution than a manual transmission. Some countries have outlawed manual gearboxes due to the added pollution.

[Mike1291]

That truck looks really nice. Honestly I'm not a huge fan of the aftermarket interior but it's pretty clean.

It's unfortunate that you can't use the truck bed for holding anything now but I guess you have to make sacrifices for that sort of installation.

[ronn]

so travel range is like 40 miles on a good day?

[updraught]

Originally Posted by ronn

so travel range is like 40 miles on a good day?

The guts of it come from a Smart car by the looks of it. Very small battery.
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/review...-drive-review/

[denis4x4]

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I would think A purists would hate EV conversions more than they hate hot rodders that use period correct equipment to go fast.

[whirnot]

Originally Posted by nkaminar

On a side note, there was an article in the news today about how manual gear shifting is going the way of the dodo bird. EV's have only one gear and no shifting. Same with hybrid vehicles. The modern automatic has 9 gears and accelerates better, has better fuel economy, and less pollution than a manual transmission. Some countries have outlawed manual gearboxes due to the added pollution.

What Countries are those? When we have been out of the country manual shifts have been way more prevalent than Automatics. We have had several Hybrids, which ones are you talking about that have no shifting? Ours have always shifted, as you are running on gas most of the time.

[Synchro909]

It's been a while now but I recall seeing an article about a company here that converts fossil fuelled cars to electric and they showed a Model A after it was done. I don't recall where I saw it so pictures won't be possible, I'm afraid. I do recall that is was a very expensive undertaking and not one I would consider. I don't believe the future of motoring lies in electric vehicles. I think it will be Hydrogen and electric is not much more than a stop-gap while Hydrogen is perfected. That should please we old farts because Toyota is working on a piston engine car that runs on Hydrogen.
https://www.google.com/search?q=toyo...9IXHc-AH0,st:0

[JayJay]

There have been a couple of YouTube videos about electric Model A conversions, do a search for “electric Model A”.

[Randy in ca]

Originally Posted by nkaminar

A Model A that has been converted to electric drive is advertised today on Craigslist, Vancouver. It looks like a nice installation. One gear drive, no shifting, as is the case with all EV's.

Are there any other electric powered Model A's out there?

Price and range were not quoted.

https://vancouver.craigslist.org/van...731185091.html

-
Sold a couple of years ago on BAT (mostly or all the same pictures used):
-

[Synchro909]

IMO, those big boots look UGLY!

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

IMO, those big boots look UGLY!

For looks, I much prefer the 550x19s I have on my pickup.

[nkaminar]

Bill, you are right that hybrids have more than one gear, although it seems like the electric motor has only one.

According to the article, in Europe Volkswagen is dropping all its manual transmission cars to comply with EU regulations.

You can read the article here: https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/27/opini...nos/index.html

[katy]

If it's electric, how come the ad lists: fuel: gas

[Banditorama]

Originally Posted by nkaminar

Bill, you are right that hybrids have more than one gear, although it seems like the electric motor has only one.

According to the article, in Europe Volkswagen is dropping all its manual transmission cars to comply with EU regulations.

You can read the article here: https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/27/opini...nos/index.html

Did the guy who wrote that article's wife run off with a guy driving a stick shift? He seems to have a serious vendetta against manual transmissions for some reason.

The EPA MPG ratings are garbage, especially for manual cars. I have always been able to blow them out of the water. My old 5 speed Mustang got an EPA estimated 18mpg, I average 22 - 24 MPG out of it.

[rotorwrench]

It would have to be a pickup just to haul that battery around. I could see it on a Shay model A but the original stuff being modified, it might as well be a hot rod.

[johnneilson]

Originally Posted by Banditorama

Did the guy who wrote that article's wife run off with a guy driving a stick shift? He seems to have a serious vendetta against manual transmissions for some reason.

The EPA MPG ratings are garbage, especially for manual cars. I have always been able to blow them out of the water. My old 5 speed Mustang got an EPA estimated 18mpg, I average 22 - 24 MPG out of it.

More than likely his wife could drive a stick and he was jealous

Yes learning to drive one should be a requirement for license
It will educate the drivers or prevent those who shouldn’t

J

[nkaminar]

The article on gear shifter also said that "... Toyota is planning a realistic-feeling fake manual transmission for some EV models." I also know that you can buy a device that produces a fake engine noise. I just have to laugh. You can't make this stuff up.

[Cool Hand Lurker]

Sorry, I can't say anything nice about gutting out the heart of a Model A. Keep the hood down and it looks like a nice Model A.... before the repainting job. Reading the original post actually made me feel queasy. I need some brandy. Now.

[Grier]

https://flashdrivemotors.com/1930-model-a-ford-model-e/

Hope the link works.

[goodcar]

Originally Posted by nkaminar

A Model A that has been converted to electric drive is advertised today on Craigslist, Vancouver. It looks like a nice installation. One gear drive, no shifting, as is the case with all EV's.

Are there any other electric powered Model A's out there?

Price and range were not quoted.

https://vancouver.craigslist.org/van...731185091.html

Article on early electric car. Not a Model A but an interesting article on a 1920 Rauch & Lang electric at the Durham Museum (former Union Station) in Omaha.
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.p...829742655&_rdr

[30Murray]

We're paying $7.50 /usgal. for gas in Vancouver now, the highest in North america and there're adding 15 cents more tax on April fools day. It won't be long before we can't afford to drive our A's. We'll get our revenge when the taxman comes after the EV's to pay for the roads.

[California Travieso]

I would prefer a hybrid conversion where the stock four banger would be kept for normal driving and charging the batteries, and two electric motors driving the front wheels to accelerate at strop signs and up hills. I don’t know if anyone has engineered a hybrid, I've only seen full electric conversions for other cars but, as pointed out above, full electric would require too many batteries.

There was a show on Motor Trend TV about a guy in the UK that was doing electric conversion primarily for cars used in town, e.g., he converted a 1960’s Fiat 500 for a lady who used it for local errands. I’ve also heard of some of the shops that make replicas of Porsche Speedsters and 356’s will install an electric option instead of an gas engine.

With respect to gas prices, I’ve filled up the Model A at a local Union 76 station here in Southern California with non-alcohol gas they call “racing gas” for $10/gal. Of course, I don’t drive much anymore. It’s probably gone up since the last time I got gas up.

David Serrano

[Banditorama]

The stock engine isn't powerful enough to charge a hybrid battery pack and move the car down the road. Especially when you factor in the added weight of that whole system. Besides that, idk how you would fit all that into the car without removing the engine

No need to re-invent the wheel. If you want a hybrid then get a hybrid, you want an EV then get an EV. They're churning them out everyday. There's only so many Model A's and they aren't making anymore of them. The hot rod guys are already bad enough chopping these things up and shoving chevy engines in them

[rackops]

For my line of work (government utilities) I was at a conference this last week. One of the vendors there had a very interesting concept - an energy storage device with the primary component being supercapacitors.

One of the benefits of the supercapacitor is that it replaces the bulky lithium battery that's now the biggest headache for designing EVs. In fact, they have developed a way to print their supercapacitors in many different forms. They are working with Shelby and MacLaren right now to power a "supercar" using sheet-produced supercapacitors that will be molded into the body of the car - resulting in no need for placing a large battery at all.

It's pretty cool stuff, and in theory they could be used to create a motor that looks close to the original A engine, but fully electric.

Of course, it can never replace the sound and feel of a real internal combustion engine, but the technology certainly is impressive.

[P.S.]

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Let us not forget that there were many electric cars on the road when the Model A was new. They were primarily marketed toward those in big cities and to ladies.

[ModelA29]

Just imagine

[ModelA29]

Originally Posted by P.S.

Let us not forget that there were many electric cars on the road when the Model A was new. They were primarily marketed toward those in big cities and to ladies.

Clara Ford drove an EV - https://www.thehenryford.org/collect...tifact/209957/

[AzBob]

Originally Posted by ModelA29

Clara Ford drove an EV - https://www.thehenryford.org/collect...tifact/209957/

Henry with Clara's Detroit Electric.