http://thefraserdomain.typepad.com/energy/2006/07/myers_motors_ne.html

"Does anyone sell a reasonably priced kit for a DIY conversion?"

I haven't found one yet George, but am expecting that to occur soon.

The problem is that these devices are not mass produced. Many have very expensive electronic controllers that use really high power silicon parts. Those parts are expensive because silicon is in such short supply, used up by computer, solar cell, and other manufacturers.

Silicon fabs are the choke point. Since silicon, derived from sand is one of the most plentiful elements on the planet, this is a problem of capital allocation.

Solar powered silicon fabs would already have blossomed in desert areas all over the world to meet soaring demand from the solar power industry alone, if capital markets were not largely controlled by banking interests that back fossil fuel monopoly.

A possible solution for the kit market? Adapt plentiful, inexpensive,even salvaged, mass produced three phase industrial motors. The three phase AC current produced by a simple rotary brush type system from the DC of the battery bank.

No expensive, high power semiconductors or expensive low production motors like those from AC Propulsion. Brushes were good enough for all kinds of DC motors, why not for DIY car conversions. So they need replacement ocasionally? So what.

My 40 year old Milwaukee power tools need brush replacement every 20 years or so too.

The big thing is battery cost. Use cheap lead acid with all their problems or go with the latest ultra-expensive, quick charge lithium ion nano batteries?

Either way a 40 mile range or so on batteries will be all one can afford in cash or in weight.

My answer is a fuel pellet/corn powered high RPM trunk sized steam turbine generator. It fires up for longer trips or for high acceleration situations. High RPM means high power output in a small package.

If you saw the video of Jay Leno's Stanley Steamer (it must be somewhere out there on the net) zooming along in LA traffic, you will remember Leno explained that the reason internal combustion replaced steam was that it took 20 minutes or so to get the steam pressure up in the Stanley.

So the more convenient instant on gas engine replaced it. With an electric car, the steam turbine generator would have the time it needed to get going, as batteries would power the first 40 miles or so.

The equivalent gas mileage powered by wood or cellulose waste fuel pellets? What would it cost compared to a gallon of gas? The internal combustion engine can maybe reach 14% efficiency. The steam turbine typically exceeds 30%.

And if one only needs the steam backup on trips over 40 miles between charges? Well we are talking huge savings that would more than justify the cost of the turbine.

I am thinking of a turbocharger normally designed for boosting power from a car engine to run from a flashboiler powered by pellets. The compressor side of the turbocharger would have a permanet magnet rotor mounted on it that generates power through fixed coils around it.

And who knows, a high temp fuel cell that can use fuel pellets maybe along soon to boost that 30% efficient steam turbine to 70%?