MIT Converts 1976 Porsche into Electric Vehicle
Enterprising students at MIT have turned a gas-guzzling 1976 Porsche 914 into an eco-friendly electric car, able to reach a top speed of 100 mph with a range of 130 miles on a single charge.
Read More (Source: MIT)The student project took off last year when Valence Technology Inc. donated 18 lithium phosphate rechargeable batteries valued at $2,030 each, plus a battery-management system. The team began by removing the original engine, exhaust lines and fuel tank and installing an electric motor and motor controller, the batteries and battery-management system, a battery charger and various smaller components. Each of the batteries is equipped with a built-in computer that monitors its conditions--ideal for the data-gathering task.
However, getting all the computers to communicate with one another and with the battery-management system--a separate computer--proved a challenge. While the students had made great strides with a commercial converter kit, they ultimately had to scrap it because it was designed to handle 12 conventional lead-acid batteries rather than 18 lithium ion batteries. They subsequently redesigned the wiring and reprogrammed both the motor controller and the battery controller.
