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How far can I drive an electric car or van? This depends on the batteries fitted. Typically you can drive our vehicles 50 to approaching 200 miles with lithium or sodium nickel batteries, depending on the pack size and vehicle type. With lead acid batteries the range is less at between 20 and 40 miles. Please see individual vehicle sections for their range mileages.
How much does an electric car or van conversion cost? This varies according to the vehicle, the batteries used in the conversion and the performance requirements. We have given some guide prices on our conversion examples pages.
How long does it take to get an AVT EV conversion? Normally 2 to 5 months depending on the vehicle you have chosen and whether it is based on a new vehicle or secondhand.
How much do they cost to run? From just 1p per mile on low tariff electricity - that’s 100’s of miles per gallon at current fuel prices!
How fast can I drive? Many AVT conversions can achieve speeds over 60 mph. Some are capable of much greater speeds, over 100 mph is easily possible with the right motor, drive components and batteries . Some cars specifically intended for urban use are capable of lower speeds up to 40 mph.
What about servicing? There is usually very little servicing needed other than an initial check 1 month after purchase and annual check-overs after that. So when you buy your car you will automatically take out a service agreement with AVT and we will travel to your address to carry out the service for you or you can arrange for us to visit on a call out basis. Of course if your vehicle is over 3 years old you should also have it Mot’d in the usual way at a local garage.
What if something goes wrong? There is very little to go wrong on an electric car, there are far fewer moving parts than on a petrol or diesel vehicle. But for peace of mind your vehicle comes with a full 1 year warranty. Just in case something does go wrong we recommend that you join the Environmental Transport Association or the AA or RAC and they will contact us to diagnose the problem or use their get you home service. If the problem is serious you can choose to call out a technician to visit your address to rectify it, or you can make arrangements yourself to transport the vehicle to us.
How much energy does an electric car use? Very little. On a typical journey you are likely to travel between 3 to 5 miles for each kWh of electricity you use. If you look up your electricity bill, you will see that a kWh only costs a few pence.
How long do the batteries last? That is the most difficult question to answer as it depends on use. With correct usage we expect you should be able to get 10’s of thousandsa of miles from a set of lithiumor sodium nickel batteries, going by the manufacturers claims, but please remember these batteries are new to the market. For lead acid batteries the life will be shorter, usually between 4000 to 10,000 miles, but they cost far less in the first place and to replace.
How much does a new set of batteries cost? This depends on the type of battery installed and the type of installation. Some conversions have the batteries installed under the floor in which case specialist equipment is required to replace them, others are accessible under the bonnet or from the boot. The cost of replacenmenttakes into account the labour involved as well as the cost of the batteries. Also, battery prices vary according to the current values of the metals used in them at the time of sale. Metal prices have been fluctuating wildly over the last few years.
How much does road tax cost? There is no road tax charged for electric vehicles, currently, but you do need to have a free licence disc which can be obtained via your local post office and DVLA.
Does an electric car or van conversion need an Mot? According to the law all electric cars need Mot’s but electric vans under 3500 kg do not. However, we believe that even vans should be Mot’d so as to be sure they are safe on the road.
Can an electric car conversion climb steep hills? All AVT electric conversions can climb hills at speeds close to that of petrol powered cars and vans so you need not worry about getting stuck. If you have a very steep hill on your regular journey tell us and we may set-up your vehicle specially. Some of our cars spend major parts of their journeys climbing long and steep hills regularly.
Will I be able to keep up with other traffic? AVT electric cars and vans can accelerate very well up to 30 mph and you won’t hold up the traffic as you accelerate to higher speeds.
What if I want a different car or van to the AVT conversion examples? AVT can convert almost any type of vehicle to electric drive so contact us with your requirements
What about insurance? Insurance is not usually a problem and the cost is usually comparable with a similar petrol vehicle. We can recommend insurance brokers to our customers.
What parts should I use if I want to do my own conversion? Basic information to guide you is provided in our parts section of this web site. If you need more engineering details including which parts you should use for what vehicle etc, we can supply them but we will make a consultancy charge payable in advance. This may qualify as a partial advance payment should you buy the parts from us - please see parts section for full details.
How much do parts cost if I want to do a conversion myself? Full details of parts and basic kits we can supply are shown in the parts section.
Is the original gearbox used in a conversion? In many conversions it is, because in most front-wheel-drive and rear engine rear-wheel-drive vehicles the differential is usually included in the same castings as the gearbox. Without a differential the conversion would need more than one motor which would be more expensive. Also a gearbox can help some motors to work more efficiently. On some conversions we can supply fixed ratio systems which do not include a gearbox. These tend to have lower top speeds but do not need an gear changing - similar to an automatic.
Can you use an automatic gearbox in a conversion? Only some automatics can be used. Those with torque converters and the CVT types and other hydraulic systems are generally unsuitable. The robotized manual semi-automatic type can work reasonably well in electric cars but usually require development work to get the systems to work properly.
How many batteries do AVT electric cars have? This varies according to the car or van, type of electric system and batteries installed.
How many batteries should I use if I do a conversion myself? That is an engineering decision you must make for yourself. Our parts section gives details of the voltages suitable for the parts. If you need any further advise we can supply it on a chargeable consultancy basis.
What is the law on electric vehicles? Electric vehicles come under the same construction and use regulations applicable to all vehicles used on UK roads.
Do electric cars have heating and how is it powered? Yes, and it is a legal requirement that any car or van with a fixed windscreen used on a public road should have a windscreen demister fitted. On AVT conversions we use either electric heaters which are powered by the batteries or higher cost combustion heaters can be supplied. With lithium ion powered vehicles the battery heating system, which is also fitted, will help to heat the car.
Do electric cars have air conditioning? Air conditioning wastes a great deal of energy and takes a lot of power to work properly, as much as 5 to 10 kW can be required. It can be fitted as a special extra on base vehicles that already have air conditioning systems installed, but we do not recommend it.
Do electric cars have power steering? AVT can convert any vehicle with electric power steering or vehicles which do not have power steering at all. Cars with engine driven hydraulic power steering are not recommended as this system requires a very inefficient energy consuming pump unit that needs to be powered. It can be done but it adds considerably to engineering costs.
How do I charge my electric car conversion? Just plug it in to a suitable domestic power outlet socket.
How long does it take to charge-up? If the batteries are only partially empty then recharging only takes a few minutes to a few hours. If you have done a long journey then they will normally recharge over night without problem.
Do AVT electric car conversions have regenerative braking? Yes, most of our conversions include regenerative braking either as standard or as an optional extra.
What is regenerative braking? Regenerative braking is when the controller changes the motor into a generator to recharge the batteries. This normally happens on a trailing throttle when the vehicle is driving down a hill or slowing down. Regenerative braking works in addition to the hydraulic brakes fitted to the vehicle.
How long does it take to get an AVT conversion? Normally between 8 and 20 weeks depending on our workload at the time of your order.
Do I have to pay London’s congestion charge? No. But you do need to register your vehicle with Transport for London and they charge a £10-00 fee. Driving an AVT electric conversion is one of the lowest cost ways to drive in London.
Is there any free car parking for electric car conversions? Yes in many parts of London. There are also some free charging points in some car parks elsewhere around the country.
Can I charge-up anywhere? You can charge anywhere it is safe to plug in a cable to a suitable mains outlet socket.
How much does it cost to charge-up? In some car parks in London and a few elsewhere you can charge-up your electric car for free! Otherwise the cost is very little anyway, from less than a Pound for 80 miles of driving!
Are electric car conversions expensive? Electric cars are not mass produced in large numbers so the cost of the parts is higher than for petrol or diesel vehicles. The cost of the batteries, which is really part of the fuel cost, are also included in the vehicle cost but the running costs are much lower and road tax costs nothing.
How environmentally friendly are AVT electric conversions? Conversions are the most sustainable form of electric car, and electric cars are the most environmentally clean vehicles you can drive, especially when they are charged from renewable resources. An AVT electric conversion is a very good way of recycling a used petrol or diesel car or van as it removes a polluting vehicle from the road without the need for much of the components to be scrapped. Electric cars are much more energy efficient than petrol or diesel vehicles and do not emit any nasty exhaust pollutants or greenhouse gases during use. If they are recharged from renewable resources then there is no pollution, so wind farms and solar panels make a lot of sense. In practice most electricity available from the national grid during the night is not produced by greenhouse gas emitting power stations.
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