Decided to convert a Ford E-transit!

1

Initially I assumed there would be too much of a trade off of things that I didn’t understand by choosing an EV Van over Gas Powered.

I am wiling to adjust my lifestyle around the Range and other idiosyncrocies.

However the one that concerned me and still does is: Giving up the Alternator Charging from the Gas Engine. Turns out I really don’t have plans to do that much driving to begin with. And I also plan on putting 1650 Watts on the roof!

I also realized I can charge my Home/Van Batteries at the charging station after my Van is charged. Or at my Mom’s house while parked there for the winter!

So I will have Shure Power and Solar and maybe even trickle E-transit happening as well. With 1650 Watts I could conceiable charge like 15-20 Miles a Day when it is Sunny? Not sure.

I am please asking for advice on what will be being sacrificed by Choosing an EV Van? Also Very nice rebates and incentives are available and It looks like I can get one for around the same 40 Grand I was going to spend on the Ram Promaster.

Of course they are coming out with Their E-van and who knows maybe that one will be more worthy to choose. But the price will be high until used ones are available!

P.S. I do not understand what it would take or the issues with Warrantees etc… To direct my Solar to the E-transits battery for Slow charging while sitting. Great research assignment!

2

Greetings & Welcome!

The problem with EV’s is range and lack of infrastructure. While charging at home might work for many, it doesn’t work if the EV is your home. Finding working charging stations can be a huge problem, and relying on solar or the weather is questionable at best.

I just don’t think EV’s are ready for prime time yet, and have a suspicion they will become obsolete in the not too distant future. Hopfully there are better choices on the horizon. In the meantime, I think hybrids are a far better choice than solely electric.

Cheers!

"Life can be as simple or as complicated as you make it.
Simple is cheaper and more reliable."
~ Off Grid


3

That’s the only problem – that problem is one I will not have. So great, I will definitely be converting one then. Thanks… Your Post sounds very Biased by the way. It is the oppostite of what this country is going toward. I mean out Planet will becoe extinct as well in the distant future. EV’s becoming Obsolete? Interesting. I may need a second opinion. I live in a very small town in the middle of no-where And there is a charging station less then 2 minute drive from my house.

4

Greetings!

Not biased, just realistic. It has been said that our current electrical grid is incapable of supporting masses of electric vehicles, and it will take 50+ years to totally upgrade it.

Since currently EV’s cost more to purchase, own, & operate, they are facing huge challenges. As technology evolves, things are becoming obsolete sooner and sooner.

Hydrogen appears to be the next biggest thing for vehicles. While I think hydrogen is a better choice, big money has no intention of making it consumer friendly. A cheap retrofit for all existing cars, allowing us to fill our fuel tanks with water would be my choice, and far more eco friendly than batteries. Instead, big money wants us to pay for hydrogen like we do for gas or diesel.

It’s not like better solutions don’t exist, they do, but big money is preventing them from being mass produced. People who have tried have met with mysterious & suspicious deaths, and their plans & proof mysteriously disappear.

Additionally, it’s China pushing the EV market, because that’s where all the batteries are coming from. They’re destroying both land & oceans mining for the rare earth minerals needed to manufacture these batteries. I’m not comfortable supporting that.

I’m good with eco friendly, but the idea that EV’s are eco friendly is an outright lie, and the way to promote better choices is to boycott current EV’s. We need to quit being sheeple, quit accepting, supporting, and promoting stupidity, and demand better choices.

Cheers!

"Life can be as simple or as complicated as you make it.
Simple is cheaper and more reliable."
~ Off Grid


5

IF the lithium mines are really what I saw, that alone is something to think about…

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Greetings!

Exactly! You don’t fix the planet by destroying it, especially when there are so many better choices readily available.

Cheers!

"Life can be as simple or as complicated as you make it.
Simple is cheaper and more reliable."
~ Off Grid


7

Can someone reccomend a Van Building Forum whereby I will not be met by an Activist?

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Greetings!

An activist who just tries to prevent people from making choices they’ll later regret.

While what you’re trying to accomplish may be possible, your end goal remains somewhat of a mystery.

It is usually best to work backwards on these things. Is your goal to save money, travel, or ???

Vehicles are typically a depreciating asset, and people lose a lot of money on them regularly. It’s one thing if the benefits outweigh the expense, but these things need to be looked at logically, without letting our ego’s or emotions get involved.

While opinions on EV’s may or may not be relevant to you, looking at the bigger picture might be…

Cheers!

"Life can be as simple or as complicated as you make it.
Simple is cheaper and more reliable."
~ Off Grid


9

Some sound advice in there. Now, if I could actually get one other individual to chime in that would be great. Any other forums out there worthy of attempted correspondences? This one seems a lilt e dead???

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Greetings!

I would say the most active ones are on reddit, they have one called “vandwellers” and another called “vanlife”. Both are overrun by newbies offering terrible advice, and “vandwellers” is annoyingly over moderated. There are other related subs as well.

With reddit & many other forums, they cater to a lot of promoters, who offer poor advice designed to make themselves money. Solid help and advice can be very rare, and the promoters like to get those with actual experience silenced.

Less active forums like this one tend to be higher quality, and more user friendly. Quality over quantity is my preferred choice, even though I keep up on other forums too. You never know what discreet tidbit could be life changing.

There are many RV & camping type forums as well, and much of it can be crossover. Work from home (WFH) forums can help in finding remote jobs.

Gatherings are another great resource, and don’t need to be vandweller specific. Many types of classes are often taught, and free or cheap troubleshooting & repair are often available as well, and occasionally even full build parties. If you’d prefer to travel in a group setting, gatherings can be a great place to find groups you’ll fit in well with too.

Handyman & mechanical services of many types are usually available on Craigslist.

Cheers!

"Life can be as simple or as complicated as you make it.
Simple is cheaper and more reliable."
~ Off Grid


11

Greetings!

I have yet to encounter anyone living in or building an electric van. Many complaints about electric vehicles, and only one person who claimed to be successfully living in a Nissan Leaf. That went from love to hate very quickly though.

Many people are living successfully in hybrids though, especially Toyota Prius’s.

Cheers!

"Life can be as simple or as complicated as you make it.
Simple is cheaper and more reliable."
~ Off Grid