Canadian Electric Vehicles - Interview with Randy Holmquist

Me: Let's say I want a conversion done. Shall I bring you a car, or do you just have gas-gobblers laying around the shop you can convert for me?

Randy: It's strictly bring-your-own-donor around here. Seriously - do I look like a used car salesman to you?

Me: I don't know what you look like.

Randy: Exactly like George Clooney. We could be twins.

Me: He kinda looks like he could sell used cars. Anyway, if I bring you a car with a working engine to be converted, will you sell it for me and deduct the cost from the conversion?

Randy: Well, sure, I can try. Keep in mind, though, that I have still have two Neon motors, an Echo motor, and a Dodge Dakota motor sitting here.

Me: You'd rather be doing conversions than selling things, I hear you saying.

Randy: A man's gotta know his limitations.

What kinds of cars can you convert?

Randy: Oh. Well, we prefer the S-10 truck and the Dodge Neon, although we've found we can also do the Toyota Echo and Yaris. The engineering cost to do something other than those is about $12K extra.

Me: Is it possible to get an electric car that can run on the freeway and has a 100 mile range for under ten thousand US dollars?

Randy: No, Most cars we convert have a top speed of over 60 mph but only have a 25 - 50 mile range and cost between $15K and $20K USD if we are doing the installation.

Even our S-10 kit is about $10K us and does not include the batteries.

Me: What's your favorite conversion to do?

Randy: The S-10, probably. That kit is the most popular.

Financing?

Randy: You'd have to ask your bank about that. I don't do sales, and I don't do loans.

Transmissions: Manual or Automatic?

Randy: No. I'll convert an automatic for you. But think about this for a second: An S-10 with a stick gets about 40-50 miles, while the same truck (we have swapped a stick into a converted automatic to see the difference) with an automatic will only get 25 - 35 miles.

Me: Yuck.

Randy: Yeah. Sucks, doesn't it? But if you bring me a manual transmission car to convert, you can drive it in second gear around town and never use the clutch.

Me: Never?

Randy: Well, you shift up on the freeway. Almost never. It will be practically painless.

How long do I have to wait for my electric car?

Randy: We usually have a 3-4 month wait in the spring and summer and then it drops off in the winter. No slowdown this year at all, though.

Further reading: Check out Randy's interview with the Vancouver Sun in which he tells the reporter that selling cars is all about power and SEX, his point being that his electric S-10 conversion is probably not a chick-magnet.

Very informative and simple website for those who may not naturally have an interest in EVs and alternative fuels.
- Gavin S., New Plymouth (New Zealand)

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