Gas Pains: Converting My Mazda Automatic to Electric

by Jimmy Brown
(Myrtle Beach, SC, US)

Mazda 626: Good Candidate for EV Conversion?

Would it be possible, or practical, to convert my 2001 automatic Mazda 626? These gases prices are obscene and I feel that this is my best course of action.

Hey there, Jimmy -
Sure. That's a nice light car, it should work. But what about the automatic transmission? I hear somebody saying; )
Well, you've got a few options there.
First option: Don't worry about it. Proceed as you would with any transmission, and don't sweat the power losses.
Second option: Lose the tranny altogether. Go with a direct drive setup. You can get these in both AC and DC versions.
Third option: Yank out the auto, replace with manual from a source like a junkyard or something. The 626 was made in both flavors, so it's doable.
Fourth option: Keep the auto tranny, but install feedback systems to get the most out of your batteries. Check out this page to see how another guy does it.

No matter which option you choose, you'll be adding one electric car to the road, and removing one gas-guzzler. No more "Gas Pains" for you; )

Regards,
Lynne

P.S. Read an article about EV conversion kits here.