Most of us are onboard with the fact that humans have been overconsuming the earth's resources at an unsustainable rate. Action from a global, government, and local government level is still unsatisfactory. Everyone needs to start doing their bit, and hopefully each little bit adds up and makes a big difference.

We all love the satisfaction that comes with solving a problem – especially when it’s a gnarly one. So when we heard about Creative HQ’s Climate Response Accelerator, we couldn’t resist getting involved. Together, we’re helping some of the smartest people in New Zealand to solve some of the biggest climate-related challenges facing our planet.

Where do you start? The New Zealand Sustainable Business Network has lots of great advice. It has published a very good paper on how to calculate your carbon emissions. Following their advice and using the recommended ACE Carbon Calculator, which is an independently developed New Zealand specific tool, NZ is now starting to understand our companies’ contributions to CO2 emissions.

At Abletech we have embarked on the process of seeking advice and following recommendations. Read about some of our efforts below.

Most people with electric cars (EVs) normally need to charge up the battery every 2 or 3 days. If you have a newer car with a larger battery, you might go a week without charging. If you drive longer distances in an older EV, you might need to charge daily.

We were asked: are electric cars able to travel up hills at a reasonable pace, or are they really slow when hard work is required?

Wellington/Salzburg 17 October, 2017

Going and Stopping

An irony of the eTrixie project is that VW Beetles are air cooled, but eTrixie’s new motor controller needs water cooling! In part nine we look at ancillary systems such as water cooling the motor controller and the 12v system.

Last year I started recording our emissions, and we now have 6 months of data that is worth sharing.

Instead, each person, each family, each company needs to take the initiative instead. We need to reduce, and then finally stop consuming carbon altogether.

The car’s motor will slow down the car when you take you foot off the accelerator, and the byproduct is electricity which flows back into the battery. Technically termed Regenerative Braking, or Regen, this happens automatically (and silently) while you drive. It’s not something you think about.

There are 3 costs to consider here:

We’ve made a vlog for this final instalment so you can see eTrixie in action. It is a little sad that the work is over, but that said it is also great to be finished because every time I get behind the wheel it brings a huge smile to my face!

My first step of the electric conversion is to take out the petrol engine and the fuel tank. This is a very sad day as we will lose the distinctive VW engine sound, but on the plus side we will be able to hold a conversation while driving!

In this part we’ll talk about high voltage and current cabling, switches and fuses.

My Dad started young with Volkswagens and his father had Beetles too. I sat my drivers licence in a 1963 Beetle, the first car I owned was a ’59 Beetle, and today I have a ’65 Beetle which my eight-year-old daughter loves riding in.

Now that eTrixie is ready to drive, the final step is Certification.

eTrixie is now on the road — but the conversion job is not over yet. Early in the eTrixie project I investigated Battery Management Systems (BMS).

In part ten I’m ready to flick the switches!

On average with real world driving I’m getting about 120kms range on a charge.

Today, we have returned from a lovely summer holiday near Taupō. The driving distance was 342 km, with an expected driving time of 4:40.

DIY electric bike conversion

Listen to Carl Penwarden on Nine to Noon