Electric Avenue: 1984 Nissan Sentra EV conversion

These days it’s popular to fret about how the inventive spirit of Edison or the Wright brothers has all but disappeared from America.  I submit to you that it hasn’t and the coming electric singularity for the automobile provides ample opportunities for guys in sheds.  Find this 1984 Nissan Sentra EV conversion for sale in Port Orchard, WA for $1,000 via craigslist.

This first generation Sentra left Nissan’s Zama plant in Japan with a 1.5 liter SOHC engine producing around 70hp.  It’s been artfully replaced with an unspecified electric motor that is apparently good for 30 miles of range at 50mph.

Providing the juice for the motor are 16 6-volt golf cart batteries.  I only count 9 in the trunk shot, so there are a few more soldiers squirreled away somewhere else.

I’m not sure what to make of this next shot.  Apparently a relay mounted to some plywood wired with wiring nuts used in home electrical wiring and a pair of safety goggles.  What could possibly go wrong?

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Gianni is Daily Turismo’s Pacific Northwest correspondent.