Eco Interviews

Exclusive Lazy E Interview: Seth Leitman

The Lazy E loves fast cars. Sleek sexy gas-less cars. That’s why electric cars get us so charged; hello Tesla, Th!nk, Aptera. But, if you are like us and still waiting in line for one of those mean muscle mobiles, consider converting your current car engine over to electric power by consulting the new book Build Your Own Electric Vehicle. In this exclusive interview, the author, Seth Leitman, gives us the clean details about electric engine conversions.

MARGARET: The first edition of ‘Build Your Own Electric Car’ was written byBob Brant in 1994. What are the major differences between the two books?

SETH: The first and most glaring difference is that when I submitted the manuscript for the book oil had reached over $140 a barrel (when Bob Brant’s estimates for change were at $100).

Oil prices, climate change, “Who Killed The Electric Car?,” economic crisis and “Pimp My Ride.” MTV’s “Pimp My Ride” was a successful TV show about converting cars and good mechanical jobs. This lead me to the question could a car shop “pimp” and “e” my ride at the same time.

The American Spirit is partially based on our automobile. It is part of our essence and our freedom of expression and that is what makes the electric car conversion so cool and green at the same time. Take, for instance, an old 1957 Chevy or a Porsche 911 as your second car. Get a mechanic to trick out the inside interior and make it all electric. Good for your pocket and the environment at the same time.

The other great part about electric cars is all the job possibility: the industry needs more mechanics! Local mechanics could be getting more work to create electric cars; thereby creating a whole diverse economic platform for mechanics. Not to mention most of the better motors and controllers are made right here in the USA.

With predominantly US companies leading the way, we are only further propelling an economic opportunity to reduce energy costs, provide a sustainable car for th environment and still enjoy driving. We have had the technology needed revolutionize the electric vehicle industry. Only now, we really need it! Like the old adage goes, Crisis Creates Change.

MARGARET: What did you study in school and did you ever want to be anything else?

SETH: I started out at Buffalo State College and then transferred to SUNY Albany where I had always wanted to study Political Science (minoring in Communications and Judaic Studies). Then I got my Masters Degree in Comparative International Development. My focus was international lending practices for energy projects. I always wanted to learn about the environment and how it affected jobs and energy prices.
MARGARET: How did you get interested and involved in electric vehicles?

SETH: After my Masters Degree, I decided on the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) where I worked on alternative fueled vehicles. At that time I was also the Project Manager for the Clean Fuel Bus Program that funded over $100 million for alternative fueled vehicle buses. I always like the hybrid buses because of their grams per mile emission reductions (i.e. they were cleaner than any other alternative fueled bus). I worked on green buildings and other cool alternative fueled vehicle projects. When I worked for NYSERDA though I was sold on hybrid electric and electric cars.

Once my wife and I were having our first child, we decided to move closer to family in Westchester. I knew the New York Power Authority (NYPA) had an electric car program and there was an opening. So, in 2000, I went to work for NYPA which powers something everyone knows: New York Subways and Trains which are all electric.

At NYPA, I worked with many partners to create the NYPA/TH!NK Clean Commute Program TM which leased 100 electric vehicles in the NY Metro area. This was after 9/11 mind you. However, 9/11 gave me a further conviction for electric cars rose since I realized that day that we need to reduce our reliance of imported oil. This program had such buzz back then and was covered by USA Today, Associated Press, Reuters, New York Times, CNN, Good Morning America, the Today Show, and others. Today we are still the largest electric vehicle station car program worldwide.

When the car companies crushed cars like the TH!NK City, Ford Ranger, EV1 and I was done working to place low speed vehicles like the GEM from Chrysler and TH!NK Neighbor from Ford in New York State I realized this was my future.
MARGARET: What are the main critiques of electric vehicles and what are the most effective responses for each?

SETH:
MYTH 1: Electric vehicles are dirty since they use coal burning power plants. WRONG: On a grams per mile basis, which is how the EPA determines emission standards, electric vehicles are cleaner than any other alternative energy source.

MYTH 2: There is no torque, no muscle in electric cars. WRONG AGAIN: Ever hear of the Tesla? Seriously, electric cars are faster on acceleration than a gas car since there are less parts.

MYTH 3: There is no range on electric cars and they cost too much. WRONG: Actually, lithium cars can get 250 miles. Technologies that have been discovered but not rolled out on a large scale can have batteries going 600 miles on a charge. While the argument is that most people cannot buy lithium batteries, I say that while you can’t do it now, you will soon. As electronics move toward lithium batteries and more electronics do the same, lithium battery costs will come down. Then that lead acid battery pack can be swapped out for lithium and be so electrics cars can become more fuel efficient.
MARGARET: What is the simplest engine to convert, and what is the most difficult and why?

SETH: One of the great parts about electric cars is that there is no internal combustion engine. Yes, no engine to convert. Keep the transmission, add motor, controller (computer that controls the vehicle) and batteries. 
MARGARET: Some hybrids, especially the SUVs, get crappier gas mileage than non- hybrid SUVs. What’s that about and how do Hybrid electric vehicles play into the discussion?

SETH: Great questions. In general, hybrid electric cars with bad gas mileage care more about torque than powering the car. This partially goes to the myth about torque and remote access to power. For example, the Lexus hybrid uses the electric drive for performance and some emission control at stop sign, rather than gas mileage.

Then there are hybrid SUVs that use batteries to actually power the vehicle. So, while there is some merit in remote power, there has to be a better balance between power and fuel efficiency.

Hybrids are amazing, but they need a great deal of work. They need to become more fuel efficient than they are today, considering a diesel car or Vespa is still more efficient than any Hybrid on the road.

But just to be clear here, the Prius is great! In my opinion, a segue product like the Prius is what moves the market towards an electric car. The fact that we are very close to plug-in hybrids proves that the public opinion is favorable to the shift. From the plug-ins we will only further move towards electric. And this is happening with transit buses, as well. In cities across the nation, even NYC, there are hybrid electric transit buses and soon plug-in hybrids.

So if you get the book, but don’t want to convert your car to electric; please consider a hybrid for your next vehicle as well as driving more efficiently. I support anything which gets us closer to the electric car.
MARGARET: Israel has pledged to install 150,000 electric battery recharging spots around the country and invest $5 billion dollars for a solar plant to power 2 million cars to be 100% electric by 2011. Are there other examples of this type of mobilization either in the US or the rest of the world?

SETH: I talked about this in the book, but excluding the efforts for Shai Agassi, CEO of Project Better Place, I have not have heard of nor seen any evidence of any country working with private industry to create electric cars at those numbers. I worked on the TH!NK City commuter program and leased close to 100 cars, but nothing like this. However, this is a clear example of government and industry working hand in hand to make electric cars a reality to reduce our reliance on oil.
MARGARET: If you were elected President, who would perform at your inaugural ball and what would be your first act of legislation?

SETH: It would not be an inaugural ball. It would be a three day open concert. Those that would have been invited to an inaugural ball would either be allowed backstage, given full access passes and / or be able to speak to the crowds. I would have four specific artists as headliners with the ability for that performer to bring on stage anyone of their choice. Those artists are: Billy Joel. U2. Linkin Park and Jay-Z.

My first act of legislation would be to launch an electric car, energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative like no other. I would require every US postal van, short range car, forklift and utility vehicle to be electric. If they are not, work with your local mechanics to spur jobs to make them electric. After that, every car that wasn’t electric could either convert to electric or go hybrid. I would work with car companies to make every car hybrid in the next 3-5 years and plug-in hybrids would be available too. I would offer incentives to mechanics to create conversion shops and work to jump start the economy from the ground up. Hopefully that should do something to help the economy.
MARGARET: Thanks so much for sharing with us Seth. Can’t wait to check out the book. To our readers, you can find Seth’s book here. And be sure to check out his blog, The Green Living Guy.