Frequently Asked Questions
.
EV stands for Electric Vehicle. There are several types of EVs out there. The SWITCH is a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle), which means it runs 100% on electricity.
The vehicle can be assembled in an accelerated two week course, or take an entire semester.
We offer three and five day workshops every month. About 75% of our customers attend and workshop before beginning the project, some people attend the workshop just to learn about electric vehicles.
There are options! You can elect to install the J1772 plug which supports Level 2 charging (220 volts and 30+amps) or use a standard plug for 110 or 220 volts or both.
This is always one of the first questions. Charge time depends on how far you drive and the type of outlet. Most electric vehicles, including The SWITCH, charge at the rate of 10 miles per hour on a Level 1 charger (110 volt) and 23 miles per hour on a level 2 charger (220 volts). If you drive 25 miles, for example, you would need to charge for 2-3 hours on Level 1 or 1 ½ hours on Level 2.
Most states do not require a special drivers license but we advise you to check with your local department of motor vehicles. The SWITCH is licensed in California as a motorcycle which means you can use the HOV lane with only one passenger (in most cases) and insurance is less expensive. Please check with your local regulators to confirm requirements.
Range is impacted by the size of the traction battery and the weight of the right foot. The faster you go the shorter the trip! On average with our starter 10KWHr battery we estimate 45-50 miles maximum and an average of 40 miles.
One of the cool things about building your own EV is the ability to program in performance parameters. You can set the top speed up to freeway speeds.
There are so many reasons to #GoElectric these days. Doing our part to reverse global climate change is a huge incentive. Peak oil is not as far in the future as we may think. Future generations are relying on our efforts to live sustainably now. Plus, EV makes the present more fun, while considering the impact on the future.