This website is best viewed in a browser that supports web standards.

Skip to content or, if you would rather, Skip to navigation.

KXCV/KRNW

  • Become a Member
  • Listen Live

Worth County Student converts car

Fluker

WORTH COUNTY, MO (2012-05-15)

A Grant City High Schooler has converted his car to run on electricity.

Don Gibson is a senior at Worth County R3 High School and started the conversion three summers ago with his dad. Now his 1994 Geo Metro runs on 12 batteries that power 144 volts. That's far enough to go 16 miles on a single charge. Gibson says that the idea for such a conversion came from several factors.

Charging takes about one kilowatt of electricity, taking six hours, but only costing around 25 cents. This means the Geo gets the equivalent of 200 miles per gallon. Gibson says there are other benefits to an electric-based set-up.Gibson is looking at expanding his creation this summer by investing in lithiumion batteries which would expand the range to over 100 miles, but cost about $3,000. Other projects in mind include a wind-powered charging station, and a solar-powered vehicle.

© Copyright, KXCV