[quadform]

I don't think it takes millions and federal loans to make an EV. Scratchbuilt or otherwise. Enthusiasts have been converting small ICE cars ("internal combustion engine" cars) into electrics for many years.

Electric cars are simple. For the most part, all they require is:

* batteries,

* a charge controller,

* power controller,

* some gauges, and

* a motor.

Car companies like to make them out to be more technologically advanced so they can charge more and get more government financial assistance. And for that matter preserve their existing ICE-based business. But EV's are fundamentally way simpler than ICE vehicles.

Edit: Yes, I realize that Aptera's 3-wheeled vehicle is amazing and is not something that a couple of guys could probably put together in their garage. I'd love to see Aptera or a company like them be able to employ engineers to work on those sorts of futuristic spaceships. However, I'm saying that you don't need to go all-out top-end to create an EV. Make a simple "VW Beetle-style" economy EV for cheap instead. It won't require astronomical funding and early adopters will go nuts for them.

[asharp]

Remember that there's a big difference between an aftermarket mod and setting up a factory to build purpose built electric cars. You have lots of additional regulatory/cap costs/etc. to bear.

Also keep in mind that they are making entirely (or mostly) new types of vehicles, ie. the tricycle. And design doesn't come cheap.

[VladRussian]

>I don't think it takes millions and federal loans to make an EV. ... Enthusiasts have been converting small ICE cars ("internal combustion engine" cars) into electrics for many years.

Musk for example converted Lotus. I completely share your opinion that it should be easy and cheap. If i had a large enough garage space, i see how i myself could produce the car under 50K using mostly COTS. On the other side, looking at the real examples - like the Tesla case - it is extremely expensive and complicated.