2 minute read
Alternative fuel is not so far away
West Hills resident displays his at home converted Super Beetle in the automotive department garage
Kevin Reynolds / Roundup
A West Hills resident showcased his 1974, homeconverted, battery operated, electric Volkswagen (VW) Super Beetle to the alternative fuels class Oct. 25.
Gene Stopp, a 52-yearold electrical engineer, has achieved speeds reaching 85 miles per hour in his electric VW. It took Stopp two years to build and cost him $30,000.
“It costs about the same as a brand new car and it basically is,” said Stopp. “But now it’s entirely electric.”
Students of the alternative fuels class, taught by Michael VanDyke, professor of automotive technology, gathered around the vehicle to see its 56 Lithium Ion batteries which power the car and generate 1,000 amps and 200 direct current volts.
“That thing really moves,” said VanDyke after taking a ride with Stopp.
Chair of the auto tech department Tom Fortune has a friend who converted a Chevy truck to electric.
“It runs alright,” said Fortune. “But it doesn’t perform the same as this one does.
Not only does the car produce zero CO2 emissions, but being powered solely by batteries, costs nothing to fill up.
“The hardest part is resisting the urge to build another one,” he said. He uses the car to run errands mostly, such as picking up his kids and grocery shopping.
“My wife told me to build an electric car,” said Stopp. “So I did.”
The class had already converted their own VW bug, bringing the Automotive Technology Department’s total number of alternative fuel vehicles to six including a brand new VW Jetta biodiesel car purchased with money from a Stem grant, according to Tom Rosdahl, professor of automotive service technology.
They also have two Honda Civic vehicles, a hybrid and a natural gas-powered vehicle in addition to a 1977 VW Beetle they converted to electric power.
The alternative fuel class is taught by VanDyke on Tuesday afternoons.
