Converting an Old Truck into an EV

Rice University engineering students converted a 1997 Chevy P30 delivery van into a fully electric vehicle in less than a year. Watch this video to see how they used a combination of parts scavenged from out-of-use vehicles, custom-built elements, and off-the-shelf items.

“Being able to get these automotive components from other vehicles to function ⎯ and not just function but function in an integrated way ⎯ is a big deal,” said Rice engineering senior, Austin Greer . “If this truck works, it’s largely thanks to the electrical architecture. My favorite thing on this truck is something inconspicuous that you might not even notice, namely the blind spot sensors. It took hundreds of hours to get those sensors to work ⎯ they are one of the hardest things to integrate.”