Revved up: Peter Reeves with his battery-powered Rodeo ute.
MOVING from a V12 speedway car to an homemade electric ute was a dramatic sacrifice of horsepower, admits Peter Reeves.
“It’s just so, so different,” the Belmont resident said.
“But it’s very enjoyable for a whole set of reasons.”
Mr Reeves became an electric car enthusiast after growing “quite green” with age.
He said his battery-powered Holden Rodeo was the first backyard conversion in Geelong to earn VicRoads approval.
But more plug-in vehicles were appearing on the region’s road with increasing membership of Geelong Electric Vehicle Interest Group, he said.
Mr Reeves, the group’s convener, encouraged other motorists to consider the shift to electric.
Conversion of a family-size sedan would cost about $20,000 but owners with household solar power, such as him, could charge their vehicles for free, he said.
Plenty of help with the conversion was always available for anyone with limited mechanical skills.
“I was surprised how many people came out of the woodwork offering to help or give advice with my ute. It was a real team effort,” Mr Reeves said.
Contemporary home-built electric cars could travel up to 100km before recharging, he said, making them ideal as “town runabouts”.
Mr Reeves credited increasing fuel prices and a shift to green thinking for the rise of electric cars.
“Most families will have two cars in the future, with one electric for short-distance work.”
