EV conversion - electrifying a Tacoma

I don't know that anyone can determine that converting your current ICE Tacoma to BEV would create less pollution or even equal out. There are far too many factors to calculate the difference in pollution, types of pollution, which has the highest impact and vehicle life cycle pollution, especially on a converted vehicle. I'm sure it could be calculated, but it would probably take weeks or months of dedication.

I would venture to say that converting an ICE Tacoma (especially the 2TR Tacoma) to BEV would barely break even over the remaining life of the vehicle. Unless the Tacoma's engine blew up, I don't know that it would be worth while? IF you used ONLY recycled EV components with minimal new parts it might be able to break even. BUT you really aren't reducing your foot print by much if you consider shipping of those parts. Even buying used parts, all of those parts have to be shipped via planes or diesel whether the parts are new or not, unless locally sourced. I know those planes, trains and trucks are running no matter if you order a part or not, but taking each items pollution for shipment of those items would have to be added to the equation if you are concerned with your own personal pollution contribution. Lithium mining equipment/operations have little to no care about the pollution created and often very poor working conditions for the humans working there. Then that material (and associated material) has to be shipped, manufactured into batteries, shipped again, manufactured into battery packs and sometimes shipped again...all shipped with jet fuel or diesel and there is little concern to pollution in the countries where lithium is mined. If all the parts for the build are NEW, then there is even more production based pollution that needs to be accounted for, even down to the packaging materials. I won't even get into what powers your electric grid as that becomes more complicated. I'm assuming that if you do this, all the unused parts removed from your truck to convert would likely be sold 2nd hand to a person in need as not to produce waste, if not that recycling process operations & equipment need to be equated also.

What I am getting at is that if you left your Tacoma as-is and drove your 4cyl ICE Tacoma for another 200k, the amount of total pollution likely would be less than all of the indirectly related pollution created by doing an EV swap. That's including oil changes (which the used oil is either recycled or burned for heat) and other fluid changes throughout it's remaining lifetime, tires and other parts will pretty much equal out to some degree. You'd be better off selling it and purchasing a used EV or Hybrid that fits your life style. If people are seriously concerned with pollution, the only options should be keeping a current vehicle on the road or buying a used vehicle that produces less emission/better mpg since you're pretty much recycling and keeping something from going to scrap yard. Compared to feeding into the whole cycle of creating new pollution by buying a new car.

I'm not trying to say it isn't a cool idea or that you shouldn't do it, because I think it would be cool to see what you can come up with based on your past projects!!!! But for the simple reason of your personal emissions contribution, a conversion likely wouldn't be a net benefit in the end from an overall pollution contribution aspect or cost over the lifetime of that vehicle. To do it for fun and see what it's capable of would still be cool to see!!

 

I wonder how hard it would be to pull the powertrain from the Mirai, I'm a big fan of Hydrogen Fuel Cells due to fast refilling times similar to a gas vehicle. Higher energy density powertrain due to lack of need for lots of batteries. Also it produces drinkable water that you could reclaim on the trail in remote locations.

https://www.toyota.com/mirai/

 

Wow the price has come down a lot, wasn't it something like $80K?

I've heard the argument many times, all I'm trying to say is I will support step products to get us where we want to be and that is less net pollution. And would be nice to have fun along the way haha.
But really, what's the best for less pollution? Horses? maybe idk
Imagine a world where everyone rides horses to work and buggies to friends' but mass transportation is hydrogen lol

 

I agree! But cold climates wreak havoc on current battery technology. When most of the time we barely reach 20F for high in the winter and often times see many days that the high doesn't get above 0F...why do I stay here?? lol Either way, EV's loose 50% range or more in -10F temps and have much slower charging if it isn't able to be garage kept or on a road trip. That's a no Bueno for me, that's why I like hybrids and the fact that most hybrids are PZEV vehicles. Curious to see what tricks they have up their sleeve for battery technology in extreme temps like that.

As far everyone having horses... Man, you've been out of the loop. Don't you know that you shouldn't eat beef because the cows create too much methane?? Imagine if there was another 10 million horses crapping everywhere!! Bill Gates would loose his mind! hahahaha

 

Something like this, perhaps?
#vanlife