About the EVDL

The Electric Vehicle Discussion List (EVDL) is the internet's oldest and most comprehensive EV resource - ad-free, non-commercial1, and volunteer-run since 1991. Everything on the list and on this website is written by our members. Nothing is software generated.

We've been helping people own and drive EVs since the days when, for most, the practical solution was converting an ordinary vehicle to electric drive. Today we're more about helping you with production EVs -- deciding which one, driving it, charging it, even fixing it yourself.

But if you'd still like to build your own EV -- which can have advantages -- we can help you with that too. We have hundreds of knowledgeable members all over the world. Many of them have dozens of years of experience owing EVs, building them, and/or supplying components for them. Check out the EV Photo Album for ideas.

An EV will save you money on fuel costs, and help keep you mobile in future petroleum fuel shortages. Put PV (solar) panels on your roof, and you can drive for free, sustainably, on the sun's rays.

Even if you use utility electricity, you'll still be doing good for the earth. Despite what the oily PR says, EVs really are cleaner.

EVs can be modest and practical, or sporty and fast. Either way, they're clean, smooth, and quiet. As you glide past filling stations and toward a renewable energy future, you may find yourself wearing what we call the EV grin.

The EVDL's charter, written by founder Clyde Visser in 1991, says:

The EV (Electric Vehicle) Discussion Mailing List is intended to provide a forum2 to discuss the current state of the art and future direction of electric vehicles. It is not intended to discuss either EV appropriateness or comparisons with other transportation primary drive modes such as the venerable internal combustion engine. Those discussions are best relegated to the appropriate usenet newsgroup.

An electric vehicle is any vehicle which uses an electric motor as the primary or sole motive force. The energy storage device used to drive said motor can use any technology including, but not limited to, solar electric, electric battery, fuel cell, internal combustion engine coupled with a electric generator (hybrids), or any combination of these.

Production electric vehicles are available. Alternatively, internal combustion engine vehicles can be converted to electric power. A number of businesses perform EV conversion, and several manufacturers and dealers provide equipment and components allowing you to "do it yourself."

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1The EVDL's listserver inserts no advertising into the messages it distributes. However, some messages may contain ads from the senders' ad-supported mail services. The archive may also contain ads. We allow announcements of new EV products and private sales, as long as you follow our guidelines. Spam is prohibited.

2The EVDL is a forum in the traditional sense of the word. Technically, it's an email discussion list.