It’s been one of the most world-changing and unheralded developments of the electronic age. Open source development—that is, the creation of a product where anyone can provide their own input or make their own modifications—has all but changed the world. The text editor I’m writing this piece on, the browser I’ll use to upload it, and the operating system that runs both of them; all contain at least some sections of freely-available, user-modifiable code. 

But is it possible that these same philosophies of openness and collaboration can be applied to projects outside the world of software programming? A group of Finns dubbed “eCars - Now!” thinks so, and is applying the same approach that Wikipedia uses to compile knowledge to gather up and disseminate information and insights on how to develop plug-in electric cars by converting existing models. 

The Finns have an impressive history in this collaborative arena, most notably the Linux operating system, which was an open source project initiated and directed by Finn Linus Torvalds. In 1991, Linus found that commercially available operating systems couldn’t take full advantage of his new computer’s processor, so he began writing his own.  A similar situation faces the members of eCars - Now!; while nearly every major manufacturer has stated intention to produce at least one fully electric vehicle, a growing group of consumers is still left wanting to purchase fully-electric vehicles that do not yet exist.

As much an online community as a knowledge repository, the group aims to connect potential consumers with sellers of suitable used cars, suppliers of lithium ion batteries, and mechanics with the technical knowledge to perform the conversion. The group’s current objective, to create a handful of fully electric Toyota Corolla conversions, should cost $40,000 per vehicle. The end product should have range of roughly 90 miles per charge, and a top speed of around 75 mph, which compares to the forthcoming all-electric Think City, which will sell for $31,000, get 110 miles per charge, and have a top speed just above 60.

While some sources, such as Juhani Laurikko of the Technical Research Centre of Finland, are critical of the project, saying it should attempt to convert older, dirtier cars, I think this is an excellent development for environmentalists, and perfect example of what happens when large businesses overlook or intentionally ignore the demands of their consumers. With a massive gap in the market, it’s only natural that grassroots efforts would arise to fill it; think of it as the next logical step in the fuel-saving eco-modding that’s taking hold among domestic car enthusiasts.

The especially good thing for consumers is that all the developments and breakthroughs created by eCars - Now! will be freely available to all car producers, meaning that no intellectual property laws will keep a groundbreaking electric vehicle development from appearing in any model of car it can improve. While this also means that profits directly off that development won’t provide additional income for any one manufacturer, the lost income should serve as ample incentive for carmakers to invest more heavily into technological research in the future.

Related articles:
McCain Promises $300 Million For Electric Car
What We'll Drive in 2010
Keeping Pace with the Volt
GM and Utilities Smooth Road for Plug-in Hybrids
Tata Nano to Go Electric 

Photo courtesy of eCars - Now!