Top Left: Jonathan Hedstrom and his pit crew were on hand to answer questions about his now-electric 1988 Subaru at the Small Footprint Living Fair June 12-13, 2009 at the Cook County Community Center. (L-R) Hedstrom, Scott Sorenson, Dave Bartz, Rolf Lindstrom (hiding), and Howard Hedstrom. Above Left: Jonathan Hedstrom replaced the gas-powered engine in his Subaru wagon with an electrical system powered by batteries. The batteries will take the car about 40 miles between charges. Above middle: These gardeners came prepared for the job of constructing a rain garden behind the 4-H building at the Community Center. The project was part of the Small Footprint Living Fair that featured environmentally friendly products and practices. The rain garden is intended to prevent flooding of the 4-H building and capture runoff before it has a chance to enter city storm drains. Right, top to bottom: An interesting visitor to the Small Footprint Living Fair- Polly Ester. “She’ll last forever!” said her sign. The biannual fair encourages lifestyle practices that avoid negative impacts on the environment. These felt-covered beach rocks were for sale and were among many eco-friendly crafts on display. Mary McDonald working on her loom. She had for sale a number of richly hued, expertly crafted rag rugs made from old sweatshirts she had purchased at the Recycling Center.
It wasn’t part of the car show downtown Grand Marais on Saturday, June 13, 2009, but Jonathan Hedstrom’s red 1988 Subaru station wagon made a splash that day anyway at its debut at the Small Footprint Living Fair at the Cook County Community Center. It was one of many exhibits featuring environmentally friendly products and practices.
What makes the car so special? Sure, it doesn’t have any rust on its body since it’s from Montana, where they don’t salt the roads, but that’s not it. What makes it so special is that Hedstrom, with help from friends like Dave Bartz and Scott Sorenson and encouragement from dad Howard Hedstrom and father-inlaw Rolf Lindquist, replaced the engine with a homemade electrical system that runs on a set of insulated batteries in the back end.
The engine, which produces almost no sound, is over 80% efficient.
Hedstrom, an engineer, estimates the car will go forty miles before it needs recharging, which will take several hours on one plug in a 30-amp receptacle. The batteries are expected to take about 800 charges before dying and will cost about $1,800 to replace. At that rate, it will cost Hedstrom under six cents a mile for battery power, plus the cost of charging. Dave Bartz, an electrician, said a full charge would cost $1.25, or three cents a mile. That’s a total of nine cents a mile, plus the cost of keeping that old car body together.
How “green” is the red car? With no exhaust fumes, pretty green. And, said Hedstrom, old batteries are “highly recyclable.”
In the winter, Hedstrom has high hopes that his insulated battery boxes will enable the car to get started during daily runs until he can get it back to its heated garage.
The headlights work just fine, but Hedstrom will need to work on getting heat into the car before the return of winter. He also plans to build an engine cover to keep water off the electrical parts under the hood.
Hedstrom’s next project? An electric boat!
Staff photos/Jane Howard
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