In WA's Great Southern region, a dusty Suzuki Jimny is in pieces inside an Albany garage.
George Knowlden, 28, works as a software developer by day and is in the process of converting the four-wheel-drive into an electric vehicle (EV).
This isn't Mr Knowlden's first electrical installation.
"I made an electric bike for my partner a couple of years before and that was really fun," he said.
"It was a nice way to get around town easily and quickly without burning any fossil fuels. So I thought, maybe it's time to graduate from bicycle to car."
Mr Knowlden is teaching himself how to do the conversion, using knowledge gained from his electrical engineering degree.
"I've used some electronic skills, but nothing that somebody who wasn't curious enough couldn't find online. I think anyone could do this," he said.
"They'd have to really want to do it though."
An environmentally conscious decision
Judging by the equations and problem solving scrawled inside Mr Knowlden's notebook, along with the electric motor and parts that sit on his workbench, there's a bit more involved than he gives away.
"The incentive is definitely environmental," Mr Knowlden said.
"It's really important to me and my partner that we reduce our impact on the planet from the perspective of global warming."
Mr Knowlden chose the Suzuki Jimny because he wanted an electric car that was four-wheel-drive, affordable, and available in Australia.
He said it was difficult to find a vehicle that was all three of those things.
So, he decided to make his own.
With the dramatic rise in petrol prices leaving some West Australians forced to choose between fuel and food, Mr Knowlden joins many aspiring EV owners who would prefer to invest their money in more sustainable means of transport.
"I went to refuel my car the other day, and my wallet was a lot lighter walking out of the servo," he said.
"If you want to take your car well and truly into the 21st century, electrification is the way to do that. It guarantees that your vehicle will be on the road for many, many decades to come, maybe your grandchildren could drive it one day."
DIY conversion isn't cheap
While electric vehicles are better for the environment, Mr Knowlden said converting your own isn't necessarily better for your pocket.
"You're not going to save money by converting your car to electric, you're going to spend more than you think, and it's going to take a lot longer than you think."
Mr Knowlden said subsidies are needed to encourage WA drivers to purchase EVs.
Peter Newman, Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University, agrees.
He would like to see the fuel excise tax put towards an EV subsidy.
"It's time we used sunshine for fuel, not imported oil. We've got to get off petrol and diesel," said Professor Newman.
"There's something like 50 per cent of people want to get an electric vehicle now, but they aren't going to do it until the price comes down."
For the conversion of the Suzuki Jimny, Mr Knowlden budgeted for about $23,000, which includes the $5,000 he spent on purchasing the car.
He said so far, he's on budget.
In a testament to how much he has enjoyed the project, he is now working on installing an electric motor in his dad's yacht.
Cross-country road trip plans
As for the Jimny conversion, Mr Knowlden said he wasn't in a rush.
"It would be really good to finish in time for November of next year, because I've got a trip I'm planning across to the Eastern States," he said.
Mr Knowlden said charging stations are helpful for reducing "range anxiety" but most EV owners he knows charge their vehicle primarily at home.
"Modern EVs can comfortably travel 400 kilometres plus, and when you bear in mind the average Australian driver drives 35 kilometres a day, you don't really need to worry about range unless you're on a long-haul journey."
To combat the distance, Mr Knowlden is planning to build a "solar flower" to power his EV on his travels.
"That solar flower can charge the car over the course of a day.
"So, I might drive for a day and then charge for a day and move along the coast slowly enjoying the sights along the way."
