Car powered by 500 disposable vape batteries boasts 18-mile range, 35mph top speed, USB-C charging port — early 2000s Reva G.Wiz gets a makeover
Source: Tom’s Hardware
Introduction
A TechTuber who previously hit the headlines after making a home powerwall from a concoction of thrown‑away vape components has shared details of his vape‑battery‑powered car. Chris Doel repurposed the 500‑vape‑battery powerwall device, placed it in an aluminum case, and plugged it into a quarter‑century‑old electric car. The result was a great success.
I Powered a Car using 500 Disposable Vape Batteries – YouTube
In the intro, Doel points out that discarding single‑use vapes has become a normalized activity, with as many as a million of these devices thrown away each day in the UK. He is on a mission to reuse the lithium batteries from these devices, starting with power banks, then a mighty powerwall (see the previous video), and now a mobile application.
Doel chose the early‑2000s Reva G.Wiz electric car as the platform. The compact car weighs about 400 kg, originally had a top speed of roughly 50 mph, and used a 48 V lead‑acid battery pack. This made it a good match for the ~50 V output of the vape‑battery powerwall. By contrast, a modern Tesla would require around 12 000 vape cells and a complex battery‑management system.
The first power‑up test in the video was a success: with the battery still on the driveway, Doel cautiously rolled the car forward and back. He also demonstrated charging the vape cells with a USB‑C charger, making the G.Wiz the first USB‑C‑charged car.
“An original G.Wiz can pull 350 A if you floor it, but the vape battery pack is only good for ~120 A,” Doel noted. The inverter was programmed to limit power to safer levels.
Image credit: Chris Doel
Test drive shows vehicle has an 18‑mile range
After installing the vape‑powered battery, Doel took the G.Wiz out for a test drive. A smartphone monitor displayed the condition of the vape cells throughout the run. The car was paused periodically to check temperatures for safety.
During the drive, the car reached a maximum speed of 35 mph and demonstrated functional regenerative braking (10 A). After a short run, Doel stopped at a nearby McDonald’s drive‑through, then visited a tool store. The first major uphill section drew a continuous 100 A, causing a brief slowdown and a minor traffic jam.
When the weather worsened, the car’s wipers and headlights added to the load. The steepest hill required a peak draw of 150 A, which the car managed. Overall, the vape‑powered G.Wiz covered 18 miles before the battery cell bank 12 gave out. The highest observed cell temperature was 19 °C (still winter in the UK).
Doel mused whether the 500 vape users ever imagined their discarded devices would one day power a house—or a car. The video concluded with a humorous “vape exhaust” installed on the vehicle.