The Stonecutters are gonna be pissed.

If you have an E46 BMW 3-series with a blown engine and $15k just lying around, you might be interested in this electric vehicle conversion kit:

At the heart of the system are three banks of non-volatile (fire-proof) lithium-ion phosphate batteries which store 30-35KWh of energy. One pack is located under the hood along with the 500hp motor and its controller (which also handles regenerative braking), the second pack is located under the trunk (in the spare tire area), and the third is located under the car along with the charging system (presumably replacing the gas tank). There are two range options — 100 miles and 180 miles (rated at a constant speed of 65mph) — the latter sacrificing some luggage space in the trunk.

Performance is impressive, at least on paper: 0-60mph in less than 6 seconds with a top speed of over 120mph. The kit provides a generous 300hp and 300ft/lb of torque, matching the specs of BMW’s current 335i. It only takes 2.5 hours to fully charge the batteries from a 60A circuit and the 12KW charging system uses a standard J1772 socket compatible with both Level 1 (110V) and Level 2 (240V) charging stations. Donor cars can be either automatic or manual, the latter usually operating in second gear (and fourth gear on the highway).

As is the case with most new tech, it’s not exactly cost-effective¹, but it’s still really cool.

Linkwad.

Honeymoon photos coming soon! Promise.

• I don’t know if I buy the “Internet is killing serendipity” argument, but this essay makes the case as well as any I’ve read.
• The history of the reeeeemiiiiiix.
• Just FYI: “Everyone else is just as bad” isn’t really a good defense, Internet commentariat.
• Obviously, the answer to “Why do we need SOPA?” is, “We don’t.”
• Pitchfork’s impact and history. For you lazy-ass TL;DR types: “A Pitchfork review may ignore history, aesthetics, or the basic technical aspects of tonal music, but it will almost never fail to include a detailed taxonomy of the current hype cycle and media environment. This is a small, petty way of thinking about a large art.”

Linkwad.

Now that I’m married, it’s time to get back into it:

• Android fragmentation visualized. The lesson here: buy a nice phone with a clean Android install, like, say, a Nexus One (Except you can’t buy these new anymore. Pick up a Nexus S or wait for the Galaxy Nexus, I guess–or just buy an iPhone).
• Climate skeptic accidentally buttresses climate change data.
• I’m with Doug Farrar–Penn State absolutely deserves the NCAA’s “death penalty” for covering up Jerry Sandusky’s abuse. I’d also just like to point out that, despite plenty of evidence of the Catholic Church protected/still protects sexual predators, I haven’t seen any bishops in handcuffs. Also, his autobiography was named Touched. So…
• I saw Louis CK on Sunday. As usual, he was funny, insightful, and earnest (Won’t spoil anything–the set is going to be his next special). Here’s Alyssa’s writeup.

Linkwad.

• The Situation’s sublimely awful new tuxedo line, “Down to Formal.” Via the Silentist.
• If you haven’t seen the Onion’s Steve Jobs obituary, you should rectify that error immediately.
• A profile of Clipper City founder Hugh Sisson.
• The coolest use of popsicle sticks ever, via Colossal.

Linkwad.

1. Growing pot has a huge carbon footprint.
2. Saw Jeff Mangum on Monday night. Thoughts soon, but here’s the Awl’s report. Also, opener The Music Tapes were really intriguing.
3. All about Kindle’s new $200 Fire tablet.

Here’s “Minister of Longitude.”