Electric car/truck conversion (EV)?

[762mm]

A while back I saw some guy that had modified an old Mazda MPV mini-van (RWD) into an EV (electric vehicle)... Unfortunately I was not able to get more info on how he'd done it. The specs on the truck were impressive though(decent speed and very respectable range), and the operating/maintenance costs were very low (since the truck is 100% gas-free and recharges using a normal plug/outlet). I just feel like this is a great idea, because you can drive something that looks tough (like an explorer, and not some gay smart car or toyota prius), yet it's electric and costs you pennies to operate, and can be your daily driver. I was just wondering if someone else had tried it yet, and how it turned out... Seems pretty easy to do if you have the tools and some spare time, and would definately be the ultimate gas-saving mod... I've found this here website that sells kits for light and heavy vehicles, and they have them for both standard and automatic cars/trucks...

http://www.electroauto.com/catalog/ackits.shtml#hdirect

If anyone has some info or experience with this, please let me know... It might be something I'd like to try in the near future, because I'm really getting fed up with the petrol giants' "free-for-all"... Thanks.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Check WWW.EVParts.Com for individual parts. I don't think they have kits for specific vehicles, but from what I've read, it seems a lot of these conversions were commonly done to VW vehicles, like Beetles with the rear engines.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Check this link for more information: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163403

 

[762mm]

Thanks for the replies... I tried searching the forums first, but couldn't find anything relevant about the electric conversions. With all the advantages in going EV, it's a wonder why more people aren't doing it... Personally I believe that a great upgrade would be to install a bunch of exterior-rated solar panels onto one of these so that they recharge the car during the day as you drive or park somewhere (for extra range - plus solar panels are fairly cheap nowdays)... that and LED tail lights/turn signals. I think I'm onto something here, lol

 

[BrooklynBay]

The efficiency rating on solar cells aren't that high. There was a vehicle called the GM Sunracer that was completely solar powered, and ran through the desert at record speeds. It was super light, and didn't get weighed down from heavy batteries. Keep in mind that it ran in the desert. You could get higher output having an alternator run off one of the wheels, or the driveshaft.

 

[BrooklynBay]

There are some important things to remember when selecting EV parts. A gasoline engine has its peak HP at maximum RPMs. Electric motors have maximum torque as soon as they get power. You could run a vehicle on a 25 HP electric motor, but it would be a little on the weak side. In comparison, a 25 HP gasoline engine can't run a vehicle. If you run an electric motor on 25 volts, you could get approximately 25 HP. This is not a linear scale, but is an approximation. Some motors are more efficient than others. You could get up to highway speeds on about 72 volts, but might not be able to on less than this (at least not in a practical time frame). If you plan on doing a lot of highway driving for many hours at a time, towing, or hill climbing, then the EV might not fulfill your needs.

 

[BrooklynBay]

I wanted to clarify some things in my last post that may be confusing to somebody which is unfamiliar with electric vehicle motors. A 25 HP electric motor could feel like a 75 HP gasoline engine. Electric motor HP ratings are not the same as gasoline HP ratings. You could have a 144 volt electic motor feel like a gasoline engine which is roughly equivalent to 144 HP. In this case, the electric motor could be around 40 HP, or more. I have a power winch motor rated at 9 HP, and runs on 12 vdc. If I would run it at 16 vdc, I could get more HP out of it just as long as I don't exceed its maximum voltage rating. This is the science behind the electric motors on EVs. They take a 40 volt motor, and run it at 72 volts. It's then capable of producing more HP, and torque than it was originally designed to produce. This enables small electric motors to run a vehicle. The larger motors are much heavier, and could produce the same amount of HP, and torque, but are run at their specified rating. The increased size adds additional weight, so its mileage will be shorter. The proper controller matched to a specific motor could produce the best power to weight ratio.