KISS EV

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Brianmini
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Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 12:56 pm

KISS EV

Postby Brianmini » Fri Nov 27, 2009 1:40 pm

So my first post on this site, so glad I stumbled across it.

I've pondered EV for years, would love to make an EV car, especially around a Mini platform (having recently restored my old Cooper, I feel a new project iminent). :)

My only problem is the E part, i don't have a degree in electronics, i'm happy when the smoke stays in the wires and just does its stuff. ;)

So my first question, and i'm sure it'll have been asked before.

Does any 1 firm supply a simple "out of the box" EV setup, with everything included?

The one thing thats put me off EV was scouring around tring to find an old milk float etc, I just want a simple(ish) setup where I just have to make the space in the car and fit it.

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Teslas fag packet
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Postby Teslas fag packet » Fri Nov 27, 2009 1:57 pm

Oh no, not a mini :)

www.minievolution.com

also this chap is on here somewhere

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/electric.mini/

and Malcolm B user on this forum is converting a fibre glass mini
Yorkshire isn't just a place, it's a state of mind!

http://www.minievolution.com/

cianof
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Postby cianof » Fri Nov 27, 2009 2:02 pm

Hey Brianmini,

Here's an electric mini conversion. Have a search of that site to get an idea of what other have done with their minis.

http://www.evalbum.com/2817

Don't think there are kits available, but if you look at the other mini conversions you'll get an idea of what's possible.

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Teslas fag packet
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Postby Teslas fag packet » Fri Nov 27, 2009 2:21 pm

Thats not a mini it's one of them german things :)
Yorkshire isn't just a place, it's a state of mind!



http://www.minievolution.com/

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qdos
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Postby qdos » Fri Nov 27, 2009 9:31 pm

No body to my knowledge supplies a box of conversion parts though we might do something with our trike We're supplying an all parts lot for our first customer so if you'd like to add your name to the customers list ;)

Image

Pic above is of the trike being exhibited last weekend at Exeter (wasn't quite finished but hopefully we'll have it all sorted shortly)

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ChrisB
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Re: KISS EV

Postby ChrisB » Sat Nov 28, 2009 5:06 pm

Brianmini wrote:My only problem is the E part, i don't have a degree in electronics, i'm happy when the smoke stays in the wires and just does its stuff. ;)


TBH theres nothing special or hard about the "E" part, if I gave you a battery, a bit of wire and a motor, then said make the motor work I'm pretty sure you'd be able to :wink:

Yes you can go all hi-tech and make your own this and that, but the basics are just batteries, a controller, a motor and some bits of wire :wink:

The controller sits between the battery and the motor (wiring wise) and then another set of wires from the controller to the accelerator box.

Thats it at its most basic form, yes theres extra bits like fuses and stuff but all can be gleened from folks here and the rest of the interweb.

Its not as hard as it may seem :wink:

ChrisB
I reject reality and substitute my own !!!!!!

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dargles
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Postby dargles » Sat Nov 28, 2009 9:19 pm

Hi, Chris.
Somewhere along the line, I think I picked up on the fact that you converted a Fiesta to run on batteries, and then sold it on to someone else on the forum here? If so, what was the set-up like? What power motor did you use, what sort of batteries, and what was the top speed/range like? Did it take you ages and ages to do the conversion, or not too bad?
Regards, David

hyve
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KISS EV

Postby hyve » Sun Nov 29, 2009 4:01 pm

there is in california a firm called electromotive from memory which offers a neat ACmotor and final drive gearbox unitwith inboard CVjoints and half shafts to suit a variety of fwd cars at around $7000.not cheap I agree but from the pics it looks like proper stuff though they offer only one final drive ratio which might prove too low geared for the little Mini 10" wheels.I think you may get all the electronics to go with it for this price......worth a look probably. anyway good luck.alternatively have you considered using a Metro gearbox and drive shafts.
Peter Ph

hyve
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Electro automotive

Postby hyve » Sun Nov 29, 2009 4:14 pm

Sorry, correction there, it's www.electroauto.com

edited by timpootle 21.06 29.11.09 due typo in URL
Peter Ph

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ChrisB
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Postby ChrisB » Sun Nov 29, 2009 5:40 pm

dargles wrote:Hi, Chris.
Somewhere along the line, I think I picked up on the fact that you converted a Fiesta to run on batteries, and then sold it on to someone else on the forum here? If so, what was the set-up like? What power motor did you use, what sort of batteries, and what was the top speed/range like? Did it take you ages and ages to do the conversion, or not too bad?
Regards, David


Yep I had a fiesta which I had to sell to start my own company up.

Alan has it down in Dorset now, it runs a pair of lynch motors with a curtis controller and started life with a set of elecsol LA batteries in it, 10 in all giving it 120v nominal. Alan fitted it with Li-ions but due to a problem is now back with LA's to my knowledge :cry:

The two 60v lynch motors where wired in series thus allowing the 120v through them, I kept it very simple and tidy with only the bear minium.

The motors powered the standard 4 speed gearbox with no clutch via a toothed belt.

Charging was done on the cheap using a standard 110v yellow building site transformer with just a bridge rectifier in it, and a couple of meters built into it, which gave a 10amp max output and would charge to about 150vdc.

Performance wise it could be provoked into spinning up the front wheels in first and second in the dry and 3rd gear in the wet, so it wasnt a slouch 8) Top speed ended up at 75mph but at 200amps (which was the max for the motors) the batteries would soon give up the ghost :roll:

The range was calculated at around 50 miles @ 30mph but as with all conversions calculated and real life range is never the same and best day to day range was about 35 miles, although when Alan was running it on Li-ions he said it was good for 100miles + :shock:

Time wise to build it is hard to say, if you take into account all the stuff I did to the car to fit the batteries and trays etc plus the spray job and all the waxoiling etc the whole build took over a year, but the basics could be done I recon in around 3mths working at weekends.

As with all conversions it starts off looking quite cheap but its all the little things that add up, the 10 battery clamps, the welding wire used for the traction power, all the heat shrink, the crimp lugs, the two dash meters etc etc while the basic build was just a couple of lynch motors at the time around £600 each, a Curtis controller @ £550 and 10 elecsols @ £84 each, gave just under £2600 for the basics. I then had the car plus I recon at least another £500+ in sundries/charger etc making it over £3000 :shock: and then there was all my hours and hours I spent building it.

Thus the next EV I vowed would be a comercial one, especially as the one before that was a comercial Bedford CF which had everything in it.

Hence the Berlingo was my next choice after a break of some 12mths being EV'less, bought for a lot less than the bits for the Fiesta and was very much plug and play, since then I've never looked back 8) Yes the berlingo has its faults but for a constant range of around 45-50miles ( best I have ever had from mine was 63miles) and a top speed of 65mph I just cant knock it :D

Would I do another conversion...........nah its not for me, I prefer to be using an EV than tinkering with it and cost wise in my view its cheaper.

I wouldnt ever say to someone dont build one but I would say be prepared for a fair bit of costs and if possible look for one thats been converted and then just add your own flavour to it 8)

ChrisB
I reject reality and substitute my own !!!!!!


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