As a follow up to my electric trike conversion I did on my "Cycle project" thread, I'm now contemplating a low KW motor car conversion.
The weapon of choice is a 1989 Suzuki Super Carry, which I have already purchased.
I'm thinking of utilising four 48V x 2000W BLDC motors and controllers much the same as the one I used on the trike. I will be retaining the 5 speed transmission to enable a wider potential for speed/acceleration..
I can purchase the 4 motors and controllers for a total cost of $620 delivered. I've located a source for 100AH 12V deep cycle lead acid batteries for $150 per unit. I'm thinking 8 of these for a 200AH 48V storage capacity.
Lead acid isn't ideal given the weight (30 kg each) but considering the cost of lithium equivalents I may as well abandon the project and buy a cheap Nissan Leaf if I pursued that route.
I've done some research already and apparently there is no problem running multiple controllers off one throttle signal.
Retaining the gearbox would have other advantages, the rear drive arrangement, brakes etc are unchanged, the factory speedo would still function and the drivetrain would be already half mounted to the chassis.
The standard Carry weighs 700kg. The engine and transmission weighs 125kg. The gearbox isn't too big so I reckon the engine itself probably weighs around 100kg. I think once you add the alternator, exhaust system, fuel tank, radiator, engine oil and coolant weights, spare wheel and carrier, original 12V battery and it's cables to the pile the vehicle will be around 500kg.
The motors and controllers are 20kg in total, 8 batteries 240kg. I reckon with the motor mounts/drive, battery cradles and cabling I'll end up with a vehicle that weighs somewhere around 800kg. Plan with the batteries would be to cut the single skin load floor either side of the tailshaft, roughly in line with the sliding doors, and hang the batteries underneath. This is where the fuel tank and exhaust system currently live. I would be cutting it neatly with a 1mm disc so the floor panels can be reused as lids for the batteries. This position would keep the battery mass central and the COG low.
Biggest dilemma, how to connect the 4 motors to the gearbox input shaft? The ratio would need to be 1 to 1 as the proposed electric motors have a max rated rpm of 4500. Ideally a plate would need to be fabricated to fit the bellhousing, all the motors mount to this plate and the drive is on the inside of the bellhousing. As we are only talking 8KW in total a 420/428 MC chain, 6PK or 1" toothed belt should all be capable of coping. Other option would obviously be a gear drive but that could get exxy real quick and lubrication would be an issue. Does anyone have any thoughts on this or other power transmission ideas, friction drive?
Performance is a bit of an unknown, although I did find a company in QLD that sell a 700kg, 60V 4KW 8 seater tuk tuk and they claim it has a 60kph top speed and a 100km range from its 100AH lithium battery.
The trike has acheived 72kph, (combined bike and rider weight 150kg) and in 2nd speed (averaging 40kph) its 24AH battery pack gives a 20 km range.
The early 36V version of the Henny Kilowatt had a top speed of 64kph and a 64km range. This was from a 900kg vehicle with a 7hp (5.2KW) motor. The only stat I can't find was what the storage capacity of its 18 x 2V cells was?
Any constructive thoughts and input would be greatly appreciated.
I realise a single motor would be a lot simpler, but I like the idea of having a 6KW "limp home" mode if one of the motors or controllers were to fail. I guess you'd still get home (slowly) even if 2 or 3 motors had system failures?
The weapon of choice is a 1989 Suzuki Super Carry, which I have already purchased.
I'm thinking of utilising four 48V x 2000W BLDC motors and controllers much the same as the one I used on the trike. I will be retaining the 5 speed transmission to enable a wider potential for speed/acceleration..
I can purchase the 4 motors and controllers for a total cost of $620 delivered. I've located a source for 100AH 12V deep cycle lead acid batteries for $150 per unit. I'm thinking 8 of these for a 200AH 48V storage capacity.
Lead acid isn't ideal given the weight (30 kg each) but considering the cost of lithium equivalents I may as well abandon the project and buy a cheap Nissan Leaf if I pursued that route.
I've done some research already and apparently there is no problem running multiple controllers off one throttle signal.
Retaining the gearbox would have other advantages, the rear drive arrangement, brakes etc are unchanged, the factory speedo would still function and the drivetrain would be already half mounted to the chassis.
The standard Carry weighs 700kg. The engine and transmission weighs 125kg. The gearbox isn't too big so I reckon the engine itself probably weighs around 100kg. I think once you add the alternator, exhaust system, fuel tank, radiator, engine oil and coolant weights, spare wheel and carrier, original 12V battery and it's cables to the pile the vehicle will be around 500kg.
The motors and controllers are 20kg in total, 8 batteries 240kg. I reckon with the motor mounts/drive, battery cradles and cabling I'll end up with a vehicle that weighs somewhere around 800kg. Plan with the batteries would be to cut the single skin load floor either side of the tailshaft, roughly in line with the sliding doors, and hang the batteries underneath. This is where the fuel tank and exhaust system currently live. I would be cutting it neatly with a 1mm disc so the floor panels can be reused as lids for the batteries. This position would keep the battery mass central and the COG low.
Biggest dilemma, how to connect the 4 motors to the gearbox input shaft? The ratio would need to be 1 to 1 as the proposed electric motors have a max rated rpm of 4500. Ideally a plate would need to be fabricated to fit the bellhousing, all the motors mount to this plate and the drive is on the inside of the bellhousing. As we are only talking 8KW in total a 420/428 MC chain, 6PK or 1" toothed belt should all be capable of coping. Other option would obviously be a gear drive but that could get exxy real quick and lubrication would be an issue. Does anyone have any thoughts on this or other power transmission ideas, friction drive?
Performance is a bit of an unknown, although I did find a company in QLD that sell a 700kg, 60V 4KW 8 seater tuk tuk and they claim it has a 60kph top speed and a 100km range from its 100AH lithium battery.
The trike has acheived 72kph, (combined bike and rider weight 150kg) and in 2nd speed (averaging 40kph) its 24AH battery pack gives a 20 km range.
The early 36V version of the Henny Kilowatt had a top speed of 64kph and a 64km range. This was from a 900kg vehicle with a 7hp (5.2KW) motor. The only stat I can't find was what the storage capacity of its 18 x 2V cells was?
Any constructive thoughts and input would be greatly appreciated.
I realise a single motor would be a lot simpler, but I like the idea of having a 6KW "limp home" mode if one of the motors or controllers were to fail. I guess you'd still get home (slowly) even if 2 or 3 motors had system failures?
