Convert your car to an electric car

Here we discuss various alternative energy solutions. From converting your car to electricity to converting your home to be off the grid.
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pietpetoors
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Convert your car to an electric car

Post by pietpetoors »

I have been pondering about this idea for some time now and last night received an email about somebody who is selling an eBook which shows you how to actually do this.

I bought the eBook but will only get time over the weekend to read it.

Those who are curious can check it out so long at http://www.hilux4x4.co.za/go/electric-car

This idea makes more sense to me than trying to save fuel with the hydrogen gadget. By still using an engine you still use fuel and you still need oil for the engine.
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Re: Convert your car to an electric car

Post by Mud Dog »

Hmmm ... would be interesting to hear some more. Most of these things invariably turn out to be gimmicks, and with the cost of electrickery rising the way it is, I wonder if it will be economically viable if one takes the overall cost into consideration.. :think:
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Re: Convert your car to an electric car

Post by krazy_kameleon »

My sentiments exactly MudDog,

My 'lux already gets 11-13 km/liter and thats not even intercooled or tuned. I'm sure if I put in the effort I could get it to 13-15km/liter, if not more.

One would have to do a LOT of km's to justify the cost.
That said its always fun to put a project like that into action and that satisfaction is often priceless
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Re: Convert your car to an electric car

Post by pietpetoors »

I haven't start reading yet but will give you an update on Monday.
I thought about converting an existing car to electric. If you take the weight of the engine, gearbox and full tank of fuel and you replace that with electric motors and batteries I am sure you will come to about the same weight. I also wondered why they do not make the complete roof of electric cars with solar panels, so the batteries can charge while you drive or while the car is parked outside the office while you are at work.
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Re: Convert your car to an electric car

Post by lancebregman »

Hmmm! Very interesting!
I happen to agree with Piet - the solar panels could work out to be very useful!

If we run our cars on electricity we will still be damaging the environment ultimately anyway? Makes one wonder what the whole point is?
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Re: Convert your car to an electric car

Post by pietpetoors »

Lance, I also thought about it, instead of using oil all the time we will now need more copper for the electrical motors, some other material for the batteries and solar panels but the way I see it is when you build an electric car you need those materials less often. A battery pack might last you two years, so instead of using something from mother earth once a week you will now do it once a year.

And then, besides the gasses normal engines produce, the oil it burns was laying deep down in mother earth and was cold. Now we take it out, burn it and produce harmfull gasses and HEAT. Something that was once cold is now hot and you wont have that with electricity, or not that much
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Re: Convert your car to an electric car

Post by dalkill »

Pieter.

If i had the money I would invest in something like this.
Trying to convince my dad to offer up his 1990 corolla for the project.

It's best to transform an automatic vehicle for this project - according to this guy from Australia - http://www.evcapri.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Gives video guides of how he did it.
You'll see they fitting electric motor to what looks like a Triton as well
In here he also says batteries can last up to 5 yrs.
It won't go million miles per hr - but this can be done as well - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qDZOBQs60w" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

yep solar power to recharge looks like a good option.
But solar technology is currently inefficient and expensive
BUT... true to form... we solved the problem of this few years ago already.
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_ ... 138C184427" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
So where is this miracle solar panels --- being produced in Germany for the Germans to enjoy cleaner air, while our government pockets the money and we have to suffer from all sort of asthma and allergies.

But I degress.
The Joule - SA first commercial elec car - would not be in production if it cannot save you money.
But at a price tag of R220K, it's gonna take alot of driving to make up that money.

The technology is out there to rid us from the oil companies grips, but governments around the world hand so deep in their back pockets they trying their utmost to stop us at every turn.
I bet you if you try to build an elec car like that capri , you will be hit with so much red tape and import duties, it's gonna be more expensive than the Joule - again protecting the local market - which is a good thing - but at the expense of the man on the street.

Jeesh, I suffer from verbal diarrea when it comes to alternative energies.
Pieter I hope I have given you some more valuable info.
Pity you so far, else I would have offered to help you in this project.
I used to be around your side of the world alot more, but since the baan does not share her bounty with me anymore .... lets just say we not on speaking terms at the moment :thumbup:
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Re: Convert your car to an electric car

Post by pietpetoors »

Funny, this guy recons a manual is the best. Of what I have read of production vehicles is that they have a motor at each wheel which eliminates the need for a gearbox.
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Re: Convert your car to an electric car

Post by pietpetoors »

OK, the book just gives you enough info so you know you should take out the engine, replace it with a DC electrical motor pop in 20 batteries and wire it up. Some parts are a bit vague but it gives you a good idea.

You can get conversion kits (if you wanna import) at http://www.canev.com/KitsComp/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Spares at http://www.evparts.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; More interesting info at http://www.evcapri.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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1999 Hilux 2.7i 4x4 Raider DC with 3.4 Prado V6. Rear diff-lock, Bull Bar and rock sliders, 31" Cooper ST Maxx, Snorkel, Alu-Canopy, VHF Motorolla radio, West Coast Rust, Mikem Suspension, Ball Joint Spacers in front and Mikem extended shackles at the rear, 25watt LED Spots
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Re: Convert your car to an electric car

Post by dalkill »

pietpetoors wrote:Funny, this guy recons a manual is the best. Of what I have read of production vehicles is that they have a motor at each wheel which eliminates the need for a gearbox.
:wth: would this not add to the weight. :?:
And you would probably have to do ALOT of modifications to the car.
whereas one motor, small modification to slide the motor into the gearbox.
2016 2.4GD6 SR D/C 4x4 (Oct 2022 - current) (Buraaq VI)
2007 d4d 3.0 D/C 4x4 (Mar 2016 - July 2022) (Buraaq V)
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2000 hilux DC 2.7 4x4 (Jul 2011 - Sep 2012) aka Buraaq III
1999 RXI 20v (Nov 2009 - Jul 2011) aka Quicksilver
1990 hilux DC 2.2 4x4 (Jun 2008 - Jul 2011) aka Buraaq II
1997 corolla 160i GLE (Feb 2007 - Sep 2009) aka Green Goblin
1990 GLI twincam (still my fav rolla) (Oct 2005 - Mar 2007) aka Wit Blitz
Golf GTI 2.0 (temp insanity for 2months) (Jun 2005 - Aug 2005) aka A mistake
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Re: Convert your car to an electric car

Post by Mud Dog »

Pieter is referring to production vehicles Shaakir, and I think the point he's trying to make is that they do not use a gearbox / drivetrain or differentials. The okes with the coke-bottle glasses would have taken all aspects into consideration .... and I think that 4 smaller motors will have a higher output than one big one, .... and with less weight than what would be the case with a drivetrain on a single motor. :think:
On the production vehicles the motors have direct drive to the wheels .... no clutch, and when decelerating the motors become dynamo's putting some charge back into the battery system. The resistance created is then also a little like running against compression on an internal combustion piston motor. :wink:
When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.

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Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
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Re: Convert your car to an electric car

Post by dalkill »

AH, I see said the blind man to his deaf daughter.

That does make sense. No power loss thru diff, shafts etc.
Pity manafacturers of the Joele did not read this book. ;-)

On their website it says:
Joule incorporates a powerful traction motor with a single speed gearbox for front-wheel drive. From a driving experience the vehicle is completely automatic.
2016 2.4GD6 SR D/C 4x4 (Oct 2022 - current) (Buraaq VI)
2007 d4d 3.0 D/C 4x4 (Mar 2016 - July 2022) (Buraaq V)
2003 Isuzu KB300 D/C 4x4 (May 2015 - Feb 2016) aka Buraaq IV
2000 hilux DC 2.7 4x4 (Jul 2011 - Sep 2012) aka Buraaq III
1999 RXI 20v (Nov 2009 - Jul 2011) aka Quicksilver
1990 hilux DC 2.2 4x4 (Jun 2008 - Jul 2011) aka Buraaq II
1997 corolla 160i GLE (Feb 2007 - Sep 2009) aka Green Goblin
1990 GLI twincam (still my fav rolla) (Oct 2005 - Mar 2007) aka Wit Blitz
Golf GTI 2.0 (temp insanity for 2months) (Jun 2005 - Aug 2005) aka A mistake
1993 hilux SC 2.2 4x4 (April 2003 - Sept 2005) aka Buraaq

TOYOTA IS MY LEWE
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Re: Convert your car to an electric car

Post by Clarence »

Firstly do some reading on an ev1 or EV100 system You could go the route of Zappie or curtuis syatems. If you want to rewire it to suit two motors on the wheels it is a little bit complacted regarding the contactors

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_EV1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.pgdt.com/products/x-drive/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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