Here is a car that a friend in the USA is building...

Hi Phill,
Have you got any updates on the LiPo4 batteries?

There's not a lot of documentation for current conversions of minis. Since Phil's mini I assume the batteries are better, the cntrollers are stronger, more refined and the motor is more powerful.

Had a tentative search on the 'net and there's bu##er all info.

I'm after an idiot-proof build thread for converting a standard mini to an efficient electric.

Mike's mini conversion is now 2+ yrs old:

http://www.evalbum.com/1715

Surely there's someone out there who's made a cool electric mini that costs stuff-all to run and does 2.4KM drifts.

Chris.

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2 steps forward, 1 step back

Post deleted.

I've often considered this, and others have too for fuel engines (I remember someone on this forum talking of building their own custom engine to mount on a mini gearbox for that reason). However, I'm not convinced this would be the best way of doing things, especially for an electric engine.

A tuned a-series engine can quickly wear out a standard mini box with the relatively low torque that it produces. Electric engines produce a stack of torque - I doubt it would be up to the task. Since electric motors are relatively small, the amount of work taken to mount a modern gearbox and place the motor based on that position would be well worth it.

Plus you'll get a five (or six) speed gearbox.

Electric motors give max torque at zero rpm.
So...
Why do you need any gears in an electric Mini, surely you can leave it in 4th and chain drive to the 1st motion shaft of the box? No gear losses through the indirect gears then.
Electric locomotives have no gears..... (ex railway man here).

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

But you can still stall them Doc if load exceeds max torque production.

What about a planetary gearset??

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"Not Speeding Officer..........Qualifying"

Maybe the gearbox is needed to address "gear anxiety"; a bit like range anxiety but for the avid cog swappers.

Chris.

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2 steps forward, 1 step back

Kev, you're right. Most EV conversions end up leaving the car in gear (3rd generally) and only changing gear to get reverse.

Even if left in 3rd or 4th gear, the issue of the high torque busting the gearbox remains.

I don't understand the motion shaft bit though

Leave in 4th gear and the only thing you can bust is the diff pinion- drive is 1:1 in a straight line.
You could toss all the other gears out including reverse.
Switch the motor rotation for reverse.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

for the longer trips you could make a small trailer with a genny on it

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Make a trailer that's one big alternator run off the wheels.

Unlimited mileage

Adamstuart: 1
Global Warming: 0

/trollface/

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You're so square
Baby I don't care

You'd be surprised just how many people think that's a seriously good idea. Don't encourage them...

excellent I'd love to have a go at 100mph in reverse

I'd use the auto box from a rover mini, just ditch the torque converter.
The gearbox will last a while in good clean oil, you get a park feature to lock the motor, you can lock it in any gear from the selector or drive like a normal auto with seamless gear changes.