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Electric Mini??????????
https://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12660		 Page 1 of 4
Author:  shane [ Sun Oct 30, 2005 5:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Electric Mini??????????
Has anybody ever had any experience with electric conversions?????
I was reading up on it on this website today and found it quite interesting.
I rekon it could be done with a mini pano.
There'd be heaps of room for the batteries where the fuel tank fits along the back and also up inside the rear subframe. I could make install hatches in the floor in the back so i could access the batteries. And if i wanted to theres an abundance of room in the back for batteries.
I had a bit of a think about how the electric motor could be mounted on the engine bay using the same gearbox and clutch housings (i read somewhere you could get 5 and 6 speed mini boxes too) the electric motor has 1 1/4 drive shaft, i reckon it would be possible to make an adaptor that would be able to fit the flywheel on the end of it and still have the clutch splines on it also. The top of the gearbox could be simply plated of and i could run normal gear oil.
These motors claim to get up to have a top speed of 130km/h and a range of 80 to 100km (depending on application of course) and the batteries can be charged from a normal 10a power point at home or at work (lets see the tax man get ya on that fringe benefit).
I think this is a great idea because every time i fill up at the bowser i shed a tear parting with my hard earned dollars.

What do you guys think????????????????????????????????

http://www.electroauto.com/index.html

http://www.evmotors.com.au/
Author:  Angusdog [ Sun Oct 30, 2005 6:19 pm ]
Post subject: 
Do they need gearboxes? I was under the impression they ran direct drive straight to the diff, thanks to the unbelievable torque and the linear nature of the power.
Author:  shane [ Sun Oct 30, 2005 7:03 pm ]
Post subject: 
From what i have read during all my web browsing it seems that an electric motor faces the same problem as a petrol motor in relation to power output at certain RPM. The electric motors that are currently being used for cars only seem to have a useable range similar to that of a conventional petrol engine therefore they require a gearbox to give you the required ratios to practically drive the car. I think some companies do have a purpose built gearbox for their electric motors but the end result is still the same. Where abouts did u hear that no gearbox was required because if this was so this would simplify this concept significantly, no clutch or box now we'd be starting to compensate for all that extra weight in batteries (approximately 10 good ol lead acid too)
Author:  awdmoke [ Sun Oct 30, 2005 7:45 pm ]
Post subject: 
Have you read this thread?
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6243&highlight=

Electric motors have a wide torque band, & usually rev from 0-9000rpm as opposed to the limited power band of an ICE. Most "budget" electric conversions get rid of the clutch and just use second gear in the original gearbox. Professional conversions use an industrial type fixed single reduction gearbox - much smaller & lighter.

The Victorian Mini Club has the last surviving Electro Moke, which has two electric motors each with it's own readuction gearing & a chain drive to the original driveshafts. So each of the front wheels are independantly driven.

There is more than one way to skin a cat :wink:
Author:  benjamin [ Sun Oct 30, 2005 7:59 pm ]
Post subject: 
i think id run it with a gearbox so the motor isnt highly loaded at takeoff but then again some of these motors are quite strong:?

would be interesting to see and the car would stay so much cleaner without the oil leaks and fuel :)
Author:  NoMoreMinis [ Sun Oct 30, 2005 8:30 pm ]
Post subject: 
There was a yellow van kicking around SA for a while with an electric engine mated to a mini gearbox.....dont know what happened to it....I think the owner (not the builder) was going to rip the electrics out and return it to standard.

I think i've got some pics here somewhere......

apparently it was really torquey.....would spin the wheels in any gear.....but didnt really rev that hard....

I dont think it was road registered.

Jeremy
Author:  shane [ Sun Oct 30, 2005 8:41 pm ]
Post subject: 
That really shed some light on the subject, the concept of the electric motor seems to be spot on but the means of powering is really the biggest issue at hand (if only they made light affordable batteries). I'm still not 100% on whether a gearbox is necessary or not from everything i have read i would say yes. And a 5 speed would be a must. Does anybody know of any australian companies that specialise in electric conversion or is it still something people have to create in their backyards?
Author:  Morris 1100 [ Sun Oct 30, 2005 8:52 pm ]
Post subject: 
Most electric vehicles do not have a gearbox.
The electric motor gives torque from zero revs so you do not need one.
I have seen a few conversions and I have not seen a good one yet!
The battery pack is too expensive and too heavy for most small cars to carry.
There is an Electric vehicle society in Sydney, you might be able to find them with google.

Here is my favorite electric car....

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Author:  shane [ Sun Oct 30, 2005 9:12 pm ]
Post subject: 
That is the one thing that is putting me off at the moment the whole concept of modifying my minis suspension to hold more weight kind of defeats the purpose of having a mini in the first place. Maybe in years down the track they will develop better batteries that will make this plan feasable.

Maybe i should go back to thinking about the 1275 option
Author:  awdmoke [ Sun Oct 30, 2005 9:32 pm ]
Post subject: 
They have the batteries (lithium ion) if you have the $$$$
Author:  awdmoke [ Tue Nov 01, 2005 9:46 pm ]
Post subject: 
* correction *
The Electro Moke is being restored by the Vic. Moke Club
http://www.moke.org.au/
Author:  Angusdog [ Wed Nov 02, 2005 6:20 am ]
Post subject: 
Instead of batteries, wait until they develop a nuclear reactor the size of a microwave (Australia has heaps of uranium, I gather). Oh, and buy some lead undies.

Check out www.nedra.com for electric vehicle drags. Their motors can spin wheels, twist driveshafts. They just sound like sewing macines. Also, most big locomotives have a diesel engine driving a generator which supplies electricity to individual motors for each axle - so there is more than one way to skin a possum (Which in NZ are noxious pests and carry TB, but then so did the Bronte sisters).
Author:  MrBob [ Wed Nov 02, 2005 6:34 am ]
Post subject: 
Isn't that pretty much the idea behind the hybrid petrol/electric cars??

I've toyed with the idea of an electric mini. I don't reckon it'd be that hard to get off the ground, just would take lot's of time and $$$'s to fine tune once it's going. I was thinking of the same thing - electric motor sitting directly on top of mini gearbox.
Author:  Mick [ Wed Nov 02, 2005 9:19 am ]
Post subject: 
Series wound motors like your starter motor for instance have magnificent torque from stall. These are motors which have brushes and copper commutators.
Anyone had a drill bit jam whilst drilling through steel and nearly broken your wrist?
If you have one of these you won't need a gearbox. They can run on either AC or DC

They run out of puff later on though up the rev range.

Induction motors (They have aluminium rotors and no brushes) have little starting torque but give a soft start for the sake of the transmission and have a torque curve more like a car. These motors need AC power supplies though. That means an inverter. These are the more common choice.
Author:  cush [ Wed Nov 02, 2005 10:06 am ]
Post subject: 
Angusdog wrote:
Instead of batteries, wait until they develop a nuclear reactor the size of a microwave (Australia has heaps of uranium, I gather). Oh, and buy some lead undies.


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