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Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
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PostPosted: July 18, 2015, 7:23 am 
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Joined: March 30, 2011, 7:18 am
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Location: central Arkansas
Some years ago I talked with a guy with electric-converted Rabbit who was using a "pusher". The pusher trailer was the front half of an ordinary VW-powered Rabbit, sawed off neatly and the back part covered over.

When he was out of or conserving battery power he fired up the pusher and drove it as a standard gasoline powered car. Due generator to storage losses, it was much more efficient to use the gas engine directly than to run a generator.

The builder had run a long throttle cable back to the pusher, and if I remember right, he found it more convenient to use the original Rabbit fuel tank, so disconnecting and reconnecting the pusher took a few minutes to get everything hooked up.

He said he expected the pusher to feel strange, but it drove pretty much like a standard Rabbit. He used the pusher on trips and left it in the garage for local driving.


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PostPosted: July 20, 2015, 4:49 pm 
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Joined: July 4, 2006, 5:40 pm
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Location: Novato, CA
I just read through this thread for the first time. I'm the last person who'd ever consider electric power, but a recent project by my brother has me thinking about it. At the Bay Area Maker Faire each year, there are a few EVs on hand, including a converted Miata that looks pretty slick with lithium batteries and everything.

The other thing that got me thinking about it is the huge bank of EV charging stations my company has installed right outside my office. I commute in the gas Locost pretty much daily, and it's not my favorite kind of driving, but still more fun than my real car. I'd think a Locost with the powerplant from that EV Miata and about half the batteries might be a pretty nice commuter. It would be a sizeable investment, though.


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PostPosted: July 20, 2015, 5:42 pm 
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Location: West Chicago,IL
Well Nick, EV Locost would certainly solve your muffler hanger issue.

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PostPosted: July 27, 2015, 10:54 pm 
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Location: central Arkansas
A friend has a project to convert an old Austin 7 into an EV. He started with an electric S-10 with worn-out batteries. Apparently GM made some S-10 EVs... anyway, it had the motors, all the electronic controls, etc.; all he had to do was rearrange the bits to fit the Austin and stick batteries in wherever there was room. I lost track of him a few years ago, so I don't know what happened to the project. It wouldn't have been as exotic as some of the ones he'd begun and completed before, though.

If you could pick up a complete EV or even a hybrid that's not wrecked too badly, it could give you a big leg up on the hardware you'd need. There are lots of hybrids in the junkyards now, and there's a huge knowledge base out there on hacking the Prius once you weed through the frenzied EV evangelism.


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PostPosted: November 16, 2020, 9:38 pm 
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Joined: April 19, 2018, 2:02 am
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I'm in the process of building a BEC "F1000"ish car using a CBR1000RR motor. I'm starting to get distracted with electric cars and have seen some Youtube vids about the newer Chevy Bolt (not volt) motor/transaxle that make it seem pretty awesome. I want to say it's under 100 lbs and has about 200hp.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APhRPSdmdmk

It looks like you can get a used one off Ebay for $500 or so. Of course you need a controller and batteries. If you're not super worried about range, I would think 100 lbs of "hobby grade" Lipo cells could deliver the power you'd want. Most hobby grade cells are anywhere from 20 to 150 C discharge. It only takes about 100 cells to get to 400volts or so. If range isn't a concern I think weight could be comparable to a BEC.

Since I mostly do RC car (electric) stuff, it might be a more interesting option for me. I think it will ultimately cost more to do electric, but damn, the last time I looked at EV motors, prices were ridiculous. $500 for 200hp is awesome. Probably another grand or 2 for a controller, maybe a grand for hobby style batteries.

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PostPosted: November 16, 2020, 10:30 pm 
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They probably won't be low cost, but looks like EV crate motor packages are coming:

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2020/10/ch ... v-hotrods/

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PostPosted: November 16, 2020, 11:14 pm 
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seattletom wrote:
They probably won't be low cost, but looks like EV crate motor packages are coming:

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2020/10/ch ... v-hotrods/



VW as well... https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/5/20851 ... motor-show

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PostPosted: November 17, 2020, 1:57 am 
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Wow, cool, thanks for the links.

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