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All major car makers use AC propulsion systems for a reason.
That reason is simplicity, robustness and excellent, programmable
operating parameters.

For the past year, there has been a group of people studying
AC propulsion systems. They all eventually noticed the huge
gap in the AC motor offerings from the many motor manufacturers.

The present AC50 and soon to be AC75 systems are at the top of
the "lower" cost systems...

What do we really need out of our EV automatic? We want it to drive like a normal car while getting GREAT mileage.....LOL

There are many commonalities with an ICE transmission as it is doing the same job and it can not tell what is turning it. The huge benefit to electricity is that at stop lights, it can sit and not use any energy. It does not need to "idle".

We can use a torque converter or not, but the automatic transmission does have one problem....

Bought most of the bits for the conversion in December 2010. They shipped in and I took delivery in May 2011.

July 2012: Embarrassing mess. Wasted $$ in battery connectors made of tinned steel and copper mesh. Good lesson: make sure I post online any questions at least a week before I have to make a decision.

Eventually bought good ones and a vacuum pump for the brakes from

www.evworks.com.au/

The good ones cost 25% of what I paid for the bad...

http://www.waihekeev.blogspot.co.nz

I bought Gavin Shoebridge's EV Secret's book, Kia Ora mate! and am starting down the path.

The first thing the ebook I bought said to do was plan. I don't have a donor vehicle yet, I am going to trawl trade me to see what I can find, and what I like, after I work out what my modifications will weigh!

So the requirements for my Waiheke EV.

Power

The highest speed limit on the island is 70km/h,...

You are running a transmission because you have admitted that you need two forward gears or need a reverse gear. (DC-without a reversing contactor.)

EV conversions need to be catagorized.

"Heavy"
"medium"
"light"
"Flyweight"

My car is in the light end of the "Light" class". It is almost capable of direct drive, without a transmission.

Several "Rules-of-thumb",...