Well, I signed up here a couple years ago, and this is my first post, but really it's the first time I have something to share with the community. After reading thread after thread, toying with a budget, trying to come up with the perfect donor car my conversion is about to begin.
I've decided on a 1986 Porsche 944.
It could use a little bit of body work, but it drives and handles amazingly well (for a gas car!).
The conversion will start as soon as the gas tank is empty, but it will probably be a slow road just like many of the builds I've read about.
I've gone back and forth trying to decide on motors/controllers and batteries (batteries being one of the hardest).
But I think I've almost narrowed it down to a realistic parts list:
Warp9 motor. nothing different, nothing new, but it should do what I want, I was very close to choosing the 192V Kostov 11 over this, however a ~15xV pack is more practical and cost effective.
Warp Drive 160V 1000A or 1200A controller. this controller is fairly new, it was a tight race between this and the Soliton1, however with the real world power that I will be able to get out of the batteries the Soliton1 is a very sexy but over budget/overkill solution.
Thundersky LiFePO4 160AH or 200AH 48 cell pack I was really hoping for CALB 180AH cells, to have a little more continuous current 720A vs 480/600 for either of the TS solutions but Randy at CANEV has a pretty damn good price on the TS cells and that will most likely make the decision for me.
If you made it this far I'm sorry my component choices are somewhat average or mainstream but it's hard to beat what seems to work, I would have loved to go AC or use a pair of motors but reality wins and this is most likely what will end up in my first EV.
With the "big 3" decided, there's only the small things to worry about,
Heater (ya I'm up in Canada, this isn't optional) I've ordered a fluid heater for testing. I would rather not hack up the dash to put in a ceramic heater in.
Air conditioning, it came with the car, it's going to stay with the car, however it will be powered by a dedicated motor because it won't be used that often, so the only penalty is the weight I carry around the rest of the year. To power it I'm looking at "re-using" the stock alternator and doing something like this: http://www.alternatorconversions.com/ the alternative is a treadmill style motor.
DC/DC converter well as my name might imply audio is important, so I will most likely run dual dc/dc converters plus the stock battery. The 2nd dc/dc converter will allow me to have a completely isolated power system for the stereo. Both will be made from common 75-150watt brick style dc/dc converters in modules that give me the peak currents that I'm looking for. Most likely 45A for the stock electrical and 80A for the stereo.
BMS after looking at tons and tons of systems, most of them very expensive, while they may be good I see the BMS as an insurance policy for your pack, something necessary but affordable. Well that leaves only one, MiniBMS! dimitri expect an order in the spring I will be doing some of my own guages, so I already need to run a wire from each cell to a 48 channel volt meter, so the centralized MiniBMS should be easy to install at the same time.
Vacuum my step dad is a VW mechanic, and I've read that some VW's have or had electric vacuum pumps, I'll have to double check this and ask for his recommendation.
Power Steering this is the one weak link in the Porsche, it leaks, and when it leaks it destroys the ball joints. I have a feeling that mine leaks already, so it's either going to need new seals at the very least along with an MR2 pump or similar to power it. OR I will try to compare this with the cost of swapping out for a manual rack out of an older 944. I may have to test drive a car with the manual rack and see if I like it, the 944 with power steering is still a lot "heavier" than my Infiniti G35.
Adapter/Coupler I have a small CNC machine so the adapter plate(s) shouldn't be to hard, the coupler on the other hand might be a little trickier since I don't have a lathe. It will retain the clutch though, and probably be similar to a VW conversion on here that used a taperlock pulley setup from Grainger. (I appologize I forgot this members screen name)
That's it for now, I think I've addressed the main requirements. If anyone out there has tips/recommendations/advise I would be happy to hear it. I have lots of automotive experience, as well as electrical but this will be something new for me. I hope the journey is as rewarding as the outcome.
Needs some work, but not bad, and the interior is mint!
I've decided on a 1986 Porsche 944.
It could use a little bit of body work, but it drives and handles amazingly well (for a gas car!).
The conversion will start as soon as the gas tank is empty, but it will probably be a slow road just like many of the builds I've read about.
I've gone back and forth trying to decide on motors/controllers and batteries (batteries being one of the hardest).
But I think I've almost narrowed it down to a realistic parts list:
Warp9 motor. nothing different, nothing new, but it should do what I want, I was very close to choosing the 192V Kostov 11 over this, however a ~15xV pack is more practical and cost effective.
Warp Drive 160V 1000A or 1200A controller. this controller is fairly new, it was a tight race between this and the Soliton1, however with the real world power that I will be able to get out of the batteries the Soliton1 is a very sexy but over budget/overkill solution.
Thundersky LiFePO4 160AH or 200AH 48 cell pack I was really hoping for CALB 180AH cells, to have a little more continuous current 720A vs 480/600 for either of the TS solutions but Randy at CANEV has a pretty damn good price on the TS cells and that will most likely make the decision for me.
If you made it this far I'm sorry my component choices are somewhat average or mainstream but it's hard to beat what seems to work, I would have loved to go AC or use a pair of motors but reality wins and this is most likely what will end up in my first EV.
With the "big 3" decided, there's only the small things to worry about,
Heater (ya I'm up in Canada, this isn't optional) I've ordered a fluid heater for testing. I would rather not hack up the dash to put in a ceramic heater in.
Air conditioning, it came with the car, it's going to stay with the car, however it will be powered by a dedicated motor because it won't be used that often, so the only penalty is the weight I carry around the rest of the year. To power it I'm looking at "re-using" the stock alternator and doing something like this: http://www.alternatorconversions.com/ the alternative is a treadmill style motor.
DC/DC converter well as my name might imply audio is important, so I will most likely run dual dc/dc converters plus the stock battery. The 2nd dc/dc converter will allow me to have a completely isolated power system for the stereo. Both will be made from common 75-150watt brick style dc/dc converters in modules that give me the peak currents that I'm looking for. Most likely 45A for the stock electrical and 80A for the stereo.
BMS after looking at tons and tons of systems, most of them very expensive, while they may be good I see the BMS as an insurance policy for your pack, something necessary but affordable. Well that leaves only one, MiniBMS! dimitri expect an order in the spring I will be doing some of my own guages, so I already need to run a wire from each cell to a 48 channel volt meter, so the centralized MiniBMS should be easy to install at the same time.
Vacuum my step dad is a VW mechanic, and I've read that some VW's have or had electric vacuum pumps, I'll have to double check this and ask for his recommendation.
Power Steering this is the one weak link in the Porsche, it leaks, and when it leaks it destroys the ball joints. I have a feeling that mine leaks already, so it's either going to need new seals at the very least along with an MR2 pump or similar to power it. OR I will try to compare this with the cost of swapping out for a manual rack out of an older 944. I may have to test drive a car with the manual rack and see if I like it, the 944 with power steering is still a lot "heavier" than my Infiniti G35.
Adapter/Coupler I have a small CNC machine so the adapter plate(s) shouldn't be to hard, the coupler on the other hand might be a little trickier since I don't have a lathe. It will retain the clutch though, and probably be similar to a VW conversion on here that used a taperlock pulley setup from Grainger. (I appologize I forgot this members screen name)
That's it for now, I think I've addressed the main requirements. If anyone out there has tips/recommendations/advise I would be happy to hear it. I have lots of automotive experience, as well as electrical but this will be something new for me. I hope the journey is as rewarding as the outcome.
Needs some work, but not bad, and the interior is mint!