[NabilAhmad]

I see a custom run extrusion being more viable than an off the shelf generic case. There are many domestic aluminum extrusion companies too.

[palmer_md]

Has this product development been shelved or is it ongoing? I'd love to hear about the skunkworks shop at evnetics.

[Yukon_Shane]

Tesseract made a referenced in another thred that they have shelved this dc/dc and the evnetics charger design until the sales for their controller improve. Apparently the market hasn't been terribly strong as of late.

It's a bit of a shame but I'm getting the impression that evnetics isn't as interested in the DIY market as they once were. I guess you can't really blame them if there isn't any money in it.

[Siwastaja]

Originally Posted by Yukon_Shane

It's a bit of a shame but I'm getting the impression that evnetics isn't as interested in the DIY market as they once were. I guess you can't really blame them if there isn't any money in it.

People want new things and are getting more and more interested in AC, so an AC controller might have impact on both sales and DIY community, if done and marketed right. But it is not an easy step to take. But, I think the time is coming closer when you have to take it, or die slowly... Just my two cents. DC has lived unexpectedly long so far.

[Tesseract]

Originally Posted by Siwastaja

People want new things and are getting more and more interested in AC, so an AC controller might have impact on both sales and DIY community, if done and marketed right. But it is not an easy step to take. But, I think the time is coming closer when you have to take it, or die slowly... Just my two cents. DC has lived unexpectedly long so far.

Uh-huh, yep. It certainly *seems* like everyone is jumping on the AC bandwagon here, but the Curtis 1231C *still* outsells every other controller, according to one of the major EV component dealers. And yes, they sell the Curtis 1238 AC system, too.

Not only that, but DIY EV components sales in general appear to be trending downward. The primary culprit is the availability of OEM electric vehicles. It doesn't take a Harvard MBA to figure out that if Nissan has sold some 50000 Leafs (and counting), then at least some of those customers won't be converting a car as a result.

Hence my earlier comment back in January about our need to move into a different market entirely, rather than just a lateral move within this one...

[Siwastaja]

I agree and think that a possible market would be on very low-cost AC systems, for those who cannot afford OEM car and plan on making a low-range EV to save on batteries, in which case the motor and controller cost are meaningful.

But low cost also means low profit, and it is very hard to do without sacrificing quality.

[Qer]

Originally Posted by Siwastaja

I agree and think that a possible market would be on very low-cost AC systems

I'd say that Curtis has managed to establish themselves in that market fair and square and that competing with them will be pretty much impossible if you're expecting to actually live on it too. Hobbyists might have a niche here doing something like an AC-version of P&S (isn't Paul working on something like that btw?), but I'd say that's about it. That leaves high performance AC but, well, nah. I doubt there's enough of a market to allow a business to thrive. Especially if you also consider the fact that doing an AC-inverter is a lot more complicated than doing a DC-controller.

[rochesterricer]

Originally Posted by Tesseract

Hence my earlier comment back in January about our need to move into a different market entirely, rather than just a lateral move within this one...

Are you implying that you might leave the EV world entirely and move into something like industrial motor controllers?

[JRP3]

Originally Posted by Siwastaja

I agree and think that a possible market would be on very low-cost AC systems, for those who cannot afford OEM car and plan on making a low-range EV to save on batteries, in which case the motor and controller cost are meaningful.

But low cost also means low profit, and it is very hard to do without sacrificing quality.

Plus you are competing with a growing market of used OEM EV's. Why bother with a conversion when you can eventually get a whole factory built EV with a reduced capacity battery pack for probably less than all the individual components would cost? Also eventually used parts from wrecked EV's. DIY EV's started with used forklift parts and will migrate to used EV car parts. Eventually there will probably be a market for higher end higher power components to soup up your EV.

[Qer]

Originally Posted by rochesterricer

Are you implying that you might leave the EV world entirely and move into something like industrial motor controllers?

Na, as long as the Soliton sells and the parts for it is available it'd be stupid to kill it, I'm even working on a new software release for adding some new features. However, develop an entirely new product (or doing major modification to existing ones) kinda has to at least pay for itself since we're not a charity.

A general decline in DIY-interest makes it harder to justify investing time and money in new products, after all we all have bills to pay etc. I wouldn't rule out the possibility for new stuff in the future entirely (but no promises...), but at least for now the primary focus is elsewhere.