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Planning 1990 Plymouth Voyager Conversion

2K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  madderscience 
#1 ·
Many years ago, as a teenager, I was pretty into AFVs and decided when my big honkin' minivan bit the big one, I would convert it to electric. Well. That day has finally come, and in the meantime, I've forgotten everything I ever knew about it, so I am hoping someone here can give me some direction.

To start off, I am indeed hellbent on the big honkin' minivan or nothing. I'd like to keep the vehicle for sentimental reasons, but at this point it's basically junk.

I mainly want to get a sense of how involved a conversion is likely to be, how much it will cost, and what kind of performance can be reasonably expected. I don't yet have a budget or target for performance or range, as I've just started thinking about this again recently.

My skillset is empty, although I worked on solar cars in college, so presumably I have some capacity for learning this stuff.

The van is an automatic. I forget whether this is a problem or not.

TIA for any advice.
 
#2 ·
Hate to tell you, but from everything I've read so far (and it's about all I've done) you have an uphill battle.

Strike 1: A Voyager is not a light vehicle, curb-weight speaking.
Strike 2: A Voyager with an automatic tranny is going to be rather difficult to convert. Most conversions want either a manual transmission or none at all, and you'll only get none working if you have an AC system which will cost you more money - because you'll need to have higher RPMs to the differential than a DC system can sustain.
Strike 3: EVERY web site tells you to not convert "junk." But one man's junk, etc., etc. HOW is it junk? Is the body and frame sound? Is the interior in good shape? Do you mean that the engine is bad, or the whole thing is bad?

I'm in the same conundrum with my 1991 4Runner. I love that little machine, and would love to see it electric; but it's got some (not a lot of) rust, it's heavy, and it has an automatic trans. I figure the best legacy I can give it (it's not running today, but could be with a bit of work) is to fix it, sell it, and use the parts for my upcoming conversion of another vehicle to electric.
 
#4 ·
#5 ·
This is probably your best comparison/precedent:

http://www.evalbum.com/377

Though this guy got very lucky and got a 120Kw (thats about 160hp) AC system donated to him. Not sure how he managed that one. One thing that he did WRONG was the battery choice: optima red tops are a starting battery and will have poor cycle life. If you want AGMs as he probably needs to feed his 120KW monster motor, then a deep cycle battery like an optima yellow top would have been the appropriate choice. Of course if the batteries were free, whatever.

A minivan will have the same advantages and disadvantages as a compact pickup: lots of room for batteries, high GVW and probably pretty easy mechanically to convert, however a larger, less aerodynamic vehicle will be less efficient and have less range.

You can (and should) swap out the automatic for a manual (with clutch would probably be best but clutchless works too in an EV), its some additional work but not impossible and would make for a better vehicle in the end.

Good luck
 
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