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Grant electric mini.

159K views 311 replies 31 participants last post by  Studebaker 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi lads.

So, I decided to attempt this project.












. Yeap …it’s a mini. Not the best example, this one. In need of full restoration. That’s way this isn’t gonna be one of those fast moving threads. Although , I will work on electric drive train, along with restoration, so I hope I’ll have something to show for soon enough.

Mini isn’t the easiest one to convert. This transmission in the sump stuff makes it really difficult. I should probably have chosen different car. Say, Nissan Micra. Or Toyota Yaris. Or…but hey, if I am to part with 10k Euro plus in the course of this build, I’m not putting me dough into something that I can only drive while wearing balaclava. I don’t want a car that I have to park two blocks away from meeting place just to avoid being seen in it.

Mini on other hand, is a pretty little thing. Nice little car. And, if it wasn’t for that strangely designed drive train, I’d say it would be an ideal base for EV conversion. It is light, it’s simple, and it’s cool.

Mini it is, then.

My plan is to use preferably off the shelf parts, and components. New ones. Where not possible, those easily available. Scaling engineering and fabricating work down to the very minimum. The idea is to work out a way of converting these cars without complicated machining work, without difficult fabrications i.e. Can spent up to 10k Euro. That’s only conversion. Excluding car and its restoration costs. Anything above 10k Euro mark doesn’t actually make much sense for me. I don’t care for environment Neither I’m into saving the planet crap. I want the return of my investment during few years of using the car as daily commuter.

I’d like, driving this car wouldn’t require any special skills. That it could be driven by anyone. My teenage daughter, my partner (she doesn’t drive stick), and also my nearly 90 years old grandma. My grandma hardly even walks, to be honest. Let alone drive. But you know what I’m getting at here. Tricky clutch less gear shifting is out of question. Any gear shifting - for that matter- is out of question.

Car will be mainly used for commuting to work. I live in rural area (25KM from nearest town), and my partner drives to work 5 days a week. She does from 52 to 60 (depends on her shopping frenzy) kilometers there and back. And that basically covers our transportation needs.

I’m gonna start from the drive train. And here I could really use your help. Any advice, any suggestions, will be most appreciated. Actually, trying to figure out how to transfer power from electric motor to mini’s wheels - without getting into advanced engineering stuff - is the reason I’ve lost sleep lately.
 
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#40 ·
Heh. Garage came with the house… which I have to pay rent for. Luckily I’m in Ireland and they have huge garages here. You know what they say…

Don’t really know how the CV s gonna play out. The moment I see transaxle with me own eyes, I will. Not concerned much about it though. I’m gonna make it play...
 
#41 ·
I feel the need to bump this thread, as I am about to throw down for an electric classic mini myself.

I have been researching this for the past few weeks, and this is definitely where I am heading.

Couple of questions. How are you planning to mount the "transaxle is from Graziano, and is the UVT 900 gearbox?" Is this simply a modification of the front subframe, or something more indepth. I had already zeroed in on the AC setup, utilizing an AC50 motor. But the mating to the differential / transmission has me stumped.

Looking forward to getting into my own project.
 
#42 ·
The HPEVS transaxle has a ratio of 8.5:1 - the transaxle is single-speed. The AC50 has a max motor speed of 8500. The limitation is actually the controller, as the motor and the transmission have a top end of 10K RPM.
You will find that the usable torque stops at about 6,500RPM. SO getting 10,000RPM would not really help much.

AN AC50 is quick in a 453KG auto, good in a 900KG auto and is disappointing in a 1,400KG auto.

Keep it light. You only need 2 gears. Town and open roadway.

A direct drive Mini has been done. http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52461&highlight=cooper+mini

An AC50 build here: http://evmini.tumblr.com/

Hiding the cells are the biggest challenge.

Miz
 
#43 ·
Hi guys.

Metal work goes painfully slow.







First I tried to avoid getting new panels as much as I can. Done up one wing.










And decided - it’s just not worth it, when you can have one for 40 quid.



Bought the rest of’em eventually.





Hi Aboveliquidice

I think mounting transaxle, I mean entire drive-train - once the motor and axle is bolted together - isn’t going to be very difficult. Mini’s sub frame gives you plenty of space to manoeuvre. Guess, couple of brackets, should do the trick. Just to hold the unit in required position. Bigger challenge - in my opinion - will be connecting drive shafts to the axle. Messing with drive shafts may be tricky. And if you ask me - unless one has access to precise machining equipment - it is never a good idea. Anyway, I’m not quite there yet. Once I finish up the shell I order the axle, and report back on working progress.

About battery cells accommodation, mizlplix - they’ll go into the boot.



I intend to cut out boot floor and make a box which will be sunk inside rear sub frame. There is quite large not utilised space inside the rear sub frame, there.

Cheers

Thanks for reading.
 
#44 ·
I intend to cut out boot floor and make a box which will be sunk inside rear sub frame. There is quite large not utilised space inside the rear sub frame, there.
I was seriously thinking of doing the same, but decided against it after reading up on the UK regulations. I don't know what the regs are like in Ireland, but here if you cut any significant holes in the monocoque or subframe you have to inform the vehicle licensing authority and put the car through single vehicle approval. For the time being I'm just going to put the pack in the rear seat space.
 
#49 ·
Right On.

I would argue that the car is coming along quite nicely.

I am also planning a battery box that extends into the rear sub-frame. I have 30 CALB 100AH cells that will fit between the sub-frame with some extra space for a contactor and possibly a charger.

How much clearance are you guys planning to leave between the battery boxes and say the garage floor as the car sits fully loaded?


- Jaesin
 
#50 ·
Don’t know how much it’ll leave from the floor, but I was thinking of some 7 inches.deep box.
Depending on battery height they may stick out above the surface couple of centimeters. I wouldn’t worry about it . In practical terms, mini’s boot isn’t of some strategic importance . Loosing few cubic inches won’t do much harm. Why not to put batteries in it as it is then?. Well, lower center of mass helps handling. Besides, even though mini’s boot isn’t practical, having some room there, may come handy from time to time.
 
#51 ·
I think a 7 inch deep box would let me keep a new boot floor level that is even with boot opening. I don't know if there is some sort of pre-determined safe clearance for chassis parts. A skid plate might be a good idea.

I want to keep as much space as possible in the boot as I use it quite a bit.
It is very easy to get stuff in and out since it opens like a tail gate.

- Jaesin
 
#55 ·
We can build you one. Very few of the parts in the standard AC50 work with the Graziano style motor. My suggestion would be to find someone to buy the motor you have and buy the correct motor for the trans, or use an adapter to use the motor you have on a standard trans.
 
#57 ·
You are in the $1800 range. You may want to just look at buying a kit with controller, it's a little cheaper that way, unless you have a controller already. Keep in mind, if we didn't provide the controller setup for that motor, the software in the controller most likely won't have the motor characterization for the AC50 in it.
 
#61 ·
Hi guys

Been a while. Thought, I do some update.

Well, things been slow. Very slow, actually. My enthusiasm towards this project plummeted. It’s at its all times low now. However I’ve manage to do little progress. There’s been discussion in Jaesin thread http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showthread.php/1972-mini-cooper-e-64941.html?highlight=mini
about battery box in mini’s boot So, here is what I come up with. I mean what I been working on for a last couple…nah, more like… few months.



























Box is 70 centimetres by 32 centimetres . Deep ? Depends where you measure. Deepest is 21 centimetres . Anyway its bottom levels up with the main floor level,
Don’t know how many, or what kind of batteries it’ll fit. Eventually Tell you the true, I start to fear, that by the time I be getting them batteries , the box will fit enough of’em to power mini for… half a year. Not that I’m this confident in battery manufacturing industry. Simply saying…it may be a while

Salutations to all
Chris
 
#63 ·
Hi Chris. I've been on the enthusiasm roller coaster a few times myself. If it's any help I reckon you've done the right thing by sinking the battery box in the boot. I considered doing the same for ages, but in the end chickened out and put the pack in the back seat. If I was using prismatic cells I would definitely have put them in the boot.

Looks like you've done a neat job. Those dimensions for the box are almost identical to what I was planning - about the maximum you can get inside the subframe.
 
#70 ·
Hi
I LOVE the bootlid!

I used to have a mini that grew a 2 litre Lancia twin cam!

Suggestions (probably too late)

Lose the rear subframe - fit a cross bar that the rear swinging arms attach to and fit coil over shocks
This will give a mighty amount of space in the rear - and get shot of a rust nightmare

You can get fiberglass boot lids

While you are doing all of this - lose the vertical seams de-seamed minis look good

I am making a 2 seater Lotus 7 type but every now and then I get the urge to get a mini shell
I have resisted so far
 
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