Nice! I like how every EV conversion is unique, this looks ideal for nipping around in the city
Thanks for the nice reply, here are some photos of the adapter plate and support frame required to mount the front right axle support bearing. Note that the cvt adapter plate is made up of to pieces bolted together with high tensile cap screws. CheersVery interesting conversion. I'd be interested to see more about the mating to the CVT. Never seen that done before. I guess it makes sense and should work well. For all the faults of a CVT at least they are efficient. Running the alternator and "idling" the motor while stopped are two thing that are going to draw a bunch of gasps and guffaws from the usual crowd but it will be interesting to see how your range/efficiency and everything works out once you get it certified.
I rented a gas 5-speed version of that I think when I visited NZ. Perfect little car for blasting around all those twisty roads! I like the red color too.
Hi Remy, thanks for the reply, search for "Universal 1L Alloy Aluminium Engine Oil Catch Can Breather Tank Radiator Overflow Tank " on AliExpress, very inexpensive, but well made. The alternator in an IQ is tiny but puts out a huge current when required for the big ticket loads like headlamps and electric steering, to buy a reliable DC-DC convertor is just another cost, also the ac compressor is also driven of the Hyper9 rear motor shaft, there is not much room in an IQ so I had to integrate them both into the Hyper9 motor support mounting. I've just finished rechecking the weight distribution or the IQ after conversion and adding the tool kit and jack, I'm very pleased with the results. The curb weight is now 1050kg, up a little from 1020kg, it's ICE curb weight was 880kg with a terrible front to back ratio (60:40). Now the IQ has a front to back ratio of (51:49), much betterSeriously? Range and efficiency affected by an alternator and idling a motor under no load other than a transmission pump? 🤦♂️
@OP: Nice & clean conversion. Everything seems done right and in proportion to the car. Did you buy or build that coolant bottle?
You'll hopefully be pushing 200 mile range by having had the design/build discipline of keeping the weight below a tonne.
-One of "the usual crowd"
Its anything road legal - and some non road legal things - the cost of putting events on is going up - so I can't promise that we will have the event in 2024Hi Duncan, thanks for the invite, maybe next year. Is is this an EV thing or is it all classes? Cheers Peter
Actually, they're not efficient, compared to conventional alternatives. Mechanical (traction drive) CVTs have lower efficiency than any gear transmission, and the torque converter added to the front of it to prevent engine stalling is - like any torque converter - lousy until it is bypassed by a lockup clutch.... For all the faults of a CVT at least they are efficient. ...
For drive traction, that's not better. For handling, it's only better if the spring rates, damper settings, and stabilizer bar stiffnesses have been adjusted to match the change. For braking, it's only better if the brake balance has been changed.I've just finished rechecking the weight distribution or the IQ after conversion and adding the tool kit and jack, I'm very pleased with the results. The curb weight is now 1050kg, up a little from 1020kg, it's ICE curb weight was 880kg with a terrible front to back ratio (60:40). Now the IQ has a front to back ratio of (51:49), much better.
Actually this is wrong, a belt driven CVT, which is what we have here, is 88% efficient and an automatic is 86% efficient.Actually, they're not efficient, compared to conventional alternatives. Mechanical (traction drive) CVTs have lower efficiency than any gear transmission, and the torque converter added to the front of it to prevent engine stalling is - like any torque converter - lousy until it is bypassed by a lockup clutch.
The desirable efficiency of a complete powertrain including a mechanical CVT results from the CVT keeping the engine at a good speed for efficiency (hopefully more than making up for lower transmission efficiency), which is much less of a concern with an electric motor than it would be with an internal combustion engine.
Actually, @brian_ was absolutely correct.Actually this is wrong, a belt driven CVT, which is what we have here, is 88% efficient and an automatic is 86% efficient.
Hi Brian, I neglected to mention that I've fitted Firestone airbags in the rear (specified for the IQ) to assist in releveling the IQ back to the original unladen height (about 15mm), I wasn't happy when the car felt and looked like it had two big fat bastards in the back, the airbags tightened things up nicely at about 18PSI, the WOF inspector said that the IQ's braking was spot on, perfectly balanced. This model IQ is only a two seater, the space in the back was intended for cargo. Well, I have 250kgs (162kg NET after removing the ICE junk) of cargo/batteries in the back, installed very low down and centered forward of the rear axle, the car is level and drives and handles better than when it was ICE powered, in fact it has almost no side roll when cornering or any other bad habits! Thanks again for your comments, I really appreciate your feedbackFor drive traction, that's not better. For handling, it's only better if the spring rates, damper settings, and stabilizer bar stiffnesses have been adjusted to match the change. For braking, it's only better if the brake balance has been changed.
Original:
front: 60% of 880 kg = 528 kg
rear: 40% of 880 kg = 352 kg
Converted:
front: 51% of 1050 kg = 536 kg
rear: 49% of 1050 kg = 514 kg
The change in front axle load is minimal, with the gain in mass being carried essentially only by the rear axle, so if the suspension were changed to match the results of the conversion the changes would logically be stiffer springing, damping, and stabilizer bar, plus larger-diameter brake disks and matching calipers (of the same piston area)... all at the rear.
Of course you could always think of the conversion as just carrying the car's maximum cargo load at all times (without ever actually carrying any cargo in the back or passenger in the rear seat), and consider the result acceptable because the stock vehicle handles acceptably (but probably not very well) when loaded loaded with cargo.
It should be locking up at a much lower speed than that.... I took a gamble using a CVT in the EV conversion, but no problems so far, I think I can feel the torque converter locking up at about 60kph, I'll need to examine the CANBUS codes to find out what's really going on.