I'm in the process of doing something similar for my project (search for TesLorean) moving Tesla tech into a DeLorean. I'm going as slow and methodically as I can and I'm still running into bumps. This is a very unique and complex project.
A couple of distinct challenges for a Tesla transplant ...
- Drive units : Controlling the units is a challenge (locked control codes), but there are solutions developing. Two methods are coming up... CAN control (search for WK057 Jason Hughes or EVTV Jack Rickard) and replacing the control electronics in the Drive Unit (search for UMC 2.0 Michal Elias) or (Edison Motors). Lots of research needed to decide what will work for you. Note: You may need to buy the drive unit with the controls as a package.
- Batteries : the Tesla batteries are ~1200lbs to get 400v. The challenge is fitting (dimensionally and weight) the battery modules into another car that wasn't designed for it (unless you're building a kit car you can modify substantially). Some have reconfigured the Tesla batteries (Edison motors) to get to 400v using 1/2 the module count (thus 600lbs), others use batteries from a Chevy Volt, and I'm using A123 batteries from a 2014 Chevy Spark. While these don't give as large a range as the full Tesla pack, they do provide 400v in a smaller/lighter package (still heavy, but within the range of a replaced engine and transmission).
- Drive Unit / Subframe : One approach is to transplant the whole drive unit subframe & wheels suspension into the target vehicle. This requires the ability to substantially modify the targets car's frame/structure, etc. Another alternative is to just transplant the drive unit, make new mounts and then 'interface' the Tesla drive unit to the subframe/wheels in the existing car. This is also not trivial and you can run into problems with axle shafts and trying to interface between the Tesla drive unit differential and the existing wheel/hubs.
- Batteries BMS : Looks like EVTV Jack Rickard is making progress on figuring out the Tesla BMS. There are 'aftermarket' solutions available (the best ones are not cheap). I've read some reports of being able to reuse BMS modules from a Chevy Volt. Suffice to say lots of research needed to establish how to manage the charge and balancing on Tesla (or any other) modules.
- Drive Units : The 90D has two drive units (front and rear wheels), using them both will depend on the target car - using both essentially means being able to design the car around them. For my TesLorean project, I'm just using a rear drive unit from a 70D, to replace the rear motor transmission. While this won't be anywhere near as powerful as a Tesla, it will be 2.5 times more powerful than the stock DeLorean. I personally think that staying within the limits of what the car was originally designed for is important - otherwise you'll really need to consider upgrading a large segment of the car's original design (e.g. suspension, brakes, steering) to accommodate the power.
- Other Tesla parts : I have collected a large number of Tesla parts and I'm 50/50 for getting them to work. Many of the Tesla parts are CAN driven or rather highly integrated with other Tesla components. Once you take them out of the CAN/Data environment they want to live in, they don't operate. For example, I was unable to 'wake up' the steering column. It is likely waiting for a CAN wakeup code, or potentially waiting to see constant CAN traffic from another module before it does anything. I recently had to buy an earlier version of a Tesla AC compressor which would be PWM controlled, as the compressor I had was CAN controlled. Without a lot of research (CAN mining) on a working Model S of exactly the same version, you might find you can control/wake up the units. One approach might be to move every Tesla control module (of which there are many) into the target car - theoretically possible but still very challenging (some attempts reported to try to transplant a whole Nissan Leaf into another car - very challenging).
Best of luck.
Jeff
A couple of distinct challenges for a Tesla transplant ...
- Drive units : Controlling the units is a challenge (locked control codes), but there are solutions developing. Two methods are coming up... CAN control (search for WK057 Jason Hughes or EVTV Jack Rickard) and replacing the control electronics in the Drive Unit (search for UMC 2.0 Michal Elias) or (Edison Motors). Lots of research needed to decide what will work for you. Note: You may need to buy the drive unit with the controls as a package.
- Batteries : the Tesla batteries are ~1200lbs to get 400v. The challenge is fitting (dimensionally and weight) the battery modules into another car that wasn't designed for it (unless you're building a kit car you can modify substantially). Some have reconfigured the Tesla batteries (Edison motors) to get to 400v using 1/2 the module count (thus 600lbs), others use batteries from a Chevy Volt, and I'm using A123 batteries from a 2014 Chevy Spark. While these don't give as large a range as the full Tesla pack, they do provide 400v in a smaller/lighter package (still heavy, but within the range of a replaced engine and transmission).
- Drive Unit / Subframe : One approach is to transplant the whole drive unit subframe & wheels suspension into the target vehicle. This requires the ability to substantially modify the targets car's frame/structure, etc. Another alternative is to just transplant the drive unit, make new mounts and then 'interface' the Tesla drive unit to the subframe/wheels in the existing car. This is also not trivial and you can run into problems with axle shafts and trying to interface between the Tesla drive unit differential and the existing wheel/hubs.
- Batteries BMS : Looks like EVTV Jack Rickard is making progress on figuring out the Tesla BMS. There are 'aftermarket' solutions available (the best ones are not cheap). I've read some reports of being able to reuse BMS modules from a Chevy Volt. Suffice to say lots of research needed to establish how to manage the charge and balancing on Tesla (or any other) modules.
- Drive Units : The 90D has two drive units (front and rear wheels), using them both will depend on the target car - using both essentially means being able to design the car around them. For my TesLorean project, I'm just using a rear drive unit from a 70D, to replace the rear motor transmission. While this won't be anywhere near as powerful as a Tesla, it will be 2.5 times more powerful than the stock DeLorean. I personally think that staying within the limits of what the car was originally designed for is important - otherwise you'll really need to consider upgrading a large segment of the car's original design (e.g. suspension, brakes, steering) to accommodate the power.
- Other Tesla parts : I have collected a large number of Tesla parts and I'm 50/50 for getting them to work. Many of the Tesla parts are CAN driven or rather highly integrated with other Tesla components. Once you take them out of the CAN/Data environment they want to live in, they don't operate. For example, I was unable to 'wake up' the steering column. It is likely waiting for a CAN wakeup code, or potentially waiting to see constant CAN traffic from another module before it does anything. I recently had to buy an earlier version of a Tesla AC compressor which would be PWM controlled, as the compressor I had was CAN controlled. Without a lot of research (CAN mining) on a working Model S of exactly the same version, you might find you can control/wake up the units. One approach might be to move every Tesla control module (of which there are many) into the target car - theoretically possible but still very challenging (some attempts reported to try to transplant a whole Nissan Leaf into another car - very challenging).
Best of luck.
Jeff
