I've been away from this site for quite some time so please forgive me if I ask questions that have been answered many times.
I bought the Ron Champion book when it first came out and built the chassis as a college project, however when my working pattern changed the college
(assuming that I wasn't going back) used my chassis as tube stock.
A few years ago I decided to have another go at a build. I bought all the tube I needed plus the later edition of the book (and the Haynes Roadster
book as well) and it's all sat in my garage since.
Since then I've developed an interest in converting a car to electric power (part of my job is to manage FLT drivers). So why not combine the
two? I'm guessing by now that someone must have built an electric locost. If anyone has website or blog addresses for builders who have done it
I'd appreciate the info. Or even better - if you've done it yourself I guess I'd like to be in contact with you.
Would building an electric car from scratch have any effect on SVA/ IVA?
There was one in one of the kitcar mags ages ago, probably 5 or 6 years ago, I'll see if i can find the article, but don't hold your
breath!
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NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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Building: Locost Fireblade BUILT - now sold :(
posted on 30/3/12 at 11:20 PM
electric cars arn't cheap - especially for a "toy" car which wont make any savings vs. a ICE(internal combustion) on mileage - cos
it'll probably do 1000 miles a year at most.
Plus the range is still a problem, as is battery weight.
It can be done, but its the "low cost/high range/high power" triangle - you can only have two.
Some v interesting things going on around this at the moment - its not a kit car but look up the Tesla Model S, if it delivers what it says it will
it, then its a real game changer in terms of true electric cars. For those too lasy - 300 mile range, 0-60 5.6 seconds, 7 seats, swapable battery (3
mins swap time) and 62 miles of range per hour of charge time
If my company were forward thinking enough we would all have them as company cars in 2013.... unfortunately I will just have to dream of owning one.
Since I started this thread I've done a little research. One of my main aims was to do this on the cheap (using a fork lift motor) however there
seems to be a lot of contradictory information about these (some love them, others say they're pretty useless). Buying a new electric motor
seemed totally cost prohibitive. I have to admit that saving the planet is not my first aim, I just want to see if I can do it. For batteries I was
going to use second hand deep cycle from a caravan breakers.
I live about 4 miles from where I work so range wouldn't be a problem as with a normal payload of a wife, two kids and a Dalmatian a two seater
wouldn't be my main car.
There also seems to be arguments for and against AC or DC motors. I've found a site www.arcvillage.org which has converted a Fiat 126. Does
anyone have an idea how much a Locost weighs? Taking off the weight of an engine and adding an electric motor and batteries I'm guessing that it
must be similar to a fiat 126 (aroung 600Kg). This site says it can supply everything for £1600 (batteries extra). That is using a 12Kw motor.
I've no idea whether that is AC or DC, or what 12Kw equates to for performance.
Are electric cars subject to the same IVA rules as petrol cars?
I've just had a look at some old posts about Locost weight. Seems to be anything between 450 - 650Kg so going for a sub 600Kg target weight
shouldn't present too much of a problem. I'm assuming about 90Kgs for the batteries and for the petrol engine to be slightly heavier than
the electric motor. Also I would save the weight of the radiator, fuel tank and fuel. Add on an electric heater/demister. I'm probably looking
at a very similar overall weight.
Just had a look at the Electric MEV. Apparently that had a 11 Kw 3 phase AC brushless motor. However it only weighed 290KG. Looks like grinding down
my welds and losing a bit of my own 16 1/2 stone.
quote:Originally posted by Dangle_kt
Some v interesting things going on around this at the moment - its not a kit car but look up the Tesla Model S, if it delivers what it says it will
it, then its a real game changer in terms of true electric cars. For those too lasy - 300 mile range, 0-60 5.6 seconds, 7 seats, swapable
battery (3 mins swap time) and 62 miles of range per hour of charge time
Saw these at Brighton Speed Trials a couple of years back and they were great but, for charging the batteries, I heard the analogy of having the
kettle on for 25 hours
As I only live three miles from work and spend most of my time within that radius I looked into the possibility of converting a golf cart to be road
legal - would need decent tyres, dual circuit brakes, parking brake, lighting and a couple of other mods, but as a way of getting an electric road
vehicle, prob the best way forward (and you could have a huge fold up solar panel on the roof for when parked, maybe a fold away wind turbine too
