Thread: Goingbush's Electric Vehicle project

Originally Posted by singlecell

Awesome project. Will be following along. I secretly hoped the engine of the series 2 I bought didn't work so I had the excuse to concert it to ev!

Thanks,

Err yes . I was looking for a suitable car to convert for some time and found a really cheap PT Cruiser with a blown engine . Engineer put paid to that, saying I cant convert an East West post 98 because of Crash / Crumple zone / Airbag ADR's .

Bit of head scratching and I realised I already had a perfect vehicle to convert , Just too bad it had a ripper engine (only 64,000 miles from new)

BTW I pulled the head off the PT and found 2 burned exhaust valves and timing belt fail, Luckily they have non interfering valves ( wont hit pistons in the event of belt fail) , All fixed and its my daily runabout till the Landy is back on the road.

Originally Posted by DeanoH

Looking good and I guess the light is in sight at the end of the tunnel, but what's in the grey clear topped box behind the 'radiator'.

Deano

yep, its getting close now, probably still a few weeks .

The enclosure is the box where the high voltage contactors (relays) , 600 / 400 amp HRC fuses and Zeva BMS (Battery monitoring system) will be housed , keeping them isolated from 12v wiring.

For the purposes of ADR's anything over 60V DC or 25V AC is classified as Hazardous Voltage and must be in orange wiring / orange conduit and need to have lightning bolt stickers all over it . Battery boxes have to have covers that need tools to remove . I'll be using perspex lids . bloody overkill if you ask me but I think the Orange is more an awareness thing for emergency services people.

High voltage stuff done, time for a motor test run . Apologies for camera focus problems , now time to reassemble and wire up the fiddly 12volt stuff, got to put lots of relays for motor blower , cooling pump .

(both back wheels jacked up btw)

Forward / reverse switch is playing up already .

Almost Finished, I still have to replace a seal in the front of TC , but I'm waiting till I can drive it up on the ramps.

The grey components, grey wiring & TFT screen are part of the Zeva BMS (Battery monitoring system) , there is one for each bank of 12 cells , linked by CANbus . Orange wiring = Hazardous voltages




Battery box under drivers seat (mirrored under pax seat) . It has a perspex lid . If access is required the seat box has to come out , even to get the lid off .



Just need to finish interior wiring , Floor panel goes on after TC front seal is done.
The LCD display is indicating that the Battery is almost fully charged (green line at bottom) and that cells are averaging 3.30v , lowest is 3.28 & highest is 3.30 , Ideally I'd like to charge that 3.28 cell to boost it up - which I will do if its in one of the accessible battery boxes, however over progressive charge cycles the BMS will drain off the other cells to bring them to the level of the lowest cell, thus balancing the pack.

BTW, I didn't hack up a rare Lightweight Aux panel to mount that TFT and switch bank , I made it from a piece of 6mm Alloy plate , pretty happy how it turned out with faux patina

What a bloody little ripper, took it for a first test drive today , and I got to say I'm impressed . Its all I had hoped and more.

Glad I kept the gearbox though , Taking off in 4th is too sluggish . Using both 2nd and 4th its just great . Got up to 118kmh on the flat, I glanced at TFT screen & was pulling about 450 amps , (I have a 600 Amp fuse) Best I ever got before with Internal Combustion Engine was 98kmh flat knacker. Sitting about 90kmh is comfortable , before 80kmh was about as fast as you wanted to go. (speeds checked with GPS ap on phone)

Love the reverse switch, much better than revers in main gearbox.

I'll have to take it to a weigh bridge, it seems to be sitting higher in the front. Might have to remove a leaf , but it does ride OK.


I'll put as dash cam & mount go pro tomorrow & test it in the dirt .




Charging 3.3kw , pumping in about 21.5Amps



Only changes inside are the TFT screen and a few switches and regen knob , plus the forward reverse lever behind the main gear lever. (I think I have enough levers now. )



I put an Emergency Stoppo button where my old fuel cock used to be (mainly to fill the existing holes) - I accidentally hit it with my heel on my test run & wondered why I lost all power , wont do that again - I guess it doubles as an inertia switch :0





Bonnet up to prove it works



Murray River at the end of our street.

Originally Posted by goingbush

What a bloody little ripper, took it for a first test drive today , and I got to say I'm impressed . Its all I had hoped and more.

....

Awesome!

Been following this thread with a lot of interest and hoping for a great outcome for 'ya.

Great job! Hope to see it at Corowa. 👍😊

Well done mate
Any drama getting final compliance and registered
Has come a treat you should be well proud

S