
An electric crate motor you can drop into your car - hourislate
https://jalopnik.com/finally-an-electric-crate-motor-you-can-drop-into-your-1839168140
======
olivermarks
One thing to bear in mind when that converting ice vehicles to electric is
that they are constructed with a vertical firewall between engine and driver
with lots of protection around location of fuel tanks and fuel lines. EV's are
typically designed with a horizontal fire wall to protect the occupants from
the batteries beneath them, which become unstable in a violent impact and
often burn repeatedly. The centre of gravity in an ICE vehicle is very
different to an EV. It is therefore arguably better to build some sort of EV
kit car with a crate motor than to attempt to convert an ICE monocoque imo

~~~
deelowe
How is that any different than adding a fuel cell to an ice which has similar
constraints? Couldn't an aftermarket battery pack be made that has all the
requisite fire protection built into the case (again, similar to fuel cells)?

~~~
therealx
Or have a battery that's shaped like a fuel tank? Maybe you won't get the same
range as battery all over but it's prob enough for most people?

~~~
phs318u
I suspect the aversion to a more blocky shape (higher volume/surface-area
ratio), has to do with heat dissipation, which if I recall correctly, improves
with surface-area.

EDIT: hence the flatter/thinner batteries we see in EVs.

~~~
chipsa
That actually mostly doesn't matter for most batteries. Most EV batteries are
actively cooled/heated with fluid moving inside. So the heat dissipation
occurs in the radiator for the battery, not at the surface of the battery. We
see flat batteries because sticking the battery at the bottom of the car helps
with weight distribution and handling.

------
Quequau
If it were possible to convert an old econo-box compact car to electric for a
reasonable price with roughly the same sort of effort and knowledge as it
takes to do an engine swap (which I can and have done several times) I'd do
it.

I don't care about range beyond what it takes for me to get from home to work
and back again, with the occasional stop at a super market and I don't care
about performance beyond what it takes to properly merge into traffic like
competent driver.

On the occasion that find myself in need of some other sort of car for some
special purpose I can rent something appropriate for that.

~~~
bob1029
The difference between this and a typical engine swap is that the car was
never intended to be run this way. Are you planning on putting the batteries
where the gas tank was? Will they fit? Will this have an adverse impact on
vehicle dynamics? How are you going to manage charging these things? What
happens if the battery pack ruptures? Is safety even a concern? Do you want
regenerative braking? What sort of range is required? Does the fuel gauge show
battery life or is it now useless? What about oil level gauge? Any other
internal electronics? How are you going to drive an A/C compressor or is this
no longer a concern either? Hydraulic/vacuum assist steering/brakes?

There are new problems to solve with this approach. It's certainly not going
to be a straightforward process compared to a factory engine swap. There will
probably be some body work involved. You will probably have to fabricate
completely custom parts to get certain things to work together.

I don't see this as a reasonable solution for existing gasoline powered cars.
It seems it's a much safer/cheaper/simpler/reliable option to purchase a
vehicle designed from the ground up for an electric drivetrain and all of the
nuances that go along with that.

~~~
codingdave
> Are you planning on putting the batteries where the gas tank was? Will they
> fit?

No, batteries are larger. People tend to use the trunks for batteries, or
convert pickups and put them in the beds.

> Will this have an adverse impact on vehicle dynamics?

It can, which most people deal with by placing the batteries carefully to
maintain the same balance as before.

> How are you going to manage charging these things?

Most people put the charging plug where the gas cap was.

> What happens if the battery pack ruptures? Is safety even a concern?

Same as if your engine explodes. Safety is a concern in any car. Problems can
happen in any car. Most DIY EVs put a cutoff switch, or even a main line you
can literally cut right next to the driver as a final safety net in case of
extreme emergencies. Better to kill the car than a person.

Does the fuel gauge show battery life or is it now useless?

Most people replace the gauges with new ones more applicable to the new
information they'll need.

I know you had other questions, but it has been 10 years since I dabbling this
space, and I don't remember every detail. But yes, there absolutely are new
problems to solve. And people have been solving them for 20+ years now. There
are books written on it, so if you truly want to know the answers, go read
some of the books. Most of your questions either have easy answers, or are
just a matter of making a choice between a few options.

The hard part is not putting together a working EV system. Most people's
hardest task was mounting the motor to their transmission, because it often
meant a custom designed, and custom machined mounting plate.

So again, you are correct that it is more than an engine swap, but not to the
scale you are describing.

~~~
40four
Funny how many folks wondering where to put the batteries, trunk seems so
obvious after you hear it :)

 _Most people 's hardest task was mounting the motor to their transmission_

Seems like this product is trying to solve that problem. Sounds like a big
upgrade from what is currently available to people interested in these type of
projects.

~~~
Shivetya
except of course most trunks have load limits which batteries can quickly
exceed.

I find it disappointing how quick they are to dismiss issues with ruptured
batteries by falling back on "well gas explodes" not acknowledging the issue
of environmental and personal danger batteries create that require special
handling

sure you can cram batteries here and there but the reason for the skate board
layout companies have adopted that is to have management of weight, ease of
manufacturing, sufficient space for range needs, and more.

~~~
matz1
So "gas explodes" doesn't carry its own environmental issue and personal
danger too ?

~~~
bob1029
Gasoline has a whole host of issues, but as far as I know there have been zero
recorded cases of a modern gasoline tank spontaneously exploding while the car
is sitting undisturbed in a parking lot. The advantages gasoline has here is
that it ultimately requires tons of oxygen with a consistent fuel-air mixture
in order to combust reliably. Burning gasoline in the open is not nearly as
energetic as the process which occurs in a gasoline engine under ideal
operating conditions (which are controlled meticulously by a computer for most
cars), so even in an accident which results in a fuel leak+fire, you usually
have a bit of time to get away from the car before it turns into a complete
inferno. Obviously, there are exceptions to this, but it seems to be in a
majority of cases the driver/passengers can get out in time.

Battery packs do not have the same 'problem'. They have all aspects of their
chemical energy available nearly immediately, and can go from zero to 'you are
dead' in just a matter of seconds.

------
ajot
This reminds me of a Latin American startup, Exponential Motors [0], which
developed a hybrid conversion kit. Not fully EV, but it can help to reduce
fuel costs and CO2 emissions, and is not much more expensive than fitting a
compressed natural gas tank to a car (a common practice at least in
Argentina).

[0] [http://exponentialmotors.com/](http://exponentialmotors.com/)

~~~
subw00f
The gas tank adapation is also common practice in Brazil, especially in taxis
and ride sharing cars.

~~~
ColanR
It's also common in Bolivia, and for personal vehicles as well.

The reason we don't have it in the US, from what I've heard, is because it
doesn't meet our safety standards.

~~~
blattimwind
> The reason we don't have it in the US, from what I've heard, is because it
> doesn't meet our safety standards.

These are decently common in Europe so it's relatively doubtful that there are
significant safety concerns.

~~~
ColanR
In Bolivia you have to get out of the car while fueling, because there's a
nonzero chance the car will explode. We're a little too stringent about that
sort of thing in the US.

~~~
anticensor
Including passengers?

~~~
ColanR
Especially the passengers. They have buses running on natural gas, and when
they need to fill up everyone piles out.

------
nathancahill
Fresh on the heels of this announcement from VW:
[https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/5/20851784/vw-beetle-
electri...](https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/5/20851784/vw-beetle-electric-
conversion-frankfurt-motor-show)

~~~
codingdave
VWs were the first popular cars for EV conversions. You've been able to buy
conversion kits for them for well over a decade. The fact that this one may be
coming directly from VW is interesting, but this isn't really a game changer
in this niche.

------
SteveGerencser
While sticking a 110hp electric motor into a car might have some appeal, I am
FAR more interested in putting it in a small plane. A Rotax 912 is roughly the
same horsepower and a few pounds heavier. Using this electric motor as a
replacement for that for short joyrides around the patch has real potential in
the experimental / homebuilt crowd.

With the standard caveats of batteries and weight issues.

~~~
TylerE
The energy density of batteries isn't close to good enough. Small personal
aircraft have a _very_ narrow weight allowance - and do remember the FAA
mandates a minimum of 30 minutes of reserve fuel.

------
netfl0
I am surprised more mechanics aren’t developing conversion kits for their
customers. It would be a good way to deal with the impending decline of ICE
maintenance requirements.

Plus you’d think it would really scratch the gear head itches a lot of
mechanics have.

It would create demand for car bodies that were well built and easily
serviceable. I guess I just wish things were very modular.

~~~
JustSomeNobody
Because most mechanics aren’t also EEs? I would sooner expect a third party
parts manufacturer to start developing them than a mechanic.

~~~
chrisdhoover
Mechanics are naturally curious, they figure stuff out through
experimentation. One of the characters in the Electric Koolaid Acid Test, was
Hassler. He kept the magic bus going. Or the NZ guy who set a land speed
record on a homebuilt motorcycle. Or just about every NASCAR team in the
‘60’s. Motoring is full of characters like these, not formally schooled, but
schooled in practice. You don’t need an EE, ME or any schooling at all, you
need a willingness to bust knuckles, take things apart put them back again,
take them apart, modify them and put them again over and over.

~~~
userbinator
You're mainly talking about the "old school" mechanics, not the more prevalent
ones today who are mostly in it for the money and barely know anything beyond
what their certification courses taught them.

~~~
netfl0
This seems like a broad generalization.

~~~
userbinator
It's true, good mechanics are hard to find.

------
tomcam
Crate engines are a neat concept I only learned about recently. Suppose you
bought some awesome old car from 70s and its engine was on the way out. What
if you don't want to risk a junkyard buy? You get a crate engine, that's what.

Straight from the factory, ready to drop in a 50 year-old vehicle, and
infinitely better made than they were back in the day. GM alone has dozens of
engines available. They're not cheap--$8,000-$10,0000 isn't unusual--but what
a cool option for a real enthusiast.

~~~
fragmede
As long as you're custom building a car, Chevy sells the Corvette's engine[1]
in a crate for $20k. Might also need to upgrade the transmission on a 50-year
old car to handle it, but it's totally an option!

[1][https://www.chevrolet.com/performance/crate-
engines/ls9](https://www.chevrolet.com/performance/crate-engines/ls9)

~~~
Washuu
They also have the "Connect and Cruise" option that includes a transmission
and a warranty. The E-Rod versions have a longer warranty and are CARB
approved.

[https://www.chevrolet.com/performance/connect-cruise-
powertr...](https://www.chevrolet.com/performance/connect-cruise-powertrain-
systems)

My method was to get a low mileage drive train from a recent Camaro.

------
simonklitj
My daily driver is a 2009 Citroën C1 ev’ie. Converted by a company in Denmark
with a conversion kit from a company in England. Sold to a car rental company
and then I purchased it when they sold it at an auction. It’s pretty
interesting, fun to drive. Would recommend a conversion for people able to get
their hands on it. I like it so much more than an ICE.

------
forgotAgain
This highlights the commoditization of parts that will be part of EV market
changes as well as the plug and play nature of EV assemblies. Massive changes
to the current ways we build and maintain vehicles.

------
Hamuko
_> It weighs only around 154 pounds and makes around 110 horsepower—a pretty
decent number considering how compact this thing is, and that includes
everything: motor, single-speed transmission, cooling system, and power
inverter._

Yeah, includes everything. Except, you know, for the battery.

It's pretty amusing how little attention the article gives for the actual
batteries. The fact that you can easily swap out the engine will do so much
when you still need to figure out where to cram an array of batteries smartly
and safely.

~~~
ReptileMan
since you remove the fuel tank, the gearbox and the engine there are nice
chunks of space. Someone should start working on modular battery packs that
could be assembled to fit current space.

~~~
Hamuko
I don't think the fuel tank and gearbox in my car take up that much space when
compared to the batteries in a Leaf or a Tesla. And you still need to put this
where the engine used to go, so it's really a limited amount of space there as
well.

Just for reference, this is the fuel tank in my car:
[https://traversparts.com/download/normal/246883_1.jpeg](https://traversparts.com/download/normal/246883_1.jpeg)

And this illustrates where the batteries in a Leaf are:
[https://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/images/news/nissan-leaf-
bat...](https://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/images/news/nissan-leaf-batteries-to-
power-brazilian-homes-127747_1.jpg)

~~~
fortran77
The Leaf is more of a golf cart with a compact car shell around it. Range is
only 60-miles or so. You should be able to get that with a gas-tank sized
battery pack in any compact car.

~~~
schwabacher
The leaf has 150-226 miles of range depending on the battery option. Even the
first generation nearly a decade ago had more than 60.

~~~
whamlastxmas
I've heard that cold weather combined with high speeds and a very degraded
battery and running the heater can leave some of them with an effective range
around 60 to 80 miles.

~~~
Kirby64
You don't even need to have high speeds or heater usage. 1st gen Leaf's have
60mi range pretty consistently just because of how small the battery was, and
how degraded they are.

In general the Leaf seems to be a bad buy, IMO, just because they do not have
any liquid cooling. I don't know why they think they can get away with it...
but literally every other EV manufacturer decided liquid cooling/heating is
necessary for operating... but not Nissan.

------
todd3834
This is cool but where do you put the battery?

~~~
Obi_Juan_Kenobi
Gas tank, trunk, engine bay, under rear seats, etc.

Important to consider:

* They don't all need to go in one spot. You can spread them around

* You don't need to use that many. These are classic cars that are likely trailered to go any distance anyhow. 80 miles of range to cruise around town is often more than enough.

~~~
jillesvangurp
Also worth considering: many of these classic cars are underpowered
(especially after a few decades of wear & tear), have terrible handling, and
not that much range to begin with. The EV conversion can address all of this.
Apparently the art is in not overdoing it on this front and preserving the
original character of the car. The best conversions are fully reversible if
the owner chooses so.

------
perl4ever
Batteries unfortunately are expensive and heavy and hard to find space for in
a car designed for an ICE.

So what I have been idly dreaming of is taking a classic car and making a very
simple hybrid - use an electric motor like this, the smallest battery and gas
engine possible, and only connect the motor and gas engine to the battery, not
to each other, but only have enough battery to buffer acceleration needs.

Mileage wouldn't be fantastic, but you'd have electric torque and smoothness,
and the gas engine could run at one constant speed as a generator.

~~~
anticensor
Why you would need a constant speed engine, though? Railway engines do fine
with variable speed industrial specification prime movers. Constant speed
ratings are 30% lower than automotive grade ratings, too.

~~~
perl4ever
I meant that loosely, just that without a big R&D budget, the programming
would need a KISS approach. Maybe even use an off the shelf generator.

------
hinkley
About eight years ago there was a flash in the pan company that was claiming
to be in late development stages on a drop in replacement for the alternator.
Combine with a small supercap bank, it was intended to turn any car into a
mild hybrid.

What I can’t remember now is whether it simply stopped drawing power when you
were accelerating, or if it actually ran as a dynamo when the throttle was
open.

They kept posting updates for a while but I think they must’ve figured out
that reliability was a much bigger issue than they initially thought.

~~~
thenewwazoo
Mazda has productionalized it and is shipping it in cars today:
[https://www.mazda.com/en/innovation/technology/env/i-eloop/](https://www.mazda.com/en/innovation/technology/env/i-eloop/)

~~~
hinkley
Yeah I think GM called them BAS or some such. I brought it up not for
existing, but for being a retrofit kit.

------
jaclaz
From the manufacturer site:

[https://swindonpowertrain.com/uk/news.aspx](https://swindonpowertrain.com/uk/news.aspx)

>So compact is the 70kg HPD EV powertrain - 600mm wide by 440mm deep by as
little as 280mm tall, that the motor, inverter, single-speed transmission and
cooling system assembly fits under the bonnet of a classic Mini, in a quad
bike _or under the loading platform of a light commercial vehicle_

I can see an utility of a (relatively) low cost version of something like this
for a large part of services (think of repairmen/electricians/plumbers/small
couriers) that could maybe make their vans "hybrid" without replacing them,
and even if they wouldn't have that much of autonomy, it could be enough to
allow for entering city centres on electric (at the cost of some reduced
carrying load, lost to the batteries) and do the delivery/whatever without
polluting there.

At least here (Italy/Europe) a lot of cities have pollution issues that they
try to resolve by limiting traffic to vehicles older than a given Euro level
or even entirely prohibiting ICE vehicles circulation.

That is a problem for a large number of small activities that cannot afford to
buy (besides their current ICE one) another electric van for the city.

------
Animats
It hooks to the driveshaft, so you get rid of the transmission. That's a win.
Fewer problems, and more space for batteries.

YC has a company in this space: "Open Motors"[1] They sell a "sled" on which
you can put kit car bodies.

[1] [https://www.openmotors.co/product/tabby-
evo/](https://www.openmotors.co/product/tabby-evo/)

------
newnewpdro
Chevrolet is also preparing an EV crate motor alternative to the venerable
small block chevy.

[https://insideevs.com/news/340975/chevy-camaro-ecopo-and-
ele...](https://insideevs.com/news/340975/chevy-camaro-ecopo-and-electric-
crate-motor-detailed-in-interview/)

------
techer
[http://londonelectriccars.com/](http://londonelectriccars.com/)

~~~
riedel
[https://www.voltimer.de/](https://www.voltimer.de/)

------
nonford150
This sounds great for a small 4 cylinder vehicle - until you start thinking
about most cars today only have power steering so a manual steering box isn't
available. Then you need a 12V battery to operate most of the lights,
speedometer, radio, etc. What do you charge this with? If you do a step down
transformer there's more of your range eaten up. Then there's other power
stuff: seats, wonders, wipers and roofs. More range bye-bye. Sounds like you
would still need some other power source to make all of the modern creature
comforts in a standard ICE powered vehicle operate.

------
cmrdporcupine
Neat. But still going to require a bunch of custom machining to adapt to the
existing drivetrain and engine mount, and will need a custom box for battery,
designed around the car chassis; plus DC-DC converter, charger, and computer
systems.

------
zw123456
I love it, I was wondering when someone would come along with something like
this. It looks like it's pretty well thought out. I am imagining a 356
speedster kit with one of these in it would be a ton of fun!

~~~
chrisdhoover
It exists, EV West has kits for 356s and 911s

------
Pxtl
It seems like the cost of a kit including batteries would cost more than most
of the frames youd build on..

If it were affordable, I could see standard kits for popular car models - like
the Civic or the F150. Imagine an f150 with 6 inches of battery across the
original flatbed and a new bed built on top.

But it isn't.

In hindsight, this is probably most useful for antique show-only restorations,
where the restored car doesn't need a battery range of more than like 20km
since it is just going to drive from the trailer to the show and back and
maybe around the area a few times.

------
yummypaint
That's small and light enough to conceivably do 1 motor per wheel on off
larger off-road vehicles. That controllable torque might give some advantages
for crawling.

~~~
jsymolon
Keep in mind that lots of unsprung weight is not a good thing. Causes lots of
issues with wheel control in acceleration and braking.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsprung_mass](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsprung_mass)

~~~
grepthisab
Would a motor be unsprung weight if not connected to the suspension? By
reading that wiki, it looks like unsprung weight is basically wheels, tires,
suspension directly supporting those things. The parent comment seems to be
referring to putting two engines in the front, and two in the trunk, not
necessarily above the tires (if that's even possible?).

------
pugworthy
110 HP upgrade to my MG Midget (about 65 HP for the 1275) would be almost a
waste. That said, I like the idea of this upgrade.

~~~
hinkley
It’d be just about right in a TR6 or a GT6 though. If your MG body is solid
you might be able to get away with it but if it’s rusty, that torque could be
bad.

There’s plenty of room under the hood of a spitfire for a bigger engine but
I’d heard you have to upgrade the half shafts if you do as they’re the weak
point. That and maybe weld some plates into the hourglass section of the
frame. But they were around 100hp already.

The monobody on the MG might be okay if it’s not full of holes...

------
ryanmarsh
But where do the batteries go? If you replace the fuel tank with heavy
batteries you’re going to have terrible handling.

------
ourmandave
_The drivetrain includes multiple mounting points and it’s designed to be
flexible enough to be mounted by either axle of the car, front or rear._

That should be "... mounted by BOTH axles of the car, front AND rear."

Why should only Teslas have Ludicrous Mode?

------
sebastianconcpt
_It weighs only around 154 pounds and makes around 110 horsepower—a pretty
decent number considering how compact this thing is, and that includes
everything: motor, single-speed transmission, cooling system, and power
inverter._

------
lisper
For those who, like me, are wondering what a crate engine is:

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crate_engine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crate_engine)

~~~
tmh88j
They're hugely popular amongst auto enthusiasts. Not only do "race shops" sell
crate engines, but most OEM's sell them too. For example, here are Chevy's
offerings. [https://www.chevrolet.com/performance/crate-
engines](https://www.chevrolet.com/performance/crate-engines)

------
geggam
This would be interesting to swap out on a small farm tractor. Dont need much
horsepower and the tractor frame is a beast. In fact you normally add
counterweights in areas when doing heavy work

~~~
jcims
At first this didn’t land for me but i have a 35 hp compact tractor that i can
work hard for hours on five gallons of diesel. Plus the pack weight would help
with traction.

------
RaceWon
Hey that's a first... a motor that is actually a motor.

------
rasz
Motor is the easy cheap part. Batteries is where its at.

> it’s essentially the same drivetrain used in their EV-converted classic
> Mini, so if it fits under a Mini’s hood, it should fit almost anywhere.

Author doesnt realize you can fit Honda B16B in the classic Mini
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ8RLM8eWRU&list=PLp0KnUFYB-...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ8RLM8eWRU&list=PLp0KnUFYB
--g4RJ0SomuWRqckXHCYkabS&index=13)

------
exabrial
This is awesome. I want something 350hp+ I can drop into a truck. Compact cars
cause back problems for the very tall among us.

~~~
axaxs
Same. I drive a truck just because I'm too tall for most cars, and even those
that do fit hurt my knees to get in and out of(ride height). I don't even need
such horsepower, just give me some old dog like the straight 6 f100 and I'll
be set. I just hope they don't cost 75k or more like most of the 'more luxury'
full sizes today...

~~~
chrisseaton
How come nobody in Europe is so tall that they have to drive a truck instead?

~~~
xyzzyz
Europeans don’t mind being crammed into tiny apartments either.

~~~
Hamuko
European point of view is that Americans are just wallowing in huge excess.

~~~
cmrdporcupine
I heard an interview the other day with the president/CEO of a major
northeastern ski hill. He said they have had to re-adjust their charlifts over
time because of the increasing weight of North Americans. Average weight going
up meant having to remove chairs etc. in order to balance them and keep them
to safety spec.

Truly a gluttinous civilization. Growing up I never heard anybody complain
about the size of their sedans (which were always bigger than the European
median anyways.) But trucks and SUVs have taken over the market here. I'm sure
most of it is marketing (you _deserve_ all this power and space, and why would
you want to be _below_ all the other deserving people on the road?) but I
guess some of it is comfort for larger framed bodies these days.

Personally I've never enjoyed driving a truck, and don't own one despite
growing up rural and now living on a hobby farm.

~~~
captainredbeard
Let me guess: you drive a Subaru?

~~~
cmrdporcupine
Guess again?

~~~
dsfyu404ed
Prius plastered in the kind of bumper stickers that would make a sociology
professor blush?

Volvo wagon because your hobby farm is economically successful?

I can go on.

------
tyingq
_" I suspect you could use two in one car for all-wheel drive and more power"_

Sure, I imagine that's super simple.

------
RickJWagner
That's awesome! Awaiting further news while I dream about what kind of vehicle
to drop it in.

------
abbracadabbra
Price will be the deciding factor, but none disclosed in the article.

~~~
cmrdporcupine
Price of motor, controller, and inverter is not the majority of the cost of an
EV conversion.

Battery modules are. Hence why so many people use salvage Teslas, Volts, etc.

------
joshu
Looks like it replaces the rear diff. So not a drop-in replacement.

~~~
kube-system
It's a drop-in for vehicles with transverse engine configurations.

------
csours
No price listed yet, and only 110 HP. It's hard to find a car with only 110 HP
today (at least in the USA). I know that electric motors have instant torque,
but once you pass 30 mph, that low HP will really start to be a drag.

------
jmount
This was the scam at the start of the digital camera boom: a consumer back you
could dock onto your camera (I know there are some medium format replacement
digital backs, but the consumer replacement was a joke).

------
agumonkey
I wonder if they could make a 65hp variant.

~~~
derrick_jensen
The issue with lower horsepower motors is that regenerative braking is not as
effective. For the most part, regenerative braking can only absorb as much
torque as it can put out, and anything above this has to fall back to the
traditional brake system (or some other system).

I've been pricing out how to perform EV conversions as cheaply as possible.
Battery capacity is by far the most costly section, and having a smaller
horsepower motor isn't going to change how much power it draws (assuming
driving habits stay the same). I've been basing my calculations off a 40HP
motor and here are some preliminary numbers you might find interesting

On a typical car, a 200 mile radius will require around 44.4kWh of capacity
(at around 45MPH, no stops). This is the capacity of 3483 3.4Ah 18650 cells,
costing around $13.6k (you can bring that price down if you have some
connections and more supply, but that's the cheapest rate I could find for a
non-business). 100 mile range is also pretty reasonable. The motor and all
other components cost less than $1.5k, man hours required for conversion is
another main question, but hopefully that becomes more streamlined over time.

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aj7
Batteries?

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sabujp
great now i just need a mechanic who will do the entire conversion

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Robotbeat
Super inefficient. Need to do cleansheet electric car design like Tesla.

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dsfyu404ed
That's not the point. The point is to have a second option for "engines you
can drop into classic cars with nothing more than a credit card" (the first
option being an LS).

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ballpark
I stopped reading because the ads are obnoxious

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fortran77
Wonderful! I'm happy for you.

But what does this have to do with electric crate motors that can be
retrofitted into gas cars?

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whatimeantosay
fortran sucks

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imtringued
I don't have the correct screwdriver.

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m0zg
This needs to come with an crate battery that you can also drop into your car,
as well as a wiring harness to hook up the pedals, ignition, telemetry, and so
on and so forth. Without all that you can't really "drop it into your car".

