Highway legal 3-wheeler

I would love to build a EV chopper type trike, two wheels in the back and highway legal. Looking for a direction to go with what would be needed. I live in the Colorado mountains and wanting something with at least a 30 mile range. Ive been keeping my eyes open for a titled frame, no luck so far. My initial thoughts are either a rear hub motor, leaving room to put the batteries and control boxes between the rear wheels leaving the rest of he frame open. Or a rear differential with a transmission thats build for EV and putting the batteries in the frame between my knees.
I dont ride motorcycles mostly because I never was comfortable with hand controlled throttle and brakes so maybe a throttle and brake pedal car style on the right side of the frame.
Ive been loosely following the DIY EV world, just enough to know I dont know as much as I would need to know to start this project.
Thanks for any insight that will steer me in the right direction. .

http://www.instructables.com/id/Electric-Trike-wAir-Suspension/

First you have to decide what you're willing to put into it. How much time and effort? What will you spend?

You can get a three wheel rear end for say a Schwinn Meridan and pop it onto the OCC Chopper, but don't know how much you'll like that.

Dauntless said:

You can get a three wheel rear end for say a Schwinn Meridan and pop it onto the OCC Chopper, but don't know how much you'll like that.

Click to expand...

I don't think that's going to qualify as "highway capable".


@ Gmelton: The battery will be your largest cost/etc. There's a couple of recent threads trying to help another member that should help explain the issues involved. Unfortunately I can't seem to find the links ATM, but I posted to both of them in the last few weeks.

EDIT found the threads
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=86788&p=1269262#p1269262

https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=86260&p=1261828#p1261912

and this one too
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=86578

The motor/controller is pretty easy; a number of places make hubmotors that can do what you want. QSMotor has a thread in the for sale section, as one example. There are also non-hubmotors; these can get more complex to setup, but have their own advantages. One possible one here on ES is in a thread by Methods, probably the most recent one he's posted to, if you look up his posts.

Look up Lexus RX400H carrier or Toyota highlander Carrier. This is the Toyota MGR motor REAR car section. Google it or Youtube it. Surely you have seen the Honda Goldwings with the VW trike conversion. Adapt a motorcycle frame, that is "licensed" and put batteries inside the frame.

These are rear frame sections that have e-motor, generation, and differential with half shafts or CV shafts. They are remarkably cheap and would give a foundation to build from.

Duantles, I like the way that sits, couldnt get it on the highway though.
Amberwolf, hoping to find a leaf battery pack to salvage, Ive seen them around in the past at decent prices.
Harold, I really like the VW trike idea. Between the number of those that have been built over the years and the number of WV's that have been converted to EV, most of the kinks should be worked out.
There a re a couple of them for sale in my area, none have titles on the though. Thinking that if the builders tried and couldnt get titles then I dont want to try it either.

Another thing I probably should keep in mind. I was reading someone saying that if ya are on dirt a lot that a DC motor might not be sealed enough to keep the dust out, I live on a dirt road. Would there be any disadvantages to using a AC motor in this setup?

Makes no difference if it's AC or DC, only if it's sealed or not.

seen this for sale local, says everything is new except the controller, all for $2700. still looking for a picture of the motor to see if its sealed of not, but from another site it would seem to fit my power and range needs. Is the price good?

Motor: Advanced DC 203-06-4001 72-96V
Controller: Curtis 1231C 96-144V 500A
DC/DC Converter: Zivan 72/96V to 12V
Charger: Zivan NG3
Curtis PB-6 Throttle
Aluminum Heat Sink for Controller
Main Fuse
Toggle Switch
Relay
Gauges and Gauge Panel
Position Strip
Shunt
Inertia Switch
Contactor
Circuit Breaker
Main Switch Cover
600V Cable 2/0GA with connectors and covers
Cable crimpers, wire stripper, wire cutter

also seen this used AC motor

Electric Motor Lincoln AC Electric Motor; 1500 RPM; 15 HP; Volts: 230/460;
$200

A google image search on the first motor will show you approximately what it looks like, and it's specs will be on the top listed site in the web search.

But AFAIK those are rather large brushed motors, for car sized conversions. No idea if it's a good deal or not; dunno how applicable it is to your project.


I don't recommend lookign around for parts yet, but first decide what you want it to do.

First you want to figure out what it will take to do what you want with it, power wise, before you start picking out components, or you may end up with stuff that's either insufficient, or so overpowered that it is way bigger and heavier than you need, making your vehicle inefficient (especially if there are a lot of stops and starts).

I'd recommend going thru the linked thread in my other post, and looking around for other build threads for similar usages and vehicle sizes to yours, so you can get an idea of power usages and whatnot, and have a starting point to work from.

Or you can guesstimate what your vehicle will weigh, and use some of the many EV calculators out there (have been several on this site under titles with calculator or simulator in there) to figure a baseline.


Something else to keep in mind is that just having enough power to reach the speeds you're after may not be enough, if you need very quick acceleration you'll need a lot of torque from a stop which usually needs a lot of power too.

I can't see why a titled Honda, Harley, etc., can't be converted as an experimental build. All you are doing is swapping the rear wheel/swingarm for a differential. I have seen several experimental plates on vehicles over the years. You can find older motorcycles for not much money.

Agree with AW about searching before buying parts. Just thought you might investigate a little further about the rear drive Lexus, etc. They are not really big and heavy, considering.

I dont like the way the two to three wheel conversions look.
big picture is that I cant seem to justify spending a ton of money to save a little. I do a lot of <5 mile trips in a saturn that gets 33 mpg, but those short trips on a cold engine defeats the mileage That and it sits to low to the ground make it some what painful on my old knees getting in and out of. A trike would allow me to stand straight up eliminating the twisting involved. A gas powered 4 wheel vehicle with more ground clearance would be even worse on mileage. Converting a 4 wheel vehicle would be a little more involved than I want to deal with right now, brakes, power steering heat. All is certainly doable but for now I want to keep it simple. Not to mention the "cool" factor of a open vehicle.
I see a few 10 + year old videos on youtube where people have converted vehicles for under a grand, keeping it all very simple. I like that. Right now it is looking like finding a titled 3-wheeler is going to be a matter of luck. Ive lookid into getting a VIN and title on a homebuilt in Colorado, not a simple process and Ive seen a few hints of it being expensive. One mention of having to put a bond of twice the vehicles worth comes to mind.
It would take a long while to recoup the cost of a seven or eight (or more) thousand dollar investment verses keeping on driving my current daily driver even with the mileage basically cut in half.