DIY EV Build options

EbikeAus

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Joined
Feb 4, 2018
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Ok I'll admit it, I'm a bit EV obsessed! lol
I have a couple of ebikes, one of which I built myself...with help from ES members 8)

I really enjoy DIY and get a lot of satisfaction from the process.

Have been toying with ideas for the next project.

I was fortunate to pick up quite a few CALB LiFePO4 cells last year. I run some of them in an off grid solar system.
There are 16 x 60ah cells I'm thinking of using in a new project.

I also have access to large quantities of high drain 18650s.

Initially I was thinking of a motorbike build but would love to have a go at a car if possible.

If I did a car it would be just for short drives, no commute etc.

I'm about to move house in a few weeks and need to build a shed at the new property. So have some time to think about which way to go.

Initial thoughts/ questions are.

Would 60 ah @ 48 volts be enough juice for short drives? If not, how many 18650 cells and what voltage/ configuration would you recommend?

Which make/ model would be a good donor vehicle? I live in Australia

Thanks in advance
 
First of all you need to decide on a Car beforehand, since you will need to figure out how much power it will draw, how fast do you want it to go? how steep a hill is it going to have to climb? if any.

Also what's your budget? Because Batteries will be the least of your concerns.

But going from what you said you have 48V 60Ah Calb with 2C continuous discharging current, wich makes 5.7KW. :cry:

Not a whole lot tbh, but with what you already have you could convert a 2 seater micro Car. Maybe like a Smart fortwo or something even lighter :pancake:

But all that can change with deep pockets of course :D
 
Thanks for that. Plenty to think about but I'm in no rush so will keep researching :D
 
I'm building a motorcycle.

Wanted a bike already, and I wanted to build a decently-performing EV as well at some point. This was cemented when I was in Florida during bike week - Harley's are loud and terrible.

Converting a motorcycle has a few advantages over converting a car: Generally easier to get it street legal than an ebike, takes up a lot less room than a car, much cheaper to convert, and it doesn't need to be practical, and it's pretty much going to be fun no matter what you do.

My bike only really needs to be practical enough to get me to work and back and fast that I'm not staring down the grim reaper if I have to bring it on the highway, otherwise I'm just going to bomb around on it and use it to run errands when it's nice out.

Once I've completed the "phase 2" upgrades (extending the range and speeding up charge times), I'll be right around $4500 into this. Mind you, I'm running salvaged cells, but I'm still in the ballpark of "decent used ICE bike".
 
If UTV side by side are road legal where you live you can try to find one with damaged engine to buy cheaper and convert it to a radical electric UTV. A light weight vehicle you can take to the store to pick up milk, ride around town or go nuts on country roads and dirt roads and even do serious jumping. But to get real fun you will need real power, nothing fun about a weak utv. And that kind of dictate serious battery. So cost will be high but with a very high fun factor.
 
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