Electric UTV

[Desertprep]

I know that my post is going to be more than 50% redundant to what has already been posted in other threads. I tried to eliminate the redundancy but then the whole post didn't make sense. I want to convert a UTV (2 seater, with a "bed" behind it) to be an electric vehicle, using 1 motor per wheel. The motors will be mounted in the center of the vehicle, between each pair of wheels and connected to the wheels with a half shaft (to reduce unsprung weight). UTV will either be trailered behind a motorhome and used to putz around in the great outdoors, or used to drive around 15 acres of high plains desert to do work. Top speed of 30 mph is fine, 25 is ok pulling a small utility trailer with 300 pounds. Torque is more important, as well as having 4wd to maintain sure footedness in sandy and gravely soil, as well as in shallow water. I am looking at 4 Golden Motor water cooled BLDC 5 kw motors with possible 2x or 3x gear reduction (I have not consider tire size yet). On paper they seem to have about the same hp was the lower end UTV's - but more torque to get out of mud on startup. Will it actually work out that way? Was thinking that the gear reduction units will give me more power at lower speeds and make it more efficient - true? Is the GM a durable motor? I will not be boonie crashing but driving on dirt/gravel roads, washboard, fire service roads, flat land with no road prepared. Finally, how well do LiFePO4 batteries fare on rough road?

 

[SlowCo]

Is it already a 4wd UTV that you will convert? If so, you could just replace the fossil fuel engine with a single electric motor. That way you will only need one controller instead of four.
A Battery pack would be best made out of OEM EV modules.

 

[Desertprep]

Is it already a 4wd UTV that you will convert? If so, you could just replace the fossil fuel engine with a single electric motor. That way you will only need one controller instead of four.
A Battery pack would be best made out of OEM EV modules.

Yes, it is a 4x4 but I was trying to balance the weight of the utv by having 4 motors - batteries to go under or right behind the riders. Also - correct me if I am wrong - I thought that having 4 motors would give the UTV a limited slip differential effect - wheels on one side would compensate for no traction by slowing down if they were connected to the same controller (one controller for front, one for the rear).

 

[SlowCo]

Doesn't the ATV already have mechanical limited slip differentials?
For brushless motors you'll need a separate controller for each. And it will take a lot of extra time, money and engineering to change and build 4 motors in/onto the ATV then just 'swap' the ICE for one electric motor and controller.
If you do want to go to 4 separate electric motors you could consider 4 hub motors and controllers. QS motor have a ready to go 2wd 'kit': QS205 2wd kit
QS Motor is here on Endless Sphere so you can ask them directly if they can make a 4wd kit for you: QS Motor on E-S

 

[pasarilati]

I just finished the testing phase of my converted (small, 500kg) UTV with one GM 10kw motor. So my UTV is now hybrid, as the ICE is still there, and I can actually run these motors in parallel.
If you're still interested, I can do a longer post explaining how to do it and the downsides.
However, I'd stay away from the headaches a 4-motor setup will give you.

 

[jmill]

I just finished the testing phase of my converted (small, 500kg) UTV with one GM 10kw motor. So my UTV is now hybrid, as the ICE is still there, and I can actually run these motors in parallel.
If you're still interested, I can do a longer post explaining how to do it and the downsides.
However, I'd stay away from the headaches a 4-motor setup will give you.

I'm not the original poster, but I'd be very interested in seeing a post about converting a gas UTV into a hybrid.

 

[fredtr]

I'm doing an Arctic Cat UTV conversion with two QS138, I posted above in this forum.