Honda ATV 4-wheel drive conversion

[joe.monahan]

Nothing that is affordable. If you had a 30HP gas engine and say 4 gallons of gasoline, then to match performance you need roughly a 22kW motor and a battery over 30kWh.

Well I appreciate that information. Looking around I can find an 8000W motor from QSMotors and a 10K kit from Golden Motors in Michigan. I dont necessarily have to match the performance of the 30HP gas engine - we never pushed that hard at all. But no, we dont want to putz around in an under-powered ATV either.

 

[amberwolf]

That's why I recommended using the calculators / simulators to figure out how much power it will actually need to do the job you need it to do for you, so you don't spend money on things that just can't do it.

It will take a bit of work to learn the ebikes.ca motor / trip simulators to set it up for this project vs the typical ebike stuff it's setup for, but you can do it, just double the expected rolling resistance for a wheel since the simulator expects two but you have four. Have to guess at the motor characteristics, leave the default resistances for battery and controller but change the voltage/current to whatever the parts you might use would be, and see how it behaves under the riding conditons you have. Worth the time investment to be sure you don't get too little power, or spend more money than you have to on too high a power.

 

[joe.monahan]

I tried, and tried again this morning. But the parameters offered just dont match up with the bigger drive trains Im considering. I might be able to do the custom motor, controller, etc but I dont have that info.

The sales guy at QS Motors suggested a 3k or 4k motor. Golden motors told me their 5k motor is popular. I wouldnt have a problem buying an 8, 10 or 15K motor either as long as they came as a kit so I didnt risk buying the wrong controller and peripherals.

Our needs for this ATV are pretty low-key: wooded, hilly trails around the farm, slightly hilly gravel roads, a range of 30 miles and a top speed of 35-40mph (65kph) is what we would need. I bet the sellers of the kits could confirm those abilities of their systems. Hopefully

That's why I recommended using the calculators / simulators to figure out how much power it will actually need to do the job you need it to do for you, so you don't spend money on things that just can't do it.

It will take a bit of work to learn the ebikes.ca motor / trip simulators to set it up for this project vs the typical ebike stuff it's setup for, but you can do it, just double the expected rolling resistance for a wheel since the simulator expects two but you have four. Have to guess at the motor characteristics, leave the default resistances for battery and controller but change the voltage/current to whatever the parts you might use would be, and see how it behaves under the riding conditons you have. Worth the time investment to be sure you don't get too little power, or spend more money than you have to on too high a power.

 

[joe.monahan]

I think Ive decided on this motor. Waiting to hear from the tech guys about battery options. Probably choose the 120 volt option.

10 KW BLDC Motor Air Cooled

The 10kW BLDC Golden Motor, featuring air cooling for efficient, high-performance operation. Ideal for electric vehicles, robotics, and industrial applications. 10KW BLDC Motor Air Cooled Model: HPM-10KW -- High Power BLDC Motor- Voltage: 48V, 72V, 96V, 120V- Rated Power: 8KW-20KW- Efficiency...

goldenmotor.bike

 

[j bjork]

The qs 138 90h will be comparable in output to the gas engine, but might overheat if you will pull a lot of power for long.
Dont know about golden motor, it seems people are not that happy with them. I think it was about them overheating easily.
You can check out qs 180 90h if you want to make sure you have enough power, but that will be capable of more than the gas engine I reckon

 

[joe.monahan]

The 10K motor from Golden Motor should be good too then, I assume?
I wish there were side-by-side comparisons so customers could compare exactly what for example) increasing the motor wattage does, and increasing battery voltage does, etc. I have loved at the simulators but they are not useful with these motors, etc.

The qs 138 90h will be comparable in output to the gas engine, but might overheat if you will pull a lot of power for long.
Dont know about golden motor, it seems people are not that happy with them. I think it was about them overheating easily.
You can check out qs 180 90h if you want to make sure you have enough power, but that will be capable of more than the gas engine I reckon

 

[eee291]

A QS 4kw mid drive should be enough for that ATV. I've got a QS 3kw in a golf cart peaking at almost 20kw without overheating issues.
You also can't just say "it had 30 hp so it needs 30 hp electric". look at a power curve of an ICE, 30 hp would be near redline.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803219431602.html

I don't recommend Aliexpress Batteries or any large battery from overseas.
This motor/controller combo is good enough, problem is mounting and wiring, there is a bit of a learning curve for beginners.
As for the battery, there are plenty of people who can help you source something locally.