TheSamba.com :: View topic - ICE Breaker - converting a 1967 split to electric drive

Sat Sep 09, 2017 5:36 am

Abscate wrote: We have to get the power grid to no emission too oh, that's easy :)

We have a 7kWp solar system on our house roof... and when I'm in my local town the car charging is powered by solar and wind from the community centre 8)

While these are important topics shall we debate these elsewhere to ensure this thread remains focused on my conversion?

Sun Sep 10, 2017 10:25 am

Some very good progress with the open source inverter for the Tesla motor... rapidly getting to the point where we have full control 8)

Wed Sep 20, 2017 11:26 am

We hope to 3D scan the 'small' Tesla rear motor in the next couple of weeks... we *think* we have a solution that will allow any of the early VW vehicles to use the Tesla drivetrain easily 8)

While we wait here are a few photo's that give an indication of the overall size of the drivetrain that we are using.

Sun Sep 24, 2017 7:17 am

PCB layout for the 'small' Tesla motor is going well :D

More on the open source design can be found here;

https://www.patreon.com/posts/tight-fit-14515911

Tue Sep 26, 2017 5:00 am

I'm receiving several messages a day requesting help buying Tesla parts. While I'm thrilled to see this market taking off I thought it would be more efficient if the DIY community created a list of resellers/breakers and (hopefully) provided a personal recommendation to ensure this is useful.

I've made a start here :D

Wed Oct 04, 2017 7:43 am

The bus is currently at the workshop where the prototype motor mounts are being fabricated. I hope to have some progress to report in a couple of weeks time.

In the meantime we've just received another 'small' Tesla drive unit which is destined for a 1976 Beetle Karmann Cabriolet conversion that a friend is undertaking 8)

Fri Oct 06, 2017 12:21 pm

We're making progress on the 3D scans and have today found a company that can 3D print full size copies of the drive units, battery modules, and chargers. The plan is to create low cost space models of the Tesla parts that anyone can use during the conversion planning stage.

At the other end of the scale, we've been fabricating physical models to help visualise the mechanical constraints (sometimes easier when you don't have 3D models of the vehicle) 8)

Thu Oct 12, 2017 6:15 am

This is a great thread and along with Jehu is a valuable addition to the 'Split Bus' section of the TheSamba.
Currently, are the tesla units expensive to buy off the shelf new or are you sourcing yours second hand ?

Thu Oct 12, 2017 1:34 pm

It looks like we'll have a lot of space left after our ~250HP motor upgrade 8)

Thu Oct 12, 2017 1:44 pm

SplitBusVanatic wrote: Currently, are the tesla units expensive to buy off the shelf new or are you sourcing yours second hand ? Tesla do not sell drive units to third parties. You can buy low mileage ~250HP drive units for 2-3,500 Euros, and >450HP drive units for 5-10,000 Euros.

Sun Oct 15, 2017 4:15 am

We have the prototype engine mounts fabricated and the 'small' Tesla rear motor installed ready for inverter testing :D

The only cut on the bus was the centre of the lowest cross member which we think we can save in a future version of the motor mount design. Everything bolts onto the bus including the Red 9 IRS system that I'm using.

Next step is to verify this design approach works on a beetle chassis. Then we'll give the prototype to a couple of engineering companies who will turn it into products that we can all buy 8)

Sun Oct 15, 2017 6:27 am

Great progress. Well done.

Sat Oct 21, 2017 11:57 am

SplitBusVanatic wrote: Great progress. Well done. Many thanks :D

Sat Oct 21, 2017 12:53 pm

We’ve been busy working on the Red 9 suspension system and hope to have the wheels back on the bus next week ready to test Damien’s open source inverter controller 8)

In parallel with these efforts we’re showing the prototype motor mounts to a couple of companies that want to make them commercially.

And in the quiet moments we’re kitting parts for four Tesla based conversions :D

Thu Oct 26, 2017 1:09 pm

Here's the version 2 Tesla motor mount prototype which fits on the standard VW Bus/Beetle engine frame horns without modification.

This version also accommodates the Red 9 IRS when fitted to the Split Screen Bus 8)

Thu Oct 26, 2017 2:02 pm

Looks really clean! WOW! :o

Thu Oct 26, 2017 2:15 pm

Interesting...

I drove an old-school (well, mid 90s) electric conversion in a '73 Beetle in May. Was the standard mount the motor to the gearbox conversion, but was still super neat to drive.

Maybe when a few more Teslas have been crashed, I'll want to mount one in my Thing! It's got the same type of frame horns as a beetle, so this should work, right? Would be a cool motor conversion that wouldn't require locating a radiator.

Thu Oct 26, 2017 2:32 pm

vwwestyman wrote: It's got the same type of frame horns as a beetle, so this should work, right? Correct, if everything goes to plan it will be a bolt in replacement for anything that uses the VW frame horns 8)

vwwestyman wrote: Would be a cool motor conversion that wouldn't require locating a radiator. You will require a radiator for the motor and battery. We're planning to fit two small rads to use the vents on the side of the bus. However, you gain so much room where the ICE used to be that you could mount a rad near to the motor instead (maybe have a scoop bringing air from under the bus).

Thu Oct 26, 2017 2:36 pm

Shoot on the radiator requirement! I suppose it makes sense that even an electric motor making that power would indeed need cooling.

It'll be super interesting to see how the range in a Bus or Beetle (or Thing!) compares to the original car.

Thu Oct 26, 2017 3:18 pm

vwwestyman wrote: Shoot on the radiator requirement! I suppose it makes sense that even an electric motor making that power would indeed need cooling.

It'll be super interesting to see how the range in a Bus or Beetle (or Thing!) compares to the original car.

it appears the battery pack for a tesla weighs some 1200 pounds, added to the bus empty weight of 2000ish pounds, makes for a 3200 pound car, less than the 4600 pound a Tesla weighs.

Seems like it should be quite comparable to the real deal. just less power.