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Kevin Sharpe Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2017 Posts: 535 Location: IRL & US
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Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2017 4:31 am Post subject: ICE Breaker - converting a 1967 split to electric drive |
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Introduction to the 1967 VW Microbus that I'm converting to electric drive
This is an old video but the project is very much alive and I'll start posting regular updates.
Link
Last edited by Kevin Sharpe on Wed Aug 30, 2017 6:00 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Kevin Sharpe Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2017 Posts: 535 Location: IRL & US
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Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2017 4:36 am Post subject: Re: ICE Breaker - converting a 1967 split to electric drive |
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I finally got the van through an MOT which is required for UK registration. Once the van is registered I will strip it down ready for it's electric drive conversion.
Lots of work has been undertaken on the electric drivetrain in the last year. I started with a Nissan Leaf donor car and had that stripped down and running on the bench top. However about a month ago I was offered a Tesla drivetrain and battery and have decided to switch course because that offers an easy 200+ miles range and ~200HP in a small motor package
If you are interested you can read some of the history over on the DIY Electric Car Forum;
http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177489 |
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Kevin Sharpe Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2017 Posts: 535 Location: IRL & US
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Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2017 4:50 am Post subject: Re: ICE Breaker - converting a 1967 split to electric drive |
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I had a quick play with the Tesla drivetrain and my Red 9 IRS today. It looks as if the motor will fit with only minor reworking of the IRS and leave a huge cavern where the ICE used to be
The Tesla drivetrain is an integrated package that contains the electric motor, inverter, and the single speed transmission. I'm using the 'small' drivetrain that weighs 88kg and produces ~200HP. A much larger version is available that produces ~500HP.
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60freak Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2002 Posts: 861 Location: Indiana
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Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2017 4:50 am Post subject: Re: ICE Breaker - converting a 1967 split to electric drive |
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Wow! Way cool. This is something I have wanted to see someone do for a very long time. I can't wait to see your progress. Thanks! |
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vwjetboat Samba Member
Joined: May 11, 2017 Posts: 1732 Location: Florida
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Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2017 4:52 am Post subject: Re: ICE Breaker - converting a 1967 split to electric drive |
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yea.. i will be following this.. solar panels going on roof ? |
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wcfvw69 Samba Purist
Joined: June 10, 2004 Posts: 13385 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2017 6:27 am Post subject: Re: ICE Breaker - converting a 1967 split to electric drive |
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_________________ Contact me at [email protected]
Follow me on instagram @sparxwerksllc
Decades of VW and VW parts restoration experience.
The Samba member since 2004.
**Now rebuilding throttle bodies for VW's and Porsche's**
**Restored German Bosch distributors for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored German Pierburg fuel pumps for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche fuel pumps or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche distributors or I can restore yours** |
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mandraks Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2004 Posts: 7045 Location: Lawrenceville, Ga
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Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2017 10:41 am Post subject: Re: ICE Breaker - converting a 1967 split to electric drive |
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60freak wrote: |
Wow! Way cool. This is something I have wanted to see someone do for a very long time. I can't wait to see your progress. Thanks! |
how about this effort? https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=539140 _________________ regards
Uli
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'53 3-Fold Oval, L35 Metallic Blue, looking for a narrow hatch panel |
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brettsvw Samba Member
Joined: November 22, 2007 Posts: 2145 Location: Florida
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Kevin Sharpe Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2017 Posts: 535 Location: IRL & US
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 3:57 am Post subject: Re: ICE Breaker - converting a 1967 split to electric drive |
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I love Jehu's work and the conversions by EV West and Zelectric Motors
To date they have followed the 'traditional' conversion path of bolting an electric motor onto the ICE transmission bell housing... by using the Tesla drivetrain you remove the ICE transmission completely, reducing weight, complexity, and gaining space where the ICE and gas tank is traditionally located.
Last edited by Kevin Sharpe on Fri Sep 01, 2017 4:50 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Kevin Sharpe Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2017 Posts: 535 Location: IRL & US
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 4:04 am Post subject: Re: ICE Breaker - converting a 1967 split to electric drive |
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vwjetboat wrote: |
yea.. i will be following this.. solar panels going on roof ? |
I'm considering flexible panels for the roof... it won't make much difference to the range but will keep the 12V system battery topped up and provide useful auxiliary power
Here's a typical example from EVTV
Last edited by Kevin Sharpe on Fri Sep 01, 2017 4:51 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Peter_N Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2014 Posts: 321 Location: The Netherlands
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 4:14 am Post subject: Re: ICE Breaker - converting a 1967 split to electric drive |
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Kevin Sharpe wrote: |
I had a quick play with the Tesla drivetrain |
That's insane!
Looking forward to your updates man! _________________ My 1958 PGSG project topic |
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mandraks Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2004 Posts: 7045 Location: Lawrenceville, Ga
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 11:04 am Post subject: Re: ICE Breaker - converting a 1967 split to electric drive |
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Kevin Sharpe wrote: |
I love Jehu's work and the conversions by EV West and Zelectric Motors
To date they have followed the 'traditional' conversion path of bolting an electric motor onto the ICE transmission bell housing... by using the Tesla drivetrain you remove the ICE transmission completely, reducing weight, complexity, and gaining space where the ICE and gas tank is traditionally located.
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i thought about that myself, seems that even a standard live axle kind of situation would save weight? since a tranmssion is really not needed? direct drive if you will? _________________ regards
Uli
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'53 3-Fold Oval, L35 Metallic Blue, looking for a narrow hatch panel |
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Kevin Sharpe Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2017 Posts: 535 Location: IRL & US
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Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2017 3:40 am Post subject: Re: ICE Breaker - converting a 1967 split to electric drive |
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mandraks wrote: |
i thought about that myself, seems that even a standard live axle kind of situation would save weight? since a tranmssion is really not needed? direct drive if you will? |
Many electric motors will rev to 16,000 rpm or more and therefore a gear reduction is required. As you suggest this could be 'direct drive' but in reality using a VW transmission is a simple solution even if you end up only using one or two gears when driving (interestingly EV West recently developed a two speed VW Transmission - see here).
Given I'm installing a new IRS in the bus the decision to use the complete Tesla (or Nissan) drivetrain is obvious and it will be interesting to see just how much weight it saves when compared to the existing ICE setup.
One of the issues when using an electric drivetrain is the open differential... fortunately this problem has been solved for the 'large' Tesla motor at least - Quaife LSD (see here) |
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TinCanFab Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2006 Posts: 2743 Location: Waterford, California
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Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 6:22 pm Post subject: Re: ICE Breaker - converting a 1967 split to electric drive |
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I love this idea and that technology is getting much better for the money nowadays. I'm in the market for another bus soon but I read through the link and I'm totally lost. I understand I'd need to do my homework for all the details, can you post up a lot of pics of the process?
I'm capable of fabbing and doing metal work, I live 80 miles from the Tesla plant and see one on the road every day if I drive long enough. Finding parts shouldn't be hard. If you can explain all the basics from start to finish, it would be awesome. Most of us here are like me, we know busses quite well and accept the fact that metal work needs to be done already. We find busses that need engines and they are NOT cheap to build anymore. Tesla conversion for dummies. I don't even have a clue what makes the Tesla so different from a Nissan Leaf, all I know is they have awesome performance and I would totally do a conversion. _________________ Check out my truck brought back from the dead... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=420762&highlight=sprayed+blood
They're never really ever finished 58 rag build...
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=658092 |
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Kevin Sharpe Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2017 Posts: 535 Location: IRL & US
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 4:41 am Post subject: Re: ICE Breaker - converting a 1967 split to electric drive |
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roachdub58 wrote: |
I understand I'd need to do my homework for all the details, can you post up a lot of pics of the process? |
Now that the project is moving from the bench to the fabrication stage I'll start using video to record the process. I'm happy to share everything that I learn and answer any questions
Unfortunately, it's difficult to use OEM electric car parts straight out of salvaged cars because they often use encrypted and proprietary control protocols which are not available to third parties. Indeed, most electric car OEMs don't even publish workshop manuals or sell spare parts The workaround is to develop 'open source' hardware/software that gives us complete control over the OEM parts and allows anyone to build and modify the system as they wish. Today we have a number of talented developers working on the Tesla motor, charger, and battery system... other developers are doing the same for the Nissan Leaf systems
If you're interested this guy is a car 'hacker' doing great work;
https://www.youtube.com/user/pooey1911/ |
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Braukuche Samba Member
Joined: September 03, 2004 Posts: 10968
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 1:25 pm Post subject: Re: ICE Breaker - converting a 1967 split to electric drive |
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It's the ineviable future once the world gets serious about carbon emissions. _________________ Go Reds! Smash state!
Retirement is here!
1956 Ghia
1959 SO-23 Westfalia
1960 double cab
1960 Baja Bug
1963 stretched double cab
1962 Golde sunroof Ghia
1963 356 B coupe
1963 Notchback
1967 21 window less rusty now |
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TinCanFab Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2006 Posts: 2743 Location: Waterford, California
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Kevin Sharpe Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2017 Posts: 535 Location: IRL & US
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Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2017 5:46 am Post subject: Re: ICE Breaker - converting a 1967 split to electric drive |
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Braukuche wrote: |
It's the ineviable future once the world gets serious about carbon emissions. |
We clearly need to do something drastic about ICE emissions and hopefully our everyday transport can go zero emission while allowing the classics to carry on to some extent
That said, there is something rather wonderful about driving on electricity produced on the roof of your house. The economics are also interesting - charity boss travels length of Britain in electric car - for just £20 |
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Kevin Sharpe Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2017 Posts: 535 Location: IRL & US
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Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 3:57 am Post subject: Re: ICE Breaker - converting a 1967 split to electric drive |
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Happy to report that my bus has finally been registered in the UK and I can now strip it down ready for conversion
In the last few weeks I've been visiting fabricators to review options on the chassis redesign to accommodate the Tesla battery. I've also found a motorsports company who will add motor mounts to the Red 9 IRS for the 'small' Tesla rear motor. While it's very tight in the old engine bay we believe we can fit the Tesla motor and IRS without modifying the bus... a bolt on upgrade |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22573 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 5:12 am Post subject: Re: ICE Breaker - converting a 1967 split to electric drive |
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Kevin Sharpe wrote: |
Braukuche wrote: |
It's the ineviable future once the world gets serious about carbon emissions. |
We clearly need to do something drastic about ICE emissions and hopefully our everyday transport can go zero emission while allowing the classics to carry on to some extent
That said, there is something rather wonderful about driving on electricity produced on the roof of your house. The economics are also interesting - charity boss travels length of Britain in electric car - for just £20 |
We have to get the power grid to no emission too, otherwise we just shift the emissions . You guys are 16% nuclear too, which is another barrel of monkeys emissions wise _________________ .ssS! |
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