1996 Land Cruiser EV Conversion - EVJ80 Project

[PIP]

That is like saying an industrial diesel engine has the same characteristics as a land cruiser diesel engine just because they're both diesel. I'm guessing your micron level control motors do not also spin things at extremely high speeds. I'm guessing they are highly specialized to do only one task. I could make a better vehicle than what I am making, obviously. But currently I am making it. Not talking about what I would do.

I don't think your diesel comparison is fair.

In fact, I believe the opposite of your inference is true. The industrial automation motor control refinement is probably behind the abilities of todays electric car tech because automobiles are so dynamic by nature. Automotive applications must also be lighter with a much greater power density. Top software engineers work for Tesla. Industrial automation not as much.

In general, they do also spin higher RPM. 20 years ago a rating of 10 RPM to 10k RPM was typical. Today it's more like zero to 20K RPM, pretty much inline with what an EV motor spins.

I'm just looking at what you're doing and asking questions. Looking forward to more of your progress.

 

[clx16]

Probably a dump question, so please ignore if it is. But besides cost would it make sense to move to the newer brake booster style like the 100 has with the electric pump?

 

[J1000]

Probably a dump question, so please ignore if it is. But besides cost would it make sense to move to the newer brake booster style like the 100 has with the electric pump?

Yeah other than cost and complexity that would be an option. Or a similar unit from another model of vehicle. I chose this way to maintain the stock brake system as much as possible for safety and hopefully the ABS will still work. The vacuum pump I got is from a Camaro ZL1 so it should be reliable.

 

[Manuelsv]

Pure awesoomness and badassery! Love his project!

 

[b16]

Teslas for instance can turn your car's charging off from HQ.

No they can't. They can disable Supercharging on their own chargers but they can't disable charging all together. In fact you can completely disconnect a Tesla from the network completely and it still functions the same.

 

[b16]

Model Ys have been taken on 4x4 trails and they fail hard. Yes, on pavement from 0MPH they go like hell. But you have no modulation at those low RPMs to deal with offroad conditions and the higher forces on the tires. Electric motors are not magical and they require RPM to make power, same as any other motor or engine. You have no ability to crawl. At slow RPMs and high load they can "cog" or "stall" which means they don't have enough inertia to make the jump from one magnet to the next so they stutter, or just stop completely. This is bad! Imagine climbing a rock face or being 100ft in the air on a fin at Moab and have your motor cog or stall out and then just freewheel. There is no engine compression so then you just start rolling.

This is only an issue with the permanent magnet motors. Model Y has the rear motor as permanent magnet; front is a 3 phase AC induction motor which does not suffer from this.

 

[Doug18]

Great build so far, really like how you made the display for battery capacity fit within the stock clock housing that really looks great and OEM. Nice to see that it is really getting closer to driving I am interested to see what the range is going to be when running on the trails. Maybe if you come by another leaf you could add capacity in the spare tire space as well? I appreciate as well the budget nature of your build it makes the whole thing that much more interesting.

 

[LandLocked93]

No they can't. They can disable Supercharging on their own chargers but they can't disable charging all together. In fact you can completely disconnect a Tesla from the network completely and it still functions the same.

"High voltage" (supercharging) a Tesla gets you 95% of the way to beating a 1986 Ford Escort GT in a race to a 445 mile destination.
Tesla still loses to 110yr old tech. And might I add cheap, lazy, plastic, 1986 US manufacturing tech.
Plus the Escort can go another 445 miles after 5 minutes of refueling.
At this yawning moment, energy density (still) for the win.
disclaimer:all the love for Elon Musk - modern day pioneer

 

[nukegoat]

Can we stick to tech

 

[b16]

"High voltage" (supercharging) a Tesla gets you 95% of the way to beating a 1986 Ford Escort GT in a race to a 445 mile destination.
Tesla still loses to 110yr old tech. And might I add cheap, lazy, plastic, 1986 US manufacturing tech.
Plus the Escort can go another 445 miles after 5 minutes of refueling.
At this yawning moment, energy density (still) for the win.
disclaimer:all the love for Elon Musk - modern day pioneer

I'm not arguing the fact you can fill a car with gas a lot faster than you can charge an EV, not sure what the point of your post was as it was completely unrelated. Although someone just did the cannonball from LA to NY in a Model S long range in just over 42 hours.

 

[b16]

I'm now stuck on trying to figure out a way for you to run those two motors.

Multiple reduction boxes going directly from motors to axle with propshafts?
2 transfer cases for each drive unit/axle?
somehow use a differential backwards, but the gearing would be ****ed?

 

[OGBeno]

Great job. **** it and do something interesting. At least it’s not the same old 80 series bull**** and newbie crybabies.

 

[nukegoat]

Great job. f*** it and do something interesting. At least it’s not the same old 80 series bulls*** and newbie crybabies.

Head gasket
Rust
PHH
Drive flanges

 

[LandLocked93]

I'm not arguing the fact you can fill a car with gas a lot faster than you can charge an EV, not sure what the point of your post was as it was completely unrelated. Although someone just did the cannonball from LA to NY in a Model S long range in just over 42 hours.

Yeah. The recharge time caused the EV to be 15+hrs slower than the record-holding fossil fueled vehicle. Not counting for the odds of likelihood there would be power at the plug when needed for the EV.
My only argument is for the offgrid charging of EVs. Which to this point, imo, has been purposely 'overlooked' by all EV manufacturers.

 

[Doug18]

Yeah. The recharge time caused the EV to be 15+hrs slower than the record-holding fossil fueled vehicle. Not counting for the odds of likelihood there would be power at the plug when needed for the EV.
My only argument is for the offgrid charging of EVs. Which to this point, imo, has been purposely 'overlooked' by all EV manufacturers.

Idk if they are purposely overlooking it or just don’t see the value in investing in it since even a full solar array on top of an 80 series would likely take longer than a day in full sun to charge. The original Fisker Karma had a solar roof, but if I remember correctly it was mainly just a show piece and didn’t actually produce much power.

 

[LandLocked93]

Idk if they are purposely overlooking it or just don’t see the value in investing in it since even a full solar array on top of an 80 series would likely take longer than a day in full sun to charge. The original Fisker Karma had a solar roof, but if I remember correctly it was mainly just a show piece and didn’t actually produce much power.

It is a technical challenge indeed. But so was the EV itself 20 yrs ago.
Today's answer is the 'hybrid'. Fossil fueled electric regen.
But no EV manufacturer has created a hybrid based on the huge kwh setups like the ModelS and its variants. a 100kwh hybrid would be a game changer in the overlanding world imo.

 

[pgmatt]

This is fantastic and interesting build. Do you think another leaf battery could be rearranged to fit in the stock fuel tank location down the road? I can’t wait to see ev conversion parts and especially batteries come down in price over the next decade or two. Please keep the updates coming!

 

[6894kevin]

this is fantastic!

 

[PIP]

I didn't buy a Tesla because it was electric. I bought it because it's fast as hell for what it costs and it's a really nice, comfortable car. Tesla service has been excellent. The car has had a couple minor problems like glove box door popping open and one day the windows stuck down. When the windows stuck down Tesla sent a tech straight over and fixed it within the hour. Charging is a non-issue. We live in a rural area and regularly take the car on 300 mile day trips. Charging the Tesla has added about $20 a month to our electric bill, but admittedly we're on a power co-op with rates on the low side.

I didn't buy it to drive cross country with. We we're going to buy another Kia Soul as a basic commuter car, but the base Kia went from $15k to $25k and we didn't want the base anymore, we wanted something with enough zoot to pull into traffic. That kia was $30k+ so we test drove other cars. Tesla tossed us a key card and said keep it for the weekend, run the piss out of it, so we loaded up the fam and took it on a road trip. Sunday night we dropped it off and ordered a new Model Y. After rebates it was under $40k. We would not have bought one at the current price point or without the rebates, it wouldn't pencil out. We test drove a Leaf and the Hyundai thing. We were not impressed at all.

 

[roflbox]

Really cool thread!
@J1000 Do you have an background on working on EVs?
I am also curious about how you will be mounting the batteries in the engine bay so there is little dust / water ingress