Electric buggy (1 Viewer)

[RVBtruck]

Now I just want to trow this out htere for debate. I was sitting around with my father(electrical engineer) and we came up with a plausible idea for an electric buggy. Limited run time depending on batteries and wehter or not you put a generator on. Basci ideal was easy instead of an engine use one with a transfercase or two one connected to each diff, witch I have an idea of how to do both already.

Give me what you can think of as pros and cons. And remeber that the reason I thought this up is cuz torque is completely varaible and can be instant, unlike an engine with the curve.

 

[GreatLakesWaterjet]

Its been done beforeby Tony K. http://www.rockequipment.com/cat100.htm Give them a call to see how it worked.

 

[-XXX-]

you would be better off to drive the wheel hub with the electric motor. the torque would be hard on trans cases, GM has had issues with breaking hubs when running electric motors

 

[GreatLakesWaterjet]

Heres the pics I found that I saved. Damn cool buggy, but I don't know what happened to it. Haven't seen it out anywhere.

 

[GreatLakesWaterjet]

 

[RVBtruck]

I had a completely different configuration idea. looks like the tranfered torque via some sort of case by the pics. I can see the motor behind the seats, or maybe one of the motors??

Kinda sucks.......... thought I had an original idea. N E way keep em commin really tying to put this plan down and find any snangs.

 

[GreatLakesWaterjet]

From what I know about this rig, Tony used 1 eletric motor hooked to an Atlas t-case. Made an adapter to mate them. Said it would run about 4-5 hours before recharging. The "gas pedal" is a reastat setup. The cool part is you can sneek up on the obstacle I think it is a great idea and would like to do one myself someday. My only concern would be running out of juice on the trail. How would you charge the thing in the middle of nowhere? Guess you would have to tote a generator around in your tow rig. I,ve looked at a lot of electric car conversion websites. Lots of good info on them. What about a generator on the rig to keep it charged like a hybrid?

 

[GreatLakesWaterjet]

Check this out. http://www.electroauto.com/

 

[Tigerstripe40]

A solar array would help keep the batteries charged up, but wouldn't do the job of keeping them charged. In a pinch, you just wait around while the batteries charge up.

Save a bunch of weight by not usign automotive axles, drivelines and t-cases. With the the right motors, you could power each hub individually and have tons mroe run time than with the above setup. If you could design a suspension without worrying about how to power the wheels with an axle and drive shaft, you could do some SICK-Assed stuff with IFS/IRS.

Another option to power this rig would be a Ballard Fuel Cell to power it all.
But you thought a new crate LS-7 was expensive...

 

[KArmstrong]

Significantly more mundane that those fancy buggies, but lots of good detail at http://www.evparts.com/about/roverFaceOffPhotos.html

Yeah, I know ... its not a Toy

 

[rusty_tlc]

One motor / hub would be the way to go. Do the gear reduction inside the hub like a portal axel so you would have a ton of clearence. Add a feed back circuit to keep the motor speeds synchronized. Consider the steering options, you could throw the right side in forward and the left in reverse and spin inside the vehicles own length. Add rear steer to that.

Maybe a small propane generator for emergency re-charges? Something light like a Honda 1000, converted to Propane.

 

[Tigerstripe40]

One motor / hub would be the way to go. Do the gear reduction inside the hub like a portal axel so you would have a ton of clearence. Add a feed back circuit to keep the motor speeds synchronized. Consider the steering options, you could throw the right side in forward and the left in reverse and spin inside the vehicles own length. Add rear steer to that.

Gear reduction hubs wouldn't be necessary.

The beauty of an electric motor is that you have 100% of your torque right at the get go.

 

[RVBtruck]

That's what really got me on the idea is the instant torque avalability. That and my father really has been "geekin out" on all the electric car conversions.

The problem that we discussed with the hub motors was cost. The up side is being able to to a hub motor as a brake/charger at higher speeds. Again the cost. Already considered this to prolly have provisions to have either a gas or propane gene for exspected longer trips, but removable to reduce weight.

 

[Tigerstripe40]

That's what really got me on the idea is the instant torque avalability. That and my father really has been "geekin out" on all the electric car conversions.

The problem that we discussed with the hub motors was cost. The up side is being able to to a hub motor as a brake/charger at higher speeds. Again the cost. Already considered this to prolly have provisions to have either a gas or propane gene for exspected longer trips, but removable to reduce weight.

I feel that a fuel cell would be the best power generaton.
Sure have some batteries on board to provide instant oomph for starting out.

But again, LS7's seem cheap by comparison.

 

[RVBtruck]

Although the idea is exotic I wanted to try to keep the costs realistic. Really thinkin about this idea.

Unless someone out there just happens to know some environmetal company that just happens to have $ that they need to trow away. I'd love to travel and show it off.

 

[Tigerstripe40]

Although the idea is exotic I wanted to try to keep the costs realistic. Really thinkin about this idea.

Unless someone out there just happens to know some environmetal company that just happens to have $ that they need to trow away. I'd love to travel and show it off.

What's realistic?

Electric control for the motors isn't going to be cheap or easy.
Zilla makes some nice motor control stuff, but again, it isn't cheap.

I was thinking that building something around a suzuki samurai (divorced t-case, easily adapted to any motor) with some toyota axles underneath it migth be cool. Loose the body, and use some 3" aluminum tubing for a roll cage to save weight.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Gear reduction hubs wouldn't be necessary.

The beauty of an electric motor is that you have 100% of your torque right at the get go.

But it would help with battery life. IIRC max current draw for a DC motor is from dead stop to 90% of max spin, roughly speaking. You still have to overcome the inertia of the motor/wheel.

It would also allow you to put the motor up high out of harms way.

 

[mo_fj40]

i have thought of a similar idea, the only thing is, i looked at how a locomotive works, they have a motor that spins the generator that runs the charge to the motors.

so you could run a small motor to run the generator.

the new hybrid vehicles use the motor to start and the electric to sustain, but battery life would be the issue, weight vs gas


after about 3 months drawing plans and working with the electrical engineers that i work with daily, we jsut said it wouldnt be worth it.

we did figure the electromechanical actuators for steering and such, but we couldnt do it for less than a new comp buggy would cost. so at that point we stopped with the idea

 

[74monster]

I'm not into rockcrawling but a hydraulic pump hooked to a hydraulic motor on each wheel, you could operate each wheel indepentantly of the others (forwards or reverse at the same time). Back in the 80's there was a monster truck of sorts that was set up that way and could almost turn around in its wheel base by reversing one side and turning the other forwards. Just a thought?