The electric motor world is separated into two categories. Without going into great detail, there are direct current (DC) motors and alternating current (AC) motors. Both types are used in electric cars. Large vehicle manufacturers will usually use AC motors in their vehicles.These usually produce more power for their size and they are generally lighter than DC motors. On the other hand, AC motors are also a lot more complicated for the DIY enthusiast to install and also quite a bit more expensive than DC motors. This is why most of us prefer the DC motor when tackling a conversion project.
DC motors for any electric car conversion project are pretty simple to findacquire if you know what to look for.
To begin with, DC electric car motors are usually described by their diameter.
Obviously, greater horsepower can be produced from larger diameter motors, but these will also require more batteries or more frequent charging because they use more energy. The best motor to use for an electric car conversion project is one between nine and thirteen inches.
On average, this size motor will have a range of between 150 and 200 miles between charges and will travel at top speeds approaching 55 miles per hour.
We have found that deep cycle batteries work best in electric car conversions and a motor in the 9 to thirteen inch range works very well with this type of battery.
Installing an electric car motor is basically foolproof and easy to do but you must follow the instructions. You will probably need a helper for this step because the motor weighs around 150 pounds.
For between $1000 and $5000 (depending on the size) you can get a brand new electric car motor on line, but I recommend against that.
A reconditioned used motor, available for a fraction of the new price will usually outlive any car you put it in. They’ve actually been known to outlive 2 cars in some situations
The same effort is required to install it and it is certainly no less reliable than a new motor, so why spend the extra money? You can find these cheap reliable motors in ample supply by just looking around your local area.
a good set of plans and an experienced guide starts to become extremely valuable here. You do have to know where to look and what to look for to achieve the greatest cost savings on the project. A well researched and written instruction manual will provide you with invaluable information on where to find your parts very very cheap - and in some cases even free.
It also takes you step by step through the entire conversion and makes sure that your controllor, motor, batteries and every other component you use (including the car!) are all adequate for the project and for each other. As mentioned above, the full conversion project can be completed for well under $500 including the cost of batteries. Need to find out more about electric car motors? We have recommendations and lots more info at our site. Stop by and check it out.