The electric motor world is separated into two categories. Without going into unnecessary detail, there are direct current (DC) motors and alternating current (AC) motors. Electric car motors can be of either variety. Large vehicle manufacturers will usually use AC motors in their vehicles. These are lighter and can usually produce more power for their size.
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 the reason most of us prefer the DC motor for all of our conversion projects. So how do you find the right one for your project?
To start with, DC electric car motors are most often categorized by their diameter. It probably goes without saying, but greater horsepower can be produced from larger diameter motors. However, larger motors also consume more energy and require more batteries or more frequent charging. The best motor to use for an electric vehicle conversion project is one between nine and 13 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 MPH. We have found that deep cycle batteries perform the best in electric car conversions and a motor in the 9 to 13 inch range works very well with this type of battery.
Electric car motor installation is easy to do and pretty much fail safe assuming you follow the instructions. The motor will weigh around 150 lbs so you will need a helper for this step. I recommend to everyone considering an electric car conversion that you don’t buy a new motor. These cost between $1000 and $5000 depending on the size.
A reconditioned used motor, available for a fraction of the new price will usually outlive any car you put it in. Actually, I’ve known of some that have outlived two cars. Why spend the extra cash on something that is no more reliable and requires no less effort to install? If you look around locallyt, you’ll find these cheap, reliable motors are available in ample supply.
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 save the most money you can. A proper project guide will provide you with priceless information on where to find your parts including the right motor at very cheap prices, and in some cases even free.
It also takes you step by step through the entire conversion and makes sure that your controller, motor, batteries and every other part you use (including the car!) are all appropriate for the project and for each other. Including batteries you can usually complete the full conversion for well under $500 with the right guidance.
By:
Nick Molinar
More questions about electric car motors? You can find a lot more information information, resources and recommendations here. Stop by and check it out.
Posted under Electric Vehicles
This post was written by Shaun on June 8, 2010
