Why not develop an axel with an integrated motor? It’d be easily scaled to any vehicle with a solid rear axle. Fill the engine bay with batteries… It seems like an easy approach to get a widely applicable EV conversion kit. Offer a few widths and diameter axles… Is it bad to have the motor in an unsprung position?I see hub motors, so I think not. I guess air conditioning would be another thing.
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It’s not exactly the same, but check out what Edison motors is doing. They are purchasing ready-built electric axles to replace the motor/gearbox on future incarnations so somebody is making them for commercial truck chassis.
The LDV ET60 has it’s motor attached to a live rear axle, it handles like a dog because of all the unsprung weight.
It’s been done. Not the best solution, but not a terrible idea, either. Airstream introduced a prototype electric model with powered axels, offset the energy needed to pull the trailer, added the ability to regen, and added the ability to self-park into an RV slot.
Koenigsegg Quark
Make one and sell it. I’d buy
I’ve seen a kit for a Range Rover that looked pretty cool.
But a generic axle swap means someone has to figure out how to adapt the suspension to the new axle. Which means custom mounts and some welding which might make the manufacturer worry about liability of the axle comes loose on the highway.
I think an eclectic motor sitting where the transmission used to be would be far easier for a DIY swap and cheaper.
The downside to putting the motor where the transmission was is that all the old ICE drive train can’t handle the instant torque, or the torque in general of most EV motors. That motor would likely shred the differential and the drive shaft.
If you look into it, you’ll find that something like a Wrangler Rubicon can actually produce more torque thanks to crazy low gearing. It can only do it at speeds so low that it is only useful for off road rock crawling at a walking pace, but it does it it with drive shafts and differentials that aren’t very special and don’t explode.
I figured axles generally only vary in width and diameter. Spring perches and other suspension attachment points can be easily welded on. Basically use the stock suspension. My little Suzuki uses leaf springs, so it’d be very simple.
There would also be some issues with the wheel flange if you want it to match the other axle and the brakes if you want them to continue to work.
But I think the biggest problem would be the the manufacturer worrying about you and me welding it badly and them getting a share of the blame when it comes loose on the highway and takes out a bus full of nuns and orphans.
There are, for trucks. Magna makes one called the e-Beam.
It’s still early days. In a few years there will be a huge range of choices for different systems and kits. I say give it time. Or build and sell one yourself!
If I had to guess, I think the EV mod market is too varied to support this type of kit. Too many differences in space available, the desired suspension, power intended, voltage range, track width, range requirements, wheel bolt spacing and finally, a price that competes with wrecking yard prices.
The wrecking yards are going to be very full of motors and full rear ends in the near and long term. Used batteries will have a huge range of uses from EV mods, to solar, to house backup. Motors, controllers, inverters and suspension re-use is a tiny market, so prices will fall from what we see now. The complete Tesla rear end you see today is going to cost far less in a few years. Most totalled Teslas still have a decent rear end in them.
Others can speak to the Volt etc.
It’s a good idea, …but unlikely to be economic.
They make them, and every damn time I call they completely refuse to sell them.
Or prop shaft hybrid kits, with an inline motor and a shortened driveshaft to the rear axle.
For that matter, a motor/differential assembly that used cv shafts to fit whatever the application is would be fairly easy.
I figure replacing an axle would be the simplest approach. I don’t know about inline motors and all that.
I was hoping something would be available by now as my VW bevel-box is failing. I understand in-wheel hub motors are problematic or they would be the obvious choice but maybe two motors driving front & rear differential replacements with batteries in the engine bay? Conversion is the way.
That’s what the Mitsubishi Outlander basically is.
The thing is, electric motors just don’t wear out. Not like engines. So, the best source for motors isn’t to go buy a new one. It’s to just buy up one that lasted longer than its donor vehicle.
You can pick up a Prius transaxle for like, $150 picked and palleted from a wrecker. You can barely buy a fuckin’ oil change for that price these days.
Likewise with the Outlander, a few hundred, maybe a thousand bucks for the whole assembly.
A diff head replacement EV motor would be an interesting idea. The amount of unsprung weight would be less than ideal though. It’s probably a better idea to have a motor that sits in the trans tunnel and connects to the transfer case.
Because the market is the dozen people on this subreddit…