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.

  • 1940ChevEVPickup@alien.topB
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    1 year ago

    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.