Electric car conversion: Project ForkenSwift

[slurryguy]

Does this mean the official designation for pedestrians not paying attention is now "Ding Bats" ???

Does this also mean that a "Ding Dong" is behind the wheel?

Nice to see you "Ringing Up" another improved feature for the car.

I hope it doesn't go over with a "Clank."





I better stop before the "Bell tolls for me."
(hey Paul... no need to consider this post as a Pun Challenge)

[MPaulHolmes]

One "ring" to rule them all, and in the darkness bind them?

hehe.

[MetroMPG]

Oh, the puns! My brain hurts.

Let's soothe our left hemispheres with some accounting I did for the web site:

Total cash out:




Less parts sold, recycling, rebates:



From: Cheap electric car conversion for under $1000: how we did it - ForkenSwift.com
.

[vinny1989]

Hmm, the forkenswift is 48v, correct?
In theory, a motorcycle conversion could be done of the same budget, with roughly the same parts and cost, right?

[bennelson]

It sure could.

In fact, it has been. Check out Russ' cycle:
ForkenCycle: dirt cheap, DIY electric motorcycle made from forklift parts | Hypermiling, Fuel Economy, and EcoModding News - EcoModder.com

Or mine:
Electric Motorcycle conversion
(mine was a bit more expensive, but now features chrome skull LED turn signals!)

Or see a whole bunch on the EVAlbum.
EVAlbum: Search Results

[MetroMPG]

Yep. Aside from the Citi/Comutacars in the EV Album, the vast majority of 48 volt vehicles are motorcycles.

At 110 lbs, the motor we used is a bit heavy for a motorcycle conversion, but everything else could work.

[vinny1989]

Brilliant, Thanks for the links.

...and i think ive just found a project for my uni' course in the next few years. Electric motorcycle?

[MetroMPG]

Well, I just relinquished the keys to the ForkenSwift. I've had it all to myself for the past 5 weeks because Ivan's girlfriend was getting a little testy about the fleet of vehicles accumulating at their place

But I'm going away for a month on a sailing trip, tomorrow. So I dropped it off last night.

I haven't updated this thread for a long time. The car works great! No problems. Kind of boring in that regard, but I still love driving it. If I have to drive, I'll always pick the ForkenSwift if it can do the job.

Of course it's still not finished. I have more refining I'd like to do to it. Just a matter of making time.

[Daox]

What refinements are you talking about?

[MetroMPG]

Oh, stuff like mounting the ammeter and LED pack gauge properly. DC-DC converter properly. Finding some lower RR tires for it... undertray for the motor compartment (more for dirt than aero). Dreaming about alternator based regen and solar pv trickle charging...

Oh - and I did have a problem recently: the turn signals quit working. Turns out they share a 12v circuit with the backup lights, and kept blowing a fuse. So there's a short somewhere in the backup lights that needs tracking down (it's currently disconnected so I could keep the signals).