|
Neil,
Here is my dilemma. As you know I am building an enclosed 2 seater Trike. With a Honda engine and trans, my drivetrain and gas tank are going to be 350 pounds. Rounding up, call it 400 pounds.
I paid 500 bucks for the entire car, but lets say I paid 1000 bucks for the engine/trans. If I have a 5 gallon tank, and can go 75 mpg, that gives me a range of 375 miles. And I can run this 375 miles at 75 mph if I want.
If I go electric, I need an electric motor. lets say the motor is only 500 dollars.
I need a controller. If I solder all the crap together myself, the DIY controller is only about 700 bucks.
And I need some batteries. If I go lead acid, and buy 140 amp hour 12 volt batteries, I'm only 800 dollars, but my weight of the batteries is 400 pounds. Plus the electric motor (only 100 pounds).
I can use the honda trans, or I can build my own from scratch. Lets say the trans is free and weighs 20 pounds.
So far, going electric, I am twice the price, almost twice the weight.
What is my range? my car needs 7 horsepower to travel down the freeway.
140 AH at 48 volts is 7000 watt hours. Rounding tremendously, that is 10 horsepower hours - or I can 1.5 hours, so my range is 100 miles.
Which we both know is just silly too far.
Perhaps you want to price me some lithium batteries???? half the weight, but a bit more costly.
|