DIY Electic Car Chassis

[snakub]

How difficult would it be to put together a chassis that is similar to the SLC kit car chassis? I want to do something similar but with a dog bone shape where the front and rear suspension mounts to the front and rear battery box and a column of batteries run down the center connecting the two. My estimates with some ball park measurements for the battery space and a 16 foot long chassis I will be able to fit almost 100 kwh of LifePo4 cells.

[some_other_dave]

Not that difficult--IF you know how to weld, have fabrication equipment, a tubing bender, etc. It will take some time, of course. And it's not exactly very feasible for mass production, but as a one-off it is relatively straight forward.

Race car fabricators do this, probably several times per year at a minimum.

-soD

[oil pan 4]

I can do a lot of stuff, I cant do that. Mainly because I lack a tune bender and notcher.
I was able to build my lithium starting battery, 0.6kwh and it cost $250 and that was cheap as far as LiFePO4 goes.

Do you weld and fabricate stuff?

[P-hack]

better check your local laws too. Some state that custom cars can only be driven occasionally. Some localities might not even title it. Also you should check on insurance costs before building something.

Far simpler in many locations just to modify an existing vehicle with a title.

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by P-hack

better check your local laws too. Some state that custom cars can only be driven occasionally. Some localities might not even title it. Also you should check on insurance costs before building something.

Far simpler in many locations just to modify an existing vehicle with a title.

Very good point, might want to find an aluminum body car and gut it.

[NachtRitter]

If you do decide to build it yourself, here is a neat EV chassis design: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...-ev-27583.html

[Ryland]

Some states require that your frame have a point of origin before they will give you a title, mine seems to require that any welding to build or modify a frame be done by someone who is certified to weld frames.
My insurance company said that they would not insure a vehicle that had welds that were not done by a non certified welder.

Personally, I'd build it out of Bass wood or Spruce and wrap it in carbon fiber.

[P-hack]

ugh, I just looked at "welder certification", what a mess that is.

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by P-hack

ugh, I just looked at "welder certification", what a mess that is.

That is one of the things that I am working on now.