Fiat 500 Electric - (the new car, with forklift components)

[ldjessee00]

Hello,

The time honored tradition of taking forklift parts and making a car lives on!

Forklift + Fiat = Inexpensive, Practical Electric 500 (w/ video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a60wgOfIZQg

-LDJ

[MetroMPG]

That's funny! First time I've seen a forklift company promoting the idea of using its stuff for conversions.

[ldjessee00]

Yes, I thought you might find that interesting.

Maybe you can get a sponsor for your next project?!

-LDJ

[cfg83]

Hello -

This is my favorite part :

Despite being built by an outside company that doesn’t have access to Fiat/Chrysler’s multi-billion dollar R&D departments with limited automotive experience, Karabag‘s little electric Fiat is actually cheaper than “the real thing”. It’s also different from the Fiat version in another way: it’s profitable.

CarloSW2

[ldjessee00]

I am assuming it is profitable because they already have all the parts on their 'shelves' and they can resell the parts they take off (like the engine) which gets them more money than what it cost them.
Not paying retail for the controllers, batteries and electric motors helps...

[user removed]

So who are your going to sell the parts to when all the Fiat 500s are new and still under warranty?

regards
Mech

[ldjessee00]

Hello,
I am not in the industry of selling car parts, but I understand here in the US it is big and I assume that they still have car accidents that damage engines and transmissions in Europe. (Or other things that would not be covered by warranty)
Maybe that engine can be used in another car, etc.
Or, maybe they have a deal with Fiat to keep the engine and reduce the price of the purchase.
I am speculating (a nice way of saying I am guessing and don't know).

-LDJ

[user removed]

Best bet would be to arrange to buy the car minus the parts you don't need, but even that would be very difficult since the assembly line is totally automated.

As a general rule collision damaged vehicles that are hit hard enough to need an engine or transmission are all totalled. You may also have to have the new configuration crash tested. The salvage yards sit on engines and transmissions for years waiting for the car to wear out.

An 11 KW lithium pack will set you back a bunch, and I think the range claim for that size pack is probably optimistic. How about the price of the battery pack only?

I wish it was possible, but I think it would be much more probable if the hoist vehicle was one that had engine or transmission issues, probably 10 years old or older where the host vehicle would be dirt cheap.

Kind of like an old Metro?

When you find a 11 KW battery for less than $7.5k let me know I could use one in my 3 wheeler.

regards
Mech