FWD to RWD conversion?

[bennelson]

I'm with Clev on this.

You want a transmission.

If you have ever sat in an electric car with a manual transmission, and looked at the ammeter when pulling away in different gears, you will see the world of difference it makes.

On front wheel drive, you need a place for those half-shafts to go anyways, so why not just keep them in that original transmission where they belong? You can always just leave the car in one gear, until you realize what it does to your batteries, and then you can go back to shifting, somewhat like normal.

(I mostly use 2nd and 3rd, occasionally 4th. I would shift more if I had a clutch or higher system voltage)

I have sat in a Tesla and talked extensively with the sales guy. It is a fantasic vehicle, but it's already based on a rear-wheel sports-car.

I do sort of like the truck concept.

There was an S10 truck that was based on the EV-1. It was front-wheel drive and possibly the coolest pickup ever.

If you very specifically DONT want to use front wheel drive, attach a very big and beefy motor to the rear of a truck and run REALLY high voltage to it.

[beatr911]

Beating this to death,

Keeping the FWD platform FWD is the easiest and fastest route. Using a motor on the end of an R200 IRS diff from say a Nissan 240SX, Subaru, etc. with custom halfshafts it would bolt right together. This could be mounted in the existing engine bay with fabbed mounts no less. These stock diffs can support up to about 300ft lbs fairly reliably and more with some aftermarket parts.

If you want (need) a trans, adapt the motor to the stock trans or a 2 speed transaxle for sand buggies. Most of these will support as much torque as you'll throw at them with electric.

Of course if you really want alot of work, converting a strict FWD platform to RWD is a good way to do it. If you can find a 4WD variant like the aforementioned DSM it makes the project much easier.

Even when price is not an object on a project, there is always a point at which it becomes an object. Plan wisely so you can make your goal.