Motors and Controllers; Why So Expensive

[muffildy]

HPEVs sells some reasonably priced motors that can be used in an EV.
The AC-50 for example is about 4300$ for the motor and controller.

could easily reduce that price to something more reasonable since most of the things used in the motor/controller aren't rare.

[mechman600]

The AC-50 and Curtis controller seems to be a popular combo these days. However, it's still a bit small for a larger vehicle at only 65 KW or so.

[oil pan 4]

You never did say what you were trying to EV.
A 65kw controler would work in a smaller vehicle you are only looking at getting 80 horsepower or less to the wheels. That would be ok for a small vehicle.

[gone7]

@oil pan 4
I would have thought it to be unnecessary as the question was placed in this forum, and the questions stand alone in any case.

Admitedly off topic, but needed total horsepower (as well as torque) always depends on weight of vehicle, aerodynamics of said vehicle and the expected performance desired.

But anyway, are you willing to spend $4-8000 for a motor to adapt a vehicle to electric use? It still seems high to me, and such is the reason for this thread. Let's get together and find a reasonable solution for everyone, else we will never leave the grip of the fossil fuel industry.

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by ACEV

@oil pan 4
But anyway, are you willing to spend $4-8000 for a motor to adapt a vehicle to electric use?

For the cost of the motor no, for the entire vehicle yes.
Infact I would spend about $6k to make a very capable be it fairly limited range electric S-10. That price includes the price of using smallish 40lb 12v deep cycle batteries to get system voltage of 144VDC.

A smaller vehicle with a smaller motor and less of a motor controler with fewer/smaller batteries would knock at least a couple grand off the cost.

[Ryland]

Originally Posted by ACEV

Ryland, are you implying that DC is cheaper only because of volume made? Would the $8000 AC come down to $800 if they made a thousand instead of three?

Well, seeing as how they make thousands of 9" advanced DC and Warfield electric 9" (what the AC-50 is compared to) I could see the price on them coming down a bit, both of those motors sell for $1,900 or so, so that gives you so that gives you $2,700 to spend on a speed controller before you get to the same cost as the AC motor, so no, an $8,000 motor is not going to drop to $800 but it's price should drop by 20% and maybe as much as 50% and if you buy them in bulk the price should again drop!

[JQmile]

What are you guys talking about? It's....supply and demand! A few choice people are willing to take the plunge into a pure electric, so they're going to have to pay for it! That's why they're so expensive. I know they had tons of Zilla controllers that would handle big amps for years and nobody was buying them. So then when they did make a sale, they had to make sure the price was right (expensive!)...they are making them again, but still.....demand is small. People would rather buy a 2012 Prius for $250 a month than build their own electric taking 2 years and 10K...

[pete c]

I think we will see affordable AC drive systems in EVs and for DIYers as soon as there is mass production. The trouble is, there will not be mass production until battery technology makes affordable high capacity, light weight batteries a reality.

There are currently cheap DC systems because their users, primarily forklifts don't require light weight. Infact something like a forklift actually takes advantage of heavy weight batteries as they need them as ballast.

[gone7]

Good comments. I think that, in the same vein, we need mass production and that the only way this will work is if we can put together an exceptable kit for people get use on their own vehicle. But even such a "kit" can be really boiled down to off-the-shelf components.

So far, I hear some encouraging words in regard to cost. A two-thousand dollar rustless vehicle with a blown engine would justify spending up to five grand on the "kit" to do the job.

As a side note, I wonder if any of the Firefly group 31 batteries the Firefly made for the trucking industry are available anywhere. They might solve the battery side of things and reduce weight somewhat. They have the ability to be completely discharged and recover completely time after time.

Anyway, thanks again all.

[oil pan 4]

You are right the smaller motors and controlers are so cheap becaues the technology is cheapest and they are mass produced for forklift and floor tug use.
Also some of the high power lathe and milling machines use the larger 7 inch and maybe 9 inch DC motors. These aren't really mass produced but the numbers are high enough to keep the motors from being "custom built".
Lathes, forklifts and tugs use DC systems because the motors and controlers are cheapest.

Why would any one want to completely discharge their battery?
I dont think people want to push their vehicles the last few miles to the charging station.