Print

[Genem]

Of interest in the debate about the future of the infernal combustion engine. Lithium Ion battery packs have fallen by almost 90% in price in 10 years, with further price reductions in sight as technology changes....solid state batteries expected to be 40% the cost of Lithium....

https://about.bnef.com/blog/battery-pack-prices-cited-below-100-kwh-for-the-first-time-in-2020-while-market-average-sits-at-137-kwh/

[rustylandrovers]

I'm very much looking forward to an affordable electric conversion suitable for a series. Cheap batteries are a key part of the puzzle so this is good news 

[oilstain]

I’m sure any electric conversion on a series Land Rover will immediately loose its MOT exemption and I wonder what other charges will come down the line for electric cars as the government loose the tax income from petrol, diesel and road tax
 

[rustylandrovers]

I’m sure any electric conversion on a series Land Rover will immediately loose its MOT exemption and I wonder what other charges will come down the line for electric cars as the government loose the tax income from petrol, diesel and road tax
 

An MOT is £35, or about half a tank of fuel. I'll not lose sleep about that.

Undoubtedly the taxation on electric cars will increase, if there's one thing we can be sure of it's that the government will try and claw back any losses from fossil fuel taxes. Doesn't put me off - loads of torque, very controllable at low speed, and virtually silent. I think an electric drivetrain would be amazing in a series.

[oilstain]

Could I ask what is the current price or anticipated price of converting a series to electric operation.
I have seen TV programs covering conversions of classics but the costs are not cheap and perhaps beyond the means of many of us

[Genem]

Depends when you want to do it surely. The article suggests that one of the most expensive parts of EV construction now costs 10% of what it cost 10 years ago, that the next generation of technology will be less than half that ...  graph those numbers out and at some point around next May they'll be paying us to do the job....

 

4 individual electric motors and gearing where the brake drums sit now, direct drive on each wheel allowing superb Torque control, great ground clearance as most tranmission components can be removed, steering delivered by hydraulics or some sort of "portal axle" arrangement, relatively simple controls to split the power across the 4 wheel stations, battery pack a nice flat space to put a load-bed or seating above, the potential for a very good off-road vehicle is high. You'd not want to destroy a good working example of a classic - but those decent body panels currently sittting on a rusted out chassis behind the shed could find a new home ?   

[rustylandrovers]

Could I ask what is the current price or anticipated price of converting a series to electric operation.
I have seen TV programs covering conversions of classics but the costs are not cheap and perhaps beyond the means of many of us

A quick google suggests in the region of £12k for a complete kit.

Too much for me, but I expect buying a brand new IC engine and drivetrain would be at least a similar amount - if not more. Electric drivetrains are a lot simpler than their IC counterparts - in time they will get much, much cheaper. Unfortunately at the moment you can't just go and pick up a perfectly useable 30 year old setup for £500 like you can with, say, a 200tdi!

In time, the tech will improve and more second hand kit will become available, at which point I'll get in on the EV action.

[nathanglasgow]

Now I'm not too bad with the spanners on IC engines and am fairly aware of the associated safety risks when working on them ie risk of fire from fuel/oil leaks, risk of shorting out wiring ect but have no knowledge of electric vehicle safety. What sort of amp/voltages are we talking about? Enough to fry you if spanner put in wrong place?

[Robin]

Not sure about the latest electric cars, but my 1999 Berlingo EV had stacks of 6V 200 Amp batteries making up 186 volts!

The Citroen technicians who serviced them had instructions to wear heavy rubber gloves which came up to the elbows just to pull the main fuses before working on the drivetrain   

[w3526602]

Hi,

I've suggested it previously ... to convert a Series to battery power, simply connect a milk-float or fork-truck motor, via a prop-shaft, to the PTO on the back of the transfer box. How would that interfere with MOT exemption?

The cost of an MOT would not deter me. Standing 8th in the queue at 08.30hrs would be another matter.

602

[oilstain]

I do also wonder what questions and requirements your insurers might have on a DIY EV conversion, perhaps more so if using used parts, and would a MOT station be happy to touch it

[Rob_W]

The bigger worry is whether Lucas is involved...... 

More seriously, this is where the Federation of Classic Cars (or whatever they're called) needs to start things off to get the "alterations to engines for environmental reasons" added to the exemption paperwork.

Re the MOT, yes it's only £45 but it may not be long before there are too many bits to avoid on an old car that we fail on something silly by omission. Not least, how many test stations still have the Tapley(?) brake tester: mine always struggled with the rollers but stopped well within the distances with the Tapley and in a straight line.

[w3526602]

Hi,

Add the cost of VED to the cost of an annual MOT (shut up,602!)

My mate Gabe (the shipping bloke) reported a couple of days ago, that "several" electricity sub-stations had "exploded" in the Swansea Valley. Gabe lives in Alltwen, above Pontardawe. (Same general area as the miners who got trapped by water a few years ago). Pontardawe was flooded a few years ago when a stretch of the Swansea Canal emptied itself into the High Street ... window sill deep.

It all happens in the Swansea Valley.

602

[ian_1968]

We need to plan not for the conversions but for the disposal of the old lithium or have a real problems similiar to nuke and plastic recycling. There are people that recycle, I think Canada lead this area and the big move seems to be re puprosing where china leads the way. The UK need to step up to the mark and link re pruposing with solar to charge them and power houses this way.

This makes inetresting reading : https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/renewable/the-afterlife-of-electric-vehicles-battery-recycling-and-repurposing/
Ian

[oilstain]

I still wonder if we are going down the “Betamax” route to replace Petrol and Diesel.
Should we not be looking more at Hydrogen as a alternative