Make sure a forklift motor is your best option. There might be better ones out there... BUT if you can get a used motor that would cut the motor price in half.

Are you saying you could build your own controller? That's be sweet!

BL 1:1 car.
 

Forklift motors are quite powerful and have a proven track record for performance and durability. I think it should work great if you get it geared correctly. I would think that the best way to come up with and adapter plate for the motor/tranny connection will be by making your own custom plate. Just by taking the motor mounting plate and the tranny mounting measurements and combining the two into one plate. If you do the drawings privately you should be able to get a CNC shop to cut it for you within a reasonable price range like a couple hundred $$$. I would be willing to bet that there are a few guys in here who would love to help with CAD work in order to get what you need for the CNC shop. Just acquiring the motor, tranny, and getting them mated together will be a huge milestone for your project. that should be the easy part. Actually getting the controller and system to work properly will be the real challenge I would think. This will more than likely be your toughest project yet James. Not like tinkering with a little R/C toy that is for sure. Have fun.

The mech parts will be the most difficult and time consuming part. I found a "how to" dvd about adapter making for 10 bucks, I will most likely buy it and see if it helps...

I have plenty of mech skill, built a few engines, trannys, axles, etc. The wiring and electrical parts should be easy. Everything I need is just plug and play... Almost ruins the fun!!! I will have my own "touches" on this conversion, that is for sure!

Make sure you post billions of pics.

Will do... Just need to do tons of research first!

Good luck.
 

I must say that I will be looking forward to seeing your completion post in a year or so, and that is if things go well. Still this is going to be one of those very cool reads that others will want to do on their own DIY. I sure hope your up for this one James. Nothing will be easy, but we know there are a lot oftalented people in here that can help with setup, diagnostics, theroy and whatever else one may need.

Just remember, Electric Horsepower is MUCH different than IC Horsepower.

For example, a 10,000 pound forklift carries around a 3000lb load with a top speed of 8mph. This uses a 6.6kw drive motor drawing energy from a 36 volt 1000ah lead acid battery. The Battery weighs 2850lb and gives 5 to 6 hours of runtime, sometimes more, sometimes less depending on use.

6.6kw or 6600 watts is only 8.85 horsepower.

There are Brushed DC versions AND also Brushless AC versions. The AC versions do have regerative breaking.

The AC versions do use sensors in the form of an encoder bearing. The upper bearing has a ring in it that rotates with the armature shaft. What appears to be 3 small magnets rotate on this, placed specifically at the point of phase shift. A hall sensor alerts the traction amp to armature position.

I've seen a few encoders go bad after about 12,000 hours of use. It's not a pretty sight to see a motor this size cog. :oh:

A Brushed setup would be cheaper to setup. But the Brushless version has advantages over the Brushed setup.

The AC (Brushless) motors are NOT a permanent magnet motor. They are strictly iron core stator motors.

Just remember, as you're checking out these high performance elaborate setups, it doesn't require 300 electric horsepower to accelerate REALLY hard.

Efficiency is everything if you want extended range and battery cycle life.

From my experience with working on electric forklifts, I can see most of the automotive conversion. The only debate in my mind is how to control the speed controller.

Control as far as I know, has to be done with a potientiometer or pwm.

A spring loaded pot, that when released returns to neutral, is what is used on the forklifts. This pot, returns positive signal voltage on the forward side, returns negative voltage on the reverse side.

As you press harder on the throttle, the voltage return increases and so does acceleration.

Neutral, of course, returns no voltage.

Where are you in your research? Talk to me here. LOL I'll help you anyway I can.

Research is your best friend and I've been at it for over 8yrs now. Some parts are cheap and some are very expensive. Cost will depend on what performance you want.

Yes, that's very true.

I would like to convert a Kawasaki Mule to electric. Or maybe build a custom version completely from scratch.

Using brushless hub motors, or a small motor on each wheel, it would be 4wd.

The less drivetrain, the better IMO. Less rotating mass means greater efficiency. This also means few wear items.

I've been holding off on a new vehicle purchase. I'm waiting for the Chevy Volt. It will be nice to see what systems they put into these vehicles.

I would like to get one and increase the range on it. Most limits involve a cost factor. LOL

I've spoken with a few people and the hub motors are nice, but they require an active drive system to act like a diff does so the vehicle won't spin out when it turns. Less drive train is best for efficiency, but to keep costs down one is needed. There are various places that sells 2-speed racing transmissions that are very light and if you couple that to a electric motor, the performance can be great. The Chevy Volt is just a poor example of what a big company can do. Only 40 miles range in electric mode, give me a break. Even Tesla can go further and they don't even use the best cells available. The Tzero is probably the best and the first to go longer then any electric. Now Tesla has a billionaire backing it up and AC Propulsion has been in the game for a long time, but Chevy with all that money can only accomplish 40 miles.

Especially.
 

Especially now since we have all put in money to help them out with the billions of tax payer money lent to them in this bailout sceme. I do not support that by the way. I think we are being taken for a ride. Still with all of the money involved there, and the geniouses working for GM and the like, they should have done better on electric by now.

Yes, I aggree!

It makes me wonder about how much money is going under the table from "Big Oil"?

The Technology is here and it's still evolving. We need to utilize and develop alternative energy sources.

There will always be uses for Gas and Diesel. Where they get us "over a barrel" is the fact that we have NO other choices for energy available.

Too much of the Economy is based on Oil.

Hey Sike, I am only a few weeks in on the research... As far as the mech connection go I should have all of that covered. Wiring will take time, but the worst part will be the battery placement.

I will definately pick your brain on the forklift motor. I have some info that a 90v or so setup should meet my goals. Looking for 30 miles range, and 45mph max speed. Just looking for a town car, not going on the interstate. 15 6v lead acid batts should do for what I want.

Sounds like I can use a forklift motor for propulsion, stick with a manual tranny and clutch for easy operation. Probably stick with a curtis controller as they seem to be the best priced. Will make my own adapter plate, and maybe have a coupler made, or buy one if they are available.

Are you going to lock the tranny into second gear??? :lol:

The "town car" goal will be much easier to achieve. Why use 15, 6V batteries though? Why not just 8, 12V batteries? It would make your wiring much less complicated.

James, look at the 914 electric conversion. It's a decent set up and will be more then enough for your needs.