Electric 6 wheeler?

[lewie72]

hey sorry I didn't read the 23 pages of posts I thought I seen it some where other than here before so I linked it

[rodp]

Hahahaha I thought this was going to be an easy project. The more I've been researching, the harder it's become. There's tons of choices on motors, batteries, final drive, range, etc. I'll add potatoes to the list. Maybe I can run the headlights off those?

Nah, narrowing down choices is simple, just work to the golden rule of "As fast and powerful as possible" and everything else just falls into place

[JRP3]

hey sorry I didn't read the 23 pages of posts I thought I seen it some where other than here before so I linked it

No worries, I just thought it was funny to see my own videos linked.

[phabib]

The cost of DC motors large enough to work for this kind of project is pretty high. If I was doing it, I'd look at a couple of 5HP 3 phase motor with VFDs. There are lots of companies that are selling microcontroller based motor controller dev kits really cheap and you'd just need to make or buy a DC converter to get your battery voltage up to what the motor eats and beef up the power components to handle the bigger motor. Not that this would be a trivial project, but it is in the realm of the doable.

[JRP3]

Actually you have that backwards. Series DC motors similar to what I used are relatively cheap, look for used forklift motors. Alltrax 48V-72V 400-600 amp series motor controllers are also relatively cheap. Plus you don't have the expense and losses in a DC upconverter. If you want to go three phase AC you should look at the motor/inverter combos from HPEVS, though it will cost you more than a series DC setup for similar power.

[Nubs]

There is a ton of forklift parts out there, can buy a operating lift for 1,200 and sell the charger for 250. battery core a nutter 100 and still get 300 for scrap weight on what's left

[phabib]

Interesting about the DC forklift motors. That would be a good way to go. I was looking at some new 5KW DC motors that run upwards of $1k each but forklift motors make a lot more sense.

[JRP3]

Upgrade

Finally got around to upgrading to lithium. 16 CALB 100AH LiFePO4 cells giving me over 5kWh of storage. Should be about double the usable capacity compared to the lead AGM Odyssey's I originally used, at less than half the weight. (The Odyssey's ended up in two other electric tractors and 3 out of the 4 batteries are still going strong after more than 10 years.)

I was able to find a plastic Plano storage chest which just squeezed into the space I had, with a little massaging of the Attex ABS body in a few places. I use a large heated battery wrap around the cells plus some insulation to allow better performance in sub zero temps.
Still need to do a bit of wiring cleanup and notch the box top so it will fit snug.

Pack.jpgPack2.jpg

[techfx]

Nice! Any kind of electrical safety shutoff built in, if it becomes submerged?

[JRP3]

Nothing automatic, just the manual switch controlling the main contactor. I haven't been in more than 2 feet of water in a long time so it's not really an issue. There would need to be more than a foot of water inside it to get near the top of the batteries and even more to reach the electronics and motor.

[allwheeldrive]

Nice upgrade! Would love to own a machine like this. Quite and capable.

[Noel Woods]

I've enjoyed the thread. Have long since believed electric is the way to go on a machine if it can be designed in. I have many battery power tools including string trimmers and chain saws and may get a ztr in the future. I've actually looked into dropping an electric power train into a Max4, and have been working on plans for several years. I have a Columbia Burden Carrier that I use on the property for quiet operation. The burden carrier is convenient and quiet and there is no emissions smell to fuss over. I picked up a parts machine when I purchased the running machine. It has a 7.5hp motor, and six deep cycle golf car batteries, and all the controls operate. I've been waiting for the cost of lithium batteries to drop, so this project is on the back burner at the moment and since I'm just a few years out to retire, it can wait a bit longer.
I do have concerns about the overall weight, and how best to distribute it. I also believe that carrying a small generator on the machine and running it hybrid style may be the trick to not get stranded and get some decent range.
Just curious about your range now that you have settled in with machine. I also know that as power demand increases while towing or lifting that the range drops quickly. What kind of performance do you get with the current setup?
It all looks really trick in the small machine you have, congrats on the research and all the hard work to get there.

[JRP3]

I haven't done a range test with the new setup. Probably won't until it warms up a lot.

[DiabolicalMachine]

I have been quietly following this thread for some time. I recently saw a video and article that made me remember it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6CWmFRjOLE

https://powersportsbusiness.com/top-stories/2022/09/16/8-wheel-electric-argo-atlas-ev-demo-ride-were-in/

[JRP3]

Good to see a company developing these. The $50K price point is a bit steep though