RE: EV conversions for Morgan and Triumph
Discussion
Olivergt said:
SweptVolume said:
In amongst this story, there's something interesting to me; the retention of the manual gearbox.
If sports car manufactures could continue fitting a manual gearbox between the electric motor and the diff, and if they could code the motor in such a way as to dramatically alter the responses of the motor at different rotational velocities, effectively mimicking a traditional torque curve, and if they could accurately synthesise the sound of a decent internal combustion engine and map it perfectly to the torque curve and the load (overrun is important), and if they can get a range of 300+ miles, and if they can keep the weight low in the body and ideally to a minimum, then I might just get excited about an electric future.
Imagine being able to select your toque curve and sound based on other cars. Rev-mad VTEC one day, torque-rich V8 the next. Ture, it's fake, but so is synthesised music, and I love that, so I could be down for it, if done well.
Lot of "ifs" in all that, though...
They retain the gearbox because it simplifies how to get the motor to drive the wheels, they basically use all the existing mechanical bits instead of having to work out how to fit an electric motor in the boot to drive the back wheels.If sports car manufactures could continue fitting a manual gearbox between the electric motor and the diff, and if they could code the motor in such a way as to dramatically alter the responses of the motor at different rotational velocities, effectively mimicking a traditional torque curve, and if they could accurately synthesise the sound of a decent internal combustion engine and map it perfectly to the torque curve and the load (overrun is important), and if they can get a range of 300+ miles, and if they can keep the weight low in the body and ideally to a minimum, then I might just get excited about an electric future.
Imagine being able to select your toque curve and sound based on other cars. Rev-mad VTEC one day, torque-rich V8 the next. Ture, it's fake, but so is synthesised music, and I love that, so I could be down for it, if done well.
Lot of "ifs" in all that, though...
The really big problem with this is that it adds a lot more drive train losses in to the system which dramatically affects the range of these types of conversion.
For example Range Rover conversion with 75KW battery from Tesla P85 Model S gets around 175 miles, compared to the Tesla's 260+.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGjOY4JBmy4
As you say they keep the gearbox in the mix because it's the easiest way to do it as opposed to the best way. It's just swapping one motor for another instead of re-engineering the drivetrain.
If you take the Rangie as an extreme example not only does the driveline from the engine back add an enormous amount of weight but saps WH allowing amounts of power both going out but also on any regen.
At the same time with a classic you have to be really careful re maintaining your 8 points. Doing a conversion properly such as fitting 4 motors and all the other changes would probably cause DVLA issue re excessive modification.
What you really want to do with the Rangie is junk the whole drivetrain though. Get rid of the gearbox, the transfer case, the props. They are still good enough as 2wd for the bulk of any off-roading that might be done. And while removing weight it would be smart to swap the rather heavy bonnet for a CF one.
If you're going down to 2wd the big question is then whether you can fit a transverse unit at the rear where the fuel tank is slung and with a raise boot floor if needed of if that will trigger a DVLA issue, fit the motor back under the bonnet, running the power via balanced and lightened drive shaft.
Personally, as it would be used as a summer pub bus (roof removed also) and the most off-roading it would do would be basic tracks and over fields then I'd just go 2wd without hesitating and dispose of the very heavy and power sapping standard drivetrain so that fewer batteries needed to be fitted.
Equus said:
kambites said:
swisstoni said:
There’ll probably be the odd petrol pump still around but petrol users may have to do something similar to people who heat their houses with oil; get it delivered.
That's certainly another possibility. Either way, it will still be available for classic car enthusiasts. Yes, you can still buy leaded 4-star from pumps, but the number of suppliers across the whole country can very nearly be counted on your fingers, these days.
Yes, you can the stuff for delivery, but you're only allowed (even when you take suitable measures and with statutory notification of you local Petroleum Enforcement Authority) to store a maximum of 275 litres of the stuff at a domestic address, and the price per litre is pretty scary... it'd probably be cheaper to convert your car to run on cheap whiskey!
The change to generic petrol stations is going to be pretty slow with just the same sort of continuation in numbers we've already been seeing as cars became more efficient and land became more valuable.
I suspect that any of us in our mid 40s of above will be able to pretry easily keep drive an ICE until the NHS decides there is better value to be had from letting us finally go into our boxes.
The future is already here
I would be asking Caffeine & Machine why they don't expand into a Service station next to them or down the road aimed at offering 98 octane fuel for their customers.
I use my sons Twizzy or our E-Golf to go to my lockup. I then give the cars an Italian Tune up by going for Lunch or a coffee somewhere that is half an hour away or on a decent road.
I don't use them for short journeys and I don't use the EVs for long ones.
I would be asking Caffeine & Machine why they don't expand into a Service station next to them or down the road aimed at offering 98 octane fuel for their customers.
I use my sons Twizzy or our E-Golf to go to my lockup. I then give the cars an Italian Tune up by going for Lunch or a coffee somewhere that is half an hour away or on a decent road.
I don't use them for short journeys and I don't use the EVs for long ones.
Edited by sisu on Saturday 17th April 07:56
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