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kimba

An ambitious project - converting a kombi to fully electric.

I just made a post about this, but due to my technical inabilities it seems to have disappeared from my screen? Perhaps this is another case of fat fingers hitting the wrong buttons?
Aaaaanyway, I'll type the general gist of it here again...

Liam (my daughter's Dad) is a sparky. He used to work for a company in Welshpool called The 12 Volt Shop, some of the work he did was installing dual battery systems and solar systems on campers, caravans and 4WDs.
While he was there, he converted a petrol forklift to electric. That project sparked interest in him to try converting a car to electric, but he didn't know if it would be the same process as converting a forklift, and didn't know anyone he could talk about the idea with (we know quite a few electrical and mechanical engineering students but they just stared blankly at him when he started to talk about it).
So at the Sun Fair at UWA (which, by the way, was really bad) on the weekend there were quite a few more electric cars than in previous years, and Liam had a good look at them. He's realised it's basically the same as what he did for the forklift, so has decided to give it a go. It'll be a slow project that will happen as funds and time become available.
He has decided to convert a kombi because (not only are they well spunky) it will have the room for a decent sized battery bank, which will give a decent range between recharges, AND still have room for seats in the back.
The company in Victoria that converts Hyundai Getz cars to electric gets a 100km range in the Getz, so depending on how many batteries we can afford, we should be able to get more with a kombi.
We don't yet have a kombi shell, so are on the hunt  so if anyone has one, or knows of one they'd like to donate or sell for up to a few hundred $, please get in touch.

Once the project is underway we'll post updates on the KK.
Brookie

There is a number of vehicles being converted in Perth including a Kombi which I think is being done in Welshpool.
Made a post about this a while ago- electric motor is fairly cheap but batteries are approx $20,000.


Edit:
http://thekombikonnection.myfreef...html&highlight=electric+kombi
-------------------------------
kimba

Some friends of my sister were apparently converting a kombi to electric and moving to Denmark to live the hippy life (how terribly cliche Rolling Eyes  Laughing ), perhaps theirs was the one in Welshpool? I know he used to work a few doors down from Liam when he was at 12V.
Batteries ARE the expensive part, which is why it will be a slow project, but hopefully a successful one.
Brookie

I was invited down to see it around New Year but didn't make it.It was well on way at that stage.
This is local forum of Electric Vehicle Assn.

http://www.aeva.asn.au/forums/forum_topics.asp?FID=22

They used to have own page.


---------------------------
Rod

Re: An ambitious project - converting a kombi to fully elect

kimba wrote:
I just made a post about this, but due to my technical inabilities it seems to have disappeared from my screen? Perhaps this is another case of fat fingers hitting the wrong buttons?
Aaaaanyway, I'll type the general gist of it here again...

Liam (my daughter's Dad) is a sparky. He used to work for a company in Welshpool called The 12 Volt Shop, some of the work he did was installing dual battery systems and solar systems on campers, caravans and 4WDs.
While he was there, he converted a petrol forklift to electric. That project sparked interest in him to try converting a car to electric, but he didn't know if it would be the same process as converting a forklift, and didn't know anyone he could talk about the idea with (we know quite a few electrical and mechanical engineering students but they just stared blankly at him when he started to talk about it).
So at the Sun Fair at UWA (which, by the way, was really bad) on the weekend there were quite a few more electric cars than in previous years, and Liam had a good look at them. He's realised it's basically the same as what he did for the forklift, so has decided to give it a go. It'll be a slow project that will happen as funds and time become available.
He has decided to convert a kombi because (not only are they well spunky) it will have the room for a decent sized battery bank, which will give a decent range between recharges, AND still have room for seats in the back.
The company in Victoria that converts Hyundai Getz cars to electric gets a 100km range in the Getz, so depending on how many batteries we can afford, we should be able to get more with a kombi.
We don't yet have a kombi shell, so are on the hunt  so if anyone has one, or knows of one they'd like to donate or sell for up to a few hundred $, please get in touch.

Once the project is underway we'll post updates on the KK.


Wow,Thats a big project,I wish Liam the best (i need stay friends with him,)as Ill be asking him for a diagram soon on hooking up my dual batts,he explained it to me at Alfreds,but memory is shot!....or next Alfreds I bring a pen and paper??

Anyway good luck with the project.... Exclamation

Rod
kimba

Maybe not so ambitious after all...
Liam just sent me this link:

http://e-volks.com/about.html

I haven't had a look around it myself yet.
Brookie

This is another local link with info on Kombi conversion

http://www.aeva.asn.au/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=804

Have just spoken to ROBM and Kombi is virtually finished -just waiting on batteries.
Have asked for some pics if possible.

----------------------------------
kimba

AWESOME!! Thanks for the link Brookie.
I reckon we'll be in touch with him too before we start the project.
Our main roadblocks at the moment are the lack of a kombi shell, funds and time.
Time will not be a problem forever, just until we sell the house and Liam moves south near Zaelie and I.
I wish we could start today...
(but then I also wish I could have started on Brigit yesterday!!)
BEAN

Re: An ambitious project - converting a kombi to fully elect

kimba wrote:
I just made a post about this, but due to my technical inabilities it seems to have disappeared from my screen? Perhaps this is another case of fat fingers hitting the wrong buttons?
Aaaaanyway, I'll type the general gist of it here again...

Liam (my daughter's Dad) is a sparky. He used to work for a company in Welshpool called The 12 Volt Shop, some of the work he did was installing dual battery systems and solar systems on campers, caravans and 4WDs.
While he was there, he converted a petrol forklift to electric. That project sparked interest in him to try converting a car to electric, but he didn't know if it would be the same process as converting a forklift, and didn't know anyone he could talk about the idea with (we know quite a few electrical and mechanical engineering students but they just stared blankly at him when he started to talk about it).
So at the Sun Fair at UWA (which, by the way, was really bad) on the weekend there were quite a few more electric cars than in previous years, and Liam had a good look at them. He's realised it's basically the same as what he did for the forklift, so has decided to give it a go. It'll be a slow project that will happen as funds and time become available.
He has decided to convert a kombi because (not only are they well spunky) it will have the room for a decent sized battery bank, which will give a decent range between recharges, AND still have room for seats in the back.
The company in Victoria that converts Hyundai Getz cars to electric gets a 100km range in the Getz, so depending on how many batteries we can afford, we should be able to get more with a kombi.
We don't yet have a kombi shell, so are on the hunt  so if anyone has one, or knows of one they'd like to donate or sell for up to a few hundred $, please get in touch.

Once the project is underway we'll post updates on the KK.



Hi ppl this, Zaelie's dad, The only problems I can see will be connecting the drive train to the motor as I'm an electrician not a mechanic , the electrical side of a conversion is quite simple. The Speed controller I used in converting the fork lift, was
this, http://curtisinst.com/index.cfm?f...0068%5F1209B%2D1221B%5FRevD%2Epdf

looking at other conversions, which have been new cars they have used
http://curtisinst.com/index.cfm?f...mp;file=50082%5F1310%5FRevC%2Epdf but for a simple conversion it  is not necessary.

I'll put up wiring diagrams for a simple conversions for the motor control, the motor power circuit will be 72 volts, where the existing 12volts system I you leave intact (all lights tail head etc) 2 ways to make that work, 72 to 12 volt power supply or have a separate 12 volts battery.. anyhow all food for thought
Diddlie

Very exciting, wish you all the best

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