The conversion of this VW Beetle, to electric power, is underway. In part two of the process there’s talk of torque, power and brakes.
Going and Stopping
Having decided to convert our VW Beetle (Trixie) to 100% electric, there are a number of changes underway.
Trixie currently has a 1600cc (roughly 40 horsepower) engine. The new electric motor is an HPEVS AC-50 which produces slightly more power than the petrol engine, but with instant torque.
The motor is paired with a Curtis AC Motor Controller which, among other things, supports regenerative braking. This will be great for Wellington’s hills.
The fuel tank will be replaced with 37 lithium iron phosphate cells, making a 122V battery and delivering about 22 KWh of power. This will give us about a 150km driving range per charge.
Before starting the conversion I decided to update the front brakes from drum to discs. While I still had the car running with the petrol engine it was much easier to do the brake change and then fully test the outcome. EMPI Disc kits are awesome; they include a new master brake cylinder to match the new disc brakes — here is a picture of the outcome:
Read more about the conversion:
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Electric certification in part one
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Power and brakes in part two
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Removal of petrol components in part three
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Flywheel and clutch upgrades in part four
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The AC induction motor in part five
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New Fuel in part six
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High Currents in part seven
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The Loom in part eight
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Keeping it cool in part nine
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Putting it all together in part 10 (including a video of the first drive!)
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Bottom balancing and battery management systems in part 11
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Getting the certification examination in part 12
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eTrixie the Movie! Video walk through
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A DIY EV in the real world in the final part
