Electric Elan

[mct340]

I love the Twincam but I'm weary of it's costs and maintenance problems.
I only use the car for short trips. I think an electric motor would make the car unbeatable for autocross.
Anyone have any ideas out there?
Thanks in advance, cheers, Mike

[collins_dan]

I went with 2 9" Perma-cool fans that I got from Summit Racing for my wide aluminum radiator.
Dan

[mct340]

uhh, I mean an electric motor instead of the twincam

[Jentwistle3]

I always thought an electric Europa S2 wpuld be the hot setup.

[mbell]

Seen at least 1 maybe two electric Elite/Eclats.

[Pistacchio sprint 72]

When i see how shity is the electric on english cars, i would?t feel safe if the engine was also electric!

[bulfin]

I would not do that to my Elan, but I have done some research on making my Europa S2 a 4 motored electric. Put motors close to the middle with each having a shaft to one wheel and fill the tunnel with batteries. If I could get rid of the tranny and use direct drive it might not have good top speed, but great acceleration and handling. Also be nice to vary motor speeds individually. Cost $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Oh, well back to reality.

Bob
69 Elan DHC
71 Europa S2 (in boxes)

[gus]

you would not lose top speed without a transmission, as an Elan at redline is turning a lazy 1700 rpm or so

the problem is pounding all that current into electric motors at zero rpm to get off the line

[bengalcharlie]

just read an article that within 15 years form now we will all be driving electric cars. Tesla will be building a 5 billion dollar battery plant in Nevada with the cooperation of Panasonic.
So the old twinc will be made redundant sooner rather then later!!
The article made reference to the beginning of the last century when horse and carriage was the common mode of transport and manure was a huge problem. However nobody saw the motor car as a solution to that problem. within a few years the motorcar took off and we never looked back. Now we are going through a similar path again, air pollution of cars seen as being the biggest threat to the environment and therefore a change to electric cars. Still many people not believing it will be a serious alternative but the signs are all there according to this article.
the car nuts amongst us will definitely miss the roar of a good sports car, I know I will!!
robin

[billwill]

you would not lose top speed without a transmission, as an Elan at redline is turning a lazy 1700 rpm or so

?

[Spyder fan]

the car nuts amongst us will definitely miss the roar of a good sports car, I know I will!!

Didn't Lotus develop some sort of sound generator to simulate different engine notes to go with electric cars?

Nice to have a selection of noises... Today we have V8 thunder, tomorrow flat plane Ferrari V12 howl, next week is Subaru Boxer week with turbo dump valve embellishments

[el-saturn]

.......getting all of this space up front, you?d have to go 4WD! - start off with 4 forklift motors (rel. cheap and powerful - for more advanced U can ask me via pm) yr also all new controller creates the demand for designing a programm for yr brand new fourwheeldrive -- this may cause a couple of headaches and some ingenious ideas make a similiar chassis as is at hand: keeping in mind that everything and almost everywhere is a battery housing ...................... and there you --------------- i once co-designed solar cars and electro go-karts, so I, so to say consider myself to be pretty qualiifed - i actually have drawings of a complete electro-car using lots of elan ideas from a more integral (composites call for particular solutions!!) viewpoint and 4-fold safer!! - i?d like to sell the ideas to some chinese benificiaries!! 36/4982 PS: the most incredible cart I ever drove (winterthur indoor cartodrom) had 400AMPs!! of power (=2 welding machines A T O N C E) ------------------- cheerio sandy

[mct340]

Hey Gus, is that the rpm of the driveshaft at redline in 4th?

[gus]

6500/3.77=1724

[billwill]

6500/3.77=1724

Ah, so you meant that the road wheels are turning at about 1,700 RPM.

And 1700 RPM is relatively slow for a direct coupled electric motor.