Electric Elan

[nmauduit]

However, if you are restoring a car yourself, you can do a conversion yourself.

I've been toying with the idea for almost 3 decades now (...), but in spite of recent anounces favoring e-conversions (I've considered LPG conversions as well at some point, for enjoying big V8s more than once a year), getting the right to be on the road with a converted car (plus being rightfully insured) is being willing to open the Pandora box of French administration here, and the few that came back alive after such an experience rather not talk about it...

[NedK]

£2-9K for motor.

Hi Mark

Thanks for this. Interesting the range of prices for the motor. Is it simply more power = more cost, or are there things like size/quality?

I don't feel I need a car that does 0-60 in 4s (already got a Caterham). Weight distribution seems an interesting issue tho, as it would have quite an effect on handling (more than just weight itself I imagine).

There's a load of good stuff on YouTube now that I'm trawling through...

Ned

[LotusElon]

The Electric Classic car scene is bigger in the UK (and USA), and less so in Europe.
Possibly because the regulations are slightly easier to meet in UK (eg no EMC tests are needed).

However there are a few European companies:
https://www.e-roadster.co/?lang=en
https://voltimer.ch/
https://bdrive.ch/
https://www.voitures-extravert.com/
https://www.newelectric.nl/

The availability of affordable, light, powerful batteries, AC motors and controllers is a 'game-change' since even 10 years ago.

[LotusElon]

£2-9K for motor.

Thanks for this. Interesting the range of prices for the motor. Is it simply more power = more cost, or are there things like size/quality?
Ned

Basically yes:

Tesla Drives (400+ hp) £9K
Nissan Leaf / Mitsubishi etc (90~140 bhp) £2K
New Hyper9 & Controller (~120hp) £4K

As it takes commitment (or cost) to convert, people tend to choose either massive power ...or.. a classic that has intrinsic desirability. Hence Elan for me, and e-types 308's, landys, 911's and VW vans etc.

Sorry 'Quote' or reply with Quote not playing nice for me

[NedK]

Very useful, thanks.
Ned

[baileyman]

I'm curious how you guys have approached the throttle on these cars. It seems to me that one could program in a significant amount of engine braking on lift-off, which just seems like it could be a very interesting thing to tweak for track purposes. Negotiate some tracks using the right foot only!?! John

[Bombay Racing Green]

Hi John,

I don’t know about Mark’s set up but I can adjust the amount of regenerative braking by a rotary potentiometer. I suspect it might not be useful for racing as all the braking is on the rear wheels. Rohan maybe able to answer that one. If you want to chat more about it I’ll be in Boston next month.

All the best.

[Bigbaldybloke]

Somewhat different but my wife has just bought an electric Mini and we find we now rarely use the brake pedal at all in everyday driving, it has quite strong regeneration and you can actually pull up at a Tee junction without using the brake pedal. If you were pushing along at speed on country lanes or something unexpected happened then yes the brakes get used. You can turn off the regeneration and drive it like a normal car, but we soon got used to one pedal driving.

[LotusElon]

I must admit I do like regen (and also tweaking the infinite software settings for it and other parameters).
I've got it set so that I get good regen with throttle off, and extra regen when I touch the brake pedal. It comes in before mechanical braking, and as its on the rear wheels, it helps with turn in.

Some people use a brake pressure sensor on the brake lines, then the regen is proportional to braking pressure. I prefer to have the 3 choices of braking: lift-off, slowing well and really slowing. Its interesting to adjust the regen - the only job on the wish list would be to have different regen settings for each gear, or at least on 2nd, 3rd and 4th, with some kind of gear switch sensor. For now I set it up for 3rd gear which is best all round gear, and accept more regen in 2nd and less in 4th .. which also equates to throttle response.

1st gear is only ever used for hooning In 4th gear it pulls easily from zero . 2nd gear is sharp off the line and good for upto 50-60, but 3rd is probably the best gear this side of 100.

I agree the electric Mini is a hoot - I rate it as the most fun production small EV - an electric 'Hot Hatch' .

[LotusElon]

Published in Lotus Drivers Club 'Chicane' Magazine.
Part 1 of 3 "From Elan to Elon .. a journey of adding lightness, quietness and efficiency"
1. From the Steel age to the end of the ICE age https://issuu.com/mark77a/docs/from_elan_to_elon
(early personal car journey to electrics)
next
Part 2 (upcoming) Smart Thinking, Bad soldering, ‘Brave Little Toaster’ and marriage planning for Elon.
Part 3 (upcoming) Making the ‘Electric Dream’ real, Elon is naughty, and other experiences of free, silent fun !

[LotusElon]

Part 2
Published in Lotus Drivers Club Chicane Magazine - the steps to building Lotus Elon.

Final Part - Using day to day, performance, range and things learned - to follow. Chicane February 22 and later here.
https://issuu.com/mark77a/docs/from_elan_to_elon_part_2

[Bombay Racing Green]

Thanks for posting these Mark! All the best.

[Bitsilly]

I'm coming to the end of a 1960 classic mini rebuild with electric power provided by a company called Ecoclassics, whose I can highly recommend.
Mine is designed to be a completely original 'sleeper', and there is a thread about the build on the mk1 mini forum if anyone is interested.
230lbft torque and 0-60 in under 5 seconds.
Not cheap but a massive amount less than the Swind offering and from the outside, a 1960 mini!
The control system I am using allows you to have a number of modes of driving, and basically you can adjust the amount of engine braking/regen. I have planned to have a mode for commuting, one for track days and one for showing wide boy racers why they should't dismiss balding old men in classic cars, but there are an infinite number of different ways to set the system up.
My point is that the regen can be programmable even when you do not use a gearbox, which I won't, and yet still get 200 mile range!

[LotusElon]

Someone asked about regen and its operation. Basically on Hyper9 Tau software there are 3 switchable regen and drive profiles, each are adjustable 0-100% I dont use a clutch, instead I switch off regen to change gear as the motor has low inertia and spins down gently with no regen. .. I hope the picture below from the software set up explains, otherwise please see build log on insta or https://mas-design.com/lotus-elon/

[Spunagain]

Hi Mark
Thanks very much for posting so much about your fantastic build!
I am just starting on the same road as you and have just purchased a barn find S4!
I have a fair bit worked out and working through my own schematics now.
My build will be very similar to yours using 5 Tesla Model S100 bricks along with a 120V Hyper9 with a few differences planned:

-I do not plan to modify the body or chassis at all so it can be reverted. (I am not sure the latest regulations allow you to modify either the body shell or chassis now).
-I plan to use an Orion BMS
-I plan to use a reworked PC power supply as a DC to DC converter just because!
-I plan to keep the clutch and original bell housing and use an adapter plan designed in Australia for a Mk Ford Cortina.
-I want to map the motor to be a little closer to the Twinks torque profile so I can enjoy stirring it along using the gear stick
-I plan to use PTC heaters fitted in the Elan heater box and keep the coolant loop for just the controller, batteries and charger (I plan to water cool the charger to help warm the batteries in cool weather)

I hope to just keep to classic gauges on display by getting custom or modifying existing gauges to show:
-Speed (standard)
-Tacho (probably modified for hall effect)
-Fuel (modifying original gauge taking 0-5V signal from the BMS)
-Motor temp (using new Smiths gauge and standard sensor)
-Water temp (using new modified Smiths gauge and sensor) located where the ashtray is
Battery temp (modifying new Smiths gauge taking 0-5V signal from the BMS) (ashtray)
12 battery Voltage replacing existing 12V battery ammeter

I have a few cheeky questions please!
1. Did you modify your existing Elan Tacho or buy a new one to work with the hall effect sensor?
2. Did you modify the fuel gauge to use the PWM signal - I was thinking of adding a current amp to take the Orion BMS output of 0-5V for remaining battery capacity to drive into the bimetallic strip heater in the Elan fuel gauge.
3. Is your front to back trunking metal or plastic?
4. Did you use 70mm² HV cable?
5. For instruments did you take motor temp from the original coolant sensor or motor controller?
6. Are you using full Hyper9 torque or did you throttle back to protect the drive train?
7. Or what did you do to strengthen the drive train - I plan to use solid driveshafts - have you broken anything yet?
8. How do you control the charge current between 10A and 32A for Type 2 and granny charging? Existing chargers do not seem to have a control for this unless it is done over CAN bus
9. Do you detect low temp (for charging) using BMS or a separate thermostat?
10. Did you use Tesla 3 way coolant diverter valve or something different to divert around the radiator?
11. What tyres are you running?
12. Where did you get your batteries from?
13. Please can I come and see your car?

Many Thanks!