Development of a low cost battery electric car based on a 1996 BMW 316i

May 2010 : Taxed as an EV. €146 per year.

September 2010 : NCT passed. Road legal!

December 2010 : Lithium battery upgrade in progress. New videos added.

January 2011 : Lithium battery testing in progress. New videos added.

March 2011 : Lithium battery installed and running!.Massive performance increase.

April 2011 : Fully motorway capable.70+ MPH. Driver information system installed. Charger upgrade complete.

May 2011 : BMW E46 hall effect throttle pedal installed.

June 2011 : Liquid cooled motor controller build completed.

July 2011 : Liquid cooled motor controller installed and fully operational.

August 2011 : Liquid cooled motor controller update. Charger experiments. Test drive.

September 2011 : Mode 3 IEC61851 charger control system installed and tested.

October 2011 : Building a 10kW+ onboard liquid cooled charger.

November 2011 : Liquid cooled charger testing in progress.

December 2011 : 10kW Liquid cooled charger installed and operational.

December 2011 : Battery and cabin heater systems installed.

February 2012 : Android bluetooth dash system installed.

• Top speed : 75mph
• Range (lead-acid battery) : 20 miles
• Range (Lithium battery) : 60 miles
• Fast recharge (30 to 90 minutes)
• Transmission : Clutchless manual
• Power steering , vacuum assisted abs brakes , cabin heater
• Battery fuel gauge
• DC compound wound traction motor
  

Vehicle development is chronicled in the following videos. Mistakes and misadventures included!

The Motor :




The Gearbox to motor adapter plate :





Electric motor installed in car :



Electric brake vacuum pump.
An electric car has no engine and hence no source of vacuum for the brake servo.
 A 12v pump is used instead :




Electric motor mounts , brake vacuum system and charger socket:



Motor controller development:











First test runs at 24v using two old batteries to prove the concept:





Development of a high power intelligent switch mode charger for the car:







Here we see the new adapter plate and motor to gearbox coupler:





Test Run of the newly installed drive train at 24v:



Charger system installation:



Running the drive train on my new odyssey batteries. Redline time!!:



Progress update and quick hill climb test:



First practical use for the ev!:



Quick progress update :



Video of the commutator taken on a 1.2 mile drive to pinpoint brush arcing problems :



Procedure for advancing the brushes in a DC Motor to reduce brush arcing due to armature reaction :












Test Drive of the EV Part 1:



Part 2 :



Lithium battery upgrade part 1 :



Lithium battery upgrade part 2 :



Lithium battery upgrade part 3 :



Lithium battery upgrade part 4 :



Brake pump upgrade :



In vehicle display development :





Lithium battery upgrade part 5 (Complete pack):



Motorway test run :





Driver information system :







Charger upgrade and system explanation :



E46 Hall effect throttle pedal install:



Liquid cooled motor controller development:













Liquid cooled motor controller installation:





Experiments with capacitive charger system:





Driving home:



Liquid cooled charger development , build and testing:





















Cabin heater system:



Android Dash: