BUILDING ELECTRIC CARS

ELECTRIC CAR PARTS

Just like conventional cars, the electric car consists of various parts that can be assembled together. Unlike conventional cars, it is quite easier to build an electric car just as it is less expensive. You may want to jump into this whole idea as your next project but before hopping into it, there are lots of considerations to make, yes, planning comes first. I am not going to be writing on all the steps required or all the materials needed, we are just going to look at a few basic material required  for a start. Some of these are:

• Electric Motor
• Motor Controller
• Throttle Pot Box
  

  
• Adapter Plate
• Contactor
• Fuse
• Manual Switch
• Batteries
• Charger
• DC/DC Converter
• Gauges
• Heater
  The above listed are the basic requirement for building an electric car. Once these are gathered, you can now get to work but not without structuring the frame first.
  
  
  Electric Motor
  
  Every electric car needs a motor. Electric motors vary in shape and size, weight and price. They can use AC or DC electricity. A budget builder may choose to use an electric motor from an old forklift or elevator system. There are also lots of electric car-specific motors available for purchase alone or as part of a kit. You will need to choose a motor that will suit your needs for performance and budget.
  
  
  Motor Controller
  The purpose of the motor controller is to adjust the speed at which the motor spins. If 120V were applied directly to an electric motor for example, it would run at full speed. There needs to be a means of adjusting the output of the motor and this is precisely what the motor controller is for. It allows the motor to run at any speed between zero rpm and its max rpm. This part can also be salvaged either from a forklift or golf cart.
  
  
  Throttle Pot Box
  A pot box is a small part that connects to your stock throttle cable. When you push on your throttle, the pot box sends a signal corresponding to the amount of pressure you’re putting on the pedal to the controller which then sends the proper power to the motor.
  
  
  Adapter Plate
  The adapter plate mates the electric motor to a stock transmission. These can be bought for any commonly converted vehicle. Most EV-specific motors have a standard bolt pattern so most adapter plates will work with most motors. If you use a motor from a forklift you will need to have an adapter plate custom built or of course if you’re a decent fabricator you can always do this yourself.
  
  
  Contactor
  This is basically a high-voltage relay. It connects your battery pack to the controller when you turn on the key.
  
  
  Fuse
  A fuse will blow and cut power when too much amperage is drawn. Manual Switch There needs to be one (or more) manual disconnects for the main battery pack. This way if all else fails you can manually disconnect the power and safely stop the vehicle.
  
  
  Batteries
  There are many different types of batteries available. The type of batteries that you choose will affect your performance and range.
  
  
  Charger
  There are many different types of chargers available and the charger you need will depend on the batteries you use. DC/DC Converter The DC/DC converter takes the voltage of your main (traction) battery pack and reduces it to 12V which keeps your 12V battery charged. An electric vehicle still needs an 12V battery to power all the lights, stereo, horn etc. Keeping this battery charged can be achieved other ways as well. Some EV builders use an alternator that runs off the electric motor and others use a separate 12V charger to charge this battery.
  
  
  Gauges
  You will need to know what’s going on under the hood and this is where your gauges come in. Most basic EV builds use a high-voltage ammeter and voltage gauge (for traction pack voltage) and a low voltage gauge (12V system).
  
  
  Heater
  Although a heater is not necessary to drive the car, it is a creature comfort that we have all become accustomed to. Being that the stock heater in any gasoline car uses heat created by the gasoline engine to heat the cabin, we need to figure out something else to get heat into the vehicle. On the other hand, you will need a cooling system in countries with high temperature, in this case, a cooling system or fan will be required instead. Many countries especially African and most Middle East countries have extremely high temperature and you will not be needing any heater.
  
  
  Now, there are many places were you can get high quality material, while online might be a good option, there might be an accessary store nearby where you can get most of the stuffs you will be needing. walking down to a store gives you the option to weigh exactly what you want and make the best pick. It is also worthy of note that before you start any project, even with the electric car, you must first put cost into consideration, time and other factors comes next, convenience is the last this to give your attention to.