Jimmy's EVJ80 Electric Land Cruiser

[nakman]

The plan is to pull the engine and transmission and direct drive the electric motor into the transfer case. So the diffs and transfer case will be stock. I am adding a BlackBox doubler (https://www.northwestfab.com/BlackBox-c-Land-Cruiser-Edition_p_3396.html) in between to further reduce the motor speed.

This will give good acceleration from 0 to about 75MPH top speed in high range and it should crawl really nicely in low range.

So I know next to nothing about automatic transmissions... but don't they need a bunch of ATF swimming around inside them to make them work? And isn't that driven by the engine? so do you hook up an electric pump to perform this task? Will you still have a tranny cooler (radiator) in front somewhere?

 

[60wag]

The transmission is being removed, the transfer is staying and the black box is like a doubler going in front of the transfer to get the electric motor closer to a happy rpm. The transfer doesn't need atf or a pump.

 

[KC Masterpiece]

I was sitting here hoping the solution would be a hand crank for the passenger to spin the transmission pump. Would give them something to do on a long trail day.

Edit: would also give them a strong sense of ownership on steep hill climbs. Stop cranking and the vehicle will fall out of gear and things will get exciting fast.

 

[nakman]

Oh ok, so no transmission then? alright got it.

 

[J1000]

Yep the transmission will be ditched, will be glad to get rid of that hulk. Between the engine and transmission that should be almost 900 lbs removed. I estimate the EV components going in will be 500-600 lbs depending on how much custom metal work is required.

 

[gungriffin]

How much do you think the batteries will weigh?

 

[J1000]

The battery modules all by themselves weigh 300lbs or so for a single LEAF pack but that's just the bare modules without any support structure.

 

[DouglasVB]

By chance have you made a diagram of all of the components you'll be using and how they'll be connected together? I'm also curious what parts you'll have to fab (couplers, mounts, etc.).

 

[J1000]

I have not, just been piecing it together in my head. I will need to fab a motor adapter plate and shaft coupler as well as make a driveshaft. And any motor mounts and other bracing. I am having the motor adapter plates machined right now in Wichita, KS through contacts I've made from my job for literally pennies on the dollar to what it would cost me here in Denver. I am hoping the motor and driveshaft and everything will fit mostly in the transmission tunnel leaving the entire engine bay for batteries.

Since I now officially own my truck and have a CO title for it and also I was getting motivated by @DomOfTheDead working on his 80 that I got motivated to work on mine. I got the running boards pulled and cheap wheels and tires mounted. Here she is, all $1900 or so of her!

 

[nakman]

Have you thought about using the spare tire location for batteries? that seems like a pretty easy/safe spot to stash another 300 pounds or so, with a shelf or something in there. Then you could put the spare inside, or just not have one... someone else will have a spare right?

 

[J1000]

Oh yes, certainly! My other goals with this truck are to try and build myself some sliders and bumpers and I'll do a tire swing out also. In addition to the spare tire location the fuel tank, exhaust, and inside the frame rails are all spots where lots and lots of battery modules can live. The biggest trick will be wiring everything and protecting the cells from damage. To start, I will just be using a single set of batteries from a LEAF (24kwh) under the hood. Then as I keep driving and growing with the truck I will add more and more LEAF batteries in different spots.

 

[AimCOTaco]

I'm sure you'll want to keep an eye on weight distribution and CG as you add cells... interested to see how much lower the center of gravity is on upcoming electrics with all the weight able to be swung down so low vs conventional.

Also remember from last night; you can burry your spare in the desert sun and @jps8460 will throw you $100! Or something like that.

 

[J1000]

Today I received the brains to my EVJ80, the Resolve-EV VCU (vehicle control unit). This little guy will connect to all of the devices in the car and run the vehicle CAN. It will control the motor inverter (forward, reverse, throttle range, etc), DC-DC 12v converter, both chargers, battery BMS, high voltage relays, brake and reverse lights, and regen. It basically hacks all the LEAF components to let me install them and use them how I see fit.

 

[J1000]

Huge day today! Massive thanks to Bruce (@60wag) for dropping the battery nearly by himself! Josh (@MonPetiteShoe) and I were screwing around on Yankee Hill while he was doing that. After we got back we pulled the motor stack. Now starts the fun part!

Took the 80 for a shakedown run just to make sure! It ran great, I was really enjoying it. Until I broke a birf and had to limp back in 2WD. They were clicking something fierce and it was all getting rebuild with new parts anyway. Big thanks to Josh for following me all the way home at 45mph to make sure I made it!

 

[J1000]

Another big day today. The LEAF is no longer in this world, it has moved on to greener pastures.

I listed about 40 auctions on eBay from all the parts I removed so hopefully some of that stuff moves and funds more LC parts!

Also I updated the OP with the current priority list and will keep it updated with the latest goals. I need to focus on the Electrek right now I think in order to get it movable so I can free up some space for the Cruiser.

1. Get Electrek rolling
2. Open LEAF battery
3. Remove 80 engine and transmission

 

[brettf]

Very interested in following this; super cool!

 

[DouglasVB]

I've been eying what folks have been doing with Tesla motors lately. There are a few places selling output adapters so you could hook a Tesla motor up to a regular drive shaft: https://amprevolt.com/collections/motors/products/driveshaft-adapter-tesla

And I've seen a few companies selling different gearing for the Tesla motors like this: https://amprevolt.com/collections/m.../tesla-model-s-large-drive-unit-4-5-1-gearset

Stuff like this makes me think a Tesla motor could be used to directly drive a front and a rear drive shaft for 4x4: https://amprevolt.com/collections/m...-drive-shaft-stump-108-porsche-930-964-993-vw

Would be pretty wild to have one of the beefier Tesla motors that supposedly does 500hp or better in an old Toyota.

 

[On the RX]

Is there a way to link duel motors to the drive train?

 

[J1000]

Tesla stuff is great but also big $$$. The LEAF motor is the same technology just cheaper. And the batteries required to support a full 500hp is even more $$$$.

No matter what you do I still think it's vital to retain the transfer case for off-road driving for all of the reasons it is needed for a gas truck.

@On the RX I probably could put two LEAF motors together with chains or belts or sprockets but it's just not required. If I want more power I can get a newer 2017+ LEAF inverter that has twice the power of my 2013. Also there are people building custom inverters and getting almost 400hp from the same LEAF motor!

In the end speed = reduced range and more power isn't really useful on the trail which is what lead me to this path. For the same price I could have done a brushed DC dinosaur motor that makes over 300hp but that's old and boring and doesn't allow me to have all the cool tech like fast charging and regen.

 

[DouglasVB]

Wow! That's wild that folks are getting those numbers out of leaf motors! You're making me a Leaf convert

I've been trying to find the right forums to read up on all of this stuff. It seems everything is super fragmented. Are there one or two you really pay attention to, @J1000 ?