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Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2017 5:32 pm
by jagnut66
Hi,
Didn't someone on here post up on here about a video on U tube(??) showing the conversion of a series 2 split screen (in London I think??), being changed over to electronic (battery) power. I just wondered if there was any more on this?
Best wishes,
Mike.

Re: Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2017 6:29 pm
by BrianHawley

Re: Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2017 6:48 pm
by myoldjalopy
One way to circumnavigate the 2040 petrol diesel ban :D

Re: Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2017 7:53 pm
by Budgie
Some 35 years plus ago there was a local guy that ran a Hillman Imp on battery power for years in aid of a charity which I forget which one now. He used to get hassled on a regular basis by the local ill informed bobbies as he didn't have a valid tax disc. I was speaking to his son some months ago by accident as he came across to admire my tourer whilst in a local industrial shopping park . He got introduced by another admiring gent so we got chatting .He had numerous batteries in his boot and could travel a fair range before a recharge. The local police never let up on badgering him till he gave up due to ill health years later.

Re: Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2017 11:27 pm
by jagnut66
Hi Brian,
I've seen that one but that wasn't the one I was referring to, it was a black cheesegrater, like I said I'm sure it was in London, though I might be mistaken about that. I do remember that they machined a special backplate (for the electric motor) to attach the original gearbox to.
Best wishes,
Mike.

Re: Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2017 11:57 pm
by irmscher
The weight and price of the batteries and electronics needed would surely outweigh any advantages

Re: Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 7:37 am
by ianmack
irmscher wrote:The weight and price of the batteries and electronics needed would surely outweigh any advantages
Under present circumstances perhaps but for the future who knows?

I'm puzzled by the use of the gearbox. I always thought that electric motors didn't need one because of their much greater rev range.

Re: Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 10:25 am
by Monty-4
My understanding is that electric motors still have an optimum load level and RPM for top efficiency, as such it's quite marginal or situational as to whether a gearbox is a good idea or not. Even the formula E teams took a while to make their minds up.

Battery prices are coming down and one could build EV packs from disassembled laptops if determined enough!

Re: Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 12:05 am
by johngrigg
or phone batteries, or, spend all that time and effort on a second job making money to buy new ones which actually work..... and I am yet to see a convincing rationale for using a gearbox with an electric motor. The GB was only ever a fix for the inability of the ICE to produce power or torque at low revs. With an electric you get maximum torque at zero revs, so you don't need a complicated GB or a clutch for that matter, just feed in the power and off you go. BTW the electric trams in Melbourne, said to be the worlds largest network, don't use a gearbox, and climb up hills with a full load with the aircon on. They don't do much overtaking though.....

Re: Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 9:32 am
by palacebear
London's electric underground trains managed without gearboxes from their introduction in the 1920s until the late 1990s when new rolling stock with gearboxes went into service. They seem to give a faster and much smoother acceleration away from stations.

Re: Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 10:21 am
by Beatroot52
I think the original post was about the london excel classic car event and the company were based in kennington, south london

Re: Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 7:21 pm
by jagnut66
I'm puzzled by the use of the gearbox. I always thought that electric motors didn't need one because of their much greater rev range.
I believe he reattached the gearbox for aesthetic reasons.

I think the original post was about the london excel classic car event and the company were based in kennington, south london
My original post was an inquiry about a video that was on U tube, I think. I seem to remember that I spotted it when another poster on here put up a link to it in someones post, however I can't see that / find that now. The video appeared to be shot in a garage and he seemed to be working alone...... If that helps.......
Best wishes,
Mike.

Re: Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:24 pm
by Beatroot52

Re: Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2017 8:01 pm
by jagnut66
That's the one Beetroot. Superb isn't it. I have posted a couple of questions for them, don't know if they'll answer though.
The only thing it needs are it's hubcaps and I'd put the petrol filler neck and cap back out of personal preference, as a link to it's past.
Best wishes,
Mike.

Re: Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2018 12:25 pm
by ianmack
I’ve just read another article about this car. An electric car doesn’t strictly need a gearbox but by keeping one they can use a less powerful motor which in turn gives better range from the batteries.

The less good news is the price of the conversion kit; £10,000! Will someone devise a budget alternative using scrapyard parts?

Re: Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2018 2:08 pm
by GavinL
There's a thread on MGExp https://www.mgexp.com/phorum/read.php?3,3695678 where a chap in America has built an electric Midget, which looks more of a budget build - total cost approx $6,000 including donor car.

Re: Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 10:09 am
by peteatreat
Back in July 2000, I went to view a Traveller Reg DEV551B and was amazed to hear the story behind it from the owner. Back in 1977, he converted it to run on electric power!
I still have his written note of the conversion and the brief spec is as follows:-
An Express Dairies milk float motor installed with an electronic speed control giving 0-72 volts.
Gearbox retained but clutch not required which gave a top speed in the mid 40's with a range of 15-20 miles.
The rear seat was removed and 12 car batteries were placed in the back. During this period, no MOT or tax were needed.
The Traveller was registered with DVLA and used quite legally on the road.
I have attached some images below.
The first one showing the battery set up in an older Traveller which was experimented on in the early 1970's. Second image is of the registration document and last, a photo of the engine bay of DEV551B.
The car was decommissioned in 1999 and reverted back to original 1098 cc.
With a strange history like this, a deal was made and I came home with the car.
I used it on a daily basis for around 4 years and sold it on to the Bristol area. DEV seems to still be around currently on SORN but the other traveller is probably long gone.
I hope you find this story interesting.

Re: Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 1:51 pm
by Monty-4
The expensive part is the battery. One could probably do an electric conversion sans-battery (not that it would be much use) for less than £1000.

Zoes, Leafs, Teslas and so on are being crashed and crashed into - perhaps scrapyards will be a good supply for budget battery packs.

Re: Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Fri May 25, 2018 6:00 pm
by davidmiles
the ip might have been refering to this one...
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/featur ... nge-world/

Re: Electronic Morris Minor

Posted: Fri May 25, 2018 9:28 pm
by jollysmart
Monty-4 wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 1:51 pm The expensive part is the battery. One could probably do an electric conversion sans-battery (not that it would be much use) for less than £1000.

Zoes, Leafs, Teslas and so on are being crashed and crashed into - perhaps scrapyards will be a good supply for budget battery packs.
I think most of the Zoe's have batteries that are leased from Renault so I guess that Renault will want them back if the car is scrapped.