Might end up with this van. I will likely just strip out the drivetrain and repower it with an ICE, as I don't think is likely to be worth the trouble for me buy a new set of batteries.
Are any of the components even worth anything nowadays?
I assume it has a pile of lead acid batteries......
What does it take to change to "Tesla" batteries and how much will a new controller cost ?
In reply to californiamilleghia :
A wrecked Tesla, a wheelbarrow of cash, and an engineering/electrical degree.
I would be curious to see the components. Any interesting numbers on that label on that big black box with heat sinks? Probably nothing too interesting in there compared to modern components. Old stuff was usually fairly low powered.
Using it as an EV with newer components is out of the question. The expense/reward ratio is just not worth it. And it will never have any sort of range as it is.
But this thing has less than 3k miles on it. It is basically a brand new roller. Plus, the electric motor is supposed to be attached to the original trans. So I could end up with one of the lowest mileage B vans in existence. For $1k plus the price of a donor.
Seems too much work to convert it back to gas, there is lots that changes to make it an EV. You are going to need a lot of parts.
The low-miles doesn't mean much when it has no gas engine! You can find another van with a bad trans/engine probably even cheaper would be IMO.
In reply to Cooter :
Well when you pull up in the creepy pedo van they won't hear you cause its lacking the V8 rumble
Wow, it's got regen braking and a DC-DC converter. I think I saw this for sale at like 3 times the cost a little while ago.
Buy it and only convert the batteries. As long as you get the multiplier of voltage correct, you won't have to do too much on the battery side- as for battery replacements, you have more choices than tesla cells. Hybrid Toyotas use NiMH cells which are easily 1.5x the power density, can be drained fully without damaging them, and are WAY hardier than lithium and resistant to temperature- you could FILL that van with salvaged NiMH and probably still be lighter.
0-30 in 9 seconds yeah buddy!!
I don't think i could resist the temptation to buy that. Having said this as a guy who at one point bought the worlds probably lowest mileage 93 mirage because it had been converted from new to an electric car (had ~1200 miles). I never fixed it but i do still have all the components. Traded the shell away to somebody who was making an Evo clone out of it. My components included a 50hp brushless dc motor and controller though. If i ever do anything with it it will probably do 0-30 in better than 9 seconds.
In reply to GIRTHQUAKE :
You can't parallel NiMH cells without a lot of engineering.
Given the huge van, you could put in the back a blown hemi driving a generator to charge some small NiMH Prius pack, and then the kids can hear you coming! :)
Cooter said:But this thing has less than 3k miles on it. It is basically a brand new roller. Plus, the electric motor is supposed to be attached to the original trans. So I could end up with one of the lowest mileage B vans in existence. For $1k plus the price of a donor.
In that light, it's a steal.
There is a joke in there about how it has 3k miles because the charging times were so long and the range so short, but I won't bother. Modern EV tech is phenomenal and almost seems like something out of a science fiction book.
A lot of the EV naysayers think of these things with their banks of 12V lead-acid batteries and no range and top speeds in the "why not walk?" range and aren't seeing how far the tech has come and how far it it appears to be going.
Good running dodge vans with terminal rot are a dime a dozen here so $1000 for a clean shell seems like a good deal. With whatever you can recoup in selling/recycling the electric bits and it may work out to a free shell.
The climate control units seem interesting in themselves, electric ac and heat pump - possibly heat/cool a small space?
Replace the battery packs with a set up using these- https://www.batteryclearinghouse.com/products/200-pack-3-7v-8ah-200a-lithium-ion-power-spim08hp which were apparently from a bus.
GIRTHQUAKE said:Buy it and only convert the batteries. As long as you get the multiplier of voltage correct, you won't have to do too much on the battery side- as for battery replacements, you have more choices than tesla cells. Hybrid Toyotas use NiMH cells which are easily 1.5x the power density, can be drained fully without damaging them, and are WAY hardier than lithium and resistant to temperature- you could FILL that van with salvaged NiMH and probably still be lighter.
If I fill the back with batteries, it would be completely useless for hauling engines and mid century modern furniture. At which point there would be no reason to own it.
nimblemotorsports said:Seems too much work to convert it back to gas, there is lots that changes to make it an EV. You are going to need a lot of parts.
The low-miles doesn't mean much when it has no gas engine! You can find another van with a bad trans/engine probably even cheaper would be IMO.
They mean everything in the rust belt. Try finding one without rust around here. The drivetrains outlive the bodies every time. And the steering, suspension, and dash/seats are brand new, as well.
alfadriver said:Replace the battery packs with a set up using these- https://www.batteryclearinghouse.com/products/200-pack-3-7v-8ah-200a-lithium-ion-power-spim08hp which were apparently from a bus.
It's never as simple as "just replace the battery packs with a completely different type and style"
I would really rather not have to deal with exploding lithium ion batteries...
Wally said:Good running dodge vans with terminal rot are a dime a dozen here so $1000 for a clean shell seems like a good deal. With whatever you can recoup in selling/recycling the electric bits and it may work out to a free shell.
That was exaclty my thought.
Knurled. said:There is a joke in there about how it has 3k miles because the charging times were so long and the range so short, but I won't bother. Modern EV tech is phenomenal and almost seems like something out of a science fiction book.
A lot of the EV naysayers think of these things with their banks of 12V lead-acid batteries and no range and top speeds in the "why not walk?" range and aren't seeing how far the tech has come and how far it it appears to be going.
Both of these comments are right on the mark. Almost all of these '80s EV conversions are listed for sale with incredibly low miles, because they jut weren't feasible. Nor would it be feasible to try to make them work as a modern day EV without changing th entire system. Part of the reason this one is based on a one ton van is so that all those batteries could fit and be supported by the suspension.
And these, along with the Electric Omnis and Escorts, along with the plywood doorstop Sebring-Vangard CityCars will be the the low bar of simple minded knee-jerk insults about EVs. (Much like calling any van "pedo" or "creeper")
That said, without these pioneering efforts, we wouldn't be where we are today. Maybe someday I will be justifiably called short sighted for destroying a valuable part of history. But that day isn't today.
Vigo said:0-30 in 9 seconds yeah buddy!!
Yup. This is the reason this thing will never ve viable for any sort of actual use.
Well if you live in the rust belt, maybe. But then come out to the non-rust belt and get something better.
Here is a F250 van for $500 that needs a trans.
https://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/d/elverta-2000-ford-van-e250/7080975346.html
Or this one for $500 F150 van that needs a water pump fixed.
This one for $600 that needs a trans.
Well id be interested in some of the ev gear if you're selling for an ice...
nimblemotorsports said:Well if you live in the rust belt, maybe. But then come out to the non-rust belt and get something better.
Here is a F250 van for $500 that needs a trans.
https://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/d/elverta-2000-ford-van-e250/7080975346.html
Or this one for $500 F150 van that needs a water pump fixed.
This one for $600 that needs a trans.
I have seen people spend $4000 to repair vans that were in way WAY worse shape than that
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