Category: Electric Car

In this economy, many people are trying to save a few dollars. However, hiring an un-licensed electrical contractor is not a good place to save. Their hourly rate may seem like a good deal at first, but the damage they can cause may cost you thousands of dollars to repair in the long run!! Check to make sure the company you hire has an active license and is fully insured and bonded. Below is a link where you can verify the validity of any California contractor. https://www2.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/CheckLicenseII/CheckLicense.aspx

We had the battery racks made by a local blacksmith and made clear acrylic covers for each pack. The total weight of each of the 6 “bricks” is 76 pounds. Not bad.

welded battery rack

rear pack mount and brace

front trunk packs

no vw gas tank

We received the 48 3.6 volt lithium batteries from China. They will be connected together to make a 160 volt battery pack.

Chinese military aviation batteries

crate full of batteries

each cell is 100AH and 3.6 volts

We finished up the power module wiring and got the drive belt and pulleys. (we still need to install the idler pulley). It’s ready for final installation in the car.

The final assembly of the electric motors and controller is underway. We polished the aluminum mounts and wired up the “magic boxes” that control forward, reverse, low speed, high speed, and limp home on one motor. (It’s my own design, we will soon see if it all works flawlessly.

Controller and magic boxes installed

Cutting the aluminum motor plate in the table saw

drilling and tapping the mounts

Crimping the 2/0 cable lugs

final assembly of mounts

Having a rolling car is just the beginning. We have been busy with the electrical systems: Typical car chassis wiring for headlights brake lights, turn signals, key switch. Then we had to install the car pc and touch screen monitor that will control everything in the car. (No knobs or switches in this car!)

Under dash key switch wiring

passenger side dash wiring

A shot of the flush installation in the dash

Car pc software with GPS, radio, wifi, e-mail

Car pc screen - it's alive

We took a mini vacation and headed up to Washington to pick up the Wombat fiberglass body. It took a little grinding and persuasion to get it to fit the chassis. After the bonding had time to set, we loaded up and started on our 11 hour drive back to Lake Tahoe.

The finished chassis. It was stripped bare and pressure washed. We cut out the old floors to get it ready for the new fiberglass Wombat body. It was painted with a coat of POR15 frame coating.

We reassembled it with new ball joints, disk brakes, off road tires and wheels, new shocks, and new trailing arm bushings.