# Re: [EVDL] Selling motors (was Re: Improving a DC motor)



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: [EVDL] Selling motors (was Re: Improving a DC motor)*

Support cost would be hugh if you sold directly to the public. And when a
new EVer needs help, they'll want to talk to an expert not some new hire at
minimum wage with little motor knowledge. It's too easy for someone with
little business experience to see the wholesale cost vs retail cost and say,
"Hey, I can make a bunch of money off these".

Then there's troubleshooting, returns and warranty repair/replacement. A few
more reasons why GE doesn't want to talk to you unless you want to buy a
bunch.

Now if you could sell them on eBay, with no support, no warranty, no returns
and have a community like this support them, I'd invest in that company. 

Jerome Hansen
San Antonio, TX




> Neon John <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > On Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:34:16 -0500, Lee Hart <[email protected]>
> > wrote:
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: [EVDL] Selling motors (was Re: Improving a DC motor)*

> Help me make a business case

(excuse me for the disorganized brain storm)


I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Consider the status, and
situation of the present EV conversion reality.

Think about existing ICE vehicles for a minute. Modifications to
those vehicles and what they typically consist of and the amount of
people doing certain mods or upgrades. Any car or truck. Want a
supercharger? Buy one and bolt it on. Adding a sub woofer box and an
amp? Buy it and "install" it. Typically consisting of placing said
items where ever they will fit and hooking them up.

EV conversion similarity: Acquisition of charger and controller.
Simple mounting.

Level of difficulty of fabricating a motor mount vs's buying a pre
built motor mount? Right back at buy it(already made) and bolt it in.

Example: http://www.canev.com/KitsComp/Components/S10MotorMount.html

S10 is taken care of in that respect. Now if motor mounts for all
vehicles were off the shelf items and of a nominal dollar amount, they
would be a non issue in the conversion process.

Zilla shortage definitely hinders and hampers the amount of
conversions being done.

Level of difficulty of fabbing up a motor adapter vs's buying one
already figured out and made?

Limited selection: http://www.canev.com/KitsComp/Components/Adapter%20page.htm

Electro Automotive essentially has the market cornered and the price
is up there and supposedly so is the wait time. Hindering
conversions.

The second hardest part of doing any conversion(expense being number
one) is the battery racks or mounts.

Small trucks being pretty easy so lots of those conversions are done.

Have a disproportionate amount of 914 and Rabbit conversions been done
over the years as a direct result of the availability of battery racks
being pre built and an off the shelf item? I'd have to say so:

http://www.electroauto.com/catalog/kits.shtml

Individual prices for conversion items don't seem so bad till they are
all added up.

A market exists for lower cost components and also for off the shelf
availability of adapter plates, Taperlock Hubs, and battery racks.

Lead acid with the weight and range and replacement intervals and
lithium with the price and lack of BMS.

Readily available lower cost(reasonable) motors would definitely be a
nice addition to the EV boutique.

I guess what is lacking is an all inclusive, one stop, has it all type
of shop. Off the shelf, in stock, everything one needs to convert any
vehicle.

Pre built battery racks(or any method to mount said batteries) for
every vehicle, adapter plates and hubs for every motor/trans combo.

Waiting 6 months for a Zilla really takes away a lot of most peoples
enthusiasm I would imagine(I sure don't like waiting). Not to mention
delays on getting motors and chargers.

3 key items and the wait time. Price of each item? Maybe not so bad.
Price of all three items added together? Heh... Just think of what
all can be bought for that amount.

Heavy lead and expensive lithium(where's that BMS?).

I guess it can all be done, just for a price.

2009 will have production privately owned or leased EV's on the
streets of Japan with the remote possibility of them ending up on the
streets of the USA. 2010 for certain.

$20,000 up front to convert a car today and save not buying all that
fuel for the next two years, or a new EV purchased in two years at a
rate of 200/300/400 a month after having bought all that fuel up till
that point? Consider how much fuel you currently buy per month and if
a car payment for a new EV would be less then the amount of fuel you
currently buy. Do you currently have an ICE car payment + all the
fuel for it?

Do you want a Mitsubishi MiEV?

http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/special/ev/index.html

Or a Subaru R1e?

http://content.subaru.com/sub/misc/2009/nyautoshow/r1/

Or a Nissan Denki Cube?

http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/Electricity--is-it-the.4290344.jp

And the slimmest, remotest possibility of the GM Volt being offered in
a pure electric version....

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/4646/gmc2007041251480pvtt8.jpg

Convert now or buy a complete OEM black box model later(with
warranty!)? All we need now is a hurricane, earthquake, refinery fire
or explosion or "terrorist" event of some sort for fuel to be $10/gal,
$20/gal, or even non existent. Think people will be wanting to own an
EV then!?


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: [EVDL] Selling motors (was Re: Improving a DC motor)*

5 yrs from now there will still be some converts happening,, 10yr only odd
ball people who want to take parked cars and convert them will be the only
ones doing it,
just look back to 1998 who would have seen how it is now.
Change is happening very fast in the big picture.
This I think will look just like the stone age of EV's, given how few there
really are on the road.
It will not be the little guys who make the big changes, industry will.
the little guys are just the odd balls they always have been always will be,
we can't help it, Tinkering is in our blood.
Unless you are a tinker like bill gates you only watch the world conform to
others ideas.
We number so few compaired to the Billions out there who cry and whine but
take what is given them.
Now look at the Israily plan they are working it for real., but there land
mass is what a 1/16 the size of Texas.
Any how brain storming what if is nice but the new tech is out there in the
labs not in our garage, we will just have to wait and see who brings what to
market and vote with our dollars for what we like....



> Ryan Stotts <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > > Help me make a business case
> >
> ...


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