# Renault Megane, diesel to electric



## goingelectric (Aug 14, 2013)

Hi, everyone.

Im considering a EV conversion on a Renault Megane 2005 Model.

Its currently a 1.9DCI with a damaged engine.











Cut a long story short, I can have the engine repaired or replaced and walk away even with no losses.

But im thinking of keeping this car for myself and doing an EV conversion on it for the following reasons:



I have the car
The condition is really good
It sooo pretty
Its comfortable and spacious
I think the weight of the car is reasonable (1250kg +/-)
It cost me just about as much as a older rust bucket donor car would
Technically its on the road and licensed etc
"IF" the conversion fails i could still salvage it for parts and recoup some of the expense
Did i mention how pretty it is?
Before i can officially label it as "My Donor/Project CAR" I need to bring the cost down and salvage whatever parts I dont need.

SO i need some advise on the following



What can i safely strip off the car that I WILL NOT need in the future? I could sell a few of the good mechanical parts and hopefully cough up the balance to pay for the vehicle.
Is this a viable vehicle for an EV conversion???


For those that dont know, this car is already full on electric, its what makes the car a bit crappy. We talking about... Electronic Key card to start the car and open the doors, wipers is auto, lights turn on automatically, handbrakes is automatic (I think), Power Steering, Aircon, Electric Mirrors, Electric Windows, Speedo is electonic etc etc. The only place you can use a key is on the passengers door and that too is only for emergencies!
I also think the engine bay is a bit tiny, maybe its because those covers are on, the boot/trunk is looking okay for some batteries though.
 3. How do i drain the tank without contaminating the fuel? theres a full tank of diesel, where im from thats a BIG DEAL



I kinda need to make a decision on this crucial step soon, please comment freely if you can.


Insults are welcome, im not a Renault fan either! 



Renault or NOT, im driving on battery power soon even if its only in my driveway



Pictures below:


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## Duncan (Dec 8, 2008)

Hi
Looks like a good project!

My advice - for what its worth
Keep all of the surplus bit until you are SURE you don't need any wires/sensors off them
Keep them together until the project is finished if you can

The diesel
The problem is not getting it out of the tank so much as transporting it to its new home
Can you take the tank out with the fuel in and use that to take it to its new owner?

Have you had a look at other cars on this site?
The conversion will cost a bit


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## skooler (Mar 26, 2011)

Nice, good start.

I guess you're in the UK as it's a RHD model?

Its all perfectly feasible. It's a tad on the heavy side but still lighter than my RX8. I guess you will want to know how much it'll all cost? If you give us an idea of your budget, range requirements, performance requirements and what you intend to use it for people here will happily recommend components.

Don't worry about the engine bay size, Renault like to cover everything in plastic trim to tidy it up (and cause rattles!). Once you have the trim out the way it's pretty much a normal sized engine bay. The only issue you will have is that the bonnet opening is quite small so a lot of stuff will have to go in and out the bottom of the car. access to a ramp or a good set of axle stands etc will help a lot. The girlfriend has a 2008 model which has already been eyed and measured up for a conversion ;-)

Cheers,

Mikeb


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## skooler (Mar 26, 2011)

As for draining the tank.

Either way you need somewhere to put the fuel. Do you have another diesel car you can put the fuel into (easiest option). If not I'm afraid you'll need to purchase a few jerrycans to put the fuel into.

I guess that tank is about 60litres?

You have two or three options on how to drain it.



Syphon the fuel out. Using something like this: http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/2810...ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=65&ff19=0
Remove the tank with the fuel still in and then tip it into another tank or jerrycan (this is what I did with the RX8).
 If it's a plastic tank (almost all modern cars are) then you can carefully pierce the bottom with a screwdriver and collect the fuel as it comes out. Not recommended but it's how the pikeys seem to be doing it round by me!
Cheers,


Mike


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## Woodsmith (Jun 5, 2008)

I had to drain a near full tank from a neighbour's Audi A4 that was going to be scrapped due to a blown engine. Would have made an interesting conversion, but that's another story that didn't happen.

I removed the rear seats to access the tank sender, removed it, and then put in a hose to siphon the fuel out.

An alternative might be, if it is electric and works, to cut the fuel line and use the fuel pump to pump the fuel out into cans.

The easiest transport solution is to find 'the friend' who wants the fuel and get them to bring their car over. Then you only need to have two cheap fuel cans for the transfer, one filling while the other is being tipped into their car's tank.



On the 'just in case it doesn't work as an EV side of things. You can leave everything in place except the engine to start with. 

Get the motor fitted to the transmission and reinstalled in the car, then connect the controller and 'bodge' the necessary gauges to get things working, and then add enough cheap/used batteries for a test. 
Make no permanent changes to the car at this stage as it will only be a test rig.

If it runs and the car electronics don't mind it then you can rip out the rest of the ICE stuff and complete the installation. 
If it doesn't work then a replacement ICE can be put back and the car sold on to fund a more suited replacement.

I should have done this if I am honest....


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## goingelectric (Aug 14, 2013)

Guys thank you so much for your responses.

Let me get the basics out of the way.

First of all im in Cape Town South Africa, 
EV conversions are unheard of here!

Getting the components and equipment is a HUGE hassle for me, 
The convenience of ordering things via ebay etc is not an option at all.

That being said, i am somewhat is the motoring industry, so i do have some resources and hand. Im not very mechanically minded though!

Im probably the least qualified person to do the job but thats what makes it interested and exciting.

I can transfer the diesel into another diesel car.
I also have about 10 jerry cans so thats not an issue.
Ill try siphoning the fuel out.

Ramps, Stands and tools etc is not a problem, im fairly equipped as far as tools are concerned but i dont have anything for the conversion yet (besides the car and some insulation tape!)



My goals:

If i can get this car to drive around the block on a single charge then ill be happy with the achievement, i am consider this a learning experiment.

For me this is about figuring out how all these components work together and improve along the way until i can get maybe a range of 60km and a speed of about 80 to 100 kph

I have browsed through this site, ive watched a decent amount of youtube videos and now im motivated. 

I might have posted this thread prematurely as i still need to do a ton of homework. 

On the technical side of things i have alot to learn, the terms and technicalities are confusing for me, I hardly understand what some of the guys a talking about with their amps and watts and converting this and converting that. Im a whole new level of noob! but ill get there.

Eitherway, i am serious about this and i do have someone that could assist me to some extent.

As for my budget, i have not set aside anything as yet. I will be building this out of my pocket, once i have a better understanding and i know whos who in the zoo then ill start looking around for what i need.

I already have some feelers out there for forklift parts and i have someone more educated doing some research and translating on my behalf .

Just so you know where i am coming from, EV's are not found anywhere in SA, even Hybrids are scarce. The only thing electric around here is may be the odd forklift and golf cart.

"Lead acid" batteries can be found on every corner, 
I think my biggest problem would be finding a controller and the right batteries. If i have to import it from somewhere then so be it.
Although there are folklifts so someone must be supplying the batteries.

Im still figuring out which questions i should be asking, please be patient with me and maybe ill give you some diesel!


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## jk1981 (Nov 12, 2010)

To keep the dash in working order you'll probably need to keep or spoof the full suite of engine, fluids and drivetrain sensors otherwise it will be popping up error messages constantly. Some of the sensors you can probably re-use and drive physically from the new motor using timing disks matching those from the engine, others you'll probably need to build a spoofing circuit/driver for (eg Lambda) or an interface circuit (coolant temp for example could be re-tasked to motor temp but the Renault/motor sensors will likely be different). All in all it's not a task I'd relish (as an electronic engineer) but I'm sure it is quite doable with enough patience and research.

The OEM vehicle electronics should have good electromagnetic immunity but I'd be mentally prepared for some gremlins especially if you go for a brushed motor where some arcing is a distinct possibility.

Short of getting stuck in and seeing what throws fault codes as you remove bits I guess your best bet is to get your hands on the Renault service manual and wiring diagrams. Also have a look at performance Renault forums, see what problems and fixes have cropped up where people have done race/rally conversions, ECU replacements and engine swaps. You'll probably also need the tool for reading and clearing fault codes.

Careful with the airbags and curtains as you're poking around, I bet that thing is full of nasty surprises for the unwary! The service manual probably covers safe working around them.

jk


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## goingelectric (Aug 14, 2013)

thank you all for your input thus far.

If an electronic engineer is skeptical then maybe i should consider a more hardcore vehicle from the early 90's or 80's for my first project.

Its just that im already mentally prepared to rip this car apart but i still have a few days to decide, eitherway i still have to learn quite a lot.

So far i more or less have the following theory on how this all ought to work, please correct me. This is my very first step to understanding my challenges.

The core components would be:



The motor, which turns the wheels through the gearbox, for that to fit i would require a custom engineered bellhousing.
Bellhousing
Controller which regulates the amount of power the motor received. Im guessing the controller is only there to prevent the car from flying at maximum speed ALL the time (is this correct???) so you control the "controller" via the pedal or potentiometer
Potentiometer
Power Source for the motor which is the batteries. i still need to wrap my head around the different type of batteries and how to calculate what i need and what is possible.
A dc to dc converter which takes power from the main batteries and charges the battery which is used for the lights, wipers etc. this single battery basically runs everything but the motor.
A meter which somehow shows how much power is still left in the batteries like a fuel gauge
A charger that charges the main batteries.
Brackets and fittings that keep everything in place.
Im really trying my best to get through this stupid stage, I assure you i am reading and googling.

I was thinking of maybe building the concept outve the vehicle first in more or less the following order:


find the motor, controller, potentiometer and a few batteries
get a gearbox and have a bellhousing made (I dont mind incurring this cost even if i dont use that type of gearbox or bellhousing) ill consider it school fees.
wire them all up into a jig and run the motor with all the components out of the vehicle.
If i can successfully achieve this step then i would have learnt quite a lot and fitting them all in the car can be a challenge on its own. It wouldnt be a waste because i do require the parts anyway.
Do you think the above exercise will be beneficial for a beginner? Bear in mind that finding a donor car is relatively easy for me and the least of my worries. Even if the Renault goes or the equipment i purchased isnt suitable for the Renault i can always get another donor car.


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## Woodsmith (Jun 5, 2008)

You could just disconnect each of the ICE sensors in turn and see what makes the computer go nuts. 
Maybe just removing the sensors but leaving them connected to the wiring loom will do.

Not sure you need a bellhousing. Most people use an adaptor plate to make the motor 'look' like the back of the ICE so it mates with the bell housing.
The fiddly part is then a coupler to connect the motor direct to the gearbox primary shaft, or an adaptor to emulate the end of the crankshaft to take the flywheel and clutch assembly in the same location relative to the gearbox.


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## jk1981 (Nov 12, 2010)

Skeptical is overstating it I'm really just saying you should do your research and be prepared for some frustration if you want to keep the majority of the existing vehicle electronics working normally.

I've walked away from an ICE swap I wanted to do before now because I lacked the confidence I would get the modern ECU to run properly in an old chassis without all the other modules it expected to see. There were other options of course ranging from a full vehicle loom swap to an aftermarket ECU, the reality is I just lacked the enthusiasm and patience to take on the task 

As I said before, try some performance Renault forums and ask around, see what happens to the rest of the car when for example an aftermarket ECU is fitted, it'll give you a good idea of the scale of the problem. The engine and the ECU may turn out to be a self contained unit that can be pulled out with minimal fuss. It's crude but if all that actually happens when you remove the engine, fuel and exhaust system is that you get a yellow light and error codes on the dash display then would you lose anything by simply putting a sticker over it? Would you for example lose the ability to tune the radio or use the sat-nav? If it has cruise control, how is the throttle actuated and could it be retained?

The electric traction stuff is well covered on this site, I don't think you'll struggle getting that bit to work if you can source and afford the parts.

jk


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## poprock (Apr 29, 2010)

Quote: 9# " _*Did I mention how pretty it is*_ ? " The old saying is " beauty is in the eye of the beholder ". That car is butt ugly ! ( you did say insults were welcome ) 










Cut a long story short, I can have the engine repaired or replaced and walk away even with no losses.

But im thinking of keeping this car for myself and doing an EV conversion on it for the following reasons:



I have the car
The condition is really good
It sooo pretty
Its comfortable and spacious
I think the weight of the car is reasonable (1250kg +/-)
It cost me just about as much as a older rust bucket donor car would
Technically its on the road and licensed etc
"IF" the conversion fails i could still salvage it for parts and recoup some of the expense
Did i mention how pretty it is?
Before i can officially label it as "My Donor/Project CAR" I need to bring the cost down and salvage whatever parts I dont need.

SO i need some advise on the following



What can i safely strip off the car that I WILL NOT need in the future? I could sell a few of the good mechanical parts and hopefully cough up the balance to pay for the vehicle.
Is this a viable vehicle for an EV conversion???

For those that dont know, this car is already full on electric, its what makes the car a bit crappy. We talking about... Electronic Key card to start the car and open the doors, wipers is auto, lights turn on automatically, handbrakes is automatic (I think), Power Steering, Aircon, Electric Mirrors, Electric Windows, Speedo is electonic etc etc. The only place you can use a key is on the passengers door and that too is only for emergencies!
I also think the engine bay is a bit tiny, maybe its because those covers are on, the boot/trunk is looking okay for some batteries though.
3. How do i drain the tank without contaminating the fuel? theres a full tank of diesel, where im from thats a BIG DEAL



I kinda need to make a decision on this crucial step soon, please comment freely if you can.


Insults are welcome, im not a Renault fan either! 



Renault or NOT, im driving on battery power soon even if its only in my driveway



Pictures below:






































































[/QUOTE]


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## PhantomPholly (Aug 20, 2008)

You said you can have the engine repaired and come out even - does that mean there is an insurance settlement?

Sometimes they will be willing to pay the repair price (usually discounted a bit). That might go a long way towards your conversion.

Doesn't hurt to ask...


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## goingelectric (Aug 14, 2013)

BUTT UGLY... who said that?

No the car is not insured, by coming out even i meant the cost to repair plus the cost of the car would be less than its value.

Thank you all for your input. I dont think im going to use this car any longer, im still hunting for EV parts. 

Once i have my parts then ill find a more suitable donor again.


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## russatt (Aug 30, 2013)

Hi. 

I cant believe I stumbled onto your post. I am from East London SA. Also going electric. It would be great to chat with you via email, instead of the forum. I'm sure we will be able to help each other, especially sourcing some of the imported parts.

Send me a mail at [email protected], and I'll mail you back from my actual email address.

Hope to hear from you.

Cheers


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