# VW ID.4 motor teardown



## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

Tremelune said:


> It sure seems like the EV "LS" motor would just be a VW/Ford/Chevy motor with an adapter plate in place of a gearbox (or a modified gearbox??)...The scene is begging for an OEM motor that will work in RWD conversions...


In the ubiquitous LS swap, the original transmission or a transmission better-suited to the LS engine is used; similarly, in an electric motor swap a transmission is typically needed to use the full capability of the motor. It can be just a fixed-ratio gearbox, and ideally the motor plus gearbox would fit in the space originally occupied by a transmission, but that can be a tight fit.

The EV West "crate motor" is an example of this approach (complete with fixed-ratio gearbox). I assume that it uses a Tesla Model S motor simply because they're available and familiar to the suppliers involved.


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## Tremelune (Dec 8, 2009)

Heh, yeah...I'm looking for a setup that's closer to $3k than $30k.

Figuring a Tesla SDU runs about $5k these days and a TorqueBox well under $5k...I just don't know where EV West got $20k worth of machining...


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## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

Tremelune said:


> Figuring a Tesla SDU runs about $5k these days and a TorqueBox well under $5k...I just don't know where EV West got $20k worth of machining...


I'm not questioning EV West's costing method, but I'm also not suggesting buying that unit.  It is an illustration of the approach, and starting with a motor that detaches from the transaxle cleanly (unlike the Model S induction motors which use one aluminum casting as both a transaxle side housing and a motor end housing) would be easier.


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