# 1975 lotus elite DC old school job.



## Harmon20 (Oct 5, 2017)

That's a sweet project. Looked through the album. Think we could get a full side profile and interior shot(s)?

I don't know if I'd paint it though, beyond whatever is necessary to protect it structurally. I like the aesthetic of letting the world get a good look at a long life on the outside while having a new powerful heart on the inside. In fact, looking at this has convinced me to abandon my grand plans for my Beetle project. I'm going to clean up the rust and cover the metal to protect it, but other than that I'll just let the dead paint and wrinkled fenders ride, at least for a while. 

Harmon


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## Duncan (Dec 8, 2008)

That does look like you have done a very good job - and in only a few months!

BUT 
I have a horrible feeling that you will be very disappointed with it's performance
You will want more!
More Amps More Volts, More motor, More/better batteries


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## terryg (Jan 7, 2011)

here a video.

https://youtu.be/Iyypeb2F7os

yes i think i want more and more power.


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## Duncan (Dec 8, 2008)

Yep looks OK at low speed on dirt - what gear were you in?

but it will be pretty gutless at higher speed - With 110v I predict a top speed of about 50 mph

This is what you want

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUpyAY2sFWw


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## terryg (Jan 7, 2011)

Duncan said:


> Yep looks OK at low speed on dirt - what gear were you in?
> 
> but it will be pretty gutless at higher speed - With 110v I predict a top speed of about 50 mph
> 
> ...


yeah pull away in first then into second gear .
i can only get it up to 22 /23 mph in this space.
my Kelly controller is 500A not a 400 lol.
it only pulling about 200 amps.


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## Duncan (Dec 8, 2008)

You need a bigger motor - a 9 inch motor weighing about 60 kg is about minimum
Then 144v and 500 amps would give you OK performance

I'm using an 11 inch motor - it weighs 102 kg - but I don't have a gearbox

With 500 amps and 144v it was quite acceptable - probably as fast as your Lotus would have been with the IC engine

When I messed about with the batteries and went down to 130v it crippled the top end - would accelerate OK but topped out at 100 kph

Currently I have 1200 amps and 340v - and on the road I shut it down to 500 amps because it's too scary

That video was last years 1/8th mile I was doing 85 mph at the end of the 1/8th despite having to back off twice at the start
This year 2018 I have ordered some sticky tires

_it only pulling about 200 amps._

That will be battery current - motor current will be the 500 amps 
Battery current will rise with motor rpm until the controller is 100% then the motor current will drop


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## terryg (Jan 7, 2011)

Now it on the road i can test it out.
First run it made 10 Mi / 880 FT elevation uphill.
Next run it made 12 Mi a more level run but two batteries had gone down.
Next run two new bat's 16 Mi ,now playing around with setting.
I dou't think it makes 20 Mi on cheap flooded lead LOL.

Has it was only an experiment a bit of fun.

So 100AH flooded lead v 100HA Lithium ??? = more or the same miles. 

Is it the weight difference which gives you the extra miles ?

No breakdowns yet.


Terryg


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## Duncan (Dec 8, 2008)

Hi Terry

Look up - Peukert Effect

The lead acids are 100 Ah - at the 20 hour rate - in other words 5 amps
At an electric car current rate you will be lucky to get 50 Ah out of them

Lithiums suffer this at a much much lower rate so 100Ah of Lithium IS 100 Ah


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## terryg (Jan 7, 2011)

Duncan said:


> Hi Terry
> 
> Look up - Peukert Effect
> 
> ...


Thank you Duncan .
That explains it then.
yeah 50 to 60 AH !
It draws about 50 amps to maintain about 35 mph.
best so for is 16.5 miles .
so 110v / 60ah ? = 6.600 wh ? it that right S*** really.

so i need more amps


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## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

terryg said:


> It draws about 50 amps to maintain about 35 mph.
> best so for is 16.5 miles


So it runs for half an hour, while drawing 50 amps, which means that you are getting about 25 amp-hours from your battery.



terryg said:


> so 110v / 60ah ? = 6.600 wh ?


Not quite...
110 V x 60 Ah = 6.6 kWh


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## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

terryg said:


> It draws about 50 amps to maintain about 35 mph.
> best so for is 16.5 miles


So it runs for half an hour, while drawing 50 amps, which means that you are getting about 25 amp-hours from your battery.



terryg said:


> so 110v / 60ah ? = 6.600 wh ?


Not quite...
110 V x 60 Ah = 6.6 kWh


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## terryg (Jan 7, 2011)

is was around town and a bit hilly .
half the time it was pulling 100 to 200 amps on the hilly bit.


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## TerryB (Nov 7, 2017)

Hi Terry, just caught up with your project thread. Do you have drawings of you adapt or plate motor to clutch housing) as I'd like to copy those for my project. Was the motor just bolted to the clutch housing or did you support it from the engine mounts too?

Where else did you put your batteries, and I presume you built your own frame in the engine bay coming from the 2 engine mounts as well?

Thanks
Terry


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## LotusElite (Dec 15, 2019)

Hi Terry. Just came across your post...great looking car!

Pretty sure I had the only electric M50 in the world when I converted mine in 2007, but glad to see yours and maybe TerryB's above. Mine was in really bad shape...had horrible paint and serious wiring issues, including zero switches in the center console. Hope you are enjoying it.

Don't know what your budget is, but an AC motor and controller (unavailable when I converted mine) along with a traction pack of ~30kWh would make this a practical car with a range of over 100 miles. I bought my batteries directly from a supplier in China and they were much more affordable (about USD 0.75/Wh) than what I could get in the US. Currently replacing my carpet with a set from Coverdale after reupolstering the interior.

Scott
Scott's 1974 Lotus Elite (evalbum.com)


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