# Nissan Micra in the UK



## truckdoctor (Nov 4, 2007)

Get in touch with your local forklift truck company and purchase an old forklift truck, remove all the relavent parts. Personally i'd stick with a dc traction motor and controller preferably the older the better as they were better quality. Be carefull of the maximum rpm of the motor as they can fly apart due to centrifugal force (as when going down hill) best to fit a clutch so you can dissengage and reduce motor speed.Bolt the bits together and enjoy. Good luck


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## cregy (Apr 23, 2010)

Hi TruckDoctor

Many thanks for your reply. You make it all sound so easy! I can source the fork lift I am sure but after that I think I might be a bit lost. i.e. Do I need a new gearbox please? Or can I take it all out and throw it away? If so what do I keep to drive the wheels?

I note that you're in Dorset. Is it possible to contact you off-list either via email or even the phone to get more detailed instructions please?

Huge thanks.

Rich


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## truckdoctor (Nov 4, 2007)

Hi Rich, about your gearbox. If you drive your car now in top gear with the engine at 2500 prm (maximum electric motor speed)you will probably be travelling at a speed of about 70MPH. If this speed is fast enough for you, keep the existing gearbox arrangement but make sure you get the largest most powerfull motor you can hold of,a CROMPTON is a good bet from a milk-float/forklift these are are about 18 inch diameter and 10 horse power at 48 volt DC supply. To increase the power of the motor just increase the maximum voltage (ohms law) Modern DC motors have a higher max rpm but less torque. Modern AC motors have even higher max rpm but even lower, low speed torque. So to answer you questions,find an older style large diameter DC motor( massive torque), keep the gearbox and drive shafts , make an adapter plate, keep the clutch, make a motor mount. Make sure you distribute the batteries weight around the car.You will probably find you wont use the clutch (apart from travelling down hill ) or gearbox , just leave it in top gear.
Happy to answer questions on this forum for now, or leave your number.
Good luck.
Steve


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## truckdoctor (Nov 4, 2007)

Rich, Ive just read your first post and realised you have an auto transmission, definately not the best car to convert with this gearbox, best to change to a manual type.
Steve


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## cregy (Apr 23, 2010)

Hi Steve

Thanks for the reply.

Do I need a gearbox then please? And what will it cost to do this sort of project please? Is it something I can start and complete over the next 3 months or so please?

I should imagine converting an automatic to a manual is going to be a huge task. Just thinking if there was some way of driving the front wheels without the need of a gearbox that would be brilliant.

Thanks

Rich

P.S. I have pm you with my number.


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## Woodsmith (Jun 5, 2008)

For a Micra you would struggle to fit an 18" motor in it and still have the back wheels on the ground. Forget milk floats or big fork truck motors. I have just picked up a 12" milk float motor and it is bigger and heavier then the engine and gearbox in your Micra.

Most here are running bigger cars with 9" motors. Look in the Motors forum at the 'Sticky' on How to Find Good Fork Truck Motor and have a good read of it. For a Micra you could run it with a 48v 8" onto a manual box and maybe 72v of batteries.
If you get a manual box you will need all the rest of the manual box bits. Gear stick, clutch, flywheel, clutch pedal, etc. You could get a replacement auto, there is a thread in Technical on how to use and auto.

Also you want to run as high a voltage as you can manage though for the Micra 72v, 96v 144v would be fine. Look for the availability of controllers. Good, modern electronic ones are what you want. Forget the old fork truck ones as they are both inefficient and not designed for smooth control of a road car.

Realistically you need to tell us what you want to do with the car. Where do you drive, how far is your longest drive, how fast you need it to go. A 10 mile a day shopping and commuting car in town is going to be very different to a 30 mile motorway cruiser.
Also, what sort of budget are you thinking of?
Read the sticky on 'I want to build an EV, where do I start?'

There isn't a lot of room for batteries in a Micra nor a lot of capacity for weight. I looked at one for my conversion and decided that even if I could get enough batteries in it for my needs it would be too heavy even with LiFeP04 for my requirements.


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## mz bike (Apr 16, 2011)

Woodsmith said:


> For a Micra you would struggle to fit an 18" motor in it and still have the back wheels on the ground. Forget milk floats or big fork truck motors. I have just picked up a 12" milk float motor and it is bigger and heavier then the engine and gearbox in your Micra.
> 
> Most here are running bigger cars with 9" motors. Look in the Motors forum at the 'Sticky' on How to Find Good Fork Truck Motor and have a good read of it. For a Micra you could run it with a 48v 8" onto a manual box and maybe 72v of batteries.
> If you get a manual box you will need all the rest of the manual box bits. Gear stick, clutch, flywheel, clutch pedal, etc. You could get a replacement auto, there is a thread in Technical on how to use and auto.
> ...


 Hi woodsmith
Does this mean the micra is a non starter for any kind of ev??
even a shopping basket or puddle jumper and does that eliminate all mini cars of that genre
phil


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## Woodsmith (Jun 5, 2008)

mz bike said:


> Hi woodsmith
> Does this mean the micra is a non starter for any kind of ev??
> even a shopping basket or puddle jumper and does that eliminate all mini cars of that genre
> phil


A Micra will be fine as a small EV.

Even a smallish motor will do for local 30mph shopping over a 10-15 mile range.

I would recommend going with Lithium batteries as they will be a lot lighter then lead acid.

My previous post was made before I had as much knowledge as I have now and so I would say a Micar or a small car would be a fine conversion.
Forget the 18" diameter milk float motor though, look for something in the range of 8" or 9" diameter series wound from a fork lift truck or you can possibly get by with a couple of Agni 95R PM motors if the budget allows. They would save a lot of weight over the fork lift motor.

My own conversion is a bit on the hot rod side with an 11" motor on something with a gross weight below 600kg so not a good example.

Have a look at etlaare's Twingo for a good example.


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