# What acceleration can I expect from a Warp 9 motor?



## pickPear (Apr 23, 2021)

Im considering building an EV, and Ive been looking at the netgain Warp-9 motor. What kind of acceleration can I expect from an EV with a warp 9, and What components/battery would I need to achieve max acceleration?

I want to have a 0-60 time of under 5.5 seconds, as fast as possible. Top speed isnt too important, 100 MPH would be more than enough, but I dont know how realistic that would be.

Thanks!


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## Duncan (Dec 8, 2008)

pickPear said:


> Im considering building an EV, and Ive been looking at the netgain Warp-9 motor. What kind of acceleration can I expect from an EV with a warp 9, and What components/battery would I need to achieve max acceleration?
> 
> I want to have a 0-60 time of under 5.5 seconds, as fast as possible. Top speed isnt too important, 100 MPH would be more than enough, but I dont know how realistic that would be.
> 
> Thanks!


The "warp 9" motor is basically a 9 inch forklift motor with a nice coat of paint and advanced brush timing

If you build a nice light car and use a 1000 amp controller and a Chevy Volt battery with the Warp 9 then you will easily beat those requirements


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## Tremelune (Dec 8, 2009)

The power is in the batteries, and torque is in the gearing. You're probably looking at $5k minimum in parts.

Is this a drag race car? Highway capable? Street legal? Go kart?


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## goldtop (Apr 9, 2021)

Isn't that the motor that 'Rich Rebuilds' on Youtube used for his Mini Cooper conversion? If so, and if my memory is right, he claimed 5.8s and just over 100mph, using Chevy Bolt batteries and Zilla.


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## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

pickPear said:


> Im considering building an EV, and Ive been looking at the netgain Warp-9 motor. What kind of acceleration can I expect from an EV with a warp 9...


That heavily depends on many factors other than the motor. It's like asking what kind of acceleration you can expect from a vehicle with Chevy V8; the answer is very different for a heavy truck or a light sports car, among many other possible differences.


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## pickPear (Apr 23, 2021)

Duncan said:


> The "warp 9" motor is basically a 9 inch forklift motor with a nice coat of paint and advanced brush timing
> 
> If you build a nice light car and use a 1000 amp controller and a Chevy Volt battery with the Warp 9 then you will easily beat those requirements


Wait, so youre saying if I were to get a 9 inch forklift motor, I would still be able to reach that acceleration? Would a 1000 amp zilla or similar controller be enough? What type of batteries should I be looking into to maximize performance, Besides Chevy volt batteries?

Thank you!


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## pickPear (Apr 23, 2021)

Tremelune said:


> The power is in the batteries, and torque is in the gearing. You're probably looking at $5k minimum in parts.
> 
> Is this a drag race car? Highway capable? Street legal? Go kart?


 Ideally it would be highway capable, but for speed 100-120 mph is more than sufficient. I live in a large city, and so high speeds and range isnt as Important.


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## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

pickPear said:


> Ideally it would be highway capable, but for speed 100-120 mph is more than sufficient. I live in a large city, and so high speeds and range isnt as Important.


Did you mean 100 to120 km/h? 100 to 120 mph is very fast for an EV which doesn't even need to be highway-capable and for which high speed isn't important. Lots of production EVs can't make 100 mph (due to gearing and motor speed limitations).

(fixed typo in edit; thanks pickPear)


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## pickPear (Apr 23, 2021)

brian_ said:


> Did you mean 100 to120 km/h? 100 to 120 mph is very fast for an EV which doesn't even need to be highway-capable and for which high speed isn't important. Lots of production EVs can make 100 mph (due to gearing and motor speed limitations).


Can, or cant? What would be a more realistic expectation for a DIY EV w/ sub 5 second acceleration? Are Chevy volt motors more capable than 9 or 11 inch forklift motors used in DIY EVs? Apologies for all the questions, im trying to learn as much as I can before beginning the process of building an EV.

Thank you.


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## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

pickPear said:


> Can, or cant?


"Can, or can't"... what?



pickPear said:


> What would be a more realistic expectation for a DIY EV w/ sub 5 second acceleration?


You can accelerate at whatever rate you want, but the components you need will be determined by your requirements.



pickPear said:


> Are Chevy volt motors more capable than 9 or 11 inch forklift motors used in DIY EVs?


Almost no one would use a Chevrolet Volt transaxle as an EV drive motor, because it is far more complex than required (because it is an entire multi-mode power-split hybrid transmission system). The included motors are not large by EV standards, so it would be a poor choice for high performance.


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## Duncan (Dec 8, 2008)

Top Speed

As the speeds get up you will be voltage limited - 
With my setup (I'm using an 11 inch motor with direct drive to the diff ) I hit just over 100 mph at the end of the 1/4 mile but the acceleration has dropped off dramatically by then - I don't think I could reach 120 mph

That is with a 340 volt battery pack - most people would NOT be using that high a voltage


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## pickPear (Apr 23, 2021)

brian_ said:


> Lots of production EVs can make 100 mph (due to gearing and motor speed limitations).





brian_ said:


> "Can, or can't"... what?


 I just wanted to make sure you meant most EVs cant make 100 mph, I think there's a typo in your first reply. Just wanted to make sure.

It seems 100-120mph is difficult for an EV- is 80 mph reasonable without trying too hard/using too exotic/specific components? Duncan mentioned that his build just barely makes to 100mph, and so Im trying to set my expectations to avoid disappointment.


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## pickPear (Apr 23, 2021)

Duncan said:


> Top Speed
> 
> As the speeds get up you will be voltage limited -
> With my setup (I'm using an 11 inch motor with direct drive to the diff ) I hit just over 100 mph at the end of the 1/4 mile but the acceleration has dropped off dramatically by then - I don't think I could reach 120 mph
> ...



I see. What components would you say I need to build an EV with close to sub 5 second 0-60 times, In your opinion? So far I've heard a 9 inch motor, and a 1000 amp controller would be sufficient, but what voltage battery would be a good fit for this type of build? How many amp hours would give me how much range?

Thank you !


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## Duncan (Dec 8, 2008)

pickPear said:


> I see. What components would you say I need to build an EV with close to sub 5 second 0-60 times, In your opinion? So far I've heard a 9 inch motor, and a 1000 amp controller would be sufficient, but what voltage battery would be a good fit for this type of build? How many amp hours would give me how much range?
> 
> Thank you !


Something like a Zilla would be good for a controller - I would use a high voltage but most people would just use 170 volts
My car is about as aerodynamic as a brick flying sideways - my 14 kwh battery (most of a Chevy Volt battery) takes me about 50 km at 100 kph

The main way to get good acceleration is low weight


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## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

pickPear said:


> I just wanted to make sure you meant most EVs cant make 100 mph, I think there's a typo in your first reply. Just wanted to make sure.


Ah, sorry - good catch, I'll blame autocorrect: I did indeed mean that most production EVs cannot reach 100 miles per hour.


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## Frank (Dec 6, 2008)

You can build an E. V. to hit any speed you want, but 100 mph is illegal in most places so how practical is that as a goal? Now, a race application is a different kettle of fish...

Sent from my SM-T380 using Tapatalk


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## wb6otg (Apr 29, 2016)

If you decide to go this route, I have an unused Warp-9 and 1000 amp Zilla.


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## remy_martian (Feb 4, 2019)

pickPear said:


> Wait, so youre saying if I were to get a 9 inch forklift motor, I would still be able to reach that acceleration? Would a 1000 amp zilla or similar controller be enough? What type of batteries should I be looking into to maximize performance, Besides Chevy volt batteries?
> 
> Thank you!


You can't reach anything until you tell us what car the motor is going into.

The motor, controller you mention, with some batteries from a Dewalt drill on a pipe frame and gokart tires will pin your eyeballs to the back of your skull.

I know you were sleeping in high school physics, but F = ma

You talk about F and a, but the real answer is the maximum m you can have to get those to all be happy in that equation.

What CAR????


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## pickPear (Apr 23, 2021)

remy_martian said:


> You can't reach anything until you tell us what car the motor is going into.
> 
> The motor, controller you mention, with some batteries from a Dewalt drill on a pipe frame and gokart tires will pin your eyeballs to the back of your skull.
> 
> ...



My current plan is to get a Car frame, or cut a working car down to its frame, and build a custom fiberglass body around it. I plan on making the car as lightweight as I can, and so below 2000 pounds. I don't have a specific vehicle in mind at the moment, and I'll pick a base car later as I learn more about DIY EVs.


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## pickPear (Apr 23, 2021)

Frank said:


> You can build an E. V. to hit any speed you want, but 100 mph is illegal in most places so how practical is that as a goal? Now, a race application is a different kettle of fish...
> 
> Sent from my SM-T380 using Tapatalk


I would like to have that capability in my back pocket in case I need it. However, if its very difficult to get a DIY EV to have that capability, I can forgo it.


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## remy_martian (Feb 4, 2019)

Everything's a trade. You can have top speed or you can have acceleration. Building your own car body makes top speed a complete guess


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## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

pickPear said:


> My current plan is to get a Car frame, or cut a working car down to its frame, and build a custom fiberglass body around it. I plan on making the car as lightweight as I can, and so below 2000 pounds. I don't have a specific vehicle in mind at the moment, and I'll pick a base car later as I learn more about DIY EVs.


Okay, but essentially no cars have been built with separate frames for decades. If you are serious about going lightweight, you might consider kit cars or a homebuilt rather than trying to find a production car that you can re-body this way.

For now, just having a target weight in mind helps. But below 2000 pounds as an EV is a very aggressive target, unless you are talking about something with a very minimal body.


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## remy_martian (Feb 4, 2019)

Start with a go-kart & work your way up


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## ElectriCar (Jun 15, 2008)

Don't know about 100MPH but my old square body S10 (aerodynamic as a concrete block) hit 85 with 1488 lbs of lead 6V batteries and a 500A controller. The speedo in it only goes to 85 so IDK if it would hit 100. It's since been converted to a 32kw LIfepo4 pack which dropped 860 lbs or so, and a Soliton1 which I used to destroy two ADC9 motors. Now on a Kostov11 which I'm still working out kinks. It has the potential but it's not there yet. 

Acceleration and speed can each be augmented with proper drive train gearing but in that case, you will augment one at the expense of the other. Pack voltage and a big motor is akin to cubic inches in a gasser. More is better so long as everything in the system can utilize it. 

There was a guy here during the Soliton era who had two of their 3000A Soliton controllers used to run two specially built 425V DC motors to drag race. Just spent 30 minutes reading about it, only to have the author omit the ending!


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## Derek15074 (Nov 25, 2021)

wb6otg said:


> If you decide to go this route, I have an unused Warp-9 and 1000 amp Zilla.


Do you still have these ? Im looking for a motor and controller for my first VW build. Let me know. Thanks !


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## Zachary Blum (11 mo ago)

wb6otg said:


> If you decide to go this route, I have an unused Warp-9 and 1000 amp Zilla.


I'm interested in that warp - 9 and zilla controller wb6otg. I am going to PM you.


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