# Bmw x5



## esoneson (Sep 1, 2008)

The second sticky in this forum is called: I want to build an EV! Where do I start? You might want to read that first. 

Eric


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## Moltenmetal (Mar 20, 2014)

Heat's easy, A/C is possible but expensive. Heat and AC via air sourced heat pumping is a DIY project that would requie the assistance of a licensed AC tech. I'm a chem eng and it's out of my budget. Both will suck range- more spending on batteries and a longer recharge.

Forget about 4wd- just impractical.

All my opinion- read here until your eyes fall out and you'll be able to make up your own mind. Then you'll be able to ask more specific questions to help you decide.

But if it's about money, a rebuilt engine is going to be cheaper...


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## dougingraham (Jul 26, 2011)

Sudsy said:


> I am thinking of doing an electric conversion on an 02/03 BMW X5 (Motor is Bad). Vehicle is free, so the price is right.


Is the vehicle in good condition other than the bad engine? A conversion is a big project even if you don't have to spend a bunch of time and money fixing up the roller.



Sudsy said:


> I would like it to be able to do 65+ and have a range of 60 miles if possible. Not entirely sure if I will keep it AWD or convert it to RWD.


This is a fairly large and heavy vehicle. Lets call it 4800 lbs as that is at the high end of the curb weight for the 02 model year. A vehicle that weighs that much could expect to see 480 wh/mile. This means you need a minimum pack size of 28.8 kwh when the pack is brand new just to get your 60 miles. For the batteries to last you need to only use 80% of it which means the pack is now 36 kwh. And if you still want it to have that range at the end of 8 years you need to increase it by another 20% so 43.2 kwh.

My preference would be to ditch the AWD. This will free up some space and weight to help with the extra batteries. But then again I have an 06 X5 myself and the AWD is nice in adverse winter driving conditions. My X5 is not a candidate for conversion at this time.



Sudsy said:


> Body is very good and interior is excellent.


Brakes and suspension condition is what I would be concerned with since the other stuff sounds like it is in good working order.




Sudsy said:


> My questions:
> 1. Can these performance goals be achieved?


Yes. Not even particularly difficult to reach those goals.



Sudsy said:


> 2. How do I select the best components for the project (motor, batteries, controller, accessory drive....)


Lots of choices but none that you could call best. This is where your research will need to go.



Sudsy said:


> 3. I am from Canada, so I NEED heat, what are my options?


There are two normal approaches to this problem. Heat a glycol mix to near 100C and pump that through the normal heater core. This is hands down the easiest because everything in the car is already configured for it. The second option is to replace the heater core with several ceramic heater elements like those found in space heaters. Drive them from the traction pack. This can be cleaner because you eliminate the water heating system.

Do keep in mind that this will reduce your range. In my much smaller EV it consumes about 15 miles of range per hour of operation.



Sudsy said:


> 4. I am from Canada, so I NEED a/c, (it gets hotter here then most people realize), what are my options?


There are electric compressors available. This would be my choice. You can also drive the original compressor from the tailshaft of the motor with a belt and pulley arrangement. This has the problem of you needing to idle the motor to keep the AC working when you are stopped. And nobody actually NEEDS AC. This may reduce your range as much as the heater does.



Sudsy said:


> 5. Is there a heat pump option for EVs that can take care of 3 and 4?


Not really. Heat pumps don't work as heaters when the temperature gets too cold. The AC is a heat pump that is only configured to cool.



Sudsy said:


> 6. There is a lot of information to digest, where do I start?


There is a lot of information in the wiki articles. Then ask your questions.

This is a very ambitious project and because of the size and weight it is not going to be inexpensive.

Best Wishes!


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## esoneson (Sep 1, 2008)

Sudsy,

There is a plethora of information on 'how to electrify a bmw' that has been accumulated by one Damien Maguire in Ireland. He has converted a 316i, 520i and is currently working on an 840ci.

Two websites have collections of many many videos of what he has done:

www.evbmw.com 316i conversion
www.e39ev.com 520i conversion

And if you go to youtube and look for "damien maguire" you will see (in addition to the first two conversions videos) all the videos he has shared for his 840ci conversion.

Maticulous detail is available for your consumption.

Have at it. See you back in a couple of weeks because you are going to be busy with watching it all. 

Eric (I am converting a 318i)


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