# Tarago/ Previa build



## Davetheliftie (Mar 20, 2011)

Hi let me start by saying i have read most stickys etc on this site in reguard to conversion process. My work experience is that i am an australian resident electrician with motor control experience of more that 10 years in the elevator field.

I have an 8 seater 92 model Toyota tarago van that has issues that may soon be terminal. It is dropping coolant and oil at an alarming rate. The repair of which may not be economicaly viable.

So at 1650 kilograms is this vehicle to heavy to convert?

Currently rwd automatic. so pls give opinions on motor coupled direct to diff v manual gearbox. or should i keep the auto?

This car has fantastic oportunities to house batteries under the floor etc. 

Would use the lightest batteries possible. No Go on lead acid.​


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## Jan (Oct 5, 2009)

Davetheliftie said:


> So at 1650 kilograms is this vehicle to heavy to convert?


The right uestion is: Can I afford the drive train that is needed for this car. And the mass is not the only thing; aero dynamics and especially your demands about top speed, range and acceleration are important. 

And if you want a long range, the car will be a lot havier in the end. If your range needs are very limited, the current ICE power can be a good starting point for looking at motors and controller prices.


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## Batterypoweredtoad (Feb 5, 2008)

I daily drive an ICE powered 1996 AWD SC version that I bought with a blown headgasket and repaired. Neither the naturally aspirated or Supercharged versions have much power stock so matching stock performance won't be that hard. A Soliton Jr and a 9" or larger motor should match stock with a 11" being a performance upgrade and a bit less stress on the motor. An 11" with a Soliton 1 should be a fun amount or power and more on par with modern minivans. 

The separated accessories up front is an amusing twist. You will most likely need to idle your drive motor to keep transmission pressure up so you could use a dual shaft motor to connect to your Supplementary Accessory Driveshaft. If you decide to find a manual transmission or use an auxillary pump to keep pressure in your transmission allowing you to shut off your drive motor at stops you could use a Supercharger mounting bracket and mount a small motor up front to drive your accessories. I have often thought of yanking my supercharger and putting a small motor in its place for a diy hybrid. 

I would absolutely keep your transmission. You would need lots of motor/controller/battery to match even stock acceleration at low speeds without one. Besides that you would lose the Park and Reverse feature of the transmission and have to do a workaround. The stock transmission is reasonably robust and should survive behind an electric motor fine.


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## Batterypoweredtoad (Feb 5, 2008)

Oh yeah, you have the 8 seater so it should be a heavy duty version with the solid rear axle right? That is good for battery carrying capacity. (Lol- The US market only got the heavy duty rear axle but not 8 seats. I think Toyota was calling us fat. )


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## Davetheliftie (Mar 20, 2011)

Interesting input on keeping the transmission. I thought the weight of auto gearboxes was a major detraction. Would direct coupling to the diff work best if using a vvvf motor with 16 khz controller? The weight saving of eliminating the old ice and tranny would pave the way for a heavier battery pack to increase range. Forward and reverse would be done through inputs to the vvvf controller. Thats how we control a lift, should be the same I think. May be able to recycle second hand parts from Elevators.

Any way for now it looks like my mechanic has fixed the oil and water leaks. But its nice to have a back up plan. The more research i do now the less mistakes ill make when the time comes.


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## Davetheliftie (Mar 20, 2011)

Can any one reccomend a good book on conversions. Especially one written with NSW RTA regulations in mind? (DMV)


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## Davetheliftie (Mar 20, 2011)

Jan said:


> The right uestion is: Can I afford the drive train that is needed for this car. And the mass is not the only thing; aero dynamics and especially your demands about top speed, range and acceleration are important.
> 
> And if you want a long range, the car will be a lot havier in the end. If your range needs are very limited, the current ICE power can be a good starting point for looking at motors and controller prices.


Ok so range 100 ks per charge minimum. Top speed 100 kph. any idea on what a package would cost to achieve this? 10k 20k 30 k? the question in my mind is not so much Can I afford to do this. As much as is it good financial sense to put say $20 000 aud into a car worth at best $2000.

In reguard to weight to achieve this im not sure if we are allowed to exceed the tare weight the veichle was originally engineered for. I have to start going to the sydney ev association meetings.


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## Davetheliftie (Mar 20, 2011)

Oh so far the fix on the water and oil leaks are so far so good. Should get more time out of the old girl.


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## Davetheliftie (Mar 20, 2011)

Just found out that toyota have 7 seat prius for sale here. On top of that there are plenty of affordable used prius on the second hand market. Time to research range extending batt pack mods and compare back to a full retro fit of the van.


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