Which Electric Motor for a Civic Conversion?

by Dave Halleck
(Traverse City Michigan)

DC motor for your Electric Civic

DC motor for your Electric Civic

I am beginning a project of converting a Honda Civic into an electric vehicle. Can you recommend a motor(s) and drive type for this project?

Hi, Dave!
Since you're looking for a recommendation, I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that you'd like a kit, and the simpler to install, the better. Right?

In that case, a small DC kit is probably going to make you the happiest.
You can get a double shafted, Curtis controller kit for about 3400.00; double shafted for the use of a DC/DC converter, and Curtis controller rather than Kelly (a kit with the Kelly controller will save you 400 bucks or so).
You'll need to make your own adapter plate, battery boxes, and shaft couplers for that price. If you don't have the facilities or knowhow for that little project, you can have them made by your local machine shop.

Best of luck!

Regards,
Lynne

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starstarstarstarstar 		cvt?
by: Anonymous

Hello
Your comment on the automatic transmission was interesting.
Would the same apply to a honda civic hybrid cvt?
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		trasmisson
by: robert

why can't u use an automatic trans in your electric car??
why can't u use an electic motor that run on 120 v??

Hey, Robert!
1) You can. It's just that when you use the AT your gas-guzzler was born with, it's set for the ICE's requirements. Drop a series wound DC motor into a car with an automatic transmission, your range will be disappointing compared to the range you might expect from a manual transmission.

2) There are lots of electric cars with 120v systems. The NetGain WarP 9 works just fine!

Cheers,
Lynne

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