Electric conversion

Questions (and answers) about Mokes that are not covered elsewhere.
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Jan
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue May 19, 2020 6:49

Electric conversion

Post by Jan »

With the prospect of outer London boroughs introducing a ulez charge for Mokes (Along with many other vehicles) has anyone experience of changing to electric power?

I would be interested to learn of the experience of any who have gone down this route.

Thanks,

Jan
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Tim
Posts: 2284
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 0:41
Location: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Re: Electric conversion

Post by Tim »

There are few converted Mokes around the internet, but I don't really like the way most of them have been done. When people try to connect a Moke gearbox to an electric motor it always looks like a total lashup. Gilmer belt drives etc.

The big issue is the cost. I've been reasearching electric conversions and the cost is astronomical, even if you can do a lot tof the work yourself. The batteries are an absolute killer.

The cheapest way to do it seems to be to reuse salvaged parts from other EVs. In my fantasies I've been thinking about the possibility of using the rear drive unit from a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, with a battery sourced from something like a Nissan Leaf. The outlander motor looks like it was designed to fit in the front subframe of a Moke.
Image

I'd like to do it one day, but I'm waiting for Australia to catch up with the rest of the world so that we have a reasonable supply of crashed EVs to pick parts off.

Tim
Any sarcastic, ignorant, libellous, unfounded or stupid opinions expressed in or through this message are the opinions of the author and do not reflect the opinions or views of any member of The Mini Moke Club or the opinions or views of any other individual.
Jan
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue May 19, 2020 6:49

Re: Electric conversion

Post by Jan »

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my query.

My fear is that the quest for non-polluting vehicles might mean my Moke would become impossibly expensive to run, at least in/around London. Such a pity.

Like you, I shall continue to investigate the possibilities.

Jan
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Tim
Posts: 2284
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 0:41
Location: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Re: Electric conversion

Post by Tim »

Electric Classic Cars offer a drop-in kit for classic Minis. It uses a 220kw Tesla drive unit which should be fast enough. For a Mini, its pretty much a drop-in kit, but for a Moke would need the battery layout re-designing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ9td0EnRpk
They won't tell you the price in their video. Some websites suggest around £70,000 - I assume that's fully fitted.

Swind do a drop-in kit for classic Minis too, its a nice looking piece of gear but only offers a mere 128Kw (so only about 5 x the output of a standard 850 Moke). https://swind.life/products/cmk/ Their kit costs a reasonable £10,620 - oh but wait that's just the motor, it that doesn't include the cost of all the other parts, or the batteries - and they're the expensive bit.

Some of the stuff that is available is extremely good, but only if you have deep pockets.

My moke goes pretty well with its big motor, but its loud, and not very fuel efficient. I dream of having endless torque and skimming along at highway speeds without all the noise. At present there is quite a strong market for accident damaged EV's to be salvaged for DIY converters. Unfortunately market uptake of EVs in Australia has been very slow, so the supply is limited. I'm waiting and watching. Hopefully one day the prices will come down to sensible levels.

Tim
Any sarcastic, ignorant, libellous, unfounded or stupid opinions expressed in or through this message are the opinions of the author and do not reflect the opinions or views of any member of The Mini Moke Club or the opinions or views of any other individual.
Jan
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue May 19, 2020 6:49

Re: Electric conversion

Post by Jan »

Again, thank you.

At present the available options seem ridiculously expensive; for the systems presented I would be better off paying the ulez levy.

There is definitely a market (essentially classic mini rather than Moke) and most Moke owners would have the know-how to fit...

What is needed is a sufficiently large investment so that the first purchasers are not having to pay for all the development/tooling/production costs.

Best wishes,

Jan
Harry
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue May 10, 2022 12:07

Re: Electric conversion

Post by Harry »

I see on Alibaba (Chinese ebay) that vw beetle electric conversion kit 15kw (so perhaps low for a Moke) costs $2500. The favourable torque curve for the electric motor may mitigate for the lower power (than the 21kw from the very basic A series engine). I wonder how many Mokes have the basic 848cc engine and is it adequate?
See pictures of the kit and installation in a beetle I've not studied in detail but at the price the battery must be small. Obviously this could be added to for improved range.
The technical summary says the environmental protection rating of the kit is described as "drip proof". I wouldn't want to be first into a deep puddle. The motor is properly described with IP55 (water spray protection from any direction.)
The general arrangement in the beetle transplanted to the front of a classic min or Moke would stick well out the front by the look of it but if the arrangement can be rearranged it might fit.
This suggests that an electric conversion may be practicable without the bank breaking costs I've seen in some of the classic car press.

Harry
PS new member who doesn't own a Moke.
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Nigel(no top)Sykes
MMC Member
Posts: 5219
Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2006 21:04
Location: Everywhere and nowhere baby

Re: Electric conversion

Post by Nigel(no top)Sykes »

An 850 is perfectly acceptable and motors along quite happily. Mind you, if you’re 4 up and they’re all pie eaters then you’ll definitely struggle on hills (and slopes) :lol:
Come on summer
dpstjp
MMC Member
Posts: 80
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2014 19:36

Re: Electric conversion

Post by dpstjp »

Cars over 40-years-old are exempt from ULEZ. Check your registration on the TFL website before you spend unnecessarily.
wooddypup59
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Feb 09, 2018 11:28

Re: Electric conversion

Post by wooddypup59 »

Has anyone who has done the electric conversion, managed to get the DVLA to change the V5C to say "Electric".

I notice a number of cars converted by the "Vintage Voltage" team are still registered as petrol powered.
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