Electric conversions

[Oz]

I've been pondering electric conversions for a while now. I seriously considered ditching the B16 in my Mini and putting in a EV motor and battery but for the moment I'm gonna stick with the B16.

I drove a new MINI Countryman PHEV a while back and I really liked the way it drove. I have to use my car for work as I have to visit properties I am dealing with but I only live a couple of miles away from work but can't walk to and from every day and as my time is chargeable I can't justify walking home to collect the car every time I need to go out.

The PHEV was a nice option as I could get to work and back on Electric and charge at night but they are stupidly expensive and a bit big for my needs.

It got me thinking about converting an existing car to electric (the easy way by getting and adapter an bolting the electric motor to the existing gearbox). I need something with a bit of space and so the Mini is out but I was thinking about a small, lightweight hatchback but one that is pre-CANBUS and if possible has 4wd.

So far my list of possible cars are:-

Rover Metro/100 (not 4wd but I know the cars well)
Subaru Justy AWD
Daihatsu Sirion (available in 2 & 4wd versions)
Daihatsu Terios Mk1

I'm not that keen on Fords so I'm not thinking KA or Fiesta. I think VWs are probably too complicated unless you go back to some very old models that are pre-CANBUS.

Can anyone think of anything else ?

[InstantCustard]

Saw an electric motor that had been married up to a PG1 gearbox and fitted into an MGF frame a while back on eBay.
I did consider it but the controller and batteries would be crazy to get any real performance and useable range.


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[Haz]

Panda 4x4! (mk1)

[wee man]

Im sure matt greens next project is to cut a tesla up shorten it and stick a mini over it all 🤣

[MattG]

Im sure matt greens next project is to cut a tesla up shorten it and stick a mini over it all 🤣

lol you joke .. but its sort of on the list lol

[Artstu]

I only live a couple of miles away from work but can't walk to and from every day and as my time is chargeable I can't justify walking home to collect the car every time I need to go out.

Can anyone think of anything else ?

e-bike for either nipping home for the car or going direct to the property if not miles away.

[Oz]

e-bike for either nipping home for the car or going direct to the property if not miles away.

Not likely, our roads are not great for cyclists, especially at Rush Hour !!

I also don't do rain/cold so I'd prefer something with a roof and heater

And no, not a Renault Twizzy either

[MattG]

nice electric classic mini .. would make good youtube video

[Oz]

nice electric classic mini .. would make good youtube video

I need something with a bit of space and so the Mini is out

Personally I would prefer to do that but I need a decent boot and it will also have to be able to cart my family around including a 5 year in a car seat.

I find myself swaying towards the Daihatsu Terios as its a proper 4wd with centre diff lock, 5 doors, decent boot and it not too low (access in and out of my house is restricted view by low walls so a higher car does help). The one thing that occurred to me though is the Terios has hydraulic PAS so I'd need to find a way to power that. The Metro would be the easiest I reckon as its non-PAS and pretty basic. If I really wanted the 4wd I guess I could try and use CRV running gear like the AWD Minis do

[Haz]

Stock mk1 4x4 panda/uno on ebay....currently at £710

[Oz]

Stock mk1 4x4 panda/uno on ebay....currently at £710

Not keen on these

[NudgerSS]

What about a Suzuki Ignis?


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[joltfreak]

I want to build one with the bmw mini

[Underhauled]

Have a read of this from the irish mini club.

http://www.irishminis.ie/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=10774

[Oz]

I want to build one with the bmw mini

I currently have a R60 JCW Countryman which I'd love to convert to electric but BMW won't release the CANBUS codes and it'd be a nightmare to try and get everything working properly.

I only know of one new MINI conversion done by EVTV to a yellow Cooper Clubman and they had a lot of issues then the updates just stopped so I presume they either gave up completely or just put up with the issue (such as the PAS turning itself off under a certain engine RPM - bearing in mind an electric engine runs from o rpm rather than having a tick over it meant that you had no PAS when you needed it most at low speed manoeuvring. His workaround was to dip the clutch and rev the engine to get the PAS to switch on then manoeuvre until the PAS turned off again then repeat !!!)