EV Fundamentals: EV Conversion Basics
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EV Conversion Basics
04.12
| 00:00 | One of the best ways to substantially increase power, torque, and throttle response in a combustion-powered vehicle is to convert it to EV. |
| 00:07 | And that's probably what a lot of people taking this course are planning on. |
| 00:10 | It's a great option and something we've done before in our workshop many times. |
| 00:13 | So, while this conversion is still occurring in its infancy, I guarantee that making the move from ICE to EV power in a project car is going to become a more and more viable option for those everyday enthusiasts over the next few years. |
| 00:25 | In this module, we're going to take a look at some of the steps that are required to do this kind of conversion, as well as some of the hurdles we're likely to face. |
| 00:34 | To be clear, this is a very brief overview of what's involved, just in order to get you thinking about what needs to be done. |
| 00:40 | EV conversions are a big subject that requires its own course, which is something that we're currently working on and may even be available by the time you're watching this. |
| 00:48 | An EV conversion project can be broken down into the mechanical and fabrication requirements, the electrical requirements, and the commissioning and integration work required. |
| 00:58 | If we assume we're doing an EV conversion on an older car that doesn't require a lot of can work and integration with OEM modules, let's take a look at the main steps involved, starting with the mechanical and fabrication side. |
| 01:09 | Mechanically, after removing all the ICE components, that means the engine, transmission, fuel, and cooling systems, the new EV battery needs to be safely mounted in the vehicle, keeping in mind what that mass turns into in a 25G plus crash. |
| 01:23 | As for figuring out, which particular battery is going to be the right one for the project, this is something we'll be looking at more later on in the course. |
| 01:31 | Next, the motor or drive unit need to be mounted using custom mounts, and then an axle or driveshaft adapters need to be fabricated in order for the new motor to interface with what's left of the existing drive line. |
| 01:43 | A cooling system then needs to be built and plumbed with electric pumps that circulate fluid through the liquid cooled components, which on most EVs is pretty much everything with high voltage. |
| 01:53 | The inverter, battery, charger, DC-DC converter for example. |
| 01:57 | The other ancillary components need to be mounted as well, like the onboard charger, charge port inlet, and so forth. |
| 02:03 | Generally none of that is overly complicated, so that's the good news. |
| 02:06 | However, electrically, as you'd expect, there's a lot more work involved than your traditional engine swap. |
| 02:11 | High voltage cables need to be purchased or manufactured in a high voltage distribution box with those high voltage switches called contactors. |
| 02:18 | A current sensor and isolation module must be built, and this module will be the central hub of the high voltage system. |
| 02:25 | On the low voltage side, a number of connections need to be made via CAN bus as well as normal low voltage signal wiring. |
| 02:32 | The entire car is typically integrated in some capacity, as the vehicle control unit will usually interface with the entire drivetrain and high voltage system. |
| 02:39 | There currently aren't any plug and play wiring harnesses available, as every EV conversion can be so wildly different, so definitely wiring experience is a prerequisite, as is an understanding of the required connections for each component. |
| 02:53 | So, luckily for you, HPA offers a comprehensive range of motorsport wiring courses, so if you haven't checked them out already, they should definitely be on the list. |
| 03:01 | Once everything is wired up and ready to go, the entire system then needs to be tested and validated, which is a process known as commissioning. |
| 03:08 | This isn't so different from a new build and getting it dyno tuned and tested and checking everything when you get it set up. |
| 03:14 | The difference is that ensuring that the battery won't be overcharged or under discharged is critical to the safety and reliability of the system. |
| 03:21 | So, let's summarizethe key points of this broad look at conversions. |
| 03:24 | EV swapping an ICE car is a fairly involved job, and there are a lot of other factors to consider. |
| 03:29 | A pre-CAN bus vehicle is going to present fewer hurdles, as with a newer car this job is going to require integration with existing modules via CAN. |
| 03:37 | Mechanically, there are quite a few components that need to be fitted safely and securely, remembering that big items like the battery pack are very heavy, and not properly securing them in a vehicle can spell disaster in the event of a crash. |
| 03:51 | Electrically, an EV conversion requires a lot more work and expertise than an ICE to ICE swap, as you've got completely separate high voltage and low voltage systems to deal with. |
| 04:01 | Finally, the new EV system and its VCU need to be integrated into the existing systems via CAN, which can be quite challenging depending on what vehicle you're dealing with. |
