ElectroVair III - Electric Corvair

Non-Traditionally Powered Corvairs
User avatar
Scott H
Site Admin
Posts: 4175
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 5:21 pm
Location: Hesperia, CA

ElectroVair III - Electric Corvair

Post by Scott H »

High Voltage Hot Rods out of Boca Raton Florida is building the latest Electric Powered Corvair. ElectroVair III
Electrovair III
Electrovair III
facebok page - https://www.facebook.com/HighVoltageHot ... ts&fref=ts

website - http://highvoltagehotrods.com/
Scott
1960 Monza Coupe
1965 Evening Orchid Corsa Turbo (project)
1961 Rampside (project)
1964 Spyder coupe (patina car, running)
1964 faux Spyder (project/parts car)
1964 Monza (parts car)
1963 Monza (parts car)
USAF_vair
Posts: 143
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2012 9:19 am
Location: Sioux Falls South Dakota

Re: ElectroVair III - Electric Corvair

Post by USAF_vair »

So looking at the site and pictures. Why are they replacing the engine? I understand that using the stock clutch and bell housing would work well, but why not design a new input gear off the front side of the LM 3 or4 speed trans. If designed correctly like a PTO shaft. U could build the clutch and electric motor in the back seat. But this way you still have a corvair engine as a back up.
User avatar
bbodie52
Corvair of the Month
Corvair of the Month
Posts: 11872
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2012 12:33 pm
Location: Lake Chatuge Hayesville, NC
Contact:

Re: ElectroVair III - Electric Corvair

Post by bbodie52 »

The pictures I saw were fitting an adapter plate on the rear of an automatic transmission torque converter housing. Perhaps utilizing a fluid coupling (torque converter) simplifies the linkage between an electric motor power source and the drive train. The solid physical lock up with a clutch mechanism and the necessity to disengage and reingage the electric motor during shifting probably does not work well with an electric motor as a propulsion source. A fluid coupling linked via the automatic transmission's planetary gearset and hydraulically controlled internal shifting clutches and bands probably provides the motor with a smoother drive path to the rear wheels.

Also, eliminating the weight of the Corvair engine, 12 volt battery, and a full 14 gallon fuel tank helps to reduce the total weight of the vehicle. The battery pack for an electric car takes up space and weighs quite a bit, and a lower total vehicle wieght is probably advantageous, giving the car better performance and greater distance capability between battery recharges.

I wonder if they have considered a hybrid design, as in the Toyota Prius. A small gasoline or alternative fuel--powered internal combustion engine can be utilized to drive a generator package to provide auxiiary powr to the electric motor and to help recharge the battery. Of course such a design complicates things quite a bit over a basic DC electric motor and battery pack. But that is the basic argument between the real-world practicality of a hybrid vehicle vs. a total electric car that has limited range and long recharge times when the battery becomes discharged.
Attachments
ElectroVair Adaptor Plate to Mate Electric Motor to the Corvair Torque Convertor (MDF Mockup).jpg
ElectroVair Adaptor Plate to Mate Electric Motor to the Corvair Torque Convertor.jpg
Electrovair III.jpg
Last edited by bbodie52 on Sun Nov 04, 2012 11:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
Brad Bodie
Lake Chatuge, North Carolina
Image 1966 Corvair Corsa Convertible
USAF_vair
Posts: 143
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2012 9:19 am
Location: Sioux Falls South Dakota

Re: ElectroVair III - Electric Corvair

Post by USAF_vair »

i agree the advantage of using a torque converter between motor and trans would help with torque serges while driving. they probably are think of the reduction of weight to gain the overall milage. i would love to see this car be at one of the convetions but i seen plenty of electric cars but up where i live. in town is it and would dare take it anywhere outside of town.

a friend of mine work at a dealership. they took there 2013 model car out on the street and got around twenty mile before theey had to sit at a parking lot for 15 mins to let they system recharge so they could make it the 6 blocks back to the dealership.

eletric cars have come a long ways. i love the idea andthe technology is still young and new just like the combustion engine was back in the mid 20's.

i wish a company would come up with a IVT ( independently variable transmission) to fit into any vehicle's drive line with a few mods of course. advantage is that we can change speeds with out adjusting engine RPM those making a very high fuel milage possible.
User avatar
Scott H
Site Admin
Posts: 4175
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 5:21 pm
Location: Hesperia, CA

Re: ElectroVair III - Electric Corvair

Post by Scott H »

a couple new pictures of the drivetrain
Attachments
679811_500292016668626_1448228121_o.jpg
615364_500491066648721_1432041157_o.jpg
Scott
1960 Monza Coupe
1965 Evening Orchid Corsa Turbo (project)
1961 Rampside (project)
1964 Spyder coupe (patina car, running)
1964 faux Spyder (project/parts car)
1964 Monza (parts car)
1963 Monza (parts car)
User avatar
bbodie52
Corvair of the Month
Corvair of the Month
Posts: 11872
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2012 12:33 pm
Location: Lake Chatuge Hayesville, NC
Contact:

Re: ElectroVair III - Electric Corvair

Post by bbodie52 »

Not quite sure what to say...
Here is a really nice view of the Corvair rear suspension, transaxle, and the AC50 motor installed. We do have these motors for sale now in our store complete with the speed controller. When we are done with this build we will have a complete kit for the Corvair available.
Electrovair Power Train Installed.jpg
http://www.highvoltagehotrod.com/store/ ... cts_id=182
...The buyer chooses the battery pack separately to get the range desired. The car can be configured to go anywhere from 60-200 miles per charge. Charging can be done from either 110 or 220 volts up to 50 amps. The car is equipped with a standard charging port that can be used at any public charging station or by simply plugging in a standard 110 volt extension cord.
Image
I did notice that the electric heater/defroster fan motor is still present, but the disconnected heater hoses does say something about impracticality in a real world driving environment.

A high conversion cost, short driving range, long battery recharge cycle, no heater or defroster in the passenger compartment, etc. makes electric cars -- Corvair, or the more-developed Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, or whatever not a realistic option with current technology. But the ElectroVair would attract a lot of attention at the next CORSA Corvair convention! Of course, just getting it there might be problematic, because of limited range and long recharges. For example, if your ElectroVair is based in Los Angeles, and you want to drive it to Kalamazoo, Michigan for the Corvair convention (2146 miles), it would take about 27 days, based on about 80 miles between recharges and an overnight plug-in to recharge! Better to rent a car-hauler at U-Haul (a dolly is cheaper, but the ElectroVair has a Powerglide automatic transmission... not so good for towing) and tow it with your GMC pickup! Then park the truck and car-hauler some distance from the convention (not too far!), offload the ElectroVair, and drive it to the CORSA convention displaying massive quantities of smiles and pride! Anybody thinking of a hybrid gasoline/electric ElectroVair IV?

Image
Brad Bodie
Lake Chatuge, North Carolina
Image 1966 Corvair Corsa Convertible
User avatar
bbodie52
Corvair of the Month
Corvair of the Month
Posts: 11872
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2012 12:33 pm
Location: Lake Chatuge Hayesville, NC
Contact:

Re: ElectroVair III - Electric Corvair

Post by bbodie52 »

:dontknow: Out of curiosity, I asked about the possibility of a hybrid version of the ElectroVair, using a small engine and an electric motor. Here is the response...
Q: Brad Bodie: To improve range and practicality, is anyone considering a small gasoline engine/electric motor ElectroVair IV hybrid?

A: High Voltage Hot Rods: The Corvair's engine wasn't that big to begin with and that is what was needed to get it to move. If room was made for a small engine, then you wouldn't have much room for batteries. In the end you would end up with both poor electric performance and poor gas performance. There is enough room in the Corvair to put in a battery pack that could give you between 100-150 miles of range. In this project though the owner only needs 70 miles of range so we are using a slightly smaller pack.
I also proposed the idea on the CORSA Facebook page that it might be a good idea to invite High Voltage Hot Rods and the ElectroVair III to the CORSA convention next year at Kalamazoo, Michigan. It might help them to promote their Corvair conversion kit there and also gain publicity. Properly promoted, some interest and publicity from the news media for the CORSA convention and for the ElectroVair could possibly result. I have no idea if such a venture would he considered by either organizations, though.
:tu: :td: :dontknow:
Brad Bodie
Lake Chatuge, North Carolina
Image 1966 Corvair Corsa Convertible
User avatar
Scott H
Site Admin
Posts: 4175
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 5:21 pm
Location: Hesperia, CA

Re: ElectroVair III - Electric Corvair

Post by Scott H »

bbodie52 wrote:
I also proposed the idea on the CORSA Facebook page that it might be a good idea to invite High Voltage Hot Rods and the ElectroVair III to the CORSA convention next year at Kalamazoo, Michigan. It might help them to promote their Corvair conversion kit there and also gain publicity. Properly promoted, some interest and publicity from the news media for the CORSA convention and for the ElectroVair could possibly result. I have no idea if such a venture would he considered by either organizations, though.
:tu: :td: :dontknow:
That's a good idea.
Scott
1960 Monza Coupe
1965 Evening Orchid Corsa Turbo (project)
1961 Rampside (project)
1964 Spyder coupe (patina car, running)
1964 faux Spyder (project/parts car)
1964 Monza (parts car)
1963 Monza (parts car)
Post Reply

Return to “V8's - V6's - and...?”