Electric conversion

[flippin'eck]

Chap here has converted a Mk1 to electric power:

http://www.amphibike.org/index.cgi?page ... wheels/mr2

Has anyone tried this in the UK; how feasable would it be to sort out registration / tax / insurance etc over here?

[kevin..in]

Tax would be free!!
though the overall cost of a conversion could never be recouped, as a one off
torque though from an electric motor is phenominal
saw it on scrapheap challenge where they used a milk float motor, expert said that properly powered it would be equivalent to a 450 BHP petrol engine, with drive shaft snapping torque!!!
range and charging on the go will always be the downfall of electric vehicles though, battery technology has to advance quite a bit yet

[WeirdNeville]

Yeah, it's great as a concept but if you're looking for a usable electric vehicle you'll be disappointed unless you have £100,000 knocking around for batteries and a next-gen motor. Plus it's the electronics that really help - regenrative braking, progressive torque delivery and the like that can double the range of the charge.

Finally, the enemy is weight - THe Elise based Tesla Roadster went from ~600Kg shell to ~1250Kg with batteries and motor. And that's with posh batteries. The MK1 already weighs maybe 850Kg without engine and 'box. Add Half a tonne of batteries and you may as well have started out with someting less sporty in the first place.

[boyzdad]

No big ends to replace Looks like a cool project....... not 1 for me tho Good luck, I would love to see it!

[slinky]

For $12,000 you could have got a really nice MK1 and driven 120,000 miles.

Yes i know that isnt the point.