Electric Seven

[JonE]

I'm starting to see the possibilities in that the rest of the car is so easily maintained. Reasonably soon in history, vintage cars are going to enter the status of those little Mamod steam toys. I'm guessing fuel cost will eventually force non-use, although perhaps Hydrogen-type synthesised fuels will give a lifeline?

[Graham Barker]

With an electric motor in my Ruby, I would still enjoy driving it with its abysmal roadholding and bumpy ride without heating or airconditionig. These endearing characteristics would remain. But no more anguish over whether cracks are growing in my 3-bearing crankshaft, water in oil, plugs fouling, contact points eroding and the hundreds of other issues that arise from pushing our motors so far from their "use-by date".
We could just get out and drive with the only the back axle noises left to worry about.
It has some appeal.

["Slack Alice" Simon]

So: 8 off standard batteries would give you up to 30 miles out and 30 miles back.

Enough for a trip to a non-local pub.

[Reckless Rat]

Is it really worth all the effort?

[JonE]

well, oddly, that was the question I was asking myself now with two engines in pieces!! I am persevering for the learning but also a little sad that it is in a technology which may not require those skills for much longer. That is why I'm interested in the synthetic fuels. Perhaps we will get a lifeline.

[Tony Betts]

this end of the thread reminds me of a conversation ive had few time.

that people wouldnt buy large vintage thirsty cars, because they only do 10 miles per gallon. wich makes them expensive to run. 

the answer given, is how many miles do you do in your old car a year. realistically for most people dont do over 200 miles. so why worry about the cost of petrol. its a small part of the hobby. insurance is more expensive.

same goes with battery, or an original engine.

if the original cranks on average break at 10,000 miles. why worry about the chances of things going wrong if you only do 200 miles a year.
and if you want to be trendy with an electric engine. trips out for most people wont be over 15 miles each way. so why not do it. or for so little use is it actually worth doing?

im sure some will jump up and say they use there car every day.

picture this, the forum probably has over 700 members? many will have more than one car. perhaps an average of 2.5 each. thats 1750 cars. if you read the threads there is proof of manybe as many as 20 actually got out on the road over the bank holiday. and how many done over 40 miles. i think i counted three battery cars on here. and no proof any of those got on the road over the bank holiday?

result no need for batterys, no need to worry about damaging a petrol engine of a battery engine. no worries at all? unless you actually use your old car?

tony

[Eddamoo]

Love the LiIon conversion. Looks to be 2x Mitsubishi Outlander LEV40 modules visible in the photos. So that's 16x LEV40 cells. 1.16KWh per module so 2.2kwh total in good health. That would suggest to me a 33 mile range at a constant speed of 30mph given Dave's current readings? Not bad for only 26KG worth of battery!

[Reckless Rat]

Sorry, but with that level of range and performance you might as well buy yourself a vintage milk float. There is nothing wrong with an "normal" Austin Seven if it has been properly fettled. Most of them have been giving Sterling Service for over 80 years and will probably continue to do so for many more to come, and all this hype about petrol ceasing to be available is complete cobblers.

Even with today's level of EV technology the plug-in pure electric car has still got a long way to go before it is capable of replacing fossil fuel. They will remain expensive short-haul options, providing you can guarantee a recharging hook-up wherever you may be. I'm still waiting for someone to show me how I can do a run from here to Stuttgart in an EV (it's 900km one-way) without (a) an overnight stop and (b) running out of charge somewhere near Pforzheim...

I can do it in 9hrs on 3/4 tank in my 20yr old Diesel Merc... just saying.

[Mike Costigan]

Each to his own, as they say, but an electric Austin Seven is not for me. I enjoy driving my Seven, but not because of its wayward road-holding, but despite it. The engine is the car's heart, and it has good days and bad days just like a human, but the satisfaction when all is going well would not be there if it was just an electric motor whizzing away.

[Reckless Rat]

Ferzackerley.