Out with oldOld drive set upJack shaftControls under tankControls under tank
OwnerMike Kugler
Owner's Other EVs1971 General Electric Elec-Trak
1997 Honda CBR 600 F3
LocationHope Valley, Rhode Island United States map
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Vehicle1987 Kawasaki 110 cc 4-wheeler
Kawasaki 110 4-wheeler
MotorGeneral Electric 5BCE56KB5B Separately Excited DC
36 Volt field wound series motor from Elec-Trac electric tractor. rated at 12 HP (electric). 36 Lbs.
Run at 48 Volts.
DrivetrainWas 4 stroke 110cc ICE 5 speed manual, no clutch.
Now using 50T factory rear sprocket to 12T on output side of jack shaft, 12T on motor to 30T on input side of jack shaft. #41 chain and sprockets.
ControllerKelly KB48202 CUSTOM
Kelly Controls 200 amp 48V programmable controller, Customized by Kelly for use with Elec-Trak motor (different field excite program required)
Batteries4 Yuasa 24 AH, 12.00 Volt, Lead-Acid, AGM
19 pounds each nice size for this frame.
System Voltage48 Volts
ChargerLester model II 36 volt, and 12v auto/boat deep cycle 2am
I use 2 chargers at the moment. 2 amp 12v charger on one battery, charges up to 14.3 volts. Lester II 36V for other 3 batteries. Charges up to 13.85 Volts after finishing charge. Total charge takes about 4 hours
HeaterHat, Gloves, Long Johns.
DC/DC Converter
None. I tap into one battery to run tail light and head light.
InstrumentationNone. When the light starts to dim during accel, it's time for a charge. Kelly controller low voltage cutout set at 30 Volts. We usually stop and charge well before we hit the cut out.
Top Speed34 MPH (54 KPH)
Was 34 MPH, to much speed and accel for the woods. Now has 9:1 gearing for 26 MPH (GPS)
AccelerationNot too bad, better than ICE. This controller has a "soft" initial accel, then really comes on after it gets rolling. Feels like turbo lag. Catches you off guard. My kids say it is quicker & faster than ICE. ICE was pretty tired though. (bought it at a swap meet for $40 in basket case, my kids put it back together and it lasted 2 years before blowing up).
Range5 Miles ( 8 Kilometers)
It will go 5 miles wide open on the street, up and down some long hills. Will run over 1/2 hour through the woods with 180 Lb rider, and in 40 F degree temps.
Watt Hours/MileNever calculated.
EV Miles
Start:1,000,000 Miles (1,609,000 Kilometers)
Current:100,002 Miles (160,903 Kilometers)
Total:-899,998 Miles (-1,448,096 Kilometers)
 
    As of 2/16/2008
Seating Capacity2 adults
Curb Weight200 Pounds (90 Kilograms)
Never weighed it before or after. I figure it is about 50lbs heavier than ICE.
TiresStock knobbies. (that's about all you hear on the street)
Conversion Time40 hours fabrication and assembly. 20 hours researching and 10 hours working through custom controller program (Thanks for all your help Kelly Controls!) Most of the time was spent adding a jack shaft, and experimenting with gearing.
Conversion CostController, contactor, fuse holder assy, throttle = $425.
Jack shaft assy, sprockets, hubs and chain = $200.
Batteries = free
Donor 4 Wheeler = $40.
Additional FeaturesReverse! The stock bike did not have reverse. The Kelly controller has a reversing feature built in, no additional contactor required. Very nice feature for the woods. I added a tail light and head light for night use. The factory lights were missing before we bought it.
This project was great fun and very educational. It really opened my eyes on the potential of a daily commuting EV. The bonus is now we have a fun and reliable 4-wheeler! I am thrilled with the results and performance. My friends and relatives thought I was waisting time and money on a useless toy. I let my 71 year old dad take it for a ride and my other relatives were watching him. I had it geared for 35 MPH, and they we yelling at my dad to "slow down your going to kill your self"! My dad was all smiles. He came in the driveway and power slid to a stop. Know they think differently. They realize it is not a toy. I love letting others ride it. Through the woods, you hear a little chain noise, that's it. A pleasure to ride. I suggest a lot of safety orange clothing if riding in hunted land!
This project is so successful, I immediately started on an electric Honda CBR 600.

code by jerry