Soyachips' Electric Vespa

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soyachips
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Soyachips' Electric Vespa

Chassis: 1967 Vespa 150 (VBB)
Motor: Briggs and Stratton Etek brushed DC motor
Transmission: 2-stage ANSI #40 chain
Speed Controller: Alltrax AXE4834
Batteries: GP Batteries GP30EVLF, 16 cells, 51.2 volts, 1.5kWh
Throttle: Magura 0-5k twist grip

Top Speed: 70km/h estimated
Range: 30km estimated

I started this project with a friend just over a year ago and we are now going through the process of getting it registered. The trickiest bits have been modifying the original swing arm to attach the motor (whilst keeping the original look of the scooter) and working out how to do the throttle. Once it’s registered I’ll be able to see what the actual top speed is but it already feels like I’ll have to reduce the gearing to get up to 70km/h. Also very interested to see what the range is like.

soyachips
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Re: Soyachips' Electric Vespa

One of the first things we did was look at how we could attach the motor to the original swing arm and have it fit under the cowling.

Initially we tried a single-stage transmission with the motor shaft facing out but the drive sprocket would have been quite bit and would have stuck out too far.

We ended up facing the motor in and using a 2-stage transmission which was more complicated but it meant everything would fit and the second stage chain and sprockets are hidden away.

View of the first set of sprockets and chain.

Smaller version to reposition the motor.

Testing with the cowling on.

soyachips
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Re: Soyachips' Electric Vespa

After working out where the motor was meant to go, we then played around with different designs for the position of the counter/jack shaft, how to hold the bearings, how to adjust chain tension, etc. before getting it fabricated.

For a while we thought about doing the work (or some of the work) ourselves but we didn't have the right tools or expertise to do it properly. In the end we got Extreme Creations (http://www.extremecreations.com.au/) who customise motorcycles to fabricate the motor mount. Although it was a bit expensive, it's the most important mechanical part of the whole conversion and I'd rather have peace of mind than something go wrong at 70km/h! The quality of their work is excellent and I'd highly recommend them ... if you live in Sydney, Australia!

We supplied CAD drawings which were used to machine the two aluminium plates. One of the plates is welded to the swing arm whilst the other is bolted on to form a box structure. We used 16mm aluminium which seems a bit overkill but the bearings are recessed into them.

Machining the inside plate that the motor attaches to.

The slots are to adjust the tension of the chain.

Machining the outside plate.

The whole swing arm and motor weighs less than the original ICE and no more oil or petrol to worry about!

soyachips
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Re: Soyachips' Electric Vespa

While this was going on we had the body cleaned up and spray painted.

soyachips
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Re: Soyachips' Electric Vespa

Putting the new swing arm back into the frame for the first time.

Wheels back on for the first time in 6 months!

Off the stand.

Cowling on.

soyachips
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Re: Soyachips' Electric Vespa

The battery pack is divided into 4 modules with 4 cells in each held together with steel straps. Each module weighs about 5 kg.

Two of them are under the left cowling along with the 12V accessories battery. The fuses are also here which can be accessed through a door on the cowling.

The other two modules go under the seat where the fuel tank used to be. One of them sits vertically and the other one lies at an angle against the inside wall.

We made up some aluminium brackets to hold the batteries in place and provide somewhere for the speed controller to sit. The contactor and BMS also go in here so it's a pretty tight fit!

Final battery locations, test wiring and main circuit fuse.

gasdive
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Joined: Thursday, October 28, 2010 - 22:43
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Re: Soyachips' Electric Vespa

How have you been going with the Vespa?

Is it registered and if so, could you give us a run down on how that went and what hoops you had to jump through?

Cheers Jason =:)

Jason
Blogging my Zero DS from day one http://zerods.blogspot.com/

HarryS
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Re: Soyachips' Electric Vespa

I nejoyed reading about your project. I was wondering where you obtaine dthese batteries? I have been looking high and low for them as these are the same ones used in the Vectrix. I have two bad cells that I need to replaces.

Mik
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Re: Soyachips' Electric Vespa

I nejoyed reading about your project. I was wondering where you obtaine dthese batteries? I have been looking high and low for them as these are the same ones used in the Vectrix. I have two bad cells that I need to replaces.

The cells look similar to the 30Ah GP cells in the Vectrix, but they look taller to me.

I guess they are GP 45Ah cells.

You can see the 4-cell modules are held together with three compression bands. The modules in the Vectrix have only one band.

The modules are labelled V3002 YYMMDD xxxxxxx.

The modules in the Vectrix are labelled M3008 YYMMDD 000xxxx.

The Vectrix cells are the tall ones in the middle shown here: http://www.evbtech.com/product.htm (click on "Product")

This information may be used entirely at your own risk.

There is always a way if there is no other way!

HarryS
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Re: Soyachips' Electric Vespa

you are right Mik! However, I would assume wherever the source for these batteries was would have access to the 30Ah version as well. We are still at a loss as to where a consumer could buy new cells.

antiscab
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Re: Soyachips' Electric Vespa

I nejoyed reading about your project. I was wondering where you obtaine dthese batteries? I have been looking high and low for them as these are the same ones used in the Vectrix. I have two bad cells that I need to replaces.

Those cells are actually LiFePO4, not nimh
they aren't the cells used in the Vectrix (though they are probably the ones used in the Lithium variant).

Matt

Daily Ride:
2007 Vectrix, modified with 42 x Thundersky 60Ah in July 2010. Done 194'000km

soyachips
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Last seen: 6 years 6 months ago
Joined: Sunday, September 20, 2009 - 06:53
Points: 20
Re: Soyachips' Electric Vespa

I nejoyed reading about your project. I was wondering where you obtaine dthese batteries? I have been looking high and low for them as these are the same ones used in the Vectrix. I have two bad cells that I need to replaces.

Hi HarryS,

I got the batteries directly through EVB Technology which is part of GP Batteries. The GP30EVLF cells cost US$80 each. These are LiFePO4 as Matt correctly pointed out.

If you're interested, the person to talk to is:

Ming Chu
Business Manager
EVB Technology LTD
4/F., Gold Peak Building, 30 Kawi Wing Road, Kwai Chung, N.T., Hong Kong
Email: ming_chu [at] goldpeak.com
Tel : +852 2484 3674
Website: http://www.evbtech.com/

soyachips
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Last seen: 6 years 6 months ago
Joined: Sunday, September 20, 2009 - 06:53
Points: 20
Re: Soyachips' Electric Vespa

How have you been going with the Vespa?

Is it registered and if so, could you give us a run down on how that went and what hoops you had to jump through?

Cheers Jason =:)

Hi Jason,

The Vespa's great although I haven't had a lot of riding time on it for various reasons. It's now registered which was quite a milestone! To get it registered I needed to get it weighed at a weighing station, a compliance certificate from an RTA engineering signatory, a blue slip to make sure all the standard stuff worked properly and CTP.

The compliance certificate was pretty straight forward as we met with the engineer during the design stage of the project so he had already reviewed the design of the motor mount before we got it fabricated. We also kept in touch with him throughout the process with modifications to the design and questions about brackets for the batteries. The inspection itself took a few hours and included checking that the wheels/tyres were rated correctly for the new weight, etc.

After the inspection I had to wait a couple of weeks for the certificate and modification plate and then took everything off to the RTA to get it registered. This took a while as the person serving me hadn't registered an EV before and their system seems a bit convoluted judging by the number of people involved in working out the right process and the time it took. Overall though it wasn't too painful, just time consuming.

Are you converting something at the moment?

Cheers,
Andrew

gasdive
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Re: Soyachips' Electric Vespa

I've been thinking about converting something for quite some time however the registration process seemed practically insurmountable. I really wanted to build a two wheel drive based on a light enduro bike.

Instead I've just laid down a deposit on a Zero DS. Not quite what I wanted but without doubt far better than what I would have constructed myself.

It's a full volume import with a manufacturers compliance plate so rego should be easy.

Hat's off to you for taking the hard road! Thanks for letting us into the process from start to finish!

=:)

Jason
Blogging my Zero DS from day one http://zerods.blogspot.com/

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