Are you considering converting your fuel-powered car to an electric vehicle? While it can be a daunting project, there are ways to save time, money, and frustration. Discover 11 practical tips to help you with your EV conversion.

1. Take advantage of EV conversion forums

Start your search on forums where others share their experiences. You may find someone who has converted the same model. This will help you avoid many mistakes. For example, see:

• DIY Electric Car
• Endless Sphere
• YouTube videos about EV conversions

2. Examine drivetrain components

Take the time to thoroughly study the available components. Ask EV conversion companies for advice about their experiences. Choose components that are easy to use and easy to install.

3. Choose the right mounting brackets

Find suitable mounting brackets for your chosen engine. Some brackets allow direct mounting to the gearbox or differential, saving you a lot of time.

4. Custom design the battery pack

Aim for a battery pack that requires minimal modifications to your vehicle. Consider voltage, capacity, and additional components such as housing and BMS.

5. Place the controller strategically

Mount the controller as close to the motor as possible to minimize electromagnetic interference. Keep the power cables short, preferably no longer than 30 cm.

6. Battery pack: build it yourself or outsource?

Consider whether you want to build the battery pack yourself or have it made. Without experience, outsourcing is often wiser because of the technical knowledge required.

7. Combine motor and controller

Choose motor and controller from the same manufacturer for optimal configuration and compatibility.

8. Keep the system simple

Limit yourself to the essential systems. Extra features can complicate your project unnecessarily.

9. Reuse original parts

Keep as many original drivetrain components as possible to save costs. Pay attention to the power balance when upgrading.

10. Pay attention to weight distribution

Where possible, install new components in place of old ones to maintain driving dynamics.

11. Pre-test the drivetrain

Check the drivetrain operation before installing everything. This prevents time-consuming disassembly later.

Following these tips will make your EV conversion project more efficient and successful.

Maintaining the correct temperature range of your electric vehicle battery pack is essential for battery performance and longevity. What cooling methods exist and what are the pros and cons of each method? We explain it in this article.

Air cooling

How does it work?
By letting air flow through the battery pack, you can cool batteries. For example, Nissan uses this technology to cool the batteries of the Nissan Leaf. They let the air from inside the car circulate through the battery pack. With this system, the batteries can be cooled, but also heated during cold winter days.

Cons
A disadvantage of this system is that the temperature of the air in the vehicle is also the temperature at which the batteries are cooled. If you turn up the heating in the car because you are cold, the batteries are also heated. This is sometimes not ideal, especially when a lot of power is required.

Alternative
Another way to cool the batteries with air is to channel outside air into the battery pack in the vehicle. In this case, the temperature of the batteries will fluctuate with the outside temperature fluctuations. During hot summer days, the temperature of the batteries will also increase. This is again a problem for high-power applications, as the risk of battery overheating increases.

When is it suitable?
In most applications with low to medium power air cooling is sufficient. The power demand of the drivetrain is not that high, so the battery temperature remains around the ambient temperature. Even when high power is demanded occasionally, air cooling will still be sufficient because the batteries have more than enough time to cool down after a short period of high power demand.

When the power demand increases, the air cooling system will no longer be sufficient. Let's look at some other types of cooling systems.

Liquid cooling

How does it work?
Liquid cooling is the most popular way to cool a battery pack. A liquid cooling system consists of many more components than, for example, an air cooling system. These components make it possible to improve the cooling performance by upgrading the components.

Electric vehicle manufacturers like Tesla and Audi use liquid cooling in their battery packs. This cooling system is a separate cooling system that only the battery pack cools. The motor and controller are cooled with a second liquid cooling system due to the temperature differences between the components. The battery pack must remain below 60 degrees Celsius, which means the temperature of the coolant must be kept as low as possible. The temperature of the motor and controller can reach up to 140 degrees Celsius.

When these three components share the same cooling system, the battery pack is heated by the motor and controller. A separate cooling system for the battery pack is necessary.

When is it suitable?
Liquid cooling is the preferred solution for almost every battery pack. Whether it is a low or high power application, liquid cooling has the most advantages. In low power applications, you can take care of the battery pack so that it always operates at the right temperature. In high power applications, you can cool the battery pack to the maximum. You want to keep the temperature of the cooling system as low as possible to allow maximum power for the longest possible time.

In addition to all these cooling benefits, you can also heat the battery pack by adding a heating element to the cooling system.

As mentioned before, the cooling system of the battery pack and the cooling system of the motor and controller should be separated. These two cooling systems can be combined occasionally to heat the battery pack with the motor and controller when needed. Tesla for example uses this method. They can heat the battery pack with the heat generated by the motor and controller. This is very useful during cold winter days.

Cooling with heat-conducting materials

How does it work?
Heat conducting materials, such as heat pipes, can be used to extract heat from the battery pack. This is a slower way of cooling than when using liquid cooling. Metals such as aluminum and copper are also heat-conducting materials.

Cons
Unfortunately, this method of cooling is only a part of the cooling system instead of a complete system. When you use this as the only cooling system, the thermally conductive material must be very large. The thermally conductive material has a certain heat capacity. This is the amount of heat a material can absorb per weight. For a large extraction of heat from the battery pack, the thermally conductive material would have to be massive.

This means that you have to combine this way of cooling with another cooling system, like the two systems mentioned earlier. The heat conducting material will lead the heat to the other cooling system.

Immersion cooling

Another way to cool a battery pack with liquid is to immerse the entire battery pack in the coolant. This technology is already used in the world of supercomputers.

Cons
This method is very expensive. Another disadvantage is that the amount of liquid used has a certain heat capacity. As explained earlier, this is the amount of heat that a material can absorb. By immersing the entire battery pack in a liquid, the liquid can only cool as much as its heat capacity allows. In other words, the liquid heats up together with the battery pack. The liquid only slows down this process.

When is it suitable?
In high power applications, you will need to combine this cooling method with other types of cooling systems. For example, the housing can be made of aluminum, which conducts heat very well. When air flows past this housing, the battery pack and the liquid inside can be cooled.

Choosing the right cooling method for your electric vehicle can be quite challenging. At Power Battery, we are developing a unique cooling method for high-power battery packs. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about your project or request a consultation.

Assembling a battery pack for electric vehicles can be quite complex. Often there is a high power demand, while the available space is limited. Think of applications such as motorcycles, race cars and jet skis. In this article we describe the best methods to assemble a battery pack for these types of applications.

Select the right battery for your electric vehicle

When choosing a battery it is essential to look at the continuous and peak discharge current. Power Battery modules, such as the extreme module, are specially designed for such applications. They deliver maximum current output in a compact design.

Connecting batteries in series and parallel

If the nominal and maximum voltage of the application are known, the battery modules can be connected in series to achieve the required voltage. This determines the minimum space you need for your battery pack. If possible, two modules can be connected in parallel, doubling the capacity and power output. Connecting additional modules in parallel increases the range and reduces the voltage drop. This results in a longer life and better performance of the batteries.

Cooling of the battery pack

Cooling is crucial in high power applications. In classic cars and other low to medium power vehicles this is less critical. However, in high power applications maximum power is often required, which is a good cooling system required. Maintaining a low temperature extends the usable capacity of the batteries.

Battery housing for electric vehicles

Weight saving is essential in applications such as racing cars. The design of the battery housing plays a major role in this. Steel and stainless steel are strong but heavy. Aluminum is lighter and strong, but requires thicker walls. A hybrid solution, such as an aluminum housing reinforced with carbon, offers a good balance between strength and weight.

Battery pack insulation

Thermal insulation ensures that the battery slowly rises and falls in temperature, which prevents condensation. Good insulation materials are PVC, Nomex and Kapton tape. These materials are electrically insulating and resistant to high voltages.

Important considerations

1. Choose the correct battery module: High continuous and peak discharge current is essential.
2. Parallel connection: Add additional modules to increase capacity and power.
3. Cooling: Ensure an efficient cooling system.
4. Weight saving: Choose the right materials for the battery housing.
5. Thermal insulation: Prevent condensation by using good insulation.
6. Electrical insulation: Use materials such as Nomex, Kapton and PVC for safety.

At Power Battery we develop, test and manufacture powerful battery packs and modules. Feel free to contact us for questions or a consultation on your project.