Installing The Electric Motor
If you are doing a DIY electric car conversion from your home garage, one of the main components for the EV is the electric motor. Getting the electric motor delivered to your house is an exciting feeling!
The next step is to connect the electric motor to the existing transmission unit. How do you do that? There are numerous ways to connect both the motor and transmission shaft together. You can custom made a metal bracket and then use a universal coupler. Alternatively, you also custom made an adapter plate.
The video below shows how Gavin Shoebridge of New Zealand custom made an adapter for his electric motor. He actually outsourced the work to a local engineering workshop. That is a good idea. Have you tried drilling, cutting and filing an 1 inch metal plate? It is not fun is you don’t have the proper tools and equipment.
When the adapter plate is done, all you have to do is bolt on the electric motor and connect is to the transmission unit. Make sure you have sufficient bolts. At this stage, it might be helpful if you have a hoist handy. The electric motor plus the adapter plate can weight quite a bit. When the electric motor is connected to the transmission, next you have to secure it the chassis of your homemade electric car.