Battery Vehicle Society

Hi i have aquired a smart four two (glider) never had a engine fitted so very clean.Has anyone converted a smart on here?I have got a d+d 15-6 motor and a curtiss 1209 controller the adapter plate is being made now to mate it to the original gearbox that is where my headaches are starting do i lock it in one gear or somehow make it use all 6 gears or dismantle box and use 2 and four/five gears with a manual clutch, help advise needed and appreciated thanks

Hello MrFizz

Where in the world are you?

There are 4 Smart cars on the EValbum for you to get ideas on power needed etc.

The general advice I have seen given here is to keep the gearbox but leave it in 2nd unless you need to climb a very steep hill.

I am in essex have a berlingo electric at the moment

For that size controller I would keep the ability to use all the gears in the gearbox and possibly the clutch as well. You will probably find you need different gears for different driving conditions. You may only need 2 or three gears, but no reason to limit your options. Also you can use the gearbox reverse instead of reversing the motor with a reversing contactor.

How are you going to select gears? It's a semi-automatic gearbox that's controlled by the ECU for the engine. You'd need to make your own ECU to control the motors that change gear, I guess.

Yes that was the thoughts i was having about gearchange problem and ecu i can put in a hydraulic clutch pedal kit and change the electonic clutch actuator on the gearbox but still have problem of gearchanging which was why i was going to use just two gears cable,just thoughts at the moment operated