Electric conversions

[Andy McGhee]

There's an interesting video here about R5 and R4 electric conversions. It includes a fascinating story about the part played by R4s in the construction of the M5!

 

[Q plate]

Enjoyed that thanks.. did some googling after on the Dakar Range Rover/R4 story and then found this if it's of any interest

https://en.escuderia.com/asi-es-el-renault-4l-que-esta-corriendo-el-dakar-y-que-lleva-el-tubo-de-escape-en-el-techo/

 

[dg]

Fantastic!
Loving my electric R4.
Not sure 18kw is enough, or how the motor would generate enough heat to be able to heat the cabin.
I didn't know Club Cassis were behind the R-fit programme. I will be there at the end of June, might pop in.

 

[Cyprusnoddycar]

I contacted EV Europe in the Netherlands about a 90kw R4 conversion last year. And they said that they could supply me with a DIY kit for around €10k+ ? And I asked them how the EV transmission works ? And they said that you keep the original R4 gearbox with it 'locked' in 3rd gear. And one full charge on the batteries gave over 300km's ?

 

[malcolm]

That's quite fun. The Late Brake guy is a car enthusiast so always good to watch, and it's good that kits are available just in case petrol engined cars become illegal at some point in the future. Not sure the battery location would suit Claude the F4 very well.

 

[jjad]

It's a shame the battery packs take up so much boot space, and the range is quite low.

 

[JdeW]

I wrote it some times on several occasions, I am not against electric driving but I would never choose the wrong technology.
I would never ever convert it to battery powered, the production of batteries for cars is more poluting versus it's rendement, in my modest opinion the H2 fuelcell is the only right technology. A 80kg car H2 fuelcell produces a modest 260kWh.
Mankind has always choosen for the most greedy and worst technology for the masses and there are many examples of it.
The amount of solar power that reaches the earth in 1 hour is more than the total energy consumptiom worldwide.
So mankind should make more effort in harnasing this free energy to produce H2 and powering the world with H2 fuelcell technology.

 

[jjad]

I agree that some form of hydrogen (created using windpower, for example) is ideal.

 

[malcolm]

For the miles I do any conversion would not benefit the environment. Quite a large portion of the cost of the conversion is energy cost which will never be paid back by the few hundred miles a year driving using no energy at all (or whatever these things claim to do).

Car mods are fun though and that's the better argument for the conversion. If you want one then why not.

 

[laxeian]

Saw this, found it interesting, if it really is viable would like to retrofit a kit on my van when /if ever available!