Electric Kart in Testing Phase!!!

[Gibles]

Ok, so I've finally had the electric kart up and running for almost a week now. So far there haven't been ANY problems so I'm pretty stoked. Here are the stats so far:

- 48V 5kW DC motor
- Four 12V AGM batteries in series
- 426lbs
- Approx. 20 minutes of solid runtime
- Approx. 36mph max speed
- Regen braking

Took it to a kart track this Saturday and it ran really really well. I'd like to change the gearing a bit to achieve better acceleration with a lower top speed. It's a great first step. Here are some pics:

Here is a short video but it doesn't give the kart too much justice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1fF4V4K4AA

Any questions, feel free to ask away.

 

[jr dragster T]

Holy cow thats a nice looking cart!

 

[2or3wheels]

run the patteries in parallell and you will be going faster

 

[kibble]

run the patteries in parallell and you will be going faster

But that would only be 12V

BTW, nice kart!

 

[travisn]

how do you get the regen braking to work?

 

[Gibles]

how do you get the regen braking to work?

The controller is a programmable regen controller. All I have to do is load the software and enable the setting. When braking, a potentiometer increases voltage to help brake the motor. Right now you have to turn it with your hand but this week I'll make it functional with the brake pedal.

run the patteries in parallell and you will be going faster

That would only increase capacity, the motor would then be getting less voltage.

 

[Island_racer]

Hi Gibles,

I love your kart, as you know this is what I am trying to do myself but with a bench seat. I have one question, why is the kart so loud? Is it the motor or gearing?

 

[2or3wheels]

I thought that by running in parallel it would cause more voltage?

 

[kibble]

You're thinking "series". As Gibles said, parallel would just give more battery capacity. It's like when you put 3 batteries in a flashlight, they're in series, which would be 4.5V, whereas if you put them in parallel, they would only amount to 1.5V but with a higher capacity.

 

[Gibles]

Hi Gibles,

I love your kart, as you know this is what I am trying to do myself but with a bench seat. I have one question, why is the kart so loud? Is it the motor or gearing?

The sound is mostly coming from the motor and the chain. It kinda sounds like an F1 car - I like it



Some UPDATES:

- Installed a speedometer and the top speed with 2.5:1 gearing is 60mph.
- Recently changed the gearing to 4.6:1 to improve acceleration. Top speed drastically dropped to 37mph. Not only did the acceleration increase but battery life is much better. I get around 30 minutes now compared with around 20 minutes before.

 

[Jerryburger]

- Installed a speedometer and the top speed with 2.5:1 gearing is 60mph.
- Recently changed the gearing to 4.6:1 to improve acceleration. Top speed drastically dropped to 37mph. Not only did the acceleration increase but battery life is much better. I get around 30 minutes now compared with around 20 minutes before.

THIS is why I want so bad to mess with another electric project!

 

[user53]

Just as a point of interest.. our local go-kart track here uses electric go karts, since it is indoors. I don't really like them though, they are limited at 27mph, and you can keep it floored throughout the whole track, and just slide the corners.

 

[Gibles]

Just as a point of interest.. our local go-kart track here uses electric go karts, since it is indoors. I don't really like them though, they are limited at 27mph, and you can keep it floored throughout the whole track, and just slide the corners.

So is it the lack of speed you don't like or the fact you don't leave smelling like exhaust? What kind of track is it? Oval, road course type? 37mph would probably be ideal for a road course type track. Uploaded some more videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3bQn51NbdQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWXf5MWSXrw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9PDZixkFmo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHWeTbxNjaY

 

[user53]

27mph.

It's not that I mind that they are electric, it's just it's a small road course, and they just don't seem to go fast enough

The track is something like 90 yards total length. Also, they have an remote control power cut for all of the cars, which they use too much. You'll be driving, then suddenly stop.