SquidBonez
Active member
I know there are quite a few people on these forums with lots of experience building electric creations, so I thought this could be an interesting discussion. Just trying to pick some brains.
I've always been an outsider looking in when it comes to electric powertrains. I think they're super interesting and according to many they are the way of the future. However, my experience is entirely limited to internal combustion. The other day I was reading an article about electric conversion cars and the guy who wrote the article (who had experience building both internal combustion cars and electric cars) said that getting an electric build running is far easier than getting a gas build working correctly because of how much simpler electric powertrains are in comparison.
On one hand it might seem obvious; there are far fewer individual components to an electric powertrain versus an internal combustion one. Just look at any engine build - even with small engines like Predators - and there is a huge list of parts that need to be taken into account, fuel/air ratios, timing, clearances, tons of points of failure to be wary of, etc. But because the internal combustion engine is such an established piece of tech that people have been tinkering with for over 100 years, it doesn't seem that daunting to us now.
Most "vehicular-inclined" people are scared of electric powertrains simply because they are unfamiliar. Working with an engine and working with an electric motor are two completely different skill sets. That, and the fact that there is no electric equivalent of a site like GoPowerSports; there is a very limited aftermarket when it comes to electric powertrains. Most electric karts I've seen are using salvaged golf cart/forklift motors paired with general purpose controllers and sometimes custom made throttle setups. I can only imagine that getting a bunch of random components to play nice is a challenge. There's very little plug-and-play in comparison to something like a Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, etc, kit for a Predator 212. I believe this will change as electric vehicles become more common, parts/batteries become less expensive, and more people start working with them. For proof of this just look at the RC world - there are tons of aftermarket motors, speed controllers, and batteries to hop up your electric RC car. But in the meantime, there is no equivalent market for full-size cars let alone go karts.
But that all being said, is it actually easier to get an electric kart running in comparison to a gas one? As someone who has only worked with engines they seem way more complicated. Browsing the electric projects section of this forum always reminds me of how little I know!
I've always been an outsider looking in when it comes to electric powertrains. I think they're super interesting and according to many they are the way of the future. However, my experience is entirely limited to internal combustion. The other day I was reading an article about electric conversion cars and the guy who wrote the article (who had experience building both internal combustion cars and electric cars) said that getting an electric build running is far easier than getting a gas build working correctly because of how much simpler electric powertrains are in comparison.
On one hand it might seem obvious; there are far fewer individual components to an electric powertrain versus an internal combustion one. Just look at any engine build - even with small engines like Predators - and there is a huge list of parts that need to be taken into account, fuel/air ratios, timing, clearances, tons of points of failure to be wary of, etc. But because the internal combustion engine is such an established piece of tech that people have been tinkering with for over 100 years, it doesn't seem that daunting to us now.
Most "vehicular-inclined" people are scared of electric powertrains simply because they are unfamiliar. Working with an engine and working with an electric motor are two completely different skill sets. That, and the fact that there is no electric equivalent of a site like GoPowerSports; there is a very limited aftermarket when it comes to electric powertrains. Most electric karts I've seen are using salvaged golf cart/forklift motors paired with general purpose controllers and sometimes custom made throttle setups. I can only imagine that getting a bunch of random components to play nice is a challenge. There's very little plug-and-play in comparison to something like a Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, etc, kit for a Predator 212. I believe this will change as electric vehicles become more common, parts/batteries become less expensive, and more people start working with them. For proof of this just look at the RC world - there are tons of aftermarket motors, speed controllers, and batteries to hop up your electric RC car. But in the meantime, there is no equivalent market for full-size cars let alone go karts.
But that all being said, is it actually easier to get an electric kart running in comparison to a gas one? As someone who has only worked with engines they seem way more complicated. Browsing the electric projects section of this forum always reminds me of how little I know!
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