EV Project: Converting my 2004 Boxster to Electric Vehicle
 

Hi All,

I have been posting info and questions on various threads on my work on my 986 and many people have asked when I was going to post a build thread...:)

Since people on both this forum as well as the DIYelectriccar forum would be interested in it, I thought of creating a website and updating it.

I have just started putting the website together (my son is helping and we are using Wix to build the site) and below is the link. Note this is still WIP and I have just posted the pics on the Dismantling' section. Will post more pics as I get time.

boxsterev

Current stage:

• Dismantling complete with engine and gas tank out
• Drive train assembled and fitted on engine
• currently making battery boxes and working on the Power Steering conversion

Do check it out and feel free to send your comments...:)

Attached are teaser pics of the assembled and fitted drive train...

thats a big ass electric motor!

Hi JayG,

It is not so big...a 9" DC motor the Warp9 from Netgain. Perhaps looks bigger because it is closer to the lens...A Warp11 would be bigger...:-)

Where are u located. I'd live to check it out in person.
Thx,Matt

Aka BoxstaRu (subaru EJ 2.5 Boxster)

Sent you a PM...

That's awesome! I will be checking updates!

What's the plan for the batteries?

Very cool! I checked out the website but can't find info on power output of these motors... Would be interesting to put a Warp 13 in one of these ;)

Thstone,

Have procured 45 CALB batteries which are the most recommended by EV'ers. That will make it 144V nominal.

John,

LOL! Takes us to Warp 13, Scotty! They don't make Warp13 yet. However for some applications one can put two Warp engines back to back, meaning coupling their shafts! So you could make 18 or 22! For the 986 Warp 9 should be enough, probably this too will spin the tires...:)

Thanks BigJake!

Where are they going to go?

Here is the plan for the location of the batteries:

• 1st Battery box (BB) of 9 ready and will go in the place where the gas tank was. See pic.
• 2nd and 3rd BB of 9 each, in preparation, will go on the driver side of the DC motor
• Hoping to fit the 4th and 5th BB similarly on the passenger side of the DC motor
• In future if I need to add batteries I will be able to put some where the exhaust muffler was. I will have to change my controller too then! I could perhaps go to 170V max with the Warp9.

I have not used up the trunk or frunk for the batteries (yet). Will be putting some electrical stuff: Charger, DC to DC converter, BMS in the bottom ~6 inches of the frunk. Hope to find the same material to line the 'new' bottom of the frunk..:) And the electrical contactor box in the trunk using up about 20% of space...

Cheers.
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Nice!! I was thinking about doing an LS conversion on my 01 Boxster S but this is intriguing. Will need more power then this particular DC motor can supply. I understand it is not cheap, $40,000 all in for parts?

Great project! In light of the recent Paris accord, this may just be the wave of the future. You'll just have to make your own vroom-vroom noises! :p

Do you really need the gearbox?

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Maybe he doesn't need the gearbox, but he needs a diff and something that brings the power to the axles. ;)

Regards, Markus

BTW: nice and very interesting project. At the moment we do have a 996 EV conversion over here in Germany. Conversion is done. Car drives, but some detail work left: Umrüstung / Entwicklung Powertrain Porsche 911 (996) auf Elektroantrieb - Elektro Porsche - PFF - unabhängiges Porsche Magazin & Forum

I had a chat with my indy tech who did a conversion in a 944 this past year. He said thataround town it was mostly 2nd gear but on the highway, 5th reduced the energy consumption.

Technically with the amount to torque delivered by the DC motor even at low rpm, one would not need a gear box per se. However, as pointed out by SmallBlock, coupling the wheels to the motor would be a big hassle and one would have to design a transaxle! It is better to keep the gearbox in my mind and use the advantage of low consumption at higher speeds as NewArt correctly describes. I intend to start in 2nd or 3rd gear and will stay in that gear for around-town and get to 5th gear on Freeways speeds.

No clutch needed?

I have used/kept the stock DMFW and clutch. In fact I had the adapter plate designed such that I keep the stock RPM hall effect sensor. I have to figure out a way to connect it to the stock RPM dial in the instrument panel. Need some expertise in finding out how I can do that.
I have disconnected the engine harness from the DME but kept the DME in the car as of yet...Anyone have detailed knowledge of the DME connections? Would love to talk to you...::-)

I installed a subaru engine in my 98, I probabally have the dme wiring info u need.
Or at least a start at it.

It was good to see you yesterday Matt! Thanks for your info on the wiring. Saved me bunch of hours of searching...:-) Am expecting the tips on the rack side from Woody today. We'll see if we can have some 6AN tips welded on those...

PorscheFan5, great project you have on the go.
I see on another thread, your working on a switched power supply for the steering pump, what about your brakes how are you going to make those work?
Also AC, it appears your going to maintain the AC doesn't that take a lot of juice to run thereby reducing your travel distance?
What about the 5 battery compartments and motor, how does their total added weight compare with the total weight loss of the engine, exhaust, coolant and fuel systems?

Hi PJQ,

Thanks. I need to spend more time and get it completed now...:)
I am going to use a GAST vaccum pump for the brakes. Have already found a nice place in a small cubby on the driver side in the Engine bay. I will run the same also from 12vSw. See pics attached.
I am not going to run the AC too much here in Nor Cal. So I just kept it off of the DC motor. Don't know exactly how much of a effect it will have on my range overall, but hopefully it wont be much while AC is not ON.
Overall my goal is to come close to stock gross weight with fuel tank full. We shall see how it turns out...I have thought of space for future if I want to change the controller and add more range by adding batteries. I will most likely put them where the Exhaust system used to be or worst case the rear trunk.

Hope that answers your questions. Did you get a chance to check out the WIP website? I have yet to upload a bunch of sections that I have worked on but the dismantling, PS etc. sections are uploaded...Enjoy!

Project website (WIP): boxsterev

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Yes already checked out the WIP website.
I'm helping a neighbor with an 1994 RX7 EV conversion so its interesting to see how your dealing with it in a Boxster.

Here are some pics for the custom bracker I made for running the AC compressor directly from the DC motor. Had to design it such that it was slightly adjustable to allow tightening of the belt and get a custom belt of the right size...Hope that helps someone...Still need to figure out the electrical connection for the compressor which was part of the engine harness...:)

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Hey I know this is a long dead thread but what was the end result? I hope you healed up from the welding burns!

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